Royal Caribbean FOS's age limit for teen dances

[Honey123]

We just returned from a cruise on the FOS. My daughter who is a senior in high school is 17, her friend that we took along is also a senior but 18. The cruise line would not let the 18 yr old into the teen dance so she could dance with my daughter even though she was still a senior in high school. We also weren't allowed to escort our daughter into The Crypt so she could dance with her friend. Does anyone know any other cruise lines that would allow them to attend dance clubs together?? When I contacted RCI, the agent tried for 15 minutes to find the age limit rule on their website and couldn't. It was very disappointing for the girls and a very expensive lesson for us!

[Shmoo here]

Originally Posted by Honey123

We just returned from a cruise on the FOS. My daughter who is a senior in high school is 17, her friend that we took along is also a senior but 18. The cruise line would not let the 18 yr old into the teen dance so she could dance with my daughter even though she was still a senior in high school. We also weren't allowed to escort our daughter into The Crypt so she could dance with her friend. Does anyone know any other cruise lines that would allow them to attend dance clubs together?? When I contacted RCI, the agent tried for 15 minutes to find the age limit rule on their website and couldn't. It was very disappointing for the girls and a very expensive lesson for us!

I don't know what (if any) cruiselines allow 17 & 18 year olds in the same areas. DCL teen club is 14-17. Once you are 18 you may access the adult only areas. 18 year olds cannot attend the teen club, 17 year olds cannot be in adult only areas.

[klauer]

Why was this an expensive lesson? Not getting why this was such a big deal.

[Honey123]

Originally Posted by klauer

Why was this an expensive lesson? Not getting why this was such a big deal.

My daughter chose a cruise for her senior trip because as my travel agent said "the girls will be able to dance the night away"....that is what they were looking forward to. Dressing up and going dancing together! My daughter sat outside The Crypt with the bouncer while her friend went in for a while to just be able to experience it. My daughter went into the teen dance for a while, leaving her friend outside, just to be able to experience the dancing in a club. Something that is a big deal to teen girls. We spent $4500 on a trip that they didn't get to do the things that they looked forward to the most.....dancing to fun music.

[paul929207]

I don't understand the expense either.

That said, the cruise lines are all strict on the age limits for the different activities. If something is 14 to 17, then they will not let in any 13 yo (no matter how mature the parent claims they are) or any 18 yo.

[Honey123]

Originally Posted by paul929207

I don't understand the expense either.

That said, the cruise lines are all strict on the age limits for the different activities. If something is 14 to 17, then they will not let in any 13 yo (no matter how mature the parent claims they are) or any 18 yo.

For $4500, I would have waited until my daughter was 18 to be able to experience the fun of dancing in clubs on a cruise ship with her classmate/friend and not wait for her outside the club......it may not be a lot of money to you, but it was a lot of money to us.

[ducklite]

Sounds like you need a new travel agent.

[klauer]

Seriously, I would have been thrilled if when I was 17 my parents took me on a cruise, especially if I got to bring a friend. I think that you were very nice to take your daughter and friend on the trip, even if they had to deal with one disappointment.

[kassimer1]

I agree you need a better travel agent. she should have known the ages. It not royals fault they have rules to keep adults out of the kids area. it is plainly written on all the compasses and if you look at the link it says ages 3-17 http://www.royalcaribbean.com/custom...rd&faqType=faq. a little hard to find. hopefully they had enough other memories to make it fun.

[Carolin]

Had you taken the friends student id to guest services, they would have classified her as a student (ie underage) and she would have been allowed to go into the teen area. Once "reclassified", she would have not been able to do the casino, after 11pm dancing etc.. it happens all of the time.

[SadieN]

Carnival usually allows 18yo HS students with ID into Club02.
It depends on how many 15-17yo are onboard and at the counselor's discretion.

[ducklite]

Originally Posted by Carolin

Had you taken the friends student id to guest services, they would have classified her as a student (ie underage) and she would have been allowed to go into the teen area. Once "reclassified", she would have not been able to do the casino, after 11pm dancing etc.. it happens all of the time.

It's my understanding that many lines are now declining to do this due to liability issues.

[Carolin]

Originally Posted by ducklite

It's my understanding that many lines are now declining to do this due to liability issues.

