Carnival lost my daughter from Camp Carnival

[coopco]

I have 2 10 year old kids and we are cruising with Carnival in two weeks. I'm glad I read this. My kids easily could find their way back to our cabin IF I teach them the first day and tell them that is what they should do if they are ever told to leave Kids' Camp and don't know what to do. I totally understand about the crying. My daughter was supposed to meet a friend after school a few weeks ago to practice for their Talent Show act. I had everything arranged with her day care provider that my daughter would be late and asked my daughter's friend to have her mom drop my child off at our day care provider's house after practice. I knew this wouldn't be a problem. Only thing is my daughter's friend had the practice day mixed up and left my daughter waiting after school all by herself. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. So she stood there and cried. Her teacher saw her crying and dropped her off at daycare. We had a talk that night about what to do in the future. She knows the way to her daycare provider's house. Why she didn't just walk there is beyond me but it didn't cross her mind. So I'm definitely teaching my kids how to get to their cabin and what to do if they are asked to leave Kids' Camp. I couldn't imagine them forcing a kid out but now that I know it's a possibility, I can take precautions. But I never would have thought to do that since I've already decided not to let them sign themselves out. I think they are too young for that.

[marys1521]

I find the ships very confusing. The Liberty and The Glory have a complicated layout. You can't just walk from one end to the other end without going up a floor and then down a floor. This happens on the floor where the restaurants are located. Being a child in a huge unfamiliar environment has to be an overwhelming experience. It's easy to blame the parents.


I'm wondering if the poor child even had a room key?

[Sherrybaby412]

[quote name='crusinmama06']For those kids that have "full run of the ship"....what happens if someone grabs them into one of the cabins? :eek: These are floating cities. I just can't be that trusting. :([/quote]

My daughter is 16 and this is my biggest fear. When we cruise, she is with me. If she must go to room alone, she texts me when she gets there and again when she leaves. There are too many sickos everywhere.

[tedjazz]

Wow, Pedophiles must love some of you Parents that post here.

[gtouch]

[quote name='marys1521']I find the ships very confusing. The Liberty and The Glory have a complicated layout. You can't just walk from one end to the other end without going up a floor and then down a floor. This happens on the floor where the restaurants are located. Being a child in a huge unfamiliar environment has to be an overwhelming experience. It's easy to blame the parents.


I'm wondering if the poor child even had a room key?[/quote]

It really doen't come down to if you trust your child. But do you trust the other 4500 people on board (including staff). I believe in teaching your children right from wrong and how to take care of themselves but it's that part of society that doesn't go by your believes and morals that is what I worry about. What is the right answer who knows. But as parents we all must take responsibility for our children as they must take responsiblilty for their decisions.

[cathyoo]

I wasn't fond of the OP's last line and I do wish they would come back and follow up.
But.. I might give my child sign out permission where I would say to the child "we are going to bingo at 3:00 if you are not having a good time join us there. I might also tell the child to meet for ice-cream or something at a certain time. So the parents might give sign out permission but limit it.

However, my whole problem here is the child was SICK and they PUT her out. No one checked up on her? I still can't get over that. SICK and put out. I can imagine that is a scary feeling to be sick and ALONE. It did not sound to me like the child wanted to go. For all we know the little girl could be quite independent but most children tend to revert when they don't feel good.

I would expect if my child got sick at the Camp someone would look for me or have me paged. I would not expect them to kick my child out.

[SuperCoolOne]

I have no idea if the OP is telling a true story or not.

But, from other posters, I am glad to learn that 9 year olds do not automatically have sign out privileges!

I also like the idea of setting up older kids with limited charging privileges by adding a limited amount of cash to their cards!

And yes, even with our young kids, we will try and teach them at least where the room is and where to go for help or who to look for.

[marilole]

[quote name='ERICnLISA']Just finished reading Cruise Confidential and certainly agree with the author about some Americans, always trying to get something "free". I guess if you spilled "hot" coffee on yourself you would take "more serious measures to."

Notice this would be OP's 1st post also[/quote]

I LOVED Cruise Confidential! great book!

[Chigirlcruzin]

IF everything is as the OP says, then somebody at Camp Carnival messed up, plain and simple. But, I don't know that I believe the story as is. Why was she told to sign out? Was she not feeling well and had sign out privileges, so they told her to leave, thinking she'd surely go back to her cabin? Was she picking on some of the other kids so they asked her to leave, but failed to leave out the part of picking on other kids when relating the situation to her mom? Was another kid picking on her and she was embarrassed, so she said CC told her to sign out? I'm not a parent (just an aunt), so I have no experience with Camp Carnival. However, the OP's story just doesn't add up. And, like it or not, kids (people) do lie. I'm not saying she did or did not, I'm just saying it's a possibility.

