How would you feel? Child accidentally left at kids club lobby during registration

We were just off the Allure on Sunday and had a few issues with the kids cub that we have not had on any of our 14 other cruises on multiple lines so I am wondering what other people's thoughts are on the issue we experience and give a warning to other parents so it doesn't happen to them. So, here's what happened:On the first night my husband went to take our son to the Adventure Ocean club. Because it was the first night, they had sign up tables in the lobby area. My husband gave the crew member assisting him the information requested and thought that he had signed our son into the kids club. He didn't realize that this was just a registration table and the room our son needed to go to was further inside this hallway area. He walked away to go to the casino to meet me. About 30 minutes later our 9 year old called us from his iPad and said the kids club wouldn't let him in.

So, I went to the kids club to find out what happened and the crew member said my husband walked away so she tried calling our cabin and no one answered. So, she asked our son if he knew how to find his way to our cabin and he said yes. (This was our first night on the Allure and we were on deck 17, which you can only access from the rear elevators and stairwells- opposite of the kids club). So, he was told to go back to the cabin and wait for us. If we did not have the wifi package, there was no way for our son to contact us and we would have never known he was back in the cabin by himself. In addition, he got lost several times trying to find his way back to the cabin.

When I asked the crew member why they would let a 9 year old go back to the room by themselves, they said that they followed their policies. I guess I just don't understand why our son wasn't treated like a lost child and taken to guest services while they attempted to locate us. We told our son where we would be at but no one ever asked him this.

So, my question is whether everything thinks this is okay or not? It could have been hours before we knew that our son was not in the kids club.

Sorry, I always signed them up then walked/checked kids into each class myself. My kids were younger 3-7 and had pager issued from them if anything came up, and oldest was 10-12 so wasn't issue like you had. Maybe changed but that's way we did it. I know at 10/12yrs they walk around doing scavenger hunt unsupervised. Just heads up for you

That is a terrifying story and so unacceptable on so many levels. The CEO of RC needs to be made aware.

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I would be absolutely furious and have the Guest Services Director sweating for his job.

Your son should have been allowed to stay while someone found you in the casino since he knew where you were. I also don't understand what happened with your husband, wasn't your son with him when he registered? Did he just walk away from him?

Hopefully that was the last time you trusted them with your son. Someone needs some training I would think.

I think the correct statement is: "Hopefully that was the last time you trusted your husband with your son. Your husband needs some training...."

In any case, your son answered yes to the question on if he could find his way back to his cabin and they let him do so.

If you find it unacceptable that he was left on his own, then the onus is on you and his father to make sure he is not left alone.

Your husband made the mistake, not the crew.

Your husband made the mistake, not the crew.

Both made a mistake.

I think there’s more than one person at fault here.

And .... I think if your son had not indicated he could find his way back to the cabin, they would not have let him leave the area. I think this could have been handled better by the staff, but I think you need to hold hubby accountable for not making sure your son was in his assigned age space. JMO.

And BTW, sounds like your son is s resource young man. He found his way back to his cabin. Well done.

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If the roles were reversed, the last thing I’d do is throw my wife under the bus like this. Even if it was my wife, I’d adjust the story to make people think it was me.

Could Royal have done better? Yes

Ultimate responsibility is with the adult (hubby).

So the parent hasn't officially dropped him off at the club, so the child found is effectively like any 'unattended' child. Although the child wanted to enter kids club, they need to be signed in by a parent at that age.

Some parents do let their children at that age go unattended on the ship (at least to certain places/times) so it is reasonable that the staff let him go if he said he was fine to go back to his cabin. i.e. There is no automatic curfew or rule that requires 9 year olds to always be under supervision and be taken away if not.

Agree with other posters that the issue arose from the husband not dropping him off correctly, and it sounds like the crew acted correctly based on information given.

I think the correct statement is: "Hopefully that was the last time you trusted your husband with your son. Your husband needs some training...."

