Judyrem Posted March 11, 2019 #1 Share Posted March 11, 2019 This will be my grandaughter's first cruise. We did a Club Med trip together last year and she was fine. She is pretty savvy and responsible and can easily find her way around places. I was wondering if you all thought if she would be ok coming from the the kid's club to our stateroom alone(six decks below kids club), or doing snack runs by herself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyMarvie Posted March 11, 2019 #2 Share Posted March 11, 2019 It depends on the kid. I would totally let my 13 year old do that, but my 11 year old (while smart) is unbelievably directionally challenged and would never make it back to the cabin without help. If she's got a good head on her shoulders and direction sense, she'll probably be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitkat343 Posted March 11, 2019 #3 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Also, in general what I tell my kids is that if you ever get lost, try to ask a mom with a child for help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Itchy&Scratchy Posted March 11, 2019 #4 Share Posted March 11, 2019 some cruise lines require that you sign any kid under 11 yo out of the kid's club. I wouldn't let my kid to roam the ship by himself at 10. It's not about getting lost on the ship - he has no problem with it even at 7, but you just never know who your kid will encounter. Don't discount child predators. There is 5K people on the ship with you - you never know who you are going to get. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted March 12, 2019 #5 Share Posted March 12, 2019 I allowed my 10 year old to do quick trips alone, he has an amazing sense of direction. At the time, dd10 and dd12 were interested in doing different things (and they could do more than a quick trip because there were 2 of them). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spunky946 Posted March 13, 2019 #6 Share Posted March 13, 2019 We were on a cruise last Christmas and I gave my 10 year old permission to sign herself out from the kids club. She did really well. She’d get a snack and meet us in the schooner bar. She liked having a bit of freedom and it was great to be able to trust her. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Itchy&Scratchy Posted March 13, 2019 #7 Share Posted March 13, 2019 17 hours ago, Spunky946 said: We were on a cruise last Christmas and I gave my 10 year old permission to sign herself out from the kids club. She did really well. She’d get a snack and meet us in the schooner bar. She liked having a bit of freedom and it was great to be able to trust her. it's not my child who I don't trust. Last year at some point I read somebody's posts here about the hugely inappropriate behavior towards minors on the ship - twice. Both times a staff member was very inappropriate - one followed a lone preteen to the cabin and touched her, and in another case a staff member exhibited such behavior with a developmentally challenged teen. And that's just here on CC in 1 year. Who knows how much more often this happens and is not reported on CC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted March 13, 2019 #8 Share Posted March 13, 2019 I have no issue with kids doing SPECIFIC things without an adult nearby....kids have to learn to be alone at some point! I do NOT advocate giving the "run of the ship". Roaming without reason is trouble waiting to happen. If you want to allow them to go from point A to point B....that's fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyMarvie Posted March 14, 2019 #9 Share Posted March 14, 2019 I just noticed that this is your granddaughter -- probably best to chat with her mom and find out what mom is comfortable with and do that. (Even if it's not 100% the same as what you might do... 🙂) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angie7911922 Posted March 25, 2019 #10 Share Posted March 25, 2019 I would not let my 10 year old run around alone, because he can be a bit scatterbrained. I would let the two kids go together, so they could watch out for each other. I think it really depends on each individual kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1TravelMom Posted May 10, 2019 #11 Share Posted May 10, 2019 This is totally a judgement call on your part. I felt my daughter needed to be 13 before she could come and go WITH a friend or group, not alone. Others allow their kids more freedom at a much younger age. Not judging, just not our comfort level. I have seen kids that looked 6-7years old alone in elevators and at the pool. One little boy on a previous cruise told us he was 7 and his mom and dad had a headache and were sleeping in the cabin and told him he could go to the pool. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzannecruisecritic Posted May 19, 2019 #12 Share Posted May 19, 2019 I think it’s a difficult decision because you do want to give them freedom and many kids are very responsible but you also worry about inappropriate behavior from other passengers who might try to hurt them if they’re walking alone in an empty cabin hallway. We prefer that they only be unaccompanied by an adult when they are with at least one other friend or sibling. They usually make friends pretty quickly on board so it’s not too difficult to find a couple of buddies to spend time with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cello56 Posted June 15, 2019 #13 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Ask yourself if you would be comfortable letting her wander around your local shopping mall by herself. There are thousands of passengers on board that you do not know. