Question about the Thermal Spa and Other Activities

[dinkydee718]

This is such a first-world problem that it’s too embarrassing to even complain about, so I will just post the issue and ask a question about it. My son is currently 17 and will turn 18 a couple weeks before our cruise on the Joy. Since two of my kids are in that boring, too old for teens club but too young for bars category, I thought I’d get them passes to the Thermal Spa so they can have something fun and different to do together. The NCL system won’t let me get my 17 year old a pass until he turns 18, and NCL said I’ll need to wait until his birthday to purchase it. So, here’s my question…How early do the thermal spa passes typically sell out? Should I assume that I won’t be able to purchase them passes and move on to a Plan B, and does anyone have any recommendations for a fun Plan B for an 18 & 19 y.o. on the Joy.

[mjkacmom]

I’ve never had them sell out before our cruises. On our last cruise (Gem), our oldest of 5 were 19 and 20, and they thought they’d miss the teen club as a way to meet others. We signed the beer and wine waiver, and they went to young adult meetups onboard. By day 2 they had a posse.

[zqvol]

You might reconsider your plan, not because the passes will sell out (some are usually available on board) but because the thermal suite is not going to be a fun place for older teens. 

[NillaB]

I don't know if you're familiar with the spas on the ships? If so, please disregard.

It's just that honestly, my older teens would be bored to tears in the ship spa - but people are different 🙂

[Laszlo]

Just now, NillaB said:

I don't know if you're familiar with the spas on the ships? If so, please disregard.

It's just that honestly, my older teens would be bored to tears in the ship spa - but people are different 🙂

Yup, we have bought or had spa passes a dozen times. I can count on one hand the times I have seen teens in there. Its a quite place

[Grandmafreddie]

If your kids like to relax and read spa is good otherwise a quiet place. They encourage speaking softly

Never see young people mostly couples.

[cruiseny4life]

Unlike others, I have seen younger folk using the spa. I've even seen a very young looking guy with his dad (I swear the guy must have been 15 or 16), but maybe just a young looking 18...anyway, he seemed to enjoy hanging out in the different spa spaces. On other cruises, I've seen families with college-aged children in the spa. 

 

It is supposed to be a quiet space (good luck getting the older chatter boxes to shut the F up though). On a separate cruise there was a young couple (19 - 22'ish) who were...well, the guy was throwing his girl around in the pool and the make out seshes were...well what you'd expect from that age. No one seemed to mind. I was just glad they were enjoying themselves. I've seen older couples do the same, too...so it ain't a young person's pursuit only. 

 

Anyway...if your kids enjoy saunas, hot tubs, thalassotherapy pools, steam rooms, cold rooms, and loungers, then they'll enjoy NCL's thermal suite! I'm sure they would enjoy a respite after a long excursion. Good luck getting the passes! 

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, dinkydee718 said:

This is such a first-world problem that it’s too embarrassing to even complain about, so I will just post the issue and ask a question about it. My son is currently 17 and will turn 18 a couple weeks before our cruise on the Joy. Since two of my kids are in that boring, too old for teens club but too young for bars category, I thought I’d get them passes to the Thermal Spa so they can have something fun and different to do together. The NCL system won’t let me get my 17 year old a pass until he turns 18, and NCL said I’ll need to wait until his birthday to purchase it. So, here’s my question…How early do the thermal spa passes typically sell out? Should I assume that I won’t be able to purchase them passes and move on to a Plan B, and does anyone have any recommendations for a fun Plan B for an 18 & 19 y.o. on the Joy.

The thermal suite is a place to sit quietly and relax. Not making any noise. It’s not the pool outside or a place for loud, boisterous play. 
 

I think that your kids may be better off if you signed the alcohol waiver and let them hang at the bars. 

[Ellis1138]

As others have said, the thermal suite is a quiet place and the pools are more like therapy for aching muscles kind of pools. So ask your teenagers if that's what they want to do. Some ships have video arcades or Galaxy Pavillion. They might also want to do activities on the Daily, like origami.

 

Also make the decision based on the itinerary. If it's a really port heay cruise, there might not even be time for them to use it each day enough to warrant the whole week pass. 

 

As for selling out, they never seem to do that. And there are like $60 day passes to the thermal suite. If your ship has a Vibe, they might like that better. Or a Spice H20 (which is free).