5 Safety Rules for Cruising with Kids

Fun filled family vacation! Doesn’t that sound nice?

Things automatically turn from average to amazing when your entire family is with you, especially on a cruise. Your kids are always going to remember the magical time they spent with you sailing though the majestic waters.

Since most cruises are more or less like floating cities nowadays, the chances of your kids being bored through any part of journey are close to none. But like many cities, cruises too can be fraught with dangers. Without thousands of people on board, things like theft and fights become a common occurrence even for adults. Then what chances do kids have.

But you, as their parents or guardians can help mitigate this by enforcing strict rules and talking to them about safety precautions such as:

Coming Back to the Cabin on Time

Kids are curious by nature and they would want to explore everything. This means that there is a high chance of them not being aware of the time slipping by. Most kids activities on cruise ships tend to finish very late at night and kids want to enjoy because they have to no school to worry about in the morning. But that doesn’t mean that you have to encourage their night roaming habit. If you can’t accompany the kids to the activities then you need to set up a curfew which the kids must follow. This way you will know that they will be safe once it gets too dark.

Checking Back Regularly

Even if you and the kids go your separate ways, you need to be able to get in touch with them regularly to check how things are going. You can either call them regularly (if they have cell phones) or you can set up a regular check point where you and the kids have to show up after every couple of hours.

Partner Them Up

Emphasize the importance of the buddy system. You can either partner up siblings or kids of the family right next to your cabin. This way they will have someone to hang out with and someone to seek help from should things go wrong.

Emphasize the Dangers of Alcohol

It doesn’t matter if you have teens or pre-teens. You need to sit down with them and explain all the dangers of underage drinking. Kids can be manipulated and harmed when drunk. Tell them to report any underage drinking they come across, and to also report if someone tries to offer/sell them alcohol. You should also tell them never, ever to accept a drink from a stranger. You never know how the drink might be doctored. And lastly you should tell them to keep a close eye on the drinks they do have.

Tell them That Going to Someone Else’s Cabin is Forbidden

Tell the kids to never enter a stranger’s cabin no matter how friendly they might be. The same applies for inviting someone to their own cabin. You should try to avoid leaving the kids alone in the cabin, but if that can’t be helped then tell the kids not to let anyone in, not even the crew. If they have ordered room service then tell them to ask the server to leave the tray by the door. You never know what type of predators might be lurking out there. In this case, it is always best to be safe than sorry.

To know more about what to expect on a cruise, read our traveling safety tips and cruise travel tips.