Child wrist band for muster stations

[southt00]

Hi:

 

I just read on another board that children must wear a wrist band with their muster station on it (Celebrity). Is this true?

 

My daughter absolutely refuses to wear those bracelets. We just got back for Disney where they were required for a special ticket event and even then, she refused to wear it. I had to get a special card for her. She is four. Advice?

 

Thanks!

[lmg1230]

I think it depends on the cruise line. We have been on 4 cruises and my children have only had to wear the wrist bands once. They did not wear them on Disney or Princess but had to wear them on Holland America.

Lisa

[Buffettfan 225]

I know 100% for safety they had to wear wrist band ID on Carnival at all times. However we asked for comfort (and photo ops) to put on sons ankle-and it was no problem. Maybe that is an option?

[uppitycats]

Hi:

 

I just read on another board that children must wear a wrist band with their muster station on it (Celebrity). Is this true?

 

My daughter absolutely refuses to wear those bracelets. We just got back for Disney where they were required for a special ticket event and even then, she refused to wear it. I had to get a special card for her. She is four. Advice?

 

Thanks!

 

How about, "I am the parent, you are the child. This isn't for fun or fashion, but for safety. Put it on." End of discussion.

[6rugrats]

How about, "I am the parent, you are the child. This isn't for fun or fashion, but for safety. Put it on." End of discussion.

 

Totally agree.

[msmayor]

On our RCL cruise, all children under the age of 12 had to wear wristbands with their muster station, to ensure that if they were in the clubs and an emergency arose they would know which muster station to get them to. Far easier to just check a wristband than to try and keep a list and match the list to the kids.

 

As others have said, time to assert the parent gene and say "This is the rule, and we follow the rules."

[jagwebb]

We were on RCCL at the end of Sept. - and yes, it is true that they are required to wear the wrist bands. My daughter sounds the same as yours though - she hates to wear things like that. So we had the staff make hers a little loose and we were able to take it on and off. The rule we had was that when she was away from us - in the kids club - she had to wear the bracelet. Because it really is a safety issue. But we didn't make her wear it when she was with us. She just turned 3 in July and she understood "the rule" and always wore the bracelet happily when going to the clubs because she enjoyed going to them and knew she wouldn't be allowed to go if she didn't wear the bracelet. And by the end of the week - even when she was with us - she would forget she had it on half the time because we never took it off unless she asked. So it probably will not end up being that big of a deal really once you get on the ship. Your child will get used to it, I think.

[RENMama]

practice with something similar at home to get her used to it.

as others have said, you can usually wear them on the ankle also.

 

it is a safety issue and im sure even parents of autistic kids and such find ways to make it work.

 

shes 4 and if shes developmentally on track, should understand no bracelet means no fun/no ship. period. be the parent.

[brenderlou]

We did a Celebrity cruise last Feb and yes, our daughter had to wear the wrist band. There were times she wanted to take it off but we told her no. If she wants to go on cruises, she needs to do this one thing. By the end of the cruise, she didn't even know it was on her.

I would start talking to you daughter about it and how important it is to wear it and that might soften the blow. I also liked the idea of making it loose so she can take it off when she is with you. I'm sure the staff will work with you and have dealt with this before....it will all work out!!!

 

p.s. Princess doesn't require wrist bands for kids (our daughter is 5)???? We will going on our 1st Princess cruise and wasn't aware of this...RCCL and Celebrity both have wristbands.

[crusinmama06]

Yes, she must wear it or they will keep putting it back on her when/if you drop her off at the kids club. It's in case there is an emergency at sea and you need to abandon ship - your daughter would be taken directly to your family's muster station. So its a little important. ;)

 

Funny thing about those bracelets. Every cruise, my youngest (who has her own sensory issues) would cry about the bracelet. And I would explain, no braclet, no cruise.

 

The last cruise. She gets the bracelet - makes a little bit of a fuss but soon got over it. It took me SIX MONTHS to get her to take the braclet off. I am not kidding! :eek: She wore it to school for six months! I ended up cutting it off of her while she slept.

 

Maybe she thought that if she kept it on, they would let her right back onto the ship. :D

[southt00]

Thanks for the advice everyone! (...including the parenting advice). Of course, we would make our daughter wear it. It was just an inquiry as I know that it will be an issue with her.

 

I am comforted to find out that other children have the same issue. We have already started having the conversation. Now, all we have to do is pick a cruise ....

