Safety for teens?

[dale594]

We are bringing our 2 girls 16 and just turned 20 on our cruise. I am just curious as to how much freedom parents usually give girls that age on a cruise. Would you let them do whatever they want, excursions on their own, or try to keep them with you for safety? I think we will all want to do a lot together anyway.........I am a new stepmother so totally new to this whole teenager thing! Both girls are very responsible. My only concern really is safety. Thanks!

[sealgs2000]

If they are smart the ship its self should be pretty safe. But I would not let them do excursions on their own. JMO

[Elaine515]

Both of my girls have been cruising their entire lives and they are now 16 & 13 years old...

 

They both MUST go to the Camp Carnival or Teen Meet & Greet the first night on-board the ship to meet others their age. From that point on, its really easy. They are allowed to hang out with their friends as long as I have some idea of where they are.

 

Most of the time at night my husband & I are in the Casino so if they need something or just to check in, they know where to find us should they decide to do something else or change location...

 

Depending on the ship, most teens are usually on the Lido Deck near the 24 hour pizza or in Club 02 if the ship has one. Last year we could always find the little one hanging out with about 15 others in the Library playing board games.

 

Definite rules are:

 

They better be with us at the dinner

They are always with us on the Islands...

They cannot enter anyone elses cabin and noone can enter theirs

If they have a soda and put it down for any reason, they need to dispose of it and purchase another one.... just in case some idiot decides to put something into it... Rather be safe than sorry

If I or someone else happens to catch them doing anything that they should not be doing, then their vacation and mine is over because from that point on, we're together, attached at the hips for the remainder of the cruise.... (and what teen wants to be stuck with their Mom on a Cruise???!!!)

 

Thankfully I trust my girls enough to allow them this freedom... If I thought for a second that they couldn't be trusted, I don't think I'd be so flexible. And so far, they haven't disappointed me...

[buddyjo143]

Elaine said it well.

 

We used very similar rules with our 13 year old niece on our Christmas cruise. (We and her parents and other Auntie).

 

She could hang out with friends but not go in their room. She needed to check in and let us know where she would be. (The first night she scared her dad cause he said he would meet her at 11 p.m. and she thought he meant be in the room by 11 so when she decided to go in early, he didn't check on her in the room with her Auntie)

 

The 16 year old can go in the teen club but the 20 y.o. cannot. The 20 y.o. can go in the adult night clubs and yes, they check i.d.

[jessemon]

We are bringing our 2 girls 16 and just turned 20 on our cruise. I am just curious as to how much freedom parents usually give girls that age on a cruise. Would you let them do whatever they want, excursions on their own, or try to keep them with you for safety? I think we will all want to do a lot together anyway.........I am a new stepmother so totally new to this whole teenager thing! Both girls are very responsible. My only concern really is safety. Thanks!

The question is....

How do you treat this at home....?????

[SheriNtexas]

Both of my girls have been cruising their entire lives and they are now 16 & 13 years old...

 

They both MUST go to the Camp Carnival or Teen Meet & Greet the first night on-board the ship to meet others their age. From that point on, its really easy. They are allowed to hang out with their friends as long as I have some idea of where they are.

 

Most of the time at night my husband & I are in the Casino so if they need something or just to check in, they know where to find us should they decide to do something else or change location...

 

Depending on the ship, most teens are usually on the Lido Deck near the 24 hour pizza or in Club 02 if the ship has one. Last year we could always find the little one hanging out with about 15 others in the Library playing board games.

 

Definite rules are:

 

They better be with us at the dinner

They are always with us on the Islands...

They cannot enter anyone elses cabin and noone can enter theirs

If they have a soda and put it down for any reason, they need to dispose of it and purchase another one.... just in case some idiot decides to put something into it... Rather be safe than sorry

If I or someone else happens to catch them doing anything that they should not be doing, then their vacation and mine is over because from that point on, we're together, attached at the hips for the remainder of the cruise.... (and what teen wants to be stuck with their Mom on a Cruise???!!!)

 

Thankfully I trust my girls enough to allow them this freedom... If I thought for a second that they couldn't be trusted, I don't think I'd be so flexible. And so far, they haven't disappointed me...

