Should parents bring their infants onboard?

[Blamar]

I don't mind if Kids, babies, young adults, tweeners or whatever come on board. Providing they are behaved, act appropriate, play in those places they are welcome to play in and stay out of the places they shouldn't go into. If the parents are like "whistlerwinter" and train their kids to be travellers then they are most welcome with us.

[Hemi001]

I think the answer to the question lies in the actions of the parents. If they bring their infants on a cruise more power to them but they have to repect the feelings of their fellow passengers. Screaming and crying sometimes can not be helped but the parent can remove the infant from i.e. the dining room, theater or other areas where the rest of the passengers are trying to concentrate or soak up the ambiance. It is great to tavel with your children no matter what their age but you can't ruin the vacation of a lifetime for someone else. Parenting skills should the issue, not the infant.

[bplazo]

I, myself would never take a cruise with an infant or toddler. They should stay at home with the parents and do day trips. Just my thoughts. However, if someone wants to bring a baby or child along it wouldnt bother me as long as I am not at the same table dinner table or nearby.

[yarlenna]

I think the answer to the question lies in the actions of the parents. If they bring their infants on a cruise more power to them but they have to repect the feelings of their fellow passengers. Screaming and crying sometimes can not be helped but the parent can remove the infant from i.e. the dining room, theater or other areas where the rest of the passengers are trying to concentrate or soak up the ambiance. It is great to tavel with your children no matter what their age but you can't ruin the vacation of a lifetime for someone else. Parenting skills should the issue, not the infant.

The problem is that ships are small. There is no way for babies go can far away enough. If you are taking the baby out for meal times, where can you take them? Try their rooms? What about the person who is trying to nap or having an intimate moment.

[set2374]

Cruising is not for children under 5 under any circumstances. If you want to try Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival or RCCL, maybe it's ok for ages 5 and up. On a line like Princess or Celebrity, it's absolutely inappropriate to bring young children, let alone infants. People who cruise on a luxury or near-luxury line, take a lot of time and spend considerable money to enjoy a relaxing weekend away. The last thing any one wants is to be dressed up for a formal night and to be seated at the table next to a screaming toddler. It just not fair to those people around you. There are child appropriate vacations, disney (a disney cruise), waterparks etc., but a cruise ship is no place for a young child. Children that are 8 or 9 are another story. They can enjoy the children oriented programs (like the Fun Zone on Princess) and they'll have a blast.

 

As for me, the less children on a cruise the better! My girlfriend and I enjoy a nice romantic week together. Nothing spoils a romantic getaway like a screaming baby in the room next door. When we were deciding between cruise lines, I did most of the research and collected brochures and laid them on the table. The three choices for this summer's cruise were Holland America (Zuiderdam), Princess (Caribbean Princess) and Royal Caribbean (Mariner). She flipped through the brochures and made three observations:

 

(1) Royal Caribbean had a little kid playing on every other page. In fact, we counted 42 children depicted in the brochure (too many for our taste), so that was OUT!

 

(2) HAL had someone with grey hair on every page and not one person under 50 (except for one kid with what appeared to be his grandpa). I am 31 and she's 27, and that's just not going to work for us. HAL was OUT!!!

 

(3) Princess had a good mix of 30-50s, and one page with some kids on it to promote the Fun Zone. We could live with this, hopefully the kids stay in the Fun Zone and eat at an early seating. :) We always take the late seating (or make late reservations, to avoid the kiddies). So Princess it is.

 

I ordinarily sail on Celebrity, but their ships are all in Europe, with the exception of the Zenith and Horizon, which do Bermuda. I sailed on Zenith a couple of years ago. Ship was nothing special, rooms sucked and it was 300 more a person for a room with no balcony (no balconies on Zenith period). Princess is a much better deal.

 

So that's the scoop!

