CARNIVAL HAS NO ACTIVITIES FOR TEENS

[MOMOFTEENS]

We travelled last weekend on the Carnival fascination,it was my daughters 16 birthday and we brought three of her friends to celebrate,I believed I had reserched which cruise lines had activities and I double checked by phoning the Carnival rep who assured me that there was a club called O2 who organised activities especially for this age group. On our first night on board we found the club and Olga gave the girls a brochure outlining the activities and it looked promising,she said there was 40 teens on board in the 15 -17 age group.
The girls arrived for the first activity but no Olga we never saw her again the entire weekend,we watched as other teens arrived and drifted off when they saw no one was running anything. I spoke to the director of childrens clubs who said he look into it but matters never improved. This is an age where you cant send them to bed at 10 but you may like me prefer not to have them wander the boat among drinking adults.
My girls resorted to endlessly having their picture taken as there was nothing else for them to do.My son was in the 12-14 yr group and they had a great time ,I found out on the last night that Carnival does not run the O2 club but subcontracts it.
We came home feeling cheated and depressed,I wish I had taken them to club Med or Disney cruise.I feel Carnival misrepresented their suitability for older teens ,I wonder would they have no one show up in the bars or Casinos as quickly.The teens were full fare paying passangers but were certainly treated like second class citizens .

 

[SandyBeach]

I'm surprised...whether they subcontract it out or not they should have done something about it. If Olga got sick or something...they should have had someone available to replace her...or at least posted notice. Especially with that many teens on board.

I would snail mail Carnival and let them know what happen. Sometimes word doesn't get where it needs to when on the ship...so let them know what happened and how disappointed you and your daughter/friends were and are. Perhaps they'll compensate you in same way...or perhaps not. But they need to know so that it doesn't happen to another parent who is expecting what Carnival promised in a teen program.

 

[LHP]

You know, I am really sorry you had one bad experience on Carnival...but going on every cruise message board with the same message that people should dismiss an entire cruise line because of one problem is irresponsible on your part.

We have used Camp Carnival for 14 cruises (on 13 different Carnival ships) and never had a problem. We just got off the Miracle and the Club O2 director was perfect.

So Carnival does have activities for teens.

 

[Cruzman]

Similar to LHP, I've sailed Carnival 10 times and have never had an experience even remotely similar to yours. I can only attempt to understand teens being bored on a cruise. Never had that experience when I was that age. If I had, I expect that I would have been so awed by the experience that I couldn't possibly have been bored! Club 02, or no Club 02, just show me what direction the girls went, lol.