Video system to monitor my kids in cabin across the hall?

[navybankerteacher]

There are so many things wrong with OP's question that it is hard to know where to start. It appears he wants to ignore the contract of passage which requires there to be an adult in every room. It appears he is not able to trust his children without bugging them. It appears that he is willing to impose his untrustworthy children on fellow passengers.

 

I think he should cancel the cruise and spend that vacation time at home doing the sort of parenting which his question indicates has not yet taken place.

[Schoifmom]

There are so many things wrong with OP's question that it is hard to know where to start. It appears he wants to ignore the contract of passage which requires there to be an adult in every room. It appears he is not able to trust his children without bugging them. It appears that he is willing to impose his untrustworthy children on fellow passengers.

 

I think he should cancel the cruise and spend that vacation time at home doing the sort of parenting which his question indicates has not yet taken place.

 

To be fair (and I agree that if OP can't trust his teenagers in a room across the hall, there is something seriously wrong), OP did not give the exact ages of their children. They may not be in violation of policy for Princess.

 

Age requirements

Guests under the age of 21 years must travel in a stateroom with a guest 21 years or older who shall assume responsibility for their care during the cruise. For family groups booking multiple staterooms, the minimum age for each stateroom is 16 years of age, provided they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian. We are unable to accept group reservations for student or youth groups that do not conform to our minimum age requirements. Each guest agrees and warrants that he/she will supervise any guest in his/her care at all times to ensure all policies, along with all other rules of the Carrier and ship, are strictly adhered to by all guests under their supervision.

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/before.jsp

[sail7seas]

If the parent is willing for his / her kids to break rules, what is that teaching his/her kids? Rules are apparently made for others but not for them. QWhy would the teens obey ruls whewn they see thei ffamily is not too stict about such things?

 

Let's not asssume OP is male,, weacause the poster's name is Admiral. I suggest OP may be

mom.

[navybankerteacher]

If the parent is willing for his / her kids to break rules, what is that teaching his/her kids? Rules are apparently made for others but not for them. QWhy would the teens obey ruls whewn they see thei ffamily is not too stict about such things?

 

Let's not asssume OP is male,, weacause the poster's name is Admiral. I suggest OP may be

mom.

 

Agreed - I was using "he" and "his" in the formal British usage tradition where it was generic - and not gender-specific, rather than the cumbersome "one" or "one's".

 

Of course, the name "Admiral" and the techy concept of video cameras made me think (admittedly politically incorrectly) that it was a father rather than mother phrasing the question.

[sail7seas]

Agreed - I was using "he" and "his" in the formal British usage tradition where it was generic - and not gender-specific, rather than the cumbersome "one" or "one's".

 

Of course, the name "Admiral" and the techy concept of video cameras made me think (admittedly politically incorrectly) that it was a father rather than mother phrasing the question.

 

 

You well could be right.

Maybe the Admiral will return to his/her thread and give us an update?

[gwsster]

Old Chaperone tip....We used to put a piece of painters tape high up on the outside of door of the kids rooms we were in charge of at curfew....10:00. It won't stop the kid from leaving the room, but you will have a clue that they didn't stay in the room after curfew. I think a much better idea is connecting rooms.

[mjkacmom]

Old Chaperone tip....We used to put a piece of painters tape high up on the outside of door of the kids rooms we were in charge of at curfew....10:00. It won't stop the kid from leaving the room, but you will have a clue that they didn't stay in the room after curfew. I think a much better idea is connecting rooms.

Depending on the age of the teens, 10 is a pretty early curfew, especially on vacation. I think the only reason I'd want a monitor is to see that they were back in the cabin after 1:00 (dd20 was not back in our cabin at that time when she was 14...).

