5 Rules for Cruising with Kids

[DISNEY1975]

My son got into trouble (rather did something stupid) while on a scavenger hunt, organized by the teen center. Theyre not always safe when you think they are.

[MsTabbyKats]

Yes PLEASE to number 6. I don't care how cute you as a Momma think it is to let your child run and scream up and down the halls at 3am. No one else does, trust me.

 

All the other ones are great too...and were completely ignored by parents (and crew) on our last cruise.

 

The problem is that a lot of the parents of the "not well behaved" children are not well behaved themselves.

 

If you know your kids are well behaved and don't get in trouble in general...they'll do just fine on a cruise. You're taking your child to a different place.....you're not taking a different child.

 

But..if you know that they need "guidance"....then set the rules.

[the2006Junket]

OP and others,

 

We've done 4 cruises with our 3 sons over the years and with a group of 6 other families on two of those cruises, so we've had the opportunity to fine tune some of the rules and the way we approach cruising with teens/young adults.

 

In addition to many similar rules that others have listed, here are two other thoughts:

 

- we set a curfew, even if the ship doesnt. Just like at home :) I just don't thing anything good is going to happen on a ship after 1 am or so....just potential for trouble. And we enforce the curfew by staying awake (tough sometimes) or setting our alarm to wake up at the curfew time to make sure they are in their beds safe and sound!

 

- We have learned that we want them close to us as possible. That means, ideally, in an adjoining cabins with a shared door between the cabins vs. the teens in a cabin across the hall. Yes, it's more expensive to have two outside or balcony cabins (if that's what Mom and Dad want), but it's sooooo worth it for the ease of being able to crack open that door and check that they are in the cabin, yet still be able to shut the door for privacy. The perrrrfect situation was when we once sailed in a Royal Family Suite on the Radiance of the Seas....heavenly with two bedrooms, two 1/2 baths and a living room. Best of all, they upgraded us for free....just heavenly.

 

Happy sailing!

 

Lynne

[patrick82]

Hold doors open for people behind you. Allow elevators to empty before getting on them.

 

Most adults don't have this rule down.

[Cpostalnpt]

It all sounds good on paper, but having just returned from the Glory, I can tell you that parents throw good common sense out the window. I was in the buffet line in back of a 5 year old who proceeded to touch every piece of food they could. the last straw was when he stuck his finger in the little mousse cups and decided which ones he wanted to take back to the table. Needless to say, I didn't try any!!! So, where were his parents???? If you aren't going to supervise, stay home!!!

[Crazy4Koko]

It all sounds good on paper, but having just returned from the Glory, I can tell you that parents throw good common sense out the window. I was in the buffet line in back of a 5 year old who proceeded to touch every piece of food they could. the last straw was when he stuck his finger in the little mousse cups and decided which ones he wanted to take back to the table. Needless to say, I didn't try any!!! So, where were his parents???? If you aren't going to supervise, stay home!!!

 

 

As much as I abhor parenting someone else's child... If I'd yell at an adult for pushing all the buttons in an elevator... I'd sure as hell tell a kid to keep his fingers out of the food!!

[RuthlessBoss]

As others have said, surveillance cameras are cropping up in more and more places. Remind them, they may not see the cameras, but the cameras see them and it's recorded for future reference.

The cameras are no longer in towns just to catch red light runners. So much crime has been documented and proven with these cameras. Also, people have all kinds of gadgets now to take pictures. How else did u tube get so popular?

[AngAndBoys]

Kwag et al,

 

Where the HECK were y'all week before last? Haha! There has been some GREAT advice in here, thank you.

 

For the poster saying they were getting a next door balcony for their kids...I was even MORE nervous about doing that than putting them across the hall. I was afraid they'd climb on it something. Of course, mine are never staying in a seperate cabin again, so the point is moot.

[OceanDreamin]

I have given a similar list of rules to my DD that has been listed above, but there is one I added, that I haven't seen.

 

Act in a way that will make me proud to be your mother. When people see us together and say "Oh, so you're her mother," I want them to say it with a smile on their face.;)

[davids68girl]

 

Act in a way that will make me proud to be your mother. When people see us together and say "Oh, so you're her mother," I want them to say it with a smile on their face.;)

 

I like this one. :D

[Warm Breezes]

Trust and responsibility is is a two way street - our kids ALWAYS knew where we would be at all times, so they could find us if necessary. (as easy as using a post-it note on our cabin door if anyone changed locales.) Also - use common sense. If someone you are with is doing something you think is wrong, it probably is. Remove yourself from the situation, and/or report it to an adult/crew member.