[luv2cruise99]

I think the brochures misled you. If you go during the summer season you will see PLENTY of kids on Princess. Rumor has it that Princess capacity controls kids, but from what I have seen, the capacity must be set pretty high. If you go during the school year, you will see far less kids on all the cruiselines, however there will still be some, especially infants and toddlers since they aren't in school anyway. I just got of the Regal Princess a few weeks ago and saw quite a few infants and toddlers, though not many school-age kids.

 

That being said, I have cruised many times with my under-5 nieces, and most recently with my own twins at ages 9 months and then again at 18 months. The kids had a blast! And they did not disturb anybody because WE WOULD NOT LET THEM!

 

If the parents exhibit courtesy in controlling their kids' behavior and in removing them when they are being disruptive, then there is absolutely no reason why cruising can't be for the entire family.

[jff50]

Cruising is not for children under 5 under any circumstances. If you want to try Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival or RCCL, maybe it's ok for ages 5 and up. On a line like Princess or Celebrity, it's absolutely inappropriate to bring young children, let alone infants. People who cruise on a luxury or near-luxury line, take a lot of time and spend considerable money to enjoy a relaxing weekend away. The last thing any one wants is to be dressed up for a formal night and to be seated at the table next to a screaming toddler. It just not fair to those people around you. There are child appropriate vacations, disney (a disney cruise), waterparks etc., but a cruise ship is no place for a young child. Children that are 8 or 9 are another story. They can enjoy the children oriented programs (like the Fun Zone on Princess) and they'll have a blast.

 

As for me, the less children on a cruise the better! My girlfriend and I enjoy a nice romantic week together. Nothing spoils a romantic getaway like a screaming baby in the room next door. When we were deciding between cruise lines, I did most of the research and collected brochures and laid them on the table. The three choices for this summer's cruise were Holland America (Zuiderdam), Princess (Caribbean Princess) and Royal Caribbean (Mariner). She flipped through the brochures and made three observations:

 

(1) Royal Caribbean had a little kid playing on every other page. In fact, we counted 42 children depicted in the brochure (too many for our taste), so that was OUT!

 

(2) HAL had someone with grey hair on every page and not one person under 50 (except for one kid with what appeared to be his grandpa). I am 31 and she's 27, and that's just not going to work for us. HAL was OUT!!!

 

(3) Princess had a good mix of 30-50s, and one page with some kids on it to promote the Fun Zone. We could live with this, hopefully the kids stay in the Fun Zone and eat at an early seating. :) We always take the late seating (or make late reservations, to avoid the kiddies). So Princess it is.

 

I ordinarily sail on Celebrity, but their ships are all in Europe, with the exception of the Zenith and Horizon, which do Bermuda. I sailed on Zenith a couple of years ago. Ship was nothing special, rooms sucked and it was 300 more a person for a room with no balcony (no balconies on Zenith period). Princess is a much better deal.

 

So that's the scoop!

 

Since you don't appear to have kids, I'm not sure that you are a reliable source on whether cruises are appropriate vacations for kids. My experience tells me that a cruise can be a great family vacation. It is a great way to be with and without (when they are in the kids program) her at the same time.

 

We have a 4 year old that will be going on her 9th cruise next January. And she pays the same fare as you do. She has never been an annoyance to others in the dining room, enjoys the ports (especially the beaches), the pool, the movies, the attention, the activities, the chocolate, etc. The reasons that a cruise is an enjoyable vacation apply equally (if not more so) for kids. If the ability to see several places while flying and unpacking once is nice for adults, it goes double with kids.

 

Princess allows kids on board at 6 months, and has a kids program that starts at 3 years. I don't think they are going to raise that to age 8 or 9 (the age at which you claim cruising becomes appropriate). From what I've seen and read on sites such as this, unsupervised teens can be (and often are) more disruptive than kids that spend all their time with their parents or in the kids program.

 

If all you can live with is a cruise where you are not exposed to kids below 8 or 9 (if you're even willing to accept that), Princess it isn't.