[griffy116]

This post is just plain creepy. We've traveled with teens in our family and extended family and with friends of our teens traveling with us. This "monitoring" has never occurred to us and quite frankly makes me wonder WHY they are taking someone on the cruise that requires this. While I'm grateful we have teens we trusted, we also warned them that they were NOT to open the door once they were in the cabin unless it was one of us knocking and identifying ourselves. This was for THEIR safety. We also warned our teens about going to the cabins of other teens. I cannot imagine wanting to invade their privacy like this unless they are into such bad stuff that they don't need to be on a cruise preying on other people...PERIOD. Either there's a big problem with the parents or the teens and either way, I would be having a fit if I found that MY teen had been to this cabin and there was ANYONE monitoring MY teen...or that my teen was in some sort of danger in the company of teens that needed a camera monitoring them at all times. JUST. PLAIN. CREEPY.

[navybankerteacher]

Depending on the age of the teens, 10 is a pretty early curfew, especially on vacation. I think the only reason I'd want a monitor is to see that they were back in the cabin after 1:00 (dd20 was not back in our cabin at that time when she was 14...).

When you said "at that time" - by which the 14 year old had not returned, were you referring to 10 or 1:00?

 

Also, how much after "that time" did she get back?

[sail7seas]

If I were the OP, I wouldn't come back to this thread either.

 

 

Why? He/she started the conversation so we discussed it.

Don't ask the quuestion if you don't want the answers. :D

[donaldsc]

I am on the Carribean Princess next month and I will have my teenagers across the hall from us. Is there system that will work on the ship so I can make sure they are behaving/in their cabins?

 

I have WIFI based cameras at home but I am not sure that can work on the ship due to the extreme cost of internet service. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

So do you have WIFI based cameras in your kid's room at home?

 

DON

[mjkacmom]

When you said "at that time" - by which the 14 year old had not returned, were you referring to 10 or 1:00?

 

Also, how much after "that time" did she get back?

1:00, and it was after 1:00. DH found her on the pool deck with a bunch of teens. She left her cellphone at home, and didn't have a watch. She got back before curfew after that.

[notentirelynormal]

Depending on the age of the teens, 10 is a pretty early curfew, especially on vacation. I think the only reason I'd want a monitor is to see that they were back in the cabin after 1:00 (dd20 was not back in our cabin at that time when she was 14...).

 

I guess it depends. I had a maximum 11:00 curfew on my children. My son wasn't into the partying scene. He was more interested in reading and computer games. My DD moved out when she was 18 and that gave her the right to come and go as she pleased. I will tell you when I took my kids and other kids (like my niece) 11:00 was the latest unless they were with others in our group. They were chaperoned better then anything. Nobody talked to them or left with them without someone in our group knowing about it.

 

 

Clearly you are more lax with your kids (which is your right) but as far as I'm concerned a 14 year old should be in her cabin by 10:00. YMMV.

[FireStation46]

Nest

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Nest-Dropcam-HD-720p-Indoor-Wi-Fi-Security-Camera-Refurbished-RDCAM-001-THD/206991832?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-VF-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7C&gclid=CNeVlbPc2dICFU9WDQodvrABaQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

[navybankerteacher]

1:00, and it was after 1:00. DH found her on the pool deck with a bunch of teens. She left her cellphone at home, and didn't have a watch. She got back before curfew after that.

 

I guess some things have changed a somewhat since my children were 14.

 

Of course, now that my daughters now have 14 year olds themselves - they seem to have adopted certain tyrannical attitudes learned from me.

[teknoge3k]

Depending on the age of the teens, 10 is a pretty early curfew, especially on vacation. I think the only reason I'd want a monitor is to see that they were back in the cabin after 1:00 (dd20 was not back in our cabin at that time when she was 14...).

 

I agree with this, but everyone parents differently. My 12 year old usually trotted in the stateroom around midnight each night, sometimes 1. I couldn't imagine 10 but again, everyone is different and that's their right.

[teknoge3k]

Oh and I agree with everyone else, this is very creepy and seems like they try to have their kids live in a bubble. Monitoring your kids like that, especially on vacation? wow!

