Caribbean Princess - 2 August 2014 -teens

[palomino2424]

I have just booked this cruise for 14 nights - me, my husband and 15 year old daughter (we've never sailed Princess before). Having teens on our cruise is an integral part of our holiday because my ethos is, if my kid is happy and occupied, then she leaves me alone for 2 weeks ;).

 

I called Princess and asked them how many teens on this sailing (the ship is almost full) - they told me 10 :confused: They can only tell me teens listed in a shared cabin with parents, not those that are booked into their own rooms.

 

My question is do you think there will be more than 10 teens on this sailing, bearing in mind I think the kids go back to school in Florida state on 18 August??? I can always cancel this cruise as long as it's before 2 Feb.

 

Thanking you all in advance

Edited January 10, 2014 by palomino2424

[skynight]

I have just booked this cruise for 14 nights - me, my husband and 15 year old daughter (we've never sailed Princess before). Having teens on our cruise is an integral part of our holiday because my ethos is, if my kid is happy and occupied, then she leaves me alone for 2 weeks ;).

 

Thanking you all in advance

 

As I'm sure you are aware, this is two 7 day voyages b2b. Probably, most passengers will be only on one of the legs, so that the amount of youth on board will change from one week to the other. Many schools in the southern and other parts of the US start mid August, with pre school activities, such as sports, starting around the first of August. Schools in the North tend to start early September, activities starting around mid August. Most colleges start their fall term mid to late August. There is no national standard, but there is a common practice. Most likely there will not be a large amount of school age youth on board. This is also hurricane season in the Caribbean.

[palomino2424]

As I'm sure you are aware, this is two 7 day voyages b2b. Probably, most passengers will be only on one of the legs, so that the amount of youth on board will change from one week to the other. Many schools in the southern and other parts of the US start mid August, with pre school activities, such as sports, starting around the first of August. Schools in the North tend to start early September, activities starting around mid August. Most colleges start their fall term mid to late August. There is no national standard, but there is a common practice. Most likely there will not be a large amount of school age youth on board. This is also hurricane season in the Caribbean.

 

Thanks for your reply - I'm aware it's hurricane season which is why the cruise was quite reasonable :) - however I'm still at a loss as to understand why teens wouldn't be on this cruise if they're not back to school yet :confused:

 

Cruise from Southampton in the UK are always full of teens in the Summer break (from end July to beginning of Sept) - so why not with the American kids?

Edited January 10, 2014 by palomino2424

[-Lew-]

 

Cruise from Southampton in the UK are always full of teens in the Summer break (from end July to beginning of Sept) - so why not with the American kids?

Just a guess here, but you may have been quoted the number of teens onboard for the entire 14 days. Perhaps you should call back and ask for a count for each 7-day cruise.

 

By the way, I don't believe teens can be booked into a cabin with no adult name on the booking. Changes can be made after boarding, but for booking purposes, there needs to be an adult in the room.

 

Lew

[CraigRDR1]

I have just booked this cruise for 14 nights - me, my husband and 15 year old daughter (we've never sailed Princess before). Having teens on our cruise is an integral part of our holiday because my ethos is, if my kid is happy and occupied, then she leaves me alone for 2 weeks ;).

 

I called Princess and asked them how many teens on this sailing (the ship is almost full) - they told me 10 :confused: They can only tell me teens listed in a shared cabin with parents, not those that are booked into their own rooms.

 

My question is do you think there will be more than 10 teens on this sailing, bearing in mind I think the kids go back to school in Florida state on 18 August??? I can always cancel this cruise as long as it's before 2 Feb.

 

Thanking you all in advance

 

Our daughter has traveled with on Princess for many years... pre-teen through teens and always had a great time. Tons of activity, in fact at times we rarely saw her until bedtime and the occasional meal. Im sure there will be a ton of things to do. Sometimes when there are too many teens they get less attention and activities. I wouldnt go by the head count now...it changes alot as you get closer to the sail date.

[caribill]

Just a guess here, but you may have been quoted the number of teens onboard for the entire 14 days. Perhaps you should call back and ask for a count for each 7-day cruise.

 

 

Agree. Ask about the number of teens on each segment.

[paul929207]

Have you joined the Roll Call for your cruise? You could ask there about teens. You might even find one or more to hook your daughter up with before the cruise.

[caribill]

Have you joined the Roll Call for your cruise? You could ask there about teens. You might even find one or more to hook your daughter up with before the cruise.

 

Also join the roll calls for both segments.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just a guess here, but you may have been quoted the number of teens onboard for the entire 14 days. Perhaps you should call back and ask for a count for each 7-day cruise.

 

By the way, I don't believe teens can be booked into a cabin with no adult name on the booking. Changes can be made after boarding, but for booking purposes, there needs to be an adult in the room.

 

Lew

 

Both of these issues popped into my head too. Maybe the CSR should have looked at the number booked on each segment as probably there will be a different number of teens on board. And there needs to be an adult booked into the cabin as undoubtedly we're not talking about married 15-yr-olds.

