How to find your kids on a cruise ship? walkie-talkies?

[Deckin Around]

I am looking for suggestions and experience here.
I’m taking a little boat ride with the family and friends in a few weeks that happens to be on the largest cruise ship currently operating in the world. 7000 passengers. My kids are 8 and 10 and we’re just the point where I trust them to roam with all the kid activities and our friend’s kids the same age.
I was thinking walkie-talkies but I doubt they’ll work through 15 levels of cruise ship steel.
Our kids don’t have cell phones and we are already paying some crazy amount to have both my wife’s and my phones connected to Wi-Fi.
There are phones to communicate around the ship with your room but that doesn’t help when everyone is wandering.
I appreciate any ideas

 

[Shlbyntro]

I am looking for suggestions and experience here.
I’m taking a little boat ride with the family and friends in a few weeks that happens to be on the largest cruise ship currently operating in the world. 7000 passengers. My kids are 8 and 10 and we’re just the point where I trust them to roam with all the kid activities and our friend’s kids the same age.
I was thinking walkie-talkies but I doubt they’ll work through 15 levels of cruise ship steel.
Our kids don’t have cell phones and we are already paying some crazy amount to have both my wife’s and my phones connected to Wi-Fi.
There are phones to communicate around the ship with your room but that doesn’t help when everyone is wandering.
I appreciate any ideas

go old-school. just have check in times where you both meet up on the ship several times a day. meal times work well. leave notes in eachothers rooms if any plans change throughout the day.

 

[Boatymcboatface]

That’s our go to for camping think we have about 8 of them in the motorhome so they can share with friends. Not sure good they’d work on a cruise ship.

 

[Albert]

We tried the walkie talkies for us it didn’t work did the notes

 

[LHC Kirby]

What cruise line

 

[Roosky01]

Pretty sure that I would love to lose our kids on a cruise ship for about 12 hours every day.

Maybe Henna tattoo your room number on their forehead?

 

[Backlash]

Just meet them at the ice cream stand whenever you need to get a hold of them.

 

[MR HARLEY]

8 and 10 years old? I'm bringing the sitter and paying them to follow my kids around and report back to me.

 

[boatpi]

Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean have an app, and you can communicate, even though you’re not paying for Wi-Fi the other app, because the Wi-Fi will allow the app to communicate amongst others

Ask.

 

[HTTP404]

Put them in the kiddie camp and check in on them periodically. Pull them out for stuff you want to do with them.

 

[Roosky01]

8 and 10 years old? I'm bringing the sitter and paying them to follow my kids around and report back to me.

Is she hot? Asking for a friend…

 

[MR HARLEY]

Is she hot? Asking for a friend…

No but she is a hell of a cook and my kids adore her.

 

[C-Ya]

I can attest that the walkie talkies do not work on the ship.

I doubt Anybody would ever have nominated me for parent of the year. Especially the way we went cruising. We would let our young daughter invite a friend, then we would lie to the cruise company by stating that we would have an adult in each of our cabins, but in reality, we were giving my daughter and her friend their own cabin. Usually right across from ours. The girls did their thing, while we did ours. Back then, we were doing cruises with rock climbing walls, surf riders, water slides, and lots of ice cream bars, so they kept busy, while we drank and partied. Child Protective Services had a legitimate claim against my parenting. Lol

 

[Deckin Around]

What cruise line

Royal Caribbean

Just meet them at the ice cream stand whenever you need to get a hold of them.

There is like 12 ice cream stands not to mention a fukin ice skating rink onboard. Also full franchise Johnny Rockets and Starbucks. Free Johnny Rockets shakes are included on the kids beverage plan.

Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean have an app, and you can communicate, even though you’re not paying for Wi-Fi the other app, because the Wi-Fi will allow the app to communicate amongst others

Ask.

Going to look into this thank you very much it’s the first I’ve heard.

leave notes in eachothers rooms if any plans change throughout the day.

packing post-it notes

I can attest that the walkie talkies do not work on the ship.

I doubt Anybody would ever have nominated me for parent of the year. Especially the way we went cruising. We would let our young daughter invite a friend, then we would lie to the cruise company by stating that we would have an adult in each of our cabins, but in reality, we were giving my daughter and her friend their own cabin. Usually right across from ours. The girls did their thing, while we did ours. Back then, we were doing cruises with rock climbing walls, surf riders, water slides, and lots of ice cream bars, so they kept busy, while we drank and partied. Child Protective Services had a legitimate claim against my parenting. Lol

sounds very familiar to me cruising with my parents as a kid.

