Is Solstice suitable for a 17 year old daughter?

[allyman]

Hi all

 

Having just returned from a 5 day Radiance cruise we have the bug, and want to book a cruise for January 2015 and take our 17 year old daughter along.

 

I was wondering if this cruise line/ship caters well for this age group? It will be school holidays by then so hoping there will be other cruisers her age and activities for her to join in on.

 

Radiance seemed very well equipped for teens but we are keen to try something different as much as we loved Radiance, and the Solstice seems the best priced for this time of year.

 

Thought anyone?

 

Thanks,

Ally

[Royalty X]

Hi Ally, I haven't actually sailed on Solstice but I have had the privilege of doing a walkthrough when she was in Fremantle earlier this year, and although Solstice wouldn't have a huge amount of kids/teen on board traditionally, she is well and truly equipped to handle them with quite a large teen area. I would say if there is ever gonna be a time where there will be young people on board, it would be school holidays. I say go for it! :)

[MicCanberra]

Hi all

 

Having just returned from a 5 day Radiance cruise we have the bug, and want to book a cruise for January 2015 and take our 17 year old daughter along.

 

I was wondering if this cruise line/ship caters well for this age group? It will be school holidays by then so hoping there will be other cruisers her age and activities for her to join in on.

 

Radiance seemed very well equipped for teens but we are keen to try something different as much as we loved Radiance, and the Solstice seems the best priced for this time of year.

 

Thought anyone?

 

Thanks,

Ally

 

I have been on the Solstice several times now and it like many ships can cater for children of all ages. In school holidays I am sure that there would be plenty of other kids that age around. What is more important is how your daughter can cope if she doesn't necessarily find a best friend to hang out with on board.:D

[Oriana1]

Hi all

 

Having just returned from a 5 day Radiance cruise we have the bug, and want to book a cruise for January 2015 and take our 17 year old daughter along.

 

I was wondering if this cruise line/ship caters well for this age group? It will be school holidays by then so hoping there will be other cruisers her age and activities for her to join in on.

 

Radiance seemed very well equipped for teens but we are keen to try something different as much as we loved Radiance, and the Solstice seems the best priced for this time of year.

 

Thought anyone?

 

Thanks,

Ally

 

Hi Ally,

 

We went on Solstice in April from Sydney to Honolulu with our 16 year old daughter, Laura. Laura has been on 12 other cruises, and she enjoys going to the teens club. There were only 40 teens on board due to it being a repositioning cruise and was during only part of the school holidays. Laura said it was the best cruise she had been on. By that she means not just for the ports/length of the cruise but the teenagers were the best she ever cruised with. Laura would go to teens club at about 10.00 am and we would (generally) not see her again until about 2.00 am (yes two in the morning). The staff were excellent with the teenagers. Laura would not spend the whole time in teens club, the group (about a dozen of them) would roam the ship ie buffet, hot glass show, pool, more food, sitting in a lounge having mocktails or just sitting there talking.

 

We are going again on Solstice in April next year for eight nights and it is during the school holidays. As Laura is now 17 it will be her last cruise in teens/kids club, which she is sad about.

 

Is your daughter 17 now or will be 17 in January 2015?

 

Kim

[The_Big_M]

In January absolutely, and there will be many other children onboard - around 500 is quite likely.

 

As for activities, you're right that RCL has more 'activities' onboard as that's their emphasis. However, Celebrity still has good hangout facilities, lounge and club staff (though the teens groups are more informal on both lines).

 

I have no hesitation in recommending it for you.

[allyman]

Hi Ally,

 

We went on Solstice in April from Sydney to Honolulu with our 16 year old daughter, Laura. Laura has been on 12 other cruises, and she enjoys going to the teens club. There were only 40 teens on board due to it being a repositioning cruise and was during only part of the school holidays. Laura said it was the best cruise she had been on. By that she means not just for the ports/length of the cruise but the teenagers were the best she ever cruised with. Laura would go to teens club at about 10.00 am and we would (generally) not see her again until about 2.00 am (yes two in the morning). The staff were excellent with the teenagers. Laura would not spend the whole time in teens club, the group (about a dozen of them) would roam the ship ie buffet, hot glass show, pool, more food, sitting in a lounge having mocktails or just sitting there talking.

 

We are going again on Solstice in April next year for eight nights and it is during the school holidays. As Laura is now 17 it will be her last cruise in teens/kids club, which she is sad about.

 

Is your daughter 17 now or will be 17 in January 2015?

