*8 Day Cruise - Will the kids be bored?*

[raina*faith]

My family of 5 is taking a cruise to the E. Caribbean. We will have 4 sea days!! Are they going to be bored out of their minds? :rolleyes:

3 teen girls (14 (2) and 15 (1) years old)

thanks, as always, for your help!

[Heatherco]

I can't imagine that. What ship are you taking?

 

Heatherco

[Eskwire]

From her signature it looks like the Carnival Miracle...don't know anything about it. But I can't believe they will be bored!

[LizaMM]

I sailed the Carnival Legend 8 Day Western Caribbean last month. I am a single mom with 4 kids ages 16 1/2, 14, 10 (girls) & 9 (boy) and my 15 y.o. nephew was on this sailing as well. Not only did we have the same 4 sea days but we also went through a storm and hit some rough waters and very windy days which kept many of the outdoor activities from taking place. NOT ONCE did my kids ever mention being bored. :) My kids had a great time!

 

What particular things are you concerned about??

 

The first 2 days (Sea Days) we had nice weather and we enjoyed leisurely meals and hanging out by the pool and water slide. The kids all met up with other kids on the cruise. I would highly suggest that they go to the Teen Meet and Greet the first night. In addition, it is nice to check out the Roll Call thread and have the teens start their own.

[raina*faith]

My concerns are this:

1. we are sailing in an off-season.

2. some people have said that Carnival didn't have activities if there weren't enough kids. (not enough kids because we are sailing off-season)

3. I really don't want them bored because they don't have enough kids activities.

4. The obvious: I don't want them to constantly say to me Mom, I'm bored!!!! :D

(they never said that on the Explorer of the Seas trip.) ;)

[bld16]

Last week we sailed with 560 junior cruisers aboard-- Who would have guessed, only saw about 200 total! The kids stayed busy all week. The staff said the week before there were only 200 kids total and all activities were well attended. Hope for the best, and plan for the worst! They will have a great time!

[Cruisin' Chick]

One thing to think about is that if just about all school districts are in session, most likely there won't be too many teens onboard. Aside from ones in year-round schools (if this is one of their breaks) and homeschooled kids. Nowadays, high schools discourage taking out their students during non-breaks. It's a lot easier taking out the younger kids.

[nybumpkin]

Based on your cruise date, looks like you're sailing from NYC to San Juan, St. Thomas and Tortola. We did this same itinerary this past summer on Legend with our three sons - 15, 10 and 6. All of them loved the sea days and were never bored; of the four cruises we've done, I think this one was their favorite. In fact, we hardly saw the 15 YO at all - mostly, we ran into him occasionally at lunchtime and then met him for dinner. He still keeps in touch with some of the kids he met on that cruise.

[dosi]

I cannot imagine them being bored. Do they depend on you to provide fun all day long at home??? On weekends is there live entertainment at your house. Because at my house, if someone is bored, there is wood to be split, laundry to be put away and floors to washed.....believe me, it is rare that my son says he is bored!!!:D

[suzequ]

DH, DD (then 12) and I did a 10 day cruise out of NYC last March (NCL Dawn). I think we had 4 days at sea also. Fair number of kids on board (all ages); she balked at the kids program because she had to be signed in/out. There is so much to do even without the kids programs that I can't imagine anyone being bored, our DD certainly wasn't. We set some simple rules for her, spent most of each day with her actually, but when we wanted to do seperate things -- did. If they're looking forward to the cruise and expect to have fun, they likely will.:)