Going Onboard Age 18

[harmon25]

What activities are there for me at age 18? I feel on carnival I am stuck in the middle. Yes I can hang with the 16-17 crowd. Right? I am a few months over 18. And I am pretty sure on Carnival you cannot drink when your 18.

 

So can I hang with the 15 or 16-17 group? How is the teen nightlife on board? Are a lot of people in this age group?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[curt1313]

Hello! My last cruise I was 18 and I had a blast. I really had the most fun hanging with the "older" group, rather than the 15-17 year olds. At 18 you can not drink, but are you traveling with someone over 21-Hint-? You can get into the night life, disco clubs, and even the adult-only comedy shows at 18. However if you are more into the 15-17 y/o fun, you really dont have to worry too much about them being al bunch of 'little kids'. Most of them are pretty mature and fun. Hope this helps! Have a great time!!

[Iamthesea]

I didn't realize that the 18 year olds could hang out with the younger set. :confused: Is this in the teen facilities?

 

My son turned 18 in late August and is a Senior in HS, going on 25.:rolleyes: I don't think he will want to hang with the younger kids, because he will have his 21 and 24 year old sister to hang with. But just in case...tell me about it!

 

To the original poster...what ship and date?

[klfrodo]

Harmon, You can pretty much do what ever you want. I'm old enough to be your dad but I did take my kids on cruises for their HS graduation.

 

First of all they met plenty of people their own age (male and female). They all just hung out together. Sometimes they were at the pool, sometimes in the hotubs, sometimes in the casino (yes, you can gamble at 18 in the casino), they went clubbing together, and they even had a slumber party a couple of nights. Stayed in one of the other kids room, went up and got pizza's to bring back and 9 of them stayed up all night. (and what else may or may not have happened, I don't want to know;) . Security didn't get called, so life is good.

 

One of my most enjoyable times was in Mexico when my son and I went on an ATV excursion. We had a great time together and then we went for some food and a few frosty brews. A couple of brews loosened us up enough so he could see me as something other than "mean old dad", and I could see him as the fine young man he had become. After a few brews I also understood that this wasn't his first time with a beer. He was doing better than me

[silentbob007]

You can participate in every adult activity except drinking ... which hey, isn't really that exciting, IMO. There's usually a singles get-together, and I'm sure you'll run across others in the same boat as you. They will usually not let you into teen activities because you are too old, but to be honest, the younger kids tend to seek out older ones and not the oter way around.

[Iamthesea]

Hey silentbob007 - I just noticed that you were on the Glory last year at the same time my family will be going this year. We range in age from 18 to 80. From looking at your photo's, there seems to be hundreds of young adults! Were there any young kids or older passengers on the cruise with you? Looks like you all had a blast. Was the cruise as wild as it looked?

[harmon25]

"Klfrodo" says his 18 year old child hung out with the 15-17 teens. But "silent bob" says I will be banned from the teen activities altogether.

 

Which is it? Personally I would like to hang with that crowd because though I am 18 most friends are still 17.

 

Though on the other hand my sister is 20 so I know I will have some opportunity to drink because I can get into the 18+ disco.

 

Really I just want to know if I can have the best of both worlds. The ability to participate in the teen activites as well as the 18+ activites.

 

Thanks.

[Iamthesea]

Harmon - I don't know if you will be allowed in the teen center, but from my son and daughters experience (from several cruises), the kids from age 15 - 17 didn't hang out in the teen canter anyway. They would meet up there, but found the games, etc. a little lame and headed out on their own. They didn't get into trouble, they just found somewhere to sit and talk most nights.

 

I really don't think you will have any trouble finding someone that you can hang out with. Have you tried a Roll Call for your cruise? What ship and date, maybe we can help you find a group with kids your age.;)

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Though on the other hand my sister is 20 so I know I will have some opportunity to drink because I can get into the 18+ disco.

 

Sounds like that is pretty important to you. I wouldn't count on drinking onboard though, unless you find someone older than 21 stupid enough to risk getting disembarked for buying alcohol for a minor. While on-shore in Ports, however, is a completely different matter.....

[mntravler]

AppleValleyCruisers. Just saw this post and noticed your name. We are from Apple Valley also. Hope you have a great curise. It's always great to get out of here.:)

[AppleValleyCruisers]

AppleValleyCruisers. Just saw this post and noticed your name. We are from Apple Valley also. Hope you have a great curise. It's always great to get out of here.:)

 

Hi MN! Timmy's Mom is from our neck of the woods also, so we have a couple of people south of the river on CC. Have a great cruise yourself, I hear the Liberty's a beautiful vessel:D

 

Sorry about the hijack, OP...

[nimbex1970]

I can tell you that NO you'll not be allowed in the teen club, the rules are strict... so no free playstation if it's even on your ship.

 

what you will see, by walking around and mingling are groups of like minded folk, congregating in areas, on lido deck durring the day, get involved and picked for survivor and deck competitions, at night, walk slowly around promanade deck (5) you'll see group of people in various ages, as well as the dance clubs....

 

we're very sociable and just walk right up and start a conversation.... great cruising buddies resulted. also check out the back of the ship, where the pizza is as older teens hit here too.

 

My oldest was17 at her last cruise and had a group of varrying ages. check for when the older teens group "lets out" and where, and position yourself to meet up with them.

 

The older "drinking" diso crowd, is nothing more than a dance club. But know that even the most well intentioned offers to "purchase" you a drink can cause some serious reprocussions for the unaware friendly partier trying to include you. Please consider this before accepting, once the fun begins, and everyone is in vacation mode on a ship, better judgement on occasion goes wayside;)

 

You'll have so many opportunities to meet people even though your in that "middle age" if you just are at the right places at the right times... easily figured out by walking those two busy floors.

