Curfew

[jad7984]

Did not realise this thread would have such longevity! From reading the RCL website I am not sure that they do ACTUALLY have a company wide curfew. It sounds like the curfew is enforced by the captain and this would explain why it is enforced on some ships and not others. Because it was Spring Break the captain may have put the curfew in place, even though there was not that many teenagers on board. Could somebody please confirm does RCL have a system wide company curfew or not? I do think it is unfair for a cruise line to have a policy which is not enforced through out all their ships. You should know what to expect before boarding! Also the previous poster will get flak for saying Princess is a step above RCL although I muat agree with him.

 

I don't think there is a company wide curfew, though I'm not sure. I'd like to know though, just because I'm curious.

 

Yes, Princess is a step above RCCL. Just a little more formal, more marble on the ships and IMHO, the food is a little more fresh and upscale (more sushi, caviar, higher quality beef). Not that the food on RCCL is bad -- in fact, I found the food on the Mariner to be great! Entertainment, however, is a little better on RCCL, IMO.

[TinaMarie3170]

I personally believe that teenagers have curfews at home so why would a cruise be any different? I think it's great the cruise ship in doing their jobs and enforcing the rules.

[HunnyBunnyTink]

So then you already know what lines to cruise if you don´t agree with RCCL´s rules.

 

Well, I have to say that Carnival was the second worse cruise line I had ever been on, next to HAL which was the worse as when I was onboard their idea of a childrens program was, stick them in whatever room is unoccupied at the moment. Even though I have heard that there have been many improvements it does not make me feel better that the average age on a HAL ship is older than my parents (56 and 54). Celebrity was a bit better but their activities for the teens werent fantastic which is why I like RCL better because they cater to kids more than most other lines. Norwegian and Princess, although I have not been on either do not seem like lines I would like to sail. My friends uncle was a captain of Crystal Cruise Lines for many years and I have heard that Princess and Crystal do compare in many ways and sound more snobby than RCL. As for Norwegian, I am not against sailing on it but I have not heard enough about it to make an informed decision.

 

As I will be 18 or older on my next cruise the curfew will not apply for me but I am still a strong opponent in it. There is nothing on a cruise ship that I have not seen living in Las Vegas.

[ruttie]

Ok having read through many of these posts I thought i would chime in..

Several posts have mentioned that the curfew is not strictly enforced fleet wide but on this cruise it was:rolleyes: Well then that should be a pretty good indication that even if you never noticed them doing wrong or making noise that obviously something about what they were doing caught the attention of those in charge:rolleyes:

and I am of the opinion that while it sounds nice that a curfew is enforced for the safety of teh minors i would hope that a curfew is enforced for teh comfort and enjoyment of all the passengers!

[MNCruiser_21]

Did not realise this thread would have such longevity! From reading the RCL website I am not sure that they do ACTUALLY have a company wide curfew. It sounds like the curfew is enforced by the captain and this would explain why it is enforced on some ships and not others. Because it was Spring Break the captain may have put the curfew in place, even though there was not that many teenagers on board. Could somebody please confirm does RCL have a system wide company curfew or not? I do think it is unfair for a cruise line to have a policy which is not enforced through out all their ships. You should know what to expect before boarding! Also the previous poster will get flak for saying Princess is a step above RCL although I muat agree with him.

 

Here is what I found on RCCL's site regarding the Guest Conduct Policy.

 

[url=http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/Guest_Conduct_Policy.pdf][/url]

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/Guest_Conduct_Policy.pdf

 

Curfews

Ship’s management reserves the right to enact curfews on an individual, group, or ship-wide basis, if in

the sole judgment of the ship’s Captain, such steps become necessary to ensure guest or crew safety.

[jad7984]

Here is what I found on RCCL's site regarding the Guest Conduct Policy.

 

 

Thanks! I'm sure they enforce the curfew during peak sailing times and spring break (though they didn't on the Mariner during spring break!!)

