How do you keep in contact with your teen aboard ship?

[nomadguy]

I'm wondering how folks keep in touch with their teen aboard a large ship? I've searched this board but haven't found anything to help me figure it out.

 

I will be taking my niece - a "young" soon-to-be 15 year old girl on this cruise. I certainly don't want to tie her to my hip but I'm not sure how to make sure she's safe and that I know where she is at all times.

 

I'm not sure she'll join in the teen program onboard our 14 day Baltic cruise aboard Celebrity this summer as she is shy. I've seen younger kids with walkie talkies to communicate but what about the teens?

 

I will have a cell phone (on airplane mode) and she will be taking her iPhone (also only on airplane mode) but I don't want her to lose her iPhone while at the pool, etc.

 

What has everyone else in this situation used? Any tips are appreciated. (I'd also like to know how folks communicate back to the USA cost effectively while sailing aboard as her mom is going to want to know she's safe and doing well throughout the 16 day trip.)

[bury me at sea]

We make loose plans each night at dinner. Then we leave post-it notes on the mirror through the day for unexpected changes.

 

It's amazing how easy it is and how often we run into each other.

 

Enjoy

[crossfamily]

We used a dry erase board and just wrote down where we were so the other person would know just in case. Worked out great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[HardToPort]

Arrange a regular check in every hour (or interval you prefer). Pick a spot, pool, buffet, cabin etc. Make sure you eyeball her and make she knows you sound the alarm if she misses. No 15 years old girl will want everyone in a uniform looking for her!!!

[cusoon]

Check-in times and places worked well when we took our teen on cruises. Encourage her to join in with the teen activities. She'll meet new friends and the crew personnel were outstanding in supervising and arranging fun things to do. One cruise they had a scavenger hunt and she got a really unique tour of the ship!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Cruisin' Chick]

We make loose plans each night at dinner. Then we leave post-it notes on the mirror through the day for unexpected changes.

 

It's amazing how easy it is and how often we run into each other.

 

Enjoy

 

exactly. Our daughter was 15 on our last cruise and the three of us would have a running note of where we were -- my hubby would write he just finished working out and is headed with his guitar to Skywalkers, I would say on my way to the hula class, and my daughter will add she's going to the sports deck for ping pong. and sometimes, even when not looking, we may run into each other.

 

we had assigned dining so she knew when we would be in our cabin getting ready so she'll meet us there.

 

But no way would we saddle her with a walkie talkie....and besides, they rarely work on a ship.

[nomadguy]

Great info, thank you all so much. I'm very nervous about taking my niece's daughter and protecting her from the world while under my care so I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond! :)

 

I don't want to smother her so your suggestions are perfect! (Hubs and I always do the sticky note thing anyway so adding one more person to that mix is no problem!) And, I love the idea of check ins at certain times & places, too, under threat of everyone in uniform looking for her if she doesn't check in @ agreed to times as that would mortify her! :eek: (...And, here I was thinking she'd have to return to the cabin hourly or something but I can now imagine us being at a champagne art auction at a certain time and she meets us there to check in or at the pool or music lounge etc. I was just so paranoid I couldn't even figure it out myself... and I typically figure out everything!)

 

I'm really hoping she'll be comfortable in the teen program but don't want to force her. Maybe I'll ask her to just go to the first day's event and see how it goes from there.

 

I just do not want her wandering the ship by herself!

[mjkacmom]

Encourage her to go to the club the first night, that's when friend groups are formed. I really wouldn't worry much about a 15 year old, just go over some ground rules like don't go into anyone's cabin.

[lostchild]

I just do not want her wandering the ship by herself!

 

Wandering the ship is good.. it's staying inside someone else cabin is bad! My brother put a dash cam in his kid's car with the camera facing toward the cabin of the car... so there is no making out in the car LOL.

