Can kids stay in a room by themselves?

[Jane T]

My daughter's high school is planning a cruise for the band. This means about 200 kids ages 13 to 18. Can they stay in rooms with just kids or does there have to be an adult in each room?

[LovesCruising]

Legally an adult should be in each room but doesn't sound like that will happen with this size group, I would be a little nervous.

[6rugrats]

The cruiseline requires an adult guardian or parent in each room. I see no way they would make an exception for any group; legally it would be a nightmare.

[cb at sea]

If a TA books this as a "group", they will probably allow it....I wouldn't want my kid on a ship without me, but there will be some who don't mind.

[Keith1010]

In general this is not allowed on most of the cruise lines at time of booking.

 

I would get a TA to contact the cruise line about how they deal with a group.

 

Keith

[goose30]

The chaperons of this group will surely go to heaven!

 

BTW thats quite a large band.

[cherylandtk]

In a true group booking, yes, the kids can stay in rooms without chaperones. In fact, many schools require that the adults are never alone with the children. Since the usual ratio is one chaperone per 10 children, they try to put a room of two adults centered between four or five rooms of kids. But it all depends on the room capacities and ship layout.

[serene56]

What a mess---LOL to think that we were not allowed to book my 18month old grand daughter in a room with her parents (20 and 21) since there was no one in the room that was 25.

 

I wonder if the ship is gonna be chartered for a group

[ladyfern31]

In a true group booking, yes, the kids can stay in rooms without chaperones. In fact, many schools require that the adults are never alone with the children. Since the usual ratio is one chaperone per 10 children, they try to put a room of two adults centered between four or five rooms of kids. But it all depends on the room capacities and ship layout.

 

This is true of our school district policy...it is for the protection of the adults as well as the students not to allow adults to share rooms with students unless a student belongs to the adult. Basically, if a parent isn't comfortable with the arrangements, either the parent goes along or the student just doesn't go.

 

After many trips to Europe and Hawaii under the same policy, our band/choir is taking its first cruise (to Bahamas) in Spring 2011, which is about 80 students (and probably as many chaperones). These trips have been very well-behaved, because a misbehaving student has many, many privileges at stake for misbehavior, including getting kicked out of the band/choir. That is a big deal for almost all of our students in this very rural community!

[mum4romessex]

We booked two cabins for a family of four (children aged 17yrs & 11yrs), when onboard the two kids shared one cabin, and my husband and i the other. The cabins were not adjoining, but a few cabins away from each other.

[griffy116]

I just want to know what ship and what date. I love kids and we are carrying 2 teens on our next cruise. We've been on plenty of cruises with more than 200 tweens/teens, but this many with this few in chaperones and that already know each other is just crazy....for the other passengers.

[cb at sea]

Generally, you have to BOOK an adult in each room, but once you're onboard, no one cares who sleeps where. That booking requirement is only to make sure that adults ARE sailing with the kids...they don't want you to book adults in 1 room and the kids in another, then cancel the adults (leaving the kids alone!!!).

 

There are large families where there will be more kid's rooms needed than there are parents....say, 7 kids and 2 parents....they may need 3 rooms, and they WILL be allowed to book only children in those cabins! There would be no other way to do it!

[lcarney1125]

I just want to know what ship and what date. I love kids and we are carrying 2 teens on our next cruise. We've been on plenty of cruises with more than 200 tweens/teens, but this many with this few in chaperones and that already know each other is just crazy....for the other passengers.

 

 

My thoughts exactly! :cool:

[griffy116]

To the poster who suggested that you put the adults name on the room, but the adult doesn't stay there....RCCL doesn't have to give you additional keys. I anything is broken or damaged, the adult listed on the room will be responsible, especially since someone under 21 can't enter into a contract for the room. Anything charged onboard will go to the room it "appears" you are staying in. If any of the passengers complain about the noise or problems and say "no adult supervision in the cabin" or they discover there's no adult in all these rooms, you could very well be asked to leave the ship at the next port and pay for airfare for you (the adult who has their name on the room), several of the group or the entire group to go home. If a band is able to do this, I'm going visit the hotel manager because in 9 cruises, we've never been able to disregard RCCL's policy.

[wanderer34]

What a mess---LOL to think that we were not allowed to book my 18month old grand daughter in a room with her parents (20 and 21) since there was no one in the room that was 25.

 

I wonder if the ship is gonna be chartered for a group

 

Sounds like an easy Age Discrimination suit to me, I have a friend that is a Great Lawyer

[highflyingrealtor]

Call me old fashioned but a cruise venue just doesn't seem to be the best choice for a group that size and age. Lots of liability and issues at hand.