<p>^That has been my experience as well. If you have a port intensive cruise with lots of major sightseeing going on, people aren’t as likely to stay up late to party. On cruises to Alaska, Europe, etc. people are exhausted by the time they come back to the ship at night. On the islands and more tropical destinations, it’s more about lazing around in the sun, snorkeling and sipping Pina Coladas. People looking for the party experience.</p>
<p>@chocchipcookie - we were considering a cruise, as we felt it would satisify some of the requirements for each girl, meet our budget of <$1500pp, and be easier on the adults than planning & keeping up w & track of 5 of them for 5-7 days straight. 2 girls wanted to spend 5+ days in the the jungle on ziplines and visiting ruins, another 2 wanted just a cruise (they are the ‘spunkier’ of the group), last one just wants to get away to be with her friends. The western Caribbean seems like the best compromise for their interests and a cruise would mitigate my biggest fear of a hurricane wiping out the entire vacation. (sitting on a beach generates zero interest from any of them, as we live <1 hour from the beach!) </p>
<p>@momlive - Thanks for your comments. When I visualize the comments coming from a 65+ yo, the tone makes sense. I felt like they were treating me like I was a 25yo who knew nothing about life, not a world-traveled professional who just happens to know nothing about cruises.</p>
<p>^^ Regarding the locale/behavior metric – very true. I think it has something to do with the heat. Very few people want to do Belly Flop Contests when it is 40 degrees outside.</p>
<p>What time of year are you planning to go, NJ? Hurricanes aren’t much of a factor until later on in the year.</p>
<p>I know you said that they wouldn’t touch alcohol, but remember that once you’re past the 3 mile limit, and into international waters, the legal drinking age is 18. That may be true in your ports of call as well. You should certainly discuss specifically with the 18 year olds what the rules/limits are.</p>
<p>[Age</a> Requirements for passage, gambling, drinking and pregnancy.](<a href=“http://www.cruises-inc.com/age_requirements.htm]Age”>http://www.cruises-inc.com/age_requirements.htm)</p>
<p>Scroll down for drinking ages. It varies by ship-line <em>not</em> by international waters rules. (probably has something to do with ship registry but I’m not sure).</p>
<p>A discussion of the rules is necessary, however, because underage drinking can get you and your party kicked off the ship.</p>
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<p>Depends on the cruise line. On our Carnival cruise, one had to be 21 to buy drinks no matter where the ship was located. However, DD1 (age 21) was able to buy drinks and keep her sister D2 (age 19) supplied. No one seemed to care that D2 drank alcohol, she just wasn’t allowed to purchase.</p>
<p>I went on a Disney cruise and it was awful. My first and last cruise experience. Some highlights:</p>
<p>The pools on the ship were too few for the number of guests, who were smashed into them like sardines.</p>
<p>The private island was so weird. You pull up to this gorgeous spot only to be herded to this postage stamp-sized beach where, again, everyone is crammed into one tiny place.</p>
<p>Dining was weird. Again, it felt like being herded into crowded rooms with a bunch of strangers.</p>
<p>To go on an excursion, you have to rush to sign up, pay, join the rest of the steerage to exit the boat, get a cab, reach your shore destination, enjoy it quickly, and rush back. Not very relaxing.</p>
<p>The harbor area of most islands is the least picturesque spot, and it is often relatively gross. Whenever I vacation on an island, I always avoid the same places where the ships anchor to unload their cruise guests. Harbors have the least clean water, the most uninspired restaurants, they are crowded, and they are filled with goofy souvenir retail spots. You really do experience the worst of an island when you visit this way, and if you choose to venture out you will be seriously short on time.</p>
<p>If you like the idea of spending your vacation at the equivalent of a shopping mall on black Friday, than you will love going on a typical cruise.</p>
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<p>It sounds like your group of adventurous GS could enjoy cruising to Alaska more than spending their time on a ship in the Caribbean.</p>
<p>Are they up for some kayaking? [Paradise</a> Islands Kayaking - Lodge-to-lodge kayaking in Belize - Adventure Travel Trips from REI Adventures](<a href=“http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/latin/bpi.html]Paradise”>http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/latin/bpi.html)</p>
<p>nj2011mom:</p>
<p>I just sent you a pm!</p>
<p>If the girls want ziplining, check out the islands of Puerto Rico and St. Lucia! They both have beautiful rainforests too, and Puerto Rico has a great Fortress…and an island off the coast of it called Vieques where there are bio luminescent waters to go boating in!</p>
<p>I’ve been to Alaska on a cruise and it was well worth it, but pricey. It was very funny to see people with their big winter parkas on a cruise ship! :)</p>
<p>Btw: the name of the resort I was thinking of earlier is called Atlantis. Expensive too, but I’ve heard the underwater aquariums are breathtaking…also, if you’re only going for 4/5 days, maybe they’ll have what you’re looking for! (Maybe not the ziplining, though:))</p>
<p>Let me know once you read my pm, thanks.</p>
<p>I was also thinking Puerto Rico or Costa Rica for some kind of eco-tourism tour. Maybe there’s even a badge your girls could earn? Plenty of history, adventures, animals…etc. There’re also resorts in Punta Cana on the Dominica Republic, though most people never leave the all-inclusive areas. My fav island is Aruba esp. if you are a foodie. </p>
<p>Atlantis is beautiful but meals and incidentals are quite expensive. Two of us spent $40 for lunch which, fortunately, I’d won in the casino. If you get a good deal on a room, though, it might be worthwhile. </p>
<p>Spideygirl – I’ve been to the Disney Island, Castaway Cay. There are many beaches there, including an adult only one. There are plenty of activities for all ages and they have just expanded their operation there. [Castaway</a> Cay, Disney Cruise Information and Shore Excursions for Cataway Cay](<a href=“http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-port-castawaycay.cfm]Castaway”>Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Information and Shore Excursions for Castaway Cay)</p>
