Leaving a child on the boat while the rest of the family is in port

[Moxin]

I've left my daughter on board while doing DCL excursions...no matter what, they will get you back to the ship. If you stick with the excursion, the ship waits for you, guaranteed.

When we get off on our own, we took her with us, just in case something happened. It's the risk you take getting off on your own, and I would hate myself if something happened and we missed it. Granted, we never came close to missing the boat, but all it takes is something out of your control to miss it that first time.

 

[jenf22]

I've left my daughter on board while doing DCL excursions...no matter what, they will get you back to the ship. If you stick with the excursion, the ship waits for you, guaranteed.

In Juneau last year, the ship did in fact leave people on a Disney excursion. There were even a couple of crew members left. Bad weather came in and one of the helicopters couldn't get back from the glacier. The ship was late leaving port, but it did leave. Someone from our meet group was on that excursion - they spent the night in a tent on the glacier and met back up with the ship a day later.

Can you imagine if your kids were onboard? I can't. Our son comes with us everywhere. If we want "adults only" excursions, we'll take a cruise just us and he'll stay home with grandparents. We delayed taking our first cruise until he turned 5 so he could do excursions with us.

 

[lilpooh108]

I posted the last thread on this topic and it got pretty heated, although I didn't ask "should I," and instead had asked "have you ever..." in order to solicit experiences with leaving a child on the ship to determine whether we'd be comfortable doing so.

My takeaway is that you should do what is comfortable for your family. Also, your child might be in a different place mentally/socially/emotionally by next year. I would plan your day according to your entire family's preferences and wait until you are on the ship before you (and your child) make the final decision. Good luck!

 

[southerngirl528]

I'm in agreement that a parent has to weigh all circumstances to make a decision like this, as we parents have to do on an almost daily basis. I certainly understand & agree with heightened concerns when the port is non-U.S. Again, what are the circumstances? How old are your kids? How long would you be gone? Where will your offshore activities take you? How close to departure time does your excursion end? Will any family member be either onboard or very close by during that time? Do your kids have any medical/allergy concerns at all? Will you have good cell reception where you could be contacted?

Circumstances of leaving a child in childcare on a cruise bring many new factors into consideration, but in some scenarios, it would be not so very different than leaving your child at the daycare while you were say, across town, in the next town for the day, at work that is not nearby, etc. AGAIN, please don't flame me, reread my questions presented in my first paragraph.

Our granddaughters will be onboard for a very short time while their mom & dad & we are on a nearby excursion in Alaska. No planes or helicopters involved, close enough cell service will be good, and we are scheduled back well before departure time. For us, and all things considered, & especially since it is a U.S. port, we feel fine with this. Another set of circumstances, not so much. To reiterate, only YOU can decide what you are comfortable with and what is right for your child. Either way, happy cruising!

 

[huffjoann]

nope wouldn't do it,, but then again I have an only child and she is very well behaved and does a lot with us. Things could/will happen and you are in a foreign country essentially. Granted they are alone 8 hours a day at school HOWEVER, I could easily call a friend if I had an emergency & needed to be at the school to get her. AND she is surrounded at school by teachers that "know" her not just crew who sees her as another passenger this week.
Also I think of this as a family vacation and while Disney does a great job setting it up so both parents and kids will have seperate fun on board, I think in port you should go as a family.
Here is the other thing I wonder about too, does the wave phone even work off the ship?

 

[southerngirl528]

I don't think the Wave phones work off the ship, and I certainly would NOT be relying on them. I would precheck with my cell carrier to make certain I would have cell coverage, and would most assuredly check that service several times when off the ship.

 

[ers26]

Like others have stated, it all depends...

We left our 9 year old daughter on the boat for a short time as my wife and I walked around Old San Juan and visited a couple of shops. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing an excursion and leaving our child behind.

On that same note, we did a DCL excursion in San Juan that included a tour of one of the forts and the excursion included a DCL Kids Club activity at the fort after the tour. Part of the selling point of the excursion was that while the children were doing the DCL Kids club activity at the fort, the parents were free to walk around Old San Juan and do some shopping, etc.

We thought this was great but again, you have to know your own kid and feel comfortable doing this.

 

[TDC Nala]

A lot of people do this. It's not like the kids are there unsupervised (if you leave them in the kids club....leaving younger kids to wander the ship alone and unsupervised is another matter). You do have to consider the fact that you need to apply to your schedule plenty of time to get back to the ship before it departs. It also depends on if your kids are good with it and won't spend the whole time crying because you left them.

