slaine29 Posted June 2, 2019 #1 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Tried to find the answer to this but failing miserably. If i get off the ship to have a mooch around the port, do my children (15, 12) have to get off with me or can they stay on the ship. We have been with many different cruise lines and some allow them to stay on and others say they cannot be left on unsupervised. Does anyone know MSC policy or had first hand experience of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare EngIceDave Posted June 2, 2019 #2 Share Posted June 2, 2019 You're gonna get some great responses.... IMO, the 15 is likely fine alone, the 12 YO, not so much. Doubt the staff or security officers would care for it. You know your kids and their maturity level. I wouldn't do it though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaine29 Posted June 2, 2019 Author #3 Share Posted June 2, 2019 They 12 yr old is never a problem, once on the ship we can never get him out of the kids club, but the 15 yr old.........well we all know what 15yr old boys are like......lol He will just park himself on our balcony and venture out on frequent trips to the buffet/bar inbetween playing on his laptop/phone/switch. We only get off for an hour or so, save dragging them (unwillingly) around the shops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.M.T. Posted June 2, 2019 #4 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I often tried to leave dear MiL onboard (permanently) but never had any luck (so far). 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmas gran Posted June 2, 2019 #5 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I would say No if one of you is taken ill or has an accident ashore the kids are on their own. It would be different if there was another adult to care for them in any eventuality. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare EngIceDave Posted June 2, 2019 #6 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Or what if the child falls ill, injured or gets in trouble? No one is there to respond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sptrout Posted June 2, 2019 #7 Share Posted June 2, 2019 During our 12/18 Seaside cruise a couple left their two very young (do not know their exact age, but very young) and the parents did not return to the ship until two hours after the ship's scheduled departure. The Captain told us via the PA system that he would not depart with two minors on board without their parents. The parents were onshore on their own and I do not know their excuse when they finally returned. I would have loved to have heard their reason and the crew's response. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mafig Posted June 2, 2019 #8 Share Posted June 2, 2019 For me, no. I'd be a nervous wreck the whole time and couldn't enjoy myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mef_57 Posted June 2, 2019 #9 Share Posted June 2, 2019 That's a hard one to get a google answer for. They do say minimum age for going off ship unaccompanied is 18, but that doesn't help. Call them. Ask your travel agent. Wait to find out once on board. Use your conscience/common sense.....you know your kids and they have done this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Até Posted June 2, 2019 #10 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Aside from being a terrible idea it's against MSC's conditions of carriage: "Minors onboard must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times and are welcome at the activities onboard or at shore excursions, provided that a parent or guardian is present. Children cannot remain onboard if their parents or guardians go ashore, unless expressly authorized by the on board staff." And it's not just your children's behavior that is the problem. Scroll through the dozens of recent reports of attacks against children on cruise ships at the link below: https://www.cruiselawnews.com/articles/sexual-assault-of-minors/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinaLC Posted June 2, 2019 #11 Share Posted June 2, 2019 If you are literally wandering around a very local port and your kids are reasonably mature, for me it would be fine. For example, strolling within a few blocks in Nassau ... I’m kind of a free ranger ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmas gran Posted June 2, 2019 #12 Share Posted June 2, 2019 8 minutes ago, TrinaLC said: If you are literally wandering around a very local port and your kids are reasonably mature, for me it would be fine. For example, strolling within a few blocks in Nassau ... I’m kind of a free ranger ... Looking at the itinerary for Seaview it’s a European cruise in Mediterranean and as posted above by Ate minors should not be left on board. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jcathers1 Posted June 2, 2019 #13 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Can you get away with it? Probably. But it is a terrible idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLR Posted June 3, 2019 #14 Share Posted June 3, 2019 11 hours ago, TrinaLC said: If you are literally wandering around a very local port and your kids are reasonably mature, for me it would be fine. For example, strolling within a few blocks in Nassau ... I’m kind of a free ranger ... But they are not going to be wandering or strolling, or even free ranging....they are going to be Mooching! [Someone had to say it!] But the Conditions of Carriage are quite clear...nope. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toinoi Posted June 3, 2019 #15 Share Posted June 3, 2019 13 hours ago, Até said: Children cannot remain onboard if their parents or guardians go ashore, unless expressly authorized by the on board staff. 