Can parents go an excursion and leave kids in OA

In reading either RC's website or some other website, I saw that kids club hours are 30 min before the first excursion up to 5pm. So I'm assuming parents can leave their kids on board while they go to port? But I also read something about the kids club shutting down over lunch? What if your excursion goes through lunch?

(My husband and I want to do Stingray city with Capt. Marvin and it includes 2 other stops plus lunch so it's 5 hours long. My kids are too young for that trip)

WHAT!!!

Surely if your children are too young for a 5 hour trip then they are too young to be left without parents on board.

Pete

Yes, you may. It's setup to enable parents to do just that.

Expect lots of folks here to warn you about the risks of not being able to be contacted or missing the ship.

Do what you think is right.

WHAT!!!

 

Surely if your children are too young for a 5 hour trip then they are too young to be left without parents on board.

 

Pete

Why not? That's exactly what I do every day when they go to school and I work an hour away. And the length of the trip isn't why they can't come. It's b/c one can swim but has never been in an ocean -much less with giant sting rays that are wild animals and the other can't swim at all.

Why not? That's exactly what I do every day when they go to school and I work an hour away. And the length of the trip isn't why they can't come. It's b/c one can swim but has never been in an ocean -much less with giant sting rays that are wild animals and the other can't swim at all.

If they are in school, they are in familiar surroundings with people they know. You can be easily contacted in case of emergency or even a meltdown. You can be there in an hour. The school won't leave without you if you are late - the ship will. But, yes, you can leave them and they will be fed.

Why not? That's exactly what I do every day when they go to school and I work an hour away. And the length of the trip isn't why they can't come. It's b/c one can swim but has never been in an ocean -much less with giant sting rays that are wild animals and the other can't swim at all.

1. You don't have to be able to swim to visit the stingrays. There are lifejackets/belts for those who are nervous, but you are in shallow water where you can stand.

2. OA is the Oasis. I think that you mean AO, Adventure Ocean. :)

Not sure why people are telling you "no." Our DD (4) loved the Adventure Ocean so much that our last Freedom cruise - we barely saw her. We gave her a lot of options - pool, movies, ice skating, beach, etc. She always asked to stay at Adventure Ocean. She got her face painted, played games, did a pirate parade, arts and crafts, etc.

The Adventure Ocean is set up on the ship for this purpose. You can drop them off on port days and the staff will make sure that they are fed (at Windjammer) and you pick them up at a certain time. Don't be late or they will charge you - a lot!

They have emergency medical facilities ON BOARD and the staff is made up of professionals. Unless YOU miss the boat - your child will be perfectly safe, well cared for - and might be having a better time than you!

If they are in school, they are in familiar surroundings with people they know. You can be easily contacted in case of emergency or even a meltdown. You can be there in an hour. The school won't leave without you if you are late - the ship will. But, yes, you can leave them and they will be fed.

They're not familiar with school when they start school. And they don't know the teachers from one year to the next. They have to GET familiar with it. Not all kids that suffer from separation anxiety. Some kids don't mind being somewhere new. If the OPs kids are like this then there would be no issue.

As for not being able to get there right away, she could be 10 minutes away and something could happen that would keep here from getting back in 10 minutes. I work 30 minutes from my son's school. I can't tell you how many times traffic jams and freeway shutdowns have turned my 30 minute drive into 75 minutes.

Why not? That's exactly what I do every day when they go to school and I work an hour away. And the length of the trip isn't why they can't come. It's b/c one can swim but has never been in an ocean -much less with giant sting rays that are wild animals and the other can't swim at all.

SCHOOL can contact the parents and an ambulance if necessary. SCHOOL( or day care) can call if Junior has a meltdown or a potty accident

On Board kids clubs do NOT have this capability.

choose an excursion EVERYONE can go on.

They're not familiar with school when they start school. And they don't know the teachers from one year to the next. They have to GET familiar with it. Not all kids that suffer from separation anxiety. Some kids don't mind being somewhere new. If the OPs kids are like this then there would be no issue.

