Cruising with a 13 and 15 year old

[Reereef]

Hey, not sure if anyone has experience of this, but thought I would ask...

We are travelling on the Disney Dream this summer with my sister and my niece. My niece is 15 and my son will be 13.
We travelled on the Dream last summer and my son tried Edge, but didn’t like it. He really wants to hang out with his cousin at Vibe, but it’s 14 and older.
I was wondering whether DCL ever bend the rules to accommodate family travelling together. I expect he’ll probably hang out with the adults if he can’t attend the teen club and that will prevent us all enjoying the adult only activities!
Thing is, as irrelevant as it is, DS is already taller and broader than me and his dad and feels ridiculous (his words) hanging around children much smaller than he is. Also he’s used to hanging out with his older cousins and he in fairness did try the Edge before and hated it.
Anyone have experience of this? It’s the only Cruise we’ll ever all go on together as extended family, so I’m hoping things can be worked out. Many thanks!

[Edna Cloud]

I don't know what the official policy is, but they didn't let my two be in the same club. The thing is, the clubs are different on every sailing because it depends on the mix of children on that particular cruise. Your son may find there are loads of 13 year olds on his cruise, or he may be the only one. The crew's willingness to bend the rules might depend on the number of children on board and their age ranges.

If the worst comes to the worst and he chooses to hang out with the adults mostly, you will have to negotiate that he does go to Edge if there is an adult activity (wine tasting - HIC) which you want to attend, or else hope that there is a film on or something at the time which he can go to. You must all be able to do the activities you want on board to get the most out of it.

Hope it works out either way.

EC

[Reereef]

Originally Posted by Edna Cloud

I don't know what the official policy is, but they didn't let my two be in the same club. The thing is, the clubs are different on every sailing because it depends on the mix of children on that particular cruise. Your son may find there are loads of 13 year olds on his cruise, or he may be the only one. The crew's willingness to bend the rules might depend on the number of children on board and their age ranges.

If the worst comes to the worst and he chooses to hang out with the adults mostly, you will have to negotiate that he does go to Edge if there is an adult activity (wine tasting - HIC) which you want to attend, or else hope that there is a film on or something at the time which he can go to. You must all be able to do the activities you want on board to get the most out of it.

Hope it works out either way.

EC

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Thank you for your response! I guess we’ll have to hope for a quieter cruise as far as older teens are concerned and speak to the youth activity teams.

Funny thing is my niece is so tiny and very immature; where my son is a good six inches taller than her and far more mature lol.

Most people assume my son is around 16 years old just looking at him. He looks very grown up and scary to some younger children and this can make him awkward and indifferent to other kids.

He wears a mans medium clothing and size nine shoes and he has eight months of growing before we cruise.

In school he tends to hang out with an older crowd, so I really don’t think we’ll be negotiating the Edge with him. He just won’t participate and would literally sit and wait for us. I would be conscious of this and feel rushed at whatever we are doing.

It’s a shame he’s not that year older. Perhaps we should have thought about that before booking.

Thanks again for your help!

[danisleigh]

I think most cruise lines are pretty strict with the ages for the clubs. We are cruising in march with NCL and my son is 16 and eldest niece 13 so will be in the teen group Entourage where as my other niece will be 12 so will be in the splash academy still. I know my sister was worried about it but from what we have heard and read there is no flexibility so we have just tried to play it up how fun it is to my niece and see how she goes. Also kids club ends earlier than entourage so I know this will cause issues as my sister doesn't think that's fair so she will probably make the 13 year old come out the same time in the evening. I know when we looked into it though that some people's kids were literally a couple of weeks off the age of the teen club and were still not allowed to join so as my niece will have only turned 12 a week before I know it's unlikely!

[disney_l81]

With rcl they let my daughter go in the club for older kids, though she turned 11 the day after the cruise so maybe this was the reason why. I emailed before and they said it would be fine, and it was.

[Reereef]

Originally Posted by danisleigh

I think most cruise lines are pretty strict with the ages for the clubs. We are cruising in march with NCL and my son is 16 and eldest niece 13 so will be in the teen group Entourage where as my other niece will be 12 so will be in the splash academy still. I know my sister was worried about it but from what we have heard and read there is no flexibility so we have just tried to play it up how fun it is to my niece and see how she goes. Also kids club ends earlier than entourage so I know this will cause issues as my sister doesn't think that's fair so she will probably make the 13 year old come out the same time in the evening. I know when we looked into it though that some people's kids were literally a couple of weeks off the age of the teen club and were still not allowed to join so as my niece will have only turned 12 a week before I know it's unlikely!

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Yes, I think that’s my concern is that the ages will be very strictly enforced. Like I said though, DS will tower over any 11, 12 and 13 year old. I think he’s already going through puberty too which doesn’t help as he sees kids his own age as annoying and loses patience with them. He has a male cousin one year younger (not coming on cruise) who he point blank refuses to acknowledge most of the time.

He’s been to Edge before, so there’s no playing it up as fun. We’ll just have to hang out with him. My niece probably won’t go to Vibe without him anyway as he’s the more confident of the two. Wish we’d waited a year to do the cruise. Never mind. Thanks for your response!

[Reereef]

Originally Posted by disney_l81

With rcl they let my daughter go in the club for older kids, though she turned 11 the day after the cruise so maybe this was the reason why. I emailed before and they said it would be fine, and it was.

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Perhaps I’ll email DCL then and see what they say. I might send them a photo of the man sized 13 year old they’ll be saying has to go hang out with littler kids in Edge. DS is even getting a moustache lol!

Thank you for sharing your experience...it gives me a slither of hope!

[Reereef]

Hey all! I contacted DCL and they explained overlap was allowed following assessment by the Youth Activities team and that with a signed parental form, a 13 year old would be allowed to attend VIbe.
This is great news and I can’t wait to enjoy some adult activities! DS is thrilled and can’t wait!
Roll on Disney cruising!

[disney_l81]

Originally Posted by Reereef

Hey all! I contacted DCL and they explained overlap was allowed following assessment by the Youth Activities team and that with a signed parental form, a 13 year old would be allowed to attend VIbe.
This is great news and I can’t wait to enjoy some adult activities! DS is thrilled and can’t wait!
Roll on Disney cruising!

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Great news!

[danisleigh]

That’s great! I think my sister might ask on NCL but from what I have read it looks like my niece is stuck in the kids club!