Balcony and kids

[ritarussell]

Please tell me that I'm being overly paranoid. We have a balcony cabin booked for our family cruise in December and I'm getting nervous. My kids will be 6 and 10. Parents that have gotten balcony cabins with your kids, tell me I have nothing to worry about...We will be on the Navigator in a cat D1.

[Design Diva]

I can completely relate to your fears!

 

I have 4 kids, similar in ages and in my opinion, you don't have to worry at that age! It would be VERY hard for them to get over the railing. They would have to get on a table or chair. Also, at that age, they won't be in the cabin without you, right?

Another thing is that the locks on the doors are very efficient and should keep them in.

 

I worry more about teenagers "goofing around" on the balcony (Boys) and some kind of accident happens.

 

So...keep the cabin and have a blast!

[DonnaK]

My girls were 10 and 8 on our first balcony cruise and it was no problem.

[marci22]

The balconies are safe but I will say that on his first cruise, my then 4yo tried pulling up a lounge chair to the railing, to stand on, on the Disney cruise. I immediately told him never to stand on anything near the railing. You just have to think of things you might not have thought of.

[louanne93]

We did it with 4 kids (7,7,11, and 15). No problems. I wouldn't worry about it. What we did was no kids were allowed on the balcony without an adult (except the 15 year old). Period. They all stuck to the rules. They were all more interested in being at the kids club anyways!

[funforsun]

Please tell me that I'm being overly paranoid. We have a balcony cabin booked for our family cruise in December and I'm getting nervous. My kids will be 6 and 10. Parents that have gotten balcony cabins with your kids, tell me I have nothing to worry about...We will be on the Navigator in a cat D1.

 

You have nothing to worry about.

[anchorsaweigh]

I've cruised 3 times w/ son (age at time of cruises 9&12) and always had a balcony. Never had a problem.

[usernameisalreadyinuse]

I had a problem last August with my 12 year old son sleepwalking. We knew he talked a lot in his sleep, but we discovered on this cruise that he was also a bit of a sleepwalker. He actually got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and unlatched the balcony door. He didn't actually get it open and we were awakened by the sound of the wind coming through the door (the unlatching apparantly is enough to release the airtight seal). After that night, we placed many obstructions between his sofa bed and the balcony door. We preferred that he trip over something and bruise himself rather than make it out onto the balcony. We didn't have a second incident, but it was an eye-opener for us.

[nosmothj]

I see most people saying not to worry never had a problem and I would agree. However how many people have any problems to start with. You know your children and how much they like to explore.

 

We have teen agers and had t chance to up grade there cabin to a balcony at on cost. My spouse gave a most clear NO!!!!!!!!

 

So you have to know you children and how much will you worry if they went back to the cabin by them selves.

[CruiserNic]

We did it with 4 kids (7,7,11, and 15). No problems. I wouldn't worry about it. What we did was no kids were allowed on the balcony without an adult (except the 15 year old). Period. They all stuck to the rules. They were all more interested in being at the kids club anyways!

 

This is what I would suggest. Make it clear that they are only allowed on the balcony when an adult is present. At 6 and 10, your kids should be old enough to understand the rule and I don't think you would have many problems. And I wouldn't think they would be spending time in the cabin alone so it really shouldn't be a problem.

[ChristieNJ]

What we did was no kids were allowed on the balcony without an adult.

 

 

That's it. We're taking DD8 on our first balcony in Oct, and those WILL be the rules!!!

[time4agetaway]

I agree that at 6 and 10, most children know how to behave on a balcony. We opted to not get a balcony with our two b/c we still have a little one (3 years old) and our son is autistic, which means he acts first and thinks later. Plus, my daughter loves to climb.

 

Enjoy your balcony. Just be sure to cover the rules with the kids first.

[bubbadog]

you can get a 8.00$ window and door alarm,that you could put on sliding glass door easily,then youd know if they were out there:p ;)

[cb at sea]

Have your kids ever fallen off a house deck? I bet not! They won't fall off your balcony, either! At their ages, they know if you say "Don't stand on the chair" that you mean it, right? The balconies are pretty high--I'm 5'4" and the rail is just at my bust level (and I'm not sagging yet!!!) They would have to really work to "fall off".

[Lisichka]

I spent some time googling this, and never, ever has a child fallen overboard. Never. Children have a good amount of common sense, and generally recognize a dangerous situation when it is presented to them. I remember reading a study once about babies who were encouraged to crawl over a glass plate (comlpetely safe) that was laid over what appeared to be a ravine (this was an indoor study though, and the ravine was just created inside with props). The glass was laid out level with the rest of the floor. Every single baby crawled around the 'ravine'. Even at this age, when they have had no personal experience with ravines, safety issues, etc babies had the common sense to recognize danger and avoid it at all cost.

 

When you look at all the stories of people falling overoard, they are all adults. I dare say, none of them fell overboard accidentally unless they were incapacitated (alcohol, drugs, etc).

 

If you teach your children the safety hazzards of sailing, I am confident they will recognize it is in their best interest not to do certain things.

 

Ignore the escapades of my own 10 year old, who should not be taken as a typical example of other children this age.

[cruiseknots]

On the Jewel, we used the child lock which was located on the oposite side of the door from the side with the normal lock. It is plush with the frame and not even noticable unless you know to look for it. Keeps kids from trying to figure it out.

Have a great cruise!

[piercetc4]

our kids were 7 and 11 on cruise #1 in a balcony- no problems at all-

have a great cruise and enjoy that balcony!