kids alone in cabin?

[cruisejourno]

Does anybody know if rules apply to booking a cabin just for children - across the hall from mine? I'm travelling on my own with three children aged five, seven and nine on the CB in April but when I made the original booking there was going to be another adult so they offered me a minisuite (for three of us) and also an inside cabin for two. Now there are only the four of us going I still want to keep the inside cabin and was hoping to put my seven and nine year old in there, and then I would sleep in the balcony cabin with my five year old. Has anybody ever done this or do you, by law, have to book an adult into a cabin with children? My kids are quite independent and wouldn't have a problem sleeping across the hall from me and just coming to wake me up in the morning! Views would be welcome...

[Bonnie J.]

I believe an adult MUST be with any children in a cabin on any ship. I would feel VERY uncomfortable leaving a seven and nine year old alone in a cabin. They do not want children by themselves, especially at the age of yours, in a cruise ship cabin unless it is an adjoining cabin.

Why don't the four of you stay in one cabin. That is easily done. The nine year old would love sleeping in a bunk that folds down from the ceiling. Balcony cabins usually have a pull out sofa and bunk above. You can also sleep 4 in an inside cabin. I have even seen rollaways so 5 people can be in the same cabin. Remember cabin doors automatically lock so a 7 & 9 year old can't just open the door to come wake Mommy up!

I also hope you are not planning to leave them alone at night so you can go to the shows, lounges, etc.!!!!! Make sure they are in the kids program which lasts til 10PM. Some ships have babysitting there for a fee after 10..

[sapper1]

Ask yourself if you would leave your children alone in a big city hotel in a room across the hall from you. A cruise ship has the same cross section of people aboard as a city. Children that age could answer the door to a stranger and you wouldn't know about it until it is too late. You can warn them all you want but they are still children and can be tricked into opening doors.

I doubt the cruiseline would allow such an arrangement as it is so fraught with potential danger. They are small children and you would be comfortable with four of you in the same cabin-----and a lot safer.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry - but the cruise lines require that an adult be in each cabin with a child or children. Children cannot be in a cabin alone.

 

You have a problem -- not enough adults for 2 cabins.

[karatemom2]

As a fellow Mom I appreciate your predicament, but I agree that I would never have children that age sleeping in another cabin, even if it is just across the hall. Plus I'm certain that you are required to have an adult booked in each cabin so without that you probably won't even be able to keep the room reserved. I would just plan to have everyone in one cabin. My kids are 8 and 14 and we share a cabin all the time and it works fine. If you have a minisuite you should have plenty of room.

[FunCruiser56]

I do believe it depends on the cruise line. We sailed on RCI and booked a cabin directly across the hall for our 2 sons, 8 & 16 with no problem. They even had the 16 yr old listed as the main cabin guest. He received the tickets in his name- this did surprise me.

I think as long as they are next door or across the hall the cruise line will let you book this way.

We had keys to the kids cabin and they had one to ours so we were back and forth alot. They knew the rules about letting anyone in the cabin and we installed a baby monitor in their cabin so we could hear anything going on or if they needed us.

With the ages of your children I would probably be more comfortable if they were in a connecting cabin next door instead of across the hall. I would probably cancel the inside and have everyone in the bigger cabin if you can do this.

 

Happy sailing!

 

Bev

[Desert star]

I do think the minium age is 16.

But I agree with the person who said to go with one cabin. We have had all four of us me, my DH and our 2 DS in an inside cabin twice with no problems, and my oldest son is 6'3".

My opinion would be to save the money for some great excursions.

[kitty9]

If this is your first cruise, I don't think you realize that anyone with a pass key could get into the children's cabin at any time. Also, how will you know if one of the children leaves the cabin in the middle of the night? That could lead to disaster. IMHO your children are way too young to be alone in a cabin as there are so many bad things that could happen. Princess says that an adult must be booked in a cabin with under age children. With three children as young as yours, there's absolutely no problem with the four of you in a cabin. There will be plenty of room.

[cb at sea]

You don't HAVE to have an adult in each room--the cruiselines just want to make sure that parent's (or adults!) are onboard with the kids! (C'mon, if 2 parents have 8 kids, there's NO WAY to put a parent in each room!!!!)

As long as you are within a decent distance of the kids room, you do NOT have to book 1 adult into each room!

And I wouldn't do 1 cabin--you'll have NO privacy! Get connecting rooms, if you want instant access to the kids! Even a cabin across the hall will be as close (or closer) than their bedroom at home!

[LV42day]

You don't HAVE to have an adult in each room--the cruiselines just want to make sure that parent's (or adults!) are onboard with the kids! (C'mon, if 2 parents have 8 kids, there's NO WAY to put a parent in each room!!!!)

As long as you are within a decent distance of the kids room, you do NOT have to book 1 adult into each room!

And I wouldn't do 1 cabin--you'll have NO privacy! Get connecting rooms, if you want instant access to the kids! Even a cabin across the hall will be as close (or closer) than their bedroom at home!

 

Yes, but at home you don't have 1,000 strangers in the house WITH you!

[cruisead]

cb, the OP is traveling with three very young children, by herself, no husband or partner. What kind of privacy will she need? Children are 7 and 9. which in my opinion, is far too young to be in a cabin alone. If the cabins were connecting, with an inside door in between, that's one thing, but two kids, under age 10, it's not a good idea at all for them to be completely alone in a cabin. I just keep thinking about that young girl who's parents left alone in their hotel. She still hasn't been found. Since the kids can't double lock the door, anyone with a master key could get into that cabin anytime. This is something I would never have done with any of our four boys.

[xSandman3`]

Adjoining cabins will solve your problem. It's like having a two room suite with an extra bathroom. We've sailed with the kids a few times like this, and it's great.

