Travel With Teens and Tweens

Allure of the Seas steams into harbor

     The newest and biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, features an unbelievable set of activities to entertain families with teens and tweens in between stops at Caribbean ports of call, including  the cruise line’s own private island, Labadee.       The ship’s 16 passenger decks and 2,700+ staterooms and suites offer an almost overwhelming choice of accommodations, entertainment, technology, water activities, shopping and food options for all ages.   Our teens took a look at the entertainment and activity choices and came up with a list of the best things for teens to do on board an Allure of the Seas cruise. 

Teen Picks for Best Things to Do on the Allure of the Seas

     For starters,  teen programs are offered throughout the day for ages 12-14 and ages 15-17.  There is a teen zone disco and living room area open from 10:30 pm to 2 am, but the emphasis is on offering a range of events that teens can opt to join at different times of the day or night.   Teen programs might include a theme night, a karaoke night or a rock wall climbing competition.  The goal is to make sure that teens and tweens have lots of chances to get away from their parents, make new friends, and have an opportunity to take advantage of all the ship has to offer, on their own terms.

Check out the Flowrider

     Hanging out at the Pool and Sports Zone is one of our teens’ top choices.  This area will be of interest to athletic  teens and tweens who want to try surfing on the the Flowrider surf simulators or get an adrenaline rush on the a zip-line that runs  nine decks above the Boardwalk.  An ice rink is available for skating.  It will also host Dreamworks themed ice shows.   The nearby Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center includes a dedicated spa area just for teens.  Can you say “manicure!”

           The Allure of the Seas is built around the concept of neighborhoods, several of which look like high priority teen hangouts.  One area that intrigues our teens is the Boardwalk, with its own carousel,  a Johnny Rocket’s burger joint, and the Aqua Theater amphitheater featuring the deepest freshwater pool at sea and beautiful views of the ocean.  It will normally feature high-dive acrobatics and water fountain ballets synchronized to music and lights.  Many of these shows will include Dreamworks characters such as the Madagascar menagerie.  The Aqua Theater will also provide a lavish setting for occasional featured acts such as a live performance by Talyor Swift debuting her new album on January 21, 2011.  Our teens want to know how to get on that cruise!

     Royal Caribbean’s partnership with Dreamworks is seen all over the ship, including parades and character meetings that are likely to be of more interest to younger kids than to teens and tweens.  However, even our jaded teens thought it would be a kick to check out  the 3D movie theater that runs such flicks as How To Train Your Dragon and  Monsters vs. Aliens®.   The teens were also interested in some of the more adult shows on board, such at the Chicago musical or the Blue Planet aerial acrobatic show, although they were a little disappointed to hear that they had to be with their parents to see some of those.

The Aqua Theater

      Beyond the sports and entertainment, Allure of the Seas is offering a number of other “firsts” at sea that got our teens’ attention.  The  first Starbucks at sea, was high on the list since our teens are always looking for a frappucinno.  The shopping opportunities made the list as well (what a surprise!).  Specifically, our shopper wants to visit the open air football field size Central Park neighborhood  that includes outdoor dining and tropical gardens.  The main attraction here is the promise of a Guess store, along with other boutiques.

Never a Dull Moment

Starbucks at sea!

     With so many activities to choose from on the Allure of the seas, your biggest challenge may be convincing your teen to get off the boat to take in the sights beyond the dock.   Allure of the Seas is the size of a small town and Royal Caribbean has made sure that every member of the family will have endless entertainment and activity options. We are guessing that even after a week on board neither teens nor their parents will have had enough time or energy to explore it all!

Photos Courtesy Royal Caribbean

     Disclosure:  Since the Allure of the Seas just recently undertook its maiden voyage, we haven’t had a chance to check out all these cool activities in person.  We received no compensation to write this article, but had such a good time dreaming about being on the cruise that we thought we’d share our top teen picks with you, our readers, in the hopes some of you will get there before we do.

     Have you taken your teens or tweens on the Allure of the Seas?  If so please leave a comment and let us know what you thought!