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted June 15, 2019 #14 Share Posted June 15, 2019 1 hour ago, cello56 said: Ask yourself if you would be comfortable letting her wander around your local shopping mall by herself. There are thousands of passengers on board that you do not know. I don’t think that is apples to apples, people are coming and going at shopping malls with no one knowing their identities. The public space at a mall is so much bigger than public spaces on cruise ships. I wouldn’t let a 10 year old wander alone, but go from place to place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cello56 Posted June 16, 2019 #15 Share Posted June 16, 2019 23 hours ago, mjkacmom said: I don’t think that is apples to apples, people are coming and going at shopping malls with no one knowing their identities. The public space at a mall is so much bigger than public spaces on cruise ships. I wouldn’t let a 10 year old wander alone, but go from place to place. Shopping malls also don't have literally thousands of private rooms just sitting there. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted June 17, 2019 #16 Share Posted June 17, 2019 17 hours ago, cello56 said: Shopping malls also don't have literally thousands of private rooms just sitting there. Which is why kids should stick to the main decks, there is no reason to be walking around the cabin corridors. With all the cruises going on every day, how many news reports of child assault? It’s not like someone can grab a kid and not get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Itchy&Scratchy Posted June 17, 2019 #17 Share Posted June 17, 2019 2 hours ago, mjkacmom said: Which is why kids should stick to the main decks, there is no reason to be walking around the cabin corridors. With all the cruises going on every day, how many news reports of child assault? It’s not like someone can grab a kid and not get caught. a few. Don't want my kid to become a victim just because I haven't seen any news about child assaults on ships. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted June 17, 2019 #18 Share Posted June 17, 2019 45 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said: a few. Don't want my kid to become a victim just because I haven't seen any news about child assaults on ships. And that’s your choice. At age 10 my kids had been walking to school for a couple of years, riding bikes all over town, going to the park with friends... I think it’s important for kids to learn to be independent and develop situational awareness, and a cruise ship where there are cameras everywhere, people everywhere (who can’t leave the ship), staff everywhere, and I’m always a minute away seems like a good place to practice. I also benefit from the fact that I have many kids close in age, so they are rarely alone, plus they always meet other kids. However, I’ve let a 10 year old get a snack from the buffet, and even sign out of the kids club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Itchy&Scratchy Posted June 17, 2019 #19 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Just now, mjkacmom said: And that’s your choice. At age 10 my kids had been walking to school for a couple of years, riding bikes all over town, going to the park with friends... I think it’s important for kids to learn to be independent and develop situational awareness, and a cruise ship where there are cameras everywhere, people everywhere (who can’t leave the ship), staff everywhere, and I’m always a minute away seems like a good place to practice. I also benefit from the fact that I have many kids close in age, so they are rarely alone, plus they always meet other kids. However, I’ve let a 10 year old get a snack from the buffet, and even sign out of the kids club. and it is your choice as well, but it only takes a minute for a child to be molested, and it's easier to prevent it than to deal with consequences. Molesters cruise too, you know. And they know exactly how to separate your kid from the other kids. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted June 17, 2019 #20 Share Posted June 17, 2019 1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said: and it is your choice as well, but it only takes a minute for a child to be molested, and it's easier to prevent it than to deal with consequences. Molesters cruise too, you know. And they know exactly how to separate your kid from the other kids. Yes, and child predators look for children and teens who aren’t confident, aren’t aware of their situations, are gullible, have been sheltered. It’s not like a magic day comes where you let the fly free, it’s baby steps. And the majority of child molesters are people your child already knows, who already has their trust, most likely a family member or family friend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clw1624 Posted June 18, 2019 #21 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Thank you for posting. We’re taking our 12 & 16 DD’s on their first cruise. I have been struggling with how much freedom to give them. The 12 yr old is a city kid who takes public transit during the school year. Our 16 yr old is being raised in the burbs and isn’t as independent. The age difference makes it hard to enforce the buddy system. I like the idea of limiting them to main areas and avoiding corridors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen of Oakville Posted June 20, 2019 #22 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Am I an over-protective parent? YESSSSS I would not let my 13 year old daughter nor 12 year old son roam the ship on their own - but I allow them to roam together. Do I trust her and is she responsible? YES!!! Do I trust others on the ship? NOOOO. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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