Sending 11 year old on shore excursion from Carnival

[VeniceLady]

I'd like my eleven year old grandson to enjoy shore excursions but they're not for me. What's the solution?

 

Thought: It would be convenient, and considerate, if all cruise lines had a "posting place" on board where people could seek others of similar interests...dancing, astrology, writing, bridge etc. Would make cruises even more fun.

Liz

[BrendaB1]

Not sure, but I wouldn't think Carnival would allow any unaccompanied minor on any shore excursion. Only solution wiould be you join him or he misses out. Good luck.

[nofishforme]

I have read on an other post were camp carnival will take the older kids on a shore excursions so i woold look into the camp as soon as you get on the ship

[GoinCruisin]

Is anyone else going with you? The solution would be to send along another adult family member/friend. Obviously you don't want your 11 year old grandson going off in a foreign country with a stranger... so I'm not sure what sort of suggestions you are looking for... If nobody else is going with you, I would suggest either sucking it up and going to make your grandson happy, or having him not go. Perhaps he will meet a friend who is going on an excursion with him parents, but even then, that's allowing him to go off in a foreign country with people you don't know, no clue whether they will watch out for him, etc. Also see if CC has any excursions???

[buddyjo143]

I'd like my eleven year old grandson to enjoy shore excursions but they're not for me. What's the solution? Liz

 

I found out after my Dad died that he and my Ma did lots of things that they did not like because they were doing it for us.

 

Being a mom or grandmom or, in my case, aunt, often means doing things we don't really like so that the kids in our life can experience something that they like.

[LHP]

It depends on the ports you are going to.

 

There are some excursions that you could compromise on where he would get the experience without you having to do it. One that comes to mind was the Zipline in Puerto Vallarta. Hubby and oldest son both did it, (booked the independent tour through Los Des Vernos for $72.00 each) and I had the option (for $30.00) to ride along and wait for them at the restaurant where they "landed" after going through all the ziplines.

 

If he wants to snorkel, you could go in the boat with him but actually not snorkel if you are not into that.

Perhaps there are excursions like that where you could go (to be there for him) and still not have to participate.

[mikefast]

There is absolutely no way that I would let an 11 year old go on a shore excursion without me by his side. Kids go missing here in the states, and it is a terrible experience. If something happened in one of the islands, or Mexico, or whereever, what would you do if you don't even speak the native language. Some people may feel comfortable with it, but I couldn't. I think LHP has the best solution.

[florida cruiser girl]

I would never allow my children to go on any trip, long, short, near or far (and most especially to a foreign country) with anyone (grandparents included) without having the guarantee that that person would not leave them alone and would accompany them throughout the trip. This is a crazy world we live in and I know I could never live with myself if I was in charge of someone else's child and something happened.

Like the previous posters state...go along or he has to stay behind. Trust no one with your precious grandchild!

Hope you all have an enjoyable time!

[bojncin]

I don't think Carnival will let a minor off the ship without a responsible adult. I know that when my son went thru security they looked at me and/or my husband.

[Keke1031]

I would also suggest you find something that you can go along but not have to do the excursion. Also you can try doing a beach excursion, that way you can lay on the beach while he swims, that way you can still keep a close eye on him. Also I would suggest doing like a glass bottom boat. We did this excursion and it took no effort to get on and off the boat. Good luck with whatever decision you make for you and your grandson to have a good time.

[onceagain]

I have a 10 year old GD and I do SO many thing with her that wouldn't be my first choice, or even second sometimes, but because I know she enjoys it, I go along with her. Those are probably going to be the things she remembers most some day when I'm no longer here. When we schedule our shore excursions (we usually go with her and her mom and dad) we always consider what she would enjoy before we book them. Life's too short to miss out on fun times with my granddaugher, just because the activity may not include something I'm thrilled about. Go and have fun, you never know, you may enjoy it too! :D

[VeniceLady]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. I thought someone might have had experience hiring Carnival staff. Surely, if they can be trusted to entertain kids on board ship, I'd trust them on a tour. At 81, it's not only that I've done it all, but I'd probably croak on a long hike in the forests of Belize or climbing tall pyramids in Mexico...then who'd spend my kids' inheritance! I've done the "ride and wait" bit with older grandkids years ago, but realized I might as well wait on the ship for all the time I spent with them on the tour bus.

