If you are a teenager going on your first cruise, more than likely you’re going with your parents. You are likely to think that you will be bored the entire time; this is not necessarily true. Carnival Cruise line offers a program called Club O2 specifically aimed and teens aged 15-17. They offer plenty of activities throughout the day for teenagers to participate in.
The most important thing to remember when going on your first cruise is to not be biased about it; have an open, but realistic mindset. I have always been known to be an optimistic person. I went into the cruise expecting to meet a lot of people and experience new things, and that’s exactly what I got. Teenagers are able to meet tons of other people within their age group. Meeting new people and exploring the ship is an experience in itself, which can be truly mesmerizing.
Realize that on a cruise, generally, most people that you meet will be nice, amiable people. That isn’t to say that everyone you meet on the ship will be nice and sociable, but most people will. The same is also true for most teenagers on a cruise. After all, who wouldn’t be happy on a vacation to exotic places while in the middle of the ocean? I met a lot of nice people while I was on the cruise, including adults. The teenagers that I met were all outgoing, and generally nice people. Occasionally, you will have your group of people who only stick to their social circle, but the majority of people do not.
If you are between the ages of 15 and 17, then I highly suggest joining the Club O2 program. The program features dance parties similar to high school dances, video games, and social gatherings. The good thing about it is that you are free to come and go as you like. For example, if you don’t like card games, but you like dancing, you are free to leave and come back when the dance party starts. If you join Club O2, I would suggest doing it on the first day of the cruise; this is when everyone has a chance to get to know each other. You can even meet up with the people you met on the ship, and hang out with them elsewhere.
You are only young once, while that statement might sound horribly cliche, it is true. I used to have a mindset that everyone at my school was stuck up, thinking there were truly no genuine people out there. However, when I went on the cruise, I realized that wasn’t true because I met so many cool people. Enjoy the time that you will have partying on the ship, because when you turn 18, technically, you won’t be able to participate in Club O2 anymore. I went on my first cruise when I was 17, turning 18 just three months later; any other cruises that I may possibly go on, no longer will I be able to participate in Club O2. Hence, that really made me enjoy the time that I had on the cruise.
Teenagers going on a first cruise by Carnival, should consider joining Club O2, they will be able to enjoy many activities while on board.