Hi everyone.
We just returned from an eight month cruise with our two teenage daughters. One is 15 and the other turned 18 two days ago. They respectively completed grades 10 and 12 on our cruise. The oldest has been accepted at the two universities she applied for entry into a science degree program.
The reason I post this is just to reassure those who think you can only go cruising with younger children. Yes, it is more complicated and you have to do some very careful planning. Yes your itinerary might be more affected than if they were much younger. Yes there are special stressful situations and issues. BUT here's the rub: It can be done. We've done it now - twice. The previous time they completed grades 8 and 10 respectively. Both times were wonderful and none of use would exchange our adventures for anything.
The only thing we missed was meeting other children roughly in that age category. With most cruisers being in their late fifties and sixties, it is a real problem to find teenage children. There are more young kids out there but we saw only the occasional teenager.
We believe this is one of the best things we could have done as a family; at a stage where many parents and their children drift apart, the exact opposite happened for us. It can for you too, BUT, the kids have to buy into the adventure wholeheartedly. If you force them, it'll be a disaster. Thus don't spring it on them, you've got to have a multi year strategy, JUST like getting the 'reluctant partner' to love sailing. It will take a number of years of careful and clever planning - but it can be done too.
If it is your dream to go cruising with your family but you waited too long and now find your children are teenagers, don't panic. Plan it right and this could be the BEST experience your family has ever had and likely to have.
Magnus Murphy
We just returned from an eight month cruise with our two teenage daughters. One is 15 and the other turned 18 two days ago. They respectively completed grades 10 and 12 on our cruise. The oldest has been accepted at the two universities she applied for entry into a science degree program.
The reason I post this is just to reassure those who think you can only go cruising with younger children. Yes, it is more complicated and you have to do some very careful planning. Yes your itinerary might be more affected than if they were much younger. Yes there are special stressful situations and issues. BUT here's the rub: It can be done. We've done it now - twice. The previous time they completed grades 8 and 10 respectively. Both times were wonderful and none of use would exchange our adventures for anything.
The only thing we missed was meeting other children roughly in that age category. With most cruisers being in their late fifties and sixties, it is a real problem to find teenage children. There are more young kids out there but we saw only the occasional teenager.
We believe this is one of the best things we could have done as a family; at a stage where many parents and their children drift apart, the exact opposite happened for us. It can for you too, BUT, the kids have to buy into the adventure wholeheartedly. If you force them, it'll be a disaster. Thus don't spring it on them, you've got to have a multi year strategy, JUST like getting the 'reluctant partner' to love sailing. It will take a number of years of careful and clever planning - but it can be done too.
If it is your dream to go cruising with your family but you waited too long and now find your children are teenagers, don't panic. Plan it right and this could be the BEST experience your family has ever had and likely to have.
Magnus Murphy