[navybankerteacher]

I agree with this, but everyone parents differently. My 12 year old usually trotted in the stateroom around midnight each night, sometimes 1. I couldn't imagine 10 but again, everyone is different and that's their right.

 

The idea of a 12 year old being out alone in what amounts to a new town until 1:00 AM does give my 20th Century attitude a tremor.

[mjkacmom]

The idea of a 12 year old being out alone in what amounts to a new town until 1:00 AM does give my 20th Century attitude a tremor.

These kids are in packs, and just sitting on the pool deck usually, in full view of staff and cameras, with every person in this tiny city documented and trapped. At home, my young teens are getting home from dance class at 10. Also at home, if they are out at night, they are at someone's home, the diner, or Applebees for half apps, with a parent picking up (and not 1:00, parents are sleeping then). I have 5 kids between 14 and 20, so far, so good, great kids, no trouble.

[navybankerteacher]

These kids are in packs,...

 

.

 

Ah, yes! "...kids in packs...": an ideal recipe for responsible later night behavior.

[teknoge3k]

Ah, yes! "...kids in packs...": an ideal recipe for responsible later night behavior.

 

Mine was with 2 other friends he met on the boat. They were usually at the ice cream machines, pizza joint, arcade or just walking around. I know every parent says it and I'll join, I have a pretty good kid. He's not going to be out causing trouble. He may run the worker to death to keep the ice cream machine stocked, but that's another story. :D

[mjkacmom]

Ah, yes! "...kids in packs...": an ideal recipe for responsible later night behavior.

To each his own, both my husband and I assessed the situation and felt perfectly comfortable with it.

[notentirelynormal]

I took my then 18 YO niece on a cruise. I first and most important rule was I don't care what you do or where you go BUT you better be where you said you were going or there is going to be trouble. Now - before anyone tells me that she is 18 and considered an adult let me state she came from a very small town in central California. She had barely been out of that area and never out of California and certainly never on a Panama Canal cruise. She was my responsibility. She knew the rules going in and agreed to them.

 

So, the first night I go up to where most of my younger group is (we were a group of around 26) and she is not there. I ask them where she is. The said she was in (insert place here) and was with a guy. Really?! So I go there. She is not there. After 20 minutes I find her up on deck with a bunch of kids, mostly guys. She was and still is very cute.

 

I took her aside and told her that she simply can't take off by herself that way. I was fuming. I said, what makes you think you can't be raped on a cruise? You don't know these people. You met them an hour ago.

 

I told her if it happened again I would be happy to put her on a plane and send her home. She knew I'd do it. After that she followed the rule.

 

My nephew once asked me how come I was always the last on off the boat (or insert other excursion ride here). I told him, did you notice Uncle was the first off and I'm the last. That's because no matter how old you get you will always be that little boy running around and playing and in my heart of hearts I can't not protect you. He was around 24 at the time. He gave me the bestest hug he has ever given me.

 

Look, our kids grow up differently and no one can say who is right or wrong. Unless you analyze the entire life of the kid and parents no one can say for sure what is or isn't okay. For me, the above is what I did. Even when my son had night school I drove him and stayed in the car so that if he needed to get away in the near pitch black he knew where my car was. BUT if my kids needed to be monitored that closely or if I needed to monitor them that closely one of us has a problem. The kids not minding or the parents being a helicopter parent.

[zoncom]

I would be more worried about them using CABIN PHONE to call shore friends and running up thousands $$ in bills. Its happened many times before and reported here. Up to you to inform them and make them responsible.

[navybankerteacher]

Mine was with 2 other friends he met on the boat. They were usually at the ice cream machines, pizza joint, arcade or just walking around. I know every parent says it and I'll join, I have a pretty good kid. He's not going to be out causing trouble. He may run the worker to death to keep the ice cream machine stocked, but that's another story. :D

 

As you point out: every parent has a good kid - who's not going to cause trouble. But then where do those kids who DO cause trouble come from?