Do you cruise without your kids?

[flounder315]

Been without the kisds and loved it. Taken the kids and loved it too.

[skridge]

Had a wonderful family cruise this past March. My kids LOVED it...and so did DH and I. I am itching something terrible to book the Splendor Bermuda cruise next year but don't want to include the kids this time. Dh and I have been to Bermuda before (26 yrs ago) and its been our dream to go back. I guess guilt is getting the better of me because of the kids. Just this morning I was telling my 8yo that in 1 week he will be out of school for the summer and his reply was "can we go on a cruise "

Cruising is an adult activity at our house. Sometimes mommy and daddy need to get away. :D

[momof4boys]

We always take our "kids." We started cruising when they were 11, 14, 18, and 21. On our upcoming cruise, #5, we will be taking DS1 & wife, DS2 & wife, DS3 + GF, and DS4.

 

We will always include any of our kids (and any future grandkids) on a family cruise, but that's not to say DH and I won't go on a cruise by ourselves at some point. Now we usually go somewhere together at another time of the year.

[reallyexcited]

DH and I took a cruise just the 2 of us when we only had 2 kids ( ages 5/3) My mother and my mother in law watched them together during the week. I didn't feel guilty.

 

then we took the kids last year...they LOVE it!! I think I would feel guilty going without them now :( but we may still do it but we don't really have anyone to watch them and we have 3 kids now

[Disneycruisers]

We did our first cruise without our daughter (now 17) this year. (4-day triumph out of Galveston, she stayed with a friend.)

 

Never took a vacation without her, and have no regrets. We never had to feel 'guilt.' We got plenty of couple time at home when we hired a baby-sitter one night per week.:D

[Havingfun2010]

I have 23 years of life as being a kid/single, 20 years of life for 2 kids being kids. The way I figue it, I have 42 years of being an "adult", "married", and "retired" that I can cruise without kids, and have a "just the two of us" trip.

 

So in a nutshell, the kids come with us on vacation until they are adults, and I have plenty of life left for fun!

[loohoo1]

My kids have been on more cruises than us ( they traveled w/ grandparents a few times, and we have done 4 family cruises) my ds is 15 now dd is 18!! We are leaving Sunday on the legend w/ out the kiddos for the first time!!!! Getting really excited not having to worry about if the kids were having a good time!!

 

 

My kids have cruised 5 times with us but a few weeks ago, I took DH on a surprise 3-day cruise for his birthday. The kids knew all about it and, yes they were jealous- but it didn't stop me from showing them my red countdown balloon every day :) DH was SO surprised and excited and I have to say, as much as I love crusing with the kids, this was WAY more fun!!! We were so relaxed, did whatever we wanted, ate when we wanted, stayed out late, and NEVER had to look at our watches and figure out where the kids were/what time to meet them. I can't wait for our next "alone" cruise.

[ata1976]

I have never cruised without my 5 yr old son, although we did cruise last year without DH. :D. He is a great traveler and has never had a problem sleeping anywhere. He would be heart broken if he didn't get to go. He loves cruising.

 

Now my 1 yr old daughter is not a good traveler. :rolleyes: she was on one cruise last year and needless to say she will not be on our next one. I'm thinking of booking a cruise for my son's fall break in Sept and my 1 yr old will definitely be staying with one of her grannies.

[Loving My Life]

We have cruised without our kids so far--10th anniversary and graduation. My kids (ages 5, 7, and 9) can't wait to spend a week with grandma. We are planning a family cruise soon because I know they will LOVE it. :)

[CimW]

I cruised twice without my son. I do feel a bit guilty leaving him for any vacation but especially the cruises because he loves them.

 

But, I love the just me time. I can do what I want and when I want. It's nice once in awhile.

 

Back in 2006 on our way to my first cruise, us 4 adult women went to Disneyland for a day. I loved it!

[GAMOM4]

Our first 4 cruises we took our son and daughter...they absolutely love cruising as much as we do. In 2010 we went on a cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary..this was our first vacation of any kind without our children...I admit I did feel a little guilty about it. Last year our daughter got married and our son didn't want to cruise in a cabin with us (him & his sister had always shared one) so he decided he didn't want to go with us. I offered again this year for him to go with us (our cruise was last week) and he said that if he had to stay in the cabin with us he would rather stay home. I told him that as much as he loves cruising he may not to go again until he is either married or finds a friend that can share a room with him or he decides he wants to to share a cabin with us (he is 19).

I would have never cruised without the kids when they were younger...or went on any other kind of vacation with out them...but now that they are both grown..I feel like life has come "full circle" and we can enjoy doing things as a couple again. (Just my opinion and I know not everyone agrees)

[mom2boys97]

We cruise every other year with the kids and on the opposite year we cruise alone... It works out good for all of us...

