Kidless Cruises

[spanner14]

We were on Oceania in August and blissfully, there was no screeching, crying, pushing in elevators, running in halls, disrupting shows or any other complaints that one would frequently encounter on ships with children. Same experience with Seaborn. Pehaps, cruise lines that don't cater to children only attract those people whose children are well behaved; where lines that advertise kid oriented programs attract parents who think that they can just dump the kids ... and their responsibility to supervise.:(

 

Awww, Traveling Bob - you haven't met my DD. She's an only child and is so well behaved. She ate in the MDR with us every night except one and I'm expecting her to do the same on Indy - out of choice; she loves the MDR! She's a joy to be around but *loves* cruising. Sometimes she chooses to go to Adventure Ocean but I'd never make her go. I wouldn't cruise without her, she's great. Don't write all kids off! :)

[Aubiecruiser]

I wanna party with YOU!

The partying Tiger gets that alot! :D

AUbie

[Onessa]

Basic guidelines for avoiding a ship full of kids (all sailings have at least one):

1) Sail during school time (September-beginning of December or Middle of January through May) while avoiding holidays when children have off.

2) Sail on longer cruises where families are less able to travel for the extended period.

3) Sail on the older/smaller ships (IE: not the Voyager, Freedom, or Oasis classes) that offer less amenities for the children yet still offer the great adult amenities.

4) Check out Celebrity. It's a part of RCCL and thus shares a similar ideology but is considered to be more classy and geared towards adults with very few children sailing any time of the year.

 

Oops - just booked a 12-day, Sept 2011 sailing on the Celebrity Century for our family (including DD). Based upon our fall cruises for the past few years - she will not be alone. Last year in November there were five other 14YO girls (didn't pay much attention to other ages/genders).

 

Fewer kids, yes! No kids, no!

[Albert Ross]

Does RCI have any no-children-allowed cruises?:o

Yes: is is called Azamara Club Cruises.

Hardly any children on these as no facilities for them.

Whilst I can't promise it won't be totally child free there should be very few on board.

[Onessa]

We were on Oceania in August and blissfully, there was no screeching, crying, pushing in elevators, running in halls, disrupting shows . . . .

Didn't realize that Oceania had alchohol-free cruises :D!

 

In my experience, it is the drunks pounding down the halls or on my door at 2:00am, or the boors getting up-and-down to go th the bar during shows, and other adult-based boorish behavior that most disrupts my trip.

[spanner14]

Didn't realize that Oceania had alchohol-free cruises :D!

 

In my experience, it is the drunks pounding down the halls or on my door at 2:00am, or the boors getting up-and-down to go th the bar during shows, and other adult-based boorish behavior that most disrupts my trip.

 

That really made me laugh! :D :D

 

We took my DD to The Ritz for a dinner dance last year, and when some adults looked down their noses at "children being allowed to something like this" (which they are), my Mum overheard, and said "Actually, she's better behaved than most adults". Which would seem to be true as she never pounds down the halls at 2am! :D

[NancyIL]

Good to know. We're early Oct out of Canaveral and hoping for fewer kids.

 

 

I would guess that any ship sailing out of Port Canaveral would have quite a few kids onboard, due to its proximity to the Orlando theme parks. Lots of people take their kids out of school to go to Disney World and on Disney cruises, and I imagine they also do so to sail on the Carnival Dream or Freedom of the Seas.

[mom2two2]

We were on Oceania in August and blissfully, there was no screeching, crying, pushing in elevators, running in halls, disrupting shows or any other complaints that one would frequently encounter on ships with children. Same experience with Seaborn. Pehaps, cruise lines that don't cater to children only attract those people whose children are well behaved; where lines that advertise kid oriented programs attract parents who think that they can just dump the kids ... and their responsibility to supervise.:(

 

OUCH that was harsh. What a stereotype. My two will be 11 and 8 at the time we cruise with them (their first) and you would never find them pushing in the elevator, running in the halls and so on. They will not be "dumped" in the kids club but dining and experiencing the trip along with us. I find it interesting that no one seems to think it is insulting that the replies to the OP are somewhat "kid bashing" yet the comment about "older" cruisers sparked a reaction. Yes, "children should be seen and not heard" is long gone (and in my opinion that is a good thing). That does not mean that all children out there are spoiled, noisy, messy monsters.

