New to Celebrity, have a 16 & 22 yr old, would they be board

[dmart82]

We have cruise carnival and NCL for about 12 cruises and wanted to try Celebrity Summit and want your options on if my kids that are 16 & 22 would be board or are there things to do. They like to play mini golf, basket ball, shuffle board and go to the shows. If any one could tell me how many pools or slides they have would be great too. I normally research everything to death, but this would be last minute and i need to book today, only one room left in the category we would like. Just don't want to spend the extra and have my kids complaining and then have buyers remorse.

[schlimazel_traveler]

My older teen/young adult guests did find there was not a lot going on for them to do. There aren't pool slides, to my knowledge.

[bama4cruisin]

There are 2 pools, one of which is adults only so only the 22-year-old would have access. We sailed on Summit in October to Canada-New England, so the weather was chilly and outside pool saw limited use. I do not believe there is any mini-golf. I think there is a basketball court.

[az_tchr]

It all depends on your cruise. Do not remember where Summit goes. In the Caribbean or Alaska they (and you) will be busy with almost daily port calls and great scenery to watch on the sea day. If there are say two sea days not as good.

 

Took grandkids aged 16, 17, 21 on the Millennium to Alaska. We never really saw them except at dinner. They played ping pong, hung out in the gym, basketball court or pool area and did lots of eating. Had absolutely no complaints. There were about 40 or 50 similar aged kids and the entire group did their own thing.

 

FWIW - did a similar cruise with pool with slides. Only occasionally saw older kids using slides. Mostly younger kids. There is lots to do and 17 year olds are generally happy sleeping in. And yes they did enjoy the shows - interesting - always sitting in the front row and getting picked on by the entertainers. The 21 year old - good looking and plays football had the dancers try to pick him up!

Edited January 29, 2016 by az_tchr

[schlimazel_traveler]

My young guests did prefer the Summit to the Reflection--thanks to the energetic and engaging activities host. But there is only one activities host and one activities manager.

[chemmo]

We have cruise carnival and NCL for about 12 cruises and wanted to try Celebrity Summit and want your options on if my kids that are 16 & 22 would be board or are there things to do. They like to play mini golf, basket ball, shuffle board and go to the shows. If any one could tell me how many pools or slides they have would be great too. I normally research everything to death, but this would be last minute and i need to book today, only one room left in the category we would like. Just don't want to spend the extra and have my kids complaining and then have buyers remorse.

 

Summit is a smaller Celebrity ship. No golf, no slides. Pools tend to be places to relax and swim rather than full of action. If you are on a cruise with a lot of ports where the kids can enjoy activities off ship then on sea days they may be happy just lazing around the pool. Unless it is college/school vacation time the general age will be more mature. General activities also tend to be quite low key...

 

Our son at a similar age enjoyed the Summit in the Southern Caribbean as a week crash out....he relaxed, had iPad loaded, watched some movies and enjoyed the speciality restaurants. He clearly knew that the ship was much more lower key than many of the RC cruises we had done and also knew there would be few people his own age. On port days he took part in lots of active excursions. If you do decide to book ensue your kids know it will be a relaxing cruise so they can plan to enjoy and not be disappointed or be comparing to other ships in a negative way on boarding.

 

On a personal perspective we enjoy the M class ships and like the relaxing atmosphere, excellent service and good food.

[dkjretired]

There are 2 pools, one of which is adults only so only the 22-year-old would have access. We sailed on Summit in October to Canada-New England, so the weather was chilly and outside pool saw limited use. I do not believe there is any mini-golf. I think there is a basketball court.

 

Actually the 16 yr. old can use the adult pool, the age limit is 16 and up. It is a very nice area.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/plan-and-book/before-you-go-getting-ready?tab=before_you_go_getting_ready#before_you_go_during_cruise/plan-and-book/before-you-go-during-cruise%3Fsubtab=true

 

Click on Guest Conduct rules and than age policies.