[starketcher]

This past MIracle cruise, I saw a grandma, grandpa (they were 60ish or more) and their grandson who appeared to be around 12.....I assume she was a CC member since she was doing a couple excursions that were not widely known, but widely talked about here...

 

Anyway, the grandma hung right in there with the grandson --- she played in the water, kayaked, did the ruins. Gramps watched, but I had alot of respect for Grandma and thought what a lucky kid! What great memories that boy will have. I am mid-40s and I had a super grandmother, but she was old or acted like it.

[Hot Hockett]

i don't believe CC does the short excursions unless they're in Club 02, though I could be, and probably am, incorrect

[wentworth]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. I thought someone might have had experience hiring Carnival staff. Surely, if they can be trusted to entertain kids on board ship, I'd trust them on a tour. At 81, it's not only that I've done it all, but I'd probably croak on a long hike in the forests of Belize or climbing tall pyramids in Mexico...then who'd spend my kids' inheritance! I've done the "ride and wait" bit with older grandkids years ago, but realized I might as well wait on the ship for all the time I spent with them on the tour bus.

 

Venicelady... I admire an 81 yr old grandmother taking her 11 year old

grandson on a cruise and understand that you wouln't be able to hike

or climb. You can however do the less extensive excursions such as

the beaches. Depending on the beach there are plenty of activities

that he could enjoy with you watching. Please don't let him go anywhere

without you, I would not even hire Carnival staff to take him off the ship

along. Its just not safe. An other option is for both of your to stay on

the ship and he can do the planned activities with Camp Carnival.

 

Enjoy this cruise with your Grandson!!!

[GoinCruisin]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. I thought someone might have had experience hiring Carnival staff. Surely, if they can be trusted to entertain kids on board ship, I'd trust them on a tour. At 81, it's not only that I've done it all, but I'd probably croak on a long hike in the forests of Belize or climbing tall pyramids in Mexico...then who'd spend my kids' inheritance! I've done the "ride and wait" bit with older grandkids years ago, but realized I might as well wait on the ship for all the time I spent with them on the tour bus.

 

I don't think Carnival allows the renting out of the staff... Have never heard of anyone hiring someone for an excursion. Even so, I don't know that I would do it... it's still a foreign country, the person would still not be a relative, etc. Just because they can entertain kids on a ship, doesn't mean you should be so trusting as to allow your children/grandchildren to go off in a strange country with them. Just MHO.

[Kittybork]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. I thought someone might have had experience hiring Carnival staff. Surely, if they can be trusted to entertain kids on board ship, I'd trust them on a tour. At 81, it's not only that I've done it all, but I'd probably croak on a long hike in the forests of Belize or climbing tall pyramids in Mexico...then who'd spend my kids' inheritance! I've done the "ride and wait" bit with older grandkids years ago, but realized I might as well wait on the ship for all the time I spent with them on the tour bus.

 

I admire you for taking your grandson and understand that at 81 you might not want or be able to do the things he wants to do. Like many others have said, it would be very risky to allow him off the boat without you. If you can't find something that both of you would enjoy, stay on the boat. The world is so different now.

[TCF]

I have to agree with those who are saying, if you can't go, then he shouldn't go!

You are probably correct in thinking an 11 year old would love a shore excursion...but I think just cruising with Grandma is going to be a great experience for him!

You haven't said where you are cruising, but if I might be so bold, there are some excursions that require very little exertion...I know because they are the ones that I can do safely.;)

On Grand Cayman, for example, there is the Turtle Farm...bus ride, short walk, see the turtles, relax in the cafe...it would be perfect for an 11 year old.

Cozumel has an Atlantis submarine that is really an underwater bus that leaves half a block from where the ship ties up...(check this out because sometimes you have to tender in Cozumel so you might not be up to that). What 11 year old wouldn't go crazy to ride around for an hour in a submarine 100 feet below the surface?:D

So you don't have to go zip lining to have fun...there is stuff for those of us who don't get around so good any more.:D

No matter what you decide to do, or can do, just have a wonderful cruise with your Grandson!

Tom&Deb:)

[gnocchi_mommy]

A really easy one that might interest you that they seem to offer in many ports is the glass bottom boat tour. I've done those before and believe me- you pretty much just sit there and say "oh look, a fish! Oh look, another one. Oh it's a fish. Hey, I could swear that there is another fish..."

 

Also, see if any of your ports offer the Atlantis submarine tours, we did that in Hawaii and again... oh look, there's a fish!

