Travelling with unaccompanied "minors" aka 20 year olds

[RD64]

Yes - if you are travelling with an under 21 employee that is one thing. If it is your under 21 year old children, that is the same thing. At the end of the day - in this litigious world, you will be held responsible for the actions of your employees / children. Should your children be doing something inappropriate, it will be the entire family unit that gets tossed from the cruise. Because the George Smith Vanity Fair article was brought up, I did read it, and two related families were “evicted” from the cruise, mid-Mediterranean because of the actions of the under 21s.

 

Royal - nor anyone else - is going to allow an independent 18, 19, or 20 year old to travel independently without anyone being accountable for the under 21 year old.

[tiff234]

On 9/3/2023 at 8:04 PM, dd likes to cruise said:

Could it be how you have the rooms booked?  Is an adult in each room?

 

Yes, there is an adult in each room

[tiff234]

On 9/4/2023 at 12:10 AM, Tree_skier said:

I just brought my three grand kids on a cruise 14, 17 and 20.  The 14 and 17 year old required the notarized form.  Nothing was required for the 20 year old.

Thank you!  This is helpful.

[tiff234]

On 9/4/2023 at 8:30 PM, gluecksbaer said:

But it may have caused the confusion.  If the rule that those under 21 had to have an "adult" in the cabin and the 20 year olds were not considered "adults" in that sense was not well explaine, it may have led Tiff to believe that they considered the 20 year olds "minors" in general and not just in terms of booking a room.

The issue is that Royal Carribean's policy says under 21 is considered a minor, and they cannot sail unaccompanied, and that any minor that isn't your child needs that form.  Additionally, a call to their customer service and another call to their "Resolution Department" also indicated it would be necessary for a 20 year old.  However, I was not confident in their understanding of the policy.  Honestly I think they are just as confused as I am now .

 

There is an adult (over 21) booked in each room.  

[tiff234]

1 hour ago, chfenton said:

From experience, if you have a legitimate reason this can also be waived (at least it was for me about 10 years ago).  At the time, we had our nanny who was 20 and wanted her to sail alone and we purchased her a balcony which was nowhere near our Crown loft suite.  Instead of having to book that room in my wife's name and put nanny with the rest of us and then switch once on board, I simply asked the executive office to let her sail in her cabin alone.  Received a response of "no problem" in about 10 minutes.

Wow, how did you accomplish that?  I asked to speak with a supervisor, got the "Resolution Department" down the hall, they were supposed to research the issue and call me back.  I knew when I hung up the phone I wasn't getting a call back, lol.

[chfenton]

50 minutes ago, tiff234 said:

Wow, how did you accomplish that?  I asked to speak with a supervisor, got the "Resolution Department" down the hall, they were supposed to research the issue and call me back.  I knew when I hung up the phone I wasn't getting a call back, lol.

I went directly to the executive office via email back in 2014 when we needed this. 

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

1 hour ago, tiff234 said:

On 9/4/2023 at 8:30 PM, gluecksbaer said:

they considered the 20 year olds "minors" in general and not just in terms of booking a room.

The issue is that Royal Carribean's policy says under 21 is considered a minor

Where does it say that?  Just because you have to be 21 to book a room doesn't mean 18, 19, and 20 year olds are "minors".  They are adults, but not allowed to book a room (unless they're married I believe).

[karena1]

17 hours ago, chfenton said:

From experience, if you have a legitimate reason this can also be waived (at least it was for me about 10 years ago).  At the time, we had our nanny who was 20 and wanted her to sail alone and we purchased her a balcony which was nowhere near our Crown loft suite.  Instead of having to book that room in my wife's name and put nanny with the rest of us and then switch once on board, I simply asked the executive office to let her sail in her cabin alone.  Received a response of "no problem" in about 10 minutes.

I have done it multiple times and never have issues.  As long as they are across the hall or next to them, it can be done.  I have to call to do it, but never have any issues.  I never try to have them far apart, always next to each other or across from them.  

[tiff234]

Just an update, the last representative I spoke to in the “Resolution Department” insisted I needed this 0-18 yo old form completed and notarized by the parents of the 20 year olds because according to RC policy 20 year olds are “minors.”  I asked her what to do about the form saying 0-18 years old and she couldn’t say.  So she said she was going to get an answer and call me back the next day.  I knew I would never get a call back when she said this.  All of the customer representatives are talking from a script and they will not put you in contact with someone who can answer your question, probably because it will count against them or something.  Disappointing when you pay several thousand dollars for three cabins and I can’t even get this figured out.  I went ahead and had the parents do the form and crossed out 0-18 and put “20” as hopefully a safeguard measure.  

[grapau27]

On 9/5/2023 at 1:56 AM, Ourusualbeach said:

18 year olds can travel by themselves in places other than North America.  Two separate policies but definitely could cause confusion

In the UK and Europe 18 is the legal age for drinking and being classed as adults which applies on all cruise ships over here too.