Children

[Capri73]

Before I get killed.I like kids kind of.

Are there a lot of children on PG? I hope not,our last trip on SB there was a adorable little boy who thought he could sit ,swim,talk,and stay with anyone but his parents.The parents were quite happy to have him roam.He was 3 and a total pain for the rest of us.

Sitting at lunch one afternoon he sat down with us and said "I would like dessert now" his parents just smiled.

[Emdee]

If you go in the summer months or Christmas holidays there are always kids.

They usually have their own program.

[Familygoboston]

You just got unlucky:rolleyes: Our Oct cruise had exactly 2 kids; a 3 yo so adorable and well behaved and managed by his parents that everyone including the crew wanted to take him home and a 12 yo, who was perfectly behaved and stuck with her parents.

 

There is not a whole lot you can do if one child terrorizes the cruise and there is not a whole lot the cruise line can do, short of banning them from cruises entirely. They are already in short supply on PG anytime but holidays and summers anyway. I'l bet other times most here can count the kids on their cruise on one hand.

 

BTW, as someone who works with preschoolers, I would like to let you know that you do not need to be terrorized by 3 yo's. They don't get subtle hints like rolled eyes or you pointedly ignoring them. They need verbal direction which they were clearly not getting from their parents. So herewith, as some words to use for next time (we do this same exercise with the 3 yo's, it's called modeling language for them;))

 

Unwanted visits:

"I'm sorry this is our alone time, I need you to go back to your parents"

 

Buffet fetching requests:

"you are a big boy, you go do that yourself"

Or

"you have very nice parents who can help you with that, please go find them now"

 

Seating at dinner:

To Maitre D -"we have come on this trip for a romantic vacation, we love children, but we'd rather not be seated with any...I'm sure you can understand!"

 

The only thing more surprising to me than kids who rule the roost everywhere they go, is the adults around them who allow it. Say these things with a demeanor stern, clear, quiet and unsmiling and the child will quickly mark you as unfun, and avoid you...exactly what you are looking for!;):D

 

Ed to add: by the way...any rule infraction that you view can be corrected by a simple process we call "restating the rule" ...ex. " the rule is , there is no playing on elevators, "the rule is you must use tongs at the buffet" if all adults who witness infractions used this, children who innocently broke an unknown rule will now know it, and kids purposefully misbehaving know an adult has noted it without your having to accuse or get angry (which is a great joy to kids, to see adults lose control!) or without you seeming to be disciplining the kid (so this can be done even in front of his own clueless parents)

[ducklite]

Ugh, I really hope we don't run into this. I'd have no problem telling a child that they need to go away and find their parent to take care of their needs, but I don't want to have to.

 

I love that Windstar pretty much won't taking bookings for children under seven, I'm surprised that the PG doesn't follow suit.

[Emdee]

We had the cutest two year old on our last PG cruise.

Miki was so proud that she knew his name after the first night. A few nights later however, she kept calling him Miki mouse! She knew Joey's name too. Very well behaved - we sat with her family at Motu Mahana. She enjoyed feeding the little fishes and I gave her some bread to do so.

I think if your child is used to travelling and different challenges they just adapt. My DD travelled around the world with us since she was 4 months old.

[Tikiintahiti]

Many parents just don't know how to control their kids and when you speak out to them they are offended as they can't accept that their kid isn't perfect. The problem isn't with the child, it's with the parents.

 

Problem is PG Cruises can't know prior to accepting the booking if the parents have their kids in line or not.

 

Last year we went on the Holiday cruise. Long story short is we will never do that again unless we were ourselves are taking the grand kids. Lots of kids, some well behaved and some not but it did change the feel of the ship. Fun your many who had kids, not so fun for couples who wanted a more 'romantic' week. It was our own fault, we should of known better seeing it was a holiday cruise.

 

I would support the idea of experimenting with a half dozen cruises per year on the PG that don't allow anyone under the age of 18, would be interesting to see how it is received.