[Fran Harp]

Couldn't agree more. I disagree with a curfew on cruise ships for anyone.

 

As a mother of four and now grandmother of three, I agree with a curfew for kids 17 or under. No matter how good the kids may be on their own (and no matter how strict the parents think they are), when they get in groups the pack mentality often takes over. The curfew is for the safety of the kids, but also for the comfort and safety of the other passengers.

 

I didn't read the whole thread to see if it's here, but I understand on the Easter cruise on Radiance there were over 600 teens on board. The Captain was clear that any teen over 17 not in a supervised activity and/or not with a parent was required to be back in the cabin. Good for him.

 

Some of you may have forgotten the chocolate fight on the other ship (Carnival was it?) which turned into a near riot and security did almost nothing. Or the kids who were getting drinks at the bar when they were underage (parents not watching, obviously.) The bartender lost his job, but so did the captain - for not enforcing the rules.

 

...and if one of your kids got drunk and went overboard, I bet you'd be suing the cruise line for not enforcing their rules...

 

Curfew is a good idea......and I'm glad to see it being enforced.

 

Fran in Toronto

[KarinaGW]

I apologize if this has already been brought up in the latter half of the thread, but the first half was all "yay royal caribbean" or "but's it's their vacation too" and I got bored.

 

Can I point out the very real fact that when puberty hits, one of the big changes is in the teenage circadian clock, it knocks it back 2-3 hours out of sync with the adult clock. What seemed like a good bedtime at 11 and again at 25, is just not as possible during the teen years. They're not staying up late only because they want to but because they're bodies want them to.

 

From http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/teen-sleep.html who says it in more plain English than a lot of sites:

Teen brains have different circadian rhythms 24-hour sleep and wake cycles from those of children or adults.

 

The circadian rhythm of adolescents pushes their "natural" sleep onset later in the 24-hour day, making them feel most comfortable when they go to bed late and awaken late. In teens the circadian rhythms keep them awake later at night and signal their bodies to sleep later in the morning.

 

 

I completely understand about roving bands of kids on ships...they're not fun. Neither are drunken adults (but, I digress...this is really not meant to be a compare and contrast posting). However, these kids really are not physiologically able to wind down as early as their parents would like.

 

I tend to agree with an earlier poster that a teen spot be created that's open til 2 or so that really is just for the purpose of sitting and schmoozing and that between say midnight and 2, they can only be in their cabin or in this room...anyone in a location not on the way to their cabin or this facility is subject to curfew penalties.

[Marla07860]

I'm 18 and I have only been on one cruise line, Disney Cruise Line. Twice when I could go to the stack I was 13 and 17 and last cruise I could go to Rockin Bar D since I was 18 on my next cruise I will be 20 and I think DCL is a good cruise line for teens, kids and adults, and it doesn't have curfews and most of the times us teens were usually good just walking around the ship from the movie theater, to the atrium, etc. I am going to go on RCCL one day, I mean it, and curfew is good to have, except on the last night it should be allowed till 2:00 for teens and stuff because I know on my cruises your usually going around getting people's e-mails, taking pictures and just having a great time.

[js]

Its really not that new a rule.........under 18 has to be accompanied by an adult after 1am.........thats fine by me........

 

Ditto.

 

As a mom of a 9 year old and 13 year old, it is most certainly fine by me too!

[annierie]

Some of you may have forgotten the chocolate fight on the other ship (Carnival was it?) which turned into a near riot and security did almost nothing. Fran in Toronto

 

Actually, the rownie riot was on Princess, you know, the cruise line without a curfew that's a "cut above" RCI. ;)

[MEGADAN]

I applaud RCCL for enforcing the 1am curfew. My son is 15 and his curfew was 1am last year, which was too late as far as I am concerned but I am glad to hear I will have some support enforcing it this year. Kids do not need to be out that late.

