Cruise for Middle Schooler

[buzz2400]

On a cruise, I would not let my child whether boy or girl go without me unless they were maybe 16. First, communication is very expensive and you might not even get service on a cruise. If you want to check on them it would be very, very hard and very very expensive. Second, mexico is very unsafe with the drug lords. I won't even go to mexico. If the trip was in the continental USA I would say yes. Then you can always check on them. Remember that poor girl who disappeared in Cancun. My son is 19 but I was never over protective of him. However I would not have let him go on a trip like this. I watch too many shows on investigave discovery where young kids go missing. Just recently I saw an episode where a young girl asked to go to North Carolina (I believe) for spring spreak. Mother said no but the daughter lied and went anyway (said she was staying with a friend). Anyway, one day while she was walking from one hotel to another, she just up and disappeared. They have surveillance of her right before she disapeared. So I am very skeptic about letting someone actually watch my child, especially on a cruise where I am sure the adults are going to be on "vacation" also. Think long and hard before you decide. Maybe your family can take a cruise together.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Unless I was going too, there is NO WAY I would let my child go on this kind of trip at 12.

 

[TLuvsD]

Check Safety Wise...or whatever they are calling it these days. Adults don't sleep in the same room/tent as girls.
As far as letting her go, how long has she been in the troop, how well do you know the other adults, what are they doing while in Mexico (ie can they just stay on the ship or do a cruise shore excursion)? Has she cruised before? In some ways 12 is a good age, no one will serve the girls alcohol, the cruise lines have activites for that age group, they are often happy just hanging out by the pool.
We did the Mexico cruise a few years ago as a family...the water can be rough, so sea sickness is possible (we've cruised multiple times as a family).

 

[CarlisleMom]

You have to go with your gut. If you trust the leaders, I would most likely let her go. I would verify that the adults are staying with the kids if they leave the ship.

I grew up being a girl scout. Between 6th and 11th grade, I went to Disney World 2 times and to the Virigin Islands. My parents went on one of the Disney Trips ( I was in 7th grade) but I did not spend time with them. At Disney we camped. We never had adults in the tent with us. On the Virgin Islands, we stayed at a small resort in different little cabins, again no adults in the same cabin with kids).

 

[tlbwriter]

You should know that it is encouraged by Girl Scouts (at least at my council) that girls have their own room. As long as the chaperones are in a room next door or across the hall, I'm not sure what the problem is with that. Before going on either of our cruises my girls had to agree to a long list of rules which included never being without a buddy (and of course lots of other safety rules - some specific to ships some just general safety, like never letting anyone in your room even if they work for the hotel/ship). I presented these rules in a contract form and made them and their parents sign it. My girls understood how seriously I took safety rules (with the "buddy" rule being right near the top), so I never had an issue with them breaking those rules.

But this same troop had rules on the last cruise, including the buddy rule, that were ignored. Even if I felt a cruise was a good idea in principle, I'd have a problem the leadership of with this particular troop, where rules were ignored and parents were told their girls would be in a room with an adult when that was not the case. I wouldn't let my child go unless I was going.

 

[summerrluvv]

If my child was under my constant supervision the entire time then yes. If the child is to go alone with the leaders on shore excursions in Mexico, no way.

 

[bellebud]

no one will serve the girls alcohol,

not always true!! On a recent cruise, my 11yodd (she was 10yo on the cruise) had been ordering virgin daiquiris at the bar a few times. One time, she thought it looked funny, brought it to dh to check it for her, and yup, full of alcohol. Mistake on the bartenders part I guess, but certainly, easily, happen.

 

[msmayor]

Curious which Carnival Cruise this might be, because I don't see any 3-day cruises to Mexico in late 2011. I see a 5-day out of San Diego but that only sails until March of 2011.

Everything else out of San Diego is 7, 8 or 9 nights.

 

[tinkarooni]

No way. IMO these are little girls, and I for one want mine to stay little for as long as possible. A 12 year old girl out of the country with some parents who aren't me to chaperone, no way not happening.

There is plenty of time for kids to see the world, it just seems to me that we are pushing them to grow up so fast. When I was growing up we went on camping trips with our cousins and drove to Disney every now and than with Mom and Dad to see the mouse. Girls Scouts on a Carnival Cruise .

Disclaimer: This, of course is only my opinion, no offense to others who agree with this idea or who have done it, I usually keep some of my opinions to myself around here but this made me fall off my chair. Feel free to flame me if you wish but there is no way my opinion will change.

OP listen to your gut, if DH or I were going to go I would be OK with that, but I agree with PP I wouldn't allow anyone in my family to go to Mexico right now. Good Luck!

 

[Darcy03231]

I'm a frequent cruiser and Carnival is the line we cruise the most. My kids have been on multiple cruises at a young age. Having said that, I wouldn't let my 12 y.o. go on a cruise, especially to Mexico, unless I was with her.

 

[disneyofcourse]

What a great opportunity! I got to do lots of traveling at a young age and had amazing experiences.

 

[soonerfan2008]

No way, not unless I was there. And, I was a very, very independent traveler at a young age (went to Germany at 16 for 6 weeks without knowing anyone as part of a Rotary exchange).

I would not object to the idea of a cruise as educational (European, Alaskan, Hawaiian and some others). I would not object to the idea of Mexico as being educational, especially the ports near Mayan ruins. My entire concern would be based on the current conditions in Mexico, the length of the cruise (3 and 4 day cruises are notorious for being more popular with singles and couples), the particular cruise line (and yes, I've cruised Carnival many times, some of which were with my own kids) and the things that happened on the last cruise. Carnival doesn't do port talks outside of shopping information, they don't have a cultural program, they have things like Hairy Chest contests, bingo, poker tournaments, etc.

I'd suggest a different cruise or a different destination.

 

[Hannathy]

Does Council allow leaders to sleep in the same room as scouts? I can only speak for Boy Scouts and Girl scouts through 8th grade. But, adults and kids on our trips can't stay in the same room.

This! I'm extremely surprised adults are allowed in the same room. I know Boy Scouts don't allow it and Our schools and my Sisters schools don't allow adult chaperones in the same room.

I would have no problem allowing my DD to go on a 3 day cruise without me. Heck my DS 12 is going on a 77 mile canoe trip for a week without me and there are a lot more dangers there than on a cruise ship!!! 12 yr olds aren't babies.

My only problem would be the Mexico part. If they are going on shore I would say no for the safety in Mexico right now. Staying on ship ok. or anywhere else great, have fun but not into Mexico right now.

 

[bwilcox]

I would say go with your gut. I think moms usually have a pretty good intuition when it comes to their children.

 

[MSSANDRA]

No way would she go without me and right now I would not want to go to Mexico so......neither of us would be going.

 

[bellebud]

one of the stops isn't here, is it?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110108/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

 

[luvmy3]

No ******* way

 

[bettyann29]

This ones easy for me..

The answer is NOPE.. If I didnt go, neither would my child.. For various reasons.. First of all it doesnt sound like they would be chaperoned appropriately.. and to Mexico? Not without me..

If I was going, I would have no problem with it..

 

[gillenkl]

Absolutely not, no way, no how.

 

[luv2mickey]

There is no way I would let my child go? Have you ever chaperoned an overnight trip before? If so you know that most the parents are less responsible then the kids, and then you always have the one kid who has not been brought up to respect the rules that can get everyone in trouble. 12 is way to young why do we feel the need to rush are kids?