 

This is our rule. We always let each other (adults/kids) know where we are going to be. If that changes we go tell the other party (since we know where they are). We also do not allow anyone in there room and they are not allowed to go to anyone elses room. Most of the time they hang with us, unless they want to make a run for ice cream or go do some activity together (mini golf/soccer) so we have never had an issue. Breakfast on sea days seems to be the only meal we do seperately since they would rather sleep in. Otherwise we eat together, go to the shows together, do ports together, and do other activities together...because THEY want to. We all love our family time together on cruises.

[wecamp]

How about adding: 6) No running up and down the halls, 7) No touching buffett food with your fingers 8) No pressing every elevator button, 9) No getting into adult only hot tubs or pools, 10) When in a dining venue, elevator or hallways always use your quiet voice.......

 

 

Yes please add all the above! 11) the glass elevator is not a carnival ride for you to go up and down all night. 12) no jumping from the top stair to the bottom

 

On our last cruise I was ready to handcuff all children to the parents.

[Warm Breezes]

my teens had landyards..they opted to NOT use them for their sign and sails..

 

that might be one glitch in your system... especially if they're girls..

 

 

Lanyards don't go with ANYTHING they wear! :p

 

DD makes her own beaded lanyards in colors that match her outfits for our cruises.

[Almost Packed]

... and yes, this was partially inspired by "angandboys" recent thread about her kids recent spot of trouble on the Magic, but a scan of my posts will show that I have been considering this topic recently regardless.

 

Having only one (adult) cruise under my belt, and that having only been a honeymoon with my lovely wife, we are considering for our second cruise taking my 3 kids on most likely a 7-day eastern or western caribbeean cruise.

 

Partially from my own experience, and also largely from my reading on CruiseCritic, I want to create a short, but pertinent list of rules for them to follow while on-board. I think I've got it narrowed down to 5:

1. Always be with another member of our party, unless you are at a ship-sponsored event such as the kids camps. No roaming alone.

2. Do not let anyone else into your cabin, and do not go into anyone else's cabin, ever. Even with the door open does not count.

3. No roughhousing or horseplay.

No climbing on anything, ever.

It's a small ship in a big ocean and a long way to the nearest hospital.

4. Maintain situational awareness, use common sense and common courtesy. Hold doors open for people behind you. Allow elevators to empty before getting on them. Sanitize hands before eating.

5. In the unlikely event of a shipwide emergency,

proceed immediately to your assigned lifeboat. Do not return to your cabin for a lifejacket, there are plenty on the boats. Do not look for us; we will find you.

That last rule is based largely on recent shipwide events in the news, especially accounts from Concordia.

 

I realize there can be no "one size fits all" list for cruising with kids - some will think this is too restrictive, others not enough. I am more so just looking to see if I am missing anything obvious here.

 

A few notes:

 

- I do not plan on having them have "charging priveleges" on their S&S cards. The arcade uses coins, and if they want anything else, we will be more than happy to buy it for them. They normally don't drink soft drinks at home, so soda cards are not a consideration.

 

- These are mostly for on the ship. We will always be together in the ports, so the only real rule there will be "stay close and do what we tell you" lol.

 

- I am willing to be a little flexible with meals, but we will see how that goes. It would be my preference for us to eat most meals together, but they are kids and I want to be realistic.

 

- We will probably have a curfew, but I anticipate fewer problems with this than most. My kids are pretty useless after about 9:30, and they are basket-cases the next day if they go to bed much later than that (even though they will be 11,12, and 14 when/if we sail). It's not intentional, it's just the way they are built. Even when on vacations and camping and stuff when they are allowed to stay up later, they usually don't. Either way, common sense will be used here. Obviously they won't be up til 1 a.m. if we have an early excursion the next day. Then again, neither will I!

 

Once I have finalized my rules, I am seriously considering having them laminated onto credit-card sized cards, and placing them on lanyards next to their S&S cards. A little overkill and possibly embarrasing? Yep, you bet. But these are my kids, and, while they don't technically misbehave so much, they are always looking for loopholes and exceptions. I think their favorite phrase is "But what if..." followed by some remote, but possible scenario. It's like living with three little lawyers... it's exhausting.

 

Anyway, like I said, just looking to see if I am missing anything obvious here.

