Any other parents worried about their children and the railings

I hate it when there are stories about people following overboard, even though the one today had a happy ending (man the fell overboard on the Crystal Harmony.) I still really worry about my 2 children (7&5) on upcoming Carnival cruise. I know it is silly and that usually the person that falls is doing something to cause the accident. However I have already had a couple of nightmares about my son falling over board!!! I plan to watch them very, very carefully when ever we are anywhere near the railings. My children are fairly cautious on their own so I don't even think it would be an issue with them. I can't imagine either one of them going anywhere near the railings without my right there.

I just wanted to see if I am the only one with these irrational fears!!

I completely understand where you are coming from. We took our first cruise in January. We had our five and two year old - both of whom are climbers. I was really concerned. In the end, we had no problems. We were on the Glory, and the only deck with "railings" was the one we embarked on and the top deck with the entrance to the slide. The Lido deck and all the "stepped" decks with lounges had solid metal panels to about 4' or 4.5'.

I just sat down with my 5 year old and let him know how very big the ocean is and how very important it is to not climb. We didn't let the 2 year old out of our sight for a second - but that's obvious at that age. When on the ship, they'll probably spend a lot of time at the Camp anyway.

Try not to worry (easier said than done!) Go, have fun. It will be fine. It's always adults you hear about - children have more sense!

That's not irrational, just being a good mom to me! I also have the same fears and my kids are 16, 11, and 10. I didn't know if there were solid panels or rails or both, but you know, those out of the blue things do happen on occasion and of course we don't want it to be children or anybody for that matter. Have either of you ever seen kids climbing on rails or panels? Our 1st cruise is 9/4/05 and not sure what to expect. Thanks and happy/safe sailing!:rolleyes:

I saw no children climbing anywhere.

The most dangerous activity I observed was a group of 7-10 year olds running full out from the bottom of the slide across the decks and up the stairs to go down again. Over and over. Of course, one of them eventually fell and was hurt enough to really cry. Then, I felt bad that I hadn't intervened, but I'm not keen on interfering with other's kids. If I'd seen them starting to climb a railing, well, that would have been a different story...

I had the same fears & nightmares. Our girls 14, 13 & 9 were no problem. We sailed in August and there were plenty of kids of all ages. Not once did I see any child near a rail without a parent. The only really open spaces were Top deck and Promanade. Never an isue, I won't tell you not to worry because as a mother I know that's impossible. I will tell you to try to relax and as you already do, keep your eyes on them. I had the same rules and guidelines that I would have for them regardless of what type of vacation we were on. Happy sailing!

Thanks, it is nice to know I am not the only one who worries about these things.

Be assured you're not the only one that worries about such things! My 6 year old daughter is a bit of a tomboy and not at all afraid of heights and such. I have worried about her with this cruise but have tried to put it out of my mind (easier said than done). For a long while it was stressful to even get a hotel room with a balcony because I was afraid she'd somehow manage to fall over the side. Our cabin on the cruise has a balcony so we'll be having long talks about it before we board the ship and during the cruise I'm sure.

Summer

Be assured you're not the only one that worries about such things! My 6 year old daughter is a bit of a tomboy and not at all afraid of heights and such. I have worried about her with this cruise but have tried to put it out of my mind (easier said than done). For a long while it was stressful to even get a hotel room with a balcony because I was afraid she'd somehow manage to fall over the side. Our cabin on the cruise has a balcony so we'll be having long talks about it before we board the ship and during the cruise I'm sure.

 

Summer

I think I remember reading here that the balcony doors are VERY heavy and not easy to open and I think I also read there is a lock at the top...not sure tho. Cruising in a week with a 2yo and 4 yo and a balcony cabin...I am worried too...but I have noticed it is always someone drunk or suicidal that falls overboard..you never hear about this happening to children so to me that says something (or I like to tell myself it does, lol.:D )

Let them explore the kids activities programs and enjoy your vacation.

You only have to do it once, then they ask for it everytime.

They will be safe and have "their" kind of fun.

The people who staff these activites are pro's and your kids will cry when it's time to leave and go home.

These folks aren't on the normal "tip list" so don't forget them.