Edited January 29, 2016 by dkjretired

[SuiteTraveler]

We have cruise carnival and NCL for about 12 cruises and wanted to try Celebrity Summit and want your options on if my kids that are 16 & 22 would be board or are there things to do. They like to play mini golf, basket ball, shuffle board and go to the shows. If any one could tell me how many pools or slides they have would be great too. I normally research everything to death, but this would be last minute and i need to book today, only one room left in the category we would like. Just don't want to spend the extra and have my kids complaining and then have buyers remorse.

 

I don't think the Summit would be all that great for your kids. There really is not all that much for them to do and it would be more a matter of them entertaining themselves.

[dmart82]

Thank you for your help, i think we will stick with NCL this time and wait until just my self and hubby go alone. My youngest is a sophomore in high school so it would not be to long before it is just the two of us. ;)

[Jane2357]

Thank you for your help, i think we will stick with NCL this time and wait until just my self and hubby go alone. My youngest is a sophomore in high school so it would not be to long before it is just the two of us. ;)

 

In MHO - you have made a wise choice. Celebrity is usually pretty quiet - not too much action for young adults. There is a basketball court, but no mini golf, no slides, none of those types of things. It IS what makes us adults love Celebrity - do come back though - as a couple you'll love it too.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Jane2357

[Tak8]

My 20 year old sone enjoyed The Summit last Christmas. No slide, but the shows were pretty good. Summit has a nice fitness center if they like to work out. Not a lot of under 25 year olds, but some. Our itinerary was island intensive and this probably helped.

[snowyboy]

Why not put the shoe on the other foot and ask them which they would like, I am sure they got an opinion even though I guess its your treat. You may be surprised. For what its worth I think Celebrity will suite most ages if of a mature mind, which sounds to me like they are.

[KKB]

(sister ship)

DS19 & DD16 had a blast...always entertained, found their own or hung with us.

DS14 had fun with his siblings or us, but had some downtime alone in the room watching movies & claims it was his least fav cruise ever. (they have done DCL, RCL & Princess--i don't fee there were particularly more things to do on those ships for them, tho they usually hit the kids/teen clubs on each of those) He is a basketball player & we could NOT convince him to go play hoops at the court! He also never wanted to go to the teen club. His loss.

Our kiddos are pretty outgoing & adventurous. We were surprised at DS14's opinion/lack of "putting himself out there". Oh, well.

We spent most of the time together as a family--sunbathing/swimming, playing trivia, eating, hitting the shows. But the adults did hit the casino some so the kids were on their own then. Usually they wandered around & usually grabbed a snack, maybe watched a movie in the room.

I agree, depends on your kiddos, but you never know for sure!

[Croooser]

We have cruise carnival and NCL for about 12 cruises and wanted to try Celebrity Summit and want your options on if my kids that are 16 & 22 would be board or are there things to do. They like to play mini golf, basket ball, shuffle board and go to the shows. If any one could tell me how many pools or slides they have would be great too. I normally research everything to death, but this would be last minute and i need to book today, only one room left in the category we would like. Just don't want to spend the extra and have my kids complaining and then have buyers remorse.

 

IMO they would be bored. I would suggest RCI for a change of pace that would appeal to the whole family.

 

HTH

[dutchclogs]

Another vote for RCI! DS 21+ and DS younger teen enjoyed X infinity and Equinox cruises with port intensive itineraries but would vote for RCI, at least for the Voyager class.

Agree there are few under 25s on board X. Does appeal to foodies though!

[wallie5446]

We have cruise carnival and NCL for about 12 cruises and wanted to try Celebrity Summit and want your options on if my kids that are 16 & 22 would be board or are there things to do. They like to play mini golf, basket ball, shuffle board and go to the shows. If any one could tell me how many pools or slides they have would be great too. I normally research everything to death, but this would be last minute and i need to book today, only one room left in the category we would like. Just don't want to spend the extra and have my kids complaining and then have buyers remorse.

 

There are none of the activities you mention on Celebrity, except the evening shows. It is a country club type sailing, to decompress and relax.

