Can a 23 year old attend the 18*21 year old activities on the cruises?

[MakiraMarlena]

mental age is not factored in. in fact it was the relaxation of this policy that led to a legally adult but mentally not who grew obsessed with a teenager that ended in tragedy. now they are VERY strict on age limits across the board.

i don't recall any such thing ending in tragedy. There were no deaths, assaults or injuries. The guy refused to leave this girl alone. He would be hanging around outside when the family left their stateroom. His father refused to tell him to back off and in fact was offended that his son was being accused of stalking. There was a confrontation between them and the girl's father, and the cruise was pretty much ruined for the girl's family because there was no authority put forth to keep this man away from her, but I don't recall any tragedy. That word made it sound as though deaths or injuries were involved.

It is said this incident is the reason that no adults are permitted in the youth clubs when they are having secured programming (parents dropping kids off). This includes adult caretakers of special needs children. In fact, if there is a guest in the teen club who turns 18 in the middle of the cruise...they are out. There are open house times in all clubs where anyone can attend. This is considered a reasonable accommodation in that it allows anyone to use the clubs during those times, including children who require adult caretakers.

The 18-21 group is a bit loose. There is no way a 23 year old would be allowed in the teen activities, regardless of their mental age. But you would have to ask on the ship about the 18-21 group. Unfortunately you cannot be told at this time that she will be made welcome "without question." You will have to ask, and accept the possibility that the answer could be no. For nearly 30 year olds...it's even more of a gray area.

 

[SMD]

i don't recall any such thing ending in tragedy. There were no deaths, assaults or injuries. The guy refused to leave this girl alone. He would be hanging around outside when the family left their stateroom. His father refused to tell him to back off and in fact was offended that his son was being accused of stalking. There was a confrontation between them and the girl's father, and the cruise was pretty much ruined for the girl's family because there was no authority put forth to keep this man away from her, but I don't recall any tragedy. That word made it sound as though deaths or injuries were involved.

It is said this incident is the reason that no adults are permitted in the youth clubs when they are having secured programming (parents dropping kids off). This includes adult caretakers of special needs children. In fact, if there is a guest in the teen club who turns 18 in the middle of the cruise...they are out. There are open house times in all clubs where anyone can attend. This is considered a reasonable accommodation in that it allows anyone to use the clubs during those times, including children who require adult caretakers.

The 18-21 group is a bit loose. There is no way a 23 year old would be allowed in the teen activities, regardless of their mental age. But you would have to ask on the ship about the 18-21 group. Unfortunately you cannot be told at this time that she will be made welcome "without question." You will have to ask, and accept the possibility that the answer could be no. For nearly 30 year olds...it's even more of a gray area.

I think people got the Autism on the Seas incident confused with another incident where a minor was raped on a Carnival cruise.

However, I do think the DCL stalking incident borders on tragic in that a family was harassed and ridiculed by representatives of a travel agency who profit by selling special interest cruises, and think that gives them the run of the ship. And it's pretty tragic that DCL apparently didn't side with the family of the teenage girl.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes I was thinking this was the reference to the Austim on the Seas incident, as that occurred on a Disney ship.

Apparently the young man in question who wouldn't stop following the 15 year old girl was the son of the Autism on the Seas director or some such thing. He was 23 years old but allowed into the teen club as a "staff member" for Autism on the Seas and that is where he encountered this girl, whose family complained that he was harassing her because he followed her around the ship and showed up at her stateroom at all hours knocking on the door and trying to get her attention. At one point the family claimed they were afraid to leave their stateroom. The man's father refused to acknowleged that his adult son was doing anything wrong. DCL refused to do anything about it, some say because they didn't want to offend the owner of an agency that gave them so much business. But soon after that, the youth club policies changed to exclude adults entirely other than DCL youth counselors and other crew members (like performers), with the introduction of scheduled "open house" hours when anyone could attend.

 

[CarolAnnC]

1) What are the normal activities on a cruise?
2) What are the normal activities in a theme park?
3) Should Disney not offer accommodations for any activities at WDW or DL because they are not normal?

The normal activities on a cruise for adults include adult specific such as alcohol (must be age 21+) adult swim areas (18+) Palo restaurant and any specific activity listed in the daily Navigator stating so, plus all other activities except the Kids Clubs.

Disney Cruise Line is not subject to the U.S. laws as it is flying under the Bahamian flag, therefore ADA does not apply. That being said, they do make the ship and activities as easy to maneuver as possible, including disabled staterooms, etc.

The young adult group you are referring it, by my experience, mainly consists of meetings at lunch, conversations in that age group, etc. Even if they don't specifically exclude someone, I highly doubt it would be interesting for anyone over that age who can attend other activites, demonstrations, etc.

When my daughters were in that age group, they never went as they were so busy. Good luck to the O.P.

 

[stitchlovestink]

The normal activities on a cruise for adults include adult specific such as alcohol (must be age 21+) adult swim areas (18+) Palo restaurant and any specific activity listed in the daily Navigator stating so, plus all other activities except the Kids Clubs.

Disney Cruise Line is not subject to the U.S. laws as it is flying under the Bahamian flag, therefore ADA does not apply. That being said, they do make the ship and activities as easy to maneuver as possible, including disabled staterooms, etc.

The young adult group you are referring it, by my experience, mainly consists of meetings at lunch, conversations in that age group, etc. Even if they don't specifically exclude someone, I highly doubt it would be interesting for anyone over that age who can attend other activites, demonstrations, etc.

When my daughters were in that age group, they never went as they were so busy. Good luck to the O.P.

Bolding is mine....

I am sorry but you are most definitely WRONG on this statement! Cruise ships that sail in American Waters are clearly subject to complying with the laws of the ADA. It doesn't matter what country they register their ship with...if it sails in American Waters, IT MUST COMPLY!

Here's one of many lawsuits that was won...based on discrimination of a disabled person. The ship was flown under the Flag of Bermuda.


http://www.ada.gov/ncruise.htm


Maybe you are thinking of airlines... They don't have to comply with ADA but have to comply with the ACAA (fairly similar to ADA but more specifically for flying.


And to whomever posted about older young adults bringing alcohol into the group.... Well that comment just doesn't make good sense because if the group is 18 to 21, well the 21 year olds can LEGALLY bring alcohol into the group. This group is fairly loosely formed and someone who is a few years older isn't going to be 'shunned' from attending. While a CM may assist in certain elements of this group (setting up meeting places if they want to use a 'restricted area' or getting them 'supplies' such as board games if they want to have a board game time, or access to VIBE for video game competitions, etc... things like that), the CM is not going to go thru and ask each individual how old they are and then tell them they need to leave based on age. DCL is VERY STRICT about its age for the teen clubs but beyond that, everything else is based on Adult (18 or OLDER) with the exception of alcohol which would be 21.