Has anyone ever snuck their 18 yr old in the Teen Program?

[tooner1977]

I know this sounds kind of crazy since most people are trying to sneak their kids into an older program, but, our daughter will be turning 18 two months before we go on our cruise in November and she still wants to be in the teen program. She hangs out most of the time with kids that are 16 and 17 and she herself looks like she is about 15. She is afraid she won't find anyone to hang out with on her own if she is not in the teen program. Personally I would like her in the teen program because then I won't have to worry about her. I know they get lists in the different programs of the kids/teens on board but I don't think they even look at them. A couple of years ago they kept asking my son how old he was because he did not look 13. I almost had to go and prove it to them because they didn't believe him. They even asked his sister how old he was. Thanks.

[jancie]

I wouldn't worry about your daughter having turned 18 two months before your cruise. If she wants to be part of the teen program just tell her to go ahead. They will likely be glad to have her and won't suspect she's too old to be there anyways. Age is only a number anyways, don't worry about the little things. I doubt she'll even be asked and as long as everybody's happy - no problem....

Have a wonderful time on cruise.....:)

[Iamthesea]

Normally, the kids around that age do not want to have anything to do with the teen program. Let your DD go the first night and meet some friends. They will more than likely start meeting up elsewhere after that first night.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

You bring up an interesting question because our 16-year old looking son turns 18 in mid-May and we're on the Sea Princess in late May. He's worried that the teen group will turn him away yet he's not really interested in the adult disco and there really are few activities geared to such young adults. We're hoping that the Teen Activity Director will accept him and he can hang out with them. Unfortunately we've been on a number of cruises with few teens; with school still in session in Europe this might be another one.

 

Maybe I need to set up a roll call for the 5/28 sailing over on the other board!

 

BobK/Orlando

[Dreamer333]

You bring up an interesting question because our 16-year old looking son turns 18 in mid-May and we're on the Sea Princess in late May.

 

Princess should have a "group" or "club" for 17-20 year olds... Really, they are kinda in that "in-between" age.

[dosi]

Okay everybody go ahead and yell at me, but personally if I had a 13 year old in the program and found out that 18 year olds were sneaking in, I would have a problem....but maybe that's just me.

[yancycruiser]

I agree with jancie. Why not call Princess Direct and ask them to find out for you? Explain the situation and I would be surprised if Princess didn't say, "No problem." Let us know how it comes out for you.

 

Have a great cruise!

[margu1241]

Just back from Diamond 2 weeks ago and my 13 and 16 yo's said that they were letting 18's in the teen club with no problem.

 

And I am with you Dosi, I did ALMOST complain (my kids were feeling uncomfortable as activities were being influenced by the older kids), but they seemed to find a group of kids whose company they enjoyed and tried to steer clear of the older ones.

 

I think that Princess should redo their age groups to 12-14 and 15+, letting 18+ go to the older group if they want. Of course, that wouldn't have helped my 16 yo, who is "young" for her age, but I do think it would be better for the younger teens and the 12 yo's who are now with the little kids.

 

Patty

[sibylcoe]

When my son and I were on the Sapphire in Alaska last year, they had get togethers for 18 to 20 year olds. I can't remember the name they gave this group. My son had always enjoyed the kids' programs and was wondering if he would find anyone to hang around with. He met several people he enjoyed doing things with after I had called it a night.

[Dreamer333]

Okay everybody go ahead and yell at me, but personally if I had a 13 year old in the program and found out that 18 year olds were sneaking in, I would have a problem....but maybe that's just me.

 

I can definitely understand your concern... however I'd be willing to bet that they all group off with peers their own age... I'm sure that the 17 and 18 year olds aren't interested in the same games/activities as the 13 & 14 year olds (and vice versa).

I think its more of a place to meet people and hang out...

 

My sister is just 13 months younger than me, and when we were growing up, we hung out together all the time... If I had just turned 18 and she was 17, I can imagine that I would much rather being with her than with the "adults" on the ship.

[LARGIN]

Princess should have a "group" or "club" for 17-20 year olds... Really, they are kinda in that "in-between" age.

 

Not practical as 18 year olds are allowed in the disco at night while 17 year olds are not. I guess you could raise the minimum age to 21 or lower the minimum age to 17. Both ideas will go over with a thud..

[edYYZ]

When my son and I were on the Sapphire in Alaska last year, they had get togethers for 18 to 20 year olds. I can't remember the name they gave this group. My son had always enjoyed the kids' programs and was wondering if he would find anyone to hang around with. He met several people he enjoyed doing things with after I had called it a night.

Wow that must have been a great opportunity to meet some other people in the same age group! I'm right in that "in between" group and I'd have to say it is a little awkward sometimes. It would be nice if they created some 18-20 group on all their ships since most the entertainment really is quite "mature".

[Colo Cruiser]

If she is 18 they will not allow her to be part of the teen program.

 

Dosi your right and that is the rason that they are not allowed in as they are adults.

[Dreamer333]

Not practical as 18 year olds are allowed in the disco at night while 17 year olds are not. I guess you could raise the minimum age to 21 or lower the minimum age to 17. Both ideas will go over with a thud..

 

I never said anything about the disco.

I was simply talking about an age group that are kind of an "in-between" age and would probably enjoy meeting people (not just in the disco) around their age.

