Traveling with an older teen

[schlimazel_traveler]

My family and I are taking our first cruise in just a few weeks. My daughters are 16 and 19. I've read that children cannot go on port excursions without a parent, so I guess I can't send my girls off to explore a port without my husband or me along.

 

But if my husband and I decide to leave the ship on a port day and the girls want to stay behind, does my 16 year-old need to be signed in to a supervised teen program or something of the sort? Or can she just chill in the cabin or by the pool?

[johneeo]

 

But if my husband and I decide to leave the ship on a port day and the girls want to stay behind, does my 16 year-old need to be signed in to a supervised teen program or something of the sort?

 

No.

[Darkwolfe]

19 and 16 should be fine onboard by themselves assuming that they are fairly responsible for their ages. The plan to chill by the pool is probably totally fine.

 

Frankly, you don't want to send them off exploring a port alone at that age even if you could. The ports aren't perfect, there's places the ships stop that I wouldn't want to be wandering by myself and I'm an ugly old lump past 40! ;)

 

Which ship and itinerary are you taking? Likely, there's plenty of suggestions to be had where your whole group can go ashore and enjoy.

[boulders]

My family and I are taking our first cruise in just a few weeks. My daughters are 16 and 19. I've read that children cannot go on port excursions without a parent, so I guess I can't send my girls off to explore a port without my husband or me along.

 

But if my husband and I decide to leave the ship on a port day and the girls want to stay behind, does my 16 year-old need to be signed in to a supervised teen program or something of the sort? Or can she just chill in the cabin or by the pool?

 

No.

 

The 19 year old is an adult and does not need permission or another adult to go ashore. The 16 year old is in kind of a grey area. They should be fine to go with their older sibling. They MAY also be OK to go ashore by themselves. It wasn't RCI, but ds was 16 on our HAL cruise this past summer. Whenever we disembarked, his younger siblings (aged 7 and 13) cards triggered an alarm for the security to double check that I was with them, but his did not.

 

Although there is a teen program for the 16 year old, they sign themselves in and out.

[schlimazel_traveler]

I know my 19 year-old is considered an adult--I'm mostly concerned about rules pertaining to my 16 year-old.

 

We'll be on the Enchantment for the New Year's Eve cruise. Ports of call are Port Canaveral, Nassau (for a brief stop, arriving afternoon), and Coco Cay. One of my girls has a health condition and early rising is very difficult, so port excursions that require getting off the ship early in the morning wouldn't work for her. But I think she'll love the ship's amenities--lounging by the pool, having room service deliver breakfast, going to the spa...

 

I thought they might like to do a dolphin encounter in Nassau, but I'm not sure if there's time. That was the excursion I thought I might send them on without us, because it's pricey and I think they're much more keen to do it than either parent is. But if you think it's dicey to send young ladies into port alone, I'll rethink that, even if it's permitted.

 

Thanks for the advice, all. We're excited and nervous about this new adventure.

[boulders]

 

I thought they might like to do a dolphin encounter in Nassau, but I'm not sure if there's time. That was the excursion I thought I might send them on without us, because it's pricey and I think they're much more keen to do it than either parent is. But if you think it's dicey to send young ladies into port alone, I'll rethink that, even if it's permitted.

 

Thanks for the advice, all. We're excited and nervous about this new adventure.

 

Dolphin encounters usually have an observer rate for those who wish to go along but not participate.

[Darkwolfe]

I've been swimming with dolphins twice and you don't want to be rushed. There are at least two good places to do that on Cozumel (not your current trip, but something to plan for) and frankly, I'd wait. Chankanaab Park on Cozumel would be excellent for that.

 

Nassau- Stay together. It's not the worst, but you do sometimes hear of people trying to sell cruisers drugs while onshore. There are some folks that'll try to hang a beads and shells necklace on you and say it's free, but they really want a high tip.

 

With a short day, shop some T-shirts near the pier or go to a nearby beach. Maybe a ship excursion if you see one you really like.

 

Port Canaveral- Space Center!! Nothing more need be said there. :D

 

Coco Cay- Private RCI Island, take your time and enjoy no worries there at all.

 

I'm sure there will be more (and quite possibly better) suggestions than my own. Have a very good time whatever you choose to do! :)

[printingchick]

I'll likely get flamed and called irresponsible, but I took my 12 year old son, my 18 year old daughter and my daughter's 17 year old friend on a cruise in honor of my daughter's graduation. We had two cabins, next door to each other. The girls shared a room.

 

In Cozumel, they wanted to go horseback riding. They took the ship sponsored excursion. They met their group on the dock and they were brought back to the ship. They were not out exploring on their own.

 

I suspect your 16-year-old would be fine going on a group excursion - particularly one that is cruise ship sponsored and thus departing directly from the end of the gangway - with your 19 year old. You could drop them at the dock with their group and rejoin them at the dock later. They would be with the group the entire time.

 

Other's may disagree, but I felt safe letting the girls do that excursion on their own. My 12 year old son had no interest in horseback riding, so we went off and did something else.

[schlimazel_traveler]

I took my 12 year old son, my 18 year old daughter and my daughter's 17 year old friend on a cruise in honor of my daughter's graduation. We had two cabins, next door to each other. The girls shared a room.

 

Hmm, this is interesting.

My questions really pertain to what is permitted vs. what is not permitted, and I'm surprised to see that this was permitted. My reading of the rules as I booked the trip suggested that a passenger under the age of 18 had to be accompanied by a parent. In the cabin. So I'd been wondering how it would be possible to book two cabins and put the kids in a separate one--I imagined one would have to employ the ruse of "putting" one parent in each cabin. Similarly, the information on port excursions indicated that passengers under 18 had to be accompanied by a parent. I was sure that there would be some flexibility for kids traveling with, say, grandparents. But it seems that these rules as articulated on the website are not hard-and-fast. Good to know.

 

Next question--will they let my 16 year-old into "adult" karaoke...

[akcruz]

Next question--will they let my 16 year-old into "adult" karaoke...

 

The only places your 16 year old will not be allowed are the casino and the adult night club after a certain time. Other than that she will be allowed in all venues. They may state adult only or contains adult content, etc but I have seen under 10 year olds in some of these.

 

As for leaving the girls on the ship, this is fine. On our med cruise, with ports every day, we took on day as a beach day to chill. Our kids (16 & 21 at the time) decided they wanted one day to sleep in. When we got back on the ship they had gotten up, had breakfast and made their way to the pool.

 

Only kids under 12 need to sign in to the kids area. 12 and over is come and go as you please. They do usually check, as has been mentioned previously, that an under 18 is accompanied by a parent when leaving the ship. Have had my son stopped when we were in different lines. Usually is you are in front or in back of them they just let you go.

 

I would ask RCI about the restrictions on their excursions. I would think you would be fine with the 2 girls together but don't want to guarantee that. As another poster said, walk of the ship with them to make sure they get to the right group (ship sponsored excursion), then let them go. Only you know how well you can trust your kids.