Ahoy, Merisa!
Thank you for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel! This question definitely has me thinking! My first thought is that
Vibe is one of the coolest spaces on a Disney Cruise, and the counselors are pretty fabulous with the teens on board. So my answer would be the week before! I asked my daughter (who is 14) what she would do if she had the choice, and she definitely said the week before as well. Her reasoning is that if she enjoys Vibe and turns 18 halfway through, she won't be able to return during any of the planned programming for the remainder of the cruise. The first night is filled with Ice Breakers, so it's important that your daughter attends since many friendships will be formed then. This is also the night the counselors get input from the teens on what they want to experience throughout the week. Some activities listed in the cruise newsletters include Gender Wars, Karaoke, Pool Party, Ice Cream Social, Smoothie Hour, Trivia, Game Challenge, Homecoming and more! I did see one Port Adventure offered just for teens in Juneau-
Teen Exclusive Alaska's Ultimate Canopy and Zipline Expedition. I think a highlight of every cruise for my daughter is meeting new friends from all over the world. Through Social Media and texting, she's able to keep up with them long after we disembark.
Good luck with your decision, Merisa! I hope I've helped steer you in the right direction. If you have any additional questions, please let us know.
Nancy