What are your cruise rules for teens?

We are going on our first cruise at Christmas. My older two will be 14 and 15. We generally stick together on vacations but this is likely a good time to let them have more freedom. So, what are your rules for teens on the ship?

We started cruising with our five when they were 4 - 11, our last cruise they were 14 - 20. No going into other’s cabins, no inviting others into ours. Dinner with the family every night. Show up on time when we arrange to meet. Be polite and respectful (obviously a given anywhere). Be back in the cabin by 1 am if under 18 (this rule has been broken, I think because there are so many teens still out and about at that time). Don’t charge more on your card than allowed. Knock on wood, we’ve had no issues.

Sounds like a great set of rules.

My 14 year olds rules are pretty simple. Don't go into other peoples cabins, don't let other people in our cabin, don't accept drinks from anyone. On port days he knows we're all going to do something fun at the ports. We don't really enforce a time for him to be in because he leaves the room around 9am when we wake up and goes and does his own thing. He's usually so tired he comes back to the room by around 10 or 11 and goes to sleep. If he wants to eat dinner with us at night that's great, but he needs to be in the room by X time to get ready so we're not waiting for him. If he doesn't want to go to dinner with us and would rather eat elsewhere, that's fine as well. He gets $X amount of money for the duration of the cruise to spend on the ship. If he spends it all on the first day, well that's on him and he knows it's all gone. If wants to save it and budget it out over the duration of the 7 or 8 day cruise, that's awesome as well. If there's any left, well then it's his.

Also not a rule, just something he knows as common sense. No running in the halls, hold doors for people, say please and thank you.

Ours are now 18 & 15 and have cruised with us since 6 & 3.

Last few years we've put them in an inside across the hall from us.

Same rules as others posted above. We all get keys to both rooms. We walk in and check on them whenever we want.

They check in with us when they finally get up in the mid morning.

We go on excursions together.

We eat dinner together

They never leave the ship without us in a port.

They look out for one another.

No swimming alone.

No running around the ship with the "annoying teens" - behave properly!

They will be out late - set curfew knowing they will miss it. :D

It really depends on your teens. Keep them close until you all learn your way around the ship. Then let them loose a bit at a time. Same as you would if you moved to a new house somewhere new.

It is a small city of strangers. It is by no means a perfectly safe bubble. They need to be aware.

But it is a good time.

I like periodic physical "check ins"....they know where WE will be, and we have them meet up with us at certain times, to confirm future plans, and access their condition.....trust, but verify!!

I like periodic physical "check ins"....they know where WE will be, and we have them meet up with us at certain times, to confirm future plans, and access their condition.....trust, but verify!!

Per above periodic physical "check ins" worked well for us. :)

Yep! Pretty much like the others posted. He knows when he has to be back for dinner and curfew at the end of the night. No going into other's rooms, or into ours. Standard behavior is expected, he never knows when we'll see him either, so that keeps him in line! LOL! But for the most part, they do typical teen things - play video games in the club, swim, and eat! He never buys anything, except maybe some candy, but he knows he can only spend a few bucks. Pretty sure he's never spent more than $10 on a cruise ship.

Assuming you are responsible parents with children respectful of others, whatever your normal rules of behavior for them would be should apply on a cruise as, with the extra consideration that they will be in a concentrated environment with many other passengers who all are there to enjoy there vacation as well. Most cruise lines offer programs for children of your ages and I would suggest getting them involved day 1 with that. They will be associated with others their own age in a well supervised environment oriented towards activities relative to their age and enjoyment.

My rules don't change when we go onboard the ship, with the exception of "Don't fall off". The main rule they live by is before they do something to stop and think to themselves, "Would what I am about to do piss Dad off?" If the answer is yes then they better not. It has served them well for the last 16 years. Of course, my kids know that they need to be respectful of other people and their things, etc.

We started cruising with our five when they were 4 - 11, our last cruise they were 14 - 20. No going into other’s cabins, no inviting others into ours. Dinner with the family every night. Show up on time when we arrange to meet. Be polite and respectful (obviously a given anywhere). Be back in the cabin by 1 am if under 18 (this rule has been broken, I think because there are so many teens still out and about at that time). Don’t charge more on your card than allowed. Knock on wood, we’ve had no issues.

Lol, that's essentially what my rules were when I was a teen, except my parents didn't lay it out so clearly. They didn't need to though. I wasn't that type. I like what the other poster said about not accepting drinks either.

. I like what the other poster said about not accepting drinks either.

THAT advice is brilliant and extremely important.

We found that our rules changed over time and that each child is different.

Our rules included:

Not going to other people's rooms.

Not accepting a drink from someone.

Behaving correctly. In other words being respectful to others. No running around. No screaming.

We had set times to meet.

Cruising was the best vacation for our family and each of us enjoyed many cruises together.

Keith

Aren't you scared that some accident may happen like a child falling out of the deck? I don't know but when I think of bringing my niece with me this is the greatest fear I have that stops me to do so!

Aren't you scared that some accident may happen like a child falling out of the deck? I don't know but when I think of bringing my niece with me this is the greatest fear I have that stops me to do so!

As long as your kid knows it's not a jungle gym and not to be climbing on everything they see like a toddler, they will be fine. People cannot accidentally fall off of a deck. It's impossible on a cruise ship. When people "fall" off of a cruise ship or onto a lower deck one of 3 things have came into play. 1.) They were drunk, 2.) They were murdered, 3.) They were climbing on the railing, usually in conjunction with number 1.

Aren't you scared that some accident may happen like a child falling out of the deck? I don't know but when I think of bringing my niece with me this is the greatest fear I have that stops me to do so!

The rails around the ship are relatively high. People would have to climb up on a chair or table in order to get over them. When our kids were small we did not lift them up near railing (just like at home - we didn't lift the kids near a railing at the mall or the zoo).

If you look at photos of folks on ships you'll be able to see how high all the rails are.

Aren't you scared that some accident may happen like a child falling out of the deck? I don't know but when I think of bringing my niece with me this is the greatest fear I have that stops me to do so!

I'm scared of heights. I stay a good couple of feet from the railing at the local mall (it's glass). Never been bothered by the railings on a cruise ship. They're not low. I won't lean over them, but I will lean against them.

There was an incident last year when a young girl, I think around 8, fell to her death on a Carnival ship. She had climbed onto a step that put the railing at a lower level and leaned over to attract the attention of someone in the atrium a few decks below. Tragic accident. But if you trust your teens not to climb on anything you’ll be fine. I really think the no going into another cabin and not accepting any beverage are the most important.

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Yeah, I am scared as well and I feel sick like I am going to faint or something. All of you state that it's pretty safe for kids. What else should I take into account?

We also did not leave the ship without them when they were younger. We wanted them with us in case something happened that caused us not to get back on the ship. All it takes is once.

We also did not leave the ship without them when they were younger. We wanted them with us in case something happened that caused us not to get back on the ship. All it takes is once.

Wow, yeah, no way we’d leave them on the ship if we went ashore. Do people do that?!

Wow, yeah, no way we’d leave them on the ship if we went ashore. Do people do that?!

Yes they do, just leave the kids with the groups. Some do it with the little kids.

Yes they do, just leave the kids with the groups. Some do it with the little kids.

Well, that is better - you're not just leaving the kid on the ship to wander LOL. But I still wouldn't be likely to do it. You just can't guarantee you could get back quickly if something happened.

Or for whatever reason you can’t get back and the ship has to leave.

Wow, yeah, no way we’d leave them on the ship if we went ashore. Do people do that?!

I’d definitely leave my teens on the ship, if we didn’t make it back, they be fine.