Almost 18 year old question

[dinanicj]

We're going on a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas with our almost 18 year old and 10 year old; my almost 18 year old is very quiet and not very social (he has anxiety and crowds stress him). Would it be a problem if he spent time at the quiet pool and serenity bay or would he not be permitted there because he's not 18 yet? (Frankly, he is quieter and better behaved than most grown-ups my age )!

Thanks for your input!

 

[bumbershoot]

He’s not 18 so he’s not permitted.

 

[Dug720]

We're going on a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas with our almost 18 year old and 10 year old; my almost 18 year old is very quiet and not very social (he has anxiety and crowds stress him). Would it be a problem if he spent time at the quiet pool and serenity bay or would he not be permitted there because he's not 18 yet? (Frankly, he is quieter and better behaved than most grown-ups my age )!

Thanks for your input!

18 and over MEANS 18 and over. He will almost 100% be carded and asked to leave - which if he has anxiety, why put him in that position?

 

[a1tinkfans]

Yes it’s a rule, but I’ve seen it broken and it was obvious. ( rccl)
Hope ur trip is wonderful and relaxing.

 

[Dug720]

Yes it’s a rule, but I’ve seen it broken and it was obvious. ( rccl)
Hope ur trip is wonderful and relaxing.

Disney is NOT as lax as RCCL. I have seen them card people in the adult area on DCL and if they did not have their card with them or their card indicated minor, they were asked to leave.

If the kid has anxiety, that would just make things worse so he should not even be put in the position of being asked.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

It is a bummer when the ages don’t match up with the rules and/or activities as we would like. Any chance you can push your cruise out til your son has his birthday?

Wishing you a great trip!

 

[Weedy]

This is a very sensitive subject so people may get very vocal about your question. Sorry.
Disney is very strict with this. It may embarrass him more if he gets asked to leave

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When we took our 19 year old, he was carded for about the first 4 days on the cruise, until the Quiet Cove CMs got to know him. Yes, DCL means "18 and OVER".

 

[at227]

I have been At the quiet cove pool at age 20 and asked to go up to my lounge chair (deck 12, near Donald pool, so it was a little bit of a walk) to get my card to prove I was old enough and I was with a large group of older adults including parents aunt's uncle's etc. That being said my younger sister, 18 at the time was never carded at any adult activities. Just depends on the CMs and how old you look.

 

[apathetic]

Yeah, don't do it. I would really feel for his safety the way people lose their mind on the rules they believe should be followed. If he just wants to lounge outside, the 4th deck is usually pretty quiet. Also, you can find a nice place on the family beach that isn't too bad. Just stay on the edges and away from the area near the water slide. To be honest, it is hard to get a deck chair on the pool deck anyway. People get up early and throw all of their towels on the loungers so nobody can use them. One must assume they aren't the hardcore rule followers.

 

[mmmears]

Honestly if it's that big of an issue, why not postpone the cruise until he really is 18? We sailed with our over-18 year old for the first time last year and I have to say it was really nice to be able to go to Serenity Bay as a family.

 

[Shanti]

To be honest, it is hard to get a deck chair on the pool deck anyway. People get up early and throw all of their towels on the loungers so nobody can use them.

I don't get why some people think a generic cruise ship towel on a deck chair indicates that the chair is unusable. I simply put that towel into the dirty towel bin and enjoy the chair, which is definitely available as no one is in it, or cared enough about saving it to put personal possessions on it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would really feel for his safety the way people lose their mind on the rules they believe should be followed.

Hmm.

the 4th deck is usually pretty quiet

Just don't choose the smoking section side, if I'm remembering correctly that the 4th deck is where people jog.

 

[Snowwhyt]

My daughter is 18 and 1/2. Lol, never thought I’d say 1/2 after her age anymore. She was reading “1984” in the adult area, on the sides, far from the pool and was carded 6 times on a 3 day cruise(including Serenity Bay and Serenity Bays dining area while I was with her). She was at all the 1820 society events.
Anyway, although he will only have the goofy pool, they are correct just head further down the way on the family beach. My daughter never hung out in the kid clubs and two weeks ago was her first cruise as an adult. Tell him to keep an open mind about club activities, he can come and go as he please is anyways from the club age he’ll be with my daughter was always so busy we practically ran from activity to activity.

 

[jetskigrl]

My DD will be 20 on our cruises next month but she looks much younger (doesn't wear makeup, etc). Since it is just she and I on this trip, we plan to spend most of our time in the adults only area. I told her to be prepared to get carded a lot But she is fine with that. She was never into the kids clubs anyway so she is really happy that we can hang out together anywhere we want now. She was on the ship last year at 19 but we were with a bigger group that had younger kids so we didn't hang out in the adult only areas as much.

 

[jrabbit]

Our 25 yo DD and her hubby 26yo were carded last time we cruised with them while swimming in the adult pool -- so yes they check, so nope, he will not be allowed. The teen club (Vibe) was usually pretty empty when our kids were of the age to partake - too "boring" for them, so your son should check it out.

 

[kiford]

Just don't choose the smoking section side, if I'm remembering correctly that the 4th deck is where people jog.

While this is true, we consider Deck 4 to be the deck where everyone sits on a lounge chair pretending to read but in reality is snoozing. I know this not just because we spend time there but because we usually end up nodding off with our iPads dropped down onto our chest. The occasional person jogging by does not really interrupt this. It is one of the nicer, quieter places to sit with your feet up and watch the sea, read, or pretend to read.

Frankly, he is quieter and better behaved than most grown-ups my age

The reason that they go strictly by age is because they are not making judgements on any personality aspect of an individual that could be unfairly applied between different people by different people. You either are or you aren't 18. It's a fact and there is no judgement that might insult someone.

I really do recommend Deck 4 if he wants a quiet place. If he wants a quiet place inside (I assume you're sailing on the Dream), some of the bars are open to anyone during the day and can often be quiet and relatively empty if he just wants to read or relax. They'll ask if he wants a (non-alcoholic) drink occasionally but will generally leave him alone. I think that the best lounge for this (for under 18's) is the Promenade lounge because some of the tables are by big portholes, but it's only on the Magic and Wonder. There is also the odd place here and there on some the lower decks (< deck 6) with big chairs tucked away in quiet spots.

 

[Cheerio]

They are pretty strict, that said, my newly 18yo was with us in Feb and while he wasn't carded, he was certainly checked out a few times by passing CM's. I wouldn't risk it.