The Risks of Taking Children on a Cruise Lawlor, White & Murphey (2024)
For many families with young children, taking a cruise seems like an attractive option for their next vacation. And cruise ship vacations do indeed offer many youngster-friendly perks, often featuring both onshore and onboard child care excursions, kids clubs, and sweeping buffets that can satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Yes, cruise ships can be a treasure trove of fun activities for young passengers, with pools, water slides, game rooms, and more.
However, before deciding to take your young children on a cruise, it’s important to understand the risks. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common cruise ship risks for young passengers.
Health concerns. In a heavily populated confined space like a cruise ship, disease and illnesses such as the flu and norovirus can spread very quickly. Young children are at a particularly high risk, since immune systems are more vulnerable at this age.
Drownings. Even after numerous tragedies and much public outcry, many cruise ships continue to not staff their pool with lifeguards. Cruise ship pools can become very crowded, and all it takes is one moment for a child to slip underwater and out of sight while their guardian is looking away.
Dangerous surroundings. Unfortunately for parents of very small children, cruise ships are not baby-proofed. You cannot let young children play without close supervision, since there are plenty of unguarded pools to fall into, high-traffic stairways, and older children running around play areas unsupervised. And while going overboard on cruise ships is a rare incidence, it does happen occasionally – young children that climb on the railings are particularly at risk.
Kids roam free. While cruise ships are confined areas, they are large and full of safety hazards. Despite this, kids are generally allowed to roam freely, and can check themselves in and out of organized programs. It’s fairly easy for parents to lose track of their kids, which can be a frightening experience in the event of an emergency.
Sexual abuse. Many people are surprised to learn about the prevalence of sexual abuse and assault on cruises. There have been many cases over the past few years involving sexual assault, including the rape and sexual abuse of minors. Oftentimes, parents are lured into a false sense of security, and leave their children unattended. In many instances, cruise ships have neglected to provide adequate background checks on their employees, only to discover criminal histories down the road – after something has already happened. In addition, many cruise ships fail to offer adequate security, employing only a handful of security guards to patrol the ship at night.
In general, cruising makes for a wonderful family vacation, and disastrous child accidents are mercifully few and far between. Even so, as a parent, it pays to be aware of the risks and hazards of cruising with children, and to prepare your kids by taking time to explain safety rules and guidelines before your voyage.
But even the most vigilant, caring parent can’t eliminate the threat of child accidents entirely. Cruise lines have a responsibility to protect passengers of all ages, and they should be held accountable if they fail to live up to this standard. If your child was injured due to negligence or dangerous conditions on a cruise ship, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills and overall pain and suffering. Contact a seasoned personal injury lawyer with experience handling cruise ship cases, and take the first step towards protecting your family’s rights.
About the Author:
Since 1995, seasoned litigation and trial lawyer Anthony B. White has helped thousands of accident victims seek damages due to injuries sustained as a result of another party’s negligence. Included in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals and selected to the 2012, 2013, and 2014 editions of Florida Super Lawyers, Mr. White specializes in car accidents, insurance disputes, wrongful death, product liability, and medical malpractice cases. He is a longstanding member of the Florida Justice Association and the American Association for Justice and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Broward County Justice Association.
If you're keen to find the best of both worlds, combining quality time with the kids and a chance for some adult RnR, look no further than a cruise holiday. With a bounty of activities to keep adults and young guests entertained, a cruise should be at the top of the list for your next family vacay.
In general, cruising makes for a wonderful family vacation, and disastrous child accidents are mercifully few and far between. Even so, as a parent, it pays to be aware of the risks and hazards of cruising with children, and to prepare your kids by taking time to explain safety rules and guidelines before your voyage.
Absolutely! Each Disney Cruise ship offers lots of experiences the whole family can enjoy together, as well as many activities geared specifically to different age groups. Parents of children under 3 years old can sign their little ones up for group babysitting and playtime at It's a Small World Nursery on all ships.
This is because some cruise companies might choose not to report these issues so that they can preserve their reputation. Based on the reports that have been filed, we can estimate that around 200 people go missing from cruise ships each year.
Cruises are fun for kids of all ages, and there are plenty of activities to keep your toddlers entertained. Kids under the age of 3 can enjoy Toddler Time at the ship's playroom, where they'll be able to play with educational toys and interact with other kids around their age.
The intimate ships of high-end lines like Silversea Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, SeaDream Yacht Club and Regent Seven Seas Cruises (or ultra-premium lines, such as Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Azamara and Viking Ocean Cruises) are refined, dignified and geared to adults.
Child safety lock feature: The doors to the balcony in a stateroom often come with two locks; one of them is a child safety lock located at the top of the glass door. Tall railings and walls: The walls and railings on most of the cruise ship balconies are at least 42 inches high.
Some travelers are more vulnerable than others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those include kids between 2 and 12, and people who have a history of migraines, vertigo and vestibular disorders.
A Louisiana teen who jumped ship on a dare. A 7-year-old boy who died after falling into the ocean, followed by his mother, who tried to save him. Overboard incidents on cruise ships are incredibly rare.But when they happen, they usually end in death, experts say.
It's a Small World Nursery is an add-on service. It costs $4.50/half hour, or $9.00/hour for your first child and then $4.00/half hour, or $8.00/hour for every additional child. If you need to cancel your appointment, contact the nursery at least four hours before your appointment.
How old does an infant have to be in order to sail? The minimum age to sail aboard Disney Cruise Line® ships is 6 months of age on most itineraries. For more information, please call our Disney Experts on 0800 169 0742*.
(A 2023 report is due out this summer.) In the category of homicides, the 2022 cruise homicide rate of 0 was down from .2 in 2017. The 2022 land homicide rate of 6.4 was up from 5.3 in 2017.
There are no police officers on cruise ships, but most vessels have small jails known as the brig, and unruly passengers could find themselves locked up if the ship's security team determines that they have violated the cruise line's code of conduct.
Mainstream cruise lines that promote family cruises (think Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, Princess and Norwegian) will have tons of activities for kids of all ages. Ships generally have pools, dance classes, video games and arcades, Ping-Pong, basketball courts and mini-golf.
Royal Caribbean's kids sail free offers are available at different times throughout the year, allowing children age 12 years and under to cruise free when booked in the same stateroom as paying adults. You can find the latest Royal Caribbean cruise deals here.
The Caribbean is like a treasure chest filled with amazing islands, and these cruises make it so much fun for kids. There are cool activities like water slides, mini-golf, and even special clubs just for kids where you can make new friends and play games.
Hobby: Flower arranging, Yo-yoing, Tai chi, Rowing, Macrame, Urban exploration, Knife making
Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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