Dilemma with 18 y/o

[hershey4]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the best board to ask my question, or the general cruising board, but here goes. A couple of days ago, I posted a question about whether or not my about-to-turn 18 y/o would be allowed to join the teen club on a cruise to Bermuda, out of NYC. One person responded that if she turned 18 DURING the cruise, they wouldn't kick her out. Well, I just called NCL, and they said they WOULD NOT allow her to be a part of it once she turned 18.

 

We were trying to decide between 2 cruises, July 8 and July 15. Her birthday is on the 10th. The first cruise has the added hassle of it being the same day as a triathalon in the city, with road closures on the West Side Highway. In addition, I looked at the roll call and it seems there is some special group joining that sailing. All this would have made me lean toward the 15th, but she will obviously already be over 18 at the time we sail. However, if they are going to kick her out after only 2 days anyway (if we sail on the 8th), I'm really thinking the idea of a cruise just will not work out for us.

 

Her sister will be 16 and will want to join the club and meet up with other teens. We went on a cruise last year to Alaska and without meeting new friends, they wouln't have had nearly the fun that they did (although on that cruise, there really weren't a lot of kids onboard).

 

Sooooo, my question is, was the agent on the phone correct and willl they kick her out after 2 days? Does anyone reading this have any experience of their child turning 18 during a cruise?

 

Thanks!

[janetz]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the best board to ask my question, or the general cruising board, but here goes. A couple of days ago, I posted a question about whether or not my about-to-turn 18 y/o would be allowed to join the teen club on a cruise to Bermuda, out of NYC. One person responded that if she turned 18 DURING the cruise, they wouldn't kick her out. Well, I just called NCL, and they said they WOULD NOT allow her to be a part of it once she turned 18.

 

We were trying to decide between 2 cruises, July 8 and July 15. Her birthday is on the 10th. The first cruise has the added hassle of it being the same day as a triathalon in the city, with road closures on the West Side Highway. In addition, I looked at the roll call and it seems there is some special group joining that sailing. All this would have made me lean toward the 15th, but she will obviously already be over 18 at the time we sail. However, if they are going to kick her out after only 2 days anyway (if we sail on the 8th), I'm really thinking the idea of a cruise just will not work out for us.

 

Her sister will be 16 and will want to join the club and meet up with other teens. We went on a cruise last year to Alaska and without meeting new friends, they wouln't have had nearly the fun that they did (although on that cruise, there really weren't a lot of kids onboard).

 

Sooooo, my question is, was the agent on the phone correct and willl they kick her out after 2 days? Does anyone reading this have any experience of their child turning 18 during a cruise?

 

Thanks!

 

I have had that experience and I would not worry about it. The older they are the less they hang out at the kids club. They have a way of finding each other anyways. I am sure there will be other 18 years olds sailing. Our DD at 18 found many friends to hang out with onboard. :)

[mfinster007]

My daughter is only 16, but on our last two cruises (age 15 and 16), she didn't want to participate in the teen club and after a few days she had met many friends and I hardly ever saw her. Regardless if they 'kick her out' which I think they won't if it's not brought to their attention she should still have a really good time. An Alaska cruise often tends to have an older passenger age and I'm pretty sure the Bermuda trip will have a greater number of familes. Don't worry about it too much.

[hershey4]

I have had that experience and I would not worry about it. The older they are the less they hang out at the kids club. They have a way of finding each other anyways. I am sure there will be other 18 years olds sailing. Our DD at 18 found many friends to hang out with onboard. :)

Really!?! My daughter is not the most outgoing. Where would she meet other teens? I also liked the idea that my girls would hang out together (safety in numbers and all that!). Maybe I'm just having trouble picturing the whole thing since there really were NOT a lot of teens in Alaska. If it weren't for the teen club, I'm not sure they would have found anyone. Although, once they met the other kids on the first night, they rarely hung out in the actual teen center. They just hung out throughout the entire ship.

[Starry Eyes]

My impression is that some teens never go while other teens go the first night, meet some other teens, then hang out elsewhere on the ship thereafter. if your kids are apt to do this, the younger can go to the teen club, meet a few others and introduce the older sister the next day. If you really think they are going to hang in the club, the problem is a bit tougher...I cannot say if she would be booted on her birthday.no personal experience.

[bakerintn]

It has been reported several times that a child who has a birthday during the cruise that would put them in another group, does get moved to the next group. So, I would think that they would probably move her "out". You do have to show birth dates to enter kids into the groups, so they would know about the 18th birthday.

 

Gosh, I was in college before I turned 18 (just a few days), and never thought of hanging out with 16 year olds and younger.

[hershey4]

Thanks, everyone. It sounds like she'll be ok...now what to do about that triathalon..........

[Lost Sailor]

Thanks, everyone. It sounds like she'll be ok...now what to do about that triathalon..........

 

Hi,

 

We are also on the July 8th sailing. We are coming from NJ, we decided to go earlier than we originally planned. I would rather be sitting in the port, than sitting in traffic worring about making it to the port:eek:

 

If you do book for the 8th, you are more than welcome to join our roll call, just follow the link in my signature. Our 17 yr old daughter & 19yr old son will be attending. The more the merrier. :)

 

Tracy

[willysgrandma]

Why don't you just stay in a hotel in NYC the night before? If the roads are bad you can easily walk to the pier if you stay near Times Square.

[hershey4]

Well, after she read all your replies, I think she feels a little better about taking the sailing on the 15th. That will solve the traffic problem as well as the "partial charter" issue! Willysgrandma, we live less than an hour from the city. I'd have a really hard time justifying the cost of a NYC hotel. I'd rather "save" that money and spend it on the cruse. Thanks to everyone!

[Lost Sailor]

Have a great cruise :)

[Laszlo]

Most of the teens we saw on the Gem last week had a bad habit of "Hanging Out" in the stairwells:eek:. Many of the girls seemed to be looking for "boyfriends" for the week:D

[hershey4]

Uh-oh!! No hanging out in the stairways for my girls! I have booked for the 15th. Thanks, everyone.