18 YO traveling without parents

[Ourusualbeach]

25 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Is a "minor" <21 or <18?  If it's <21, I had TWO minors unrelated to me in the cabin next door with my 16yo.  According to the above, that shouldn't have been allowed.  If it's <18, I had one minor unrelated to me in the cabin next door with my 16yo and a 19yo.  According to the above, that shouldn't have been allowed.  

 

I had a notarized permission slip for the 17yo, not for the 19yo.  It wasn't asked for at any point. 

From north American ports a minor is 21.  Not surprising that things do slip through but not a risk I would take. 

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

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

From north American ports a minor is 21.  Not surprising that things do slip through but not a risk I would take. 

Which risk are you talking about?  Travelling without a "permission letter" or booking minors in a room by themselves? 

 

I agree there's no harm in having a permission letter.  I don't know that I'd get one for someone 18-20 though. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by S.A.M.J.R.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Which risk are you talking about?  Travelling without a "permission letter" or booking minors in a room by themselves? 

 

I agree there's no harm in having a permission letter.  I don't know that I'd get one for someone 18-20 though. 

If they catch it before you sail they make you either rearrangecrooms to meet the policy imported or cancel bookings.  If they catch it at yhe pier you can be denied boarding. 

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

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If they catch it before you sail they make you either rearrangecrooms to meet the policy imported or cancel bookings.  If they catch it at yhe pier you can be denied boarding. 

Not to be nitpicky, but catch WHAT?  Not having the permission letter or the minors in a room?

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Not to be nitpicky, but catch WHAT?  Not having the permission letter or the minors in a room?

Minors in across without a parent or legal guardian beside or across the hall from them. 

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

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Minors in across without a parent or legal guardian beside or across the hall from them. 

My thought would be whenever they catch it, THEN make the arrangements to have an "adult" in the room.  I would find it really hard to believe that RCI (any cruise line) wouldn't allow you to make that adjustment (even at the pier). 

[Ourusualbeach]

19 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

My thought would be whenever they catch it, THEN make the arrangements to have an "adult" in the room.  I would find it really hard to believe that RCI (any cruise line) wouldn't allow you to make that adjustment (even at the pier). 

As long as you have the correct number of adults to kids making a change to berthing would not be an issue.  

 

I had a grandparent ibtwo rooms with 3 grandkids. .had to change to one room.  That if caught at the pier would probably be denied boarding as I doubt there would be any 4 person cabins available

[smokeybandit]

53 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

From north American ports a minor is 21.  Not surprising that things do slip through but not a risk I would take. 

That's not what RC's permission letter says though.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/minor-traveling-without-parent-or-guardian-form.pdf

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That's not what RC's permission letter says though.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/minor-traveling-without-parent-or-guardian-form.pdf

Two entirely different things.  I am talking about berthing requirements vs permissions and waivers

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

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That's not what RC's permission letter says though.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/minor-traveling-without-parent-or-guardian-form.pdf

That's a "consent to travel".  Says nothing about room accomodations.

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

That's a "consent to travel".  Says nothing about room accomodations.

The OP's question was about consent to travel.

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

4 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

The OP's question was about consent to travel.

But you were responding to @Ourusualbeach.  The conversation had shifted to room arrangements.

[Ourusualbeach]

21 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

The OP's question was about consent to travel.

Like evreything CC, the topic got sidetracked and I was not responding to the OP

[mjkacmom]

There have been many reporting here that RCL allows minors to be booked in cabins next to or across the hall from adults, and I’ve never heard anyone report that the arrangements caused folks to be denied boarding.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

There have been many reporting here that RCL allows minors to be booked in cabins next to or across the hall from adults, and I’ve never heard anyone report that the arrangements caused folks to be denied boarding.

Always parents, not adults. 

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

5 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

There have been many reporting here that RCL allows minors to be booked in cabins next to or across the hall from adults, and I’ve never heard anyone report that the arrangements caused folks to be denied boarding.

From the policy posted by @Ourusualbeach:

C. Minors Traveling with Parents: Minors can be berthed without an adult in the stateroom only when at least one parent is sailing and the staterooms are physically adjacent (directly next door or directly across the hall) to one another.  

