Friends wanted on Queen Mary cruise

[Jody Ellis]

Hi my parents have booked a christmas cruise on the Queen Mary around the Caribbean. We haven't cruised before and don't know what to expect. Neither my brother or I really want to go as we think its a holiday for older people. I am 18 and my brother is 15.

 

Is there anyone out there who is my age who is also going to be on the cruise as I don't want to spend all my time with my irritating brother? If so please respond as I am dreading this trip and think I will be bored stiff with the oldies.

 

I guess its going to be all stuffy with the evening formal functions and such like.

 

Hope to hear from anyone around my age

 

Jody :)

[CruiserBruce]

You meet others on your cruise by going to the Roll Call boards. Here is Cunards:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=470

 

Select Queen Mary, then your sailing date. If you don't see your sailing date listed, start one.

[Keith1010]

Jody, best bet is to go to the Roll Call Board for your cruise. This is the link for your cruise.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1383919

 

The posters will mainly be adults and parents but you can see if any others around your age post and also ask if adults on this cruise will be traveling with children and/or grand children in your age groups. My guess since this is a Holiday Cruise that there will be several others at our around your age groups who will be on board for this cruise.

 

Keith

[BlueRiband]

Jody, since your family is going at Christmas time - school vacations - there will be other people there your age. Since you are 18 you will be able to go about the ship as you please. Your 15 year old brother can go to the teens Zone and stay out of your hair. Every day there is a schedule of activities. Or, you can spend the day sunbathing if that's what you like.

 

As an 18 year old you can also go to the G32 nightclub. Just walk past the Fred/Ginger wannabes in the Queens Room.

 

You didn't say if you like to meet people or prefer to be by yourself. There are wonderful opportunities to meet people at sea! People come from many countries to sail on her.

 

I guess you didn't care much for your prom if dressing for dinner is a downer. Formal nights are a time when everybody looks their best and nobody has to worry about getting a date! The best menus are served on Formal Nights, and you get a chance to try some dishes that you might not have otherwise. You will sit down to a table with linen, china and silver and be served like grown up ladies and gentlemen instead of having to lug your own tray through a caffeteria line.

 

I've sailed on the QM2 twice in the Caribbean. Anybody who is bored has to work at it.

 

You will have a fabulous time and will be the envy of your school or work mates. Please post again after your trip! Other people your age will want to know how it changed your mind!

 

Here's a post from a 16-year old who sailed on QM2 this summer. It was transatlantic, not Caribbean, but you may relate to him since he is close to your age.

http://wearecunard.com/2011/08/our-future-is-in-good-hands/

[Clydesmom7865]

However, I do feel bad for the 18 YO that is being forced to go on the Queen Mary on a Caribbean cruise with her irritating brother. The parents need to be charged with abuse.

 

While cruising is MOST people's idea of the perfect vacation, it isn't EVERYONES. Not all kids think a cruise is a great idea and at least this young lady had the forethought to come on here and try to find some people her own age to enjoy the trip. To put her down for not being grateful for a trip that she isn't keen on isn't fair either. She is legally an adult and if she were paying for a vacation she might book something entirely different all together. When you are 18, being forced to go on a vacation you would never book yourself is pure torture. She is at least mature enough to try and make the best of it instead of just flat out complaining like many of the alleged "mature" cruisers on these forums who come back and whine about every nit picky issue and continue to cruise.

[Hlitner]

Jody, Perhaps you will hate your family vacation, but, if you start out with a positive attitude you might be pleasantly surprised. There will be several thousand passengers on the QM2 at Christmas time and they will be of all ages from 6 months to probably over 90. Since you are going on a holiday cruise there will be many families and hundreds of young passengers (under 21) just like you (if you decide to go). Whether or not you make new friends and have a good time is your choice. As to being with your brother (I was raised with two sisters) this is a family issue that you probably should discuss with your parents. On most cruises teens and kids tend to hang-out with new friends in their own age group and you probably want to work out these issues before your cruise. We started taking our daughter on cruises when she was 5 (she is now 30 and still loves to cruise) and she still remembers all of her cruises (and there were many) and some of the friends she made on ships. We wish you the best of luck and hope that, whatever you do, you have a great holiday.

 

Hank

[Cruisin' Chick]

My daughter has been on seven cruises (but on Carnival and Princess) and the last one was her first in the teen group. She started grumbling a few weeks before as she thought her father would determine what we would do in port (it was the same cruise we went on the time before) so I got her involved in our port activities by giving her the brochures for each port and having her come up with some ideas. She got to contribute some sights and we sat down with her dad and came up with a plan. Hubby got his time in Waikiki, I got my shopping time, and it went fine. Onboard, she got to hang out with a few girls in her age group and we didn't require her to eat with us when she didn't want to (she can survive on pizza, but we often ran into her in the buffet; we did have breakfasts together).

