Cruising WITH or WITHOUT Kids?

[NHLady]

And we enjoyed both. The whole dynamic of the vacation is different when you have the kids than when you don't. We manage to see alot more shows when the kids are home with Grandma, meals are much more relaxing, we wander about checking things out alot more. When the kids (3 & 8) were with us, we spend alot more time at the pools, meals were sorter and we got to converse much less with out tablemates, and we had to choose much tamer shore excursions. The kids loved the "big boat" and can't wait to go again. I'm guessing we won't be doing too many cruises witout them for a few years!! LOL! (Although I do have one booked with best friend without kids AND DH!!!) We always get a few weekends away without the kids,so I guess we'll adjust our cruising style for a few years!

[cantw82cruise]

We have been on 7 cruises three without are almost 14 year old son. We don't really have any family around to leave him with. It's more of a challenge and hassle to find a place for him to stay then it is to take him with us. We enjoy going by ourselves but we also enjoy having him along. There will be plenty of cruises without him once he leaves the nest. We have some friends we have cruised 5 times with. They also have just one son, the boys are about the same age and it works out very well.

[bostonlass]

I went without my daughters, ages 7 and 8, this October for a week on the Caribbean Princess. At first I was fine, but when we called them at St. Thomas, my little one was in tears and could barely choke her words out. I was with my sister and once I hung up I started crying and then she started crying.:rolleyes: We both cried for about 1/2 hour. I won't ever do it again for that long. That was a 7 day cruise. I could deal with a 4 day cruise though.

[L2J]

I voted "other" because "mostly without" didn't fit. Mine 14 and 16 have cruised once with their Grandparents. I would most certainly take them on a cruise....when they are "grown up":p

 

 

BTW...there is a thread about whether infants should be brought on cruises over on the Princess boards and there are 3 full pages of varied responses and NOBODY is being nasty. It is SO refreshing!

 

Yep, well...that too like the weather is subject to change at any moment:D

[mattmdv]

Without! Love my kids dearly, however, both are mentally handicapped, Andres, age 20, severely, Allison, age 18, mildly, and it would not be a vacation taking them along, also, I think, neither would enjoy/realize what was going on. Allison is more aware of her surroundings, however, heights and open spaces can tend to scare her.

We use aunts, uncles, neices/nephews, and I am looking at hiring a Home Health person for the cruise in May. Taking the kids with us on this type of adventure would NOT be enjoyable for my wife or I.

We need some time to recharge the batteries.

 

Matt

[weswas]

WITHOUT In 1999 we took our first cruise and asked the kids to come along all daughters at the time 18-16-15-9 they all wanted to fly to Fla to see the grandparetns so we sent them off a day before our cruise and they came back the day after we returned. NOw I don't even ask them if they want to join us. It was the best vacation the hubby and I had. We had never really had a chance to be alone so now once a year we cruise ALONE :) WOULDN'T trade our week for anything

[imosoreal]

We take our daughter every other year. The times we don't take her we wish we had because there are so many things we know she would enjoy. We enjoy cruising the Thanksgiving Holiday which is also our wedding anniversary week so she understands she won't always be invited.

[halos]

I'm offering up Jell-O shots to celebrate civility!!!!!! :D

[L2J]

I'm offering up Jell-O shots to celebrate civility!!!!!! :D

 

Please see post #29

[halos]

Please see post #29

 

 

pessimist ;)

[xgdgirl]

Not a pessimist - a realist. ;)

[addicted to cruising]

We took our first cruise when my son was 3, he stayed with grandma. Ive since been on 3 more cruises with my husband and 1 with my 3 best friends. This is my vacation, each summer we take our kids to myrtle beach or disney.They are 10 and 13 now and in 67 days they will board the newest Carnival boat the Valor. It is finally there turn. They usually stay with grandma and havent seemed to mind but they have expressed interest in a cruise and so we took the plunge.

 

One thing Im doing differently...when its my husband and I we just fly by the seat of our pants, with the kids we are planning very carefully. As to not be broke and to make sure there is no last minute arguing. Each has had some say right from the start, they helped pick the boat, ports and what we are doing in each port.

[halos]

We took our first cruise when my son was 3, he stayed with grandma. Ive since been on 3 more cruises with my husband and 1 with my 3 best friends. This is my vacation, each summer we take our kids to myrtle beach or disney.They are 10 and 13 now and in 67 days they will board the newest Carnival boat the Valor. It is finally there turn. They usually stay with grandma and havent seemed to mind but they have expressed interest in a cruise and so we took the plunge.

 

One thing Im doing differently...when its my husband and I we just fly by the seat of our pants, with the kids we are planning very carefully. As to not be broke and to make sure there is no last minute arguing. Each has had some say right from the start, they helped pick the boat, ports and what we are doing in each port.

 

 

Great ages...I bet they have a great time!