[Trich64]

I wonder why some parents don't step to the plate and parent their kids. No 13 year old needs to be wondering a ship at 1 in the morning, if their parents think it's okay, then they really need to give their head a shake.

 

My sister in law works for one of the cruise lines and there are some tales that have been told. A cruise ship is city unto itself, and if you think that letting your kids run wild on your city streets is the answer, then that is what you think. I think that it is a brutal thought though, and these parents should start taking good looks at them selves.

 

As for the person who quoted all this study stuff about teenagers body clocks and how it's different, the kids can go back to their cabin and stay up all night if they want, and be totally safe.

 

Lastly, I am a mother of an 11yr and 16yr, we are cruising in Dec. Ours is to be a family vacation and we are all looking forward to it. If my husband and I want to be alone, we'll go away ourselves.

 

Have a day:rolleyes:

[SimplyAddicted]

After reading this thread, I can understand both perspectives and sympathize with both. I had graduated high school, was working full time, and was living in my own apartment at 16. Having complete freedom in real life would make it a huge annoyance to be restricted on vacation. To be honest, I would probably have broken that rule.

 

That being said, I actually agree with the idea of a curfew. There are reasons that rules are set and it is good that they enforce them. Unfortunately, there are many rules that exist that restrict us due to the actions of a few. You'll run into that even as an adult-sometimes even more frequently. The best reason for the curfew that I have heard is safety.

 

There are many that break rules. Most of you can't say that there is never a rule that you have broken because you do not agree with it. You just have to know that there can be consequences for breaking those rules. Be willing to have them enforced and accept them if they are.

[MNCruiser_21]

There is another thread started up regarding how an adult found his 13 year old son in another teens cabin sipping down 'screwdrivers'. Whether there is a curfew in place or not, the real answer is to keep track of your children and realize where they are and what they are doing.

It doesn't sound like a curfew would have helped in the other posters situation since they were in another stateroom.

[Suzanne74]

I think change was prompted by the case where an underage girl (unsupervised) was drunk as a skunk in the late night hrs- & of course the cruise line was blamed 100% Teens roaming & sititng in stairwells is not a good thing--after they enjoy the teen lounge it is time to go to the cabin under parental supervision & maybe rent a nice movie!

 

Or how about the 20yr old drunk girl who toppled off the balcony with a 22yr old on the Crown Princess 2 wks ago? I am sure her parents are looking to sue who ever gave her the alcohol. It wasn't their fault at all - right? ;) This news flash I think prompted ALL cruise liners to enforce their curfews. Again, it is for the safety of YOUR kids - not to punish them. While your kid may be perfect, there are kids in the "pack" that are not or at least want to act cool and be the "bad a*s" and we all know how easily teens can be persuaded. Do you want your 17yr old daughter sitting nicely in a lounge causing no problems at 2am to be approached by a group of drunk 21yr old cute boys who say they have booze stashed up in their suite and they are going to party. Wanna come? One girl says cool let's go! Are you 100% POSITIVE yours will say no thanks and walk away around all her new cool friends and a bunch of hot older guys??

 

 

Parents need to know where their kids are, whom they are with. Just because they are in their room does not mean they are safe either. Look at the post above. It is shown time and time again in multiple surveys that kids, while they complain about curfews and punishments, actually prefer to have THAT kind of parent then the "cool friend" parent. PLEASE parent your kids and make them responsible adults. What are you showing them about you or what you want them to be, when you allow them to break the rules? Don't cruise RCCL if you don't like it. PERIOD.

 

The ship is a small city and things can happen, kids look older and get approached, people go missing, asaults occur, date rape drugs are given, kids get alcohol. It is infrequent but the quote that nothing good happens after midnight is SO true. Parents that are complaining about the curfew, why oh why do you even want your kids out after 1am? Do you see how the adults on that ship are acting at that time? If they stay out to 3am - what kind of sleep are they possibly getting? Are they doing any ports or excursions at all? I am sorry but RCCL shouldn't have to enforce this curfew - YOU, the parents should. I applaud RCCL for enforcing the rule it is just a shame they have to enforce it SO much.

