Why does everyone hate cruising with Kids? What would make it better?

[Pandora06]

i don't understand why someone from RC staff couldn't ask to see their seapass to get the family name and then have someone speak to the parents or make what ever "threat" is possible to control them. the very next night there they were alone again in the

what recourse does RC have regarding this dilema? i really felt bad for the staff of the windjammer that night.

 

I have read posts where the parents were told that if the kids were not controlled the entire family would be taken off the ship at the next port.

This is information is provided in their ship documents and the ships have the legal right to do this. After speaking to the families the situation is usually solved.

[dc-snoopy]

A few tips from general courtesy rules:

 

First, if you notice any disruptive cruiser (as the song says "from 1 to 92") then you should report it to the person in charge of the area. In a bar, that would be the nearest bartender. In the dining room, you should report to the head waiter. You should comment who and where the disruption is and ask that they ask the disruptive party to cease. If you get no satisfaction, report to the CD the incident (table #459 in the dining room, late seating). The cruise lines do have policies about disruptive behaviour, but they aren't everywhere and have to be aware of problems to deal with them.

 

Parents, although I do understand that children will be children, please respect the people around you to know that disruptive children are only tolerable for limited times. If you child is being disruptive for more than a very short time, it is time for you as a parent to quiet the child, or remove the child from the area to somewhere less disruptive for other pax. And if you don't, you shouldn't complain or insult your fellow pax for being upset with it. You were the one who accepted the responsibility of having the child and bringing the child along.

 

Remember the world loves your child as long as *YOU*, the parent, are doing your job.

[star_dust_goddess]

For families with children and/or teenagers this tip might help:

 

Bring a video game system if you have one. Playstation, Game Cube, X-box etc. Don't forget games.

 

When I took my first cruise/only cruise in 2003 (17 y/o at the time) I noticed that while there where arcade games in the teen area they where often filled with "campers." People who would sit and play. I also thought the area was kind of lame anyways. Any of you who have children know that with the first whirr of a video game system things get pretty quiet. And even if you don't know how to hook it up any child or teenager over 5 can figure out to have the system up and running in under 30 seconds. This would reduce the number of unruly children and teenagers, because they find each other, hear the whirr of the game system from deck and miles away and play the video games together.

 

On the 2003 cruise I took my family also had my two young cousins aged 7 and 8 or 8 and 9, I forget which, but one of them brought along a dvd player and the was a great help for those long afternoons at sea when they started to get a little tired and needed some downtime. Order a little room service and set them up with a favorite dvd and in two hours you have perfect little angels again.

[savva0122]

I haven't read all these posts, but from my perspective there has been a sea-change in the childs place in the family unit. When I were a lad, whilst children weren't necessarily "seen and not-heard", you knew your place. These days, the child(ren) are the centre of the family unit and everything revolves around them. Also incumbent with this is the fact that someones children are always right

 

An analogy: If I were a child playing football, and I kicked the ball over a neighbours garden, perhaps I would be mischevious and go and collect the ball. If I were seen (as I ususally was), I would get a good telling off by the neighbour for going on their ground, taken around to my parents who would reinforce the discipline. If this happened with the majority of children these days, the parents would go round to the neighbours and demand why they had made their children cry.

 

Its a bit harsh but true I'm sorry. Its all part of the gradual unrevelling of society that is apparant.

[mdmourges]

I think most of us that cruise have childern of some age and we all know how younger children can be when they are unsupervised. I think a lot of parents take the stance that they are on a vacation and so are their children so let them be happy and do what they want. That is a problem. Young children, by nature, are very excitable and they generally tend to be loud and ill-mannered. That's what unsupervised kids do. Personally I think it's not fair to me, having spent lots of money and having to be subjected to this type of behavior. The solution? Parents have to be more like parents and spend less time being vacationers when cruising with children on ships. It's not going to happen though, so I choose cruises outside the timetable for kids being out of school.

 

Mark

[Reltco]

Cruising is for all to enjoy. Many cruise lines offer different things like older clientel, younger crowds, etc. Find one that fits your needs but I'm not going to not bring my children just because some snooty DINK or older couple can't find anything right about anyone's children. I recently took my kids (13 & 15) because I just got back from Iraq and wil be heading back over there in 3 months. In hindsight there is no better place that I can think of to spend a great family vacation together. One evening I was passing a group of younger kids in the Promenade on Mariner when I heard an older woman say in a not so quiet voice, "a cruise is no place for children" I can't tell you how angry that comment alone makes me. If I was a quicker thinker I should have added, "nor grumpy old ladies".

[Catnip]

Snoopy,

 

You are 100% right!!! I love your statement, "You were the one who accepted the responsibility of having the child and bringing the child along." If only a lot more parents thought as you do!!! Most children are a joy to be around, but some are quite naughty & out of control at times and need to be disciplined by their parents.

If you are bringing along the kids for a family vacation, then spend time together as a family and don't let your kids run wild all over the ship at all hours of the day and night. A huge cruise ship can be a dangerous place for any age children, especially pre-teens in large groups.

I agree that there are lots of grumpy, rude adults as well as loud & obnoxious kids. But generally speaking, the adults don't run and scream down passenger hallways after midnight banging on cabin doors, or running like wild Indians up and down the stairwells, or pushing all the elevator buttons day in and day out................

[Sylia]

"Choosing to have children is like choosing to play the bagpipes: you must do it well or not at all. Anything in between and you'll really annoy your neighbors."

Catnip,

 

That is the best quote I've seen on the subject ever. Truer words were never spoken.

