Senior trip cruises

[birdy]

Does anyone know if any of the "major" cruise lines offer senior trip cruises? There would not be an adult in each room but 4 chaperones per 10 students.

[cb at sea]

I don't know how they handle this....I just know I sure wouldn't want to be chaperoning a bunch of unrelated 18 year olds!

[kitty9]

There has to be one adult, either 21 or 25 depending on the cruise line, in every cabin with the kids. That's the rule since too many problems happened in the past with senior trips. Too much underage drinking and destroying of ship's property by teen groups. They will not allow you to have so few chaperones for that large a group.

 

The only lines that allow teens 18 and older to sail alone are Cunard (too expensive and not for teens), Disney (unless you can handle lots of little kids, and the price on Disney is wayyyy expensive) and Crystal (a luxury line that has nothing for teens to do).

[MagicMike]

Royal Caribbean has special policies for groups such as this (not sure about the other lines). They call it a SUM group (student/underage/minor) where more than 50% of the guests are under 21. They generally do not accept them, but if they do, it requires approval from various departments. Also they require 1 adult 25 or older to stay in every cabin, prepaid gratuities, as well as security deposits for all minors.

[lady_cruiser]

Try calling up Carnival too. For the simple reason is that many of our graduating seniors here in Lafayette Parish take senior cruises on Carnival Cruise Lines. And I know for a fact that they do not have that many chaperones going with them.

[goatgoat]

My son did a Princess cruise for high school graduation. Somehow they made it work but that was 6 years ago. Rules may have changed.

[alcpa1]

Birdy,

I did this back in the dark ages. My DH and I were the sole chaperones for 23 frisky seniors. Now things have changed and chaperones absolutely must accept the responsibilities of keeping tabs on the young people. The idea of a cruise is alluring and many may volunteer without committing to the "program." That's more of a problem than the kids and their antics.

I served as head chaperone for a marching band for four years and trained the parents. My years of training college students in the mental health field helped tremendously.

I'd get a written agreement from the parents first and then work with a travel agent to handle the cabin bookings and payment. Let the pros handle the really hard work.

Handling a group cruise is a step-by-step process and you are best served by using a travel agent with cruise expertise.

I hope you can get all of the details worked out, it will be something the seniors never forget.

[lady_cruiser]

Another thing you might want to consider and when I have time I'll try and find the article here is that if some of your seniors get too out-of-hand the ship's Captain might ask them to leave the ship, at their own expense. So if you are in Cozumel and they have to fly home, what chaperon will give up the rest of their cruise to fly home with them? As the above poster said, get paper work signed and make sure all your t's are crossed and your i's are dotted.

[uahollem]

Carnival allows kids to be booked into their own room without an adult. We're doing it for Thanksgiving. DD (17) and her BFF (17) are on the booking number with no adult listed (inside room, deck 1). We're on the ship but 6 floors up and the other end (suite, deck 7)

[firefly333]

Carnival allows kids to be booked into their own room without an adult. We're doing it for Thanksgiving. DD (17) and her BFF (17) are on the booking number with no adult listed (inside room, deck 1). We're on the ship but 6 floors up and the other end (suite, deck 7)

 

Carnival does NOT allow kids to be booked in their own cabin if their legal guardian/parent is not on the ships. The rule you are quoting is only if they are your kids.

 

I was going to say Carnival has some older ships that allow 5 to the cabin. Put in 4 kids and one adult and you get to about what you want OP.

[uahollem]

So as long as one chaperone has a child on the cruise then the other teenagers can present notarized letters for medical coverage and liability. That is something I know we've done in the past when our teenager went on a cruise with other teenagers and one particular family.

[Langley Cruisers]

... if some of your seniors get too out-of-hand the ship's Captain might ask them to leave the ship, at their own expense.

 

Yes. Not only that, but what if one of the teens is just in the wrong place at the wrong time? S/he gets mixed up in some hijinx merely by association and gets put off at the next port with the offenders? As a parent, I'd be pretty choked. Not sure I would allow my teen to go on a cruise without me; there just seem to be too many variables. Just saying.

[Capt_BJ]

let me approach from another angle

 

I've cruised for over 30 years

 

I've been a ship's master/captain

 

I went as a chap' for a group of hs grad's last year

 

I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN . . . . .

[kitty9]

Carnival allows kids to be booked into their own room without an adult. We're doing it for Thanksgiving. DD (17) and her BFF (17) are on the booking number with no adult listed (inside room, deck 1). We're on the ship but 6 floors up and the other end (suite, deck 7)

 

You can do that with related minors, but it can't be done with a group of unrelated persons. Big difference when the parents are on the ship.

[birdy]

Thank you for all your posts. I am a teacher with 18 years experience and the group of students are just in 9th grade (I plan ahead!) It is my son and 2nd cousin's class. I have chaperoned before. We would be together in all ports. It's just an idea I wanted to explore while we still have plenty of time.