8 and 10 years old? I'm bringing the sitter and paying them to follow my kids around and report back to me.

we were so close to doing this with a group sitter for the six kids. For another room and all the amenities, excursions, flights + wages it would have been $6k+.

Maybe I can put apple airtags on them

 

[Big B Hova]

Can you just slap an air tag on the kids?

 

[Big B Hova]

@69hondo is the cruise ship expert with large groups.

 

[Rayson1971]

Get a burner phone.

 

[Bigbore500r]

 

[69hondo]

I am looking for suggestions and experience here.
I’m taking a little boat ride with the family and friends in a few weeks that happens to be on the largest cruise ship currently operating in the world. 7000 passengers. My kids are 8 and 10 and we’re just the point where I trust them to roam with all the kid activities and our friend’s kids the same age.
I was thinking walkie-talkies but I doubt they’ll work through 15 levels of cruise ship steel.
Our kids don’t have cell phones and we are already paying some crazy amount to have both my wife’s and my phones connected to Wi-Fi.
There are phones to communicate around the ship with your room but that doesn’t help when everyone is wandering.
I appreciate any ideas

Its been a while since we had our kids in the kid camp activities on the ships but when we did we got a pager type thing. It would vibrate and send minimal messages to you . Now this was ten years ago so I am sure it is way more advanced now.

I am getting on a 7 day tomorrow so I will try to remember to look into it for you and let you know when we get back. Our girls are 17, 19 and 26 now so they wont be in the kid stuff but we are going with a shit load of people and some will have kids in the camps.

 

[69hondo]

@69hondo is the cruise ship expert with large groups.

Dude, 48 this time

 

[Ziggy]

Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean have an app, and you can communicate, even though you’re not paying for Wi-Fi the other app, because the Wi-Fi will allow the app to communicate amongst others

Ask.

All the bigger cruiselines have an app...they work sans wifi but for me only if I had the app open. Better than wandering aimlessly on a search I guess.

 

[2Driver]

Agree on a designated meeting place on day 7.

 

[BabyRay]

Put them in the kiddie camp and check in on them periodically. Pull them out for stuff you want to do with them.

THIS!

At 8 and 10, there’s no way I’d let them wander a cruise ship alone. Perverts exist on cruise ships too.

When our daughter was young, she had a lot of fun in the kids’ program. Our grandson the same, though now that he’s 13, and has been studying martial arts for about 6 years, he’ll probably wander a bit on the next cruise. He’s no Bruce Lee, but at least he can fight back, so I’d say the risk is now limited enough to give him some freedom. 8 and 10 though? No way!

 

[Jefftowz]

If you see a kid with one of these on, don’t ask the Mom if the kids a rescue. Never seen a Mom get so mad.

 

[RVRKID]

Have them check on you guys at the pool bar every couple hours....

 

[HTTP404]

THIS!

At 8 and 10, there’s no way I’d let them wander a cruise ship alone. Perverts exist on cruise ships too.

When our daughter was young, she had a lot of fun in the kids’ program. Our grandson the same, though now that he’s 13, and has been studying martial arts for about 6 years, he’ll probably wander a bit on the next cruise. He’s no Bruce Lee, but at least he can fight back, so I’d say the risk is now limited enough to give him some freedom. 8 and 10 though? No way!

Our kids really enjoyed it too. We would run into them around the ship while they were doing their activities.

 

[River Dirt 2]

push the button, follow the screaming…

 

[530RL]

Most cruise lines have technology where it tracks the wristbands throughout the ship. You should be able to open the cruise app on your phone and it will pinpoint exactly where each kid is……or at least where the wrist band is. The wristband will also open your room door, pay for drinks, ice cream or anything else you want.

It is how my wife tracks and finds me on the ship.

 

[Cobalt232]

My daughter is on a Princess cruise in the Mediterranean right now and she said everyone has an RFID thing that will open doors, pay for stuff and find friends. If you order food or drink by the pool they find you via that. Not for me, but 10 days for $1200 is a pretty good deal.

 

[whiteworks]

My kids 14 and no way I’m letting her out of my sight on cruise ship full of weirdos. The odds are that there are some predators onboard with that many people. I hate that I have to be that way, but fuck people I don’t trust them.