[Iamthesea]

I can definitely understand your concern... however I'd be willing to bet that they all group off with peers their own age... I'm sure that the 17 and 18 year olds aren't interested in the same games/activities as the 13 & 14 year olds (and vice versa).

I think its more of a place to meet people and hang out...

That's why I mentioned above that the older kids tend to meet and then hang out elsewhere on the ship. They don't want to be with 13 year olds. On the other hand, when my DD was 13 she would have loved to be mixed up with the 17 and 18 year olds. ;)

[derf5585]

Danny Almonte, Little League Pitcher

from

http://www.answers.com/topic/danny-almonte

[ahracer]

You can't do it. The Teen Center has a list of everyone on the ship aged 13-17 and when you register they verify you are on the list.

 

Scott

[margu1241]

They do have a list of names, but it seemed they were only asking the youngest kids to be verified. My 13 yo is very small (about size of 11 yo) and he was asked every time he entered the room. My daughter (16) was never asked. So, it can be done, and in fact was done on Diamond 4/16.

 

I do believe that if I had gone to complain they would have started checking, but did not do it on their own. I never really felt a need because as many on this thread have stated the kids just break off into groups of others that they are compatible with and it never really became that big an issue for me. It also seemed better to have 18 yo's in a safer place than just simply set loose on the ship. My kids think that the 18 yo's that were in the teen room were part of large family groups with kids 13-17.

 

Patty

[fsdorado]

I'm not sure how things are now, but on my first cruise on Sitmar (which was bought by Princess), I turned 18 a few months earlier. I was able to go to the Teen Program without any problem. In fact, they kinda welcomed me because I could help with some of the younger kids (including my younger brothers). They even tried to recruit me to work as a kids counselor the next summer. Of course, that was a REALLY long time ago...

[Colo Cruiser]

We tried that and they will not let an 18 year old participate.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Well, thanks for your input. Our son will be a young 18 and is more interested in hanging out with his age group +/- a couple years, to play basketball, table tennis, video games, etc and is not interested in sneaking alcoholic drinks and chasing after girls which certainly some 18 year old "kids" are more interested in doing. All of us who have kids know there are maturity level differences, both younger than their actual age and older than their actual age. Those with younger children will want to protect them from older kids to keep them out of trouble. And that's understandable and I feel the same way. So now that he's turning 18 I want to protect him from older adults. So we will go to the Teen Center with him on the first evening and find out if he's allowed or not. One good thing since my initial post; I did find out that it's school holidays time in the UK so hopefully there will be a good numer of similar-aged "kids" on board!

[tooner1977]

Bob,

Let me know when you come back if they let him in the Teen program. I don't think my daughter will be heart broken if they don't but she loved going there. As I said before most of her friends are almost a year younger than her since she had to wait a year longer to go to school since she had a late birthday. She is mature for her age but does not have any interest running around wild on the ship and is very well behaved. She likes playing and helping with the younger kids, she use to do alot of babysitting. They really should have something on the ship for the in between age kids especially 18 year olds that are still in highschool. On the last cruise we were on they just hung around in the stairwells and in between the two pool areas.

 

Sue

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

OK, will definitely post something here upon our return from the Sea Princess. We'll go to the Teen Center and see what happens. If they have a list of qualifying kids then they'll probably turn him away but if they accept all comers then it should work ok because he looks much younger than the 18 that he'll become two weeks before departure.

 

Our son feels the same way as your daughter. The advantage of the Teen club is not so much the activities that they do, but the fact that the older teens meet in a central spot and are introduced to each other.

 

Kingbobofthenorth/Orlando

[akjr]

Interesting discussion, my son (just turned 19) friend (18 friend whose a girl- not girlfriend) and daughter (27) are going on the Grand next week and when we saw the average age for this cruise was 60 something, we talked about would they be allowed in the video arcade and disco or have to hang out with all the old "geezers". They would rather hang out with kids their kids their own age. The kids they hang out with now are from 17-19 and are all great kids, straight, mature responsible church going etc. I would rather they be with kids their near thier age than yong adults. just my thoughts, and they wouldn't want to be around the younger kids.

[sunluva7]

Well, thanks for your input. Our son will be a young 18 and is more interested in hanging out with his age group +/- a couple years, to play basketball, table tennis, video games, etc and is not interested in sneaking alcoholic drinks and chasing after girls which certainly some 18 year old "kids" are more interested in doing. All of us who have kids know there are maturity level differences, both younger than their actual age and older than their actual age. Those with younger children will want to protect them from older kids to keep them out of trouble. And that's understandable and I feel the same way. So now that he's turning 18 I want to protect him from older adults. So we will go to the Teen Center with him on the first evening and find out if he's allowed or not. One good thing since my initial post; I did find out that it's school holidays time in the UK so hopefully there will be a good numer of similar-aged "kids" on board!

We are in a similar situation - 2 daughters, 13 and 18, who are very close and enjoy the same things - video games, table tennis, etc. Unlike some of her peers, the 18-year-old is not interested in the club scene and has no interest in sneaking alcohol and otherwise prowling around the ship. Hopefully, she will meet other 18 year olds with the same interests, but if not, I would hope they would make the Playstations and other such stuff available to her if she wishes to use it with her sister. So I'm also interested to see if they let your son into the teen center.