There was a thread on another board where somebody was getting blasted for even considering letting their preteen wait on a bench for 10-15 minutes while the rest of the family rode Haunted Mansion. Totally blasted. Like, being told that the ride meant more to them than the child. So it's not surprising that someone is saying it's wrong of you to do that.

But since the kids are supervised I don't see the problem if the parents are going to run around and then come back to the ship, or maybe if they're on a Disney excursion. Just as I didn't see the problem with a preteen capable of following instructions and independent enough to handle it waiting on a bench or in a gift shop for a little while.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Someone got robbed in Nassau this week and a person tried to help him and got killed; both US citizens & cruise ship passengers.

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/

I realize that you can't go thru life paranoid and we don't, but no way I'm leaving my 6 year old in the kids club while I go ashore to a foreign country.

Just my opinion.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I love Nassau, you know I do. But I'm wondering about your statement. It sounds like it would have been better by your comment for them to have taken their kids with them? They didn't get mugged on the ship, they got mugged in the city and the guy tried to stop it. So by your saying "no way I'm leaving my 6 year old in the kids club while I go ashore to a foreign country," it sounds like you are advocating to bring the 6 yr old to the foreign country, wherein the bad thing happened? Or is it just me.

Also, not all ports are 'foreign'. Would you feel comfortable leaving kids on the ship while you were at Castaway? Don't really see the difference of the CMs on the ship or on the island. You probably agree.

But bad things still do happen, accidents, illnesses etc. Guess I'm glad I don't have any to worry about in the first place!

To the OP, our parents started taking us on cruises when we were about 12. I remember a few somewhat boring choices (bus up the 'rainforest' in San Juan was ok.) but they never took an excursion without us. We travelled as a family, and got to experience many awesome things most lil kids wouldn't get to. Dad took us scuba diving in St Thomas, I mean there was so much we did together. Mom didn't always come (that isn't her thing). But our parents would never have gone off to a bar and left us on board (not their thing again.)

If memory serves, I think the first excursion we didn't take as a family came with our Hawaii trip when my very very soon to be fiance (proposed at the Luau in Maui a few days later) and I wanted to go to the Volcanic Natl Park and they went on a garden tour. I was 20. That was the first time I can remember splitting up on shore.

Now we are all in different states. This last cruise, the two husbands went off and did guy stuff (which ended up being not much) in Nassau while our original family (Mom & Dad and 3 daughters) went to Blue Lagoon. It was an amazing magical time and though we didn't spend every minute together, we got to each lunch together and ride the ferries and do the animal encounters together etc.

There are still plenty of opportunities to relax with a drink on the beach for instance without leaving the kids. I don't have any though, so it's not my problem. Haha! Jk. You can decide for yourself. Growing up from my perspective, I'm so glad our family did the island trips together. Your family may not always be together (as ours isnt') and every moment is precious.

And besides, people give kids waaayy too much input nowadays. So what if they are bored. Try to find something everyone likes ok that offers different things. Go tour a mayan pyramid or float through the caverns of Belize. Any number of adventures. If the kids ever, ever complain on a cruise, well that's ridiculous! Cuz you took them ON A CRUISE! Kids need to learn some 'ppreciation!

 

[Silverfox97]

I love Nassau, you know I do. But I'm wondering about your statement. It sounds like it would have been better by your comment for them to have taken their kids with them? They didn't get mugged on the ship, they got mugged in the city and the guy tried to stop it. So by your saying "no way I'm leaving my 6 year old in the kids club while I go ashore to a foreign country," it sounds like you are advocating to bring the 6 yr old to the foreign country, wherein the bad thing happened? Or is it just me.

Also, not all ports are 'foreign'. Would you feel comfortable leaving kids on the ship while you were at Castaway? Don't really see the difference of the CMs on the ship or on the island. You probably agree.

Yeah I'm taking my kid with me. Period. Not leaving her on board at Castaway either. Or even in Alaska - a US state!! Just my preference and opinion. Safety aside, it's a family vacation, the activities are done as a family. In my family growing up, this was not a discussion, nor is it an option for our daughter now.

I'm not saying anything bad or specific to Nassau, because that can happen anywhere in any port or city, foreign or not. Hell, we could be walking Key West and one of us could get mugged.

Bottom line, I'm keeping my kid with me.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Lisa Lisa]

Here is the other thing I wonder about too, does the wave phone even work off the ship?

The wave phones only work on the ship and at CC.

 

[NFLDERS]

There are very strong opinions on this one and probably best if you do a search for more information.
We do not leave our children aboard ship alone. There are many situations that could (and do) occur where you cannot or do not make it back to the ship, despite your best efforts and intentions.
Wile in port, we choose activities that everyone will enjoy, it has become a fun part of our trip planning. We have climbed pyramids in Belize, gone to museums and hung out at the beach, all with children under the age of 8 yrs. I find e
Involving the children in the choice of port adventures is the key to a pleasurable experience for everyone.
Good luck with your choice.