On the bright side it won’t be a problem as you couldn’t pay me to go on a cruise, we have a group of friends who love those things and go on a few a year, I’ve been on one, not my deal for sure, never going back

 

[RiverDave]

My kids 14 and no way I’m letting her out of my sight on cruise ship full of weirdos. The odds are that there are some predators onboard with that many people. I hate that I have to be that way, but fuck people I don’t trust them.

On the bright side it won’t be a problem as you couldn’t pay me to go on a cruise, we have a group of friends who love those things and go on a few a year, I’ve been on one, not my deal for sure, never going back

Honestly I was thinking the same thing.. lol. With having three of them I’d feel better about it.. but even then you gotta figure out of 7,000 people there’s gotta be some sickos on board

 

[Roosky01]

Never cruised with our girls, but a good friend did with his girls right before Covid on a Celebrity cruise. He had a suite in the fancy part of the ship and told his Butler on the first day that if his kids were looked after there would be $500 for him at the end of the trip on top of the normal tip.
.
My friend said it was like his girls had their own Secret Service agents on the trip but would never know it. They were definitely looked after. He said that is the only way to travel with kids on a ship, but you have to pay to play…

If we ever do a cruise in the next couple of years while the girls are still young’ish you can bet your ass I will be looking to do the same sort of thing.

 

[TPC]

The little ones you have to check them in n out of the kids clubs.
The age they can come and go varies with the cruise line.

Some of the lines now have pagers everyone carries with GPS for parents and room service to locate each other. BTW: Some lines offer room service anyplace on the ship.
Disney onboard free WIFI works pretty good onboard only, the pay extra WIFI that serves off ship communication sux.

We'll be cruising to Alaska tomorrow I'll ask the crew.

 

[D19]

push the button, follow the screaming…


View attachment 1252360

Great pager If they don’t check on time! Lol

 

[River Dirt 2]

Great pager If they don’t check on time! Lol

Exactly, I keep in stock and charged!

 

[Singleton]

Apple air tags?

 

[samsah33]

My kids 14 and no way I’m letting her out of my sight on cruise ship full of weirdos. The odds are that there are some predators onboard with that many people. I hate that I have to be that way, but fuck people I don’t trust them.

On the bright side it won’t be a problem as you couldn’t pay me to go on a cruise, we have a group of friends who love those things and go on a few a year, I’ve been on one, not my deal for sure, never going back

Not to mention that there's enough activities on the cruise (especially Royal Caribbean) to hang with the kids - partying on a cruise and hanging with the kids are not mutually exclusive...!

I'm not dissing the OP and all of our situations are different, but I spend so damn much time working that I try to spend as much vacation time with the kids as possible. It's not 100%, I'll still drop the kids off at the kids/teen center for a couple hours supervised while me and the mrs "catch a show" (wink wink).

 

[lakemadness]

This is why I don’t do cruises. Families with kids and walkie talkies… not that specifically but it fits the type perfectly. The chaos, the cattle call, the cheesy, the insert descriptive…

 

[Outdrive1]

Apple Watches have a walkie talkie function. I’m guessing they use Wi-Fi. Why not have everyone carry AirTags as well?

 

[Deckin Around]

I'm not dissing the OP and all of our situations are different, but I spend so damn much time working that I try to spend as much vacation time with the kids as possible. It's not 100%, I'll still drop the kids off at the kids/teen center for a couple hours supervised while me and the mrs "catch a show" (wink wink).

Just to explain my situation:
I’m lucky enough to own my own business and get to spend more time with my kids than any of our friends I know. We just got back from nine days at our house in Parker and will be there next weekend as well.
It also happens to be my wife and my 15th wedding anniversary and we have only ever been away from the kids together for 2 nights once and a handful of overnights usually tied to a wedding or event. We were due for this trip alone but decided to bring our kids so they got to experience it.

IF the kids were “free roaming” in the water parks, game rooms etc., (only on Decks 13-15) there would be 3 girls or 4 boys or a combo together at all times or they would not be allowed to.

I really appreciate all the comments and information given in this thread.

I had no idea (and Royal Caribbean doesn’t explain) that you get key fob devices/trackers. The last cruise we went on just had the old sail and sign cards in Carnival.

Apple AirTags also sound like a possibility but as I understand you don’t know which level somebody is on on the ship, just their approximate location from an overview.

 

[Deckin Around]

Honestly I was thinking the same thing.. lol. With having three of them I’d feel better about it.. but even then you gotta figure out of 7,000 people there’s gotta be some sickos on board

yep they are everywhere, even on Rdp.