 

Thank you again!

Tracey

[lucigo]

I have one of those kids with autism who hates them...and after 10 cruises with him I still never know what we are going to get. Some cruises he has worn it but most not. Our answer has been to bring a sharpie and write his muster station on the back of his hand. Yea its ugly but it works. He can't get that off, and the Carnival staff has always been ok with it.

[Kidbizzy]

I have one of those kids with autism who hates them...and after 10 cruises with him I still never know what we are going to get. Some cruises he has worn it but most not. Our answer has been to bring a sharpie and write his muster station on the back of his hand. Yea its ugly but it works. He can't get that off, and the Carnival staff has always been ok with it.

 

Isn't it great to have a cruise board like this to get great ideas from out of the box thinkers....I love it when folks look for a solution to their problems...this is a great idea!!!!

[K&Rs Mom]

My then-6yo hated it on RCCL last year. We took it off each time she left the club, and they put a new one on her when she signed in again. After about day 3, they stopped putting new ones on. She was old enough to know her muster station (A3 or something - not a hard code, plus they're color coded so she knew hers was green). Even on the 4yo who didn't mind, we cut it off for formal night & pictures, and she got a new one the next day.

 

I did write cabin numbers on their ankles with a sharpie on day 1, in case they were accidentally separated from us for any reason. When it wore off, though, I didn't replace it because by then they knew the numbers (even 4yo).

[uppitycats]

My then-6yo hated it on RCCL last year. We took it off each time she left the club, and they put a new one on her when she signed in again. After about day 3, they stopped putting new ones on. She was old enough to know her muster station (A3 or something - not a hard code, plus they're color coded so she knew hers was green). Even on the 4yo who didn't mind, we cut it off for formal night & pictures, and she got a new one the next day.

 

I did write cabin numbers on their ankles with a sharpie on day 1, in case they were accidentally separated from us for any reason. When it wore off, though, I didn't replace it because by then they knew the numbers (even 4yo).

 

And if your kids should separated from you..and injured and hysterical, (or, heaven forbid!, unconscious), how would anyone know whose kid they were tending to?? Even adults forget their cabin numbers sometimes, when in a panic.

[imsulin]

How about, "I am the parent, you are the child. This isn't for fun or fashion, but for safety. Put it on." End of discussion.

 

I am sooooo in agreement with you! What 4-year old dictates what they will and will not do? When mine were that age, "Because I said so" worked just fine.

[imsulin]

My then-6yo hated it on RCCL last year. We took it off each time she left the club, and they put a new one on her when she signed in again. After about day 3, they stopped putting new ones on. She was old enough to know her muster station (A3 or something - not a hard code, plus they're color coded so she knew hers was green). Even on the 4yo who didn't mind, we cut it off for formal night & pictures, and she got a new one the next day.

 

I did write cabin numbers on their ankles with a sharpie on day 1, in case they were accidentally separated from us for any reason. When it wore off, though, I didn't replace it because by then they knew the numbers (even 4yo).

 

Are you kidding me? "A3 or "something" - not a hard code, plus they're color coded, so she knew hers was green". Elmo is red, Cookie Monster is blue, Big Bird is yellow, and "A3 or something green" in the middle of an emergency at sea is really a very arrogant and unrealistic attitude, IMO. Sounds like you were more concerned about cute pictures than safety.

[griffy]

This past June was the first cruise my grandson was old enough to go without the wrist band. He hated them, but we did the parent thing...it's for safety and you will wear it. It's not the most comfortable thing, but again...it's for their safety. It's required on all RCCL cruises.

[K&Rs Mom]

Are you kidding me? "A3 or "something" - not a hard code, plus they're color coded, so she knew hers was green". Elmo is red, Cookie Monster is blue, Big Bird is yellow, and "A3 or something green" in the middle of an emergency at sea is really a very arrogant and unrealistic attitude, IMO. Sounds like you were more concerned about cute pictures than safety.

 

Yep, you got me. ;) Considering the odds of the boat sinking, I'm fine with it. Call the police if you must. She knew her code at the time; the "A3 or something" was my remembering how simple a code it was. Her color was green, that's not hard to tell someone, even if you're upset. I'm not talking about a toddler here.

 

IMO, these bracelets are fine for people who want them but not necessary to our survival, like so many other "safety" things. Feel free to raise your kids differently than I'm raising mine, but don't tell me how to do it....