[Chigirlcruzin]

[quote name='travelntreats']Puleeeeze.... the child is 10 years old... do you hoenstly believe she could find her way back to the stateroom at that age ? She did the right thing and sat crying followed by possibly a staff member or other passenger offering assistance and taking her to the pursers desk.[/quote]


She's 10...not 5. She should know how to get back to her cabin, or at the very least know to go to the information desk if she gets separated. Sitting crying made her more vulnerable.

[MrPete]

If this was my child, she would have taken it upon herself to go to the bridge and start steering the ship.

9 cruises, and my 10 year old has yet to even step inside a "CAMP".

[80sramfan]

[quote name='blondee007'][I]Hi Everyone,[/I]

[I]We just returned from cruising on the Triumph on May 24 with ports of call to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Belize. The ports of call were awesome but on the last night when my daughter was in Camp Carnival one of the camp counselors approached my daughter (who is 10) telling her she needed to sign out. My daughter felt confused and forced to sign out so she left. My daughter was seen sitting around crying not knowing what to do. When we arrived at 10:00 p.m. and Camp Carnival told us she didn't feel good and they told her to sign out and go to the room. We were furious. We went to the room and she was not there. My husband and I were now devastated thinking the worst and upset beyond anything. Keep in mind it's now about 10:30 p.m. and no one has called our room yet. We went heading to the front desk when a photographer stopped us asking if I was looking for my daughter? This nice lady had taken our daughter to the front desk. The front desk never did call our room to let us know she was there. Wierd. Anyway, happy ending, we found her crying and upset. She was told to sign out. We talked to supervisor and they said oops, sorry that was wrong, they didn't follow protocol but nothing they could or would do. We have since taken more serious measures.[/I]
:D[/quote]

This is really more about horrible parenting than Carnival. You granted permission for you child to have the powers to sign themselves in and out. However, you child obviously is not mature enough to be able to handle such responsibility. Perhaps instead of going on some witch hunt you should begin by taking a long look in the mirror.

[markntara]

[quote name='travelntreats']Puleeeeze.... the child is 10 years old... do you hoenstly believe she could find her way back to the stateroom at that age? [/quote]


[SIZE=4][COLOR=red]YES! Absolutely![/COLOR][/SIZE]

We as parents have to take the responsibility to prepare our children for less than ideal conditions. Our children were each equipped with a closed channel walkie talkie, and were in constant communication with us. Each child was taught the route from LIDO, Atrium, and The Shops to their cabin within the first hour of boarding.

Our 9 & 11 year old did not care to visit Camp Carnival as long as the pool or hot tub was open. They along with plenty of other 8 - 12 year olds played together outside of Camp Carnival most days / nights.

They were allowed to dine on Lido separate of us in the dinning room, and toured the ship together. We feel as if it is their vacation also, if they do not like the "stuffiness" of the dinning room, preferring the hotdogs and hamburgers then why not let them dine seperate of us?

[wentworth]

[quote name='Rowan555']Do your grandchildren play in the front yard at home, or ride their bikes without supervision? Or do they seriously never go ANYWHERE without a guardian present?[/quote]

Sorry Rowan, each circumstance is different. Sure my grandchildren
ride their bikes out front of their house without supervision, but they
live in a cul de sac with 4 houses in a town of 2500 people, the
majority of whom they know. So not all people would feel comfortable
letting their children roam the ship or take off unsupervised.

Also, this is not for you, Rowan, but many people have complained on
this board about children running rampart on the ship with no supervision
and causing problems to other cruisers, i.e. in the elevators, pools etc.
If your child is not with you, how do you know they are not one of the
trouble makers while roaming the ship?

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

[quote name='ERICnLISA']
Notice this would be OP's 1st post also[/quote]

So what?

[marilole]

[quote name='80sramfan']This is really more about horrible parenting than Carnival. You granted permission for you child to have the powers to sign themselves in and out. However, you child obviously is not mature enough to be able to handle such responsibility. Perhaps instead of going on some witch hunt you should begin by taking a long look in the mirror.[/quote]

Where in the OP post says she granted permission for her child to have the powers to sign themselves in and out? As I read, she THE CHILD WAS ASKED to sign out before 10pm. Remember.. there is always two sides of the story.
Another thing.. someone was asking why the OP would not come back and post a response? my question is.. for what? on her first post some of you have ripped her into pieces, calling her bad parent, blah, blah. If I was her, I would NOT come back and post in this post anymore, since that would give the opportunity for others to keep flaming her. Some people here in CC think they are always right, no matter what. An they think that judging/flaming others is the best way to go.
ok.. off the soapbox...

