Is it okay to leave the kids in the cabin?

[gracie65]

You have got to decide in your own circumstances if the 13 year old is mature enough etc. I only have one child and he's 9. I can say if I had an older child & felt they were capable enough I would consider the arrangement. I will tell you that we always use the after hours PJ party style baby sitting on Carnival & if we get there too early to pick our son up he does not want to leave because he is having so much fun. I also like this because if he stays up later he will sleep later meaning I can too!!!!

I would wait till you get there & see your comfort levels & also what you think about the camp then decide. This is not the same as the case of Madeline being left alone in the hotel room as she was what 5-6 years old? You would have a teenager that is legally able to baby sit.

[nealstuber]

I am traveling with two kids..age 8 and 13. I don't feel comfortable doing this...maybe there is another solution?

 

When they asleep at night...I want to see the piano bar. Is it safe to leave them in the room while they asleep? or can we get a babysitter on board?

 

Thanks,

Tibby

 

Just like at home, there is no "right" age - I think it depends on the kids and your comfort level. If you would leave them home alone for a couple hours unsupervised, I see absolutely no problem with being a couple decks away for the same period of time.

 

Our son pretty much out grew camp carnival at 11, but we felt more comfortable with him using the buddy system, so we let DD(9) stay with him.

 

Its worth noting that Carnival allows "self sign out" during the day for kids 8 and older (double check that age cause it may have changed). You may "test the waters" with this as you cruise progresses.

 

For the past two and a half cruises, our kids have pretty much had "free run" during the day and the option to stay in the Cabin if they like at night. Our rules are simple and they made us feel comfortable:

Always use the buddy system

Carry the cell phone with you - but never use it unless a real emergency happens.

During the day we know where they are going and they must check in every hour (we ramped this up to 2 hours at the end of our last cruise).

 

We also tell them to stay off the cabin decks except to get to/from their cabin.

We also designate a "drop zone" if the rendezvous time has past and if they can't reach us, then they meet us by the pursurs desk.

 

We've used these rules for about 25 cruise days on three ships - never needed the drop zone - never had to use the cell phone.

 

Our kids understand if they break any of these rules - they are not on the next cruise.

 

That's whats worked for us - like just about everything else in parenting - you have to do what works for you.

[nealstuber]

While you are vacationing as a mother, be a mother.

 

That's kind of silly. From the moment DS was concieved, DW was a mother - and she always will be a mother, at work, on vaction, in the shower, even in her grave. But surely she deserves a vaction from the weight of her responsibilities.

 

Given the limited options we have for someone to watch our kids while we cruise, I certainly feel, when all the risks are considered, that they safer on the ship with us.

 

We've done it both ways - and the only instance we have had was when DS hit his head under grandmother's care in Queens while we were cruising to Bermuda.

 

Everything turned out fine, but I don't see how you can argue that one way is safer than the other. I'm sorry for your freinds loss, but I'm sure there are equally sad stories from alternative courses of action. Do you think there are no tragic stories from "Cruise Camps" or "Hotel Camp?"

[Elaine515]

I am traveling with two kids..age 8 and 13. I don't feel comfortable doing this...maybe there is another solution?

 

When they asleep at night...I want to see the piano bar. Is it safe to leave them in the room while they asleep? or can we get a babysitter on board?

 

Thanks,

Tibby

 

 

Tibby,

 

I actually read all the posts just to see what others think. Here is my advice.. Make sure you sign both kids up at the Camp Carnival Meet n Greet the first night on-board the ship... I will bet you that the 13 yr old will find friends his/her age and will want to be with them for the week. The 8 year old will also find friends their age but have to stay in the Camp program until a parent signs him/her out.

 

Unless you as a parent have a problem with it, the 13 year old will hang out with new friends all week long (usually near the pizza, outside the disco or in the library playing board games). The 8 year old can stay in camp until 10pm at night for no fee and then you pay a fee from 10pm - 2am. But, rest assured, an 8 year old will love Camp Carnival, especially at night. They have pajama parties, pizza parties, lay on mats, watch movies etc.

 

To me, this is the best way to go for peace of mind. The 13 year old should be fine and the 8 year old will be fine. They'll have a great cruise and you guys can also have a great cruise, go to the Piano Bar, to the Casino, to Karokee or whatever you want without having to worry about whats going on in the cabin, are the kids safe etc.

 

Oh, and Carnival DOES NOT offer in cabin babysitting... thats where the grandma comes in!!

 

Hope my opinion helps a bit.

[poobears]

Thank you so much for all the comments and advices.

 

I would go for Carnival Camp...I just didn't know that they open that late.

