All you parents out there! What "rules" did you enforce while cruisin'??

[IvyandLace]

Just a question in preparation for our family cruise this coming November (7-day Eastern)...my nephews will be 16 and 12 and my niece will be 14. My sister and brother-in-law may or may not be coming so I'm wondering what "rules" should be enforced on the cruise and how to go about doing this. I know the obvious: no drugs, no drinking, etc. I'm talking about specific "gettin'-through-the-day-so-that-every-day-runs-smoothly " rules. I just want to keep these kids safe while they have a wonderful vacation! Please help! Any ideas or tips will be helpful...I will pass them along to my sister if she does get to come cruisin'.

Thanks!
IVY

 

[lookingforward]

We have sailed with our kids on many cruises (not DCL yet..Sept). We let them have some space to enjoy the ship and activities. But I realize that ships are like towns...all kinds of people (good and bad) can be onboard and parents should never forget that. Now that I have said that..I discuss safety at length with my kids. The first rule we have is to check in periodically and they need to be back in the cabin by 1 a.m. (14 year old) or 11 p.m. (11 year old) unless they have something specific to attend. Leave a message in the cabin or use a radio. Second rule is to NEVER go into anyone else's cabin without my express permission. Kids will tend to make fast friends with others on the ship but I relate going into a cabin with someone they don't really know to going to a strangers home. They can call me and let me know where they will be, with whom, etc first!

Many of you might think I am paranoid or too strict but it works for me and my kids. It just takes a second to communicate with each other! As for my high degree of safety planning..well that is because I am a social worker for a police department in south florida. I have seen it all and I hold no illusions!

 

[Tluvs2talk]

MY husband and I took my Niece age 13 and Nephew age 10 with us on a 4 day Disney cruise. We typed up a contract that we had them sign. It stated important things like Never go in anyone's room under any circumstances. No running up and down hallways or banging on doors for fun. Staying in touch with us at different times that we arranged. Being polite and and respectful of others. I have a great Niece and Nephew and we all went over the rules together. I am very protective of them and love them as if they were mine. We had a wonderful cruise together and went on another cruise together recently.


Teri

 

[traycie2201]

Same goes for me, i expect the same rules to be followed on the cruise as any other holiday and at home. I don't think they are too strict and i am very easygoing but i'd still like to be able to find him in an emergency and i don't want him spoiling other peoples holidays either.

They are

Remember this is someone elses holiday too not just your own so don't do anything to spoil their time.
Don't do anything that can hurt you or anyone else
Be respectful and polite to everyone you meet including CM's and other cruisers.
Be back at the room / arrranged meeting place when we agree that you will be.
Spend only what you've been allocated for the day / cruise - those keys are tempting !
Always let us know where you're going if it changes from plans
Let us know before you go into a friends cabin so that we can find you in an emergency.
Dont order too much from room service
Have fun

 

[Scooby3x1y]

I agree. I'm very strict (& paranoid) and my kids happily abide by the rules. I'm probably going to take our 2-way radio's so the galavanting kids have to check in leaving one place to another.

However, they definitely won't be galavanting anywhere from the time we see the show and have dinner for the rest of the night. This may be the paranoid part, but after it starts getting dark, they will be with me and we'll do together whatever they want to do. I'm not worried so much about what they'll do, but what may be done to them.

Their safety is my first concern, and IF we decide to leave after they've gone to bed, it will be only if they know and have radio's close at hand.

DS's 13,11,10 & DD 8.

See ya October 9!!!!

 

[traycie2201]

we've got late seating too Lori so i'm with you , at 10.30 which is probably when we'll finish dinner, unless he's going back into the kids club we'll probably just go to the family bar or arcade with him, i'll see how it feels onboard before i set him free.

 

[RellingTwin]

All of the above, plus:

No playing on the elevators

Leave the room if housekeeping comes to clean the cabin. (They will not clean it if the kids are in the room)

 

[KarenB]

We have a 14 and 15 DS and they are pretty responsible. Besides the basic "respect to others and property" rules, they must communicate with us (notes, check in times, etc), meet us for meals, and never ever go into someone elses cabin.

Karen

 

[figment52]

When my sister went she left a small legal pad in the room and everyone (mom and dad included) were instructed to write down the time and where they were going whenever they left the cabin. That way if anyone was looking for someone they just checked the "log."

The kids were 12 and 14 and it worked very well. As a bonus it helped once they were home and were trying to remember what they did and when.

 

[invaderzim]

My DD was 15 on our last cruise. She was allowed free reign of the ship as long as she signed in and out in our stateroom. In other words, if she said was going to the teen club, fine. But if she then decided go to the pool or the theater or wherever, she had to first come back to the room and write it on the pad we keep on the desk so we would know where she was.

Also, she would get us an extra Teen Navigator and highlight all the activities she was interested in and would be attending. Then we would know where she was during those times

The only two steadfast rules we had were: Always have dinner with us, and must always go ashore with us at the ports. We did not require that she be there at breakfast or lunch, and she had a great time and we were very comfortable with her responsibilities. Of course we made it clear that she was under no circumstances to go back to anyone's stateroom with them -- even just to see it -- or roam the ship with kids she doesn't know and go into out of the way places. Not that I am paranoid, but let's face it -- we don't know these other children and they don't know my daughter. I don't want her getting cornered anywhere or getting into mischief or be in places she shouldn't be allowed. The teen club, theater, restaurants and pools are plenty of "hang out" places to go with her new found friends.

