Children left on ship

[myfuzzy]

It isn't my kid that I worry about, its a shady adult that see an unsupervised child or another uncontrolled child that would worry me. My kid would be innocent, but being in proximity of trouble.....guilty by association

[mitz18]

We did this in 2014 with no problems. Like I said, kids in adventure ocean and us walking distance from the ship.

I'm comfortable with my parenting decisions thank you, I just want to know if the rules have changed.

 

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So they were what - 6 & 12 in 2014 when you left them alone? And you did not expect judgmental replies?

[lgl525]

Met up with a lady in the elevator a few weeks ago. She was telling everyone about the excursion she had been on that ended with a car accident and 2 people being taken to a hospital in Barbados. It’s too big of a risk of a “it might happen” for my family. No way.

 

 

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Great! The kids would be safe in Adventure Ocean and not in a car accident and in the hospital in Barbados. ;p

[lgl525]

So they were what - 6 & 12 in 2014 when you left them alone? And you did not expect judgmental replies?

 

Adventure ocean isn't alone...

[3monkeys4me]

but the 10 year old can sign themselves out of the kids club programming.

 

I didn't think they could on port days?

[powelweb]

in 2012, we were on Celebrity's summit for the thanksgiving sailing and realized that we'd be in St. Thomas for black friday, so as a US territory, they also had great sales and holiday specials. Well, our then 9 yr old DD was not thrilled at the prospect of a port shopping day, so the compromise was she stayed in the kids club while we went ashore to shop, and when came back in the early afternoon, we took her to the butterfly museum right in the port area.

 

The ship had no issues at that time, and while she had privileges to sign herself in and out of the club, we also instructed her to stay in the club and not roam the ship, and she complied.

[gliles]

This is not parental advice just that I would never do that in fear that something would happen and I wouldn't make it back. However if that happened, they'd be in a better place than me so never mind!!

[klfrodo]

It isn't my kid that I worry about, its a shady adult that see an unsupervised child or another uncontrolled child that would worry me. My kid would be innocent, but being in proximity of trouble.....guilty by association

 

said the ringleaders parent 99 times out of 100.

 

I was usually the ringleader when pops wasn't around.

[allison0523]

Hope everything works out for you. I asked this question about a month ago and got flamed also. So, I will just have to wait until we get on the ship in 10 days to find out.

[kknorr0320]

but the 10 year old can sign themselves out of the kids club programming.

Only if the parent gives permission. I didn't give my 11 year old permission to sign himself out as I wanted to know where he was.

 

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[3monkeys4me]

Only if the parent gives permission. I didn't give my 11 year old permission to sign himself out as I wanted to know where he was.

 

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Thanks, I must have mixed up cruise lines. Perhaps Disney? At least one of them doesn't allow kids under either11 or 12 to sign out of the clubs while the ship is in port, even if they normally have permission to do so. It doesn't matter much to me personally as there is no way my kids would want to stay on ship if they could be in port.

[CapeGal]

Hi, I've just seen on a Facebook thread that children can't be left on the ship without an adult. They said it was a new rule. Is this true?

 

I have a 10 and 16 year old who both will want to stay aboard for most, if not all, ports and I don't want to make them leave their friends. But neither do I want to stay aboard myself!

 

Ship is Indy.

 

(btw - I'm asking for recent experience of rules, not parental advice about whether or not I should leave them - I have no plans to be a long way from the ship at any port)

 

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To tell you the truth, I would not rely on all the suggestions here. We all do things differently. We had responsible sons that were in their teens, but never left them on the ships alone. I would in truth call RCCL and ask them their correct policy as of the current date of your cruise. That way you know what the policy is and you can rest confidently.

[GarlicBread]

but the 10 year old can sign themselves out of the kids club programming.

 

No they can't.

 

When the ship is docked a child cannot leave AO without an authorised adult coming to get them.

 

So if the 10 year old decides to check in then they cannot leave again until you come back onboard, unless the 16 year old is on the authorised pick up list.

[Big_G]

You'll get it anyway.:beer-mug:

 

Go figure. The guy with a dead horse has a crystal ball too. ;p:D

[myfuzzy]

I just have to ask, being that everyone here seems well versed ......what would actually happen if, gosh for bid, something did happen to the parents on shore and didn't make it back to the ship, and the kids were alone on there. Would the ship wait, leave, put the kids off...NOT being snarky, just like information

[Grandma Dazzles]

but the 10 year old can sign themselves out of the kids club programming.

 

Pretty sure 10-year-olds have to have permission form on file signed by parents in order to sign themselves out.

[spookwife]

I just have to ask, being that everyone here seems well versed ......what would actually happen if, gosh for bid, something did happen to the parents on shore and didn't make it back to the ship, and the kids were alone on there. Would the ship wait, leave, put the kids off...NOT being snarky, just like information

 

 

 

The ship would have to leave on schedule. If it does happen, a crew member or two is assigned to be with the kids pretty much 24/7. And the parents get a bill for that.