 

LOVE IT! Being pro active! WTG DAD!! You can also consider having them sign a contract as well...or have them sign it, then laminate...that way they cannot say I didn't know...even though the rules are hanging around their necks lol. I tell my teen son he better go to law school, because he's so good at wiggling out of something on a technicality that I really cannot fault him for finding. We did decide beforehand family meals together always (dinner time) but found the little one wanted to eat with his friends in camp and we gave in once. it was nice at dinnertime...he was normally exhausted and could barely stay awake and we had early dinner lol.

 

Great job!

[combatboots2jimmychoos]

One of my rules: No falling in love.

 

LOL! But really, my then 15 year old fell hopelessly in love last cruise and the last two nights of our seven day cruise they both cried. It was ridiculous.

 

OMG, I was just thinking about this tonight. My 14 turning 15 yr old sister is BOY CRAZY right now and since she's the only kid on this cruise, I need to figure out how to keep her out of boy trouble.

 

Seriously, I need a spy device where I can listen in on all of her conversations and make sure she's not in the teen club lip locking..........do they have special mirrors in there for parents to spy?

[Almost Packed]

It all sounds good on paper, but having just returned from the Glory, I can tell you that parents throw good common sense out the window. I was in the buffet line in back of a 5 year old who proceeded to touch every piece of food they could. the last straw was when he stuck his finger in the little mousse cups and decided which ones he wanted to take back to the table. Needless to say, I didn't try any!!! So, where were his parents???? If you aren't going to supervise, stay home!!!

 

I would have immediately notified staff (as i have done of this) and then find mom & dad and make them aware (which i have done). If you don't like watching your kid, i'm not sure what makes them think i do...but if you don't ...i'll let you know lol. yep, i'm that type. i'll kindly remind you how dangerous it is to let your child be unsupervised not to mention the sanitation issues with his pudgy little hands in everything.

 

I actually saw a kid once pick up some topping from a dessert bar, taste it, not like it and spit it back in to the container. I made the parent aware (standing clueless next to the child) and informed an employee and made sure it was taken away (and hopefully thrown away lol)

 

just because you are on vacation, it does not mean common courtesy and parenting of your child/ren takes a vacation too. lol.

[clarkrock7]

One of my rules: No falling in love.

 

LOL! But really, my then 15 year old fell hopelessly in love last cruise and the last two nights of our seven day cruise they both cried. It was ridiculous.

 

Haha, whatever, I had my first kiss on a cruise and it was awesome!

 

Big Red Boat 1991

[Almost Packed]

Haha, whatever, I had my first kiss on a cruise and it was awesome!

 

Big Red Boat 1991

 

that's cute! beats where i had my first kiss lol.

[Me76]

I see this thread hasn't been commented on for awhile, but still wanted to reply and say Thank You for all the ideas.

 

We are leaving in a week, and while our 9 & 11 year old have been on 2 previous cruises with no problems, 16-year-old DD is going this time also, so I am doing the rules on a lanyard for them(her).

 

Usually our kids are with us, but you never know when that kids that "would never do that!" does it! I'd rather be redundant, than have an issue.

 

A word about the lanyards. One of the "big" things we do before a cruise is everyone decides what lanyard they want. It's kinda there special thing for the week.

Last time DS had Mario/Yoshi and DD had Jack Skellington (Halloween Cruise). This time DS has Legend of Zelda, DD picked a Panda one, older DD picked Cookie Monster (she's obsessed with him), and I got into the spirit and got a Minecraft one. My 16 year old doesn't worry about outfits and looks so much, so I can see where this would be a problem for some teens, but if you make it a fun thing, they are more likely to do it. And for my kids, it's harder for them to lose their S&S card if it's around their neck.

[cruisingnewb]

It was so nice to see a couple of people make a rule of "Never accept a drink from anyone unless it's a bartender or let your drink out of your site." This rule was ingrained in me from an early age so now I just see it as common sense. I was shocked to hear about the 19-20 year old girl get raped in Cozumel by a bar employee after they roofied a drink and gave it to her, I assumed everyone knew not to take a drink or go off alone with a stranger! This was a great reminder that when I have kids it is something that I will need to teach them.

[prattmom]

One of my rules: No falling in love.

 

LOL! But really, my then 15 year old fell hopelessly in love last cruise and the last two nights of our seven day cruise they both cried. It was ridiculous.

 

This happened to my friend's daughter as well. Cruise was a year ago. They are still "dating" and plan to get married. She just graduated high school!

 

We live in the Galveston area, and the boy lives in Shreveport, LA!