As always it is up the the counselors on the particular ship. But typically, the kids don't go to the "club" anyway. They gather in various places and hang out. What ever that means these days... LOL I don't know why but I usually see them on the stairs. go figure.

[Shmoo here]

Originally Posted by Carolin

Had you taken the friends student id to guest services, they would have classified her as a student (ie underage) and she would have been allowed to go into the teen area. Once "reclassified", she would have not been able to do the casino, after 11pm dancing etc.. it happens all of the time.

Originally Posted by ducklite

It's my understanding that many lines are now declining to do this due to liability issues.

That's what's happened on DCL. They used to allow 18 year olds who hadn't started college yet (either still seniors in high school, or the summer between graduation and starting college) into the teen club which was specified to be 14-17 year olds.

They changed this, and started enforcing the written policy starting in Dec 2011. Now 18 year olds cannot be in the teen club...period.

And, apparently, they are saying anyone who becomes 18 during the cruise falls into this group. So if someone is 17 boarding the ship and turns 18 during the cruise they cannot attend the teen club. The snag is they cannot utilize the adult only areas (18 and over) until they are actually 18.

[Capt_BJ]

FOS is (was) very sticky on this issue but I don't know if that is ship specific or applies across the line.

We too booked a FOS graduation trip (2010) and our d was the 'junior' of the group who graduated at 17 while the friends were 18.

Sadly the friends had much fun teasing her about not being allowed into 'the Crypt' and that was a major issue on our graduation cruise - but I digress . .

dd turned 18 on the third night of the cruise and RCCL did issue her a new SeaPass which showed her as 18 and allowed access to the special places (unlike some lines who just stick by age at time of boarding). Here she is with mom and birth certificate at the pursur's desk gettin her new card at 0001 on her 18th birthday

[Honey123]

Originally Posted by Carolin

Had you taken the friends student id to guest services, they would have classified her as a student (ie underage) and she would have been allowed to go into the teen area. Once "reclassified", she would have not been able to do the casino, after 11pm dancing etc.. it happens all of the time.

We did do that, they sent us to the manager of AO, she said there was plenty of other things for the girls to do, she also said this is not the first time this has been an issue.

[Honey123]

Originally Posted by Capt_BJ

FOS is (was) very sticky on this issue but I don't know if that is ship specific or applies across the line.

We too booked a FOS graduation trip (2010) and our d was the 'junior' of the group who graduated at 17 while the friends were 18.

Sadly the friends had much fun teasing her about not being allowed into 'the Crypt' and that was a major issue on our graduation cruise - but I digress . .

dd turned 18 on the third night of the cruise and RCCL did issue her a new SeaPass which showed her as 18 and allowed access to the special places (unlike some lines who just stick by age at time of boarding). Here she is with mom and birth certificate at the pursur's desk gettin her new card at 0001 on her 18th birthday

Glad to hear there is a mom that can understand how we felt! It wasn't that my daughter wasn't grateful for the trip, just wanted to dance with her friend. How wonderful that your daughter had her bday while on the trip so she could spend time with her friends!!

[aohkay]

Originally Posted by Honey123

My daughter chose a cruise for her senior trip because as my travel agent said "the girls will be able to dance the night away"....that is what they were looking forward to. Dressing up and going dancing together! My daughter sat outside The Crypt with the bouncer while her friend went in for a while to just be able to experience it. My daughter went into the teen dance for a while, leaving her friend outside, just to be able to experience the dancing in a club. Something that is a big deal to teen girls. We spent $4500 on a trip that they didn't get to do the things that they looked forward to the most.....dancing to fun music.

I can understand their disappointment of not being able to dance the night away together. They most likely looked forward to it and yakked about if for months before sailing. I'm sure they enjoyed and appreciated other apects of the cruise.

OMG, I'd go through the roof if I couldn't dance with my BFF on a cruise!

[Karysa]

Originally Posted by aohkay

I can understand their disappointment of not being able to dance the night away together. They most likely looked forward to it and yakked about if for months before sailing. I'm sure they enjoyed and appreciated other apects of the cruise.

OMG, I'd go through the roof if I couldn't dance with my BFF on a cruise!

I too can understand this. On our Dawn cruise there was a few deck parties with dancing, hopefully you had this on your cruise as well.