 

 

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[CruiseGal999]

The 10 year old would be in adventure ocean, not watched by the 16 year old.

 

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Why do you think the 'new' friends would be on the ship unsupervised? I would think they would be off with their families.

 

And just to mention this ... it doesn't seem fair to the adult passengers who do stay on the ship that your 16 yr. old will be running loose and possibly wreaking havoc.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Why do you think the 'new' friends would be on the ship unsupervised? I would think they would be off with their families.

 

And just to mention this ... it doesn't seem fair to the adult passengers who do stay on the ship that your 16 yr. old will be running loose and possibly wreaking havoc.

Exactly!

 

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[chrisb74]

And just to mention this ... it doesn't seem fair to the adult passengers who do stay on the ship that your 16 yr. old will be running loose and possibly wreaking havoc.

 

Absolutely no difference to them running loose while the parents are on board.

 

If you want to implement a rule that parents and kids can't be more than 10 feet apart while onboard i'm down with that. :)

[Sarahbear666]

Wow this thread really took off whilst I was asleep!

 

Just a couple of thoughts...

 

Might I suggest that anyone concerned about teenagers "running loose" avoid independence during the summer. You might, heaven forbid, see an unsupervised 16 year old playing laser tag. Just a bit of friendly advice.

 

No AO don't let kids self sign out on port days.

No, I won't be far from the ship. We don't do excursions.

 

But as I said, I wasn't asking for parental advice, I'm comfortable with the level of freedom and responsibility and trust I place in my children. I asked for the rules, and I now have them RCI said it's OK by them.

 

Thanks all, x

 

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[xxHadleyxx]

OP---based on the facebook reply and a couple of posters with recent experience, it sounds like you will be fine. I'm glad the rules haven't changed, even though mine are both adults now anyway, so that families like yours can enjoy the cruise---being able to split up at times and cater many tastes is part of what makes cruising a great option for groups off all sizes.

 

Great! The kids would be safe in Adventure Ocean and not in a car accident and in the hospital in Barbados. ;p

 

exactly. I understand why some are not comfortable being apart from their kids in strange places, but do not understand negatively judging those who are comfortable with it and justifying that with odd false safety arguments---I would MUCH prefer my children be safely on a ship around staff and fellow cruisers they have gotten to know, than harmed on an excursions, or witnessing their parents harmed on an excursion and only random other cruisers and land based staff there to comfort them if something tragic did occur

 

Why do you think the 'new' friends would be on the ship unsupervised? I would think they would be off with their families.

 

And just to mention this ... it doesn't seem fair to the adult passengers who do stay on the ship that your 16 yr. old will be running loose and possibly wreaking havoc.

 

So I am thinking back to all the years when my teens often stayed on board in port. My oldest usually made some new friends with whoever they were seated at breakfast or lunch and could usually be found playing scrabble with someone they had met on the journey---generally a women in her 70s or something. I can see why you would worry about that!

 

And my son? He is all about the trivia and other little cruise staff run games. Teams up with various people of all ages---very concerning stuff there. The first coupled of times DH and I cruised solo we actually had people see us and come up excitedly asking where DS was and did we know if he had a team for progressive trivia yet-----retirees every time (tends to be the majority of repeat TA cruisers). Hmmm, yeah, concerning.

 

Is that every teen? Heck no! But then again, rambunctious bratty behaviour is not every teen either (and IME, the ones who are like that tend to be like it with parents there too). It's sad that you make such negative judgements about an entire class of people based on nothing in their control (you can't choose your age).

[Sarahbear666]

Thanks Hadley!

 

We're cruising for 14 days and I expect to have a mixture of family activities and trips and time where we explore or enjoy activities separately.

I don't think my 16 yr old will be doing trivia with adults but I also trust that he won't be "wreaking havoc". He was 12 on our last cruise and had quite a lot of freedom but we would swing by and watch him now and again and we found him playing basketball or table tennis or video games. He's a good kid, very polite and knows the consequences of letting us down. I trust him and that's important, in my opinion.

 

 

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[Ocean Boy]

Ok, let me put this out there. You said 10 & 16 year old want to stay on board a cruise ship.....unsupervised....while you go ashore. UH NO WAY....You are the parents, you call the shots. I am going to guess they didn't pay their own passage, soooo. Maybe if they DID go with you, reluctantly...they might actually learn something or have a good time....AWAY from their "friends" . I am going to assume, by friends, you mean newly acquired "friends" just met on the ship. One word comes to mind TROUBLE, you need to keep your eye on them at all times.

 

You'll get it anyway.:beer-mug:

You were right, Biker. And it didn't take long.

[texascruiser2012]

You were right, Biker. And it didn't take long.

O069799o0989999 do i 55 inches 7

 

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