 

 

 

In any case, your son answered yes to the question on if he could find his way back to his cabin and they let him do so.

 

 

 

If you find it unacceptable that he was left on his own, then the onus is on you and his father to make sure he is not left alone.

 

 

 

Your husband made the mistake, not the crew.

No, I disagree. As a teacher, we would NOT allow a 9/10 year old to walk anywhere alone if they were in the wrong place.

Especially if new to the area.

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The kids fine. Let it go. Sounds like your husband was a little too anxious to get to the casino. Lesson learned?

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Did your husband give him permission to sign himself out? If not, then I feel this was handled poorly. The staff knew the parent registered him for AO and the child was left alone.

This is not to let the father totally off the hook. However, if he never used the kids club before, I can understand how he could have thought he had checked the son in.

Kudos to your son for handling it well. I would let Royal know if you did not authorize him to check himself out. If he was authorized, then no harm, no foul though staff could have made more of an effort.

No, I disagree. As a teacher, we would NOT allow a 9/10 year old to walk anywhere alone if they were in the wrong place.

Especially if new to the area.

 

 

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A 9/10 year old may check themselves out of AO with parental permission, so since he was never checked in, the counselor had no way of knowing whether or not he had permission to roam. Speaking as a grandma, the onus falls on the father who couldn’t wait around long enough to see that his son was securely in the correct group. He just left him there.

I have seen many children young children on their own on a ship. No I don't believe they should be, but that is on their parents. I think a series of unfortunate events happened here. The staff could of and IMO should have followed up and took the additional step here, but the parent should have made sure he was correctly checked in.

In my past experience with Adventure Ocean the procedure for check in was clearly explained at registration . The father obviously did not do this. If this were me, I would be upset at both the staff and my husband, but would not throw blame entirely on the staff nor would I expect the staff to be reprimanded. But it could be a good training point.

I feel like you’re just fishing for people to agree with you so you feel justified in your anger. IMO, both your husband and the counselor had roles to play here. I’m guessing this was your first Royal Cruise, but for seasoned cruisers that use the kids club, he should have known the child wasn’t dropped off - we all know they’re behind “locked” doors after being signed in.

It’s been mentioned already, 9 year olds may sign themselves in and out, so obviously Royal believes they’re old enough to take care of themselves (a point with which I disagree - when my 8 year old turns 9 he won’t be allowed to do this). Since your son wasn’t officially signed in, I’m not surprised AO didn’t let him stay without knowing whether or not he had those privledges.

Yes, if this was my child, I would have been upset. But if it was my child, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

In the future, the best place to address this is on board. If I were in your shoes, I would have scheduled a meeting with the Adventure Ocean manager ASAP. I’m glad your son was safe.

There's no question your husband made a mistake but the counselor compounded it. It's ridiculous to send a 9 year-old off on his own on a ship the size of the Allure. I'm pretty sure your husband won't make that mistake again but not so sure the counselor won't.

In my judgement, most 9 year olds are mature enough to take care of themselves. Mistakes happen, no harm done, no point in deliberating who is to blame although in these situations parent needs to take full responsibility.

I don't have a problem with 9 year olds wandering around the ship on their own. Where I live, children that young travel around on buses, hang around local malls and do all kind of things unsupervised. So why the hang up about being left unsupervised on a ship?

I think the correct statement is: "Hopefully that was the last time you trusted your husband with your son. Your husband needs some training...."

 

In any case, your son answered yes to the question on if he could find his way back to his cabin and they let him do so.

 

If you find it unacceptable that he was left on his own, then the onus is on you and his father to make sure he is not left alone.

 

Your husband made the mistake, not the crew.

Those were exactly my thoughts as well.

Your husband messed up by leaving your child in what was clearly an unsecured, open to the public area (given that your husband could enter and leave at will).