 

As for not being able to get there right away, she could be 10 minutes away and something could happen that would keep here from getting back in 10 minutes. I work 30 minutes from my son's school. I can't tell you how many times traffic jams and freeway shutdowns have turned my 30 minute drive into 75 minutes.

That's fine, and to each his own. Will never forget the poster on the family board a while ago. Excursion was planned with child to stay in AO. At last minute, father decided not to go. Child spiked a sudden fever and convulsed. Had to be airlifted off the ship. Fortunately she survived but parents never would have forgiven themselves had they both been off the ship. We each have our own comfort zone.

You can.

Would I?

NEVER

SCHOOL can contact the parents and an ambulance if necessary. SCHOOL( or day care) can call if Junior has a meltdown or a potty accident

 

On Board kids clubs do NOT have this capability.

 

choose an excursion EVERYONE can go on.

So wait, do the ships offer this service or not? Because I can't imagine them offering the service but NOT having the capabilities to handle these typical child care scenarios.

If the ship offers the option of leaving your kids while you're on an excursion, what parent wouldn't think to send along a change of clothes?

As for contacting an AMBULANCE, um, if the ships onboard staff can't contact an ambulance, the parents can't either.

The OP's question is CAN the kids be left. Not SHOULD they.

We left our boys on AO while we did a snorkel trip on the beach in Grand Cayman. We were gone for about 2 hours. We were able to get back before lunch and take them with us off the ship and eat at Hard Rock Cafe.

So wait, do the ships offer this service or not? Because I can't imagine them offering the service but NOT having the capabilities to handle these typical child care scenarios.

 

If the ship offers the option of leaving your kids while you're on an excursion, what parent wouldn't think to send along a change of clothes?

 

As for contacting an AMBULANCE, um, if the ships onboard staff can't contact an ambulance, the parents can't either.

 

The OP's question is CAN the kids be left. Not SHOULD they.

Well said.

The ships with Adventure Oceans Kids Club DO offer this service.

So wait, do the ships offer this service or not? Because I can't imagine them offering the service but NOT having the capabilities to handle these typical child care scenarios.

 

If the ship offers the option of leaving your kids while you're on an excursion, what parent wouldn't think to send along a change of clothes?

 

As for contacting an AMBULANCE, um, if the ships onboard staff can't contact an ambulance, the parents can't either.

 

The OP's question is CAN the kids be left. Not SHOULD they.

if you are off the ship they cannot call you. and umm.. very few parents send Junior to the kid's club with a change of clothes because it is expected that the parents will be called to come GET junior back to the cabin to change clothes in a more private setting.

as for ambulances,. my meaning is if Junior gets ill or injured badly enough at a school, an ambulance is 5 minutes away, to a US hospital

in a foreign port, who knows WHAT emergency services you will have access to.

if the child is NOT old enough to be granted permission to sign themselves out of the kid's club, Mom and dad should not leave them on board while they go off and have fun in port.

I thought people with kids get all up in arms about spending time together in a family when any one suggests otherwise on a cruise vacation. so by that reasoning, any shore excursions should be suitable for everyone in the family.

SCHOOL can contact the parents and an ambulance if necessary. SCHOOL( or day care) can call if Junior has a meltdown or a potty accident

 

On Board kids clubs do NOT have this capability.

 

choose an excursion EVERYONE can go on.

I'm not going to defend my reasons for wanting to take this excursion without the kiddos.

However, this discussion does bring up an interesting point. How DO they contact the parents should something happen? I know on the Disney ships you can get walkie talkies, or something like that and at home (in school) I can be reached via phone. Those options aren't available on board. So how do they find the parents in case of emergency??

I'm not going to defend my reasons for wanting to take this excursion without the kiddos.

 

However, this discussion does bring up an interesting point. How DO they contact the parents should something happen? I know on the Disney ships you can get walkie talkies, or something like that and at home (in school) I can be reached via phone. Those options aren't available on board. So how do they find the parents in case of emergency??

If you here Alpha, Alpha, Alpha, Deck 12, Adventure Ocean, you might go check it out. ;)

To OP the simple answer to your question is yes - you can leave them. You don't mention their ages so some responses may not apply.