[bplazo]

I wouldnt do it with children that young. My daughter was 18 on our last cruise and I still didnt allow it.

[rlmac1001]

Some lines have the rule "kids" under 18 must have an adult IN the cabin. We ran into this problem a few years ago when we wanted to book a room for our girls (17,16,14) and a room for us with our son (12).We were told by PVP, TA and the cruise line it self we would have to have an adult in each room. So we booked a Royal Family Suite and it worked out great. It was a small apartment.

 

But for someone going by them self and small children I would not leave them in a room alone across the hall... get two connecting rooms. But that is just my opinion.

[cruise kitty]

that's really young to be all the way across the hall, we did it when our girls were 15 and 12, we put a portable motion alarm on their door for night time, we also were back at our room by 9:30 each night so the could get a hold of us right away, but if you plan on being out at night or if they are that little you really need to pay for a baby sitter and get adjoining (connecting) rooms, it is not worth the risk.

[whale-watcher]

I also agree that they are much too young to be in their own room...see if you can change to a quad cabin or interconnected rooms.

[pms4104]

I doubt the arrangement you described would be allowed. Further, you likely need to contact the cruiseline to cancel the other adult who is not going and/or to substitute another person (friend, family, neighbor, etc.). Keep in mind that I think you are in penalty phase and may lose some $$$ in getting this situation righted.

 

Also, I agree with previous posters who commented that you children seem too young to be alone and across the hall from you. Lots of safety issues at play here, to say nothing of the cruiseline policy.

[gr82cruz]

Too many what if's. I originally booked the same arrangement, my kids are 12 and 14. Carnival allows this and even suggested it to me. I was thinking how great it would be to have 2 bathrooms and 2 tv's. Then I realized I would never get any sleep wondering what was going on, so I changed to a suite.

[raina*faith]

We did this on our first cruise with the kids. I'm sure someone gave you the answer, but I'm here just to say have fun with that! We sure did! :)

Our girls were then 15 and 14 and did very well. They left messages and we new where they were by the teen compasses. Worked great for us! Good luck!

[serene56]

You don't HAVE to have an adult in each room--the cruiselines just want to make sure that parent's (or adults!) are onboard with the kids! (C'mon, if 2 parents have 8 kids, there's NO WAY to put a parent in each room!!!!)

As long as you are within a decent distance of the kids room, you do NOT have to book 1 adult into each room!

!

 

 

depends on the cruiselines-- on carnival a kid will need to have an adult over the age of 25 booked in the cabin with the child.

 

I know its not a rule that is enforced... but for us-- we took a family vacation on Liberty- My son (23) and GF (21) could not book their daugher in the cabin since neither was over 25. Pi$$ed me off big time- who ever heard of not booking your family together in a cabin.. it was a huge mess..

 

For the people who state they were able to book their kids in their own cabin with no adults name on the booking-- was this recently??

 

I know parents do book an adult in the space but once onboard they just switch up cabins which is NOT booking kids in the room alone.

[karatemom2]

We did this on our first cruise with the kids. I'm sure someone gave you the answer, but I'm here just to say have fun with that! We sure did! :)

 

Our girls were then 15 and 14 and did very well. They left messages and we new where they were by the teen compasses. Worked great for us! Good luck!

 

The OPs children are 7 and 9. That's a big difference from your situation as your kids were teens. I personally think 7 and 9 are too young to be sleeping in a completely separate cabin from a parent, but they aren't my kids. Everybody has to parent in their own way but I still can't imagine that the cruiseline would allow two children that age to be booked into their own room without an adult.

[CruiserKatie]

Royal Caribbean let me book two cabins, with my dd listed as the main guest at the age of 16 and my DS (13).

 

We have a cabin next door. We have always had adjoining cabins, and this time because of our late booking, we could not get adjoining cabins. I am a little nervous about this.

 

No way, at the age, would I do it. But, of course, at 16 and 13, I have a entire different set of problems to deal with . :confused:

[zach&camsmom]

I have a cruise planned on Royal Caribbean Explorer. We have adjoining cabins and my kids are listed in their room by themselves. Different situation though. My sons are 7 and 2 weeks shy of 9 when we cruise and I would never let them stay in a room across the hall by themselves. Too much to worry about.

[momofmeg]

I do believe it depends on the cruise line. We sailed on RCI and booked a cabin directly across the hall for our 2 sons, 8 & 16 with no problem. They even had the 16 yr old listed as the main cabin guest. He received the tickets in his name- this did surprise me.

I think as long as they are next door or across the hall the cruise line will let you book this way.

We had keys to the kids cabin and they had one to ours so we were back and forth alot. They knew the rules about letting anyone in the cabin and we installed a baby monitor in their cabin so we could hear anything going on or if they needed us.

With the ages of your children I would probably be more comfortable if they were in a connecting cabin next door instead of across the hall. I would probably cancel the inside and have everyone in the bigger cabin if you can do this.

 

Happy sailing!

 

{QUOTE}

 

Exactly the SIXTEEN YEAR OLD was old enough to take responsiblilty for the younger child and you were across the hall.

 

The problem with the OP is her oldest child is 9 I think she said? so MUCH younger-a teenager can take some responsiblity.

 

to the OP-you have a minis suite and an inside right now-right?

 

Just switch your booking to two regular balconies with connecting doors. Then you can have the door unlocked that is between you- also the balcony partition taken down-so you have two rooms, two baths, and 4 beds, all on the floor-so no need for the berths or sofa beds.

 

My guess is it would not be any more expensive then a mini suite and inside cabin.

 

Or as others have said you can put 4 in the minisuite.