[Ma Bell]

This thread is about infants. Four year olds are not infants. In general I would say I have no problem with parents bringing children. After our last cruise I can understand why it may not be the best idea to bring an infant. We were on an 11 day cruise. The first six nights we got very little sleep. The baby next door woke up at least 3 or 4 times every night screaming at the top of her lungs. I don't know about you, but I'm not the kind of person who can just turn over and go right back to sleep. We managed the best we could because we had no choice. There were no other cabins available. We had a wonderful aft cabin with a huge balcony.

 

The parents and children left the cruise before we sailed back from Hawaii. Even they couldn't bear the thought of 5 more days at sea like this. The baby didn't like the motion of the ship and when infants don't like something they don't just complain.....they cry. Noisy kids during the day are one thing, but all night is another thing completely.

[jff50]

This thread is about infants. Four year olds are not infants. In general I would say I have no problem with parents bringing children. After our last cruise I can understand why it may not be the best idea to bring an infant.

 

While the thread is titled to be about infants, it has gone far beyond that. I'd agree that it may not be the best idea to bring an infant (isn't that less than 1 year), but it is up to the parents--and should minimize negatively impacting other passengers.

[kryos]

On a line like Princess or Celebrity, it's absolutely inappropriate to bring young children, let alone infants. People who cruise on a luxury or near-luxury line, take a lot of time and spend considerable money to enjoy a relaxing weekend away. The last thing any one wants is to be dressed up for a formal night and to be seated at the table next to a screaming toddler. It just not fair to those people around you.

LOL ... and who says it's inappropriate? You? I don't hear Princess or Celebrity saying it. They certainly will accept bookings that include infants and toddlers ... and all other aged children.

 

Look, I've said this before ... I personally prefer as few kids as possible on my sailings. I don't have any of my own and am not really comfortable around a lot of children. That said, however ... I certainly have no right to tell someone else that they should not bring their kids on a cruise if that's what they want to do. I can only hope they are considerate parents who will do everything they can to make sure their kids don't disturb me with constant crying, etc. But, even if those kids turn out to be absolute nightmares ... there really is nothing I can do about it. Basically, that's life and I have to deal with it.

 

If the idea of children is that distasteful for you, the only thing I can recommend is to sail on lines that prohibit children on certain sailings. I believe there are a few that do that. Also, you can do what I do and attempt to cruise at times when there is a good chance there will be few children on the sailing. I sailed on the Sun in January and on the Island in April ... and on both cruises, there were very, very few children onboard. On the other hand, I sailed on the Zuiderdam last August and said ... never again! The boat was swarming with kids of all ages.

 

My take on infants is that if the parents are willing to deal with all the extra work sailing with infants entails, then by all means bring them. After all, their money is as good as mine ... and if they have it in their mind to bring along the little ones, they're gonna do it no matter what I say ... so I might as well just make up my mind to enjoy my cruise no matter who I have to share the boat with. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[HappyJ]

But, we (ideally) nurture and care for infants well beyond their basic physical needs all the time. They are (ideally) taken to the park and to the zoo; they visit relatives and ride on the back of their parents bikes to meet the people in their neighborhood; they're talked to about pieces in museums they visit with their parents; they're read to at levels that exceed their cognitive and receptive language abilities. Why?

 

I think it's because enriching an infant's life experiences really IS important. And, while they may not "remember" the events of a cruise, their lives are enriched by travel. Any one of any age and developmental ability can appreciate the feel of the sand on the beach, the smell of the ocean, a stroll through the shops, the variety of the scenery. It's all good, and babies *need* it as much as the rest of us do.

 

Beyond that and maybe more importantly, I also think there is an intangible quality to the way that parents (people, in general) feel when they are on vacation that transmits to their children. A sense of being at peace, of feeling freed from your daily cares, and a sense of being in love with your family. I think that is worth giving to infants.

