Safety concerns

[lbgraves]

I have also felt a sense of security on the ship but our kids are only 4 & 6 and a long way from that kind of independence. I use to feel safe in my own home too but things can happen there too as we have unfortunantly seen on the national news. A little over protectiveness can go a long way.

 

[the kabuki]

Here is usually what threads that ask these kind of questions turn into... this one got really ugly quickly, probably the uglest thread on this board I have read in a long while....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=732529&highlight=check

I don't know about letting 9yr olds roam on the ship, as I have never been on the DCL cruise , but thanks for the juicy thread!!!

Gotta go, got me some readin' to do

 

[the kabuki]

Here is usually what threads that ask these kind of questions turn into... this one got really ugly quickly, probably the uglest thread on this board I have read in a long while....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=732529&highlight=check

I'm on page 5, starting to get a little ugly!!!

 

[westjones]

Just a note to everyone planning thier first Disney Cruise with kids in the 11-12 year old range, we took two cruise last year and our twins were 11 on both of them.

As much as it seems like kids are not given a lot of freedom on the ship (based on responses from this board), the thing is EVERY child that my kids made friends with WERE given a freedom to go around the ship as the pleased. My kids were mad that I would ONLY let them go back to our room (again our room was on deck 5 right around the corner from the lab--we pick that location on purpose so that our kids can easily return to the room on their own without having to walk by a lot of other staterooms).

At one point, my DD checked herself out of the lab and brought back this 10 year old girl to our room to ask if they could go swimming. I told her that we could go then (and our rule is that there is no swimming unless we are with them). I asked if they wanted to go back to the lab, the other little girl said NO, so I offered to walk her to her room (she thought I was crazy). My DD and I walked her to her room, but there were NO parents. I asked her what her parents rule was about being in the room alone without them and she said they didn't care. So I told her to lock the door and we left her (they were in a Cat. 3, so they were on deck 8). After about 1/2 hour we went on deck 9 to get pizza and we saw this girl (NO parents) swimming alone in the pool. She could do whatever she wanted to do, her parents didn't care.

Then my DDs made friends with some other kids who could go to the arcade and buy as many cards as they wanted (my kids couldn't charge on their KTTW cards) and be there by themselves whenever they wanted.

So, my point is this. As much as it seems like (bases on responses from this board) that parents DON'T let their kids 10 and older go around the ship on their own, when you get there you will find that just isn't the case. I was the 'mean' mommy because I only let my kids go back to the room by themselves. But based on what you would read on this board, that is too much to allow an 11 year old to go back to the room by themselves.

Also, I will say that until my DDs turned 11, (we had been on 5 cruises at that time) we did NOT let them check themselves out or be in the room alone. Many kids do this before 11, but my didn't.

I'm not saying to do what other do, I am just saying that you should be prepared to be the 'mean mommy or daddy' because most of the other kids in the 11-12 year old range are going to be coming and going as they please. You have to set the limits for your own child, but be prepared to find out that parents are a LOT more relaxed with rules on the ship than it would appear from the posts you read on these boards.

Anyway, have a great trip, and you will figure out what is right for you and your kids while you are on board. I told my kids I would decide while we were on board what the limits would be, and as week progressed our rules relaxed a little (but never to the extent of all of their new friends).

Good Luck!
DJ

 

[crisi]

We like the rooms right off the elevator lobbys. Usually there are people coming and going and it keeps us out of those tight (and sometimes deserted) hallways. I never thought about doing this for safety reasons, I just hate those tight hallways!

 

[Kissimmee_Family]

Well I did get a diversity of opinion. And I got a partial answer on what the actual ship rules are. Seems each parent sets their own limits for the most part.

I did look around on the internet for evidence of past problems on Disney Cruises without success. A few references to other adult cruise lines but on balance they either keep it quiet or it is not a common problem.

As I pointed out to my wife. Everyone onboard had to leave their passport or other identification plus a credit card with the cruise authority. Except in port, when the kids will be with us full time, their is no way to leave the ship. It simply seems like a poor choice of venue for an ill intentioned person.

If Disney did not screen the crew well or work to provide a safe environment and incidents occurred, it would be a public relations nightmare. We have lived beside Disney World for 15 years and I have followed the evolution of security there. In 1990 it was wide open, you could drive and self park at any Disney resort without being challenged. Following some incidents in the late 1990s every entrance was security gated with video and or guard supervision. Since 911 they require a drivers license to enter.