I had a member join a multi day event with my kids present who turned out to be a registered pedo convicted only a few years ago . I don’t know any details surrounding that case but it was a pretty good eye-opener about never knowing someone’s past or motives . He used to post constantly but disappeared after I looked him up because he wouldn’t pay for property damage he caused. I’m still a little bit bitter about that one. It had a huge impact on me deciding against any open invites to our property again which is really sad. Fuck anyone like that, they have a special place in hell coming and I would give them a fast pass if it were my kids.

 

[Havoc Powesports]

just use the cruise line text app system. works great.

 

[Orange Juice]

Apple tag them.

 

[samsah33]

Just to explain my situation:
I’m lucky enough to own my own business and get to spend more time with my kids than any of our friends I know. We just got back from nine days at our house in Parker and will be there next weekend as well.
It also happens to be my wife and my 15th wedding anniversary and we have only ever been away from the kids together for 2 nights once and a handful of overnights usually tied to a wedding or event. We were due for this trip alone but decided to bring our kids so they got to experience it.

IF the kids were “free roaming” in the water parks, game rooms etc., (only on Decks 13-15) there would be 3 girls or 4 boys or a combo together at all times or they would not be allowed to.

I really appreciate all the comments and information given in this thread.

I had no idea (and Royal Caribbean doesn’t explain) that you get key fob devices/trackers. The last cruise we went on just had the old sail and sign cards in Carnival.

Apple AirTags also sound like a possibility but as I understand you don’t know which level somebody is on on the ship, just their approximate location from an overview.

Congrats on the anniversary, you'll have a blast on RC! Did RC on my last cruise and there's a ton of activities - check out some of the late nite adult games, the one at the ice rink at night is hilarious if they're still doing it. Also thought the water park on their private island in the Bahamas was worth the extra spend if you're headed that way.

 

[530RL]

MSC which is doing more stuff in the US is also very good. Lots of stuff for kids and they have a “ship within the ship” called the yacht club for people who want a more peaceful cruise. It has its own area, pool, food, dining room and bars that are all included.

Drop the kids off at the supervised kids stuff, track them on the App and have some “quality time” with the wife or whomever one chooses to take.

 

[Singleton]

Just to explain my situation:
I’m lucky enough to own my own business and get to spend more time with my kids than any of our friends I know. We just got back from nine days at our house in Parker and will be there next weekend as well.
It also happens to be my wife and my 15th wedding anniversary and we have only ever been away from the kids together for 2 nights once and a handful of overnights usually tied to a wedding or event. We were due for this trip alone but decided to bring our kids so they got to experience it.

IF the kids were “free roaming” in the water parks, game rooms etc., (only on Decks 13-15) there would be 3 girls or 4 boys or a combo together at all times or they would not be allowed to.

I really appreciate all the comments and information given in this thread.

I had no idea (and Royal Caribbean doesn’t explain) that you get key fob devices/trackers. The last cruise we went on just had the old sail and sign cards in Carnival.

Apple AirTags also sound like a possibility but as I understand you don’t know which level somebody is on on the ship, just their approximate location from an overview.

Enjoy your 15th anniversary.
Sound like the family will have a great time.

 

[MR HARLEY]

Congratulations to you and your wife on your 15th wedding anniversary!

 

[whiteworks]

yep they are everywhere, even on Rdp.

I had a member join a multi day event with my kids present who turned out to be a registered pedo convicted only a few years ago . I don’t know any details surrounding that case but it was a pretty good eye-opener about never knowing someone’s past or motives . He used to post constantly but disappeared after I looked him up because he wouldn’t pay for property damage he caused. I’m still a little bit bitter about that one. It had a huge impact on me deciding against any open invites to our property again which is really sad. Fuck anyone like that, they have a special place in hell coming and I would give them a fast pass if it were my kids.

I’m surprised you have not outed the pedo. I’m into vetting people pretty well before they get in the circle.

 

[Singleton]

I’m surprised you have not outed the pedo. I’m into vetting people pretty well before they get in the circle.

I was shocked when I got that text.
And on top of that, ruined property and made zero effect to fix what they destroyed

 

[whiteworks]

I was shocked when I got that text.
And on top of that, ruined property and made zero effect to fix what they destroyed

The fact a registered sex offender slipped into the program with family present shook me up also.