Requesting opinions from those individuals with teenagers.

[mbrownferrier]

Traveling Thanksgiving 2017 with a 16 year old and in the past we have had the late session for dinner but I am now wondering if we should change. I have heard that the teen club has activities that may occur during the later seating.

 

My one requirement is to have dinner together each night and I have enjoyed eating later but I don't want to prevent him from having fun.

 

Any feedback is welcomed!!!!

[sasha620]

Change it! My 16 year old was gone to her club by 8:30.

[kctwinmommy]

Traveling Thanksgiving 2017 with a 16 year old and in the past we have had the late session for dinner but I am now wondering if we should change. I have heard that the teen club has activities that may occur during the later seating.

 

My one requirement is to have dinner together each night and I have enjoyed eating later but I don't want to prevent him from having fun.

 

Any feedback is welcomed!!!!

 

Hopefully someone can give you more information, but our son was in Circle C this past 2 cruises and both times they were closed up during the dinner hours, so from like 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. or so. I asked him, but he's not sure if it was the same for Club O2 kids. But I agree with you, he needed to be with us for dinner, except for one night. They had planned a kids dinner for the Circle C group, which was fine, gave my husband and I one night at dinner with just the 2 of us. I do like that they typically close it though, less arguments that way. ;)

[catawbakru]

Maybe do Anytime Dining and then you can be flexible around their schedule?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mtsnd1900]

go with early dining, or any time dining. or specialty dining.

[Seago2]

I would try to get early dining if you can because he's going to start getting really antsy as you push up to that 8:00 mark. I think things start at 8:30.

[Hockeygal24]

I just got off the conquest a couple of weeks ago with my 15 year old daughter and she was in Club O2 by 8:30 every night. It is true that most of the events for this age group start at 8:30. I would either switch to early seating (which is what we had) or Anytime Dining. Happy Cruising!

[First and Ten]

Buffet is open 5 - 9:30....eat dinner as a family there

Edited August 18, 2016 by First and Ten

[OCruisers]

Anytime Dining would be a good choice! :D

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I have often cruised with the teenagers in my extended family and we have always booked late dining. The kids seem to like it since they always show up and enjoy the time with their cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, etc. since the rest of the day is theirs to schedule as they want. Besides, they don't like to be the "first" to the clubs, they would rather wait until more people are there and the party has started.

 

If the OP is concerned about their teenager they just need to decide as a family what are the best options for them. As the elder stateswoman in our group the adults decide what dining time is the best option for them...the kids, well they come along for the "free" vacation. Don't want to eat dinner with the "folks"...lots of other options for them to grab food elsewhere. Luckily our kids understand that in some decisions their vote, though taken into consideration, doesn't carry the same weight as others.

[65stang]

Traveling Thanksgiving 2017 with a 16 year old and in the past we have had the late session for dinner but I am now wondering if we should change. I have heard that the teen club has activities that may occur during the later seating.

 

My one requirement is to have dinner together each night and I have enjoyed eating later but I don't want to prevent him from having fun.

 

Any feedback is welcomed!!!!

 

This is a decision only you can truly make, however, I will give you my input since you asked. We choose early dinning because I have a requirement that dinner is a family gathering too. I have children that range now from 19 to 10 and last year our eldest was 18 and had fun with the adult choices so no concern about dining time for that one. Our middle child was 16 and had a blast with the club and the other kids. On our cruise the activities were starting back up around 8 PM so late dinning was out for us. We also had a 9 year old that absolutely loved the Kids club. Again by 8 PM the activities were in full swing on our cruise. For our next cruise in a couple of weeks we have early dinning again because our two younger children will be actively enjoying all that the clubs for their age group have to offer. At the same time I realize there are some kids out there that may not enjoy the clubs and the activities that are offered, which is why I mention that only you can decide. At 16 the kids were having fun with the structured activities during the normal available hours of the club, but after that was over they all would go and find a place to hang out. Usually on the Lido deck not far from the pizza and ice cream to have fun until about 3 to 4 AM and then would start all over the next day too.

[mbrownferrier]

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions! Since both my son and I prefer to eat in the MDR I will change to the earlier seating. He will be at the age of wanting to go off with friends but still be able to make mom happy with family time at dinner.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums