18-20 year old activities

[Marauder40]

We are getting ready to take our 20 year old daughter (19 now, 20 as of the sailing) on the Carnival Horizon.  She is wondering what types of things will be good for her age range on board.  She just found out the minimum age range for Serenity deck is 21.  This will be her second cruise and the last time she was the age range for Club O2 and participated in a lot of the daytime Club O2 activities.  She didn't like the nighttime activities at all.

Other then trivia contests and the scavenger hunt, any suggestions on formal activities for her?  She is very young looking for her age so suggesting things like "sneaking" onto the Serenity deck isn't an option. 

[ninjacat123]

Your DD can gamble!! My DDs both had a great time with $25 each at the roulette table and when their stake from Mommy ran out, we were done.  I think we were playing for 45 minutes.

I think she would be fine on Serenity as long as she's not doing cartwheels or stuff like that.

I've heard there is a "Behind the Scenes" Tour but you would need to go to the Excursion Desk when you board at embarkation to sign up and pay.

She can download some books to her phone.

She could write a LIVE review for CruiseCritic from a 20 year old POV. I just did one (see link in my signature for the Europe trip) and it was so much fun!

I hope some of these suggestions help.  Have a great cruise!!

[FlaMommy75]

19 minutes ago, Marauder40 said:

We are getting ready to take our 20 year old daughter (19 now, 20 as of the sailing) on the Carnival Horizon.  She is wondering what types of things will be good for her age range on board.  She just found out the minimum age range for Serenity deck is 21.  This will be her second cruise and the last time she was the age range for Club O2 and participated in a lot of the daytime Club O2 activities.  She didn't like the nighttime activities at all.

Other then trivia contests and the scavenger hunt, any suggestions on formal activities for her?  She is very young looking for her age so suggesting things like "sneaking" onto the Serenity deck isn't an option. 

What week are you on? We will be on Nov 19th (Thanksgiving week) and my daughter also just turned 20 and is the same boat (literally). My kids have grown up cruising and their favorite part has always been making friends in the camp but the past couple years she has been so disappointed because they have offered nothing for 18-20. When we were on the Horizon March 2022 they did not offer any activities at all but when we were on the Mardi Gras Christmas 2022 they had a meet up the first night at 8pm, when the other camps met up. It was a one time event but it was enough that they were able to all exchange numbers (snapchats, IGs, whatever) they she had friends to hang with all week. My fingers are crossed that Horizon now offers this..just be sure and check the Fun Times and it should be around 8-10pm the first night. 

[Marauder40]

1 minute ago, FlaMommy75 said:

What week are you on? 

We won't be on until next year.  Pretty far in advance, but she is the type of person that she is already concerned about what she will do.

[Marauder40]

10 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

I think she would be fine on Serenity as long as she's not doing cartwheels or stuff like that.

She is very much a rule follower so I doubt she would even try, but like I said she looks very young so I am sure people will question her.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, especially the tour and gambling.  She is a huge penny pincher with her own money but might do it if we gave her some of our money.  Although she HATES cigarette smoke so if it smells like the casino on the Carnival Magic, there is no way she would sit in there 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Marauder40

[FlaMommy75]

1 minute ago, Marauder40 said:

We won't be on until next year.  Pretty far in advance, but she is the type of person that she is already concerned about what she will do.

I will let you know if they offer it. I REALLY hope they do. When I filled out my comments on the Mardi Gras I kept stating over and over how thankful I was that they offered it. I have no idea why they wouldn't, no one staffed it, they just need to print it in the Fun Times a place and time for 18-20 can meet up...not asking for that much and it makes a huge difference to the kiddos in that "lost" age group.

[kctwinmommy]

We took a cruise for our son's senior year spring break, he was 18, almost 19 at the time, and yep, didn't totally enjoy it. Yes, he loved our excursions and such, had fun with that. But the couple of sea days, there just wasn't much going on. There weren't a lot of others in his age range either. And like you said, not all 19-20 year olds, are always super outgoing. It's a hard age range for sure. I remember myself, being 19 and going to Hawaii with my parents. We went to visit my brother (station at Pearl Harbor) and his wife. I was feeling "too old" to hang with my parents, but I wasn't old enough to go anywhere on my own there. We joke about it now, how I basically "hated" Hawaii. LOL!

[mjkacmom]

We took a NCL cruise when the oldest 2 were 19 and 20. Fortunately they are very outgoing, had each other, and were determined to find a group. There were young adult meet ups every night. It’s a hard age, people this age can’t cruise without over 21’s, and not that many young adults cruise with their parents. 

[Sarcastic Mama]

Not going to try and fluff this, both of my kids were completely bummed about sea days and things to do.  The age range is a hard one even at resorts. They are too old for teen clubs, but not old enough for adult things.  My children were still kids at 18 and 19 in their own ways. 

[john91498]

Agree with Sarcastic Mama...can't drink and most of the activities on board are geared towards adults or young kids.

[Drazil65]

My niece and nephew both made friends at the karaoke events.  They went a couple times to watch and would see some of the same kids there in the same age bracket.  They all started talking eventually and before you know it they were having a blast.  My niece even ended up singing with 3 other girls one of the karaoke days, they had so much fun laughing.  That little group also formed a team for trivia, cornhole and hanging at the pool.  They would also meet up after dinner for the movies on deck as well as the silent dance deck party and comedy club.  

[jiggs]

that is a tough age bracket on the ship, nothing really formally planned, maybe some single mixers, but those are any age.  Comedy, Karaoke, Piano Bar all all good options at night...on sea days it is just the normal stuff you mention unless they find others to meet up with in different areas of the ship.  Take some cards or easy to pack games like bananagrams and maybe hang out on deck playing some games..?  If she sleeps in, she just needs to fill afternoons of sea days, if she is an early riser, get up and grab chairs Lido mid-ship and people watch and have a good view of events on deck.