Today we will tell you about the three best cruises for 18-year-olds, who are always a bit left out of family plans regarding vacations. They are neither children who enjoy children’s programming nor adults who can travel independently.
It is common to think of cruise travel as a plan for other ages. Retired people, for example, take advantage of these offers to travel safely, meet new people, and enjoy all kinds of activities. And the same happens with families, who are assured of a plan where the little ones are entertained and can also get to know a corner of the world as a family.
But 18-year-olds are in limbo, and we often think it’s not a good idea to take them on a cruise. This is no longer the case because many cruise lines have focused their experiences on such teens can have fun.
Interactive activities to learn more about the destinations, different sports to try, dance floors, and non-alcoholic cocktails are some options to enjoy. Here are the best cruises for 18-year-olds. Let’s get to it!
The three best cruises for 18-year-olds to enjoy
It is clear that each young person has particular tastes, and there will be people who prefer one type of cruise trip over another. But, in general, we can tell you which are the three cruise lines that have focused their activities and spaces so that 18-year-olds can enjoy them. We will notify you all about them:
The Norwegian Cruise Line
One of the best options you can think of is if you are traveling with your family and you have an 18-year-old among your children to take a cruise with the Norwegian Cruise Line.
You can make closer destinations such as a part of the coast of the United States and Canada or a visit to the island of Bermuda. But you can also travel to more exotic areas such as Turkey, the Greek Islands, the Canary Islands in Spain, or even the Norwegian fjords.
In addition to being a perfect plan to enjoy with the family, there are specific activities for 18-year-olds. On board, you will find discos adapted for those under 21, so they can socialize and do one of the things that may interest them the most at this time of life: dancing, meeting other young people, and going out to cruise nightclubs.
There they will be able to enjoy all kinds of non-alcoholic cocktails, and those with specific parental authorization will also be able to have some beer. The party that usually takes place at the arrival of the cruise is called White Hot Party and has an 80’s theme, everyone dressed in white, and a way to meet other people of the same age to enjoy the days on the cruise.
For day-to-day life, your young children will also find other activities: a video game room, outdoor cinema, swimming pools, entertainment games, dance classes, and places to enjoy more enjoyable food, such as hamburgers and milkshakes.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Another ideal option for the whole family to enjoy, including 18-year-olds, is the Royal Caribbean cruise line. They think very specifically about young pre-adults, and most of the activities they schedule for them on travel days are included in the family pack itself.
Royal Caribbean Cruises’ best adventures are those in the Caribbean. The whole family can enjoy the relaxation of paradisiacal beaches, Caribbean culture and music, and endless delicious meals in each port.
But on the cruise, the activities for the 18-year-olds in the family are mainly oriented to mix sport and fun. So this cruise usually has activities such as ice skating rinks, dance classes, activities in the pool or jacuzzis, bumper cars, or escape rooms to live funny adventures.
There is also the social part, where events are organized where 18-year-olds can socialize with others and drink a pack of soft drinks, cocktails, or natural juices. As on other cruise lines, parents may authorize their children to drink beer in international waters, although each family makes a personal decision on this particular topic.
Another bonus for Royal Caribbean is visiting its private island in the Bahamas. It’s called Coco Cay, and a stop there can be the most fun plan for the young ones in the family, who can enjoy its amazing water park and exotic, empty beaches.
Carnival Cruise Line
The last option we want to bring you to tell you about the three best cruises for 18-year-olds is Carnival Lines. Indeed, this cruise line is not so oriented to give young people a nightlife adapted for them, but it is fully compensated with all the activities they have for them during the day.
While in other cruise lines, we saw clubs for 18, 19, and 20-year-olds, in Carnival Lines, the discotheque for young people go from 15 to 17 years old, and then there is only one for over 21 years old. But if your children are not so much into dancing and making these kinds of plans, we tell you what other things you can do on this particular cruise:
- An entire amusement park inside the cruise ship, with a roller coaster. This is only on the Mardi Gras type of ship and has an additional cost, but it is certainly one of the favorite plans for 18-year-olds.
- Pool tables, foosball, and all kinds of entertainment games are spread out on the deck and in the common areas, where you can also socialize with other young people of the same age.
- There is also a bowling and mini-car track for a little more adrenaline.
- The options we consider best for eating in the 18-year-old teenage group. On Carnival Lines, there are chains of delicious food, from burgers like Guy’s Burgers to fried chicken.
- Water slides, various pools and jacuzzis, and all kinds of water activities are a favorite, especially during summer trips to hot areas.
All in all, these are the three best cruises for traveling with 18-year-olds. As you can see, you can choose a trip that the whole family likes and then adapt it so that all your children, from the youngest to the teenagers, can find their favorite activities to enjoy their vacations as they deserve.
If you are wondering if 18-year-olds can travel alone on a ship, they all require an adult to travel with them. It doesn’t have to be their parents, as they can travel with parental permission in groups of other young people, but at least one 21-year-old must be in charge of the others.