[BoatGirl]

We always cruised without our kids until they were old enough to enjoy the kid's programs. We took them on their first cruise when they were 7 & 8. They love it, and we do enjoy taking them with us.

 

Last year we took one "family" cruise (7 day) and one "adults" cruise (4 day)without them. Both were great! The adults cruise was just a little wilder, I must say!:D (Went with a group of 7 couples.) We are trying to make that an annual thing now-as long as we can swing 2 cruises a year.

 

The kids don't like us to go without them, but they learn to deal with it when they realize they have no choice!:p

[BND]

We are going on our first cruise this fall and without our kids. Our boys are 18 and 21 and in college and I wouldn't have taken them before they were at least 16. They haven't been on a cruise yet, but that's something they can do if they choose. We've done WDW and the beach and other family trips while they were growing up. I left my oldest when he was 7 months old with my parents and went to Europe for 15 days to see my DH who was deployed with the Navy. That was a vacation and reconnection time. Did I miss my son? Of course, but it was good for our marriage and he didn't remember it, much less suffer. We also made multiple childless weekend trips over the years they were growing up and feel that's one reason our marriage is still great after 24 years. We never neglected our children and they know they are loved, but they also know we made our marriage a priority so they have a stable home with loving parents. If we didnt' work as a couple, they wouldn't have had the wonderful homelife they did. They are two very mature, responsible and loving adults today. I personally would not have called home if I thought it would upset my child. TThis is a great chance to teach them some independence from you. It doesn't hurt them.

[Chucksta63]

I cruise with my son (11) we have a great time. He was 8 on our first cruise. He is my step son I don't know if this makes a diffrence, but we take him out of school for a couple of days. What a great education live classrooms! we leave in 44 days for FLA then of on the Triumph on the 16th! Yahoo!! We Scuba this time together in Cozumel. I would like to try one, with just the wife at some point though. ;)

[xgdgirl]

[quote name='Chucksta63']I cruise with my son (11) we have a great time. He was 8 on our first cruise. He is my step son I don't know if this makes a diffrence, but we take him out of school for a couple of days. What a great education live classrooms! we leave in 44 days for FLA then of on the Triumph on the 16th! Yahoo!! We Scuba this time together in Cozumel. I would like to try one, with just the wife at some point though. ;)[/QUOTE]

I'll be on the same sailing. This time with 2 granddaughters. This is a first for us. :)

[Girlsnightout]

...because I consider it to be one of the 3 best kid vacations, skiing and Disney are the other 2.

However, my husband and I also take at least one other vacation a year without the kids, and we just tell them we're going on vacation, and they aren't. THose vacations are not cruises, as I wouldn't want to go on a vacation with my husband and have to see other people's kids. Cruises aren't my idea of an ideal couples vacation, but a great family vacation. So I do it a little differently, my friends and I cruise with our kids, but leave our husbands at home.

My kids started cruising when they were 4 and 7, and are now 12 and 15. I give them the option of Disney or a cruise for their school vacation and they almost always pick a cruise, this one in April will be their 7th.

[Girlsnightout]

"Cruising WITH or WITHOUT spouses?":D

[lisaland15]

We will be going on our 7th cruise in Nov. It will also be our 9 yr. old's 7th cruise, and our 18 mos. old's 3rd.

We live about 25 mins. from the Port of Houston and Port of Galveston. So, for us, it's a very feasible family vacation.

I would consider a short cruise, maybe a 4-day one, without them, but the closest grandparent is about a 1000 miles in the wrong direction.

[halos]

[quote name='lisaland15'], but the closest grandparent is about a 1000 miles in the wrong direction.[/QUOTE]


Wow...there may come a day when that is me...I'm definitely in the wrong direction!!

[L2J]

[quote name='halos']Wow...there may come a day when that is me...I'm definitely in the wrong direction!![/QUOTE]

Granny Halos....hmmmm...that just doesn't sing:p

[Lauri32]

Both. Our DDs are 14. We've been on 7 cruises and they've been on 3 of those. We love our time together as a family and always make a point to take the girls on some of our vacations. But, we need our time away, just like the girls need time away from us. We are very fortunate to have wonderful grandparents close by who practically fight over getting to keep our girls. jk

At first, it was very difficult for me to leave them and I would miss them terribly. But now I enjoy myself, just like I know they are enjoying their freedom from us.

[mom2girls]

Last year I took my girls on the cruise I went on. They were 3 and 5. They had a wonderful time, but the little one was kind of fussy during dinner. My husband and I are divorcing, so I am going without them in June. They will be with their dad, so I certainly won't feel guilty.

[can'twaittacruise]

We have never taken our daughters. Youngest one is counting the days until she is eighteen. She will be left at home by herself this year, well almost alone, just four fish, one cat, three grown dogs, and one puppy to keep her company. We talked of her going but between high school, college classes and after school work we all felt that she just couldn't get away, and besides, three weeks later she will be going on a high school band competition trip to Colorado for five days. She can't wait to leave Florida for cold weather and snow.