[Crusin6]

[quote name='tedjazz']Wow, Pedophiles must love some of you Parents that post here.[/quote]
What is that suppossed to mean?

In my case, I trust no stranger and yep I think the worst and have no sympathy for a criminal.

[Crusin6]

[quote name='marilole']Where in the OP post says she granted permission for her child to have the powers to sign themselves in and out? As I read, she THE CHILD WAS ASKED to sign out before 10pm. Remember.. there is always two sides of the story.
Another thing.. someone was asking why the OP would not come back and post a response? my question is.. for what? on her first post some of you have ripped her into pieces, calling her bad parent, blah, blah. If I was her, I would NOT come back and post in this post anymore, since that would give the opportunity for others to keep flaming her. Some people here in CC think they are always right, no matter what. An they think that judging/flaming others is the best way to go.
ok.. off the soapbox...[/quote]
This is exactly what I said but I am thinking along the lines of....why should she bother to defend herself to us?

[80sramfan]

[quote name='marilole']Where in the OP post says she granted permission for her child to have the powers to sign themselves in and out? As I read, she THE CHILD WAS ASKED to sign out before 10pm. Remember.. there is always two sides of the story.
Another thing.. someone was asking why the OP would not come back and post a response? my question is.. for what? on her first post some of you have ripped her into pieces, calling her bad parent, blah, blah. If I was her, I would NOT come back and post in this post anymore, since that would give the opportunity for others to keep flaming her. Some people here in CC think they are always right, no matter what. An they think that judging/flaming others is the best way to go.
ok.. off the soapbox...[/quote]

Pemission is automatically given upon check in for a child of that age. If the parent had not wanted that option they have the oppty to rescind that privelage. Obviously they did not.

[MamaParrotHead]

[quote name='gtouch']What are the rules for kids signing themselves out. Is there an age that they can do it?[/quote]
I believe it's 9 or 10, but you can opt to not give them that choice (which I did).

[Perfect Stranger]

IMO, they shouldn't allow any kids under the age of 11 to sign themselves out. Parents, do you allow your grade school children to roam around the mall by themselves?

[MamaParrotHead]

[quote name='crusinmama06']for those kids that have "full run of the ship"....what happens if someone grabs them into one of the cabins? :eek: These are floating cities. I just can't be that trusting. :([/quote]

ita.

[dmdiver]

[quote name='PaulMedik']When my oldest son was nine he fell on a loose stairwell trim piece and cut his knee while going to Camp Carnival. The counselor sent him back to our room with instructions to report to the infirmary for stitches. I cleaned his lac and steri stripped it and he went back to Camp Carnival.

Per Camp Carnival policy, nine year olds can sign themselves out so it was a non issue that they sent him back to our room without notice.

The only [I]'more serious' measures[/I] we could have taken would have been to stitch his knee instead of using steri strips. The steri strips held fine with glue and his knee healed with no scar. We had stitches with us as well in case we needed them.[/QUOTE]

Hey Paul, will you cruise with us in case we have any boo boos? Wow, and all this time I thought being prepared meant remembering the ginger pills & ibuprofen! :)

[tandtmk04]

[quote name='GreenZolie'][I]More than 10 years later, Glenda Whitson recalls each second of the 8 minutes that changed her family's life.[/I]

[I]Amber Hagerman (November 25, 1986 – January 15, 1996) was a young girl who became a victim of an abduction and murder. On January 13, 1996, she was riding her bike near her grandparents' home in Arlington, Texas, and was kidnapped soon thereafter.[1] Her murder would later inspire the creation of the AMBER Alert system.[/I]

I NEVER let my children play unsupervised when they were young, and I will never let my grandson play unsupervised. As the notice above mentions, it only took 8 minutes that time. Often it takes less minutes than that to snatch a kid off a bike, from the sidewalk, etc. Why risk it?

More to the point, why does anyone care what level of supervision one family does, over your own level? One family might think another family is over cautious, while they think you are under cautious. No reason to ridicule each other's preferences.[/quote]

You said it all!!:)

[dmdiver]

Our first cruise our son was 10 & I think we signed him in & out of Camp Carnival. At 11 the following year, he signed himself in & out. We didn't run into any problems. Honestly, it seems he spent more time playing ping pong & going down the slide than he did in Camp Carnival. I do recall him coming pretty late to dinner on the Elation. He said he went to the Imaginary dining room (wrong one). We got a chuckle out of that. I will say we were pretty worried when he was late for dinner. We were just about to head out to look for him when he walked in. If you don't have walkie talkies it is hard to keep up with where they are. That can be scary. Looking back sometimes I think we were crazy to give him that much freedom, but hindsight is always 20/20 and in our case, nothing bad happened.