OK, now I'm a bit worried

[RRLLAL]

We're booked on the 14 day Triumph cruise to the Panama Canal next May 27th out of NYC. Here is my worry. I've done a search on other 14 day PC cruises that people have been on. One thing I have noticed through all of them is the age of the cruisers. I'm 63 and my wife is 52, so I'm not concerned with it. BUT, we chose this cruise because we have never been there and it sounded like a great experience for our kids and it was also a graduation gift to our son who is graduating from college next May. Our son will be 22 at the time and daughter will be 21. Other posts sound like there will be very very very few kids the same general age. Average age on these cruises is like 60's. We're hopeful that since it is after colleges get out there "might" be a few other college age kids. Did we make a mistake? Ugh.

[sanmarcosman]

Only you can say if you made a mistake but I wouldn't book that cruise if I were a college student. Any cruise over 8 days is going to be an older demographic due to youth having school and work obligations and can't take much vacation time.

[poz222]

Not many college kids on that one I am afraid...

[SadieN]

There might be a few college kids if it’s after the colleges and universities end. Nothing is guaranteed.

 

 

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[Mummble]

I think it depends on who your kids are, and what they like to do. Is the goal to relax and enjoy some quiet time after the press of school? Demographic of the cruise doesn't really matter then. Is the goal to make new friends and party hard? Then the demographics may matter.

 

My hubby and I went on a 12 day Hawaii when we were 25-ish. Honestly, I assume it was an older crowd, but we read, played cards, went to shows and did active excursions that attracted like-minded people regardless of age. Now we're 35 and still typically book longer cruises that have an older demographic. I barely notice.

 

Celebrate your milestones, enjoy time together, do things at the ports that excite you. I have yet to find a way to have a bad cruise... though I suppose I don't try to hard to do that either...[emoji16][emoji16]

 

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[cindivan]

If your kids would prefer a cruise with other cruisers around their age that might not the be the best option. You might luck out with, but not sure the Panama Canal itinerary is a huge draw for the younger crowd.

 

If you want to do a 14 day cruise (AWESOME graduation gift by the way!!) have you considered back to back 7 day cruises? Many ships switch itineraries every other week so you wouldn’t necessarily have to see same ports both weeks.

 

Not sure if this is an option or what your kids interests are, but we have taken our 16-21yo kids on Mediterranean and Baltic/Scandinavian cruises. There are not a ton of young people but have been enough to provide some non-parent interaction. These tend to port-intensive so a good amount of tours, but if they like that sort of thing it’s very doable to balance really interesting tours/sights and off days where you everyone just relaxes at the pool or sleeps in and personal chill time.

 

 

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[Cafedumonde]

Sometimes it's good for young people to have time away from their peers and reflect on things. I wouldn't worry about it! Great cruise!

[GradUT]

I have cruised the Panama Canal and I can say that there are not going to be any young people on this cruise PERIOD. If that’s a deal-breaker for your family, then you best be looking for an alternative.

[DukeASUGirl]

When I was that age, I would have LOVED a Panama Canal cruise. I had plenty of time the entire rest of the school year to party hard with my college friends. This would have been a great experience to bond with my parents and see something new.

 

But it really depends on your kids and their wants. Better to ask them than to ask us. You are correct that it will likely be an older demographic, but if the point of the cruise is to enjoy quality time as a family and relax, it probably won't matter if it's not a booze cruise. But only they can tell you that.

[maryred]

I have done 2 Journeys cruises, one 14 day out of Baltimore and an 11 day out of NYC. Neither were partial transits of the Panama Canal but were listed as Southern Caribbean. One was in March, in fact our first port day was on St Patrick's day and the other was in Nov before the Thanksgiving break.

I will say though many on the cruise were like us, middle age empty nesters, there was a fair share of unattached 20-30 somethings and couples with young families. These cruises, especially any from the Manhattan port, attract a diverse range of cruisers. It really just depends on if their professions and/or schools are willing to allow the 2 consecutive weeks of vacation.