Teens Leaving Ship

[scubaslayer]

I know kids have to have an adult with them to get off the ship in port, but our next sailing kid 1 will be 18. So can you get off the ship alone at 18 (Caribbean, not Europe)? If so can 18 take 16 & 17 off ship without the over 21 person?

[Nettee]

(I  am in Europe) but it is supposed to be the guardian that accompanies under 18s on and off the ship.

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, scubaslayer said:

I know kids have to have an adult with them to get off the ship in port, but our next sailing kid 1 will be 18.

I hope you are ready for parenting "feedback" which you didn't ask for.

[scubaslayer]

3 minutes ago, Nettee said:

(I  am in Europe) but it is supposed to be the guardian that accompanies under 18s on and off the ship.

I am hoping this is the case but definitely want to set expectations and ground rules. I would actually trust them on their own to look at shops or grab food, but I worry about other people with bad intentions and of course them possibly losing track of time.

[scubaslayer]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

I hope you are ready for parenting "feedback" which you didn't ask for.

Always

[smokeybandit]

I believe the rule is under 18, must be escorted by parent/guardian. Though there may be wiggle room in such a situation when one is 18.

[scubaslayer]

We are embarking on a new stage of parenting this year and I am trying to go in knowing as much as possible. I do know they made us scan in and out with the kids this year but everyone was under 18. Oldest is definitely not in charge of other teens in the group, though she thinks she is. I also do not want her going anywhere off ship alone which I know she will follow that rule though maybe with an eyeroll and sigh.

[1025cruise]

18 is not a kid. Therefore the 18yo will be able to get off the ship at their leisure. I don't know if they will be allowed to accompany the youngers.

[Rouque]

Not exactly the answer to your question but my 20yr old was allowed off the ship by himself in Bimini.

[d9704011]

From the Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy:

 

Parental and Guardian Responsibility

For purposes of this Policy, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A young adult is defined as anyone ages 18, 19 or 20.  Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor(s) and young adult(s) throughout their vacation. This obligation applies during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s) and young adult(s).

Under no circumstances should the parent or guardian of a minor debark the ship without their accompanying minor(s) unless they made arrangements for the accompanying minor(s) to have responsible adult supervision on the ship during their absence.  Parents or guardians must not permit any minor in their care to leave a ship while in port without responsible adult supervision.

 

So, a young adult can go off the ship without adult supervision.  But a young adult is not 'qualified' to provide 'responsible adult supervision' for minors;  a 16 year old cannot leave the ship with an 18 year old.

[Tatka]

18 years olds absolutely can leave the ship alone.

Our son did on some occasion. I believe several times even at 17 (but that was in 2000-x, so this could've changed)

 

Edited July 12 by Tatka

[scubaslayer]

37 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

From the Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy:

 

Parental and Guardian Responsibility

For purposes of this Policy, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A young adult is defined as anyone ages 18, 19 or 20.  Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor(s) and young adult(s) throughout their vacation. This obligation applies during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s) and young adult(s).

Under no circumstances should the parent or guardian of a minor debark the ship without their accompanying minor(s) unless they made arrangements for the accompanying minor(s) to have responsible adult supervision on the ship during their absence.  Parents or guardians must not permit any minor in their care to leave a ship while in port without responsible adult supervision.

 

So, a young adult can go off the ship without adult supervision.  But a young adult is not 'qualified' to provide 'responsible adult supervision' for minors;  a 16 year old cannot leave the ship with an 18 year old.

Thank you and I realize 18 is an adult but 18 also cannot book a room alone and has to be adjacent to our room. So by this 18 should not be able to decide to lead others off the ship just because she can? I doubt kid would really want to go off alone. All the kids have been taught safety in numbers and typically stick together. And at no point have the adults thought we should just put a newly 18 year old in charge of all the teens and let them do whatever.

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, scubaslayer said:

Thank you and I realize 18 is an adult but 18 also cannot book a room alone and has to be adjacent to our room. So by this 18 should not be able to decide to lead others off the ship just because she can? I doubt kid would really want to go off alone. All the kids have been taught safety in numbers and typically stick together. And at no point have the adults thought we should just put a newly 18 year old in charge of all the teens and let them do whatever.

Wasn't the original question about age and the ability to leave the ship with a secondary question of having a minor accompany an 18 year old?  Nothing about booking cabins or who is in charge of who on the ship.

 

An 18 (and 19 and 20) year old is considered a 'young adult'; not a minor nor an adult in the context of your question (s).

[smokeybandit]

A young adult is simply an adult that can't be the oldest person on a reservation.

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, d9704011 said:

From the Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy:

 

Parental and Guardian Responsibility

For purposes of this Policy, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A young adult is defined as anyone ages 18, 19 or 20.  Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor(s) and young adult(s) throughout their vacation. This obligation applies during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s) and young adult(s).

Under no circumstances should the parent or guardian of a minor debark the ship without their accompanying minor(s) unless they made arrangements for the accompanying minor(s) to have responsible adult supervision on the ship during their absence.  Parents or guardians must not permit any minor in their care to leave a ship while in port without responsible adult supervision.

 

So, a young adult can go off the ship without adult supervision.  But a young adult is not 'qualified' to provide 'responsible adult supervision' for minors;  a 16 year old cannot leave the ship with an 18 year old.

Well, that was cut and dry.  