 

Kim

 

Thanks Kim and everyone else for making me feel comfortable about the Solstice. She is currently 16, and by the time we get to January 2015 she will be 17. Very interested to know which cruise you are taking in April. Did you mean April 2014? My daughter will still be 16 then. She hasn't cruised and is hanging for us to take her. Being in the senior years of high school I am loath to take her outside school holidays.

 

Your daughter always finds friends to hang with? I was concerned that she might need to take a friend onboard, but it is costly, and I don't know that any of her parents would be happy to part with the $2K it is going to cost (assuming they have their own room).

 

Do you get Laura a separate room, or do you all share?

 

Any further advice appreciated, very keen to try the Solstice.

 

Regards

Ally

[KarateMan]

I would say it is very suitable for that age. Seriously 17 is almost grown up age for her to fend for herself so it will be very easy for someone her age to go to all the adult events and enjoy them like every other passenger.

 

My best advice for a late teen would be to ditch the teens club and avoid it and enjoy the cruise for what it is worth. There is plenty of fun to be had on that ship without the need for children's activity clubs.

 

Just off the back of my mind they have all in family friendly swimming pool competitions and deck sports, they have the hot glass shows at their lawn club with games up there to play as well. You have the theatre, comedy and singing shows of an evening. In ports you are likely to explore new ports. On sea days I can only presume a 17 year old would laze by the pool as they all would at a resort.

[aussielozzie18]

Thanks Kim and everyone else for making me feel comfortable about the Solstice. She is currently 16, and by the time we get to January 2015 she will be 17. Very interested to know which cruise you are taking in April. Did you mean April 2014? My daughter will still be 16 then. She hasn't cruised and is hanging for us to take her. Being in the senior years of high school I am loath to take her outside school holidays.

 

Your daughter always finds friends to hang with? I was concerned that she might need to take a friend onboard, but it is costly, and I don't know that any of her parents would be happy to part with the $2K it is going to cost (assuming they have their own room).

 

Do you get Laura a separate room, or do you all share?

 

Any further advice appreciated, very keen to try the Solstice.

 

Regards

Ally

 

Hi Ally

I will taking my 16 (almost 17) daughter on her first cruise in two weeks.

We will be on the Rhapsody. She is very outgoing so I am hoping she will easily make friends on board. The three of us are sharing a cabin (this is going to be interesting to say the least) Anyways, I plan to post a review. So, keep an eye out after the new year for my review and hopefully I will be able to answer your questions.

[cruisin-m]

I guess if the price was right I wouldn't say no, but would definitely choose P&O,Carnival or stick with RCCL over Solstice. After recently travelling Solstice other ships in Australia are both a better cruise experience overall and have heaps better entertainment (for everyone, not just the elderly). I think you would be disappointed in Solstice (as we were) especially after you have travelled on the Radiance which is a better ship in every way possible. Only thing the Solstice has going for it in my opinion is the drinks packages.

 

In saying this, you will have an awesome cruise. Just try not to compare it to the Radiance or other ships you have sailed on and you will have a great time.

[aussielozzie18]

Hi Ally

I think that the fact that your daughter is really keen to cruise will ensure that she has a great cruise no matter what cruise line you go on. As you are thinking of a January cruise, I would also suggest being on board for New Years Eve leading into early Jan. Quite a few of my daughter's friends have been on board for NYE with their families, loved it, and made many friends on board.

[allyman]

I guess if the price was right I wouldn't say no, but would definitely choose P&O,Carnival or stick with RCCL over Solstice. After recently travelling Solstice other ships in Australia are both a better cruise experience overall and have heaps better entertainment (for everyone, not just the elderly). I think you would be disappointed in Solstice (as we were) especially after you have travelled on the Radiance which is a better ship in every way possible. Only thing the Solstice has going for it in my opinion is the drinks packages.

 

In saying this, you will have an awesome cruise. Just try not to compare it to the Radiance or other ships you have sailed on and you will have a great time.

 

We loved the Radiance, and were actually trying to improve on that experience. I read that Celebrity is a step up from RCCL but you obviously feel otherwise. I find it hard to believe that Celebrity January 2015 cruise is cheaper than Radiance January 2015, but from my research it seems to be the case. We loved our cabin on Radiance, and unfortunately that exact cabin isn't available on the Jan 2015 cruise (aft balcony, deck 9)

 

More food for thought and I guess there are a lot of variables and personal preferences involved. For instance on the Radiance we didn't go to a show once (but it was only a 5 nighter) therefore maybe that isn't top priority for us. Food, ambience and comfortable cabin is foremost.

 

Thanks for your input, I will certainly give it some credence.

