What specific instructions do you give your kids

[TreeFalls]

to help them stay safe on the ship AND not annoy other passengers?

My oldest makes pretty good decisions and didn't really require much instruction last time, but middle child will have more freedom this trip and is also more likely to push boundaries. I need some concrete rules!


All I have so far is don't run, stay out of the elevators, and you aren't allowed in other peoples' staterooms.

I would prefer they stay out of stateroom hallways except our own. Is this even possible or do they need those hallways to get around the ship? I was on the same ship last year and I can't even remember!

 

[Mommb]

For the most part, there should be no need to be in stateroom hallways except for the side of the ship where your stateroom is. A possible exception is on the Dream/Fantasy, the Midship Detective Agency activity with the Muppets -- that may require finding a "stateroom" for one character. Depending on where your room is, they may go by a few staterooms on Deck 5 to reach the Oceaneers Lab or theater. Otherwise, they should be able to walk from your stateroom to the fore/midship/aft staircase and go to the decks where activities are without going through staterooms.

The rules you listed are good. We told our kids that in addition to not going into anyone else's stateroom, they were not allowed to bring anyone into our stateroom.

Until they were at least 12, we also told them that they needed to indicate on a whiteboard in the stateroom where on the ship they were going and when they would be back. (This was a few years ago -- you could now simply require messages within the DCL app if the kids have phones.)

It wouldn't hurt to remind your kids not to go into the adults-only areas, including the pool deck area at any time and the entertainment area in the evening (I think after 8 pm -- the time will be in the app).

You might also mention that if they are with a group of people, they should stay to one side on the stairs and in hallways so they don't block other people.

 

[CisforCookie991]

We're working on similar rules. We also went with don't go into anyone's room/don't let anyone in our room, and the hallway rule. Based on the map, they only seem to need to be on certain decks anyway. Also don't go into the pools, but you can go to the pool deck for food. And if you leave the kids clubs, let us know where you're going and always stay together!

 

[lanejudy]

You don't mention ages for the kids, so these may or may not pertain:

• Walking, no running
• Indoor voice, no shouting/yelling/etc.
• Use the stairs, no elevators
• No playing on the stairs, no running on the stairs, no jumping on the stairs
• If you leave the Club/Lab/Edge you must call/text/message to let mom&dad know where you are
• If not in the Club/Lab/Edge you can hang with friends in the atrium (or whatever space you deem appropriate), no hanging out in the stairways or staterooms
• No friends in our stateroom, no going to anyone else's stateroom
• Mom or Dad must be present for pools or waterplay
• Do not touch Fish Extenders or anything outside another stateroom
• Remain in public areas unless you are going directly to our stateroom

And a big part of this is setting consequences and then actually carrying through on those consequences if rules are not obeyed. It's particularly hard on vacation because consequences may mean an impact to the parent(s) activities as well, but you might as well throw the rules out the window if there will be no (impactful) consequences.

 

[TJ95]

No running in hallways has always been on our list. Not only can you crash into someone coming out of their room, but the feet pounding down the hallway disturbs others (we've always used the "do you want to be responsible waking someone's sleeping baby??" as reasoning that makes sense). And as others said, no going into anyone's room for any reason.

 

[Weedy]

Clean up after yourself if you get food or ice cream.
Unfortunately many adults don’t do this!!

 

[MomOTwins]

to help them stay safe on the ship AND not annoy other passengers?

My oldest makes pretty good decisions and didn't really require much instruction last time, but middle child will have more freedom this trip and is also more likely to push boundaries. I need some concrete rules!


All I have so far is don't run, stay out of the elevators, and you aren't allowed in other peoples' staterooms.

I would prefer they stay out of stateroom hallways except our own. Is this even possible or do they need those hallways to get around the ship? I was on the same ship last year and I can't even remember!

Sure they can avoid stateroom corridors. They just have to use the public decks (e.g. atrium level, pool deck) to traverse the ship.

We identify a handful of places our tweens are permitted to be and choose locations where they are unlikely to be a nuisance to other guests because it is already a loud/active/kid-filled spaxe (usually: edge club, oceaneers club, on the pool deck getting a snack and/or watching funnel vision, riding the aqua mouse, silent disco etc). We don’t let them go on their own to an indoor theater or trivia where they could bother others by being loud, or to play midship detective because that involves guestroom corridors. I also always do a few check ins early on in the cruise to “trust but verify.” We also make them demonstrate the they know how to get to those places unguided and that they know where the off limits adult areas are. And like you we have a blanket NO STATEROOM rule, except we include our own stateroom too because if one of them got hurt I would want them to be a public place with CMs around to help and not alone scared in a room.

