Allowing DD (10) and friend (9) to roam ship?

[Topscot]

I am wondering how others have handled keeping in contact with their kids while onboard. If we allow our child to sign herself out of the Kids club, to go to, say, the pool, how would we keep track of where she is? She would not have the wave phone with her on the Aqua Duck so how do we keep in contact? This would be the first time letting her have this much freedom so I need a little help on the logistics here. Thanks!

 

[khmz]

My DD was the same age as yours the last cruise. We were on the Wonder and it was the fist time I allowed her to move between the club and the lab. If I went to one area, they could tell me where she was in the computer system.

For other things like the pool, I will say I usually went and checked her out. She made some great friends on the cruise (still pen pals) and on occasion we would schedule the times they changed activities together. In the Navigator we could identify what activities they wanted to do in the lab and then plan on them leaving at a specific time afterwards. That way, the group knew where to find them.

 

[DeniseMarie526]

My son will be 12 when we cruise and I expect I will allow him free roam with the exception of swimming. I will take him to the pool early before the crowd or monitor him at night. Have heard too many bad things about the pool crowds. It wouldn't be good worrying while trying to relax.

 

[wilkeliza]

I am wondering how others have handled keeping in contact with their kids while onboard. If we allow our child to sign herself out of the Kids club, to go to, say, the pool, how would we keep track of where she is? She would not have the wave phone with her on the Aqua Duck so how do we keep in contact? This would be the first time letting her have this much freedom so I need a little help on the logistics here. Thanks!

I wouldn't let a 10 and 9 year old swim on their own. There isn't a life guard on duty and the kids pools tend to always be super crowded.

Wave phones are really the only way to communicate with each other. If say she is going to the aqua duck remind her she must text you when she is putting the phone in the cubby and she is to include the posted wait time and then call or text as soon as she is done. Tell her each time she rides she must text again. Besides that the phone should be close to her.

Just remember if you wouldn't let your child roam alone in say Wal-Mart or even WDW what makes you feel DCL is any safer? Anything could happen do to another passenger or even crew. I don't want this to sound rude so just throwing out that is not my intention. My intention is to get you thinking about what makes DCL safe enough to let a 9 an 10 year old roam what is basically a floating city. Like others have said lab to club gives them freedom to move around but on the boat alone needs some serious consideration.

 

[TXDCLfan]

I am wondering how others have handled keeping in contact with their kids while onboard. If we allow our child to sign herself out of the Kids club, to go to, say, the pool, how would we keep track of where she is? She would not have the wave phone with her on the Aqua Duck so how do we keep in contact? This would be the first time letting her have this much freedom so I need a little help on the logistics here. Thanks!

I would never let a 9&10 year old "roam" the ship or go to the pool on their own. We started cruising DCL when our daughter was 6 and have completed 21 cruises and she is now 18 yo. She did not "roam " the ship until 14yo and had a curfew at that point.

 

[tinkmom2]

I made my DD check in with me at specific times. She didn't like the Vibe when we went in 2011.(age 11) She wanted to do her own thing and hung around with fellow Disers most of the cruise. I purchased a few walkie talkies a few years back for the ship and never used them.
The only problem was that it cuts into adult time (if you know what I mean) Other than that she had no problems around the ship. Most of the time she would end up coming back to the room before her curfew times. I also made the rule she was not to go into anyone cabin or go with anyone but her DD and I. Bad things can happen anywhere but we didn't have any issues.
She would constantly leave the Wave phone in the cabin. We found it useless.

 

[Bonniec]

I would never let a 9&10 year old "roam" the ship or go to the pool on their own. We started cruising DCL when our daughter was 6 and have completed 21 cruises and she is now 18 yo. She did not "roam " the ship until 14yo and had a curfew at that point.

I totally agree. I think it's dangerous at that age and this thread makes me cringe. Cruise ships really do create a false sense of security. Do a search for cruise shop crimes and it's pretty scary.

