Kids Shipboard Freedom

[Willowwind]

What age do most parents let the kids have some freedom on the ship? You know, let them take care of their own room keys, come and go as they want ect...

I read a post someplace that one mother gave her children (ages 9 and 12 I think) the ability to check themselves in and out of the kids club. I was a bit shocked, then my husband said that's because I'm *way* to over protective and I need to relax. *sigh*

Okay guys... help me relax. My DD & DS will be 9 and 10. We're doing the cruise so that they can have a good vacation without being attached to us the whole time. It'd make sense for me to give them some freedom. But I'm still a bundle of nerves.

What ages do you guys let your kids roam? Does anyone use walkie talkies to keep tabs on them? Is that allowed on the ship?
Do the rails ondeck have plexi glass coverings like on the verandas? I guess I'm sorta scared my adrenaline junkie son is going to fall overboard if I let him outta my sight. He wouldn't jump but I can see him trying to do the "King of the world" thing.

Advice please....

 

[aseafish]

Does anyone use walkie talkies to keep tabs on them?

Absolutely

Do the rails ondeck have plexi glass coverings like on the verandas?

Yes

He was almost 10 & we let him do this as long as he got permission on his radio & we knew where he was going.

this is from a post this morning in reference to leaving the kids club (lab.) I don't think I'd call it "roaming," but he was allowed some latitude.

 

[dylan'smom]

On our second cruise DS signed himself in & out of lab & it worked well - especially for those times he was anxious to leave dinner w/ us to get to an activity or other.

He kept a radio w/ him at all times & we were always in contact (the fellow wine tasters & fellow diners at Palo's gave us grimmacing looks, so we tried to keep the volume down low...)

I should say though he did NOT roam free. He was always in the lab, the arcade (yuk), or with us. The only thing that was a worry was the late evening stuff. He begged to do some late things like the pizza & pool party in the Mickey pool & the later activities in the lab. I was taking that meclazine (sp?) stuff & pooped out around 10 (I won't do that again!). He was good about every curfew, but it felt really strange allowing him to let himself in at 11! Sheesh. I think next time I'll drink coffee or something!!!!

Good luck with your decision. It worked the best for us on the second cruise - I was too worried on the first, so I know how you feel.

 

[BeanoC]

On our last cruise, our kids were 8 & 10. We gave them full sign-out priveleges. They did fine! They know that ship better than we do!
All we did was lay out some guidelines; how long they may be out, they
have to call if they're going someplace other than discussed, they have to
be back to the cabin at X time, and so forth. It's their vacation too!
Let them enjoy it They'll be fine!




'Beano'

 

[Minnee]

I let my DD-10 have Some freedom. She checked herself in and out of the lab, if she left the lab she was to call the room, if we weren't there, she was to leave a message saying where she was going, like the movies with a friend. And she knew I would check to see if she was at the movies. Also, She wasn't to go anywhere alone, always in pairs! If she left the club for ice cream, she had to leave with a friend, and stay with a friend until she went back to the club or to our room. It worked well for us. And we'll do the same this May!!
I think it would really depend on how mature and responsible the children are! My youngest doesn't follow directions well, she likes to do her own thing, so this would work well for her!

 

[AnnMorin]

I guess my opinion may seem overprotective but here goes...
I would never dream of giving my son (9) the "freedom" to roam the ship. On our last two cruises we signed him in and out. We sould allow him to get icecream by himself if and only if we were up on deck. (ie: if we were at the pool he could go but not leave our cabin himself and go) This ship is like a city, there are over 3000 people on board, and in a group of 3000 there are bound to be some bad apples, it would take just a moment to open a cabin door and snatch someone. If you choose to let your child go as they please that is I am sure the right decision for you I would definately insist on the buddy system though!

 

[Michelle]

Only you know your child best. My daughter just turned nine and there is NO WAY I would give her sign out privileges, she is just not mature enough to roam the ship alone.

When she's older, maybe, it just depends on her maturity level at the time. So don't feel like you're being overprotective in the least if you don't give your kids sign-out privileges, plenty of parents do not.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Fawn]

Hi. I'm Joanna and I'm overprotective! (Everybody now....Hi Joanna)

My girls were 10 and 11 last cruise. I did not allow them to roam the ship, but did allow them to check in and out of club TOGETHER after first day if they had a specific place to go. They had their walkie-talkies, and had to let me know before leaving. They were not allowed in the pool unless I was there. Constant communication and check-in were non-negotiable points.

FYI, there was (on our cruise) a roaming group of girls around 10 to 13. They were pretty bad...karate kicking elevator doors, screaming obscenities down halls and running away...and this was just what I saw.

