Cruise Fears?

Question

My mother is taking me on a cruise for my 18th birthday... some of her friends are coming along but no one my age will be... I was so excited until I came across www.cruisebruise.com which made me realize the threat of real harm on a ship is actually not as small as i previously thought. So I've been here trying to think of how to make myself safe and read the websites suggestions: http://www.cruisebruise.com/cruise_ship_safety_tips.html

It is the one which advised parents to not let their teen out of their sight ever as well as never walk around the ship alone... I was quite looking forward to meeting other teens at the teen hangout club so as to leave my parents to it... after a while being the only teen around will get tiring no?

Answer 1

You will meet plenty of people of your age on a cruise and you will have a great time. As everyone else has said, a cruise ship is a small floating village for the time you are on it, you might not get to know everyon but by the end of the cruise you will recognise all the people on your cruise. Just use your natural common sense and you will have a great time.
Have a look at some sensible cruise sites below.

Answer 2

I took all 3 of my children 17 to 21 on a 7 day cruise. I know that some things do happen. However, my small town in the midwest is just as safe as a cruise. Given this if you are smart there is no reason to be afraid. Use the same safety strategies that you do all the time. Most accidents or incidents happen because of overuse of alcohol. Go to cruisecritic.com and go to the roll call and look up your line and ship and then date. You will be able to find other people sailing the same time. Also there is a special section for teen cruisers. My kids all had a blast and met many other great young people from all over. Bon voyage.

Answer 3

I understand I will be taking my second cruise with carnival in spring with my hubby for our third anniversary Our first cruise was in 2010 for our honeymoon. Anything that is man made is going to have issues, its no reason to fear. There are thousands of ships from cruise line that cruise every year and there's no problem. You cant stop living or enjoying your life cause of issues, if so you want fly, drive, or travel. You would just stay in your home like a bubble. You would enjoy yourself on a cruise, try royal Caribbean or Norwegian if you don't want to do carnival. But I am sure now since this happen carnival is going to be real careful when it comes to there boats. Have fun!

Answer 4

I just got back from a cruise to the Bahamas and had a blast! You don't have to stay around your parents! Maybe you can find another girl on your trip to become a buddy with that way you are never alone. But if you want to be safe have your parents meet you outside of the club at a specific time so you won't be alone when you go back to your room. The ship that we where on there was chaperons at the clubs for the teens. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Of, for heaven's sake, quite reading that stuff...it's all tabloid.

I have cruised over 100 times since 1976 - never once have I personally felt threatened or in danger....never ONCE has anyone on any of my cruises been assaulted, raped, pillaged, robbed and beaten.

I took my children when they were teeners - and they had the run of the ship with no curfew. I was asleep most times before they came back to the cabin. Never, ever a problem.

I now take my grandson once a year - since he was 8. He's now 16. While he had limits when he was little, of course, when he turned 13, he had the run of the ship with no curfew. Never has been in trouble, threatened, picked on.

Do things occasionally occur? Sure. Anyplace where you have a couple of thousand people in one place for 7 days, the law of averages says someone is going to get hurt..... But rampant crime and assault? That's just simply nonsense. Do people drink to much and get stupid? Sure they do. Those are the ones that "fall" overboard....It is impossible to fall off a modern cruiseship accidentally....you have to do something really stupid to fall. Like sit on a railing or stand on a chair on your balcony or climb to a place you're not allowed to be.

Go, have a great time, and stop worrying about the sensationalism. 30 Million people cruise from U.S. ports every year. If it was dangerous, that many people would set foot on a ship.

Answer 6

I went on my first cruise right after high school graduation so I was 18. I went with my family. I have two younger brothers so they would go do their thing, while I hung out and did my thing.

I'm not a very social so I didn't meet anyone so it was kind of lonely. I wasn't old enough to take part in the older activities and too old to hang out with the kids. (I was on an Alaskan cruise and they do not allow 18 years to go to the casino or adult only bars, etc). I was also very homesick for my boyfriend.

I did have a wonderful time though with my favourite moments being the shore excurisions. I would go off and tour the towns alone, etc.

As for being safe, I never once felt scared for my safety. There were always so many people around I never felt that someone would take advantage of my being alone.

I would say to just make sure your smart about where you go when you're alone but make sure you have fun. Get to know people...you'll have a wonderful time!

Answer 7

The suggestions are good in general, but not specifically. A cruise ship is like a small town. You do have to use common sense, but if you would allow your teenager to leave your sight at home, then it is probably okay on the ship too.

While the website says never let your children out of your sight, it also says to hide a video camera in the cabin for the babysitter. Well, why is that necessary if the children are never out of your sight?

I have been on seven cruises, including two by myself. I have gone ashore alone and I have never been in a situation, on a cruise, where I did not feel safe. However, you still have to use your head.

For example, don't go into stranger's cabins. Don't allow strangers in your cabin. But the same applies at home. Do you go into the homes of people you do not know? Do you invite strangers into your home?

Yes, you are on vacation, but that does not mean you leave your common sense at home. This applies to both being careful and not being overly paranoid.

Answer 8

I've been on 4 cruises in the last three years and I have never seen or heard of any violence on any of the ships. You need to remember that while there are 3000+ passengers there are 1100+ crew who are constantly cleaning and working around the entire ship so it would be difficult for someone to assualt a passenger without someone seeing. Having said that don't take it as a sign to be foolish. (So don't be cruising the bars at 2 in the morning). Just go on the cruise and enjoy yourself, most of the major cruise lines have ample activities for teenagers.

Answer 9

That website was created by an idiot. You are very safe on a cruise ship - and you will meet lots of other teens. Worrying about safety should not even be on your mind. Your going to meet lots of people and have a great time!!

Answer 10

As with anything else common sense should prevail. I have taken my kids, 17,15 and 11, and although I didn't let the youngest roam freely the older 2 had more free reign. A ship is an dangerous as anywhere else. You dont walk through a dark poorly lit parking lot in the middle of the night. Go and have fun, you will love it. Just be careful, dont take risks, but enjoy. Cruising is awesome