My children are so looking foward to the kids program. They both love these kind of programs when we have stayed at hotels!!

I am feeling better that I am not the only one with these fears!!

As for the balcony doors (at least on Carnival Glory): yes, there is a dead-bolt at the top. Yes, they are heavy. However, my 2-year old (25 months) had no problem opening it - admittedly, she's in the 97%, so she's average for a 3 year old. We just kept the lock on all the time.

I would strongly recommend bringing a bungee cord to keep the door open when mom and/or dad is enjoying the balcony, as my kids did the endless in-and-out routine. Eliminated worries about smashed fingers, and avoided annoying the neighbors with constant door slamming.

In the end, the most time I spent on the balcony with the kids was sail-away (4 pm from Port Canaveral) and early mornings (often after we had already docked). Most of my time on the balcony was alone or with my husband when they were sleeping.

Hope this helps. Enjoy!!

Since the original thread was about bad dreams and kids falling over railings I feel okay about adding that last night I had a bad dream about being on the cruise and going to pick up one of my daughters at the kids center and she was gone - missing!! When I woke up I thought "okay - even if this did happen she's on a contained vessel" but then I went back to thinking about the whole falling off the railing thing or worse being stolen by someone and soon found myself twisted up in knots!! I tried to remind myself that one of my daughters could easily have been lost at Disneyland with the crowds but somehow the scary idea is that it's a "floating city" and there's all that deep water below the city. Okay, I've just got to get busy doing something else before I worry myself silly - hope my dreams are much better this evening :)

Summer

Summer

I am so glad I am not the only one! I have been thinking about the possibility of one of my 2 kids (3 and 5) falling over. I am very afraid of heights but someone I do ok on cruises... We have never taken our kids though, this will be the first time and mine are definitely climbers. But with a close eye, I am sure there is nothing to worry about.

Oh I hope my wife does not see this thread!:eek: She has these fears too! It's all I can do to keep them at bay. Ours is 11 now I hope it will be easer on her this trip:D we leave in 42 days!

Okay all you worried Moms,

When my son was a toddler I purchased a little item we affectionately called the hand holder. I think that I purchased it in a children's/baby store like Baby's R Us. Anyway it is basically a leash. It is about 3 feet long with a velco

strap that connects to the child. The other side has a regular handle like a dog leash. My orginal reasoning was to keep track of him at LAX when we flew to Tahiti when he was 18 months old.

I did get a few dirty looks and snide comments about have a child on a leash but when I bothered to point out that it was better that having him lost in the International bldg at LAX,they had to agree. Since my son is part Polynesian and a mixture of European ancestory he looks like he could belong in almost any part of the world. All someone had to do was to grabs him and get on a plane.

While we were in Tahiti we took the ferry over to Morea. The hand holder was back on him the minute I saw the railing system for the ferry boat. A toddler could easy slip through the railing and be overboard in a heartbeat. Every mother on that ferry wanted one. I could have made a fortune just selling the one I had to the highest bidder. I would have given it to one of the local mother's except I was going to need it going back into LAX to come home.

If I had to do it again I would in a heartbeat. Be prepared to get some dirty looks, but I would rather have my child safe. BTW I never lost the toddler at LAX, but the oldest was 6 and he wandered away and was lost for a few minutes while we are awaiting our flight, it about gave me a heart attack. :eek:

Deb

I had the same concerns when we took our kids (4&6) on their first cruise. We just laid the law down from the outset about not even THINKING about a leg up to see better at the railing. When we took them on their 2nd (6&8 yrs) we got a balcony and the rule was no going out on the balcony without Mom or Dad. They listened really well as they had the threat of no Kid's Crew to deal with if they didn't.

My kids were actually more concerned than I was! I actually had to show them pics of the railings to ease their fears. The 10 and 13yo were worried about the 5yo (They're great big brothers!). I explained to them that Logan(the 5yo) wouldn't be going ANYWHERE without me, dad, or big sis(15). Unless, he was in the kid's club.

I got "lectured" by my boys about knowing Logan's whereabouts at all times!! Can you believe it?!?!