 

Thank you for a thoughtful (and thought provoking) response, MaryPoppinz.

 

I'm sad to see that so many reviewers have had such negative experiences with children aboard ships. My husband and I love to travel, and more often than not we bring our 19 month old son. We hope that his exposure to different people, places and cultures will enrich his life. And just as we would not subject others to his screaming or crying at a restaurant (even a "family restaurant" -- why should diners there be treated any differently?), we are extremely sensitive to the close proximity of other passengers when we cruise or stay in a hotel.

 

It seems to me that rather than asking whether parents should be permitted to bring infants on cruises, there should be a recognition on the part of all passengers that we share close quarters on a ship and should show respect and consideration to our fellow vacationers. For parents, that means monitoring your children and making sure that their enjoyment doesn't impinge on the enjoyment of others. For non-parents, is it really too much to ask for a little tolerance? Assuming that parents are behaving responsibly, of course. And who knows? You may find yourself in the same boat (sorry for the pun :o ) someday.

[coiran]

On our one cruise where there were a lot of "Kids" (a Disney cruise) my problem wasn't the kids but the parents! They were either nowhere in sight or defended their kids actions. So, my question is "Should infants bring their parents on a cruise?"

 

Ron

[monk888]

At the risk of being branded a "child hater" a day before Father's Day, I vote No for bringing infants on a cruise. By "infant" I mean exactly that, little babies.

 

I am a father. My son is now 11. Obviously, I have nothing against children. That's why I had one. However, I remember when my son was a baby. I was very careful about exposing him to too many people that early on. I would be worried that on a cruise ship like the CB with 3,100 others on board, it would be an overwhelming "germ fest" for such a delicate little person's immune system to handle.

 

Beyond the germ issue, one of my pet peeves are parents who only care about their rights and not the rights of others. I'm talking about those parents who bring their little infants into the movie theatres, not to see Shrek or The Little Mermaid, but to see movies that aren't even remotely for kids because the parent(s) want to see the movie. I'm talking about those parents who bring the infants into the fancy, upscale restaurants that costs each table for two at least a C note for that special, romantic dinner out, instead of taking the child to the local family restaurant or the Chuck E. Cheese.

 

I believe that most parents are responsible and do their best to keep their baby happy and relatively quiet. But the fact is that, despite a parent's best efforts, some babies are going to get colic and similar conditions that make them cry through the night. How is it fair that the folks in the cabin on your left and right and across the hall who have probably saved all year or, in some cases, for several years for this one week vacation, should have to stay up half the night, often for several nights, listening to your crying child after having paid thousands and thousands for their dream cruise? I get one solid week off during the whole year. The rest of my time off is a day here and there. If I were subjected to a crying baby all through the night, possibly night after night, after paying $4,500 for my mini-suite, I would go ballistic. Would you appreciate it if the situation were reversed? Be honest now. It's a matter of basic fairness. Each person's rights end when they invade on the rights of others. I do not agree with some who have said and will surely say that that's the risk we all take when we walk on board the ship.

 

We all make choices in life. If we decide to have a baby, that's our choice and we must live with the consequences. Having a child was the greatest thing that ever happened in the life of my Wife and me. I cannot dream of a world without my son. However, when he was very little, we didn't step inside of a movie theatre with him. We rented videos. We didn't take him to the fancy restaurants, we took him to the local pizza place or family restaurant out of respect for the rights of others, and only after he got a bit older. It was mac and cheese at home or take out.

 

Having a baby changes lives. It means sacrificing some things and gaining many others. IMHO, it means not taking the infant into the movie theatres, to the fancy restaurants, or to comedy and production shows or the formal dining room on cruise ships out of respect for the rights of others. Just my opinion, nothing more.

 

The Monk

[JackieB]

Please don't. You will enjoy your time away from the little one(s) and so will the other passengers.

[Suzanne123]

Monk -- Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks.

[bplazo]

Monk- What a great response and very nicely said.