 

[tvguy]

No rules because they were with us 24/7. Cruises are family vacations for us, time to be together since at home during the school year, with after school sports, we barely see our kids during the week. We checked our Mom and Dad roles when we got on the ship.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Our number 1 rule is basically: if I can't see you there's a problem.

Ours have never been old enough to go into the kids clubs so of course, that would be our caveat. Then as people say no running, babies are sleeping so keep your voices down, etc.

 

[TreeFalls]

Thanks so much, this is all extremely helpful for thinking through the expectations.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

You don't mention ages for the kids, so these may or may not pertain:

• Walking, no running
• Indoor voice, no shouting/yelling/etc.
• Use the stairs, no elevators
• No playing on the stairs, no running on the stairs, no jumping on the stairs
• If you leave the Club/Lab/Edge you must call/text/message to let mom&dad know where you are
• If not in the Club/Lab/Edge you can hang with friends in the atrium (or whatever space you deem appropriate), no hanging out in the stairways or staterooms
• No friends in our stateroom, no going to anyone else's stateroom
• Mom or Dad must be present for pools or waterplay
• Do not touch Fish Extenders or anything outside another stateroom
• Remain in public areas unless you are going directly to our stateroom

And a big part of this is setting consequences and then actually carrying through on those consequences if rules are not obeyed. It's particularly hard on vacation because consequences may mean an impact to the parent(s) activities as well, but you might as well throw the rules out the window if there will be no (impactful) consequences.

This list is basically our set of rules as well.

 

[gotomu212]

The only one I don’t see listed that we learned the hard way was not grabbing food right before dinner. We couldn’t understand why ours wasn’t eating one night and then found out he’d eaten a cheeseburger, 2 slices of pizza, chicken fingers, fries, and 2 ice cream cones about 30 minutes before we met for dinner- amazingly he didn’t throw up.

We also set expectations when there would be family time (like dinners and a few activities). That’s more for when they got Edge/Vibe age and wanted to hang out with friends.

 

[CisforCookie991]

These are some good rules. So many of them are things we tell them every day anyway, but I will likely need to reinforce anyway. As I step on yet another Lego and have to tell them to pick up the empty goldfish bags again.

 

[CisforCookie991]

The only one I don’t see listed that we learned the hard way was not grabbing food right before dinner. We couldn’t understand why ours wasn’t eating one night and then found out he’d eaten a cheeseburger, 2 slices of pizza, chicken fingers, fries, and 2 ice cream cones about 30 minutes before we met for dinner- amazingly he didn’t throw up.

We also set expectations when there would be family time (like dinners and a few activities). That’s more for when they got Edge/Vibe age and wanted to hang out with friends.

And this is definitely one I will have to remember.

 

[PurplePencil]

don’t forget to set a budget for time when they’re away from you if they have charging privileges. There’s enough food and fun to not have to spend any money, but setting rules (ie. one up charge drink a day, no purchases in the store without a parent) can prevent issues.

 

[BrokeMack]

Ours is 12. I gave him an old cellphone to use onboard (he doesn't have one otherwise) and he texts us when he changes location. I'm comfortable with him going to the pool/aquaduck without us, but my wife isn't, so that's pretty much the only off-limits area. He is in the overlap age so he bounces between edge/oceaneer's with the occasional midship detective. If we want him to join us somewhere we'll either tell him to meet us or invite him, depending on how mandatory we want to make it. Otherwise, it's basic behave in public rules. No shouting, watch out for others, don't run, don't go to stateroom decks because there's nothing fun there anyway.

 

[soniam]

Also, if I see kids, or adults, doing something that's wrong that I didn't point out, I specifically say something to our son.

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

Rules I had that I don't see listed already:

1. If you want to leave an area, you must message me first and get an acknowledgment from me BEFORE you leave. I have to know where you are at ALL times.

2. If I check on you and you are not where you are supposed to be, you lose all freedom for the rest of the trip.

The rest of my rules were like the other posts.

 

[Dug720]

A possible exception is on the Dream/Fantasy, the Midship Detective Agency activity with the Muppets -- that may require finding a "stateroom" for one character.

I *think* they could avoid being in the stateroom part of the hall, but parents could check it out and if they aren't comfortable with it, just say "Only play the Muppet version with us." There are 2 other versions that don't require going to that "door".

No playing on the stairs, no running on the stairs, no jumping on the stairs

Adding no sitting on the stairs.

 

[stkgator]

1. Don't sleep all day!
2. Limit room service to no more than three times a day.
3. After 11 pm, close the connecting door so you do not keep the parents awake.
4. Take a shower!
5. Don't be late for dinner.

Oh, I should add that our four "kids" are college-aged and love cruising