Would you do it?

Would you consider a China and Japan cruise with a 10 year old? I am not asking about the 10 year old's behavior, but more of a safety question. I am considering booking on HAL for April of next year with a senior friend of mine. My 10 year old, will be 11 when travelling wants to come badly. DH and DS have little interest. Is it safe to take a young girl (very tiny at 50 lbs) on this type of cruise? I am a bit worried as it has been many years since I travelled without DH but I used to travel solo all the time.

I guess the "responsibility" for someone else has asking this question. I would never book if her safety would be an issue walking around ports like Busan, Dalian, Shanghai and Beijing. I have never been to Asia before so it is an unknown so any thoughts on the matter would be helpful.

It is hard to answer without knowing your daughter.

She could be the only child on board or at least the only one in her age group. We have been on several Princess cruises to Asia, and there were 3 or 4 kids. I don't know if HAL will have a children's program for the few.

How is your daugter at "adult" sightseeing. You will not find many beaches to visit that time of year. While the pools on the ship will be open, it will probably be too cool for swimming. We spend a week in mid April last year in Shanghai and wore a sweater or light jacket every day.

Thanks for your reply. I am not worried about her on the ship as she is (very) mature for her age and very inquisitive. My question is she would be safe in the various ports if we were not doing a ship excursion? Would I have to hold her hand the entire time we were off the ship or doing ship excursions the only really safe way to go? I have never been to Asia before so I have no reference. I have read on trip advisor that there are no real worries in Japan but mixed reviews in China.

We found China to be very safe. We walked in less touristy areas in Beijing, shanghai, and Xian and never worried. I would hold her hand in a crowd, but you would do that at home. There are police on the lookout everywhere.

I would think that a 10 year old with a reasonably patient and watchful adult would be as safe traveling as she is at home unless you have her in a bubble. 10 years old and a little more is when American children start to do things in groups or alone and if they are normal start to make their own way into the world -- can't stop it-- it's part of the wiring!

My daughter was 12 when she won a trip to Seoul Korea to see the Olympics in 1988. She won the trip 2 days after her 12th birthday. I was her escort and we had a wonderful wonderful time. We were able to walk the streets, go to the markets in not only Korea but also China, Hong Kong and Shanghai which were included in the tour. She was treated with respect and within the group was accepted with open arms in that she was the only one who could do currency conversions in her head! (no iphone for money values then). Our only small distraction was the attention they gave to her silver blonde hair that she wore in waist-length pig tales. The oriental peoples wanted to have their picture taken with the girl with the gold hair and she was in a Seoul Korea newspaper photo. Meanwhile my husband and 14 yr old daughter traveled to Hong Kong and Thailand for 3 weeks and they too had a great experience. One day in Hong Kong, Dad was sick and the 14 yr old went on the tour excursion by herself and the guide went to the store with her to buy Chinese "sicky food" for her father. Keep a journal because it is fun 15 years later for the "child" to see the wonderful things they did and it makes for great college application essays:rolleyes:

From this experience and the experience of living in Europe for awhile and for traveling with my girls internationally since they were 4 years old, I believe that international travel is one of the biggest advantages you can give a child. Open her eyes to the wonderful differences of cultures and peoples and open her heart to how much people are alike even if they look different. Teach her that she is smart and competent to make her way even if she's not experienced in that way of doing things. She will travel easier than you because she won't have so many "ideas" of how it should be and she will venture and explore a little more. Of course consider her safety but you know there are 10 year old children all over the world and their families love them and want them safe and want your child to be safe too.

I hope you will think about all the pluses and also the worries that you have and then take a big breath and go for it! Your pleasure will be more than hers I bet:D The 12 year old is now a professor of Chemistry and Neuroscience and this year will take her 3 yo son on his first international visit (England for 3 weeks!).

We have been to East Asia 5 or 6 times on both cruises and land tours. We have never felt we were in any danger. The biggest problem would be making sure she does not get separated from you in the large groups of people.

I have travelled with our son when he was 4 and I also travelled with my parents when I was very young...I find that most Asian cultures are very respectful of the mother and child and that your child will be adored by all....the worse thing is having to stop to let them take photos with her as quite often they have not seen many young children and they love them:)

I will let you know though that i did lose my son once when we where in the hotel...turned my back for 5 and he was gone...panic:eek: until I heard laughing...followed the laughing and found 15 staff members with my son playing and talking to him...they loved him and just wanted to talk to him and touch his skin...he was very white and they love that...so just enjoy and what a lucky girl:D

I am bringing my 5 year old and 1 year old! We travel a lot though and have been to asia with them. I say go for it. amazing opportunity of her!

I would say yes, absolutely. We felt very safe in China and so long as you are sensible there should not be any problem. Good on her for wanting to go.

Thank you all. Reading your replies have put my mind at ease. Natalie is working on her 3rd passport, her first trip being "home" to Scotland at 8 months so she is a good traveller and straight A student so I have no worries about her missing school.

Now that I have heard that safety is not an issue as long as you use common sense I am very much more excited about the opportunity of seeing these far off lands. So is she and she is lobbying hard at this end, doing research and telling me facts. I asked her why she wanted to go so badly and she said she has "always" wanted to see the Great Wall of China and that she wants to see how people really live.

Definitely safe, as long as you stay sensible.

I've been bringing my kids around Asia for many years now.

Last year, we took the Legend from Singapore to Shanghai. Then, kids were almost 5 and almost 6, with the girl being younger.

All the Asian cities you name are as safe as any large world city . Given normal adult supervison and oversight and watching out for traffic you should be perfectly safe .

Traffic is many Asian cities especially in China and Vietnam is very heavy and somewhat undisciplined . Be especially careful if you come from a country where they drive on the other side of the road .

So yes take your child and let him/her experience the wonderful educational values of tarvelling overseas as youngsters with ones parents .