 

 

OMG! What great rules! I mean, it's stuff I already know, but my 16yo daughter and I are cruising in July, and I am going to print out these list of rules and hang them on the wall in the cabin, lol! I definitely agree about the kids staying with the adults on the islands. I actually hadn't thought about the soft drink thing you mentioned! I told my daughter that if she broke any rules i would personally wait for her outside the teen hangout and walk with her back to the cabin. Basically, she could still have some fun, but i would be her personal bodyguard, her buddy, her pal, lol! Hey, a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do...:cool:

[mprucha]

I think that rules are great and all of us parents need to have some to protect our kids.....HOWEVER.....I also think it depends on the kids and how much freedom, etc. you've normally given them. For example: I have a daughter that is 18 and a son that is 20. Now, even though they are still both young, I will give them alot more freedom than you all mentioned and for good reason. For one, (and this is a really BAD example but turned out successfully) I was married at 20 and that marriage lasted for 12 years and we went to the bahamas on our honeymoon at that age. Also, my daughter, although only 18, actually graduated a year early from high school on her own free will and is now in college early majoring in child psychology. Now, I have told them that in port I prefer they stay with us and of course, my daughter knows all the tricks about not leaving drinks sitting, etc etc and they know I don't want strangers in their room but they have proven themself over the years to be very responsible during major vacations and I intend to keep in my mind that actually they are safer on this ship in the middle of the ocean than they were when they each went to beach week during spring break last year. But if they want to eat burgers with friends on the deck I'm not going to insist they eat in the dining room with us. I mean, they work hard at full time jobs and in school and it's their vacation too. When kids are away at college, you don't have a clue what they are up to unless they are living at home or going to school in their home town so just because all of a sudden they are with you doesn't mean they have to be held tightly down. Plus, at 18, they can also fight for their country in war and vote and get married and many other things without your consent so while still watching out and worrying about them, at some point you have to convince yourself that you have taught them to protect themself as well and start treating them like the young adults they are. If you have, then they will want to be with you some of the time, will have dinner at least once or twice and so on while still enjoying and making friends. How many meet and greets have you ever done with other cruisers or groups where you didn't know people except from these forums. We have a newlywed couple on our upcoming cruise that will be 21 each, not much older than mine. Just a thought.............

[dale594]

Thank you all! This has been incredibly helpful! As I mentioned I am just a new stepmom to the girls for only 6 months. So alot of this stuff is common sense, but sort of new to me! The girls are smart and responsible but also I think have been a little protected so may not be very street smart. You have all given a lot of good ideas to consider and now we can take them and think about them in relation to our daughters and come up with a strategy. Happy, happy cruising! This is their first cruise and my first one in 20 years!

[burnsie]

LeighNtexas started reading your reply and thinking did I already read this thread? My rules exactly.

We are bringing a group of 7 girls in April on the Inspiration. The are all 18 and one 17 yr old. They have to stay with me in Cozumel. They were all given the same rules you had plus they need to use the buddy system. No one is to be walking on the ship alone. They don't go to the bathroom alone at when they are out with friends at home so they don't need to be alone on the ship.

 

I am really looking forward to going with all the girls. Since she graduates this year I guess it will be my last Chaperoning trip. 11 yrs of Boy Scouts, 13 years of Girl Scouts, 5 Years of NJROTC (stuck around after he graduated). Can you tell I'm starting to get empty nest syndrome. DH will have to take me on more cruises to ease the pain!!!

Enjoy your cruise, burnsie

[hockeyluver]

 

Definite rules are:

 

They better be with us at the dinner

They are always with us on the Islands...

They cannot enter anyone elses cabin and noone can enter theirs

If they have a soda and put it down for any reason, they need to dispose of it and purchase another one.... just in case some idiot decides to put something into it... Rather be safe than sorry

If I or someone else happens to catch them doing anything that they should not be doing, then their vacation and mine is over because from that point on, we're together, attached at the hips for the remainder of the cruise.... (and what teen wants to be stuck with their Mom on a Cruise???!!!)

 

Thankfully I trust my girls enough to allow them this freedom... If I thought for a second that they couldn't be trusted, I don't think I'd be so flexible. And so far, they haven't disappointed me...

 

We basically have the same rules with our girls, with the addition that they MUST be in thier cabin by 1am. Also we have never had any problems with them on the ship or at home. You really have to use the same judgement on the ship as at home.