I think kids are going to feel super secure on a Disney cruise, and that is exactly when their guard is down the most. As a previous poster said, there is a bad apple in every bunch, and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[mog]

I have to agree with AnnMorin and Michelle on this. On our last cruise our son was 9 1/2 and we did not give him check in/out privileges. Let me just say that it was not because we did not trust him - he knew the ship better than me and he is very mature and responsible. It is because I don't trust all of the other 2 or 3000 people on board. I'm sure that most of them are trustworthy, but like the above poster said - there is always a bad apple and I don't want to just trust that my children won't run into them! We had friends travelling with us with a 10 year old who did have sign out privileges. We ran into him several times roaming the boat with "nothing to do" and not knowing where his parents were. That bothered me more than the issue of "bad apples". Call me overprotective - I admit it! But I want to know where my children are at all times (at least while they are young enough to need me!)
The next cruise he will be 10 1/2 and I would have to say that right now, I am still not planning to let him have sign out privileges.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

No matter what decision you make, like most of us! you'll probably keep wondering if it is the "right" decisoin. So here is just what we did...

On our first cruise DD was 8 (and at that time 8 year olds were still in the Club) so it wasn't even an option for her. DS was 10 and there was NO WAY he was making that decision.

On our second cruise DD was 10 and responsible enough for that privilege. We did not have walkie-talkies but she would have the lab folks page us so we knew she was leaving and it would be to head back to the stateroom either for a pre-arranged meeting with us to go do something or in the evening to go to bed. DS was 12 and he did have the privilege also but he learned a lesson about being back on time when the last night he didn't turn up until midnight. He lost a couple of privileges when we got home!

Guess it is all part of the growing up process for them and us! Good luck with your decision!

Deb

 

[disney6]

Our DS will be 10 1/2 and this is WHY we are bringing along a friend. They will have sign in/out privileges, walkie talkies, and must let me know where they are at all times and stay together. He was almost 8 1/2 last trip and did NOT have freedom to "roam". He and his friend happen to be very mature, quiet and very responsible for their age but they still need to keep in touch at all times. When we go on shore with out them (they don't want to shop) they will have to stay in the lab with their group (and they have agreed)

 

[Willowwind]

Thanks so much for sharing with me how you all handle your kids at sea. I think by using the buddy system and walkie talkies maybe I can "get over myself" as my husband would say. That's about the same rules as when they get to go play around the sub division. If I caught them screaming and kicking doors though, they would totally be hating life.

Ya know, I can remember being that age and my folks letting me have the run of the magic kingdom for several hours then metting up with them. The world has just changed so much though since then, even Disney's World.

Thanks again!

 

[Wonderwoman1982]

That is SOOO true, about the world being very different. Now it is extremely unsafe. When I was FIVE, we were allowed (with my 2 sisters) to ride our bikes alone pretty much where we wanted. And when I was 7 or so, I was allowed (alone) to ride my bike to friends houses and just be home before dark. I also could hop onto a city bus and ride into downtown to see my mom who worked downtown. Now, my daughter is 7, almost 8, and she can't even play in the front yard.. She will be 8 when we cruise next summer,and I can't forsee me allowing her ever to sign herself out at that age. I don't like the term "overprotective" either. It's called LOVE and caring. Not that parents don't care for their kids when they allow them freedom, it depends on the kid..

 

[Mjasp]

My DD was 10 on our last cruise and she was not allowed to sign herself in or out. On our next cruise, next year she will be 11, at this point in time, again I will not let her sign in or out herself, but that may change in a year. Everyone has to be comfortable with their decision, if you are comfortable with your choice than its the RIGHT decision for you, whatever you decide. There was a girl in the lab last year that was 12 and not allowed to check in or out herself. So its what you are comfortable with.

Enjoy
Joanna

 

[natsmom125]

i too feel I am way to protective of my dd 9 1/2. I won't even let
her go outside to play unless dh or myself is with her. I am letting her riide the school bus home for the first time. The driver
who is very protective of dd, watches her until she gets inside, then she does not go out until I get home fromwork about 20 mins later. Anyway....last cruise we let her sign her self out of
the club to meet us at a certain time and certain place. She did
fine. On our next cruise, we are on Deck 5..so I might let her
sign herself in, with dh or myself watching to see that she gets
there. We are having these discussions at this time.

WE leave her here in the house, with a dog that looks like a small deer, while we go to dinner or to the grocery....she knows the rules and follows them to the dime.

Ecah person knows his/her own child and what is best for that
family. Each family must make their own decisions.

