A vacation is not a vacation if your teen is dissatisfied and locked up in her room. Or in this case, her cabin.
That’s why taking your teen’s interests into consideration when choosing your holiday cruise is essential. And for that, we present to you 7 of the best cruises that cater to teenagers.
Let’s see each of them, and a ship each from the cruise line.
7 Best Cruises for Teenagers Ranked and Reviewed for You
01. The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line – Symphony of the Seas
- Sails from Miami
- Sails to the Caribbeans
Because: Symphony of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the whole wide world, so get ready to get lost in a ship that houses more than 6600 passengers.
Includes: 10 deck zip-lines are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this ship’s options, as Symphony brings you ice-skating itself in the middle of the ocean!
There are miniature golf courses side-by-side the skating rinks, and its rock-climbing walls are 13 meters high. A true size basketball court and 2 theaters complete the entertainment on this cruise liner.
Other Features: The teenagers are divided into Navigators (12-14 years) and Teens (15-17 years).
Be Sure to Bring: Walkie-talkies or satellite phones. The ship is big, and keeping contact with your teen is otherwise difficult because mobile coverage would be patchy.
02. Carnival Cruise Lines- Carnival Horizon
- Sails from: Miami
- Sails to: The Caribbeans
Because: A veteran and a favorite, with a capacity to host nearly 4000 passengers, Horizon is the second Vista-class ship in the Carnival Cruise Lines. There are activities catering to each teen’s needs, as you will see shortly.
Includes: While SkyRide takes your teen for a 150-ft high pedaling adventure of their lifetime, the IMAX and 4D Thrill Theaters will ground them in the middle of the sea.
Vintage Pop and Soulbound each puts a twist in modern pop music, so you are transported to the mysterious French Quarter, where Carnival is alive.
There are waterslides and basketball courts that the less thrill-seeking teens could turn to, while others may love the free popcorn and enjoy a movie night under the stars.
Other Features: There is Circle C club for 12-14-year-olds and Club O2 for the 15-17 age group. From video gaming to late-night karaoke, this age-appropriate division ensures that everyone has a good time.
Be Sure to Bring: A relaxed attitude and the most carefree smile, because these are going to be some of the best days of teenage life!
03. Norwegian Cruise Line- Norwegian Getaway
- Sails from: New Orleans
- Sails to: The Caribbeans
Because: Being the third largest cruise line in the world means that the Norwegian is dependable and popular. It has a very activity-oriented program targeting the teenage populace.
Includes: The Entourage is a no-adult zone with pool parties and themed events during the day, and teen dance parties at night.
In the middle of the ocean, this ship has got 4 hot tubs, 2 swimming pools, and 5 waterslides, to get you all the fun that you need.
With rope courses and rock climbing, as well as a basketball court, they have kept the sporty teens in their planning as well.
Other Features: Freestyle dining in the Norwegian Getaway lets families decide when and where they want to have the yummy food served on the ship.
Be Sure to Bring: Well, your bathing suits, of course! Let you forget your worries and have the time of your life!
04. Disney Cruise Line- Disney Magic
- Sails from Dover, UK
- Sails to the UK and Ireland
Because: No cruise list can be complete without the Disney Magic from the movie production company. They feature a great many things that the young and young-minded will surely love.
Includes: Specifically for teens within the age of 14 to 17? You have the Vibe! (The Flash, anyone?).
The Vibe is the teen-only lounge on Disney ships. It gives the vibe of both coffee shops and arcades, with flatscreen TVs and lots of couches to watch them from. There are board games and karaoke over in the D.J. dance area, so the cruise passes in the blink of an eye.
(oh, and you can get some tan in the adjacent sun deck, or hoist pool parties for all)
For the 11 to 13 age group, the forward funnel of the liner has been modified to form The Edge, with a view to the AquaDuck waterslide. The tweens here are well equipped with intranet in computers and a video wall that’s 18 feet high.
