Teen Programs on RCCL

[twoplus3]

Does anyone have any experience/reviews to share regarding the Teen Center activities on Royal Caribbean (Freedom of the Seas, especially)? We are cruising on Freedom this summer with kids ranging in age from 11 - 15. My son had some not-so-good experiences on Adventure two years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it was just the particular teens/counsellors on that particular cruise, or if it's the norm.

 

Thanks for any info you can share!

[akcruz]

Does anyone have any experience/reviews to share regarding the Teen Center activities on Royal Caribbean (Freedom of the Seas, especially)? We are cruising on Freedom this summer with kids ranging in age from 11 - 15. My son had some not-so-good experiences on Adventure two years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it was just the particular teens/counsellors on that particular cruise, or if it's the norm.

 

Thanks for any info you can share!

 

My kids are now 15 & 20 and love the teen activities on RCL. We used to do Carnival, but once we got into the teen years they much prefer RCL. Can't give you a 'review' per se, but we have never had an issue.

 

The one thing I do recommend is to make sure they kids go to the first night meet and greet. Often this is when the kids made their friends for the week. They then go off and do activities both within and outside the teen center. One of our rules is that we get to meet the kids they are hanging out with. Better safe than sorry, you never know!

[ryansmom]

Does anyone have any experience/reviews to share regarding the Teen Center activities on Royal Caribbean (Freedom of the Seas, especially)? We are cruising on Freedom this summer with kids ranging in age from 11 - 15. My son had some not-so-good experiences on Adventure two years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it was just the particular teens/counsellors on that particular cruise, or if it's the norm.

 

Thanks for any info you can share!

 

My son is 12...he'll be there! He's lookin forward to meeting some friends to hang with for the week... ;)

[vavasmom]

I have a now 15 YO DD -we have cruised RCCL since she was 10 - including FOS when she was 11 and 14. She has experienced the Voyages (9 - 11); The 11 YO are still in the AO Voyagers group - structured activities, lots of oversight. The two teen groups 12 - 14 and 15 - 17 have somewhat less structure and going the first night to meet the other kids is key. Also be aware that if no one shows up to the activity it is cancelled. DD has always made friends and had a blast but in some cases the new friends have spent more time on the pool deck than in the teen club until after dinner.

[Onessa]

DD has been crusing with us (since before she was born! ;)) She is now 15YO. The teen programs on most lines is considerably different than their kid's programs. We've done three RCCI, one X and one NCL cruise since she has "aged out" of the kids program and into the teen program.

 

Most of the teen program is really based upon the other teens on board (and much less than upon the teen club counselors). RCCI ships all tend to have a lot of activities and other things that teens can do.

 

Encourage your teens to go to the first night's teen club activities and any place else where they are likely to meet other kids their age. Making connections with others their age early in the cruise is probably the best way to make certain your teen will have a great time.

[twoplus3]

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback so far. I'm very glad to hear our experience was a more isolated incident.:)

 

To explain a little further, on the AOS we did visit on the first night, as recommended, but after that my son said the counsellors pretty much left the kids on their own much of the time in the teen center. Also, the 12-14 year olds were left with the 15-17 year olds all the time with no real plans for any of the activities listed in the daily itinerary. As a result, my son received several, um, "solicitations" from older teen girls. He turned them down, but he said they quickly moved on to other guys.

 

Luckily my son did find a pretty nice group to spend his time with in other areas of the ship (they'd meet at the teen center and then move on from there), but I was really disappointed to hear what was going on in the teen center. Not at all what had been described by RCL beforehand.:(

[ryansmom]

How old is your son ...twoplus3?

 

Mine is 12 and (thank God) girls are 'icky' still. (just "friends" he sez) :p

 

[newbiecruiser09]

We were on Majesty last spring break and DS 12 spent most of his time at the basketball court. He went the first night and did meet 2 boys he hung out with but he really did not want to "hang" in the teen area and much preferred to play on the court every evening after dinner (we were in a port each day). Each time I went past the teen area it did not seem like they were having any activities but just kids hanging out.

[twoplus3]

How old is your son ...twoplus3?

 

Mine is 12 and (thank God) girls are 'icky' still. (just "friends" he sez) :p

 

 

He is 15 now, but was only 13 at the time. :eek: He looked a bit older, but still I couldn't believe he was propositioned (and neither could he!). I think it was just bad luck to have a group of kids like that on our cruise, but it would have helped if the counsellors had tried to be more involved with the kids.