But she's a good kid with a good heart -- and your children will be fine as long as they know the basic rules! Have a great trip.

 

[SchultzFamily]

Thanks for starting this thread! Our first cruise is coming up soon and this is something my husband and I have been talking about a lot! I really appreciate everyone's input and think we will be using a combination of everyone's suggestions for our DS15 and DD10. Love the sign in idea!
Vickie

 

[Dizzyworld]

I like these ideas. Taking notes of things I might not have thought of. This is my children's 3rd cruise, but they are old enough for a littl more freedom this time. One of our rules is no climbing on anything on an open deck or verandah. Feet on deck at all times. If something is flying away, let it go.

Those of you who give your children a radio, how to help them not to loose it?

 

[IvyandLace]

I have enjoyed everyone's input on this matter of "rules" for kids while cruising. Now I need to know...what would be the best punishment if a rule is broken aboard the ship?? Did your kids know what the punishment was before boarding...or did you just "make something up" as needed for the moment? Also for those with older kids, what curfew did you make for bedtime and what did you do if your kids broke that...go looking for them??

My older nephew will be 16 at the time of our cruise, and I'm a bit afraid that he will have a difficult time making curfew especially since the teen clubs have a tendency to stay out late. What will happen when he doesn't show up in the room...we have to go searching for him?? Then what?? He has to stay in the room/not go to teen club?? Just would like a few more specifics if your kids broke the rules and things that you would suggest to make things run smoothly. The kids WILL be required to eat dinner every night with us (except the one night all adults will be eating at Palos), and I'm still unsure how to handle excursions if my sister/BIL don't come on the cruise with us. I also like the idea of the "log"...but, once again, can almost "predict" my older nephew conveniently "forgetting" to put his whereabouts on the log in a timely factor, making the log worthless...AND making us go on at least one race around the ship. This is the type of behavior that I already know will be a problem and am trying to find ways around it.

Did you as adults use the log accurately as well...that is, every time you went somewhere different, you came to the room to "log" in? Was wondering if this got to be inconvenient at all...

Thanks for my many "ramblings"...the more I know now, the easier it will be to relax while "on board"!

IVY

 

[DisneyCruiseluvr]

We've taken two-way radios on a cruise before, but we never found them to be very convenient to use on the ship. For one. the kids didn't feel like lugging them around everywhere and we found most of the channels to be very busy.

I'd like to hear from anyone else who has taken two-way radios on board and I'd like to know if they used them or didn't use them.

 

[mickeyboat]

We took them on our cruise but only used them once. When DD3 fell asleep in our cabin, DH stayed with her and fell asleep. I put the radio on his chest and took DD4 to Bingo. He knew just how to find us when he woke up. No problem with range or business. Can't hurt to take them. They don't take up too much room.

Denae

 

[figment52]

Originally posted by IvyandLace
I

Did you as adults use the log accurately as well...that is, every time you went somewhere different, you came to the room to "log" in? Was wondering if this got to be inconvenient at all...

Thanks for my many "ramblings"...the more I know now, the easier it will be to relax while "on board"!

IVY

By the adults using the log too it actually encouraged the kids to use it too. There were times when they wanted mom or dad, checked the log and found them. They saw the value in it right away.

The extra navigator is a great idea as well as color code highlighters, a different one for each person in the cabin - at a glance you can search by color to see where someone wants to go.

I can't give you any ideas on punishment as we had no problems. i don't know what my sister would have taken away. You'll have to find something that is very special to them and does not take the fun out of your vacation to enforce it.

 

[disneyholic family]

when we sailed 2 years ago, DS was 15 and DD 18...
DD stayed with us all the time as there was nothing for her to do (no organized activites for the old teenager age group )

As for DS, the 15 year old.....he spent almost all of his time in common grounds (the stack on the magic) or in CG activities..
however, our rule was he had to be with us at all meals, at the show and in nassau...
other than that he was free to come and go as he pleased....we were long in bed before he came in for the night (CG activities go until 2 am)....

 

[JerseyMom]

Originally posted by lookingforward
Many of you might think I am paranoid or too strict but it works for me and my kids. It just takes a second to communicate with each other! As for my high degree of safety planning..well that is because I am a social worker for a police department in south florida. I have seen it all and I hold no illusions!

I don't think that is being paranoid at all. I think it is very reasonable.

BTW, I really like the idea of the log - I will have to keep that in mind for when DS is a little older - he is 9 now and I am not yet ready to let him roam the ship without either me or DH other than when he is with his Kids Club group.

 

[invaderzim]

Just be advised that some of the teen club activities can go until one in the morning or later. But you are aware of what they are from the teen navigator. If he shows you the navigator and highlights what activities he wants to take part in, that would be one way of knowing where he will be and at what time.

As far as the convenience of signing in and out -- we, too, would jot down where we had wandered off to in case my daughter returned looking for us. If she was leaving the teen club to just "wander the ship", then that's all she had to write down. We didn't need to know where she was every minute, just a general idea of what activity she was doing. And sometimes we would set a meet up time for lunch or something after a particular activity ended.

 

[kcashner]

I guess I've been really spoiled. DD (13) has been cruising since age 4, on DCL since age 7. The only rule I set on our last cruise was a midnight curfew which could be changed for specific activities in The Stack as long as cleared with me in advance. I also specified that she couldn't go into anyone's cabin under any circumstances.

All the other things--respect for fellow cruisers, property, self, etc. she knows and wouldn't think of abusing. That's the part where I'm spoiled--I don't have to specify all the details.