 

That said, we took our kids on the Zenith for their 1st Celebrity cruise in 1994 when they were 12 & 16, and after 5 different lines it is still their, and our 1st choice for a cruise.

 

If a 22 yr old needs 6 Flags type stuff, Celebrity will surely 'boar' them to whining and remorse.

[jb008]

I don't think the OP mentioned the itinerary. Summit does Bermuda from NJ part of the year with multiple sea days. The ship makeup will be variable, for example 2Jan-9Jan had something like 107 kids on board, for the sailing before it was something like 500 kids, so specific dates will matter a lot.

 

As you've heard, Summit doesn't have the youth specific features that RCI had, however at 16 & 22 it's hard to tell how important that is for your specific family. I sailed Monarch OTS at 16, and had a blast. Connected with a few people through the youth club and spent most of the week either with my family, or w/the bunch from the youth activities. If the kids are ones that need to be entertained, Summit w/a lot of sea days may be an iffy choice. If they're the ones that are fine finding things to do, Summit should be fine. At 22, the older one can also drink and use the casino - so the sea days may have a few more options than for the 16 yo.

 

Cabin class may also matter - if you've got a balcony it gives them another spot to hang out versus an interior where they might go stir crazy just relaxing in the room.

 

Although I've sailed Summit twice, there weren't many sea days so it's hard to know how they program for them. You might be able to find the daily handouts from a bermuda sea day to get a better idea of some of the programs. I know on the one caribbean sea day they offered things like a galley tour (although a little crowded at something like 600-700 pax attending), a Top Chef "quick fire" challenge, seminars on ports of call, shopping specials.

 

DW and I also use the sea days to sleep in, often do a little email, and if it's later in the cruise you can use it as an opportunity to download some of the pictures off your cameras and start to go through them (assuming digital camera and laptop).

[rjrpar]

I do not think Celebrity is a good cruise line for active young people

[spanner14]

I do not think Celebrity is a good cruise line for active young people

 

I really think it depends on the itinerary. Our dd was 16 when we cruised on Connie last year and although at one point she did say "I wish I'd gone to the teen hangout on day 1", - to meet other teens - most of the time she was fine. Unlike Royal, she never met anyone her age at the pool, but because the itinerary was so port-heavy and she is very good at entertaining herself, she was only a little bored on the two sea days.

 

That said, we always take a couple of games and lots of books onboard with us, and she used the gym and swam almost every day, so she still had a great time.

 

If the itinerary is port heavy and/or teens are happy using the gym, reading, and entertaining themselves, they'll be fine despite M class ships not having a great deal to do. If there are a lot of sea days though, I agree they may get bored at times.

[KKB]

There are none of the activities you mention on Celebrity, except the evening shows.

 

Not true--there was a basketball court on the Constellation. I don't recall shuffleboard but there was ping pong.

[wallie5446]

Not true--there was a basketball court on the Constellation. I don't recall shuffleboard but there was ping pong.

 

Yet again my failed speed reading course rears its ugly head.:o

 

Correct, there is a basketball court on Celebrity ships.

EW

[Got2Cruise]

Your kids might be disappointed in Celebrity after experiencing NCL and Carnival, especially the 16 year old. At least the 21 yo can drink and gamble. On the other hand three full days in Bermuda on the Summit is awesome

[Iamthesea]

I don't think so. My children were around 16 and 18 when they first tried a Celebrity cruise on the Millie. Loved the cruise/ship..and this after sailing on Disney twice and RCCL Mariner - a Voyager class with all the newest bells and whistles. This was, however, Spring Break and there were some other teens onboard at that time.

 

Now, my now young adult children have been on the Constellation (5 night) and the Reflection (7 night). They loved both ships, but did have a better time on the Reflection. Again, both cruises were during Spring Break (daughters are teachers). Not many young kids, but plenty of college and young adults onboard.

[KKB]

Yet again my failed speed reading course rears its ugly head.:o

 

Correct, there is a basketball court on Celebrity ships.

EW

 

Ah...speed reading is one of my faults as well!:D