Phyllis

 

[taswira]

Although I don't have kids, I do a lot of observing. It seems the Disney ships tend to bring out the best in children. I guess they feel more at ease, that even though it's a big, beautiful ship, it was designed with so many special areas (all the clubs, etc.) just for them. I have seen small children walking around like "little adults," very well-mannered "roaming the ship" alone or with siblings or friends. But back in January on the Wonder, I saw three kids together at the drink station on deck 9. There was a girl of about 8, a boy maybe 9 or 10, and another boy I'd guess as 11 or 12. They kept getting ice and drinks, mixing <I>everything</I> together, and then dumping them out. The two younger ones were very rambunctious. Then the older boy stuck his tongue on the spout of the coffee machine. They all laughed and ran off. I told a CM what happened, and he cleaned the spout. It makes you wonder what happens when you're not watching. I saw those same kids with their parents (?) at <I>Disney Dreams</I>, and they acted like perfect angels. Mind you, these kids were the <I>exception</I>. I saw plenty of even younger kids totally unsupervised, who were very well behaved.

 

[lsmac]

Although our ds is 12 and will be 12 1/2 when we sail, I worry about him roaming the ship alone. He is very mature for his age and as a whole behaves very well. He is an only child, so is usually around adults, therefore tends to act like an adult. (although who says we act "mature"...right? LOL)
Yes, the Disney ship tends to be "safer" than other ships (we would NEVER have let him check in and out by himself on Voyager of the Seas), but there are still those instances where it is better to be safe than sorry.
All this to ask a question for those of you that bring your children's friends....how do you handle the tickets? Do you pay the whole fare? Do the parents chip in? How is the paperwork and passports etc handled? i am seriously considering inviting one of ds's friends along this trip so that he can "buddy up". For the safety reasons noted within this thread. Just not sure how to approach it? Thoughts? Ideas?
Thanks, Lisa

 

[aprilgail2]

I know when I brought my godkids friends with us and whenever I ta ke my daughters friends anywhere I always pay since I did the inviting and I do the same when I invite them on vacation. We took a 3 day trip to Sesame Place in PA and I paid for my daughter and her friend the whole time. If someone invited my daughter I would assume they were paying but I would send her with her own spending money.

 

[trishy]

My dd12 (was 2 months from 13) had "roaming" privileges with the rule that she check in after certain activities during the day, we meet at 5:00 in stateroom for preparing for dinner, and she come straight back to the stateroom when the lab closed. She did very well except for one night when she was half hour late. The next day she lost her "roaming" privilege and believe me, she learned the lesson. My other dds - 9 and 6 can certainly NOT have "roaming" privileges until they are 13. I've been on 2 DCL cruises and find that there are way too many young children with "roaming" privileges - my definition of roaming is giving them sign in/out privilege because once they're out of the club/lab, they will roam. Like Fawn, I also saw many children running stairs, kicking elevators, pushing the buttons in the elevator to get it "stuck" (one boy lost his shoe in the shaft!!! ), hanging out on Beat Street. However, I also witnessed teens (very few however) that were being beligerent to fellow cruisers (obscenities, mocking behavior, spitballs) - I know kids are just being kids, but there is a level of maturity they must have when in a public place. When you put a group of kids together, your child may be tempted to put on those devil horns for a few laughs. On the security side, would you trust your little ones to roam freely in the Disneyland Hotel or the Animal Kingdom Lodge, for example. To think it's safer being on the cruise ship seems very strange to me. Just one mom's opinion....

 

[Willowwind]

Disneyland Hotel or Animal Kingdom Lodge? I honestly don't know. Fort Wildreness... absolutly! Hrmmmm... should there be a difference, I don't know. They probably have equal "dangers", in fact there may be more dangers at the Fort when you take into consideration the wildlife and bodies of water. But then, are either of those places really any more dangerous than letting them ride their bikes a mile to the park? (Something that they onlt started being able to do this year)

DH and I have been talking about this today and how we'll handle the situation on ship. Luckily, we've got a bit over a year to make up my mind. Our DD Tori (who'll be 10) is very trustworthy, careful, responsible, I don't think I'm going to have any problems giving her a little more freedom. It's our DS KJ (who will be 9 then) that I'm going to have to evaluate closely. He's got a year to "prove" himself. DD Katie (will be 4) doesn't have a choice.

I like the buddy system suggestions and the walkie talkies.
DH and I never had a honeymoon, heck, we dated at Chuck E. Cheese!! This 5th Anniversary cruise is going to be the closest thing to time alone we've ever had!!