NCL Breakaway with 17 year old-things to do?

[Mulder3]

Hello all!

 

We are booked for the NCL Breakaway on 6/30/19 with extended family (party of 10).  We have sailed with Disney multiple times and are only familiar with their line.  My 17 year old daughter will be sailing with us and I’m concerned there may not be enough for her to do.  She’s a very mature teen and the teen club is not of interest to her (it wasn’t with DCL either).  She enjoyed the movie theater, cooking classes, animation classes, etc with Disney.  I’ve been scrolling through recent Dailies and I don’t see much that would be of interest to her besides the nighttime shows.  She didn’t want to cruise again until she was 18 so she could be in the adult areas and enjoy the spa, but my in-laws very generously splurged on this trip for all of the family to go for their 50th anniversary.  What are some things your older teens enjoyed on the Breakaway that didn’t involve the teen club?

 

Thanks!!

[mjkacmom]

Have her go the first night and meet other teens who have no interest in the teen club. Dd22 and ds20 were bummed they didn’t have such easy means anymore to find a posse, but managed to go to the young adult meet ups and had a group in a couple of days. Dd17, ds16, and dd16 had groups with the first half hour! None of them really did any activities, just used the club as a meet up spot before heading out. My teens managed to have a great time on the Gem as well as the Breakaway.

[Kmkub]

I agree with mjkacmom. On our first cruise with the kids (Princess,) our teens didn't go to the teen club until the third night, because they assumed it would be lame. They were bored early on. Once they went to the teen club, they found friends to hang out with, and we didn't see them for the rest of the cruise, unless we ran into them. They really didn't hang at the teen club much, at all.

 

She won't be bored on this ship. There's so much to do, especially on deck 16 - it houses the arcade, the water slides and the rope wall.

 

 

[Mulder3]

Thanks for the replies!  She’s very introverted and independent and being around other teens is of zero interest to her, sadly.  She will definitely check out the slides, but anything beyond that is too “sporty”.  She would much rather explore things on her own or do some classes.  I just didn’t see any of those things listed.  I did notice that they allow the teens into the lounges until 11pm, so that will help.  Disney only allows 18+ in their specialty coffee area, so she is thrilled that she can grab an iced coffee on NCL whenever she wants (well, within reason, since I’m buying those!)

I’m just worried about the daytime.  17 is so tough because they’re on that cusp of being able to do the adult things, but just can’t yet.

[2xhelix]

If she's into video gaming, you can always get her the unlimited arcade package.

[shrew]

I recommend having her sign up the first night as an option. My 15- & 16-year olds fought me on it last year and while they didn't do really any activities through it, they did meet a posse they hung out with for the rest of the cruise. They are now 16 & 17 and we cruise in a month with extended family. I'm still going to have them sign-up that first day so it remains an option even if they don't use it. 

[ferg42995]

First, we are going soon on the Breakaway as well. Where have you been looking at Dailies? I have been looking for them like crazy and not finding them.

 

Second, I know there is ping pong, bowling, shuffleboard, mini golf, a library, a room of board games, a giant chess set, a class (for a fee) you can register to take and learn how to pain (Canvas by U I think it is called?), trivia, walking the waterfront, darts, billiards, and a lot of live music, evening parties, dances.  Hopefully some of that will appeal to her.

[Mulder3]

I got the dailies from a blog called LifeFullyBooked.   They were from June ‘18.  Same itinerary we have.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!  She would love the painting class because we do that at home.  I’m going to let her do the under 18 things at the spa as well.  I think she will really enjoy the live music at night.  🙂

[LrgPizza]

Even if she has no interest in meeting other teens, the best way to find out about activities that might appeal to a teen is to visit the teen club the first night, and find out what is going on during the cruise. If she really doesn't want to do that, then I guess she already has all she needs to know.

[Mulder3]

VERY true!  I’m probably overthinking it anyway. She hasn’t even mentioned anything to me.  We just had a bad experience when I had her attend the Disney teen open house the first night last July.  She’s a really amazing kid, just introverted and geeky in a cool way.