Think most people were trying to give advice, perhaps unsolicited, but it is part of any answer given to try explain the procedure.

AO staff do not change clothes. If a child has an "accident" they call the parents. That is why so they are so strict on potty training, no pull ups, etc. Same thing with an upset tummy if a kid vomits.

Medical staff on board will be called in an emergency, but if it is something so severe as to warrant medical attention, most parents would want to be on board.

Older kids can sign in and out of the club. I think that begins around 11. So they could have the freedom of the ship. Not sure of exact policy on this.

Getting back to the ship takes time. You will be in a foreign country, need to go through security, passport/ID check, perhaps tender. There can be lines.

Obvious things like missing the ship are also a consideration.

You have to make an informed decision for your family - not just is "it open." Do whatever you are comfortable with. Personally, would not risk it!

If you here Alpha, Alpha, Alpha, Deck 12, Adventure Ocean, you might go check it out. ;)

Staff member once told me they check to see where the SeaPass card was last used by parents. Might not always work, but might help narrow it down to a specific area of the ship to find someone. In a true emergency I am sure they announce a name.

Staff member once told me they check to see where the SeaPass card was last used by parents. Might not always work, but might help narrow it down to a specific area of the ship to find someone. In a true emergency I am sure they announce a name.

Of course that does absolutely no good if the parents are off on an excursion and cannot be reached.

Staff member once told me they check to see where the SeaPass card was last used by parents. Might not always work, but might help narrow it down to a specific area of the ship to find someone. In a true emergency I am sure they announce a name.

That's interesting, big brother on the ship. ;)

I like it

Of course that does absolutely no good if the parents are off on an excursion and cannot be reached.

It might work if it was an RCL excursion

Of course that does absolutely no good if the parents are off on an excursion and cannot be reached.

RC would know if parents were off ship. Remember you "ding" your card as you leave. I was commenting on what I was told if they were trying to locate parents (or in an emergency any passenger) on ship.

if you are off the ship they cannot call you. and umm.. very few parents send Junior to the kid's club with a change of clothes because it is expected that the parents will be called to come GET junior back to the cabin to change clothes in a more private setting.

 

as for ambulances,. my meaning is if Junior gets ill or injured badly enough at a school, an ambulance is 5 minutes away, to a US hospital

 

in a foreign port, who knows WHAT emergency services you will have access to.

 

if the child is NOT old enough to be granted permission to sign themselves out of the kid's club, Mom and dad should not leave them on board while they go off and have fun in port.

 

I thought people with kids get all up in arms about spending time together in a family when any one suggests otherwise on a cruise vacation. so by that reasoning, any shore excursions should be suitable for everyone in the family.

I think I clearly read the op incorrectly. I must have missed where they asked anyone's permission if they can leave their children. I could have sworn they asked if it was a service provided.

People are always so dramatic about this. How many times have you heard about a child left on board with parents that missed the ship? I'm sure if it happened even semi regularly it would be all over these boards. If it was such a risk the ship wouldn't have it as an option. They don't want to take care of someone's children for days without the parents.

And just because it could be a family vacation doesn't mean parents shouldn't have any alone time and the kids have some time to play with other kids.

How about not giving parenting advice and instead try to answer the question.

You will find that any time you mention the word "kids" in a post that armchair parents come out of the woodwork. Some of these people are the same ones who write Facebook posts about the "glory days" when they were kids and left the house in the morning and didn't come back until after sunset in a time without cellphones, etc. Then expect that today's parents hover above their children like helicopters 24/7 and don't recognize the disconnect.

We scheduled excursions with our kids, but our kids are older (youngest is 5), and most of the fun will be to see them having fun.

Your kids are younger. They will have a great time in kids club for a few hours. I assume that if you had strong fears about one of them having a meltdown that you would not have chosen this option to begin with. And if you want to have 5 hours of adult time interspersed with lots of family time on a 7-day cruise more power to you. The only caveat is that I would take a ship's tour so that the ship has record of where you are in the extremely unlikely event there is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention.