17 year old cruising without parents?

[Joseph2017China]

20 hours ago, HellyDonandkids said:

HI,

 

My son who will be 17 is an avid cruiser and has found a great cruise on Royal Caribbean in Asia next year. I am more than happy for him to go on this cruise, he is a very sensible kid, he wouldnt misbehave or try to drink etc and I would be happy to sign anything confirming so. Has anyone ever heard of a cruise company agreeing to this? The Royal Caribbean cruise age for Asia is 18.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, thank you.

You know the difference between 17 and 18?  17 is a minor, and 18 is an adult. This has nothing to do with your opinion that he is sensible.  He is still a minor.  It has nothing to do with drinking.  Minors are not permitted to cruise alone.  Although you never said what country, would he even be allowed to enter as a minor?  

 

He has his whole life to go......wait one more year.

[pcur]

16 hours ago, brillohead said:

Since when?  People get a room across from or next door to kids all the time. 

But, they BOOK the cabin with an adult, and then switch when onboard.

[Mary229]

We can talk until we are blue but there are rules and some of those rules are dictated by the port countries.  RCL lays them out here

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/international-age-policy

[brillohead]

14 hours ago, pcur said:

But, they BOOK the cabin with an adult, and then switch when onboard.

NO, THEY DO NOT.

If you don't know the particulars, don't go making things up just to make yourself sound important.  

[FireEMT978]

On 9/6/2022 at 10:02 AM, Mary229 said:

We can talk until we are blue but there are rules and some of those rules are dictated by the port countries.  RCL lays them out here

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/international-age-policy

This above is the correct answer. The only way that a cabin can be under 21 years of age out of North America, is if it is a connecting cabin to the guardiens/parents. Or, directly across the hall from them.

[davekathy]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:13 AM, HellyDonandkids said:

HI,

 

My son who will be 17 is an avid cruiser and has found a great cruise on Royal Caribbean in Asia next year. I am more than happy for him to go on this cruise, he is a very sensible kid, he wouldnt misbehave or try to drink etc and I would be happy to sign anything confirming so. Has anyone ever heard of a cruise company agreeing to this? The Royal Caribbean cruise age for Asia is 18.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, thank you.

Eddie Haskell comes to mind. 🤣

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 9/6/2022 at 10:58 AM, pcur said:

But, they BOOK the cabin with an adult, and then switch when onboard.

SOME do.  Some think they have to (they're wrong). Others do it for other benefits (I've heard so they can take on four bottles of wine... between the two cabins).  That seems a strange reason, but whatever.

 

It is NOT a requirement to do so. 

[donaldsc]

On 9/5/2022 at 10:13 AM, HellyDonandkids said:

HI,

 

My son who will be 17 is an avid cruiser and has found a great cruise on Royal Caribbean in Asia next year. I am more than happy for him to go on this cruise, he is a very sensible kid, he wouldnt misbehave or try to drink etc and I would be happy to sign anything confirming so. Has anyone ever heard of a cruise company agreeing to this? The Royal Caribbean cruise age for Asia is 18.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, thank you.

 

All parents or grandparents would sign such a confirmation.  It would be worth the paper it was signed on.

 

DON

[Oceansaway17]

20 hours ago, brillohead said:

NO, THEY DO NOT.

If you don't know the particulars, don't go making things up just to make yourself sound important.  

um yes they do, I was on allure in June and between 3 rooms near me, all he kids ended up sleeping in one room while adults were in the other rooms. So room 1 and 2 each had a couple, and room 3 had 4 or 5 kids for sleeping.  But I would say they were a well behaved group otherwise the steward would put an end it if they were loud.

[Merion_Mom]

On 9/5/2022 at 1:13 PM, HellyDonandkids said:

HI,

 

My son who will be 17 is an avid cruiser and has found a great cruise on Royal Caribbean in Asia next year. I am more than happy for him to go on this cruise, he is a very sensible kid, he wouldnt misbehave or try to drink etc and I would be happy to sign anything confirming so. Has anyone ever heard of a cruise company agreeing to this? The Royal Caribbean cruise age for Asia is 18.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, thank you.

 

As we used to say in college:  Your chances are slim and none, and slim just walked out the door.

[Ourusualbeach]

7 hours ago, FireEMT978 said:

The only way that a cabin can be under 21 years of age out of North America, is if it is a connecting cabin to the guardiens/parents. Or, directly across the hall from them.

Almost right.  The room beside does not have to be connecting it only has to be adjacent.  Also if they are under 21 they can book if they are married or an active duty member of the military.

[BND]

Both my sons were/are very responsible but no way would I ever send them on a cruise alone at 17. Alone is the key word.  This isn't even about a 17 year old wanting to go with friends.   Our DS are in their 30's now, married and still very responsible, but the difference is they are adults who pay their own way.   They never, ever got into any trouble of any kind.  They were and are wonderful people.   This comes across as click bait to me with someone who is looking for some entertainment.    A lot of parents think their kids are "responsible" but that doesn't mean it's true lol.  Parents can think what they want, but that doesn't mean a cruise line has to.  17 is a minor, period.

[Cruisin Kay D]

RC is firm in its rules, even when they don't tell you the rules.  My experience:  10 years ago we actually were kicked off a Royal Carib ship 4 days before boarding!!  About 2 months prior to the girls' graduation from high school, I called directly to a Royal Carib phone number to book my husband, me, my granddaughter & 4 of her friends.  The Royal representative took all the names, birthdates, credit card deposit, and various other information (if using a passport # or birth certificate) and he assigned us in 3 cabins with hubby & me between the girls, with 3 on 1 side & 2 on the other side.  

About 3 weeks prior to the cruise, I went into the RC website to check the names, birthdates, etc.  I found that the RC booking repr I talked to apparently had changed the birth years of 2 gals which made 1 appear to be 27 (not 17) and other one to be 22!    I couldn't understand the mistakes and promptly changed them to be accurate!   

Four (4) days prior to the cruise I called in to confirm that any unspent money their parents put into an onboard account would be returned to the girls.   The person I spoke with said she needed to put me on hold to check on this...at end of hold I was talking with someone higher in the chain who said we could NOT board ship due to not enough adults with the girls!   I asked if I could get one of the mothers to go too.....answer NO, not enough room in the 3 rooms we were assigned....then asked if we could be moved to cabins that would accommodate us and answer was NO.  I begged, pleaded, cried, cussed and go nowhere.   Woman said you are welcome to go to the ship but we would be denied boarding (HUH? drive from TN?).   Woman said it was my fault for putting in wrong birthdates.(NO was NOT my doing!)   Woman said they would consider giving me the money back (HUH? why maybe?).   My question to her was WHY did you not call me about this problem? (No answer, still said my fault.)

Not only did girls not have their "dream" trip and a cruise line "might" give $$ back, I had to find somewhere to take these girls for their Senior trip, and tell them of the change, hardest one to tell this situation was my granddaughter.   I got lucky to find a condo in Daytona Beach -- we ended up having sunny gorgeous weather there....and the cruise had rain every day!!   

Took quite a while to get the money back from RC -- received several calls from RC, asking why I cancelled the cruise, and I said I did NOT cancel it, RC kicked us off.   I did not book RC for years after this!

Edited September 8, 2022 by Cruisin Kay D

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Oceansaway17 said:

um yes they do, I was on allure in June and between 3 rooms near me, all he kids ended up sleeping in one room while adults were in the other rooms. So room 1 and 2 each had a couple, and room 3 had 4 or 5 kids for sleeping.  But I would say they were a well behaved group otherwise the steward would put an end it if they were loud.

Why did you quote me and then tell a totally unrelated story?

I swear, I do not understand what is wrong with people here.

 

 

[ldubs]

35 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Why did you quote me and then tell a totally unrelated story?

I swear, I do not understand what is wrong with people here.

 

 

 

I think the last post was talking about it happening, which is true, as opposed to being a requirement, which as you correctly point out it  isn't.  Anyway, I wasn't aware of the actual requirement until you pointed it out -- thanks.     

[pcur]

On 9/6/2022 at 10:11 PM, brillohead said:

NO, THEY DO NOT.

If you don't know the particulars, don't go making things up just to make yourself sound important.  

What the WHAT, brillohead?  I'm not important; I'm just a poster here, like you.  

 

For your current and future edification:

 

"No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing."

[pcur]

15 hours ago, brillohead said:

Why did you quote me and then tell a totally unrelated story?

I swear, I do not understand what is wrong with people here.

 

 

I thought it was a pretty interesting story.  Posting police rights are a figment of some people's imaginations.

