Will There Be Enough for My Teenagers To Do on HAL?
 

I've never taken a cruise before--and lucky for us--Grandma and Grandpa are treating the whole family to a Mexican Riviera cruise on HAL in April. I've heard HAL is a very nice cruise line--but tends to draw an older crowd. We'll be traveling with three teenagers--two girls ages 19 & 14 and a boy 17. Besides eating, are there enough activities for them? My son definitely wants to golf in each port--any suggestions? Any info would be truly appreciated!

HAL is a classy, but older crowd for the most part. However, that does not mean there are no kids or party types. If you are going early April then you will have a lot of spring breaker families and you may be glad you chose HAL. I will be on the Mariner of the Seas Apr. 3 and I am expecting tons of kids! If you are going late April, prepare your kids that there will only be a small group. But, this can sometimes give them a better opportunity of getting to know the kids that are there. I'm sorry but I don't know too much about golf. I have taken that itinerary though and there it is a great!

I was 35 when I sailed on HAL and I was bored out of my mind.

The ship is definitely a senior crowd and the nightlife and sports activities were geared to this age group.

Never again for me.

I still say it depends very much on when you are going. About 3 years ago on spring break I sailed on the Carnival Destiny. The ship holds 3000 roughly and 1000 of those aboard were under the age of 17!!! I said "never again" to that! HAL will have more kids spring break than usual AND the programs will be scaled up for the occasion. I will agree that on HAL, there is less party music, etc. But, I (mid 30s) closed down the disco several nights and met some real nice people.

Greetings from the snowed in North. I know its too late for you deirdres, but I've taken my teenagers on two HAL cruises. The first was a Christmas cruise in 2003. They were 14 (boy) and 12 (girl). They hooked up with the HALS club and had lots of fun activities with 20 or so other 12-15 yo kids. At least on the two ships we were on, Oostrdam and Westerdam, there was a special area of the ship just for the kids. There was an activities person that had plenty of fun things for them to do while at sea. After the first day, I'd see them out an about, at dinner (we required that they eat with my wife and I) and when they went to bed.
The second cruise was over spring break. There were over 650 kids under 18 that time.
The kids and I are planning another vacation (just the 3 of us) and they both said they wanted a cruise.

Thanks for resurrecting this thread.

I was on HAL again last March and very much enjoyed it. I am sure it has a lot to do with my age now - 50 - versus my age on my last HAL cruise, 35.

We appreciated the quieter atmosphere, the elegant service and the wonderful accomodations.

I am booked for two more HAL cruises and looking forward to them both. As with any line, I will avoid holidays when families will be travelling as we prefer adult atmosphere when we travel.

We took this cruise in December; and unlike our previous HAL cruises, there were many, many teens on board.

Again, it depends on when you go.

Gosh, I guess it depends on the kind of kids, but we took two teens (15 and 17) on a Princess to Alaska and they had the absolute time of their lives. We rarely saw them, and they are still in cotact with the kids they met. There was a 'teen' center (and I am sure they have one on every boat, and as soon ast he kids 'hook' up with a few others,they can dot he movies, and all that they other people do. Don't worry about it. (we are taking two more kids to Alaska this summer on HAL...and I think it's going to be greagt.)