I still have a disagreement with my wonderful wife. I feel they are old enough to be allowed to go get an ice cream as long as they tell us where and when. She is unconvinced. So I guess I'll do the "Halloween compromise". I had this same issue with their older siblings, they wanted to trick or treat with friends sans parents. So I agreed. But the wife and I bracketed their group from a discrete distance. Their self reliance grew and we kept them safe. Sort of a win win. Maybe I'll take the same tack on the cruise. Let them think they are flying free while papa and mama bear hover near by.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[lbgraves]

Just wanted to say that Americans do not have to leave any kind of ID with anyone and they definitely don't need to give them a credit card. Each person does need to have their KTTW card with them to leave or return to the ship and adults do need to show a picture ID to return. We did need to show our BC at check in but they stayed in our stateroom safe during the cruise.

 

[TheWog]

Who wants to bet this gets ugly????

Put me down for 20

 

[Kissimmee_Family]

Just wanted to say that Americans do not have to leave any kind of ID with anyone and they definitely don't need to give them a credit card. Each person does need to have their KTTW card with them to leave or return to the ship and adults do need to show a picture ID to return. We did need to show our BC at check in but they stayed in our stateroom safe during the cruise.

I think you are right. Last time I cruised I had not naturalized yet and they did keep our Canadian Passports. I guess I get to skip a line this trip. WhooHoo

I still think my point is mostly valid.. You can't take a cruise and be anonymous. Not sure how you could buy tickets for cash or get on board without matching ID to tickets etc. So I still think it's an unlikely place for a bad person to practice their badness.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

I have also felt a sense of security on the ship but our kids are only 4 & 6 and a long way from that kind of independence. I use to feel safe in my own home too but things can happen there too as we have unfortunantly seen on the national news. A little over protectiveness can go a long way.

Exactly now put that creep on a ship where a child could get distracted or lost. OMG too scary IMO. Plus you never know if someone like that is on the ship. God to even think about it makes me freak. DN who will be 7 when we cruise is probably too young to let her sign herself out of the kids club but I know SIL would never let her do it even if it were an option.

 

[TheWog]

I still have a disagreement with my wonderful wife. I feel they are old enough to be allowed to go get an ice cream as long as they tell us where and when. She is unconvinced. So I guess I'll do the "Halloween compromise". I had this same issue with their older siblings, they wanted to trick or treat with friends sans parents. So I agreed. But the wife and I bracketed their group from a discrete distance. Their self reliance grew and we kept them safe. Sort of a win win. Maybe I'll take the same tack on the cruise. Let them think they are flying free while papa and mama bear hover near by.

Thanks for all your input.

That sounds like a good compromise. Good luck.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

Well I did get a diversity of opinion. And I got a partial answer on what the actual ship rules are. Seems each parent sets their own limits for the most part.

I did look around on the internet for evidence of past problems on Disney Cruises without success. A few references to other adult cruise lines but on balance they either keep it quiet or it is not a common problem.

As I pointed out to my wife. Everyone onboard had to leave their passport or other identification plus a credit card with the cruise authority. Except in port, when the kids will be with us full time, their is no way to leave the ship. It simply seems like a poor choice of venue for an ill intentioned person.

If Disney did not screen the crew well or work to provide a safe environment and incidents occurred, it would be a public relations nightmare. We have lived beside Disney World for 15 years and I have followed the evolution of security there. In 1990 it was wide open, you could drive and self park at any Disney resort without being challenged. Following some incidents in the late 1990s every entrance was security gated with video and or guard supervision. Since 911 they require a drivers license to enter.

I still have a disagreement with my wonderful wife. I feel they are old enough to be allowed to go get an ice cream as long as they tell us where and when. She is unconvinced. So I guess I'll do the "Halloween compromise". I had this same issue with their older siblings, they wanted to trick or treat with friends sans parents. So I agreed. But the wife and I bracketed their group from a discrete distance. Their self reliance grew and we kept them safe. Sort of a win win. Maybe I'll take the same tack on the cruise. Let them think they are flying free while papa and mama bear hover near by.

Thanks for all your input.

Unfortunately children don't always tell adults when something bad has happened to them for embarrassment, fear whatever. I know in my life of two people who never told or told after the age of 18. This is what predators count on. A good place to ask someone is maybe email the Polly Klass foundation and see if they have any info on cruising that may help. If any organizations would have that sort of info they would.

 

[geffric]

On our last cruise, DS10, were allowed to leave the Lab but he had a talkabout and he had to tell us where he was going and then call us again when he got there. Everytime he changed locations, he had to call us and report. He usually left the Lab to go to the sports deck and to get ice cream and pizza. We then took nice walks up to the sports deck to observe. He made friends with some very nice boys that were the same age. They other boys had very similar rules. So none of the boys felt different. And we made friends with the other parents as we all were taking walks ...