In between age cruiser 17-20, please help!

[ejkj84]

I am in charge of researching cruise information for our next family cruise, and was wondering which ship would be best for my family and I. I am 20 and my brother is 17. My parents will also be going also. The three we are considering now are:

Carnival Conquest

Princess Caribbean

HAL Zuiderdam

We also looked in to RCCL, the big ships, but they seem to be over our price range. My main concern is meeting up with people my age. I was wondering if any of these ships and anything special to offer that inbetween age of 18-20. I am shy at first, as in I cant just walk up to people I dont know, but usually make friends easly once introduced.

Also with drinking, it is not that big of concern, I dont want to drink alot. But what would they do if say my parents bought me a drink or two? Also let me know if there are any things I cant do besides drink and gamble on each ship.

Any information would be greatly appreciate, expecially from people in this age range. Also any links to posts where this has been talk about before would be great, I could not find much.

I have been on two cruises before. One on celebrity when I was 17, they did not have a very organized or interesting programs for people my age. I will not settle for sitting around playing uno for 3 hours on my vacation! Luckly my brother and I entered about every triva competition and won about 3 times. I loved the looks on the adults faces when a 17 and 14 year old won agame about stuff they should have known.

[Bethwte]

I'm 17 now.. will be 18 in march, so I'll try to help. You as a 20 year old will most likely find a lot of people a year or two older than you on Carnival...there might be some passengers around your brothers age, probably most a year or a few younger. As for drinking... RCCL's policy is beer and wine to anyone over 18 (with parents permission... you can also gamble if not in alaska)... On Princess, you'll probably find less kids your age than on Carnival, esp since they limit the numbers of minor passengers.. sorry but cant offer any info on HAL...

 

I usually keep to myself rather than participate in teen programs, and if I do hang out with people, their 21+ or a crew member usually... Just have more in commen with them. Good luck though! :)

[sheree23]

Hey there! I think between the lines you've mentioned, Carnival would be your best bet. DH and I were both 26 when we first cruised. We're now 28. Carnival offers a lot of things on their cruises for people who like to have fun! We participated in the deck party games (the hoola hoop game where you pass it along and when the music stops whoever has the hoop on them is out), danced a lot, played win, lose, or draw, and went to a lot of the other special events that they held in the show lounge. Most of the shows were hillarius, watching people do funny, off-the-wall type things (or participating in those funny off-the-wall type things. DH and I actually participated and laughed the rest of the cruise whenever we saw ourselves on the carnival t.v. in our room!) Also if you're into kareoke, or just watching people kareoke, that can be a lot of fun too. Carnival ships have a dance club type room that I noticed some teens frequenting and also they have the game room where you can play the arcades.

 

Carnival cruises tend to know how to break the ice between people.

[interalia]

Hello...Our family just back from Carnivals Valor...I had my four children on the ship....for the holidays there was plenty of kids your age!

My daughter is 20...she found many her age on ship.

My son is 18....there were tons of friends for him.

The answer is definately Carnival...we have been on RC....boring...my kids hate it! Hal...is too old for you...and too old for your parents! I cant answer to princess...I havent been on it. If you'd like specifics answered...you can post here for Katie or Matthew! :D

[KathyB]

Hi

 

My daughter is 16 and my son is 20. Not sure when you are cruising but we sailed last July on Carnival and it was great - my kids met so many others their age they loved it. We have booked Carnival again for this July. We had always sailed in April but when my son hit college we switched to July. We have sailed on Royal Caribbean in the past but they really prefer Carnival.

 

Good Luck planning but I would think Carnival would be your best bet.

 

Kathy