Teen "fell" from an Allure Central Park Balcony, unfortunately didn't survive

[Scottdalfonso]

2 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

As you said it was not really cruise specific.

This situation is no different from any other on land.

 

I also read that persons under 18 should not be alone on balcony. This is another strange suggestion really. All over the world people LIVE in condos with balconies and kids don't just fall from them!!!

 

Agreed...I let my 11 year old on the balcony all the time during our cruise- because I know he won't climb the damn rail!  BUT also, 16 year old can and do roam the ship alone, whos to say a parent was even in the room when this happened. 

[Tatka]

Maybe parents who know that balcony is something absolutely new for their kids/teens and they won't be able to make good judgement of what may happen if they climb need to explain consequences. Although it is difficult to predict of course. 😞

[ChutChut]

20 hours ago, Thoenix said:

Again, we don't know the insurance situation, but the insurance companies involved may legitimately require a lawsuit to be filed before they'll pay out.  In my job, I work with a lot of families who've just lost a child and the legal framework for handling these sorts of things is really complex and messy and upsetting on every front.  It doesn't matter how responsible you want to be, very few families can handle the expenses of an unexpected death without tapping into insurance or other resources.  These things are very, very expensive.

Not initially. Insurance companies will subrogate. Insurance will pay the insured, negotiate with the other "party," and then subrogate the claim if unsuccessful. 

[Oceansaway17]

well no matter how many comments are posted, it is all sad for that family. I just hate hearing these stories and for the life of me do not understand risk takers. 

[mjkacmom]

47 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

As you said it was not really cruise specific.

This situation is no different from any other on land.

 

I also read that persons under 18 should not be alone on balcony. This is another strange suggestion really. All over the world people LIVE in condos with balconies and kids don't just fall from them!!!

 

My 20 year old lives in an off campus apartment complex with balconies that face inwards facing the pool, I’ve seen videos of very long beer funnels going from balcony to balcony, I’m afraid to even ask if any of them try to climb from balcony to balcony. I don’t want to know (and of course my daughter knows I would not want her to try it, she was 14 on our last cruise and I still made them stay a foot in on the balcony, and she was my youngest).

[lovesthebeach2]

1 hour ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Agreed...I let my 11 year old on the balcony all the time during our cruise- because I know he won't climb the damn rail!  BUT also, 16 year old can and do roam the ship alone, whos to say a parent was even in the room when this happened. 

Unfortunately I’ve seen much younger children younger than 16 roaming the halls and stairs unattended, some look under 10. Sometimes doing things I wouldn’t have allowed my children to do.

[BND]

1 hour ago, Tatka said:

Why do cruises attract such a special attention?!?!

Balconies exist in various buildings in various resorts. Why cruises? 😞

 

My heart goes to the family of 16 years old... RIP.

One or two college students fall from balconies/windows every year and they're pretty much always drunk.  Toddlers fall out of windows and people intentionally jump from balconies and parking garages, etc.  Cruises are an enigma to some people and the media has encouraged that by blowing things out of proportion.  My 86 year old mother still tells us to be careful every time we go on a cruise.  She doesn't tell us that when we go to the beach for the weekend.  I've explained to her over and over again that the railings are too high to just fall over and that norovirus isn't running rampant onboard.  In fact, the worst thing I've ever had on a cruise was a sinus infection one time and a simple cold a couple of other times.   Yes, I feel for the family but I hope they don't go after Royal for something their teenager chose to do.

[Tree_skier]

4 hours ago, mandyleighflies said:

We will never know and can only make our own assumptions.

Or not make assumptions 

[BND]

21 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Unfortunately I’ve seen much younger children younger than 16 roaming the halls and stairs unattended, some look under 10. Sometimes doing things I wouldn’t have allowed my children to do.

There are people on here who have gladly reported allowing their kids to roam the ship.  I wouldn't have either.  In fact, when we went on vacation with our kids, it was our family vacation and time we spent together.

[bonsai3s]

23 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Unfortunately I’ve seen much younger children younger than 16 roaming the halls and stairs unattended, some look under 10. Sometimes doing things I wouldn’t have allowed my children to do.

So true...just this past Thanksgiving sailing on the Symphony...we saw a little girl (around 10 yrs old), asking a stranger (a man) if he's seen "little ducks". 

 

We looked around and no sight of parents, siblings, or anyone else.

My wife said: " That is just scary and insane that parents would allow a little girl go around the ship...by herself."

[nelblu]

1 minute ago, bonsai3s said:

So true...just this past Thanksgiving sailing on the Symphony...we saw a little girl (around 10 yrs old), asking a stranger (a man) if he's seen "little ducks". 

 

We looked around and no sight of parents, siblings, or anyone else.

My wife said: " That is just scary and insane that parents would allow a little girl go around the ship...by herself."

A sad example was some years ago when a child was playing in the pool while the parents and other relatives were bs and drinking.  This sad episode forced the cruise industry to place lifeguards at all pools.  Sometimes, I feel sorry for the lifeguards regarding the attitude of some passengers, but also no matter the weather and if the pool is open, they need to be on guard.

[lovesthebeach2]

35 minutes ago, nelblu said:

A sad example was some years ago when a child was playing in the pool while the parents and other relatives were bs and drinking.  This sad episode forced the cruise industry to place lifeguards at all pools.  Sometimes, I feel sorry for the lifeguards regarding the attitude of some passengers, but also no matter the weather and if the pool is open, they need to be on guard.

Yes, unfortunately parents could get a bit lax watching their children sometimes when there are other adults also watching. They can get comfortable thinking that with so many eyes on everything, that their children will be safe.

 

And I know the example you’re mentioning. Very sad.

[Tatka]

1 hour ago, BND said:

  Yes, I feel for the family but I hope they don't go after Royal for something their teenager chose to do.

 

 I do not hold hopes after that event on Freedom...