One incident comes to mind. A mother that had to leave the ship with young daughter in Nassau. The ships Medical Staff helped get her to the Hospital. Appendicitis was the diagnosis.

Her DH and another of their children were unaware and somewhere on the ship. Turned out she could be sent back to the ship with. Medication until they returned stateside.

The mother worried about the total separation if she had needed surgery; And the ship sailed. They just made it back with ship med staff help.

 

[KLK622]

Maybe I am a horrible parent, or maybe I just do not know proper etiquette, but should I be ashamed because I leave my 8 year old on the ship playing while the rest of us look at museums and other things that he finds boring?

We left our 13 month old in the nursery and lots and lots of people were doing it (nursery staff were encouraging it), so no matter what anybody says here you will NOT be the only one leaving your child on ship. We never travel without international cell service so nursery did have a way to reach us and we had a way to reach them in the event of a true emergency. Also, we just went to the beach and made sure we left 2+ hours before the ship was set to sail...with that amount of time we could have walked back to ship if needed. Obviously you need to do what is comfortable for you and bad things can happen anywhere, but we felt very comfortable with our decision.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

delete

 

[KLK622]

I am afraid that is not correct..........they will make the best effort to get you back to the vessel, however the vessel will only wait so long............after that if its a Disney excursion, they will pay to fly.get you to the next port.

AKK

I think this is where you have to use your judgement...don't book the excursion that gets back just right before the ship is set to leave or one that requires extensive travel away from the ship if you plan to leave your child on board.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I've left my daughter on board while doing DCL excursions...no matter what, they will get you back to the ship. If you stick with the excursion, the ship waits for you, guaranteed.

When we get off on our own, we took her with us, just in case something happened. It's the risk you take getting off on your own, and I would hate myself if something happened and we missed it. Granted, we never came close to missing the boat, but all it takes is something out of your control to miss it that first time.

I am afraid that is not correct..........they will make the best effort to get you back to the vessel, however the vessel will only wait so long............after that if its a Disney excursion, they will pay to fly.get you to the next port.

It has been reported on the dis and on other sites\ and to the best of my knowledge, also in the contract.

AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I think this is where you have to use your judgement...don't book the excursion that gets back just right before the ship is set to leave or one that requires extensive travel away from the ship if you plan to leave your child on board.

Every parent has to make their own choice.........As I said, we would not leave our young children on the ship and go ashore!

When it comes to ships......nothing is guaranteed, just to many things can happen!


AKK

 

[kaseyC]

I think this is where you have to use your judgement...don't book the excursion that gets back just right before the ship is set to leave or one that requires extensive travel away from the ship if you plan to leave your child on board.

Yes. From the OPs prior posts they are on one the Med cruises, many of the cities they will be touring are quite a distance from where ship docks, an hour or more.

 

[Moxin]

I am afraid that is not correct..........they will make the best effort to get you back to the vessel, however the vessel will only wait so long............after that if its a Disney excursion, they will pay to fly.get you to the next port.

It has been reported on the dis and on other sites\ and to the best of my knowledge, also in the contract.

AKK

The only time I've ever been delayed getting out was due to an excursion coming back from St. John...we waited 2 hours for them before we left. There were about 30 folks on that boat.

Maybe there's a size limit?

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I probably wouldn't leave my son onboard without me as he's quite shy in new situations and both him and I would feel more relaxed knowing I'm nearby. However, as a full time working mum who's had her son in some kind of childcare from the age of 6 months, I am in no position to pass judgements on those parents who do it.

IMO, cruiselines wouldn't provide this as an option if the chances of something bad happening were high. Remember that the media and people on forums don't report the thousands of incidents that happen without issue - just the one or two that do.

I don't think you can worry about things such as fires as by this reasoning you'd never send your kids to pre-school, school, or any place where they are being looked after in a building. I am also confused by the argument about crime in Nassau as I would much prefer my son was onboard having fun without me than standing beside me witnessing a crime.

However, I do understand the concerns regarding being late to the ship and I agree that picking an outing that arrives back anywhere near the time the ship is due to depart is, IMO, not a good idea. Nor would I risk picking an excursion that was miles and miles away e.g. on another island. However, in such an unfortunate (yet rare) situation, I like to believe that the crew on the ship would do a pretty good job of caring for your child. In some ways I think the trauma would be worse for the parents than the child.