An unaccomapnied child (yours) tried to enter the secure area---staff stopped him and told him a parent had to sign him in. They asked something along the lines of if he knew where his cabin was, most likely as a way to ascertain if he was lost or merely unacompanied and his answers did not indicate he was lost, nor does sit appear he asked for help (he did not tell them you were in the casino and ask you be contacted, etc).

It sounds to me that your son was confident in himself and nothing he did or said would indicate to staff that he was lost and in need of babysitting/help.

It seems you would have staff take control of any unaccompanied child (even those behaving well and not asking for help) and force them to stay at guest service until parents are located, simply assuming all are lost.

I have to say, I would have been furious if what you advocate for had happened to one of my children when we had been sailing and they enjoying time onboard and then suddenly, without doing any wrong, held and forced to stay with staff, then us parents every moment for the rest of our cruise.

I had independent, capable kids who were used to having a fair amount of freedom both at home and on vacation. Not all kids or parents are ready for that freedom, which is fine, but the kids/parents who are should not be restricted becuase some dad forgot to check his kid, whom he wanted babysat, into the program.

I think the cruise line was probably "damned if they do, damned if they don't" in this type of situation. If the child wasn't properly signed in, they have no way of knowing if the parents actually know that he's at the kids' club, or if just wandered up there. Hence the sign-in process. And they did ask him if he knew how to get back to his cabin, and he responded "yes". And they tried to reach you, in your cabin.

I agree with the others that your husband dropped the ball on this one, albeit not intentionally. I think it was probably chaotic and he didn't know what the procedure was (of course a woman would ask someone, but we know how men are ;p)

I also think most 9 y.o. are mature enough to walk back to their cabin alone. If he wasn't overly upset about getting lost a couple of times, I would praise him for the maturity and the intelligence to keep looking until he found it. Children of that age need to have small victories like this in order to mature into confident adults.

I am shocked by nimbernof posters who are ok with RCCL’s behavior. Now if OP put down son for sign out privelage for child I would feel differently. How would people feel if this happened at school or a mall? Still think the 9 year old would be just fine being sent home?

But assuming no sign out allowed I would be LIVID. Yes of course husband made a mistake but I don’t see this any different as a lost child anywhere on ship. To send a 9 year old off on their own is UNACCEPTABLE. The fact it was by a child care staff makes it even worse. They should have had parent paged or taken child to guest services. What would have happened if child couldn’t find room and someone up to no good found child? Or child jumped off ship? Ok I know both scenarios are unlikely but they COULD happen.

OP As I said I’d be LIVID and lodging major complaints (and I’m not a complaint lodger ever). 100% unacceptable. I would never trust my child in their care again.

I have lost track of the number of older kids I’ve seen wandering around trying g to find their room. These kids are well over 9. A couple of them in full tears (we helped them). Nope my 9 year old is not being left to wander a huge ship himself.

So glad it ended ok.

I agree with the posters who said there is blame on both sides. I would not be happy if they had done the same with my child, but I think you also need to acknowledge that your husband played a part in this too.

I agree with the posters who said there is blame on both sides. I would not be happy if they had done the same with my child, but I think you also need to acknowledge that your husband played a part in this too.

At similar places on land, the sign in/up/out procedure has clear points where both parties acknowledge transfer of control over the minor. I am somewhat impressed a 9 year old could be trusted and capable of carrying a tablet and now how to contact his parents.

There's no question your husband made a mistake but the counselor compounded it. It's ridiculous to send a 9 year-old off on his own on a ship the size of the Allure. I'm pretty sure your husband won't make that mistake again but not so sure the counselor won't.

not necessarily. plenty of kids that age are Diamond in their own right and so would be well versed in shipboard navigation. Kid said he knew how to get back to his cabin. crew member took him at his word. ultimately fault does lie with dad for not making sure the process of signing in was completed.

furthermore, at nine I would expect the wherewithal to find a crew member if he truly was lost and ask for assistance.