Other Features: The younger teens will be thrilled when they meet Disney characters onboard and enjoy the Disney classics on the big screen. The older crowd won’t be disappointed in the retro-hip spaces that let them connect with the characters.
Be Sure to Bring: Your Frozen necklaces and Minnie hairbands, or just yourself with a youthful mind!
05. P&O Cruises- Britannia
- Sails from Southampton, UK
- Sails around Europe (in summer)
Because: Named by Queen Elizabeth II herself, Britannia sails to Europe in summer and the Caribbeans in the winter. She goes to the Mediterranean, the Norwegian fjords, the Canary and Atlantic Islands, and the Baltic.
Includes: An adult-free zone with a plunge pool and sun lounge at the aft deck of the ship gives much-demanded privacy for teenagers. The teen exclusive zone launches pool parties and theme events with talent shows, as well as the usual video games.
If you have heard of The Cookery Club aboard Britannia, you have probably heard that it was developed by the chef James Martin. In fact, the celebrity club features famous chefs on its voyages–so you will get your fill of delicacies, and learn how to make them too!
Other Features: What cruise is complete without massive LED screens and evening shows? Not your voyage on Britannia, you can be sure!
Be Sure to Bring: Your winning attitude, of course! As it is a great opportunity to mingle with the European (especially British) culture, it may be enriching in more than culinary ways!
06. Star Clipper Cruise Line- Royal Clipper
- Sails from Bridgetown, Barbados
- Salis to the Caribbeans and the Mediterranean
Because: This is a cruise liner you must not skip if you are into the authenticity of ocean voyages. Truly small with a passenger capacity of 227, the Royal Clipper is a five-mast fully rigged ship that your teen may only have seen in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Can you deny the chance to sail such a beauty? It is cheaper than the other cruise liners, too.
Includes: Despite being a small ship, there are three small pools and a platform for water sports on the Royal Clipper. But keep in mind that there will be no shore-like facilities on this ship because she is not a luxury liner.
What she does offer are opportunities for learning. For the quiet teen with a seafaring heart, the Royal Clipper is a dream come true.
From climbing up to the crow’s nest to watching the breathtaking hoist of its 42 sails, you are set to enter Jack Sparrow’s world the moment you set foot on the ship.
Remember the portholes in every ship movie ever, which shows you the underwater world? Well, on the Clipper, you get to work out in a gym with underwater portholes!
Other Features: The Royal Clipper has port-intensive itineraries and travels mostly to the Caribbeans and the historical regions of the Western Mediterranian.
In her Mediterranean voyages, you board from Venice touching Montenegro via the Black Sea region of Croatia, before moving on to Greece and Italy and arriving in France.
Be Sure To Bring: A book and a swimsuit for onboard entertainment and your casual tourist clothes for when she docks at port!
07. Princess Cruise Line- Emerald Princess
- Sails from Seattle
- Sails to Alaska
Because: There is not another ship like the Emerald Princess except, well, maybe in the same cruise line. But she is majorly teen-oriented if you are looking for some education as well as fun.
She has the capacity to take around 3080 passengers at once and goes for a round trip along the Alaska and the North American continent.
Includes: The Beach House club is exclusively for teens, and they host all kinds of fun events like “Voice of the Ocean”, the musical contest. Other than this talent show, you are sure to find videogame tourneys and hip-hop classes.
The socializing arenas at Emerald Princess include a sports court and miniature putting courses and movies at night.
Other Features: The cruise line’s partnership with Discovery offers unique learning opportunities for young people.
Be Sure to Bring: Your sunglasses and sunscreen, but also your dancing shoes!
Wrap up
Taking your child for a cruise is gonna change their life, in terms of the world of experience that it opens them to. But make sure that you start on shorter trips, before moving on to longer ones.
Also, always, keep your teen’s interests in mind when taking them on anywhere. That’s why we offered 7 of the best cruises in the world catering to teens, sampling various interests that they might have.
And on that note, we have only this to say to you: Hoist your sails high, ye good folks!