 

Sylia

[Catnip]

Thanks, Sylia!!!!! ;)

[Onessa]

I'm with Reltco. I'm tired of everyone blaming kids for their rotten time. I cannot begin to count the rude behavior that adult cruisers have shown my daughter on our vacations.

 

One case sticks out where we were half way down the hall when I remembered I forgot something in the cabin and she was nice enough to say that she'd go back and get it - she was walking nicely down the hall when an older gentleman barged out of his cabin without looking and knocked her down. I heard his comment to her - "what are you doing running around by yourself!" She motioned to me (about 10-15 yards down the hall) and he just "humphed" and walked the other way - No "I'm sorry", not even offering a hand to help her up. To top it all off, on his way down the hall he unwraps a piece of chewing gum and drops both wrappers on the floor. My daughter picked them up and disposed them correctly - but didn't say a word. Too many adults feel that they can be rude to children. Perhaps we need to start a thread about what adult pax need to do to treat children better.

 

I too have heard mean spirited mutterings from adults about "children", when I have observed the kids in question doing nothing wrong - just breathing and walking, ok so maybe they dared to utter a word in a public area:D !

 

I have seen unruley kids, but to Catnip's point, I have been awoken by rude adults trying to break into my cabin because they were on the wrong deck but too bullheaded to admit it, I have been disturbed by drunks at all hours of the day, I have been driven off of my balconey by a pair of chain smokers, I have been asked to be reseated at diner because the group of army buddies on the next table were unable to use their "inside voices", I've been stuck waiting on an elevator by a woman who was holding it for her husband to come back from the room, I've been unable to manuever through a passageway because some idiots were blocking it deep in conversation and wouldn't move when I said "excuse me please", . . . . . . .

 

RUDE is just RUDE. :mad:

[barbgazz]

If your cruises were so disturbing to you and your daughter, why do you go on them?

[johno95]

well, it's sort of like participating in Cruise Critic, isn't it?:)

If your cruises were so disturbing to you and your daughter, why do you go on them?

[FinelyCruising]

Good one john....my guess is there are rude people everywhere, just gotta take the high road!

[Onessa]

If your cruises were so disturbing to you and your daughter, why do you go on them?

 

We get enjoyment out of frightening other passengers! You should see the DINKs blanch first night when we pretend that we are seated at their table in the dining room!

 

It's a blast walking through the "adults only" swimming pool area with her with her suit on - seeing other pax run screaming in the other direction.

 

We're contemplating getting her dad a t-shirt for our next cruise - he could walk five feet in front of her wearing it - it would say "Beware child approaching"

 

All of us parents had kids only so that we can torture all of you without them - yes, we admit it! It's a conspirecy! When this one grows up we'll have to rent one.

[barbgazz]

Who ever said I didn't have kids?

[ORANGEinINDY]

I haven't read ALL of the posts, but I don't mind kids, and the annoyoing ones are usually the ones you remember so many have bad memories of kids in certain places.

 

The part that irks me the most is when parents are ignoreing them and doing nothing to eliviate the situation. If they are at least trying to correct behavior, at least I feel better.

 

Sum it up and I guess its not Kids in public areas that bother me its parents.

[Catnip]

I would be one of the DINKS blanching...........;)

[barbgazz]

Blanching is what I do to freshly picked string beans before freezing them.

[Melissa at Mohair Meadows]

I've said this elsewhere, but will again. I get fearful when I see clubs closing at 1:00 where the kid parties have been and young teens make their ways - alone - back to their cabins or traveling around the ship. If my 14 year old daughter was at the movies until 1:00 at night, I wouldn't want her walking around by herself where a bunch of partying adults were.

 

The kids may be perfectly well behaved, but they get exposed to people and situations that are beyond their comprehension. People think cruiseships are safe because no-one can get on or off on the sea, the kids can't get lost, there are always adults around - but it could be dangerous. There could be kooks on board. The kids could get hurt.

 

I'm not saying leave the kids at home. Just remember to parent them and keep them safe.

[phlydude]

I don't mind kids so much but when the parents don't take an interest into what their children are doing and let them have run of the ship, that's when I have a problem with the parents not the kids.

 

Hearing "JOEY!!!" at least 100 times on a cruise is a little annoying too when mom can't find her little darling...

[Reltco]

Everyone start chanting with me....More kids on cruises, more kids on cruises, more kids on cruises....we got them on the run now! LOL

[Catnip]

Whaaaaaaaaaat??????? I can't hear youuuuuuuuuu!!
Did you say "NO kids on cruises??!! That's what I thought!!!!! ;)

[Bethwte]

I love kids... I only have a problem with the irresponsible parents who don't watch and/or discipline their kids on cruises. Kids will be kids... therefore, parents should be parents, in my opinion anyways :) Remember, if you want a vacation from the kids, by all means feel free! Just leave them at home... not running around a ship unsupervised...

[debgirl]

As a teacher I correct children all the time on their behavior in the classroom, hallway, lunchroom. I will not hestitate to correct bad behavior in children even on vacation, and I don't mind doing it in front of the their parents. I might get some dirty looks from their parents, but maybe next time they misbehave, their parents will do the what they are suppose to do as parents.

[Bookish Angel]

Please get children in bed and/or quiet at a decent hour. I have spent a few sleepless nights on cruises and in hotel rooms because small children were up running around, yelling, slamming doors, etc. until the wee hours.

I think as long as YOU are vigilant about monitoring your child's behavior, the overwheming majority of folks (such as me) will forgive the occasional less than perfect behavior from a child and probably even enjoy having the little ones aboard. I like well-behaved kids and feel sorry for the ones who have parents who refuse to set limits.