How safe are kids clubs on cruises?

Safety is very important to cruise lines. The kids clubs and nurseries all have gated access, meaning people can't just wander in; both kids and adults must be buzzed in by youth staff. Parents must sign the youngest kids in and out; older kids can sign themselves out but cannot leave without alerting a staff member.



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Children 8 years of age or older, who have been given self-check privileges during the registration process, are permitted to leave without an authorized adult. View information about registration, check-in and more for Disney's Oceaneer Club and Disney's Oceaneer Lab.

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Kids can often take part in kids' club or accompany their parents to take part in the many “things to do” on a cruise ship. My kids really enjoy water slides, climbing walls and ropes courses, some of these are high above the ship, too scary for me, but they loved them.

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What It Is. A free-of-charge youth club, Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean caters to three age groups: Aquanauts (3 to 5 and who need to be potty-trained for enrollment), Explorers (6 to 8) and Voyagers (9 to 11).

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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.

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Luxury Ships 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.

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However, balconies on Carnival ships are solid Plexiglas (so there are no gaps for little ones to try to squeeze through) and by law are all over 42 inches tall, making falls extremely unlikely.

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Tweens Club Tweens can head to Edge, an exclusive hangout for young Guests ages 11 to 14. Inside, all kinds of fun await, including the latest music and video games plus a near endless array of engaging activities.

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The perfect age for taking your kids on a cruise is when they are old enough to be excited about the experience -- when they want to check out the ship and get excited about exploring in ports of call. Maybe they are more attracted by daily ice cream, pool time and Ping-Pong than cultural immersion, but that's OK.

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Yes, many ships offer family-friendly cruise activities. Programming might include parades, deck parties, fireworks displays, water shows and breakfasts or meet-and-greets with favorite characters. Some lines have video game systems and host tournaments, and most have arcades.

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Family staterooms are cabins designed to accommodate families. The amenities vary by cabin type and by cruise ship, but most can sleep at least four and sometimes up to 10. These cabins might have sleeping areas in separate rooms or have a room-dividing blackout curtain that you can pull closed for privacy.

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Most cruise lines offer kids-free pools and/or sun decks, as well as age restrictions on casinos, spas (save those that allow teen treatments with parental supervision) and most nightclubs and bars after certain hours. Some ships even have adults-only restaurants.

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As a rule of thumb, sailing when school is in session means fewer kids on the ship. That means avoiding times like the Christmas holidays, Spring Break, and summer. Meanwhile, you'll find few kids if you sail right before or after these holidays.

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Children who are not toilet trained (and those in diapers or swim diapers) are not allowed in any of the water facilities on board, as per United States Public Health Services. Toilet trained children should be taken on frequent bathroom breaks. Water sports include pools, spray parks, waterslides and whirlpools.

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What happens when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship? The ship goes into emergency mode. The bridge will contact the Coast Guard and a search will begin. The ship will stop and the crew will try to pinpoint where and when it happened so they can start a thorough search in that area.

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Every MSC Cruise is full of fun and discovery for kids of every age, starting with all the activities organized just for them and included in your fare.

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