 

HAVE FUN! and don't worry, it's a blast

 

carol

[nikita]

I have a question: My daughter is 17, her boyfriend who is traveling with us is 19. Will they be able to get into the disco together or the teenclub together at all?

[silentbob007]

Hey silentbob007 - I just noticed that you were on the Glory last year at the same time my family will be going this year. We range in age from 18 to 80. From looking at your photo's, there seems to be hundreds of young adults! Were there any young kids or older passengers on the cruise with you? Looks like you all had a blast. Was the cruise as wild as it looked?

 

There were a few wild parts, but to be honest, it wasn't much more wild than any cruise I've ever been on. The rowdiest pictures I have are from the pub crawl, the occurance of which is up to the cruise director. I haven't heard about one in a long while and there definitely wasn't one on my last cruise.

 

There were a decent amount of college students on spring break (like me), but there were also older people and families. A lot of the college-aged kids would hang out near the pool or in the hot tubs during the day, so the deck games they had were pretty interesting.

[tcp]

I am wondering the same thing. One of our teens will be turning 18 the second day of our cruise. The rest of the teens are 17 - will she still be allowed with 17 year olds since she came on the ship as 17?

[Hootsie]

I am wondering the same thing. One of our teens will be turning 18 the second day of our cruise. The rest of the teens are 17 - will she still be allowed with 17 year olds since she came on the ship as 17?

 

We are in the same boat (so to speak). Our daughter just turned 18 and is bringing her friend (also just turned 18). Our other two daughters are 13 & 14 and believe it or not, they all like to hang out together on the cruise.

[big_duck]

I am wondering the same thing. One of our teens will be turning 18 the second day of our cruise. The rest of the teens are 17 - will she still be allowed with 17 year olds since she came on the ship as 17?

 

Your age is your age when you board. Works out good in this case. Not so good for those that turn 21 during the cruise.

[Iamthesea]

There were a few wild parts, but to be honest, it wasn't much more wild than any cruise I've ever been on. The rowdiest pictures I have are from the pub crawl, the occurance of which is up to the cruise director. I haven't heard about one in a long while and there definitely wasn't one on my last cruise.

 

There were a decent amount of college students on spring break (like me), but there were also older people and families. A lot of the college-aged kids would hang out near the pool or in the hot tubs during the day, so the deck games they had were pretty interesting.

Thanks, I am just really worried about it being TOO wild for my 80 year old parents and hope that their will be some passengers around their age.

[harmon25]

I am kind of angry now that I cannot go to the 15-17 club. I would think it would be harder to meet people if your 18.

 

Yes you can go to the 18+ disco, but I can't imagine that there would be a lot of 18 year old kids there. The last thing I want to do is see my parents there.

 

I would think it would be hard to meet people the first night because most teens are at the opening night "mixer" to meet people. What can I do?

 

Wow. I never knew 1 year can change an entire cruise experience.

[nikita]

So, are you all saying that there is no way my daughter (17) and her boyfriend (19)can attend the disco together? What if she went in with myself and my husband - then would they allow her to enter? Are they careful about checking id's. We are sailing on the Valor so if anyone has been on this ship and knows this I would appreciate any info. Thanks.

[cali-croozer]

I am kind of angry now that I cannot go to the 15-17 club. I would think it would be harder to meet people if your 18.

 

Yes you can go to the 18+ disco, but I can't imagine that there would be a lot of 18 year old kids there. The last thing I want to do is see my parents there.

 

I would think it would be hard to meet people the first night because most teens are at the opening night "mixer" to meet people. What can I do?

 

Wow. I never knew 1 year can change an entire cruise experience.

 

On our Conquest cruise (last June), my 17 year old made some 18 year old friends at the basketball court and they were allowed into the teen club at night. So, chances are, you'll be allowed to hang out with the 15-17 year olds.:)

[cali-croozer]

So, are you all saying that there is no way my daughter (17) and her boyfriend (19)can attend the disco together? What if she went in with myself and my husband - then would they allow her to enter? Are they careful about checking id's. We are sailing on the Valor so if anyone has been on this ship and knows this I would appreciate any info. Thanks.

 

After a certain time (I think 10pm) they do check id's; nobody under 18 allowed (there were 2 guards stationed outside the disco on the Conquest). They might be able to dance at the teen club, however.

[*CruiseFan*]

Harmon when are you going? In June I can tell you right now there will be a TON of 18 year olds in the disco. Last year we met a lot of teens on their graduation vacations.

 

To those who asked about a 17 year old being able to get in with their 18 year old boyfriend and about the others getting in. My answer - Good luck. I'm 25 and I STILL get carded to go into the disco. Not as much this year (actually maybe not at all thise year), but on my Conquest Cruise when I was 22, for SURE got carded for 18. They're strict. We were friends with some people on our Conquest cruise and made good friends with a mother and a daughter. I'm gonna get flamed for sharing this but it's to prove the strictness, especially on the conquest. Well they wouldn't even let the daughter in with her mother - not to drink, just to hang out, because she was 17, almost 18. Anyhow we looked very similar in my license picture so they let her in with that. I should say I was not buying her alcohol nor would I condone anyone to do that but with parental permission, well, yeah. I should also mention that her mother was in the disco with us the entire time her daughter hung out.

 

Anyhow, they're strict as you can see.

 

I think you'll have fun with the 18 group - I promise, meeting people on a cruise is NOT hard to do, no matter what your age.