A teenager has revealed how they felt they had no choice but to leave their parents behind when they refused to go back to their cruise ship on time
Everyone knows that the golden rule of taking a cruise is always making sure that you’re back at the boat at the right time, otherwise you risk getting left behind.
But what should you do if you’re travelling with others and they refuse to return to the ship – do you leave them behind or is it best to stay with them? One teenager took to Reddit to share their experience of travelling with parents who didn’t understand why getting back to the cruise ship on time was so important and the choice they had to make when it was clear that the parents wouldn’t be making it to the boat before it departed.
In the post the 18-year-old explained: “I graduated from high school back in December. As a gift my parents got me a cruise. It was also for my 18th birthday. It was also a family vacation. We usually stay at all inclusive resorts but I have always wanted to go on a cruise.”
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The teenager revealed that ahead of their trip they’d warned their parents that cruises were “different” and that if they went on any excursions off the boat, they “had to follow the schedule no matter what”. They explained that despite this warning their parents refused to return to the ship at the scheduled time.
They explained: “Well it was a week-long cruise and they would not head back to the ship when I said it was time to go. They were busy shopping and bargaining with the locals. I finally said that I was heading back to the ship. My mom waved me off.” While the teen didn’t want to leave their parents, they explained that they felt like they had no choice.
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Unfortunately, as a result of their lateness, the parents did miss the boat, and the poster explained that they’d missed the boat by at least 45 minutes. Once the parents realised they’d been left behind they sent the teen a message on WhatsApp asking them why they didn’t get the boat to wait for them.
The teen continued: “I wanted to scream that they were not going to inconvenience 3,998 people because two could not understand what a schedule was.” They then explained that their parents “ended up having to fly to the next port from there” and that it was really “expensive” to travel that way.
Because of the unexpected cost, the poster revealed that their parents are angry at them for “leaving them behind”. They said: “I don’t know what I was supposed to do. They literally told me that they knew what they were doing. I wish I had never asked for this. They are making me miserable because I left without them.”
Other Reddit users were quick to comment on the predicament, offering messages of support and understanding. One said: “NTA. Your parents are acting entitled. Tell them you saved them the expense of a third ticket to the next port.”
A second added: “NTA. Cruise ships have a schedule to keep, and there was no way they would wait for just two passengers without knowing where they were. They MIGHT wait if there’s a whole bunch of passengers being delayed on an excursion that was organised by the cruise ship company, but that’s iffy.”
While a third commented: “NTA. In addition to you explaining that the ship will not wait for them, I am sure they were made aware of this by the cruise workers many times. They chose to ignore the guidelines and as a result had to face the consequences of their actions. That’s what being an adult is, and they seem immature and narcissistic for trying to shift the blame onto you for their poor decision making skills.”