<p>Most people sign up for their excursions in advance so that it is a more leisurely experience than what you have described. I find that if you walk three or four streets away from the dock-areas, you will find the charm you are looking for. Of course, most people can’t be bothered. As for the ‘being crowded’ with a bunch of strangers, most cruise ships carry upwards of 3000 people…you want only to cruise with friends, either rent a sailboat/yacht or travel on the much more expensive Seabourn or Silversea – if you have $15,000 for a week, you can travel with a mere handful of folks.</p>
<p>The small island our family heads to every Presidents Week has suddenly become ‘Hot’ to the cruise industry. I have seen what they charge for excursions vs what I know the non-cruise market rate is, so I am quite comfortable booking land trips on my own with reputable companies (I do lots of research) and save $.</p>
<p>^ That’s where cruisecritic dom com comes in handy. We often book our own excursions at 1/2 the cost and 10x a better tour with a lot less people per tour group. I’ve gleaned a lot of information from the cruisecritic forum on this. We even hooked up with 3 other couples on cruisecritic and booked a private tour in Russia. Not only cheaper but we were able to customize the tour to our liking.</p>
<p>I love the tuxedo and formal dressing wars on cruise critic. Some of those people have to get over themselves!</p>
<p>I have to disagree with those who have advised that you stay away from Carnival because it has too many drunks. I’ve been on two cruises with them recently and that has not been the case. The reputation dates back from 15-20 years ago. I suspect most of the people who hold that opinion haven’t actually sailed on that line in the last decade. Carnival now only serves people who are over 21, and will cut off people who become too intoxicated (there have been threads on the other CC about this).</p>
<p>Carnival is now very family friendly and the summer sailings have tons of kids on them. There are programs for all age ranges, including the Club 02 program for older teens. Their price makes them very attractive to families, especially since there are substantial discounts for the third or fourth passenger in a room. There have been threads on the other CC complaining that are so many kids aboard, especially during the summer.</p>
<p>Yeah, they do have the stupid hairy chest contest, but they also have afternoon teas on sea days! They try to cater to everyone’s interests…</p>
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<p>So true. 
They take themselves way too seriously.</p>
<p>The ‘best’ war I have experienced on that website was when some of the cruise lines decided to remove the trays from the buffet line dining rooms (for whatever reason). OMG, you would have thought it the end of the world as we know it. Nasty posts were flying left and right. It was quite entertaining. I just go on there to get tips when we have an upcoming cruise, I try to stay out of the fray. They are very knowledgeable about cruising.</p>
<p>I have taken my girls on many cruises. They are 16 & 18. I get them their own cabin. They go everywhere alone except off the ship. It is very safe and they find others their own age. RC is my favorite. Oasis of the seas is the best ship they have. You are going to have a great time.</p>
<p>Some posters recommended Costa Rica. The only downside to it is that there are several expensive vaccinations required, with multiple doses (so multiple doctor’s visits) which must be scheduled a certain period in advance of the trip. Friends just did it, and it was quite a hassle. One also had some reactions to a vaccine - not life-threatening, just enough pain at the injection site that lasted a couple of days.</p>
<p>Puerto Rico sounds great, and no passport needed!</p>
<p>Chedva:</p>
<p>I have a girlfriend who was on a cruise that stopped at Costa Rica. They actually did not let the passengers off the ship because of armed robbers! My girlfriend read (once she was home) that armed robbers are now greeting many cruise ships and that the cruise industry may avoid Costa Rica altogether! Wow. Vaccinations would be another headache.</p>
<p>I have been on a cruise that stopped in Puerto Rico and we had an awesome day in port! I would consider going back to the island sometime and spending a week there!</p>
<p>Yes, anyplace that does not need a passport and accepts american dollars is great, like Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, etc. But I believe you need a passport on a cruise ship now anyway, for identity purposes as well as the islands you stop on.</p>
<p>We have gone on that itinerary on Carnival (and NCL). Carnival is a fine cruise to go on, as long as you stay away from the older boats. They are just as upscale as RCL, Princess and NCL…if you get a newer boat. Roatan is great for canopy tours. NCL does have some really new boats in the caribbean, so I’d check those out. Age group appropriate for teenagers would definitely be 4 lines I’ve mentioned. NCL is really huge on entertainment. They had the Blue Man Group, and top notch entertainment on the boat we were on. And NCL always has casual night, dine wherever you want.</p>
<p>If you read cruise critic, take it with a grain of salt. If you read someone who is complaining about everything, skip it. Read the reviews from people with kids around the same age, that sound reasonable. Some people are so upset at one trivial thing, it colors their entire review.</p>
<p>All the different perspectives here are interesting. I’ve cruised 4 times. Never experienced anything like spideygirl mentions, but I’ve never waited until I got on the ship to book my excusions. We don’t really hang out with the general population - our family/ext’d family tends to do our own thing. I have never seen the hairy chest contest (except on video replay), but I wouldn’t plan my day to be by the pool in the afternoon (nor do I shop on Black Friday :-). </p>
<p>With just the smallest amount of common sense planning you can have a GREAT time. My teens wander the ship freely and have never had any bad experiences. DS1 is much more social than DS2 and there was one cruise where we barely SAW him (I did mandate dinner dining wtih the family and of course the excusions).</p>
<p>I have to say that IMHO Puerto Rico was the worst port I have EVER visited. It was so poor and the beggers everywhere were just depressing. We took a city tour and I was never so glad to get back onboard!!! But obviously YMMV.</p>