[sandy toes]

Policy has changed over the years. Nice that you posted the up to date version for all of us. Thanks. 

[LobsterStalker]

8 hours ago, d9704011 said:

From the Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy:

 

Parental and Guardian Responsibility

For purposes of this Policy, a minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A young adult is defined as anyone ages 18, 19 or 20.  Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying minor(s) and young adult(s) throughout their vacation. This obligation applies during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their minor(s) and young adult(s).

Under no circumstances should the parent or guardian of a minor debark the ship without their accompanying minor(s) unless they made arrangements for the accompanying minor(s) to have responsible adult supervision on the ship during their absence.  Parents or guardians must not permit any minor in their care to leave a ship while in port without responsible adult supervision.

 

So, a young adult can go off the ship without adult supervision.  But a young adult is not 'qualified' to provide 'responsible adult supervision' for minors;  a 16 year old cannot leave the ship with an 18 year old.

 

6 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Well, that was cut and dry.  

I'm not so sure this was cut and dry as you all read it .

This post was misleading as I believe The last paragraph of that post came across  to look like part of the official policy being quoted ... It is not . Rather it is a summary opinion written by the poster .Though 18 is classed  "young adult ", could they not also be considered a responsible adult , like many other things , at the discretion of the parent

I'm not convinced they haven't left some wiggle room there .

??

 

Cheers

 

[d9704011]

6 hours ago, LobsterStalker said:

This post was misleading as I believe The last paragraph of that post came across  to look like part of the official policy being quoted ... It is not . Rather it is a summary opinion written by the poster .Though 18 is classed  "young adult ", could they not also be considered a responsible adult , like many other things , at the discretion of the parent

I'm not convinced they haven't left some wiggle room there .

That is correct; the last line was my interpretation of the policy's application.

 

I believe RCI went to some pains to define and discriminate the difference between 'adults' and 'young adults'. IMO, there is no wiggle room in the policy to permit anybody to declare a young adult a 'responsible adult'.  The potential liabilities of permitting that sort of flexibility/interpretation could be substantial.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, d9704011 said:

That is correct; the last line was my interpretation of the policy's application.

 

I believe RCI went to some pains to define and discriminate the difference between 'adults' and 'young adults'. IMO, there is no wiggle room in the policy to permit anybody to declare a young adult a 'responsible adult'.  The potential liabilities of permitting that sort of flexibility/interpretation could be substantial.

Now what if the 18-20 yr old was the legal guardian for the younger kids?  Yes, an unlikely but valid scenario.

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, d9704011 said:

That is correct; the last line was my interpretation of the policy's application.

As the style of the writing changed, that was crystal clear.  

54 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Now what if the 18-20 yr old was the legal guardian for the younger kids?  Yes, an unlikely but valid scenario.

It's possible that an 18-20 year old could be legal guardian for his or her younger siblings, but -- in such a situation -- I doubt they'd be cruising.  As you say, an unlikely scenario. 

[Ken at the beach]

Just now, Mum2Mercury said:

As the style of the writing changed, that was crystal clear.  

It's possible that an 18-20 year old could be legal guardian for his or her younger siblings, but -- in such a situation -- I doubt they'd be cruising.  As you say, an unlikely scenario. 

Married couples 18 and over or those 18 and over and a member of the military can cruise from Notrh America and could quite conceivably be legal guardians most likely for their own kids. 

[scubaslayer]

On 7/12/2024 at 3:33 PM, d9704011 said:

Wasn't the original question about age and the ability to leave the ship with a secondary question of having a minor accompany an 18 year old?  Nothing about booking cabins or who is in charge of who on the ship.

 

I had actually meant to quote someone else on that first part, as they were stating 18 is not a kid. I appreciate you posting the updated guidelines but do wish it was more clearly laid out for my 2nd question. I think you are right that in this case, they shouldn't be able to leave together. The 18 year old is not listed as anyone's guardian. We are still a year out on getting everything in order and laying down rules for the trip.

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 7/13/2024 at 7:23 AM, Ourusualbeach said:

Married couples 18 and over or those 18 and over and a member of the military can cruise from Notrh America and could quite conceivably be legal guardians most likely for their own kids. 

 

Sorry, my original posted answer was for Carnival, not Royal (I forgot which thread I was on - LOL) 

Edited July 15 by Ferry_Watcher

[TeeRick]

Hi @scubaslayer the easiest thing to do is once on board ask Security your question, although the policy has been posted here.  Ships and ports might have some differences - even for the 18 yr old.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

On 7/12/2024 at 2:48 PM, scubaslayer said:

Always

Okay, I'll give you some then... And yes, I know that this is off topic, but I'm in the mood to rant...

 

I don't know you or your teenagers, so this really is just a general reminder to ALL parents of teenagers...

 

Please make sure that your teenagers know that they are passengers too and that you paid for them to be on that cruise. As long as they are safe and follow the rules, that is all that is really required of them.

 

I think it's hilarious when kids/teenagers do silly things, or in other words, act like kids/teenagers. It brings me back to the days when I was young and did similar things!

 

I get fed up with adults that book a cruise on a family friendly cruise line, and expect there to be no kids in sight! I mean, what did they expect? So if (when?) your teenagers come in contact with a grouchy old couple that tries to tell then what to do, make sure that they are prepared to defend their rights as paid passengers (respectfully)!

 

Okay, rant over. Thanks!