 

Your parents hopefully may want some alone time. So you might want to check out the roll call mentioned above and see if there are some Cruise Critic members with family members around your age. Considering that's when schools/colleges have a break, it could be possible.

 

Our last two cruises were during the holidays and most likely there will be some holiday fun onboard on the QM. Make sure to check the daily newsletter which will list the activities and you may find yourself anything but bored.

[CraftyEC]

We cruised transatlantic (both ways, with a July 4th weekend in NYC in between) with our teens, DD was 18 and DS was 16. There was a teen programme which he used, but it wasn't as good as on the Emerald Princess the year before, but he enjoyed doing all sorts of daft stuff too - the darts competition in the bar each day comes to mind! My daughter likes her own company, so pootled around or read / sewed quite a lot - and even got involved in the knitting/ stitching group, but she was the youngest by a long way. She did meet up with some other young adults though, but avoided the discos etc like the plague - you may like them though!

 

Honestly, there is so much to do on a ship that size, from hanging out around the pool, organised activities, trying lots of new foods etc, that provided you go with a positive attitude you should have a ball! Oh, and although there is dressing up for the formal nights, the rest isn't too stuffy at all, and the dressing up is fun.

[BlueRiband]

We cruised transatlantic (both ways, with a July 4th weekend in NYC in between) with our teens, DD was 18 and DS was 16. There was a teen programme which he used, but it wasn't as good as on the Emerald Princess the year before, but he enjoyed doing all sorts of daft stuff too - the darts competition in the bar each day comes to mind! My daughter likes her own company, so pootled around or read / sewed quite a lot - and even got involved in the knitting/ stitching group, but she was the youngest by a long way. She did meet up with some other young adults though, but avoided the discos etc like the plague - you may like them though!

 

Honestly, there is so much to do on a ship that size, from hanging out around the pool, organised activities, trying lots of new foods etc, that provided you go with a positive attitude you should have a ball! Oh, and although there is dressing up for the formal nights, the rest isn't too stuffy at all, and the dressing up is fun.

 

By emphasizing dart thorowing and knitting you made it sound like there is nothing else to do. Is this sarcasm necessary?

[patty0227]

By emphasizing dart thorowing and knitting you made it sound like there is nothing else to do. Is this sarcasm necessary?

 

I didn't detect sarcasm from the post, I thought she was just letting the OP know that there is something for everyone and was just relating her family's activities and what they did on the cruise.

:rolleyes:

[patty0227]

Hi my parents have booked a christmas cruise on the Queen Mary around the Caribbean. We haven't cruised before and don't know what to expect. Neither my brother or I really want to go as we think its a holiday for older people. I am 18 and my brother is 15.

 

Is there anyone out there who is my age who is also going to be on the cruise as I don't want to spend all my time with my irritating brother? If so please respond as I am dreading this trip and think I will be bored stiff with the oldies.

 

I guess its going to be all stuffy with the evening formal functions and such like.

 

Hope to hear from anyone around my age

 

Jody :)

 

 

 

Our Daughters were 15 and 17 when they went on their first cruise. we saw them about 5 hours all week and they ate 2 meals with us... I think ~:)(though they were not allowed to leave our side off the ship). They had a wonderful time and still talk about it to this day! They met friends right away and did everything with them and they still talk to some of them even 5 years later. One of them even fell in love (briefly) so you never know. Its all what you make it and the fact that you are going on Christmas break (thats when we went too) you will have plenty of people your age to hang with. Go and enjoy yourself not a lot of kids your age get the chance to go on a cruise. You wont be sorry!

:D

[johneeo]

I didn't detect sarcasm from the post, ...

:rolleyes:

 

I do not believe sarcasm is permitted on CC.:rolleyes:

[patty0227]

I do not believe sarcasm is permitted on CC.:rolleyes:

 

Never!

:p

[CraftyEC]

By emphasizing dart thorowing and knitting you made it sound like there is nothing else to do. Is this sarcasm necessary?

I beg your pardon? I can assure you that there was no sarcasm at all in my post, and can see no reason for you to apparently detect any.

 

As the next poster said I was just recounting my experience, and instead of listing all the usual activities in the teen club, for example, which are listed elsewhere, including on the cruise line websites and catalogues, such as video games and tournaments etc, I mentioned some of the quirkier activities. It was my son's first experience of darts, as in the UK it usually takes place in pubs / bars, and my daughter had brought some stitching and enjoyed doing it in the company of others - she was open minded enough to join some older ladies. Perhaps she will develop your degree of prejudice as she gets older ...

