Can Teens dine alone in MDR on Liberty?

[Toomanycritters]

Hi there,

Sailing on the Liberty OTS in a couple of days and wondering what the rules are regarding unaccompanied teens in the MDR. For example, my 7y.o. daughter and I will get up early (much earlier) than my two 17y.o boys. Will they still be allowed to breakfast in the MDR? Or for that matter, if daughter and I are enjoying a movie and the boys want dinner because they've made plans with on-board friends for later, would they be permitted to eat dinner in the MDR? I'm not really envisioning the dinner thing as being an issue really since I can't imagine us not dining together...but just wondering since my son asked me. And yes, I realize they have other dining options available but I was curious whether they would HAVE to use those options if I was not with them to go to the MDR. I'm primarily thinking about breakfast and lunch since I'll see less of them during those times.

 

I swear that in two days I'll actually be on the darn ship and all postings asking questions will cease :D

Thanks everyone :)

[Biker19]

At 17 they probably won't have the patience for a sit down meal in MDR if they are by themselves so they would go the the WJ anyway, but they could go.

[Clarea]

I cannot recall any age restrictions on breakfast, lunch, or dinner on the MDR.

Edited August 12, 2016 by clarea

[belmontcrew]

Teens can eat in the MDR by themselves. My wife and I ate at Chops one evening while our 17, 14, and 11 year old children went to the MDR. The family at the next table told us the next night that our kids were well behaved and our waiter was more than happy to serve them without us there.

[CruisinBarb63]

Hi there,

I swear that in two days I'll actually be on the darn ship and all postings asking questions will cease :D

Thanks everyone :)

 

I, for one, can't wait to read your trip report :)

[wolfganghowell]

I'd warn them how long the meals take. Even breakfast can take forever and they seat you at breakfast with other people. I can't see two 17 yo boys enjoying a long breakfast with strangers! (heck - I don't really like it! NOT a morning person!) Dinner can take an hour if you're lucky and usually 1.5-2 hours. I would bet your teens will enjoy grabbing a meal at Windjammer, Sorrentos, Cafe Promenade or if you're ok with it Johnny Rockets for about $6. Definitely more their style than a stodgy old fashioned dining room!

 

have fun!

[Psycopuppy]

two years ago I took some of my daughter's friends on a cruise with us and all 6 teens dined in the MDR without us. It's was a Senior trip and somehow all the parents managed to back out.

[BillOh]

Hi there,

Sailing on the Liberty OTS in a couple of days and wondering what the rules are regarding unaccompanied teens in the MDR. For example, my 7y.o. daughter and I will get up early (much earlier) than my two 17y.o boys. Will they still be allowed to breakfast in the MDR? Or for that matter, if daughter and I are enjoying a movie and the boys want dinner because they've made plans with on-board friends for later, would they be permitted to eat dinner in the MDR? I'm not really envisioning the dinner thing as being an issue really since I can't imagine us not dining together...but just wondering since my son asked me. And yes, I realize they have other dining options available but I was curious whether they would HAVE to use those options if I was not with them to go to the MDR. I'm primarily thinking about breakfast and lunch since I'll see less of them during those times.

 

I swear that in two days I'll actually be on the darn ship and all postings asking questions will cease :D

Thanks everyone :)

 

There will be no problem with them going to breakfast, lunch or dinner there. I won't pretend to judge your kids, but if they show up, eat, and leave no problem.

[CapeCodCruiser]

My kids and a group of the friends they met on the ship loved to hit the MDR for breakfast.

[OCruisers]

No Problem! Your teens can certainly eat in the MDR whenever they please without you! :)

[Havingfun2010]

Yes they can dine alone without you! I'm not sure why so many people think teenager boys would rather eat a hamburger than a nice sit down meal. Or that an hour to eat is long. Have you never seen them linger in restaurants for Hours? Eating with strangers? Don't they meet people on the ship and make friends? So why would eating at a table with others be an issue? Anyway, my kids always enjoyed the MDR for breakfast and lunch, and often times, they ate with other kids. Met up for lunch and than went to the MDR.

[MNice99]

Just want to throw out a +1, If something would cause my DW and to miss dinner the kids would definitely go with out us they love the MDR experience.

 

And echo cruisinBarb please do share a trip report my Boys will be 17/21 when we go in February.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[mjkacmom]

Yes they can dine alone without you! I'm not sure why so many people think teenager boys would rather eat a hamburger than a nice sit down meal. Or that an hour to eat is long. Have you never seen them linger in restaurants for Hours? Eating with strangers? Don't they meet people on the ship and make friends? So why would eating at a table with others be an issue? Anyway, my kids always enjoyed the MDR for breakfast and lunch, and often times, they ate with other kids. Met up for lunch and than went to the MDR.

 

I agree! I have 5 teens, and if money was no object, they'd go out to eat with their friends every day! My 13 year old and her fiends go out for habachi once a month, dd15 and her friends will spend a couple of hours during half apps at Applebee's. One thing my teens like to do on cruises is go to dinner with their new friends.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Another parent here with teenager. He absolutely loved everything about the MDR. The service, the food, strange people ;), atmosphere.

[crosby99]

At 17 they probably won't have the patience for a sit down meal in MDR if they are by themselves so they would go the the WJ anyway, but they could go.

 

On our last cruise the was a large group of teens eating together in the main dining room for dinner.

I think many teens do enjoy main dining room and formal nights perhaps more than their parents :)

However main dining is not for everyone

[Doug S]

One of my more enjoyable tablemates on Navigator was a very well mannered 15 year old girl. We seemed to be on the same schedule as she was and ate both breakfast and lunch with her in the MDR on several occasions when her parents were doing other things. I did find it a bit strange at first because my sons were more interested in hanging out on the pool deck than sitting down to a longer meal, but after meeting her, she fit right in, even when seated with some 'stodgey old adults'.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Doug S

[njmomof2]

Absolutely. Last August, I took DS1's girlfriend and his 2 other best friends (all were 17) with me, mom and DS2 on Freedom.

 

Mom and I did specialty dining one night and all of the kids went to the MDR on their own. Had a great time.

[Bizzie07]

We were on a Princess cruise a number of years ago when our daughter was only 10. On formal night there was a knock on the cabin door and two little boys in their tuxedos were at the door asking for her. She then went with them and they collected another couple of friends. (they were all going to eat together and we thought pizza was on the menu). We went into the MDR and a little voice said Hi Mum and there she was with her friends enjoying dinner. The waiters had given them a table at the back of the restaurant. It was so cute and they were so well behaved and had a great time.

[wolfganghowell]

Oh for crying out loud - I didn't mean it in a negative way. The kids and teens I know are fidgety and would rather be doing other things than a formal meal. Glad so many others enjoy it - it's just one opinion. Good grief....

 

And I don't think the MDR is stodgy- but that's a quote from a 19 yo. Carry on....

[Doug S]

Oh for crying out loud - I didn't mean it in a negative way. The kids and teens I know are fidgety and would rather be doing other things than a formal meal. Glad so many others enjoy it - it's just one opinion. Good grief....

 

And I don't think the MDR is stodgy- but that's a quote from a 19 yo. Carry on....

 

Not sure if you are replying to me here. I agree with you. Don't cry out loud on my account - nothing negative. I was making fun of the wife and I calling us stodgy, with no meaning to tie it back to your quote. Inadvertent use of same word. As I said, your original post was dead on for my sons.

[gagirl7143]

Sure they can!! The 17 yr olds we know are pretty worldly these days and can manage a 1 1/2 to 2 hr meal in a nice restaurant. [emoji41]