 

I have a daughter who is 12 now and she wants to try the teen center on Freedom, but my son doesn't want her to go there after his experience.:o

[ryansmom]

He is 15 now, but was only 13 at the time. :eek: He looked a bit older, but still I couldn't believe he was propositioned (and neither could he!). I think it was just bad luck to have a group of kids like that on our cruise, but it would have helped if the counsellors had tried to be more involved with the kids.

 

I have a daughter who is 12 now and she wants to try the teen center on Freedom, but my son doesn't want her to go there after his experience.:o

 

I have that problem too. My son looks older than he is...mostly because he is tall (probably about 5' 6"). But, you know what they say about girls maturing earlier.... :rolleyes:

 

I promise MY son won't hit on your daughter on the cruise ;) And, while I understand your son's concerns, I'm sure she'll be okay. After all...it was the GIRLS hitting on the guys.... He's a good big brother for lookin out for his sister. :)

 

meh...knowing my son, he'll meet a couple of buds and hang w/ them the rest of the week....

 

[twoplus3]

LOL! Thanks, Ryansmom! Sounds as though we're already on our way to having a better teen group on this cruise. :D

[luzzg]

For 12 year olds its fun. Like another poster said, make sure your child goes to the meet and greet on the first night. There are some fun planned activities like dances and movie parties, but alot of it is going off with your onboard friends.

[luzzg]

For 12 year olds its fun. Like another poster said, make sure your child goes to the meet and greet on the first night. There are some fun planned activities like dances and movie parties, but alot of it is going off with your onboard friends.

[BLAMBKY]

If you have teen and a nearly teen, how do you keep in touch on a cruise? Do cell phones work to text? Do you leave messages on post it notes in the cabin?

[ryansmom]

WE use a dry erase marker on the mirror in the cabin.

 

If there's a change in plans, leave a mssg there and what time you left your mssg....other than that, I let him be w/ friends. It's his vacation too!

 

And...HE's been known to come find US and check in on his own. Therefore, if WE have a change of plans, WE will leave him a mssg on the mirror.

 

[akcruz]

If you have teen and a nearly teen, how do you keep in touch on a cruise? Do cell phones work to text? Do you leave messages on post it notes in the cabin?

 

While cell phones do work on the ship 2 things to keep in mind, it is pricey to text and/or call so is it worth it? and, are your kids responsible enough to keep track of their phones? If they end up on the basketball court will the phone be layed down and forgotten about, or during the day will they be heading to the pool or some other area with water where you don't want the phone?

 

We go over our plans at breakfast if it is a sea day, or at dinner for the evening times. If the plans change for either us or the kids we leave a note inside the cabin of where we are. I have heard of some leaving a white board on their cabin door. Personally I don't want everyone on the ship knowing where my family is! Notes inside the cabin have always worked for us.

[twoplus3]

Another very helpful way of leaving messages is using the cabin phone line. You can call the room from anywhere on the ship (lots of public use phones in hallways). We found it helpful to have the kids "check in" with a phone message at set times and/or if they have a change of plans. Kind of the next-best-thing to texting.

 

We had tried walkie-talkies, but the reception on them was unreliable (from no reception to having multiple people on the same channel). Also, there are many areas where it becomes rude to have the walkie-talkies on and potentially ringing or beeping.

 

I found it funny, too, that in spite of how large the ship is, we always seemed to cross paths with our kids wherever we went anyway! :)

[OklaCruiserMom]

I've been wondering about this issue, but from the opposite direction. My twin DDs will only be a little over 18 when we sail, but they're very young 18, both in manner and appearance. They are pretty shy and not independent, so I really couldn't picture them going to hang out in the teen areas and just mingle, but I wish they had the option. Unfortunately, I've been assured they will be checked at the doors to the teen areas and not allowed in. (We're sailing on the Allure in May 2012.)

 

Ideas or suggestions for what they can do/expect onboard? We will be first-timers. My son won't have a problem- he'll be 11, so he can participate with the Voyagers if he wants. But the girls... :(

[newbiecruiser09]

Your DDs should be able to go to any of the clubs/lounges and can also take part in any of the other activities on board (trivia, etc). I believe there is also a meet & greet for the 18-20 yr old group on the first night. They should go and see if they meet up with any other like minded folks. I am sure that they will find things to keep themselves busy/entertained, even if it is not any ship organized activities like a teen club.

[OklaCruiserMom]

Thanks! I'm glad to know that!