can kids stay on board NAV while parents go ashore?

[Folk Singer]

Can fully understand the original persons question. Shows that they are concerned with the welfare of their children onboard.

[yolanda1]

I believe they will allow you to go away and leave your children, but my understanding is that they will not accept total responsibility for anything that may happen while you are gone. I wouldn't leave strangers in charge of my children on a ship any more than I would do it at home, but some people think it's ok.

 

I would check with them on board if they guarantee to take full responsibility for your children in loco parentis, and then you can decide what you want to do.

[micmacmissy]

Oh my what happened?! Did they go back for them? I know 99.9999% of the time they don't!

 

Here's what happened: they stood on the pier screaming (it really was awful). We just kept sailing away. After about 15 minutes, the ship stopped. They lowered a life boat/tender, and sent it back to shore, where they picked up the parents and brought them to the ship.

 

This was our first cruise, on Celebrity Mercury in 1999, so we had no idea whether or not this was a common occurrence. (We thought, wow, talk about good service, they don't leave people behind!) That night we rode in the elevator with one of the officers who said never in his career had he witnessed a captain making the decision to send a lifeboat back for a passenger who missed the ship. He said they probably only made that decision because so many other passengers witnessed these screaming people on the pier. This incident was the talk of the cruise, I can tell you that!

 

I would NOT count on a ship stopping and sending a lifeboat back for anyone. That was truly an anomaly. I also would not count on the ship waiting for you, even if you're on a ship-sponsored excursion. I think they do try to wait, but it is ultimately up to the port authority how long any ship can stay.

 

After witnessing that, I knew I would never leave my kids onboard...I was shocked to learn you're even allowed to! But to each his own...

Edited February 23, 2015 by micmacmissy
typo

[ARCruisinNana]

Ships will wait for passengers booked on Royal Caribbean excursions. They have no obligation to wait for passengers booked on independent tours or just out on their own. That's why Adventure Ocean is open until 30 minutes after the last RCI excursion returns.

[spookwife]

Here's what happened: they stood on the pier screaming (it really was awful). We just kept sailing away. After about 15 minutes, the ship stopped. They lowered a life boat/tender, and sent it back to shore, where they picked up the parents and brought them to the ship.

 

This was our first cruise, on Celebrity Mercury in 1999, so we had no idea whether or not this was a common occurrence. (We thought, wow, talk about good service, they don't leave people behind!) That night we rode in the elevator with one of the officers who said never in his career had he witnessed a captain making the decision to send a lifeboat back for a passenger who missed the ship. He said they probably only made that decision because so many other passengers witnessed these screaming people on the pier. This incident was the talk of the cruise, I can tell you that!

 

I would NOT count on a ship stopping and sending a lifeboat back for anyone. That was truly an anomaly. I also would not count on the ship waiting for you, even if you're on a ship-sponsored excursion. I think they do try to wait, but it is ultimately up to the port authority how long any ship can stay.

 

After witnessing that, I knew I would never leave my kids onboard...I was shocked to learn you're even allowed to! But to each his own...

 

they probably did some research, found out the ages of the kids left behind and determined that there was no way in hell they were gonna take responsibility. of course ALSO hope they BILLED the parents for the tender ride as they were completely irresponsible to have not been back on board in time.

[micmacmissy]

they probably did some research, found out the ages of the kids left behind and determined that there was no way in hell they were gonna take responsibility. of course ALSO hope they BILLED the parents for the tender ride as they were completely irresponsible to have not been back on board in time.

 

You're probably right about that!

 

That was the other thing the officer said about their lifeboat "tender" ride. He said, "They're gonna PAY for that!" Not sure what he meant, but I assume there is some expense involved, not only for the lifeboat, but also going back to the port!