 

Guess you guys had better avoid late Jan out of San Juan as that is when we will be sailing...with the kids.

[stretch44]

OUCH that was harsh. What a stereotype. My two will be 11 and 8 at the time we cruise with them (their first) and you would never find them pushing in the elevator, running in the halls and so on. They will not be "dumped" in the kids club but dining and experiencing the trip along with us. I find it interesting that no one seems to think it is insulting that the replies to the OP are somewhat "kid bashing" yet the comment about "older" cruisers sparked a reaction. Yes, "children should be seen and not heard" is long gone (and in my opinion that is a good thing). That does not mean that all children out there are spoiled, noisy, messy monsters.

 

Guess you guys had better avoid late Jan out of San Juan as that is when we will be sailing...with the kids.

 

I thought that kind of funny too. Many of the posts here are all for cruises without children yet when somebody who is obviously younger and would like a cruise without older people, everyone thinks that's offensive!

[lovesublime]

If you want to cruise with minimal kids, it's pretty hard when you're talking about the Caribbean, unless you go on a more upscale line, like HAL or a luxury line line Crystal.

 

Even when you cruise when school's in session, there are often parts of the country that have time off from school. Many people may not have heard of "Jersey Week" which occurs the first week of Nov. There are a LOT of families from NJ that cruise to the Caribbean that week. Then there's President's Day Week in mid-Feb. LOTS of northeasterners on cruises and massive amounts of teachers, lol. Then you start getting into spring break which is all over the calendar.

 

I'd definitely think that the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then all of January would be quite safe, however.

 

 

 

 

Our son went to college in Louisiana. They didn't get a traditional spring break in March. They did have a week off in Feb. for Mardi Gras. You're right, school breaks are all over the calendar.

[Aubiecruiser]

I always find it enlightening when a "kidless" thread shows up. It really brings out all the posters with perfect angels for children.:rolleyes:

AUbie

[Havingfun2010]

Does RCI have any no-children-allowed cruises?:o

 

Would you be willing to pay more money for it? The extra kid's at around 800+ per cruise, brings the ship a pretty penny at $400 to $600 per kid per stateroom.

 

For every annoying kid, there is an equal amount of annoying adults.

[mom2two2]

I always find it enlightening when a "kidless" thread shows up. It really brings out all the posters with perfect angels for children.:rolleyes:

AUbie

 

Saying that they have manners and behave accordingly when they are so lucky as to be taken on a vacation is not saying they are angels...lol.

[cofgren]

I would rather see a "50 @ under only" cruise...

 

I'm all for an under 57 only cruise. We could start a grass roots effort for it on cruise critic. Wait,no. That won't work. I don't want to be the oldest guy on the boat.

[LadyQuasi]

I don't think kids have to be monsters or angels. Kids are kids. They're boisterous and noisy when they have fun (and should!) and that's fine. I don't think it's offensive for someone to ask if there are cruises where people can choose to go on and not have to deal with that. It's the same thing if someone would ask if they can go on cruise where there's no booze because they don't like dealing with drunk people. (Dollar to donughts that doesn't exist!)

[cofgren]

I've been on 15 cruises so far with another around the corner. On almost all of them my grandchildren have been with us. We cruise during times when they are not in school. So we end up with lots of kids and the ruckus associated with it. I love it. All that noise.I just thought that's what cruising is. I can't imagine how dull Disney World would be without the atmosphere that kids create.

[spanner14]

I always find it enlightening when a "kidless" thread shows up. It really brings out all the posters with perfect angels for children.:rolleyes:

AUbie

 

Well, I'd be surprised if anyone with a really bratty child came on here and said "oh, I don't blame you for wanting a childless cruise, my kid's terrible and I let him/her scream, run up and down hallways and pound on people's doors"! :rolleyes: :)

 

My DD is not an angel and nor would I want her to be, but she is delightful company and behaves very well - I'm not going to lie and say she's badly behaved!