59 minutes ago, HLR said: But the Conditions of Carriage are quite clear...nope. Well not quite. The Conditions of carriage DO say "unless expressly authorized..." So the OP may be able to get permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaine29 Posted June 3, 2019 Author #16 Share Posted June 3, 2019 So no one knows really, doesn't matter was just curious. As when we took our boys on a previous cruise (this one will be our 9th) when the boys were in the kids club we could get off, as they were not allowed out unless we signed them out, thats probably what covered the "supervised" The 15 yr old will just have to whinge about looking around the shops (nothing new there then....lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caffeine_demon Posted June 3, 2019 #17 Share Posted June 3, 2019 I know they can be annoying, but it sounds a bit extreme! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaine29 Posted June 5, 2019 Author #18 Share Posted June 5, 2019 annoying can be an understatement at times 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fogfog Posted June 5, 2019 #19 Share Posted June 5, 2019 On 6/2/2019 at 11:53 AM, micm said: From the way the scanning process when leaving the ship works it shouldn't be a problem. Cruise lines can more easily spot when a minor tries to go ashore without an adult family member. But it would be really challenging tagging the adults cards appropriately especially with a bigger family group. FWIW Once in Belize or Honduras (forget which) we decided that "as a family" we were not going to tender ashore etc as we had been to the port area once and it was not worth it etc. We didn't know til AFTERWARDS that our Minor son --took the tender and went ashore himself... had left the enclosed port area for awhile (and a local found him and told him to go back to the port area because it wasn't safe!) He was in his teens.... like 14-16-- WE were NOT amused by his choices at all! The crew does not babysit! And they aren't looking for sequential names etc. when scanning cards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homosassa Posted June 5, 2019 #20 Share Posted June 5, 2019 From what I have observed on MSC cruises, the cruise line is set up to be family friendly. However, MSC's idea of family friendly does not match the idea of some parents of "dump and go." MSC expects, and the parents on board follow, the idea that children will be with their parents or in the children's program area. The activities mentioned in Ate's post are the activities on board that are labeled "family friendly" and means that a child cannot participate without a parent. An example is a ship scavenger hunt. I have seen unattended children that are roaming the ship be approached by security, the parents located and the child is attached by the security staff to the parent's side. So, you can asked, but don't expect to be able to leave your children unattended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDENBONNY Posted June 5, 2019 #21 Share Posted June 5, 2019 On 6/2/2019 at 9:46 AM, sptrout said: During our 12/18 Seaside cruise a couple left their two very young (do not know their exact age, but very young) and the parents did not return to the ship until two hours after the ship's scheduled departure. The Captain told us via the PA system that he would not depart with two minors on board without their parents. The parents were onshore on their own and I do not know their excuse when they finally returned. I would have loved to have heard their reason and the crew's response. I was on this cruise and its very very unusual for cruise ship to wait that long. MSC did great job here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadaboutgal Posted June 5, 2019 #22 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Would loved to have seen the Captain put the Parents and Children off at the next port. Two hours is a terrible disruption to the cruise for those who are willing to abide by the ship's rules. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted June 5, 2019 #23 Share Posted June 5, 2019 1 hour ago, gadaboutgal said: Would loved to have seen the Captain put the Parents and Children off at the next port. Two hours is a terrible disruption to the cruise for those who are willing to abide by the ship's rules. I wonder if MSC incurred extra costs (docking fees, longshoremen, etc.) and, if so, were they passed on to those passengers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGTNORMANDIE Posted June 5, 2019 #24 Share Posted June 5, 2019 6 hours ago, GOLDENBONNY said: I was on this cruise and its very very unusual for cruise ship to wait that long. MSC did great job here. If I were the Captain I would have dropped that family off at the next stop...luggage and all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sverigecruiser Posted June 6, 2019 #25 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) On 6/2/2019 at 4:11 PM, Até said: Aside from being a terrible idea it's against MSC's conditions of carriage: "Minors onboard must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times and are welcome at the activities onboard or at shore excursions, provided that a parent or guardian is present. Children cannot remain onboard if their parents or guardians go ashore, unless expressly authorized by the on board staff." Interesting... I read in MSCs Swedish brochure right now and there is a section called "Utflykter utan barn", the exact translation of that is "Excursions without children". It's very clear that it's okay to leave the ship to participate on a MSC-excursion and leave the children in the Mini or Juniors club. They only want one day notice. Edited June 6, 2019 by sverigecruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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