 

The other solution was...we just call Grandma and inviting her with us. Of course we would pay for her cruise. We asked if she can baby the kids for 1 night so we can play. The rest of the cruise...she will lightly be at the slot machine. LOL

 

 

I think I would invite Grandma along. If you know she'll love the cruise and you can afford it. It seems like the perfect solution. I'm sure she'd gladly watch the grands one night while you all have fun and then you wont' have to worry at all.

 

Of course this is assuming everyone gets along well with Grandma and there's no tension there LOL

[tulsacubfan]

Thank you so much for all the comments and advices.

 

I would go for Carnival Camp...I just didn't know that they open that late.

 

The other solution was...we just call Grandma and inviting her with us. Of course we would pay for her cruise. We asked if she can baby the kids for 1 night so we can play. The rest of the cruise...she will lightly be at the slot machine. LOL

 

If I was Grandma, I would think this was the best solution of all :D

[tbogie]

We were on the Legend in March with our 10yr son. He was allowed to stay in the cabin if we wanted to check out something in the evening after late seating dinner. One night he left dinner went to the cabin, fell asleep, we checked on him at 9:30 and he was still sleeping. We went to the show, left the show because we didn't like the singer, back at cabin at 10:15 and our son was gone. I panicked. He had woke up and silly us we did not leave him a note as to where we were going. I went to the food court on Lido, basketball court and asked everyone in my path if they had seen him. My husband stayed in cabin in case he came back, we had walkie talkies and he finally noticed a message on the phone. Our son had left the cabin and found someone from the pursors desk to help him find us. They said they paged us and we didn't hear it because were we in the show. They checked him into kids club because that would be the safest place for him. I retrieved him from kids club and we went straight to pursors desk to thank them for helping him. Got back to cabin and noticed he was not himself. He was running a temp of 103 and spent the next 3 days sick. This is a kid who is never sick. We learned alot from that experience. I would still let him stay in the cabin and definitely communicate better. He is allowed to be on his own to go to arcade, basketball courts and a few other places. On the last day of our cruise I received a letter and met with the Head pursor to talk about how the situation was handled. Never did they mention that our son should not be in the cabin alone. I think it is up to each parent to decide if their child is mature enough.

[poobears]

I think someone earlier stated it best. If you would leave them at night at home, then do it there. If you wouldn't do it at home, don't do there. A cruise is no safer then your house so go with the same instinct.

 

For mine I leave them at home during the day so I would leave them in the room if they wanted during the day on the cruise, although I can't imagine them wanting to stay in the room during the day. I won't leave them alone at night so I wouldn't on the cruise.

 

There's no right or wrong, you are the one that has to live with the consequences so only you can decide what is best for your family.

[Crusin6]

The 13 year old is old enough to babysit so I wouldn't have a problem with that. But it also depends on how mature your 13 year old is too. DS(15) was mature enough at 13 and DD(12) (also old enough to baby sit) is mature enough at 12. I would make sure they know the rules not to leave the cabin and not to open the door for strangers.

I agree with your thinking as well about the babysitting ages, as mine babysat at that age as well. The one issue I always have had with the idea of leaving them alone is this. It is always possible to gain access to a locked i.e. bolted from the inside, cabin. This I know because we had connecting cabins left one bolted and then mistakenly let the connecting doors close when we all went out thru the other door.

 

It was a big deal to get the other cabin unlocked, but it can be done. Security must use their master key as the steward does not have authorization. So a bolted cabin can be entered by those granted security access. I am thinking that anyone can be authorized to enter if needed. While I do not believe that each and every crew member is dangerous, I would still think that a parent should be aware and be positive that their kids in the cabin understand as well, that the door, though bolted could still be opened from the outside. If you were all sharing a cabin, they would have to get up to let you in as well. So if they are not heavy sleepers, they would get up, but should they not hear you knock or hear the phone ring, you too would need to get someone with access other than the steward to let you in.

 

 

I take the time to post this not to overreact, but to advise that not only should the kids not open the door, they should also realize that the door could be opened regardless of the bolt. As it should be in case of emergency. Additionally, and it has been discussed on the boards, the steward does know who is and who isn't occupying a cabin at any given time. So, yes, the fact that your cabin is occupied will be noted by the steward, even though he may not know exactly who is there.

 

Lastly, if you can be sure of it I say leave them alone.......but instruct them as to the dangers of being on a ship with 3000 strangers as well.

 

 

BTW, the piano bar is great, except for the excessive smoke, and it is open early in the evening as well and we bring our kids there for a short period only if it is not smoky but we never can stay long because the smoke is too much and we will not stay at that point. At least we don't spend much money there and do get to enjoy it for a short time.

