Help from teenagers please! Our 16 year old doesn't want to come on Legend cruise!

[makeup face]

You shouldnt have to beg, drag or convince them to go. You TELL them to go and thats it.

 

 

YEP...that is what you do...it's not a choice!!!

[makeup face]

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I'm not. You said he'll have a good time, period. I'm just curious as to how you'd ensure that would happen.

Who said I had family issues? From someone who doesn't want words put in their mouth, you're real quick to do the same.

So there was no enforced gaity? No happiness or the beatings would continue? Good to know.

 

Seems my parents made the right choice for me, as I'm in my thirties and not a sociopath and have even come to terms with my mother's embarrassing tendencies. And guess what? A whole week of fending for myself was actually a good experience -- a little independence is actually good for some kids.

 

I work so I don't have the time for a break down....just let me say that it's a mother's job to embarrass her children;)

[sjn911]

I am a 14 year old girl, and am so excited for cruising! If I were to try and convince my brother (11 but he had a bad experience on our last cruise) to go with us, this is what I would tell him:

1. 24/7 pizza, ice cream, etc.

2. Girls

3. Meeting people

4. Its a get away (If he has school then...)

5. Beach

6. Its a family vacation, spend some time with the family

7. If you don't go, you will need to stay with (insert least favorable family member's name with the house farthest away from his friends) and you won't be able to have the computer or your cell phone.

(The last one always works)

Happy sailing!

 

 

For the wisdom of the "got to go side" you sure have my vote.

 

Would it ever work to talk about wanting to have the "I was there" for the family jokes later approach? Thanks for posting. No one can give more insight than someone of the same age at the time!!!

[sjn911]

I still stand by my stay at home option as an option too. Hope the variety of respnses help the OP. If I were the OP, it would have helped me some..it's personal...

 

Good luck OP..Happy Travels. sjn

[kwilliams137]

Will never forget the first cruise when I was 16. It was on the Fantasy.

 

Met several groups of people from all over the world - sounds cheesy but seriously in 1997 it was cool.

 

Pizza all the time, any time. Does he like to eat? Lots?

 

Despite only being a 4 day cruise, I met 3 sisters from St. Louis. Spent three of the four nights hanging out with them. Usually on the Lido deck in front of the pizza place (why do teens always gather there at night!). The best part was after the cruise I got to go visit them in St. Louis - all alone! First major trip away from home all alone!

 

If there was a teen club back then I definitely didn't know about it as I didn't attend.

 

-Bill

[sue5002]

Simple...Tell him to do a search on You Tube for Club O2.

[sjn911]

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I'm not. You said he'll have a good time, period. I'm just curious as to how you'd ensure that would happen.

 

 

 

Who said I had family issues? From someone who doesn't want words put in their mouth, you're real quick to do the same.

 

 

 

So there was no enforced gaity? No happiness or the beatings would continue? Good to know.

 

 

 

Seems my parents made the right choice for me, as I'm in my thirties and not a sociopath and have even come to terms with my mother's embarrassing tendencies. And guess what? A whole week of fending for myself was actually a good experience -- a little independence is actually good for some kids.

 

There have been many times I wished I could have your kind of comebacks...in the right places. Just found these lines satisfying ones that would have fit a couple situations..not so long ago with a couple of my family members..sorry if this comment is too personal..thanks for your words. Gave me a little satisfaction replaying what I wished I would have said to some my way or the highway folks that caused plenty of dammage in my group.

 

Thanks..sjn911.

[lillian marie]

Tell him he'll have a great time. There's lots of food including all the pizza he wants and teen stuff to do, dances, video games etc. He'll meet new friends.

[sjn911]

Tell him he'll have a great time. There's lots of food including all the pizza he wants and teen stuff to do, dances, video games etc. He'll meet new friends.

 

I sure hope pushing this plan will work for them..sounds like they all just want a sympatico good vacation....good thoughts to them.:)

[mahwah]

Is he shy, is that the problem? I wouldn't give him a choice. Just reassure him that he will have a good time. Encourage him to do the kids program 15-17 years olds. Make sure he does the meet and greet the very 1st night because he will meet kids then and sometimes, the kids don't want to do stuff with the teen program, but will make plans with each other. We are going on another cruise July 31st for 8 days. My daughter will be 17 when we cruise. We took her on a cruise 2 summers ago and she went to the teen club the first day and thought it was lame, but she met some other teens to hang out with for the rest of the cruise. She had a GREAT time and she still talks to these teens.

[CarolynB]

Bythehex..... Yes! Thanks that is exactly what I said. Sorry I have posted my response on a different board, my mistake.

Thanks for everyone's advice, yes he is coming whether he likes it or not. The cruise is the first part of an almost 3 week vacation in Florida and we are flying from England. He is no way staying behind! We have been going to Florida every Xmas for several years now and he loves it. We thought a week's cruise would make a nice change. So just a teenager finding another way to be a pain in the butt I think.

 

Glad you posted. Have a wonderful vacation.

[makeup face]

shrews1......good.... glad you put your "foot" down;) England is too far away to leave him behind. If he liked Florida....he'll like cruising. Be sure you come back and let us know how it went. Enjoy your vacation:D

[Smoofdaddy]

We are so excited about our first cruise on the Legend, 12/12/10 but have two teen boys , 15 and 16, the 15 is really excited too but the 16 says it's his worst nightmare and doesn't want to come.

Any families with teens who can write something to change his mind? PLEEEEEASE!

 

Tell him he can stay at grandma's or a friends house and I'll go!