Okay all you worried Moms,

 

When my son was a toddler I purchased a little item we affectionately called the hand holder. I think that I purchased it in a children's/baby store like Baby's R Us. Anyway it is basically a leash. It is about 3 feet long with a velco

strap that connects to the child. The other side has a regular handle like a dog leash. My orginal reasoning was to keep track of him at LAX when we flew to Tahiti when he was 18 months old.

 

I did get a few dirty looks and snide comments about have a child on a leash but when I bothered to point out that it was better that having him lost in the International bldg at LAX,they had to agree. Since my son is part Polynesian and a mixture of European ancestory he looks like he could belong in almost any part of the world. All someone had to do was to grabs him and get on a plane.

 

While we were in Tahiti we took the ferry over to Morea. The hand holder was back on him the minute I saw the railing system for the ferry boat. A toddler could easy slip through the railing and be overboard in a heartbeat. Every mother on that ferry wanted one. I could have made a fortune just selling the one I had to the highest bidder. I would have given it to one of the local mother's except I was going to need it going back into LAX to come home.

 

If I had to do it again I would in a heartbeat. Be prepared to get some dirty looks, but I would rather have my child safe. BTW I never lost the toddler at LAX, but the oldest was 6 and he wandered away and was lost for a few minutes while we are awaiting our flight, it about gave me a heart attack. :eek:

 

Deb

I had to laugh when I saw this because it's exactly what I thought about when I saw this thread........my grandmother took me and my sister on a cruise many many moons ago - transatlantic..........she had me on what you described above..........it was described to me as a harness with a leash........of course, I was the original poster child for the terrible 2's.....and I made it across the ocean.........:)

Sharlene

We are less then a week away and the nightmares are not nearly as bad!!! Now they are about how am I possibly going to get everything done before we leave, this Friday!!! Or that we get to the pier and I realize I forgot to pack the tickets, passports, travellers cheques or even worse my formal attire!!!

Thanks for all your support. I am travelling with a 5 & 7 year old so I will post a review of how they did when we get back.

I had the same fear when we prepared to take our son, then 7 years old on his first cruise. We had a balcony cabin, but the balcony "railing" was just a glass wall with a metal railing on the top. So the only way one can get over the railing is to climb on top of a piece of furniture or something. The other areas weren't anything to worry about either. So my mind was eased once we got on board.

My biggest concerns in taking children is that they will be separated from us in port someplace, lose their S&S card so that they can't get back on the ship (I always confiscate them and hand them over only when they need it), or that they will get too close to the edge on the dock and fall between the dock and the ship. So I guess I'm saying that everything will be OK as long as you keep a close eye on them at shore.

Just a note--

When we went on the Carnival Triumph, a kid was running by the pool and fell and banged his head. We turned around and headed for Key West (we had just left New Orleans the day before), and when we got close enough, the Coast Guard sent out a chopper to pick him up and flew him to the hospital. They just lowered a basket over the pool, put him in, pulled him up, and flew off. No parents or anything. I'd be freaking out. Anyway, I'd say that's the biggest danger on a ship for kids--the same dangers that lie anywhere there is a pool or water. Just use the same common sense you would use at a hotel pool--no running, no horseplay, no head-first diving, etc.

We are cruising over Thanksgiving and I have a balcony. I have started having these same feelings and was going to switch to an inside cabin. I feel better now. I think the leash is a wonderful idea. I had one for my 7 year old when he was a lot younger but on this cruise I am definitely getting one for my 2 year. As for the stares I dont know those people and may never see them agian. My child is safe and that is all that matters.

If you're worried about this, I assume you're new to cruising. Children could not fall overboard accidentally. The ships are designed to prevent it:

The main pool deck will not be "open" to the ocean; instead, it will be plexiglass all the way to the ceiling. This cuts down on wind, which would otherwise make the pool area unpleasant at times, and it assures everyone that no people or objects will go flying.

The higher "outdoor living" decks are built smaller than those below. IF a child managed to climb up and over a railing, he would land on the deck below -- not in the ocean. The result could easily be a broken bone, but he would not be lost forever.

The lower decks have plexiglass on the inside of the railings, which makes it nearly impossible to climb them. They're also taller than you'd expect, and many of them have "toppers" that angle inward rather than outward. A fit adult who was trying could climb over the rails, but a small child could not.