[DqALEX]

I am traveling with two kids..age 8 and 13. I don't feel comfortable doing this...maybe there is another solution?

 

When they asleep at night...I want to see the piano bar. Is it safe to leave them in the room while they asleep? or can we get a babysitter on board?

 

Thanks,

Tibby

At 8 years old I wouldn't. My kids always wanted to go to camp carnival, so it was easy for me. My 10 year old I still won't leave alone in a cabin. For us Camp Carnival was the answer, I know there in good hands.

[babyher]

Its funny how times change.

 

I had three older sisters growing up and both my parents worked, sometimes 10- 12 hour days .

 

at 11 , 12 , 13 we were cleaning that house top to bottom and my sisters were cooking full meals for dinner when my parents got home at 6. Probably why we are such great cooks today. I don't mean calling for takeout of some microwave crap, people call dinner today. I mean roasts, lasagne you name it.

 

The older we got the more responcibilities we got. And everything on that list had better be done and dinner better be on the table at 6.

 

The summer I was 11 dad introduced me to the lawnmower and we have been togteher ever since *LOL*

 

Believe me it was not all Cinderella drudgery *LOL* . They were our chores and our responcibilities. But we still had time to have fun and go out. There were just things we needed to do first in order to help out our parents . We never actually got paid for all this , but when soimething would come up and one of us needed a little dough for something , my parents didn't mind giving it to us (within reason) because we earned it.

[Quincella]

My almost-13 year old daughter often babysits my six year old daughter in our home for a few hours at a time, although I'm sure to be home at a reasonable (usually by 9:00) hour. Since I'm ok with this arrangement at home, I'd certainly be ok with it at sea.

 

The only reason I wouldn't do it would be becasue I don't want my older child to be "stuck" babysitting her little sister when we're on vacation. It's her vacation, too, and I want her to enjoy it. If she felt like staying in that night then it would be ok. But if there was something else she wanted to do that evening, I'd send her sister to the Kids Camp. Oh...and I also wouldn't want my youngest to feel "stuck," either. She loves the kids clubs on the ships, and so, in the spirit of it also being her vacation, I'd first let her decide if she wanted to be in the club.

[kyrisong1]

It is in the knowing your child. My two oldest boys could and did babysit their younger siblings at 13. However, it could only be one of them and the two younger children. If I was leaving the two of them home alone I had to get a babysitter for them.

 

It was very strange. Tonight you babysit but tomorrow you need a babysitter. Left alone the two of them would have killed each other. Now of course they are grown and best of friends.

cathyoo, I totally agree, it depends on the kids, some 13 year olds are responsible and some are not.

Also if the 13 year old meets friends on the cruise is she going to want to be stuck bb sitting and perhaps resent it?

Only mom can know the kids well enough to say, I'm paranoid so I'd probably take my younger one to the camp carnival, but that's me.

Carole

[canner2u]

As all have said, it comes down to how you feel about it and your comfort level. Some people look at a ship as a closed area and therefore safe, my thought is not like that.

I use the same common sense on the ship I would at a hotel. To compare your home to the ship to me is not realistic. Your home is familiar territory, the ship is not.

So, what would you do if you were on vacation at a hotel? Would you leave them to go to the bar in the hotel?

I think the idea of bring Grandma along would be a win win solution. Give her a vacation, let her and her grandchildren spend quality time, and you get to do some all adult activities.

As others have said, only you know you and your children. Whether they agree or not with your choice, it is your choice. Just use common sense and all should be ok.

And to those that are going to say it, yes, not everyone uses common sense, but if the OP had enough sense to ask the question, it shows some common sense lives there.:)

[nagster]

I would think the 13 yo is old enough to babysit the 8 yo, just check on them every hour or so.

[gal14]

It's been said again and again, but I'll throw in my opinion too. If you would do at home, then do on the cruise ship. The simple fact that your asking the question is probably an indicator that you're not comfortable with it. If you aren't comfortable with it- DON'T DO IT! Camp Carnival does let 9-11 year olds (I think those ages are correct) sign themselves in and out but ONLY if parents say it's ok. Trust your own instincts- they're your kids. And IMHO, if you're asking the question, you are NOT a parent that is looking for a vacation from being a parent;) you are just looking for the opinions and support of other parents out there who have been in the same situation- sort of a support group for parents. It's the way we all learn and maybe some people on here forget what it's like to be new to a cruise ship or maybe they don't know what it's like not to know everything or maybe they just need a nap!:p

[BlueJacketsFan1]

I sure wouldn't do it, but a lot of others do. Are you going to have a balcony cabin. To me that would make a difference. Accident can always happen and with a balcony accidents could be a lot worst.