I've sailed on the Legend twice, most recently this past April. Put me up in my own cabin and I'll be your "official" tour guide! As a bonus, I'll even bring my partner in crime, "Stowaway Freddy"! You can read our most recent review in the link included in my signature;):D

(Also you will be responsible for my and "Stowaway Freddy's" sail and sign account. At the end of the week that alone is well worth the expense! More "liquid" equals more "laughs"! This is non-negotiable):D

[rrraydon]

Our first family cruise was on the Legend also, in 2006. At the time our kids were..20..17..(girls)..16 (boy)...8 (girl). On the first day, the older kids met an Italian family from New York who were having a family reunion. They had like 30 cabins booked. I only saw those kids at dinner each night for the whole 9 days. They hung out with their new friends the entire cruise. They had the time of their lives! That cruise is still a topic of discussion in our house weekly!

Trust me, they'll love it!

[LemurCat]

I work so I don't have the time for a break down....

So do I. Are you someone how implying that I'm unemployed? (I'm kidding. Sorta.)

just let me say that it's a mother's job to embarrass her children;)

 

I disagree. It's a mother's job to parent her child. If the child embarrasses his or herself and mother points it out, it's one thing. When Mom tries too hard to be "cool", it's another. Then she embarrasses herself and her kids. Some parents love to push their kids, and not always in the ways best for the kid. At 16, I knew my mother and I had widely divergent views of what I should be doing at any given time. Rather than subject the world to her constant harping on me to be more social, go do something fun, etc. and the resultant fight, I found it far easier to just sit that one out.

[makeup face]

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So do I. Are you someone how implying that I'm unemployed? (I'm kidding. Sorta.)

 

I disagree. It's a mother's job to parent her child. If the child embarrasses his or herself and mother points it out, it's one thing. When Mom tries too hard to be "cool", it's another. Then she embarrasses herself and her kids. Some parents love to push their kids, and not always in the ways best for the kid. At 16, I knew my mother and I had widely divergent views of what I should be doing at any given time. Rather than subject the world to her constant harping on me to be more social, go do something fun, etc. and the resultant fight, I found it far easier to just sit that one out.

 

You really need to lighten up.....I was kidding...that's why I winked at you...geeesh!!!

[LemurCat]

You really need to lighten up.....I was kidding...that's why I winked at you...geeesh!!!

 

I know that. And I know you weren't implying I'm unemployed. :D

[CruizenSusan]

Maybe a zip line excursion or the cave tubing in Belize would be fun for him.

[makeup face]

I know that. And I know you weren't implying I'm unemployed. :D

 

No....I was implying I didn't have the time to reply line for line.

And I only embarrassed my sons while they were on the football field. Mainly by shouting "ref....you need to go back to Foot Locker". Their teammates loved it:D:D

[kat228]

Hah...I remember being 16 and my parents took us to Grand Cayman for a week. I had my first "real" boyfriend and oh.my.goodness. was I angtsy. I would have gladly stayed home with my grandparents and been able to see him. It makes me laugh just thinking about it! Luckily, that was the only trip I was like that. One of the few things I regreat in life is letting that vacation go to waste. I wish I had a do-over!

 

Moral of the story: if you give him an ultimatium to stay with his Grandparents, be ready if he says yes!

[Tbay-eh]

Maybe a zip line excursion or the cave tubing in Belize would be fun for him.

 

Oh no, I would not start bribing unless this is an excursion they were already looking at. He is 16 and still under parental control so "suck it up buttercup". My kids had a lot of areas they could make choices but this would not be one of them.

[DDFla]

Im 15(girl), and I went on my first carnival cruise last summer. Although I didn't enjoy the disney karaoke in the club 02 PLUS I was sick most of the trip so I didn't get to enjoy all the wonderful food but I still had a blast. Its not like the titanic, I forgot I was even on a ship! The desert and shows are great! And once he comes back home he'll be nice and tan... Although I'm not sure a guy really cares about that. lol just take him! He'll have a blast!

 

Enjoy your cruise! :)

[dfmeeks]

We always stayed at an AI in Mexico every year & loved it. Two years ago, we skipped the AI & sailed with my then 14 yr old daughter & my parents on the Liberty to the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, & Cozumel. Well, my daughter now prefers to cruise! She loves the fact that her peers are "captive" on the ship, unlike the resort where she may meet a friend who's leaving for home 2 days after they met. She enjoys the teen club, swimming all day, dancing, & just hanging out with others from different states & countries. We're leaving in November for our next cruise & she's just counting the days. Oh, & she's still in regular contact with 3 teens she met on the Liberty! All she did to meet kids was to attend the first night of the club for her age group. After that, she just hung out with the kids she met.

[ashxoxo89]

On my first cuise I was 17 (but already in college) and went with my parents only and i still had a blast. Cruises are amazing. There is nothing like the experience of looking all around and seeing all beautiful blue ocean :) Its so relaxing I dontknow how any one would not want to go! Show him pictures of the ship that always gets everyone excited.. Plan an excursin oand tell himabout it maybe that will help. Good luck

[meatloafsfan]

Im 15(girl), and I went on my first carnival cruise last summer. Although I didn't enjoy the disney karaoke in the club 02 PLUS I was sick most of the trip so I didn't get to enjoy all the wonderful food but I still had a blast. Its not like the titanic, I forgot I was even on a ship! The desert and shows are great! And once he comes back home he'll be nice and tan... Although I'm not sure a guy really cares about that. lol just take him! He'll have a blast!

 

Enjoy your cruise! :)

 

I hope you'll do a cruise review when you get back from your cruise this fall. There is so little information out there that I can find about teens cruising and what is offered for them (i.e. Disney Karaoke in club O2? who would have thought that?).

 

It would be a great service not just to other teens but also parents (and non-parents like me who for some weird reason decided to take a 16 year old on her first cruise:eek:).