 

Also it's several months before final payment. It could be that many will be booking this later on this year.

 

Our daughter has traveled with on Princess for many years... pre-teen through teens and always had a great time. Tons of activity, in fact at times we rarely saw her until bedtime and the occasional meal. Im sure there will be a ton of things to do. Sometimes when there are too many teens they get less attention and activities. I wouldnt go by the head count now...it changes alot as you get closer to the sail date.

 

On our last two cruises, both the two-week holiday Hawaiian ones and our girl was 13 and 15. She would go to the Remix one the first night to meet the others to see who's her age and close to her temperament. One of her friends from the previous cruise was on the last one too (they kept in touch thru Facebook) and they formed a group with another girl and three guys, about the same age. She told me she barely spent time actually there. So it didn't matter to her how many other teens were there as long as there were some to hang with. They found their own kind of fun (she said they had set up a ping pong tournament for one thing; when we were getting something at the International Cafe, we heard her in the art gallery the second day talking about the art with her friends).

 

I think if you were on an Alaskan cruise in early August, you would find a slew of families already booked.

 

Here in Southern California, the Los Angeles Unified School District (the second biggest in the US) switched a few years ago from starting school the day after Labor Day to mid-August (for reasons I feel are pretty dumb, especially as much of the district is in the San Fernando Valley which usually doesn't have temperatures UNDER 100 degrees from August to mid-September, so air conditioning is a must and has been a hefty utilities bill). Don't know how many families here would travel to the east coast for a Caribbean cruise, but the Alaskan cruises are very popular.

[AmberTeka]

Teachers report to their schools in Florida on Aug 11, 2014. Students report the following Monday.

 

I bet there are more children on there than 10. In the summertime?

[palomino2424]

Thank you to everyone who has replied.

 

Yes I've registered for roll call - so far no other teens.

 

I will call up again and ask for teen count on each separate week.

 

The ship is almost full if you look on their website, most cabins gone - so not sure how many more people would book with kids now?

 

I'm just not sure I want to take the risk and pay all this money (cheap cruise but flights from the UK are £1,000 .p.p) taking this holiday up to £6,000 for 3 of us .....................................

 

Still don't know what to do ...........................

[caribill]

Yes I've registered for roll call - so far no other teens.

 

 

Did you register on the roll calls for the individual segments?

[palomino2424]

OK - there are 35 teens on first part of cruise and 30 teens on second part of cruise - the original number of 10 was for the whole cruise :)

 

I think we'll book and go .............

 

Thank you to everyone who replied and helped me.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Kids go back to school the last week of August- in my area kids go back to school on August 25th. If you are cruising on August 2nd- there will definitely be kids and teens onboard. Keep in mind it is now January 12th. Families are just recovering from Christmas expenses and haven't booked their summer cruises yet. They will make these decisions in the coming months.

 

I cruised on Caribbean Princess in early August on 2011 and there were plenty of kids onboard. I know because I have one of my own. I also cruised in mid August on another cruise line (Celebrity) and there were TONS of kids and teens.

 

Don't worry- it will be great and a summer cruise on Princess attract lots of families. Pull up one of the reviews for Princess doing your itinerary from last year at the same time and you'll see what I mean.

Edited January 13, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Blk_Amish]

Thanks for your reply - I'm aware it's hurricane season which is why the cruise was quite reasonable :) - however I'm still at a loss as to understand why teens wouldn't be on this cruise if they're not back to school yet :confused:

 

Cruise from Southampton in the UK are always full of teens in the Summer break (from end July to beginning of Sept) - so why not with the American kids?

 

My kids get out at the end of May. By late summer I am tired of them and usually broke. I hate to travel late summer, too hot and uncomfortable. Summer vacation for us is in late June to early July to avoid the hoard of kids.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Blk_Amish

[Liz54]

Most Canadian kids don't go back to school till after Labour Day (The first Monday in September) so there may be Canadians!

[palomino2424]

Kids go back to school the last week of August- in my area kids go back to school on August 25th. If you are cruising on August 2nd- there will definitely be kids and teens onboard. Keep in mind it is now January 12th. Families are just recovering from Christmas expenses and haven't booked their summer cruises yet. They will make these decisions in the coming months.

 

I cruised on Caribbean Princess in early August on 2011 and there were plenty of kids onboard. I know because I have one of my own. I also cruised in mid August on another cruise line (Celebrity) and there were TONS of kids and teens.

 

Don't worry- it will be great and a summer cruise on Princess attract lots of families. Pull up one of the reviews for Princess doing your itinerary from last year at the same time and you'll see what I mean.

 

Hi Rebecca - that was a great suggestion about seeing the Princess cruises last year in the Caribbean except Princess haven't done August cruising to that destination for 3 years - this is their first year back ............... and we've never sailed Princess so don't know how many teens, etc

Edited January 14, 2014 by palomino2424