Teens on a cruise?

[Gabsabunch42]

Hi. I am new to this board. I would like to ask if anyone takes their teen out of school for a few days to take a cruise. We would like to go in september, but over the labor day holiday. Has anyone cruised in September and had a lot of teens on their cruises? Please help!:confused:

[kitty9]

The biggest drawback is that September is the height of the hurricane season, and when you realize that it's been predicted to be a very bad hurricane season, you could face problems. As for the teens, it seems most parents don't take their kids out during the first few weeks of school because it's a very important time in the school year and most kids don't want to miss that time. I doubt you'll find many teens on board.

[Fran0521]

Hi. I am new to this board. I would like to ask if anyone takes their teen out of school for a few days to take a cruise. We would like to go in september, but over the labor day holiday. Has anyone cruised in September and had a lot of teens on their cruises? Please help!:confused:

 

We took our granddaughter age 16 out of school last November for her 1st 7 day cruise. Her parents contacted the school first, she was given some homework assignments not to loaded down, so I think she lucked out there. On that cruise there were about 60 children of the 60 26 were teens. She is looking forward to her 2nd cruise this coming November on the NCL Jewel. If she was not a good student we would not consider this at all. As poster kitty noted September is in the height of the hurricane season, there could be delays in leaving and/or returning. Good luck and happy cruising.

[Bruin Steve]

We've taken our daughters on a fair number of cruises...since they were 3 and 5...and they're now 19 and 21...

 

We have ALWAYS gone during school vacation...

My wife is a School Psychologist...I am a lawyer, but earlier in my life I held a teaching credential and worked as a substitute teacher while in Law School...I also taught as a TA while at UCLA...We believe strongly in the paramount importance of education...

 

We would NEVER take our kids out of school for a cruise...

There's plenty of time during school vacation dates to cruise...and school is much too important...We would never even want to give them the idea that school takes a back seat to ANYTHING...

 

Now, this subject has come up here before...and I already know the responses:

 

"But they don't learn that much in school, the cruise is far more educational"

Really? Well, it will still be educational in July then, right?

 

"Their teacher doesn't mind their being gone, she even sends homework along with them on the cruise"

Yeah...and that's a good substitute? They're really going to keep up with everyone? And they really want to do that rather than snorkeling, swimming and lounging out by the pool?

 

"My kids are really smart and they can quickly recover from anything they've missed"

Yeah, my kids are really smart, too...and so are everyone else's kids...School is competitive...Getting into a good college is competitive...

 

Folks will rationalize it any way they can...But, the bottom line is most often that they're going when it's most convenient for them...or when they can find the best deal...

 

It is never BETTER to take the kids out of school...

There are always lots of other dates on the calendar to cruise...

 

And, when you go during school vacation, your kids will have a better time...there will be a far greater number of kids on the ship...and they won't have to worry about what's going on back at school...

 

And, most importantly, you won't be sending them the message that personal pleasure takes precednce over education...So, when your kid later asks "Can I skip school for a few days because my buddies and me want to do a road trip to San Francisco for a really good rock concert?" or tells you "Yeah, I cut school today 'cus there was really great beach weather", you won't have to feel responsible...

[familycruzer]

There is a huge debate going on about this matter on the family board but will state my thoughts here too.

 

When my kids were younger (7 and 11) I took them out of school for a cruise.

When my kids were a bit older (9 and 13) I took them out of school for a cruise.

My kids are now 10 and 14 and are going on a cruise over Thanksgiving so they will only miss one day of school.

Next year, we are skipping a cruise and taking a land vacation close to home so I can afford to go on a 9 nighter over the summer in 2007.

 

When they were younger, I did not think anything was wrong with taking my children out of school for a week to take a cruise. They are educational and a wonderful way to spend time together as a family. The problem is the older the kids got, the more work they missed and the harder ot was to catch up.

 

If you feel that it is OK for your child to miss a week of school, that is your right as a parent. All I am going to say is that I certainly would not do one so early in the school year. Its a crucial time in the education of your children. Can you at least find a week to go that will include a 3 or 4 day weekend break from school? Maybe early or late October?