[MikeNJ1109]

Well, I'd be surprised if anyone with a really bratty child came on here and said "oh, I don't blame you for wanting a childless cruise, my kid's terrible and I let him/her scream, run up and down hallways and pound on people's doors"! :rolleyes: :)

 

My DD is not an angel and nor would I want her to be, but she is delightful company and behaves very well - I'm not going to lie and say she's badly behaved!

 

We have been on 7 cruises (5 RCL, 2NCL), and our daughter (now 4 years old) has joined us on 2 of them (one at 15 months, one just last month just before her birthday).

 

In all candor, most of the kids we've come across have behaved better onboard then many of the adults.

 

Frankly, we'll take kids acting their age vs. obnoxious adults every time.

 

Mike & Silke

 

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

[spanner14]

We have been on 7 cruises (5 RCL, 2NCL), and our daughter (now 4 years old) has joined us on 2 of them (one at 15 months, one just last month just before her birthday).

 

In all candor, most of the kids we've come across have behaved better onboard then many of the adults.

 

Frankly, we'll take kids acting their age vs. obnoxious adults every time.

 

Mike & Silke

 

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

 

Me too! :)

[Wilda]

We were on Oceania in August and blissfully, there was no screeching, crying, pushing in elevators, running in halls, disrupting shows or any other complaints that one would frequently encounter on ships with children. Same experience with Seaborn. Pehaps, cruise lines that don't cater to children only attract those people whose children are well behaved; where lines that advertise kid oriented programs attract parents who think that they can just dump the kids ... and their responsibility to supervise.:(

 

Wow Traveling Bob, tell us how your really feel about cruising w/kids:eek: Hope I don't find myself traveling with you anytime soon...since I am one of those grandparents that RCI markets to;)

 

 

If you want to cruise with minimal kids, it's pretty hard when you're talking about the Caribbean, unless you go on a more upscale line, like HAL or a luxury line line Crystal.

 

Even when you cruise when school's in session, there are often parts of the country that have time off from school. Many people may not have heard of "Jersey Week" which occurs the first week of Nov. There are a LOT of families from NJ that cruise to the Caribbean that week. Then there's President's Day Week in mid-Feb. LOTS of northeasterners on cruises and massive amounts of teachers, lol. Then you start getting into spring break which is all over the calendar.

 

I'd definitely think that the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then all of January would be quite safe, however.

 

Good points Amybeth. We have been cruising in December the past few years and there has been a large European population represented. Not sure what the holiday schedule is over there but there was a good amount of kids from the Netherlands and UK in AO. Both cruises were in the first and second weeks of Dec and had an average of 350-400 kids on board (this was according to the AO counselors)

[amybeth4]

Good points Amybeth. We have been cruising in December the past few years and there has been a large European population represented. Not sure what the holiday schedule is over there but there was a good amount of kids from the Netherlands and UK in AO. Both cruises were in the first and second weeks of Dec and had an average of 350-400 kids on board (this was according to the AO counselors)

 

350-400 kids are practically unnoticeable on most RCCL ships. I'm not a huge fan of kids but they're not usually a problem. Although last year on the Majesty there was a 5-year-old in the pool SCREAMING all day, "MIRA! MIRA DADDY, MIRA!" In that incredibly high-pitched voice. I wanted to kill her and her father, lol.

 

And the teenagers roaming around the Liberty bumping into people and being rude. UGH.

 

But once on a cruise my friend and I shared a table with a family and the two kids were probably about 8 and 12 and they were the sweetest kids.