[imsulin]

Yep, you got me. ;) Considering the odds of the boat sinking, I'm fine with it. Call the police if you must. She knew her code at the time; the "A3 or something" was my remembering how simple a code it was. Her color was green, that's not hard to tell someone, even if you're upset. I'm not talking about a toddler here.

 

IMO, these bracelets are fine for people who want them but not necessary to our survival, like so many other "safety" things. Feel free to raise your kids differently than I'm raising mine, but don't tell me how to do it....

 

It's a ship...not a boat. You're definitely talking about a toddler.(4-yo) Call the police from a cruise ship? The bracelets (for kids) are not necessary for survival? Guess you don't believe in life vests, either. Thanks for your reply, Casey! Yep. We've got you.

[crusinmama06]

Feel free to raise your kids differently than I'm raising mine, but don't tell me how to do it....

 

Don't worry about it. That poster is way past the raising kids stage and has moved on to telling us how to raise ours. ;)

 

Lucigo - that sharpie is a GREAT idea! Wish I would have read that when my youngest was going through her sensory issues. I'll have to remember it if we ever need it again. Thank you!

[imsulin]

Don't worry about it. That poster is way past the raising kids stage and has moved on to telling us how to raise ours. ;)

 

Lucigo - that sharpie is a GREAT idea! Wish I would have read that when my youngest was going through her sensory issues. I'll have to remember it if we ever need it again. Thank you!

 

What are "sensory issues"? TIA.

[beachchick]

Don't worry about it. That poster is way past the raising kids stage and has moved on to telling us how to raise ours. ;)

 

Lucigo - that sharpie is a GREAT idea! Wish I would have read that when my youngest was going through her sensory issues. I'll have to remember it if we ever need it again. Thank you!

 

We're past the raising kids stage too and I don't tell others how to raise theirs...Well, okay I'm a grandma now and will no doubt have to bite my tongue from time to time as our DD learns how to raise her own DD.

 

But this is a safety issue and it sure as heck does effect every passenger onboard. What are we supposed to do if there is a real emergency and we are confronted with a terrified or injured 4-y/o who has somehow gotten separated from her family? I'm sure this is a "very mature" 4-y/o (because that's how so many parents describe their children on CC), but a young child is still a young child and doesn't have the experience or presence of mind that an adult or even a teen has. When this kind of parenting "issue" affects me, you bet I'm going to be concerned about it.

 

And the rationale that the odds of the ship sinking are slim is absurd, IMO. Using that logic I might as well cancel our homeowner's insurance, stop wearing a seat belt and tell our DD not to bother with those pesky child safety seats, and toss out our bicycle helmets (never mind that my DH is alive today because he was wearing his). After all, the odds of anything bad happening in those situations are pretty slim.

 

As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no excuse for a parent to take the safety issue lightly and it has nothing to do with telling someone else how to raise their child. It has to do with the safety of everyone onboard. Suppose that the terrified/injured (or both) 4-/yo was incoherent; now suppose that another adult, in an effort to figure out who the child is and where her parents are, is injured during that onboard emergency because of it? It's a terribly selfish thing to say that the odds are slim, so we'll just disregard this important safety concern.

 

Now, I do think the sharpie suggestion is not bad at all. It's not a substitute for the wrist band (simply because nearly every adult is going to look for that and wouldn't necessarily think, "Oh, maybe the information is written somewhere on the child"). But it's a good compliment, especially for children who do have sensory issues.

 

Please parents, don't take safety lightly and assume that the slim odds of problems guarantee that your child won't be that one in a million in a bad situation.

 

beachchick

[powelweb]

The other simple solution is to keep the child out of the kids clubs. No clubs, no bracelet.

 

It just remains the parents responsibility to keep their child entertained for the cruise, and oh yes, to be ready to take them to the correct muster station should an emergency arise.

 

I say this half-jokingly, as our DD has never really enjoyed the kids clubs and we're not even checking her in at this point, so no bracelet for her.

[crusinmama06]

What are "sensory issues"? TIA.

 

Google - sensory integration disorder

 

The other simple solution is to keep the child out of the kids clubs. No clubs, no bracelet.

 

Actually, that's not exactly true. If the child is on the ship, then they are suppose to be wearing the bracelet. As beachchick said, the child could become separated from you in an emergency.