[Gabsabunch42]

Thank you for your responses. I am not making excuses, but here is the reason we want to go in September. My husband and son both, by chance, are just starting new jobs, which means they cannot take vacation for at least 3 months. My daughter is ending her school year next week. This being said, we will not be able to take vacation during the summer months. We do not want to vacation during the winter (christmas break) and my daughter's next break isn't until April. I guess we could wait until then, but we really don't want to have to wait that long. Again, I'm not trying to excuse myself, but just stating the facts. This last spring break, we had plans to spend vacation out of town with family, and it ended up that my daughter and i were both sick with the flu and had to go home and be in bed for a week, so we have not had a vacation for over a year and a half, and frankly, we need it badly. ALong with my daughter, 14 and my husband, my son, 20, will also be going. We are looking at a labor day cruise, which means 4 days out of school. I know that it will be a little challenging for her to catch up, but we hope that with a little help from the teachers and her loving family :) she will catch up nicely. she is a great student.

[melissa593]

I am cruising with my boys, 17,12,9 in early December 05. It will be the 17 yr olds Sr year of HS so the last year really we can travel as a family (or that he will even want to!) I am taking him out of school for 5 days but I kind of figured that at that time of year things will be wrapping up before the holidays, it is a week after Thanksgiving and still 2 weeks before Christmas break, Marking period doesn't end til mid January so no midterms or anything. It is a risk, he is taking pretty hard classes, but the other option was to go in November (we live in NJ so teachers convention 2 days 2nd wk of Nov) but prices were pretty high (X5 since that's how many we are) and it is still Hurricane season (again, we live in Coastal NJ so know what that means!)

All in all, I think it is an experience and he will just have to work a little bit harder before and after. Additionaly, since we live in a resort area teachers are a little more understanding about taking kids out of school for vaca (if it is reasonable) since no one (except teachers) can really take vaca during the summer.

Hope this helps, good luck, and from all I have read I think the teens will LOVE it!!

Melissa

[Tomm]

I'm taking my 16 yr old on our next cruise in late August which means she'll miss a week of school and my decision was pruely financial. The summer cruises were just too pricey. Besides visiting other countries can be educational as well as adding to her life experiences.

[kayli9]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and will be taking my first cruise with my family Dec. 18th. I have decided to take my 17 yr old son out of school for five days the week before Christmas. He will be a senior and will have heard from colleges that have rolling admissions by then. We chose this time to cruise rather than the summer or Christmas break for financial reasons. Our daughter who is in college (she has a month off between mid Dec. and mid Jan.) will be traveling with us as well as my parents who live in Florida and my brother who lives on the west coast. It will be wonderful to have the family together since we don't see them as often as we'd like . We live in Pa. Once we return home my son who is an honors student will have several days left from the Christmas break to make up schoolwork. I really think that one size does not fit everyone and you have to do what is best for you and you family. Only you can really decide on what is best for your child.

[une_petite_rosee]

As a long time teen cruiser, I have to say that I think it is not benificial to take kids out of school for extended periods of time. On the 20+ cruises I have been on since I was a child, I don't recall ever missing more than perhaps one day of school due to a cruise.

Many schools would not allow make-up work for non-medical/family reasons, and my school (though it was private) simply told me that I would miss the points on the work missed.

Many of my fellow cruise buddies (now in college as I am) attended year round school. his alowed for a few weeks off every period and accomodated parents nicely (since who can take off in the summer nowadays?)

 

I still think it is a bad idea to take kids out of school, regardless of the excuses you give yourself (honors student, smart, dedicated). Missing school simply because a parent needs a particular vacation time, in my opinion, is not a good enough reason.

[Tomm]

Yes but that's because you never had to pay for your cruises. I do appreciate your remarks but you still have some growing up to do.

[Bigoldhag]

We have taken our kids out of school for at least a week every year since the oldest was in 6th grade (he is now 22 years old) and the youngest was in kindergarten (he is now 17 years old). They both have done just fine, in fact I have had many a teacher tell me how wonderful they think it is that we take them with us everywhere we go instead of leaving them home with sitters like most parents do. They have experienced more than most 30 - 40 year olds have and I know that they have learned more than they ever could have in a classroom. Contrary to what many of you believe neither of them appear to have been scarred for life because their parents took them to other countries to see and learn how other people live during the school year rather than during the summer.

[Magnifique1908]

I answered this on one of the other boards, but I will post here as well.

