Need Some Advice

[silentkink]

Hello everyone, I hope you all are having a very good day, but I just one quick question to ask. Before I ask let me give some background information. I am 16 years old and have been on a few cruises every so ofter, but that was when I was younger and mostly still hung out with my parents. Well now since I am 16 I am starting to hang out with my parents less and less I wanted to get some advice about making friends on cruises. I am mostly very shy and stick to myself and my close friends. I like to start conversations and carefully pick out people who I think are nice people and have a personality like my own. Now I know that this wouldn't work on a cruise because I only have 7 days with them and my thing usually takes a few weeks. So my question is can someone please give me some advice to meeting people on board Oasis or Allure of the Seas because my family and I will be going on one or the other over the summer. Are there any specific places to hang out with other kids and if there are how would I get talking to them. I know that sounds very weird, but do most kids on cruises just mingle all together or do they pick out specific groups beforehand like in school. Anyway thanks in advance and I can't wait for this cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

My son found that he met lots of people on the sports court and in the teen areas. He sailed with us at 16 and 17 on the Mariner. It was very important to go to the meet and greet that they have in the teen center the first night. He had already met some kids on the basketball court before we had even sailed but he met the kids that he hung out with all week at that first meeting.

 

He did attend some of the parties and dances during the week but also did things with his small group that hit it off. They had dinner in the WJ a couple of nights too. He still texts with some of these kids, three years later.

 

You will meet lots of kids, some you will like, others not so much, same as in school. Just try to join in, you will have a blast.:)

[silentkink]

Cool and thank you, that makes me feel even more excited for this cruise. I do actually have one more question. What is this meet and greet you are talking about? When I was on Freedom at age 12 or 13 I do now remember any meet and greet, but I do obviously trust you, and that sounds great to me. So will there be something posted about it or do I just go to the teen area at night and they will be having a meet and greet? So, thanks again and any more advice would be great! :)

[cruiseguy1016]

Cool and thank you, that makes me feel even more excited for this cruise. I do actually have one more question. What is this meet and greet you are talking about? When I was on Freedom at age 12 or 13 I do now remember any meet and greet, but I do obviously trust you, and that sounds great to me. So will there be something posted about it or do I just go to the teen area at night and they will be having a meet and greet? So, thanks again and any more advice would be great! :)

 

The meet and greet will be in the teen center on the first night. Go. That is when most of the kids will all be in the same place at the same time. Everyone there will be just like you, looking for someone to meet and hang out with during the cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

The meet and greet is the first night, usually around 8pm. Just a casual get together to meet everyone. It will be listed in the teen compass. Pick one up as you board or get one from your cabin steward if one isn't in your cabin waiting for you.

 

Here is a link to a bunch of kids compasses that Cruisinmama06 has collected from posters on cruise critic. It will give you an idea of the stuff they have for your age group. I don't see any from Oasis or Allure but they do pretty much the same stuff on all the ships.

 

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Royal%20Caribean%20AO%20Compass/?start=all

[silentkink]

Again thank you all so much for this very useful information that I will use for my upcoming cruise. Also after the first night meet and greet do most of the teens break into groups and go wherever, or do they go and hnag out all together in the teen center?

[reallyitsmema]

Again thank you all so much for this very useful information that I will use for my upcoming cruise. Also after the first night meet and greet do most of the teens break into groups and go wherever, or do they go and hnag out all together in the teen center?

A little of both really. My son had a core group he was always with but if they weren't interested in an activity he liked, he would find them when he was done. Some kids come with siblings or friends so already have their group but most just kind of find each other.:)

[ehfl]

Hang out by the pool, flowriders, game room, sports courts, etc. It's easy to start a conversation with others on a cruise. Try some of the following:

Where are you from?

Have you been on many cruises before?

Did you do any of the excursions?

[silentkink]

Thanks again to everyone, and do the ships get cell phone reception for texting so if I need to find my parents or kids I meet on the ship I can easily get in contact with them. You have all been great help and I know now more than ever I will have a great time on my cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

You're welcome.:)

 

Yes, there is cellphone service but it is expensive. Your unlimited text plan will not work, it is 50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive. Calls are $2.29/minute on the ship. I was a mean mother and didn't let my son have his phone on the ship since he texts around 3,000 texts a month. Didn't want to have to pay for a week of texting all his friends at home. Have your folks check rates with your cell provider.

[Mommy4lyfe]

Once you know what cruise you are going on, you can start a thread or join in on a thread. Normally they do a roll call of all the people on the thread, their names and children name along with age. My teen daughter talked on face book with some of the teens before she cruised.

[MrsPete]

Three suggestions:

 

1. Several other people have already espoused the benefits of going to the teen club on the first night -- this is excellent advice.

 

2. Start a thread on this site for teens who'll be on your exact cruise. If you start chatting with people ahead of time, you'll be a step ahead of the game. Once you've "met" here, you might take the conversation to Facebook.

 

3. If you do connect with a couple people ahead of time, consider arranging your own teen sail-away -- it's a good time to get together. My daughters've done this. They suggested that the people with whom they'd been chatting all meet at Johnny Rockets for sail-away. It worked well for them.

 

Finally, a cruise can be a good thing for a shy teen. It's a chance to meet all new people, a new start, a chance to practice being more outgoing! (Not that being outgoing makes you a better person, by any means, but it seems to be a goal of yours.)

[silentkink]

Three suggestions:

 

1. Several other people have already espoused the benefits of going to the teen club on the first night -- this is excellent advice.

 

2. Start a thread on this site for teens who'll be on your exact cruise. If you start chatting with people ahead of time, you'll be a step ahead of the game. Once you've "met" here, you might take the conversation to Facebook.

 

3. If you do connect with a couple people ahead of time, consider arranging your own teen sail-away -- it's a good time to get together. My daughters've done this. They suggested that the people with whom they'd been chatting all meet at Johnny Rockets for sail-away. It worked well for them.

 

Finally, a cruise can be a good thing for a shy teen. It's a chance to meet all new people, a new start, a chance to practice being more outgoing! (Not that being outgoing makes you a better person, by any means, but it seems to be a goal of yours.)

Wow, thank you for this a lot, and thanks to everyone who has given me some amazing advice for me upcoming cruise. I will start a topic on here about my cruise asking to see if there will be any other teens on my cruise once I figure out which we will be going on. I will try my best to talk to people beforehand, but if I am unable to like you said it could be a chance for me to learn to be more outgoing. Thanks again and I can't wait to meet all new people on my cruise.

[littlesteelo]

GO to the meet and greet in the teen club, actually drag yourself there if you have to - teens get pretty tied up in groups which makes it hard to make friends after the first day. Just go and act cool, talk to anyone you feel like getting to know. I'm 16 as well, so I had pretty much the same thoughts as you back in July. Remember that everybody's in the same position as you.

[silentkink]

Thanks and it is good to hear from a person my age, not to say the other peoples advice was great, which it was, but to know that other 16 year old's are thinking the same thoughts are great to know. Thanks a bunch.

[johneeo]

I only have 7 days with them

 

Nope.

 

You can start the moment you know what specific cruise you are going on. Join the roll call thread for your specific cruise. You will be able to begin meeting those that will be sailing with you.

 

And, in many instances, they will have an informal first meeting on sail away, maybe top deck on cast off, then maybe a more formal meet and greet.

 

I bet you will have a number of friends prior to getting on the ship.