Anyway OP, to answer your question, you'd have to use the wave phones.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[KashasMom]

I totally agree. I think it's dangerous at that age and this thread makes me cringe. Cruise ships really do create a false sense of security. Do a search for cruise shop crimes and it's pretty scary.

Anyway OP, to answer your question, you'd have to use the wave phones.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Disney cruise ships especially. In light of the recent molestation on the Dream accusations, this thread really makes me cringe. Not sure if the mother of the 9 year old is cruising, but if not and I was the mother, I'd sure want to know that my child will be running around the ship unsupervised.

Wave phones are fine for most of the time but I'd make sure to know when your child is on the move from one place to another. Hopefully your child will remember to call you.

 

[momof2minnies]

My 2 DD are 19 and 21 and I hate it when they roam alone-like someone said it is a city and there has been plenty of info regarding crimes on cruise ships.

No way!


Linda

 

[wallawallakids]

My children were 9 and 11 on our recent cruise. I agree with PP on here. I didn't let my 11 year old sign herself out of the club/lab and I didn't let her walk around alone. I am very uncomfortable with the idea of a 9 and 10 year old roaming the ship. If you do decide to allow them, however, I would think the wave phones would be your only way to keep in touch. You can send messages on them so you could use it like a text. Have her text you before she leaves, when she gets there, etc. I will say we never quite got the hang of the wave phones. They are a bit spotty.

 

[baleeve]

I first thought I would let my 10 and 8 year old have sign in and out privileges if they were together and if they wanted to do the Detective game but after much thought, I'm not going to let them wander without me. I wouldn't let them wander alone at a resort, so I have to remind myself that DCL is no different.

I'm reminded of when my 16 year old DS (at the time) and I took a Carnival cruise just the 2 of us. He met 2 friends that sat at our table (year older and year younger). Well, one night at 11 pm I still hadn't seen him or heard from him since dinner and I was a nervous wreck! I went looking for him in my pajamas!! I know.....not good! Well luckily I didn't find him and saved us both the embarrassment and he returned to the cabin at midnight. I was crazy with worry...and he was 16!!

So I cannot imagine if I couldn't find my 10 and 8 year old when all they were doing was having fun. NO WAY! I value them and I value my SANITY!

 

[luv2sleep]

Would you let them roam a resort, mall, amusement park, etc. alone at that age? The ship is a public place like any other. I would look at it that way.

 

[omalley1118]

My kids will be 11 and 9 on our upcoming cruise. I personally would not be comfortable with this. We sign them in and give them an estimate of when we wil be back, knowing that they can have a CM contact us if they want to leave. We plan to do things together, such as the pool or movies. Last time, they wanted to stay in the clubs more than we expected. Who knows as that was two years ago... I would NEVER trust the pool!!! It is way too crowded and unsupervised for safety. In the end, you have to do what you are comfortable with personally...

 

[Belleluvswdw]

My DD is 14 and DS is 13. I did not allow sign out privilages until they were 12. And they still have restrictions and curfews. I have a magnetic white board on the back of the stateroom door. If they leave a club, they are immediately to go to the stateroom and update where they are headed to. Anytime that their location changes, that is the deal. There are also consequences if we check the location and don't find them...
And no swimming alone. Both have taken swim lessons at the Y and are strong swimmers, but it is the crowds and other rambunctious kids I worry about.

Walkies and wave phones are good sometimes, but not always practical. The white boards have served us well. We also use them to update or locations so the kids can find us if they need us.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

My 2 DD are 19 and 21 and I hate it when they roam alone-like someone said it is a city and there has been plenty of info regarding crimes on cruise ships.

No way!


Linda

Wow really!!! Even though they are old enough to drive, fight a war get married or have kids of their own.

 

[disney1990]

My 2 DD are 19 and 21 and I hate it when they roam alone-like someone said it is a city and there has been plenty of info regarding crimes on cruise ships.

No way!

Linda

Wow. Words escape me.

 

[Topscot]

I wouldn't let a 10 and 9 year old swim on their own. There isn't a life guard on duty and the kids pools tend to always be super crowded.