 

RCCL pays the extra security to do ALL the enforcing (while the parents are elsewhere) and all these kids get are escorts back to their rooms? What keeps them from not going back out again, especially if their parents are still out? How about a $50 charge on your parents Sea Pass card the first time, $100 on it the second time and 3rd time, a bon voyage party at the next port. I am sure more kids and parents would be more willing to follow the rules. If I can get charged $20 for leaving my towel at the pool by accident, they can certainly charge unsupervised kids that security has to take time to escort AT LEAST that much.

 

Whew - off to bed. :D

[PEGLEG]

 

RCCL pays the extra security to do ALL the enforcing (while the parents are elsewhere) and all these kids get are escorts back to their rooms? What keeps them from not going back out again, especially if their parents are still out? How about a $50 charge on your parents Sea Pass card the first time, $100 on it the second time and 3rd time, a bon voyage party at the next port. I am sure more kids and parents would be more willing to follow the rules. If I can get charged $20 for leaving my towel at the pool by accident, they can certainly charge unsupervised kids that security has to take time to escort AT LEAST that much.

 

Whew - off to bed. :D

 

Good idea, only I would vote for $100 on 1st offense and bon voyage on 2nd. Especially on short cruises.

[Suzanne74]

Good idea, only I would vote for $100 on 1st offense and bon voyage on 2nd. Especially on short cruises.

 

I agree. Some parents might not care about a $50 charge.:rolleyes:

[winer]

Before we even went on our cruise on the Serenade 3/31 we talked to our teens aged13 and 14. We gave them a curfew of 10:00 pm and they were thrilled with this!!! Then we got on the ship and things for this age don't even start until ten. So I made it 11:00. My daughter was the only one that had to leave her group at 11pm. After a few nights of her returning promptly at 11, we extended it, especially to go to the midnight buffet. At home, my teens are never ever allowed to stay out till midnight. Even on new years eve! This curfew is totally exceptable. I love that Royal Carribean even has a curfew. There was never a problem with unruly teens aboard the ship and it was spring break.

[davidcraig2003]

I can completely see why the need for a curfew exists, however, i believe in these circumstances it should only be enforced when required.

I'm 17, studying at University and living by myself. The thought of being ordered to a room at midnight at this age is rediculous providing no disturbence is being caused.

It should be used with discretion. If a large group of teens are gathering that are likely to intimidate other passengers, enforce it.

If teens are disturbing other passengers, enforce it.

If teens appear to be under the influence of alcohol, enforce it.

But i strongly disagree on forcing two 17 year olds back to a cabin who are doing nothing more than engaging in conversation.

[RareBird]

why bring back old threads? let this one lie till next spring break :)

[Mikew0805]

It re-surfaced because someone found a post they wanted to comment on. If anyone else does not want to read it, they should pass it up! :rolleyes:

[Enchantment 04]

I am 17, and think that the curfew is really annoying. Its our vacation too!!!! do you think teens like to go back to their cabins at 1am? NO! I am going to college this September as a 17 year old. I know I do not want to be told to go to bed at 1 am when I'm in college. :eek:

[Merion_Mom]

Joe, I went to college as a 17 year old, too.

 

And I am eternally grateful that my children believe me to be a stick-in-the-mud who has always been a rule-following goody-goody. :D

 

Curfews, particularly on floating cities with 4,000+ human souls living in close proximity, are a good thing. :)

[willysgrandma]

I don't know......when I was 17 I stayed out until 2am all the time. We never did anything bad and never got in any trouble. I could understand if they were bothering people. But if they are just hanging out in a lounge and talking whats the harm. Maybe they should have someplace supervised just to hang out.

 

 

I would imagine that RCCL did this after too many complaints about rowdy behavior on their ships. I can tell you we've experienced issues like this on some other cruise lines.