Curfew for teenagers a question

[uncleg]

How late is to late? Just read something about 13 year old's and some trouble at 2AM on a cruise ship. To me its to late, but I'm not a parent just an Uncle who's older nieces and nephews did like my rules, I'm stricter than their parents...I went by motto of not on my watch.

 

I have a 13 Year old niece who wants to cruise with me...I would never dream of here being out at 2am unattended by me....a camp Carnival activity perhaps, but she better be there when I go to pick her up and I will be early and more than likely close by Not that I don't trust her, I don't trust other people. She's my brothers child and I would just die if anything happened to her under my watch.

 

What are the rules for your kids/teenagers on a cruise?

[leaveitallbehind]

It may vary by cruise line but on RCI those passengers under 18 unaccompanied by parents have a 1:00 AM stateroom curfew. (They can be out and about the ship after that if they are with their parents).

Edited August 19, 2015 by leaveitallbehind

[notentirelynormal]

At that age my rules were the same as at home with maybe an hour or so slack. If they normally are in by 9:00 at home then 10:00 on the ship.

[cherylandtk]

Not a time curfew, but a behavior rule imposed by a friend of mine that worked Brilliantly. Teens are required to leave a note in designated spot in room for parents saying WHERE they are going and WHEN. Destination listed must be public (no private rooms!), specific enough and small enough that kid can be seen from center of named area; it is up to the kid to define the space closely enough. Not just 'Lido deck', but 'forward pool on Lido' or 'Buffet on Port Side'. Required to check in and rewrite note at least every two hours. Parents are free to check in on kid at any time and they must be in the exact location named, not adjacent or down the hall. Yes, that means if they and their friends decide to move elsewhere the teens must return to the room and write a new note FIRST. Failure to adhere to the rules results in swift and terrible punishment: complete revocation of freedom for the remainder of the cruise, and teens have to go and do wherever and whatever parents want to go and do. They might as well be attached with a leash. No whining allowed, either. Worked beautifully...one kid failed on first cruise, that was the first and only failure among three of them for their entire teen years.

Edited August 19, 2015 by cherylandtk

[cb at sea]

I think it's too late, too! My kids weren't allowed out that late at home..never mind on vacation!

[leaveitallbehind]

The curfew time on the ship is a policy outlining the latest those under 18 can be out - not a suggestion of a time at which all young children should be out. Clearly parental guidelines take precedence and IMO responsible parents of young children would not normally allow behavior that strays to far from that imposed at home.

[Sixtytwo]

Ship's rule? Not one. My rule? When my kids went on a cruise, it was my responsibility to watch my kids, not the ship crew nor the other passengers! I have seen a lot of kids who needed to be monitored a little more closely than they were! :rolleyes:

[Vampire Parrot]

I was on one ship where groups of kids decided to play "Knock-door-run" at 1am, so the Captain announced that anyone under 16 found walking the ship after midnight would be escorted back to their cabin.

 

Anyone found playing "knock-door-run" would be "invited" to speak with the Captain, in what is known as a "Tea and biscuits chat", at which there is no tea and there are no biscuits. (cookies for our American friends), and offenders would be put off at the next port with their family. :eek:

 

One family told me the Captain couldn't do that... I pointed out that actually, he could... and this particular Captain very definitely would!

 

VP

[Keith1010]

All of this varies by cruise lines and many have no curfews.

 

As to the parents, it is no different for many land or sea.

 

We always had rules at home and when we traveled so there was no confusion. And it wasn't just about a curfew. It came down to a couple of things including what is the game plan for the evening. If no game plan, no going out.

 

To me the key is to establish what they will be doing and then to have specific times for them to return.

 

Keith

[maryann ns]

Thumbs up to Cherylandtk!

 

Your kids learned to be responsible for their actions because you gave them certain freedoms and followed up on the consequence of not following them.

 

Thumbs up also to the Captain who was willing to put unresponsible teens and their families off the ship.

[Harry and Lucille]

When you board a ship, you are in the Captains country. The Captains the King. Has the power to put you, your family, friends, etc. off of the ship for cause at any port. Then you are on your own.

 

Have been on many cruises and have seen many many first time cruisers from the US think that they are still in their country and everybody lives the same way and has the same rules and laws. Not so.

 

Other countries laws when you are on shore. Make sure that you know the laws of where you are going to be. Drugs, knives, camo clothing, guns, ammo etc. can get you tossed into the "can" and then your real problems begin. Transportation with luggage, NO Passport?? Real trouble. Cost etc.

 

Have seen people ejected from the ship in a foreign port. Not good. Then you have to deal with the local police, immigration, and on, and on, and on.

Transportation to get home will be the lesser of your problems.

[cruisead]

Our four boys had a cruise contract that they had to sign before the cruise. This contract listed all the rules that they had to follow for the duration. Rules included no being in another person's cabin, and no people in their cabin. Absolutely no alcohol. They had to be back in their cabin by midnight (DH has long held the belief that nothing good happens after midnight). There were about 10 different rules that had to be followed. If rules were broken, they were confined to their cabin at night, or grounded at home.

[ann2011]

Not a time curfew, but a behavior rule imposed by a friend of mine that worked Brilliantly. Teens are required to leave a note in designated spot in room for parents saying WHERE they are going and WHEN. Destination listed must be public (no private rooms!), specific enough and small enough that kid can be seen from center of named area; it is up to the kid to define the space closely enough. Not just 'Lido deck', but 'forward pool on Lido' or 'Buffet on Port Side'. Required to check in and rewrite note at least every two hours. Parents are free to check in on kid at any time and they must be in the exact location named, not adjacent or down the hall. Yes, that means if they and their friends decide to move elsewhere the teens must return to the room and write a new note FIRST. Failure to adhere to the rules results in swift and terrible punishment: complete revocation of freedom for the remainder of the cruise, and teens have to go and do wherever and whatever parents want to go and do. They might as well be attached with a leash. No whining allowed, either. Worked beautifully...one kid failed on first cruise, that was the first and only failure among three of them for their entire teen years.

 

We did this when my son was 14 and it worked very well! curfew was dependent on the activity. If they were at an event sponsored by the teen club, they could stay later then if they were just hanging around the swimming pool.

[janetz]

The cruise line does not make it easy. Many "teen disco's" start 11:30 pm and after! So of course the kids are like, what? Why cant I go? Just makes it harder on the parents. Half of us want to in bed before the teen dancing gets started. lol

Edited August 20, 2015 by janetz

[drinkspackageexpert]

I am taking my children on their first cruise this year. At ages 11, 9 and 6, there will be no unsupervised roaming around by any of them. They will either be in the kids club or with me. No discussion. :D

[Speedy55]

We let our 12 and 14 year olds stay out until 12 as that was when the circle c program stopped being supervised. It was an Alaska cruise so there was not too many teens,