Leaving kids in clubs while on excursions...

[dkal95]

Is that allowed?

I didn't want to leave them all day but my girls both break out terribly in salt water and DH and I really wanted to snorkel and parasail so we'd need to do something with our kids while we did those things. They are 9 and 4 so I know they'd be fine if we left them for a few hours, but is that allowed by DCL?

Thanks!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Yes. It is allowed. We have done it and felt very comforatble on so doing (DS did not want to leave the club to go to the beach--he was having so much fun, so we left him). You should know the pagers do not work when you are off the ship. So essentially you cannot be reached if there is a problem. Some people are more comfortable with this than others. We were okay (nothing dangerous was going to be going on, our son was 6 1/2 and very comfortable, no medical issues, etc.). We did make sure the club staff knew where we would be going (which beach) just in case of a serious emergency. They did note this in the computer.

 

[chake]

I agree 100% with NHdisneylover. We left our son and daughter on the ship while we walked around Nassau for 3 hrs. they were 8 and 10 at the time. When it came time to pick them up and go to Atlantis aquarium they were mad. they didnt want to go. the kids have so much fun in the labs it makes you fell like a bad parent because they wanna stay and not be with you.

 

[JeannieH]

Personally, we wouldnt. Pals saw guests unable to board their cruise ship from tender boat due to bad weather, and were sent to different ship for the night. Nightmare senario.

Also, any manner of things can happen to you while you are off the ship - or to the children who are still aboard. We also witnessed the ship sailing WITHOUT people who had been held up in traffic. Not worth risking it in our opinion. I know the kids MAY be happier in the kids clubs, but for safety's sake, we prefer to have our children with us when in port. Everyone has their own ideas: just wanted to point out some of the pitfalls.

 

[Sauunders]

As long as you book your excursion with DCL - then the cruise WILL Wait for you!!! Don't worry about that one.

The kids will have a BLAST in the kids club.

Remember, the pools may have some salt water in them too, so be sure to "test" them first.

We've left our DD8 the whole day in Cozumel before. We had a great time drinking Coronas on the beach at Rastas & she had a BLAST on board.

 

[aprilgail2]

Personally, we wouldnt. Pals saw guests unable to board their cruise ship from tender boat due to bad weather, and were sent to different ship for the night. Nightmare senario.

Also, any manner of things can happen to you while you are off the ship - or to the children who are still aboard. We also witnessed the ship sailing WITHOUT people who had been held up in traffic. Not worth risking it in our opinion. I know the kids MAY be happier in the kids clubs, but for safety's sake, we prefer to have our children with us when in port. Everyone has their own ideas: just wanted to point out some of the pitfalls.

I agree, this is something I just would not feel comfortable doing.

 

[Epperbiker]

I agree, this is something I just would not feel comfortable doing.

We feel the same way. It's one thing to leave DS for a meal at Palo or Spa treatment, but there is no way we'd even consider leaving the Ship without him. To say that if you are on a Ship sponsored excursion is an absolute guarantee of your timely and safe return is just not true. What if a freakish weather situation arises? What if you are a victim of a crime or traffic accident? And I know this is really "out there", but why would you put that amount of trust in a crew member that you just met like, two hours ago??

 

[LOLA2]

We left DD 10 and DS 5 on ship while we went snorkeling in Nassau. They had a blast. For Castaway Cay the kids club is actually on the island. They set up in a particular area called scuttles cove where they are safe and not by the water. (make sure you bing a shirt, they request that so they don't get sunburned). We wanted to take kids there so we could check out Serenity beach,but the kids were to excited and wanted to be in the ocean all day so that didn't happen.

I say checkmon them every 2 hours or so to make sure they don't want to come out. If you are on an excursion and that is impossible to do, don't worry about it, they are safe on the ship.

 

[Epperbiker]

"they are safe on the ship"

I'm being the "devil's advocate" here, but two days ago, people thought their kids were safe at Virginia Tech.

 

[dkal95]

I understand that every parents comfort level is different. I was only asking if this was allowed or not.

 

[birkner]

I understand that every parents comfort level is different. I was only asking if this was allowed or not.

I think your question was perfectly reasonable. I think the answer is yes, based on your comfort level.

 

[RCBA]

FWIW we left DS in Flounders our 2nd day at CC. The pager worked at Serenity Bay.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

My best friend and I left our kids for a few hours so we could get off at St.Martin for a couple hours...They had a blast and were perfectly safe!!

That was the only time I had ever done that with DCL...I was little worried, but everything was fine and it was a beautiful day and we gave our selves plenty of time to get back to the ship.

I did Leave DD in on RCL too while in Key West since it was a lot of walking and shopping. You are never too far from the ship in Key West.

I just let them know when I checked her in that I would be getting off the ship. Both those ports we had Cell phone service through Cingular. So we actually could be reached if needed.

What every you decide you can leave them if needed.

 

[DrCavin]

FWIW we left DS in Flounders our 2nd day at CC. The pager worked at Serenity Bay.

Yes the pagers will work while on Castaway Cay.

As someone posted earlier, it is entirely your comfort-level...

We went downtown in St. Marten & the pager did work while we were down there. Just hoped back on the water-taxi & came back to the ship...

 

[Ottawacruiser]

We left our children in the clubs while DW and I went to Atlantis. We were told by the counselors that the paging system works over a radius of 5 miles around the ship so we could be reached if somthing came up while we were away.

Luckily, nothing came up but it was good to know we could be reached if necessary!

Regards,
... Mike (The Ottawacruiser)

 

[mermaidbaby]

Yes it is allowed and don't let anyone make you feel bad about doing so. I'm sure these people have left their little ones at school or with a babysitter for a number of hours while they were unreachable at any given moment. You can't keep them in a bubble. Just because it is a ship people get a little weird.

 

[cruisinluver]

Yes it is allowed and don't let anyone make you feel bad about doing so. I'm sure these people have left their little ones at school or with a babysitter for a number of hours while they were unreachable at any given moment. You can't keep them in a bubble. Just because it is a ship people get a little weird.

Sigh...

A school or babysitter cannot sail away if you cannot make it back to the ship!

 

[married2grumpy]

I know the OP's question has been answered but I feel that I have to chime in on this one. On our last cruise our kids, ages 8,7 & 5, did not want to get off at Cozumel. They asked to be left in the kids club and we did so. We left them for 2 hours and although I was a little nervous, I knew they would be fine.

I think that I am an overly protective parent. I won't even let my kids go to the mailbox without me watching them. With that being said, leaving them in a supervised kids program for an hour or 2 while you tour the port is fine, IMHO. I would NEVER leave them alone in the cabin though. I would not be comfortable with that.

As someone said, each parents level of comfort is different. If DCL felt leaving your child while you got off at a port was a danger, they would not allow it.