Wave phones are really the only way to communicate with each other. If say she is going to the aqua duck remind her she must text you when she is putting the phone in the cubby and she is to include the posted wait time and then call or text as soon as she is done. Tell her each time she rides she must text again. Besides that the phone should be close to her.

Just remember if you wouldn't let your child roam alone in say Wal-Mart or even WDW what makes you feel DCL is any safer? Anything could happen do to another passenger or even crew. I don't want this to sound rude so just throwing out that is not my intention. My intention is to get you thinking about what makes DCL safe enough to let a 9 an 10 year old roam what is basically a floating city. Like others have said lab to club gives them freedom to move around but on the boat alone needs some serious consideration.

I would never let a 9&10 year old "roam" the ship or go to the pool on their own. We started cruising DCL when our daughter was 6 and have completed 21 cruises and she is now 18 yo. She did not "roam " the ship until 14yo and had a curfew at that point.

I totally agree. I think it's dangerous at that age and this thread makes me cringe. Cruise ships really do create a false sense of security. Do a search for cruise shop crimes and it's pretty scary.

Anyway OP, to answer your question, you'd have to use the wave phones.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Disney cruise ships especially. In light of the recent molestation on the Dream accusations, this thread really makes me cringe. Not sure if the mother of the 9 year old is cruising, but if not and I was the mother, I'd sure want to know that my child will be running around the ship unsupervised.

Wave phones are fine for most of the time but I'd make sure to know when your child is on the move from one place to another. Hopefully your child will remember to call you.

My children were 9 and 11 on our recent cruise. I agree with PP on here. I didn't let my 11 year old sign herself out of the club/lab and I didn't let her walk around alone. I am very uncomfortable with the idea of a 9 and 10 year old roaming the ship. If you do decide to allow them, however, I would think the wave phones would be your only way to keep in touch. You can send messages on them so you could use it like a text. Have her text you before she leaves, when she gets there, etc. I will say we never quite got the hang of the wave phones. They are a bit spotty.

Thank you for all of the replies! I just wanted to emphasize that it was never my intention to allow my child to wander around the ship completely unsupervised at all times. We have been on the cruise before and didn't let her out of our sight. I was simply trying to feel out what others have done in terms of allowing kids of this age a little more of the freedom that they are asking for. I think that it would be ok for her to be with her friend on the same deck as we are on and I would never allow her to go swimming without me. Just if we were at the pool and they wanted to go on the Aqua Duck, what do they do with the wave phones. She is allowed to walk and ride her bike to school with friends as long as they stick together, what is the difference. I'm certainly not going to let my child go unsupervised for the day. It was more of a question of how often do you keep in touch with your child who might have a phone. They mom of the friend is on the ship with us (as is the dad) and they are comfortable letting them be on the same deck as well. Is it easier to tell them, ok come back in 15 minutes or did you find the wave phone worked well? Last time we were on, I had trouble figuring out how to use them.

 

[linetbo]

When we were at the Dream my 13 DD and the friends she meet there were all time touring the ship. But after seeing the newus of the CM who touched a little girl breast and kiss her I will be more carefull next year on our cruise.

 

[CanuckTraveller]

In a word, no.
ITA with others who say cruise ships, especially DCL, give people a false sense of security. It's not just the crew, you have no idea what type of passengers are on board, just like you don't know who is hanging out at the local mall. Personally I think having sign out privileges optional at age 8 is ridiculous, as it perpetuates the idea that it is safe for 8yo children to be alone on the ship, but I digress

 

[Fielhol]

My 12 yr old will be allowed to sign himself out of the tween club. I don't believe I have another option on this so we are doing the white board thing as well. Including the parents. I will go down and write our location as well in case he is looking for me. And carry the wave phone with me so he can go back to the room and call me when he he is done with the club and I can come get him. Or he can say I'm heading to get pizza and I'll meet you there. But he won't be able to just get up in the morning and take off for the day. Or at night. Once he checks himself out of the club he will be calling me on the phone.