With the recent news of a child falling overboard on the Disney Dream and being rescued by Disney Cruise Line; I have so many thoughts as both a parent of a three-year old and a former Disney Cruise Line Cast Member. If you have young children, you’ve likely also thought about this worst-case scenario. And maybe you’ve even asked yourself, do we need an inside stateroom OR should we even take the family on a cruise?
While I can understand and appreciate that every family is different, the answer is pretty simple to me. Yes, you should take the Disney Cruise and yes, you should do all the things that already make you a great parent at home.
What we do know about the incident on the Disney Dream is the best news of all – both the child that fell overboard and the parent who jumped in after their child were both miraculously recovered by Disney Cruise Line. The other good news is that in today’s world of resources and the guest safety and service we know and love at Disney, there are plenty of ways to safeguard your family on a cruise. Here are some of the tips I’ve had shared with me and even some of the ones I personally use.
Utilize the Disney Cruise Line App and Wi-Fi
If you’ve ever cruised with Disney before, you know to download the app before boarding and to switch to airplane mode and the ship’s WiFi once you’re onboard. While the Disney Cruise Line app is great for checking the daily schedule, the nightly dinner menu, drink of the day, and how much you’ve spent on your onboard account, it’s also a super easy and helpful communication tool. You can chat within the app for free with anyone else onboard. While your little one may not have a phone or even be able to read, this is a great resource for parents who are tag-teaming Oceaneer Club pick-up, naptime, etc. The app is also where you’ll receive notifications from the youth activities team if your child needs to be picked up from the “it’s a small world” Nursery or the Oceaneer Club.
A lesser-known fact is that you can iMessage on the ship just by using the ship’s free WiFi. This means you can communicate with both iPhone’s onboard and back at home without purchasing a cellular plan at sea or the ship’s premium WiFi packages.
Have Contact Information on Your Child
This especially hits home with my three-year-old – my son moves quick and likely couldn’t tell you who mommy is and where to find her if he got lost. Having contact information on your child is helpful both on a cruise ship and really any time you travel. There are several ways to do this, but here are some of the ideas that have been shared with me –
- Using a DisneyBand or MagicBand – A Magic Band+, either purchased online, at the parks, or once onboard, is great for unlocking your stateroom door, making purchases onboard or at Lookout Cay or Castaway Cay, and for interactive elements on the ship. It’s also a great idea to write contact information in permanent ink on the inside of the band in case your child gets lost. If your child is attending the Oceaneer Club, they will receive a DisneyBand to use while onboard for checking in and out of youth activities. This band also has your child’s information, if the Crew Members need to find you.
- Air Tag or Other GPS Tracker – Air Tags, the Tile, etc. are handy GPS trackers for your luggage and stroller, but are also great to keep on your child. There are bands, shoe inserts, and other ways you can make an Air Tag a wearable tool to keep tabs on your kids. This is especially helpful for situations when your child was “just there” and you just need to know where they are so you can catch-up.
- Writing Down Your Contact Information – You don’t have to purchase anything to have peace of mind that your child can easily be found. You can write down your information on a card in their shoe, on a band aid, on a wristband, clothing, etc.
Have a Designated Meeting Place Onboard
I have both experienced this and seen it happen – you turn around for 30 seconds and your child is not in your line of sight. Let’s say you’re at the Buccaneer Blast deck party where there are a lot of kids and distractions, designate the soft serve ice cream counter as your meeting place. Or you’re in the atrium for the “See ya Real Soon” show, designate the atrium statue as your meeting place. Thankfully, in these situations, your child likely wouldn’t get far, but you can at least avoid some of the panic of searching for each other.
Water Safety
On a Disney Cruise, you’re likely to enjoy the pools or even the beach at Lookout Cay or Castaway Cay. The great news is, each of these areas has designated lifeguards and life vests for free use. Water safety is still a great conversation to have to avoid your child getting lost in a busy splash pad or wading too far out in the ocean. Even though lifeguards are there to ensure guests’ safety, they are also counting on you being there to supervise your child.
Talk to Your Children About What to Expect
No matter how old your child is or if your children have cruised before, having a safety conversation should be part of your to-do list right alongside packing. Talking about the process of boarding the ship and the safety (muster) drill can be especially helpful for young children. Getting onboard the ship requires patience and often involves larger crowds than you’ll see the entire rest of the cruise.
Disney Cruise Line has a free downloadable activity book called the “My Disney Cruise” booklet that helps kids know what to expect about the boarding process and what they have to look forward to on their cruise. The booklet even goes into the safety drill, terms used on the ship like forward and aft, the process of checking in at the Oceaneer Club, and where certain activities are located.
Use Pilot’s Protocol for Eyes on Your Child
Keeping a watchful eye on your child is a no-brainer, but there are a million things to grab your child’s attention on a Disney Cruise. Plus, it’s easy to have the moment of “I thought you were watching them!” because hey, parents get distracted too. For this reason, establish the pilot method of someone always watching the controls. Are you both watching the kids, but you need to step away, verbally confirm, “I’m going to get a drink, do you have eyes on the kids?” This may seem like common sense, but making it part of your routine will ensure an intentional hand-off of responsibility.
Book the Verandah with Confidence
I personally love having a verandah, as a parent. It gives me a space to go to when my child is napping or has gone to sleep early. The flip side is, I can totally appreciate not spending time in the stateroom like I do or not wanting to worry about having a door that opens up to the ocean. Peace of mind is everything and if you would sleep better knowing this is not an option, don’t book it. After all, a Disney Cruise is one of the most relaxing vacations you can take; enjoy it!
If you are interested in having a verandah – book it! There are lots of safeguard measures for children. Some of these include two locks on the door (a door handle you have to turn 180 degrees plus a top lock), a verandah railing that is 3.5 feet tall and solid to prevent climbing, and a buffer at the bottom of the railing to avoid anything rolling off your verandah. You can even request to remove some or all of your verandah furniture if you’re worried about your kids using it as a climbing tool. Just like the pilot method, don’t leave your child unattended on the verandah, even for just a few seconds, and get in the habit of shutting the verandah door and locking it each time you come back inside.
Disney is Safe but ONLY You are the Parent
Disney Cruise Line always makes your safety their number one priority. If there’s a regulation, Disney will exceed the standard. If you’ve been to any Disney Destination like Walt Disney World or Disneyland, you also know this to be true. And that’s the beauty and pleasure of traveling with Disney, not only are you taken care of, but Disney thinks of every detail.
Here’s the thing: when you’re comfortable, you let your guard down, and this is part of the joy of being on vacation! The flip side is that being a parent is a 24/7 job. Cruising offers peace of mind – traveling to international destinations with Disney, only having to unpack once, coming “home” to Disney at the end of every day BUT you are still on the ocean and traveling to other countries. Disney cannot save you from not following the rules. This may sound harsh but the truth is you’re the parent, no one knows your child like you do, and you booked this vacation to build memories with your family. Not following the rules to take that one photo or getting just a little extra, will only cost you in the end and set an example for your family you cannot duplicate.
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