[pcur]

On 9/7/2022 at 11:10 AM, S.A.M.J.R. said:

SOME do.  Some think they have to (they're wrong). Others do it for other benefits (I've heard so they can take on four bottles of wine... between the two cabins).  That seems a strange reason, but whatever.

 

It is NOT a requirement to do so. 

The switching is a personal choice; the adult in the cabin is a requirement.  See post #41 above.  That's directly from RCCL's web site.

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, pcur said:

The switching is a personal choice; the adult in the cabin is a requirement.  See post #41 above.  That's directly from RCCL's web site.

As it should be.

[moposh]

I say, wait until he is 18 and then he can cruise to his heart's content.

[Skippy]

On 9/5/2022 at 12:13 PM, HellyDonandkids said:

HI,

 

My son who will be 17 is an avid cruiser and has found a great cruise on Royal Caribbean in Asia next year. I am more than happy for him to go on this cruise, he is a very sensible kid, he wouldnt misbehave or try to drink etc and I would be happy to sign anything confirming so. Has anyone ever heard of a cruise company agreeing to this? The Royal Caribbean cruise age for Asia is 18.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, thank you.

Why can’t you go with him?

[mjkacmom]

16 hours ago, Cruisin Kay D said:

RC is firm in its rules, even when they don't tell you the rules.  My experience:  10 years ago we actually were kicked off a Royal Carib ship 4 days before boarding!!  About 2 months prior to the girls' graduation from high school, I called directly to a Royal Carib phone number to book my husband, me, my granddaughter & 4 of her friends.  The Royal representative took all the names, birthdates, credit card deposit, and various other information (if using a passport # or birth certificate) and he assigned us in 3 cabins with hubby & me between the girls, with 3 on 1 side & 2 on the other side.  

About 3 weeks prior to the cruise, I went into the RC website to check the names, birthdates, etc.  I found that the RC booking repr I talked to apparently had changed the birth years of 2 gals which made 1 appear to be 27 (not 17) and other one to be 22!    I couldn't understand the mistakes and promptly changed them to be accurate!   

Four (4) days prior to the cruise I called in to confirm that any unspent money their parents put into an onboard account would be returned to the girls.   The person I spoke with said she needed to put me on hold to check on this...at end of hold I was talking with someone higher in the chain who said we could NOT board ship due to not enough adults with the girls!   I asked if I could get one of the mothers to go too.....answer NO, not enough room in the 3 rooms we were assigned....then asked if we could be moved to cabins that would accommodate us and answer was NO.  I begged, pleaded, cried, cussed and go nowhere.   Woman said you are welcome to go to the ship but we would be denied boarding (HUH? drive from TN?).   Woman said it was my fault for putting in wrong birthdates.(NO was NOT my doing!)   Woman said they would consider giving me the money back (HUH? why maybe?).   My question to her was WHY did you not call me about this problem? (No answer, still said my fault.)

Not only did girls not have their "dream" trip and a cruise line "might" give $$ back, I had to find somewhere to take these girls for their Senior trip, and tell them of the change, hardest one to tell this situation was my granddaughter.   I got lucky to find a condo in Daytona Beach -- we ended up having sunny gorgeous weather there....and the cruise had rain every day!!   

Took quite a while to get the money back from RC -- received several calls from RC, asking why I cancelled the cruise, and I said I did NOT cancel it, RC kicked us off.   I did not book RC for years after this!

I don’t know why you and your husband couldn’t be in the middle cabin since the rule is they need to be next to a cabin with someone over 21? We cruise with our 5 kids.

[mjkacmom]

41 minutes ago, moposh said:

I say, wait until he is 18 and then he can cruise to his heart's content.

You mean 21.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

What the WHAT, brillohead?  I'm not important; I'm just a poster here, like you.  

 

For your current and future edification:

 

"No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing."

What is posted on Royals site is incorrect.  Typical for Royals website.

 

Children can be booked in a cabin that is beside or directly across the hall from their parents.  You must call to book this way as it cannot be booked that way directly on the website.

 

I have done numerous bookings both personal and for clients where the kids are in the rooms by themselves...booked that way and not switched on board.

 

You also only quoted part of the policy.  The second part is..

 

This age limit will be waived for children sailing with their parents or guardians in connecting staterooms; for underage married couples; and for active duty members of the United States or Canadian military.

 

And as I mentioned they have extended the "connecting" stateroom to include adjacent or directly across the hall.

Edited September 8, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[moposh]

32 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

You mean 21.

If he's sailing international, he can be 18, I believe.