That's a good call re: the band. My son would wither and never go back if that happened. He's super sensitive.When my DS was 12, he loved it. He's usually shy and reserved, but he's the one that enjoyed it the most. My outgoing 15 year old was scared to go to Vibe (but ended up loving it when I made him go). BUT, DS12 did get bullied a little for having the Oceaneer band on, as well. He was called a baby for it by some 14 year olds, so just make sure you're having conversations with your child and if something like that happens, take the band off. Simple.
My shy 11yo loved it. She hadn't liked the OC the previous cruise and didn't use it on our recent one either once she discovered Edge. We went the first afternoon and met the counselors. They were really friendly and had the kids all divided into teams (heros and villains) for some kind of games they would play. It is a much smaller area than the OC and I think it felt a little less overwhelming for that reason. She made a friend who she would text through the phone app and they would meet up there from time to time. She wasn't there excessively, but I feel like it was usually a couple of hours each day. She really liked the various activities they did.
My oldest is going to be 11 on our next cruise. Talk to me about your kids experiences in Edge. He's the more introverted type of kid so not sure if he'll enjoy himself there.