When kids are little, spending time with their parents is always exciting. But once kids become teenagers, they inevitably enter that phase where they want to spread their wings and explore their own interests solo or with their friends – not their parents.
This is something that one Redditor has recently encountered – and took to the popular forum for guidance.
The original poster, who has been cruising for the past decade with their family, is the parent to a 15-year-old son. Their teen has officially reached the age where they want to bring a friend on their next voyage – and stay in a separate cabin from his family.
“My son (15) asked if he could bring a friend along with us on our next vacation. I’m completely fine with his friend coming along, I’ll even pay for the fare. The problem is that they want a separate room. I completely understand that,” the parent wrote on Reddit.
“What are the rules regarding this?,” continued the post. “Is it possible to have my son and his friend (both 15) in an inside cabin and me and my wife in another cabin (like a balcony or suite/haven). They are very responsible so I don’t care if they are across the ship from me.”
The majority of Redditors were supportive of the idea, suggesting the separation would even make the parents’ vacation more enjoyable.
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“When we’ve cruised w/our boys, (who are actually men, btw) we got a balcony and booked the inside room right across the hall. That worked out great,” commented one Redditor.
“This is the way, no pesky kids interrupting romantic time,” said someone else.
Other commenters advised that the parents might want to think twice about their decision, or at least opt for cabins in close proximity to each other, to keep their children safe and on their best behavior.
“I wouldn’t want them across the ship but definitely adjoining, keeps them from making any impulsive decisions that can be regretted and keeps them safe. Cruises are a happy place but you don’t know who you are cruising with, including staff,” wrote another Redditor.
“I was always the cookie cutter responsible ‘good’ kid…but when I was 16 and had my own cabin on a cruise… I don’t know it just feels like there won’t be consequences bc your parents aren’t hovering and you’ll never see these people again…if you’re not worried that’s fine but just be aware that hormones are a-brewing at that age,” added another.
Giving responsible teens some extra freedom on cruises has clearly worked out for many Redditors. But of course, this also has to be allowed under the cruise line’s policies.
Traveling With Teens: The Cruise Line Perspective
This Redditor’s question was two-fold: Can their teen bring a friend and can they share a separate room? Let’s start with the more straightforward answer first.
The teen’s friend is allowed to travel with the family as long as they have proper, documented permission from their own parent or guardian.
Most cruise lines require a special consent form signed by the parents and the chaperones for the duration of the voyage that gives the minor permission to leave the country with a temporary guardian and participate in all activities onboard.
Many cruise lines, including popular brands like Royal Caribbean, require that this form be notarized.
“When a minor (age 17 and under) travels without their legal guardian, an accompanying adult must present a notarized form signed by the child’s guardian. This ensures the child has the guardian’s consent to leave the country and participate in release-form activities onboard,” reads the Royal Caribbean website.
The non-family member will also need to have their own form of identification, and/or a passport if the sailing will be leaving the country. The trickier question to answer is if the two teens are actually allowed to share a room – which can vary by cruise line.
While the general rule across the board is that all guests under 18 (or 21 depending on the cruise line and sailing) must have an adult in their room, there are some exceptions to this.
Some cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean and Carnival, will allow minors to stay in their own room if they are in close proximity to their parent or legal guardian.
“Under 21s – or under 18s if sailing outside North America – can only sail if they’re in a room with a guest who’s 21 – or 18 if sailing outside North America. The only exception is when they’re next door, or immediately opposite, their parent or legal guardian,” says the Royal Caribbean website.
According to Carnival’s website, Guests 12 and under may have their own room if they are next door to or across from an adult, while guests between the ages of 13 and 17 must be within three doors of a parent or a guardian who is at least 25.
The cruise line also poses a youth curfew, which mandates all guests under 17 to be in their cabins by 1:00 a.m. unless accompanied by someone over 21.
Read Also: What NOT to Do When Choosing Your Cruise Cabins
Naturally, some on Reddit found workarounds to allow their children to stay in their own cabins, even when it may not have been allowed.
Since their kids were likely well behaved and often out and about enjoying the ship’s amenities, it’s possible that crew members didn’t notice.
“We usually book two rooms, one for the kids (10 and 7) and one for us. We book adjoining or connecting rooms, one adult and one kid in each, then switch. Nobody cares who is in what room,” commented one Redditor.
“We just cruised RC and our kids (16 and 20yo) each brought a friend. We split the rooms up with my husband and I each in one. After we got checked in and settled into our room, I went to guest services and had a key card made for myself for my husband‘s room and for my son for the room with the other kids,” wrote another.
Of course, honesty is typically the best policy – and the best course of action would be to call the cruise line to ensure the room arrangements are properly planned for and permitted.
This allows the crew on board to create the best possible experience for their guests, and ensures that they know who is staying in each room in the unlikely event of an emergency where passengers need to be accounted for quickly.
