Cruising with pre-teens

[ynghipfam10]

My husband and I are traveling with our 12-year-old son and 13-year-old nephew.

 

I have signed them up for Circle C, but I’m not 100% sure how much or if they will join. Do we have to check them in and out of Circle C? Did your children enjoy this program? 
 

While we will certainly be encouraging them to try new foods in the MDR, I fear their palettes might not be ready for many of the choices lol. Can they order off the kids menu at these ages? 

[mz-s]

Anyone can order off the kids menu in the MDR. There is no restriction as to age. The waiters will bring anyone a kid's menu.

[EngIceDave]

Have them go to the kids meet up the first night, force them if you have to, then they'll meet people to hang with.

 

I believe at their ages, they can check themselves out with your permission.

 

My suggestion, give them freedom and let them know it's a test. Keep it together and out of trouble.

(But still keep them on a short leash with Hub app and texting)

[broadwaybaby123]

We just cruised with my 10 year old niece on RC. I wouldn't be too concerned about their pallet being refined enough for the adult menu. My niece shocked us all by ordering Lobster Tails one night off the adult menu....to our knowledge she lives on Mac and Cheese, chicken, pizza, and hamburgers. Imagine our surprise when we found out she not only wanted Lobster Tails but loves them! We also found out she loves shrimp! 

 

As far as the kids club, I don't know about Carnival since it's been a long time since my Circle C days. On Royal, pre-teens can sign themselves in and out.

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by broadwaybaby123

[cruizinisthebest]

Circle C they can come and go as they please. The program is not nearly as structured as Camp Ocean. My kids have enjoyed it on some ships more than others. Let them go the first night and try it. They will make friends.  And there will be plenty of food for them to try, as well as the safe stuff. If there's something they want that's not on the menu, they can ask. The kitchen will do their best to accommodate.

[asalligo]

Carnival is king for picky eaters. Chicken nuggets, burgers and pizza available for almost every meal. You would be surprised how many adult Carnival cruisers eat that way these days. 

 

 

[kctwinmommy]

Like the others said, take them to the first night of Circle C and get to meet others. Mine always went, then found people he wanted to hang with, and they did things the rest of the week. He would sometimes hang out with them in Circle C, or just walk around, eat lunch together, hang at the pool, etc... We always had ground rules for him (he had to be with us for dinner - the club is closed during those hours anyway, no going in other's cabins, nobody in our cabin, no going into places he wasn't supposed to, etc...). We let him stay at the club if there was a late night activity as well, as long as we weren't getting up super early for something important (this wasn't a problem on our Caribbean ones, more an issue in Alaska). I just would stay up and wait for him, that's just me.

 

As far as eating, let them try things, encourage them gently. It's a good time to try something since the portions are smaller for most things, and you're not exactly paying extra for it. I don't mean wasting it completely, but if someone else will eat it, then get it so they can try it too. Ours surprised me on the many things he would eat.

 

Hope they have a great time!

[cxr133]

20 hours ago, EngIceDave said:

Have them go to the kids meet up the first night, force them if you have to, then they'll meet people to hang with.

 

I believe at their ages, they can check themselves out with your permission.

 

My suggestion, give them freedom and let them know it's a test. Keep it together and out of trouble.

(But still keep them on a short leash with Hub app and texting)

THIS...

 

we meet so many people on cruises with their kids in tow who said they didnt know about the kids meet up the first night 

 

my daughter was really shy and we would take her the first night she would make a couple friends then they were week loig buddies and she had an amazing time.  

[jiggs]

chiming in on this as well, others have covered a lot.  I will say my Circle C kiddo loves 2 places - the basketball court and the arcade - and if the soft serve machine is a place, thats #3. The arcade is pricey so you may want to limit their spending power so they don't swipe away all their money on day one.

 

There is usually an open house on embarkation day that was once used for registrering, but since that is handled online now, it is just a formality that doesn't even need to occur, but it does let the kids put eyes on the space.

 

And if there is any comfort, your kiddos will have a leg up knowing one another.   Most other kids head there knowing nobody, so having one another as a wing man should make it that much smoother.