Thread: Kids and teens under 18 leaving ship alone

I saw an interesting thread on another board. Two teens under 18 were allowed to disembark in a port without a guardian. There wwas a parent on board and that parent was not told, the other parent was in poer and the kids knew where that parent was going to be and the kids went there. What if they didn't?? Who is Responsible?? The parents, or the crew for allowing them to get off alone?? I am a grandparent and do take grandchildren, but they know the rules before we board. If they break a rule, they pray their parents find out and not me.

Havent voted on this one yet... I don't think it should happen at all... no matter who is responsible.

We had our grandkids on one cruise... the boy was 19 and the girl 17. The girl wanted very much to go ashore in Nassau after dinner. Mom & Dad said No. Big brother offered to accompany her. It was still NO.

Kids should NOT go ashore alone (even in a 'safe' port like Nassau.) And a lot of kids are STILL kids when they are past 18.

It will depend partly on the age of the child, if 17 then it would not be a problem, but would not be right for young children to be going ashore alone.

If, by alone, you only mean that their parents are not with them... maybe. Provided, of course, that at least one 240 pound muscular body guard who speaks the local language, is thoroughly familiar with the lay of the land and the local custome, and whose unwivering loyalty is to their parents shadows them the entire time.

I totally agree. Adults need to be aware of their surroundings at all times when in a port, incuding the States, There are dangers everywhere even in your home town. I understand the kids enjoying themselves but when it comes to safety, the parents should be responsible.

Yep.
17 year olds are not the most aware or responsible creatures on the planet, despite the fact that most of them already know everything there is to know, and are virtually invincible.

I'm one of those who posted on that other "board" to disagree that the cruiseline was at fault. She was supposedly in charge of not only her teens, but her kids' friends too on this cruise. Her husband was left on the ship, so those teens could have found him to ask for permission to go ashore. They didn't.

The RC contract says that parents and guardians are responsible for any minors under a certain age, and these teens fell into this category.

Sue, you bring up a really good point.
There should be some way to restrict children from leaving the ship alone without the parents written permission allowing them to do that. I really don't know if something like that exists.

Reggie

It is really scary what "could" happen to kids on thier own under the age of adult. If you bring children the parents or guardians are responsible. It is wrong to think the crew and other passengers should "babysit" and let kids do as they please. I have heard many times it is our vacation and we paid for it, but all the passengers on the ship "paid" for it as well and no one wants to see a child hurt in any way, or be harreassed by unruly kids either. These could have been very smart and well behaved kids, they did go right to the Mom, but anything bad could have happened between the ship and mom.

Two words.
Natalie Holloway.