 

But yeah, I'd stay away from the summer! :)

[spanner14]

Wow Traveling Bob, tell us how your really feel about cruising w/kids:eek: Hope I don't find myself traveling with you anytime soon...since I am one of those grandparents that RCI markets to;)

 

 

 

 

Good points Amybeth. We have been cruising in December the past few years and there has been a large European population represented. Not sure what the holiday schedule is over there but there was a good amount of kids from the Netherlands and UK in AO. Both cruises were in the first and second weeks of Dec and had an average of 350-400 kids on board (this was according to the AO counselors)

 

Schools in our area of the UK break for Christmas hols around 18th December and return to school around 4th Jan. There is also a week's half term holiday late October, usually in the week leading up to Halloween. :)

[JenAndDan]

Out of all our cruises, the only one that didn't have a lot of kids was the Tahitian Princess (there was still maybe a dozen or so kids on it). Still, on all of the RCCL cruises, you could never imagine there were all the kids that were actually on the ship with you. It's not until they parade through the dining room or you see the film of what happened over the week where you see just how many kids are on the ship. I never had a problem with kids. Even on the two Carnival cruises I went on, kids were hardly a seen. The only age group that ever seemed to maybe be noticeable were like pre-teen/early teen group - where they didn't want to go to the club and they would all hang out together at the pool or chase each other on the stairs. I want to say 12-14 year olds. I think we had 2 cruises where there were groups of those hanging around but they didn't really cause any problems. Also, on one Carnival cruise there were two groups who had just graduated high school so there were a bunch of 17/18 year olds with very little supervision (obviously had adult chaperones but they were not very present).

[ChiMimi69]

OUCH that was harsh. What a stereotype. My two will be 11 and 8 at the time we cruise with them (their first) and you would never find them pushing in the elevator, running in the halls and so on. They will not be "dumped" in the kids club but dining and experiencing the trip along with us. I find it interesting that no one seems to think it is insulting that the replies to the OP are somewhat "kid bashing" yet the comment about "older" cruisers sparked a reaction. Yes, "children should be seen and not heard" is long gone (and in my opinion that is a good thing). That does not mean that all children out there are spoiled, noisy, messy monsters.

 

Guess you guys had better avoid late Jan out of San Juan as that is when we will be sailing...with the kids.

 

We were on Oceania in August and blissfully, there was no screeching, crying, pushing in elevators, running in halls, disrupting shows or any other complaints that one would frequently encounter on ships with children. Same experience with Seaborn. Pehaps, cruise lines that don't cater to children only attract those people whose children are well behaved; where lines that advertise kid oriented programs attract parents who think that they can just dump the kids ... and their responsibility to supervise.:(

 

I'm with you Mom2Two2! This is pretty sad, isn't it!!!???!!!!

 

TBob, you either have never had kids or were never one yourself (which we know is not true). Were you a perfect little angel? Kids will be kids. These little people are entitled to a good time too. Adults have their booze to give them a pick me up and kids just come with it 24/7. :p Why punish them because they are acting in a manner in which I'm sure many of US adults have (usually when under the influence). I myself have 2 boys. Both happy and loving but...my 2 yr old is certainly louder and more active than my 7 yr old (hence, the term 'terrible twosies'). I teach my kids manners and right from wrong. However, my toddler is just that, a toddler. He may have his loud fits every now and then, but, he's known how to say 'Thank You', accordingly, by the time he was 15 mos old. And that folks, is really something, considering I've encountered ADULTS who can't even say 'excuse me' when they walk into you or push past you into an elevator. And let me not even start on those adults who think it's ok to do this to a small child.

 

I tell you, it's a double edged sword! There are those that feel that people dump their kids at the kid oriented programs and then those who hate sharing an MDR with them. I've stopped trying to make sense of it all. :rolleyes:

 

I paid my fare and my kid's fare, (that's almost double what some couples pay for), therefore I'm not going to leave either of my boys anywhere simply because I don't want to OFFEND anyone at dinner in the MDR. I am courteous enough to request a small dining table at dinner time so as not to ruin someone else's dining experience. And, if he becomes too much, I excuse myself and leave with him. Short of that, I can't do much more for you kid haters out there. :( I think RCCL does a good job in providing an adequate amount of spaces onboard that adults can enjoy dinner alone without children around (when all else fails, there's always room service for 2 ;)). Enjoy! As for me and mine, we will enjoy our cruise next March, together and wherever they are allowed--without a second thought. :D

[riredsox]

I would rather see a "50 @ under only" cruise...

 

 

I'll take 10 and under and 50 and over.