Thread: Have there been reports of child molestation?

Having discussed the kids' programs at quite a length with onboard supervisors during our meetings with them, we feel very comfortable recommending all of the major cruise lines to families with small children.

The bottom line is if they so much as had one complaint, you can imagine the financial impact such an incident would have and they simply cannot afford it. So all the major cruise lines go above and beyond to insure this never happens. The program providers are intensely screened and constantly trained on handling small children.

First, no one program provider is allowed to be alone with a child. Only children that are potty-trained and above are permitted to be in the program, so they must be able to go to the bathroom by themself.

These same program providers are also the ones hired to do the in-stateroom babysitting service.

And yes, there is always the possibility, but knowing what I know about the lengths they go through to insure proper care, I would have no problem with entrusted children to them. They take the line that if the kids aren't happy, the parents aren't happy and that will cost them bad press and alot of money. And as we all know, money is the guiding factor in just about everything.

Pete

Not to be the downer, but a friend recommended cruise bruise and I was sickened by some of the stuff I read. Not to mention all the other stuff. This kind of stuff happens everywhere, Not just on the cruise ship. But all in all, very scary.

Keep your kids close to you know matter where your at.

Originally Posted by motorcitykitty

Not to be the downer, but a friend recommended cruise bruise and I was sickened by some of the stuff I read. Not to mention all the other stuff. This kind of stuff happens everywhere, Not just on the cruise ship. But all in all, very scary.

Keep your kids close to you know matter where your at.

What is "cruise bruise"???

Patty, it is a web site that folks put the direst cases of what happens on a cruise ship. The advertisers are lawyers who specialize in suing cruise lines. I couldn't find out who the owner of the site is--when you go to the "about us" page it gives a very long explanation of why the site was started, but gives no names.

I am a little leery of sites like this one. Just my personal opinion.

Not only have I never heard of any problems of this type, I just met someone who told me that he was happy with all the camps on the ships he has been on, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean. He was very impressed that on Carnival, you could leave your children in the ship's care from 9 am until 3am the next morning. The later hours are considered babysitting and you pay extra, but it is available, and use dby many happy kids and their parents.

Lee, with the ships as large as they are today, I tell my grandchildren they are like a city, we have neighbors but do we really know them or what they are thinking?? No, but we can be safe!! Most programs on ships are awesome, stay with the mass lines, their programs are awesome, and they WILL protect the children, some, like Princess have beepers for the parents, if there is a problem you will be notified immediatly!! Princess does not have in-cabin babysitting, but they do have it in the program until 1 a.m. so you can have an enjoyable evening without worrying!! You have the choice of feeding them early and taking them to the program while you have dinner, and they also have a childrens menu in the dining room if they want to be with you!! RC did not on our last Freedom cruise!! If you don't want to use the programs, just keep them close and don't let them wander

Originally Posted by Char

Patty, it is a web site that folks put the direst cases of what happens on a cruise ship. The advertisers are lawyers who specialize in suing cruise lines. I couldn't find out who the owner of the site is--when you go to the "about us" page it gives a very long explanation of why the site was started, but gives no names.

I am a little leery of sites like this one. Just my personal opinion.

Sounds like the equivalent of ambulance chasers.

My children are almost adults, but even when cruising at 15, 17, and 19 they didn't not leave the dining table or dance floor to go to the Bathroom by themselves, they took one of their friends with them. Its common sense people. It like you're in a strange town on vacation, you wouldn't let your kid wander around the streets to find a bathroom on their own. Stay together is alway a good motto. I would say whose your buddy and they would laugh, but they would tell who it was for that night. We alway go cruising with alot of friends, usually 50+ so they have alot to choose from.

Originally Posted by Char

Patty, it is a web site that folks put the direst cases of what happens on a cruise ship. The advertisers are lawyers who specialize in suing cruise lines. I couldn't find out who the owner of the site is--when you go to the "about us" page it gives a very long explanation of why the site was started, but gives no names.

I am a little leery of sites like this one. Just my personal opinion.

I've looked at that website in the meantime and I agree with you. In fact, one of the lawyers who either started it or heavily advertises on it was quoted heavily in some articles that imply cruising isn't that safe. (you can find some of these articles in the cruise news section here; I made a comment about this man on one of the threads.

Originally Posted by jp20

My children are almost adults, but even when cruising at 15, 17, and 19 they didn't not leave the dining table or dance floor to go to the Bathroom by themselves, they took one of their friends with them. Its common sense people. It like you're in a strange town on vacation, you wouldn't let your kid wander around the streets to find a bathroom on their own. Stay together is alway a good motto. I would say whose your buddy and they would laugh, but they would tell who it was for that night. We alway go cruising with alot of friends, usually 50+ so they have alot to choose from.

It is all about common sense. I still go into a restroom with my daughter and stand by the sinks.

Another thing is if you're letting kids share a cabin on their own, you have to set up rules (no one comes into the cabin without your permission; they don't go to another person's cabin w/o your permission).