[scurrymd]

Timely question, as I was wondering the same thing. We're taking our 14 year old granddaughter on a cruise this summer, and want to give her freedom...just not too much! We did a larger family cruise (13 people) last year, and although she was the only kid, she didn't want to go to the teens club. This summer it will just be three 50-60 year olds and her. I'm assuming she won't find us so fascinating that she will want to spend all her time with us, so if we can't convince her to go to the teens club, what is there for a 14 year old girl to do by herself?

[Cruisin' Chick]

Timely question, as I was wondering the same thing. We're taking our 14 year old granddaughter on a cruise this summer, and want to give her freedom...just not too much! We did a larger family cruise (13 people) last year, and although she was the only kid, she didn't want to go to the teens club. This summer it will just be three 50-60 year olds and her. I'm assuming she won't find us so fascinating that she will want to spend all her time with us, so if we can't convince her to go to the teens club, what is there for a 14 year old girl to do by herself?

 

Have her go to the teen room the first night anyway. that's where the kids meet each other. A couple of cruises ago, my daughter was 13 and she met a couple of other girls her age, and they would hang out on sea days (our cruise had about ten sea days). All in all, the teens on that cruise made a facebook page and they continued to talk over at least few months. My girl friended those girls and found out before our next cruise that one of them was also going, so they made plans to meet up. They found another girl their age and three boys, and they would hang (some of the shows, swimming, table tennis matches, etc.).

[cruisinqt]

Timely question, as I was wondering the same thing. We're taking our 14 year old granddaughter on a cruise this summer, and want to give her freedom...just not too much! We did a larger family cruise (13 people) last year, and although she was the only kid, she didn't want to go to the teens club. This summer it will just be three 50-60 year olds and her. I'm assuming she won't find us so fascinating that she will want to spend all her time with us, so if we can't convince her to go to the teens club, what is there for a 14 year old girl to do by herself?

 

There's lots of things she would like. My girls are now 17 and 19 but even at 14 they found lots to do both by themselves and together. My girls loved going to the game room or doing any sports activities on board. They also enjoyed the spa and hanging out there. People watching By the pool is fun too. :)

[Adam&Eve]

Our daughter was 13 on her first cruise in Sept 2015 and we just about had to drag her to the first night meet and greet - but hardly saw her from there on. We had meal times set that we'd meet up and otherwise bumped into each other on occasion. Some nights the waiters in the dining room would tell us what they saw her up to that day! She's still in touch with some of the kids she met and can't wait for her next cruise with us in April ... only 82 days to go! She thinks it's the best way to holiday. Your niece will love it if she gives it a chance.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On our cruise this past July, our 12yo was pretty much on his own. We told him the "rules" (don't go in anyone's cabin, don't accept a drink from anyone, don't get in trouble) before we left home.

 

He went to the teen club the first night and found some friends. We'd leave notes in the cabin and tell him what time to be ready for dinner. He also knew curfew was 1am.

 

Personally, I don't think I could plan out MY day so I know I"m going to be a certain place for check in. Each family is different though.

[teknoge3k]

I know it's a lot different for a girl than it for a boy but our last cruise our son was 12. He would come in at around midnight and be gone by 9am each morning. He had so much fun off on his own and having his own independency. If we wanted to find him, we could typically go look near the ice cream machine and that's where he'd be. He probably had 100 ice cream cones that week.

[nomadguy]

Thank you everyone for your encouraging words and wisdom. I feel more confident now (& so thankful there isn't a free coke machine on board)!

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[bury me at sea]

Other than post-it notes and curfew times we had three strict rules.

 

If your hands can reach the rail, both feet are firmly on the deck.

 

Accompany NO ONE to his/her cabin.

 

Neither invite nor allow anyone to accompany you to our cabin.

 

She was plenty safe, had a terrific time, and was easy to find. It's a large body of water but a confined space. Relax and enjoy!

[cb at sea]

I would suggest telling each other your plans for the day, and having frequent physical "check in " times for her to come and find you. Texting or other electronic communication tells you NOTHING..have HER come to you (and she will know where you are, because you told her where you'd be) and find out her next set of plans!

 

Have meals together...talk, and go from there! It's really not as hard as you are imagining!

Edited January 15, 2017 by cb at sea