 

The question however is when you have minors traveling with adults OTHER than parent/guardian. I did it last year with no issues.  @Ourusualbeach reported an issue when they booked a single grandparent and three kids into two rooms, had to be adjusted to a single room (I assume well before sailing).  Now, what happens if things "slip through the cracks" on that arrangement until at the pier?  Would they be denied boarding? 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

From the policy posted by @Ourusualbeach:

C. Minors Traveling with Parents: Minors can be berthed without an adult in the stateroom only when at least one parent is sailing and the staterooms are physically adjacent (directly next door or directly across the hall) to one another.  

 

The question however is when you have minors traveling with adults OTHER than parent/guardian. I did it last year with no issues.  @Ourusualbeach reported an issue when they booked a single grandparent and three kids into two rooms, had to be adjusted to a single room (I assume well before sailing).  Now, what happens if things "slip through the cracks" on that arrangement until at the pier?  Would they be denied boarding? 

When they caught one of mine pre sailing I was told I had until xxx to mdke it in lineveith policy or the booking would be cancelled.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

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

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

When they caught one of mine pre sailing I was told I had until xxx to mdke it in lineveith policy or the booking would be cancelled.

Just continuing the discussion... how does Royal KNOW minors aren't related to the adults?  Can't go by last names.  Maybe different states (is the state of each cruiser required)?

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Just continuing the discussion... how does Royal KNOW minors aren't related to the adults?  Can't go by last names.  Maybe different states (is the state of each cruiser required)?

They look at every room with minors in it by themselves.  Those have to have a notation by the booking agent so they don't cancel.  Another department then reviews them and then compares them to the cabins with the adults and asks for verification if they believe that it does not meet the policy.

 

Again, it is not enough to be related it must be a parent or legal guardian if the minors are in a room alone 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

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

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

They look at every room with minors in it by themselves.  Those have to have a notation by the booking agent so they don't cancel.  Another department then reviews them and then compares them to the cabins with the adults and asks for verification if they believe that it does not meet the policy.

 

Again, it is not enough to be related it must be a parent or legal guardian if the minors are in a room alone 

I wonder if our TA added that notation last year.  

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I wonder if our TA added that notation last year.  

The agent they spoke with on the phone did.  To make that booking you have to call in as even TA's cannot book 2 underage kids in their own room.  The booking system will not allow it.

 

I usually book it by changing the birthdate of one child and then call in to get it corrected and notated. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[Luke gs Daddy]

7 hours ago, robmtx said:

We're doing the same thing, only with 3 extra 18 YO's. We got two connecting rooms with me being the primary in room 1 with an 18 yo, and a connector with 2 18 YO's. We then got a room down the hall with my wife and another 18 YO. They 18 YO's will ultimately share the connecting rooms and I'll stay down the hall with the mrs.

Royal said nothing to us about the setup or the different names. I even explained what we were doing. I had to call this in to get the rooms reserved, and no mention of it.

 

The boys all have passports and a confirmed reservation.

From where did you hear about this parental consent? If you hear anything else about this, please share!

A TA that was used for this trip.

She told us on a zoom call we had with the families going.

[Luke gs Daddy]

5 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

First thing. I have no idea if you require notarized letters or not.

Second thing. I applaud your courage to bring two 18 YO adolescence homo sapiens on a cruise with you. Good luck -  We'll all be preying for you! 😁

I can't stop laughing!!!

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

1 hour ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

A TA that was used for this trip.

She told us on a zoom call we had with the families going.

It *MIGHT* cost a little money to get a permission slip notarized (you may know someone who's a notary who's willing to do it for free).  You PROBABLY (like 99% if not 99.99% chance) won't need it.  

It 100% will not hurt anything to have. 

 

We did not bring one for the 19yo that came with us last year.

[Guest phd1003]

We booked a star class room for next year. One of the guests would be only 3 and not worth wasting the star class amenities on. We wanted to put the 3 year old in a cabin with a 23 year old cousin. RCL and our TA said that minors under the age of 17 could not cohabitate with a guest under the age of 25 unless it was a parent or legal guardian. That was our experience.