 

Ally

[KarateMan]

We loved the Radiance, and were actually trying to improve on that experience. I read that Celebrity is a step up from RCCL but you obviously feel otherwise. I find it hard to believe that Celebrity January 2015 cruise is cheaper than Radiance January 2015, but from my research it seems to be the case. We loved our cabin on Radiance, and unfortunately that exact cabin isn't available on the Jan 2015 cruise (aft balcony, deck 9)

 

More food for thought and I guess there are a lot of variables and personal preferences involved. For instance on the Radiance we didn't go to a show once (but it was only a 5 nighter) therefore maybe that isn't top priority for us. Food, ambience and comfortable cabin is foremost.

 

Thanks for your input, I will certainly give it some credence.

 

Ally

 

Celebrity is a step up from Royal Caribbean. I have done both. I am in my 30's and found Solstice to be outstanding, modern and trendy that would suit the younger lifestyle. I could not fault Celebrity Solstice one bit.

 

It is a holiday regardless of the class and style you go in. Anyone who does not try to enjoy a holiday probably does not enjoy life much either. It is pointless comparing between lines thinking this is better than the other. The only way to enjoy it is to just take the plunge, book it and go for it and that way you never have any regrets. Never listen to other peoples reviews. Never ever. That is a big no-no. Reviews should be banned.

[Mothballs]

I would say it is very suitable for that age. Seriously 17 is almost grown up age for her to fend for herself so it will be very easy for someone her age to go to all the adult events and enjoy them like every other passenger.

 

My best advice for a late teen would be to ditch the teens club and avoid it and enjoy the cruise for what it is worth. There is plenty of fun to be had on that ship without the need for children's activity clubs.

 

Just off the back of my mind they have all in family friendly swimming pool competitions and deck sports, they have the hot glass shows at their lawn club with games up there to play as well. You have the theatre, comedy and singing shows of an evening. In ports you are likely to explore new ports. On sea days I can only presume a 17 year old would laze by the pool as they all would at a resort.

 

You are forgetting the part of the holiday about making friends. Most teenagers are social beings and kids clubs are a great way to meet new people and I'm pretty sure that a 17 year old would not want to hang out with their parents all day.

Elaine.

[KarateMan]

You are forgetting the part of the holiday about making friends. Most teenagers are social beings and kids clubs are a great way to meet new people and I'm pretty sure that a 17 year old would not want to hang out with their parents all day.

Elaine.

 

I did not even suggest to hang out with parents at all. Point being at that age there is plenty to do that does not require a teens club.

 

Why miss out on all the fantastic shows and events because you are young. Get in and enjoy the whole program.

[Oriana1]

Thanks Kim and everyone else for making me feel comfortable about the Solstice. She is currently 16, and by the time we get to January 2015 she will be 17. Very interested to know which cruise you are taking in April. Did you mean April 2014? My daughter will still be 16 then. She hasn't cruised and is hanging for us to take her. Being in the senior years of high school I am loath to take her outside school holidays.

 

Your daughter always finds friends to hang with? I was concerned that she might need to take a friend onboard, but it is costly, and I don't know that any of her parents would be happy to part with the $2K it is going to cost (assuming they have their own room).

 

Do you get Laura a separate room, or do you all share?

 

Any further advice appreciated, very keen to try the Solstice.

 

Regards

Ally

 

Hi Ally,

 

We are going on the 3 April 2014 cruise. As we (unfortunately) live in Queensland (sorry we moved up from Sydney five years ago and would move back tomorrow if possible) Laura will only miss one day of school. For the cruise in April this year, Laura missed two weeks of school and then she had to have another week off due to my Dad passing away whilst we were on the cruise. This has affected her Year 11 results for first semester (terms one and two) as she had exam block the first week back, after the cruise and my Dad's funeral, and she did not know a thing in exam block as everything was what the students had learnt those three weeks. So next year Laura will be in Year 12 so we do not want her to loose too much of school so hence why we are only doing the eight night 3 April cruise.

 

Laura has always found friends. They seem to go on the first night, make friends and stay in that group. Laura has really never hung around with us too much on a cruise, not that we are avoiding her.

 

Laura was in our room on the sofa bed.

 

On port days Laura would be with us, except one day on the cruise in April which went to Tahiti. The night before Moreea the teenagers had a pool party and Laura jumped in the pool and sprained her ankle as the indoor pool is not very deep, so she spent the day in the cabin and we went ashore.

 

Laura found P and O worse, as the teenagers just want to sit in a lounge and talk. This was not allowed but on a Celebrity it was okay to do. They were not causing problems, just sitting chatting and having a soft drink.

 

 

Kim