Teen Disco, Royal Caribbean - Royal Caribbean International
Today's teen facilities on cruise ships include exclusive clubs and lounges with internet stations, discos with dance floors and soda bars, and even teen-only deck space.
Cruise lines recognize that the teenagers cruising today are the paying customers of tomorrow, and with every new launch, teen-friendly cruises are bigger and better. But, just as some ships are better for babies or younger children, other ships are better suited to teenagers. Here are the best cruises for teenagers.
Carnival Cruise Lines Teen Cruises
- Teen Program – Carnival separates the teens into two groups, Circle “C” for ages 12-14 and O2 for ages 15-17. Activities include dance parties, karaoke, sports tournaments or just hanging out.
- Teen Lounges and Disco on Cruise Ships – All Carnival ships have dedicated teen facilities featuring plasma TVs for movies and music videos, gaming systems, high-tech lighting and sound systems, a dance floor with DJ, and internet stations. The Carnival Dream will feature a 1,075 square foot Circle “C” center and a 2,740 square foot Club O2.
- Other Teen-Friendly Activities – There are teen spa treatments and teen-only shore excursions. And Waterworks Park features waterslides, squirting fountains, and splash zones.
Disney Cruise Line Teen Cruises
- Teen Program – Guests aged 13 to 17 can participate in animation lessons, pool parties, PlayStation2 challenges, Karaoke or just hanging out with their peers in the onboard teen lounge.
- Teen Lounges and Disco on Cruise Ships – The Stack (Disney Magic) and Aloft (Disney wonder) are teen lounges complete with comfy couches, a soda bar, computer stations with internet, and plasma TVs to watch videos.
- Other Teen-Friendly Activities – Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay offers teen-only excursions such as snorkelling and kayaking, plus a scavenger hunt using a digital camera.
Holland America Line Teen Cruises
- Teen Program – For ages 13 to 17, teens enjoy sports tournaments, video games, karaoke, or just hanging out with their peers in the teen center, the Loft.
- Teen Lounges and Discos on Cruise Ships – The Loft resembles a New York artist’s loft complete with comfy chairs, big screen TV, music, videos, and a state of the art sound and lighting system for dancing.
- Other Teen-Friendly Amenities – On select ships, a special passageway upstairs from the Loft leads to a secluded, teens-only sun deck called Oasis. In addition, teenagers aged 15 and up can participate in adult culinary workshops in the onboard demonstration kitchen.
Royal Caribbean International Teen Cruise Ships
- Teen program – The teens are separated into two age groups (ages 12-14 and 15-17). Activities vary with ship class but may include DJ classes, surfing lessons, climbing lessons, DDR, and Royal Caribbean Idol.
- Teen Lounges and Discos on Cruise Ships – When the Oasis of the Seas is launched in December 2009, it will feature the biggest and most elaborate children and teen facilities at sea, at close to 29,000 square feet. The Living Room is a laid back lounge packed with gaming systems, a plasma TV to watch movies, and a mock-tail bar with sodas and juices. Fuel is the teen disco complete with dance floor, and computer games.
- Other Teen-Friendly Amenities - Many ships have an outdoor deck space excusive for teens. The Oasis of the Seas will also feature a teen fitness area, a youth spa, a zip line and two FlowRider surfing simulators (there is one on all Freedom class ships). Most all other vessels feature a climbing wall and skating rink, too.
Most family oriented cruise lines offer some sort of teen program and teen-only area on their ships. The above four cruise lines just have the most elaborate facilities and programs.
Copyright Renee Ruggero. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Renee Ruggero - Renee is a published travel writer and cruise industry insider with more than 1,000 days on cruise ships, visiting over 50 countries.