[patty0227]

I beg your pardon? I can assure you that there was no sarcasm at all in my post, and can see no reason for you to apparently detect any.

 

As the next poster said I was just recounting my experience, and instead of listing all the usual activities in the teen club, for example, which are listed elsewhere, including on the cruise line websites and catalogues, such as video games and tournaments etc, I mentioned some of the quirkier activities. It was my son's first experience of darts, as in the UK it usually takes place in pubs / bars, and my daughter had brought some stitching and enjoyed doing it in the company of others - she was open minded enough to join some older ladies. Perhaps she will develop your degree of prejudice as she gets older ...

 

Well said!

I think some people just like to be mean....

:rolleyes:

[Happy ks]

Jody, I know you have posted this almost identical thread several times in the past few weeks. I don't think the answers are going to be any different for you.

 

I have to agree with the post that suggested you start trying to go with a more positive attitude. It doesn't seem like your parents are going to back out of the cruise, it's probably already paid for and I'm sure they paid a whole lot for this trip. Try to appreciate them and try to be pleasant with them and your irritating brother, many of us have brothers who were annoying, it won't last forever. That in itself will make your time more bearable, it's not a pretty sight to see people trying to be miserable.

 

A few years ago a girl was so upset her parents took her to Hawaii on a cruise ship (she wanted to stay behind with her boyfriend, she was also pregnant and I think around 21). Well, she made a threat onboard the ship and ended up being put in jail for a couple years, seriously. So this is what anger and retaliation can do for you. I'm not saying you would do this, but this is merely a 2 week vacation, it's not the rest of your life. Your friends will be there when you get back home.

 

Look at the positives. Your mom may take you shopping and you can get new clothes. You will see places your friends only dream of seeing (this has happened to my daughter, her friends are so envious of the cruises she has been on...and not appreciated until her friends tell her how lucky she is). I've never been to New York, would love to see the city. The ship you are going on is fabulous, you will be in awe of it once you board. No, I'm not anywhere close to your age, but as you will learn when you get older, those of us who are "old" have been in your shoes...honest.

 

My father used to say to me "youth is wasted on the young" and I now understand completely what he meant. Be happy and enjoy your life and the benefits of being a part of a family who can afford this luxury, you will thank yourself in a few years.

[marshhawk]

It's amazing how one teenager asks a question and all the adults get snippy :rolleyes:.

My first cruise was a transcontinental from NY to Cherbourg. I was not bored. Not one minute, I'm in my late 50's now and I was six at the time, and I still have wonderful memories, so you wont be bored. The ships are huge, and one can easily get lost or misplaced on them.:eek: :rolleyes: You may not see your brother for days, as a matter of fact there was so much to do on the cruise, I didn't see my brother for days.

 

It will be around 80 degrees in the Bahamas and Caribbean (farenheit), the water crystal clear, the music of the islands, you will have a great time.

It's all about seeing something new, learning something new, you could study about the Arawack Indians that populated that part of the world, and were wiped out by the diseases of European explorers, study the great pirates of that time, knowing something from the past, helps you appreciate the here and now, and a great conversation starter-I mean there's a gorgeous guy walking around deck, and you walk up and say, did you know blackbeard killed 6 or his seven wives just 20 knots from here(exaggerated story) but you get the idea. Join your roll call, and have fun:)

[John Bull]

..........just 20 knots fr:)om here

 

 

Avast there, ye land-lubber.

'Tis back to pirate school for thee.

 

JB (in pedantic mood) :D

There'll be plenty of skates & swabbies who'll understand this post

[Happy ks]

It's amazing how one teenager asks a question and all the adults get snippy :rolleyes:.

My first cruise was a transcontinental from NY to Cherbourg. I was not bored. Not one minute, I'm in my late 50's now and I was six at the time, and I still have wonderful memories, so you wont be bored. The ships are huge, and one can easily get lost or misplaced on them.:eek: :rolleyes: You may not see your brother for days, as a matter of fact there was so much to do on the cruise, I didn't see my brother for days.

 

It will be around 80 degrees in the Bahamas and Caribbean (farenheit), the water crystal clear, the music of the islands, you will have a great time.

 

It's all about seeing something new, learning something new, you could study about the Arawack Indians that populated that part of the world, and were wiped out by the diseases of European explorers, study the great pirates of that time, knowing something from the past, helps you appreciate the here and now, and a great conversation starter-I mean there's a gorgeous guy walking around deck, and you walk up and say, did you know blackbeard killed 6 or his seven wives just 20 knots from here(exaggerated story) but you get the idea. Join your roll call, and have fun:)

 

Where is the "snippy"? I read a lot of people trying to be encouraging and helpful. That we don't agree with her negativity isn't being snippy, you offered words of encouragement just like everyone else.