 

Those are absolutely not labor intensive, and kids like them... just wear am nice wide brim hat and bring some bottled water. :)

[carnicrew]

hey there, just thought i'd let all of you know that all junior cruisers must be accompanied off the ship with an adult over the age of 18. Carnival does not hire out staff to take anyone off the ship. And camp carnival does sometimes offer tours in selected ports, but for teens only!

[amarco]

True Story:

 

When my daughter and her girlfried were about 11 or 12, we went on a cruise to St. THomas. The girls wanted to snorkle but no one else wanted to go. SO>>> thinking that it would be ok for them to go on a snorkle trip from the ship since they would be picked up and dropped off right by the ship, we signed them up for the snorkle trip to St. John (this was almost 20 yrs. ago).

 

THey went and had a good time, no problems getting to St. John with the tour group or getting the transportation back to the ship. However, the driver stopped in downtown St. Thomas for people to shop. Everyone got off the van, so the girls did too. THey were all by themselves in town. Luckily there was another couple who also got dropped off when the thought they would be taken back to the ship. These nice people saw that the girls did not know what to do (since the girls thought they would be dropped off at the ship). THe nice people paid for the cab ride for themselves and the girls back to the ship. We were all on the Commodore ship Caribe and it was docked not at Havensight but at the other dock on the other side of town (I forgot what it is called.)

 

If it were not for these nice people, I can only imagine what would have happened to the girls. They did not have enough money for a cab ride for the two of them. Also, the snorkle tour said nothing about being dropped off for shopping in downtown St. Thomas. If it had, they would not have gone.

 

After this experience, I would never allow a child to go on a tour by himself.

[angelkisses]

I'm a little confused VeniceLady and I don't mean to sound like a Smart A_s. The week before Thanksgiving you were going on HAL cruise and was looking for singles that liked to dance and you even posted that you were looking for ....

"Anyone traveling alone who'd like to bounce off the ship with me in port, let's meet up".

 

Now .... I think your 11 year old grandson would be a perfect mate to bounce off the ship with. What types of shore events did you participate in with HAL? You sounded so full of energy and enthusiasm. Is there anyone else accompanying the two of you on this cruise? Please tell us where you are going and perhaps some of us can offer some great alternatives to the typical excursions.

[VeniceLady]

I'm a little confused VeniceLady and I don't mean to sound like a Smart A_s. The week before Thanksgiving you were going on HAL cruise and was looking for singles that liked to dance and you even posted that you were looking for ....

"Anyone traveling alone who'd like to bounce off the ship with me in port, let's meet up".

 

Now .... I think your 11 year old grandson would be a perfect mate to bounce off the ship with. What types of shore events did you participate in with HAL? You sounded so full of energy and enthusiasm. Is there anyone else accompanying the two of you on this cruise? Please tell us where you are going and perhaps some of us can offer some great alternatives to the typical excursions.

 

Angel, I'm laughing my head off. There are lots of things I like to do, but some are "once is enough" and some really are too strenuous. True, I'm not the usual 80 year old and can dance all night, (sitting out now and then is the secret) but, if there were counselors who took responsibility for kids on excursions, taking my grandson's common sense into consideration, I wouldn't hesitate to send him off...anymore than I'd hesitate to let him roam free on board with his walkie talkie or join in the kids' activities with the counselors. In short, I'm not a worrywart, having travelled alone in places where scaredy cats wouldn't dare roam. I'm familiar with most all of the Caribbean ports and excursions, but have never taken my younger grandshildren. Surely, I wouldn't risk my grandson's safety, but I'm getting a kick out of the advice of young 'uns...that is, kids under 70!!

Thank you again and of course, I'll have a great time on my cruise starting Saturday as well as when I do take my grandkids along.

[Kittybork]

Venicelady,

 

You have obviously been blessed by a good life and great luck. Please do everything in your power to see that your grandson has the same opportunity for a long, happy life. Don't send him roaming alone on a ship or, even worse, on an island in a foreign country with strangers.

 

You'd never forgive yourself if something happened to him. Would his parents ever forgive you?

[HurricaneSally]

I have to tell you Venicelady, I wouldn't allow my children to go on a cruise with ANYBODY 81 years old, what are they thinking? Why not just give them the money to take a family cruise, so they can watch their kids while they're on the cruise.

 

I would never let a child run around with a walkie talkie alone on a ship with 2000 strangers.