The greatest danger will be on your own personal balcony. Most are directly above the water, so it would be possible to fall into the ocean. However, the rails are still high (and they still have the plexiglass), so if you remove the chairs from the balcony, a child would have to try very, very hard to go over.

Finally, think about it: have you ever heard of a child going overboard? I have not. I've heard of adults who fell overboard, but they're usually drunk and doing stupid things. And I've heard of people who were thrown overboard by others. But the very design of the ship prevents children from doing it. Think about it: some parents are sloppy drunk and don't supervise their children, others allow their children to run lose alone onboard -- if children could fall overboard easily, those are the children we'd hear about.

Everyone thinks about it before their first cruise, but once you've seen the railings and the deck structure, you won't be worried any more. I think children are much more likely to be injured in the pool or walking carelessly up the metal steps. I worry about them in ports, and I don't allow them to walk alone onboard the ship -- any stranger could pull them into a room. But I don't worry about them falling into the ocean. If you use the same level of supervision you'd use at the local park -- explaining safety rules, keeping children within eyesight, etc. -- you will have no problems.

If you're worried about this, I assume you're new to cruising. Children could not fall overboard accidentally. The ships are designed to prevent it:

 

 

The main pool deck will not be "open" to the ocean; instead, it will be plexiglass all the way to the ceiling. This cuts down on wind, which would otherwise make the pool area unpleasant at times, and it assures everyone that no people or objects will go flying.

 

The higher "outdoor living" decks are built smaller than those below. IF a child managed to climb up and over a railing, he would land on the deck below -- not in the ocean. The result could easily be a broken bone, but he would not be lost forever.

 

The lower decks have plexiglass on the inside of the railings, which makes it nearly impossible to climb them. They're also taller than you'd expect, and many of them have "toppers" that angle inward rather than outward. A fit adult who was trying could climb over the rails, but a small child could not.

 

The greatest danger will be on your own personal balcony. Most are directly above the water, so it would be possible to fall into the ocean. However, the rails are still high (and they still have the plexiglass), so if you remove the chairs from the balcony, a child would have to try very, very hard to go over.

 

Finally, think about it: have you ever heard of a child going overboard? I have not. I've heard of adults who fell overboard, but they're usually drunk and doing stupid things. And I've heard of people who were thrown overboard by others. But the very design of the ship prevents children from doing it. Think about it: some parents are sloppy drunk and don't supervise their children, others allow their children to run lose alone onboard -- if children could fall overboard easily, those are the children we'd hear about.

 

Everyone thinks about it before their first cruise, but once you've seen the railings and the deck structure, you won't be worried any more. I think children are much more likely to be injured in the pool or walking carelessly up the metal steps. I worry about them in ports, and I don't allow them to walk alone onboard the ship -- any stranger could pull them into a room. But I don't worry about them falling into the ocean. If you use the same level of supervision you'd use at the local park -- explaining safety rules, keeping children within eyesight, etc. -- you will have no problems.

1st cruisers, thanks for getting rid of "some" of my fears!

I had this same worry when we cruised the Voyager of the Seas for the first time in 2000. We had a balcony suite Cat. B which I was scared of since we were traveling with our younger kids on this cruise. So I brought one of those child-proof door locks for the balcony. You know the kind that screws in at the top by two big bolts to prevent the door from opening (kind of old fashion but it worked). My son 8 yr. old son at the time could not reach it even with a chair, we checked! And being the mom of a curious boy, I know that even after all the discussions prior to boarding, he still might try to get a better look at the water by using a chair.

Also the kids playroom was on an open deck to the water, poor design I thought when we saw this the first time. But after viewing further, since I was going to allow my son to check himself in and out by himself sometimes. I notice that the deck railings are covered with plexi-glass on the inside and about 5 ft. taller than the railing itself. They can't climb it because the plexi-glass was on the inside of the railings and even with a chair, it was still too tall. We checked the first day.

All was well and we did have a great trip. RCI has indeed to my standards, did a great job child-proofing their ship! PS- The railing did curl inward on alot of their open decks further preventing climbing or open areas opened to lower decks.