[michelle1836]

have never gone with them. it is the only week of the year that is adult only

[KPfromCT]

Cruised on the Sensation back in 96 with DH, no kids then. Last month we took DD (13) on her first cruise ( Pride ) and I can't imagine leaving her behind in the future, that is, until she has a boyfriend, or just decides that Mom and Dad aren't COOL anymore:rolleyes: Looking to book the Breeze in April 2013, and she WILL be with us. Right now, we ARE cool. lol

[Sandpiper10]

Did our 5th anniversary 3 night cruise when DD's were 2 and 5 and they stayed home. We have since then taken them on 2 cruises, with the 3rd in February. Can't imagine leaving them at home. They are addicted now and nothing makes DH and I smile more than to hear them talk about the great memories we made on our cruises.

However.....if you leave the kids at home, don't feel guilty, as we parents need our time too. Happy parents = happy family!!!!!

[im4clowns]

I have never cruised without my daughter since she was born....cruised alot before she was born. For me, I work full time so when I get vacation time, there is nothing I like better than cruising with my dh and dd....so far she has been on 5 cruises and 6th is coming up in august....she is 3. I actually enjoy cruising more with her than before we had her...KWIM...just my opinion though

[beckymomof2]

We went on a cruise for a be-lated honeymoon and left our kids at home with grandparents when they were little. Then last time we cruised we took EVERYONE... talk about vacationing with family. The in-laws had never been on a cruise before. Our kids had fun but don't remember a whole lot. Now this year it is our 10th anniversary so we are leaving the kids home with their Aunt and Uncle. I do feel a little guilty but when you have great family to watch them that makes a difference.

 

If we didn't have my sister-in-law we would just not be taking a trip.

 

Next time we go I want to take the kids again or maybe do Disneyland.

[Sandpiper10]

Did our 5th anniversary 3 night cruise when DD's were 2 and 5 and they stayed home. We have since then taken them on 2 cruises, with the 3rd in February. Can't imagine leaving them at home. They are addicted now and nothing makes DH and I smile more than to hear them talk about the great memories we made on our cruises.

However.....if you leave the kids at home, don't feel guilty, as we parents need our time too. Happy parents = happy family!!!!!

[Zoey]

ABSOLUTELY........I did. I would take a cruise without them at some time during the year and then take them on a different vacation....usually a roadtrip to a beach location.

 

I think too many children experience too many things way too soon nowdays....Limos for junior proms, trips to Europe, cruises, etc. I remember throughout my teen, twenties and into my thirties I DREAMED and fantasized about traveling through Italy, which I finally got to do at 40. I think I appreciated it soooo much more than say the children of a co-worker who went at 15 and 16. It was reported they got "bored" in Italy......LOL

[gobucks_43228]

Every other year for the past 2 years. However my son also goes on week long witness/mission trips with our church youth group. I tried to get his dad (we are divorced) to take him somewhere on the 2 times my husband and I didn't take him so they can have memories too.

I think the best gift you can give your child(ren) is a happy marriage and there is nothing wrong with taking time with the spouse to reconnect!

[cawagner]

We have, but we have taken them also. The first time without the kids was for my birthday and our very first cruise, the 2nd time without the kids was a short anniversary getaway. The kids have gone with us on the 8day cruises :D

[MommaOf3Princesses]

Anted,

Had a wonderful family cruise this past March. My kids LOVED it...and so did DH and I. I am itching something terrible to book the Splendor Bermuda cruise next year but don't want to include the kids this time. Dh and I have been to Bermuda before (26 yrs ago) and its been our dream to go back. I guess guilt is getting the better of me because of the kids. Just this morning I was telling my 8yo that in 1 week he will be out of school for the summer and his reply was "can we go on a cruise :D"

 

Hubby and I just took our FIRST vacation (was a cruise) without our kids this April.....we have since decided that at least one trip a year will be just the two of us...NO KIDS!

Yes I had a TON of guilt and anxiety leading up to it, but once I was there it was so nice to relax and be on our own time. Did what we wanted to when we wanted to!

[spunkyhungry]

Thankfully, my parents always took me on vacation with them except for 2 trips. I would have felt so left out and incredibly disappointed if I wasn't allowed to go on an exciting vacation. During the 2 trips when I stayed home, my parents did a really cool thing to make the week exciting for me and my brother. Every day we got to open a new present that my parents had wrapped for us and left with the babysitter. I liked getting a new toy/activity every day, and I didn't feel so bad that I was missing out on a vacation.

 

Now I'm a married adult, and although we don't have kids yet, we've talked about taking some adults only vacations when we have kids.

[JKAMAM]

Not yet. Our boys are 14 and 16. We started cruising with them when they were 2 and 3.

We are starting to plan our 20th anniversary cruise (without kids) and I'm already a little sad :( We have such a great time cruising with our kids. I will feel bad leaving them home.

[Markmom18]

No, we've never gone on a vacation without our son. Our 1st family vacation was a month before he turned 6. We went back to our honeymoon spot, Puerto Vallarta. I grew up taking "family vacations" to the Colorado River, we camped on a beach in the hot August summers. Our "only" child will be 20 in September. He's going on the cruise with us, with his gf. We've also been to PV with my mom, my MIL & FIL (land vacations). Cruise or Land vacations...:D