 

My parents took me and my sisters out of school every other May from junior high school until high school (I skipped the last one because it happened to be during senior finals) for vacation. That was our designated family vacation time and it was always planned a two years in advance each time (My parents went every year, and took us once every two years). We were all great students, and our schools always sent make-up work with us, that we seemed to always complete on the drive down to our destination. While we never took a cruise, we still went places that would be considered "fun" and not necessarily educational. I would hope that if done all over again, my parents would make the same choice. It was a time that my sisters and I still look back on with fond memories. Speaking from experience, I was always able to keep up with my classmates, never failed anything, and I am currently in my senior year at an Ivy League institution (just took the LSAT today, woo-hoo!!, law school here I come :p ), so much for vacations during the school year sacrificing your ability to compete for spots in top colleges ;) .

 

That is an experience that my parents chose to share with their kids, and it seems that it didn't do us any harm in the long run. Whether your decision is for financial purposes, or any other reasons, I would look at the big picture when deciding on vacation time that my fall during the school year. Everyone will have their own opinions, but often times the "facts" that people base their decisions on are just not valid.

 

PS. Hey Tomm, your daughter is lucky :p We got vacations as kids, but never a cruise. My first I will be paying for on my own since I am an adult at this point, sure wish my parents would've thought of it earlier, lol. I say expose her to as many things as you can at that age, when she gets older, things won't be such a big deal or seem forbidden to her, because she'll have a been there, done that attitude, as I had, or as my dad puts it "the guy that eventually snags her we'll have a heck of lot of standards to top", lol.

[sandiegocruisedude]

It is increasingly difficult in today's society with both parents working in many cases.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on priorities, but it seems obvious that a few missed days of school cannot begin to compare with quality family time and memories that will last a lifetime.

 

As an agent we have many clients that only choose to travel during school breaks or holidays. It is no coincidence that the cruise lines mark up prices during these peak travel times making it increasingly difficult for families to travel.

 

Best times for families? Pull the kids out and go right after these breaks & holidays. Lowest prices of the year. After Thanksgiving before Xmas, After New Years before March.

 

P.S. SEPTEMBER IS PEAK HURRICANE SEASON. ROUGH WATERS.

[melissa593]

Sandiegocruisedude and Bigoldhag (did you pick that name??)

Thank you so much. After reading all the posts about how horrible it is to take kids out of school for something so "trivial" as a vacation it is nice to hear people with my own perspective. I have 3 kids so it is cost-prohibitive to travel during "peak" times (read: when school is not in session). We have gone on quite a few family vacations and always took the kids out of school. My oldest is an honors student and will graduate hs next year so I guess it did not harm him and he is looking forward to this vaca as much as anyone!

I also feel it is important to vacation as a family (this is not to say my DH and I don't try to get away for a few days every once in a while) and I guess I just have to hope they don't get behind in school (and actually, they do manage to get assignments done during vacation--they can take 1 hour out of their day to do a little work, and usually the teachers assign something fun or writing in a journal about their activities)

Thanks again for your supportive comments, now I feel better!

Melissa

[sandiegocruisedude]

Good for you!

 

Society makes all of us feel too guilty about everything.

[spongerob]

Right. No one should behave responsibly. Where would that get us?

[Gabsabunch42]

Yes but that's because you never had to pay for your cruises. I do appreciate your remarks but you still have some growing up to do.

 

Exactly. Well it is a done deal. We are booked for the Labor Day week cruise! I was basically outvoted in my family of 4. I had doubts about school, but my daughter, who will be affected the most, along with hubby and son, do not want to cruise at a different time. And yes money is an issue. It is tight right now for us. Heck, now we are trying to decide about the travel insurance. That is another can of worms trying to figure out that coverage, etc, is it worth it..etc.

 

I know people have specific mindsets about taking kids out of school, but we have sailed the western caribbean before, and we want to go eastern this time. However, like I stated earlier, we cannot go this summer for several reasons, not the least of which are my husband and son having new jobs not permitting them to take off until probationary periods. The Ship/Itinerary that we want to cruise just happens to be not cruising during THanksgiving OR Spring Break (The glory apparently alternates with the western with the eastern). Which leaves us no other time to go. We won't be able to go in December, the only other choice due to my son being in retail, that will not be an option for him. And yes, finances did play in the picture, sorry we can't all have a lot of money.

 

So for those of you who are irritated with my reasoning, I hate it for you, but we are going, and I can't wait!

[Gabsabunch42]

Sandiegocruisedude and Bigoldhag (did you pick that name??)

 

I echo Melissa. Thank you all for your comments.