Carnival Conquest with preteen?

[kathywiehl]

We just booked a cruise on the Conquest for the week of Jan 15, and my 10 year old is convinced that she will not have a good time. She had a blast on the RC's Mariner last year when we were on their maiden voyage, so I know she will like cruising, but she looked at the pics on Carnival's site and keeps saying that the kid's area looks too babyish and now she's convinced that the directors are all going to be dorky and that the activities will not be any fun. Of course, I'm not worried about this at all, but you can't tell anything to a 10 year old, you know?

I've told her that I will post here in the hopes of getting emails from parents of kids the same age as her to find out what they thought of the Conquest and the activities on board. Better yet, if your child would like to write to her at my email address, that would be wonderful!!

Thanks so much!!

Kathy
[email="kathywiehl@bellsouth.net"]kathywiehl@bellsouth.net[/email]

[LSUtraveler]

[b][i][size=3][color=darkorchid]I believe you are going on the Conquest on Jan 16th, the same time we are.[/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc][/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc]When my son was 10 we sailed the Inspiration out of NO in July. He didn't want to do the Camp Carnival thing but went in the pools, arcades and made friends. [/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc][/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc]He did go to Camp Carnival a few times but preferred to swim most of the time.[/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc][/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc]However we did see a lot of kids of all ages at Camp Carnival. A lot depends on the personality of your child.[/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc][/color][/size][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=3][color=#9932cc]This year he is looking forward to Camp Carnival. He's 13. I think either way your child can have a great time. Don't worry there's more than enough for them to do.;) [/color][/size][/i][/b]

[sea_u_onboard]

There are two sections of the Camp. One area is for the younger ones and the other side for the older kids. They have all kinds to things for the kids to do.

[HighSeaslover]

I was on the Conquest last year in September and was talking with several of the kids about 12 years old. They were having a blast. I saw them several times playing games and hanging together. I asked them about their cruise as I have a son that was 13 and at home. They said he would love Camp Carnival and they were having a GREAT time. Therefore we booked another cruise for this September (the 25th) with our son and my 2 nephews. I hope they have as much fun as the boys I spoke to on the Conquest. I am sure your son will have a ball.. :)

[Vicar]

My daughter is the same way. She is 17. She really wants to go on a cruise with us after hearing how much we enjoy ours. She also wants to go to Las Vegas after hearing about all our trips. But she wants to wait til she is "Legal" so she can have fun.

She doesn't want to go to "lame" (as she puts it ) teen clubs. Or be treated like a baby with a Shirley Temple at dinner every night. Ya know its afunny age , not a baby not an adult. Not that she wants to be another Paris Hilton, She just doesn't want everyone watching every move she makes and tell her "Sorry Miss you can't come in here " or "Sorry you have to be with your dad to do that" You know the drill, we all went through it.

I try and tell her there are some great things for teens to do on board , and its not like "day care " while the adults have all the fun.

But if you think talking to a 10 year old is like hitting your head against the wall, try talking to a 17 year old *LOL*

[kimanjo]

Maybe our experience can help you. Daughter and I sailed the new Caribbean Princess (huge ship) just over a month ago. Daughter was 11 and 1/2 (but a year ahead, in middle school), and she was put into the 10-12 year-old group. She thought the 10-12 year-old group was too "lame" so she went over to the other side of the deck, where the 13-17 year-olds were.

Well! Suffice it to say that as mature as daughter looks (she's 5' tall) and acts, she just didn't feel comfortable with what the 13 and up group was doing--which was, in her own words, "girls and boys flirting".

So daughter went back to the 10 to 12 year-old group. Although she didn't participate in any of the activities, she did meet a couple of girls who were like her, too old to be with the "little kids" and too young to be with the "big kids".

Being her mom I couldn't tell daughter anything, but my own observation was that although the activities for the 10, 11, 12 year-old may seem juvenile, they were many of the same activities being done in the teen center! Karaoke contests, t-shirt decorating, disco nights, etc.

These children think they are more emotionally grown-up then they truly are. But because so many of them feel this way, they should be able to find friends who have the same feelings!

Rolling eyeballs.

[Vicar]

Kimanjo,


That is so true,

My daughters circle of friends think that they are THE coolest group, and anyone out of that circle are nerds *LOL* I guess everyone was like that at that age.

Her and her friends big thing is hanging at the mall, laying out at the beach, talking on the phone, and flirting with boys.

Karoke ,and making t shirts, and arts and crafts would definately not be cool. *LOL*

*LOL* What are ya gonna do?