Never again

[Shipbound]

I was at my granddaughters baseball game last summer and there were 4 teenage girls in front of me spitting sunflower seeds on each other. I told them then had to clean up the mess before they left. Within 5 minutes they all got up and walked away. What is the fasination with spitting on each other? I know we did some crazy things as teenagers but we never did anything to disrespect a human being.

 

I live in Ct and once a month we have a block watch meeting ,the officer in charge said the one thing he has noticed is the lack of respect the kids have. When I was going up I was taught to respect others like I would want them to respect me. To me that makes sense.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Shipbound

[bobnpaml]

quote" over half of the passengers were Mexican Nationals"

 

We were told by ship personnel that between 2500/3000 passenger where from Mexico with 1000 children. This on a ship that list 3690 passenger capacity.

 

The problem was unsupervised children. Not where they were from.

[bobnpaml]

I know that if you have been on a cruise, all-inclusive , or just a simple dinner with family, we have ALL encountered unruly children. That was not my purpose in starting this thread. It was to simply say that I will never book another cruise during Holy Week and the reason for that statement. And to let any other cruisers that ,like me,that might be

unaware that a lot of families go on vacation with their children at this time particularly from Mexico. (Read that RCCL cruise that same week from Galveston was 50/50 mix of passengers and that they too had problems with the children.) Yes there were an extreme amount of Mexican National on this cruise, yes Safety Drill was in two languages and everyone had to stay for both, as was all announcements. BUT we still had a good time. Meet some really nice people and made some new friends. WE will cruise out of Galveston again and do so on the Magic (great ship). Just will be better prepared.

[msmaj4700]

I am traveling with my daughters (7yo&9yo) for the first time on Splendor next month. I can't fathom what you folks are even saying. Kids just being unattended? Kids running in the hallways? Damaging property?? I am from the old school...all I have to do is LOOK at my kids and they don't know what I'm gonna do so they stay respectful and in line to EVERYONE. You guys have me really curious as to what to expect with other people's children on this cruise...

 

You are in for a surprise! Some parents get on the ship with kids, let their kids run wild for a week, then meet up and take them home. On my first cruise last year, we had kids sit across the main steps, both sides, and refused to move as people were trying to go up& down the steps.

[msmaj4700]

Ditto! I have a young school age child and cannot ever see us taking her out of school for a vacation, especially a cruise. My favorite is the "visiting other cultures is an educational experience." Sorry, but no. Not on a Caribbean cruise.

 

 

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Yeah I don't quite understand that one either,talking a child out of school for a cruise. I'm going in September this time, I'm hoping most kids will be back in school.

[Monarch523]

You are in for a surprise! Some parents get on the ship with kids, let their kids run wild for a week, then meet up and take them home. On my first cruise last year, we had kids sit across the main steps, both sides, and refused to move as people were trying to go up& down the steps.

 

 

WOW! Well I've told my two daughters about how I've been hearing other children behave on cruises. My kids first question was "well what are the parents doing?".......I said "good question". It sounds crazy to them too!

 

 

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[StaceySteveDMB]

Yeah I don't quite understand that one either,talking a child out of school for a cruise. I'm going in September this time, I'm hoping most kids will be back in school.

 

 

We have taken our kids out of school for one day in order to accommodate cruises at or around holidays. We would never take our kids out of school for a whole week for a cruise or any other vacation for that matter. I do resent the comment someone said about the Caribbean not being a good learning experience. The Caribbean, as well as any other location, is what you make of it. We always find time got local culture, history, and science on each trip. Our kids do not go to Camp Carnival, but we also do not let them run around the ship unsupervised.

 

 

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[Tacosha]

Yeah I don't quite understand that one either,talking a child out of school for a cruise. I'm going in September this time, I'm hoping most kids will be back in school.

 

 

We went on a cruise last September, right after Labor Day when all the kids were just back in school. It was nice! There were still a few kids on the cruise...but not many.

 

 

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[Qchell]

I don't necessarily have an issue with kids - but my DH and I don't have children and therefore are able to sail while school is in session. We appreciate that fewer children are aboard - and the cruises are typically cheaper.. sometimes as much as $100-$200 pp.

[Monarch523]

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmaj4700

You are in for a surprise! Some parents get on the ship with kids, let their kids run wild for a week, then meet up and take them home. On my first cruise last year, we had kids sit across the main steps, both sides, and refused to move as people were trying to go up& down the steps.

 

 

 

 

So I said to myself that I'd come back to this post and give my take on the children aboard my Splendor cruise. Well luckily there were not to many children. Just enough (including my two) so I didn't feel like it was smack dab in the middle of summer HOWEVER kids on there def had full run of the ship. Running around the pool pushing other kids in, splashing the surrounding guests who were relaxing. One of the workers on the ship had to tell the children to stop doing "cannonballs" in the pool as they were splashing surrounding guests as well. Kids were hogging up the jacuzzi's and peeing in them (over heard one child brag). The teenagers were out of control too. I get it-its a vacation for all but the parental guidance was nill. I had seen a little boy with his mom on the first day but everyday after that she was nowhere to be found ever again. I saw him everyday everywhere alone doing whatever he wanted to do. I always looked for her. One day leaving a port everyone was on the top deck. He was standing up on a bar and hanging over the railing. I was nervous because he was just to over the edge for me but no one was there to stop him. I just watched over him quietly ready to help him if he needed it until he walked away.

 

One child that seemed to be about 2yrs old had a sword in his hand during the muster drill. He wacked the person next to him several times before the person finally something to the mother that was holding him. The mother got angry that the person would complain and verbally voiced her aggravation saying "He's only a child" instead of taking the sword away for a few minutes. I can only imagine when the ship is full of children. Having two little ones of my own I can't fathom seeing them run amok with no regard for other adults but it appears its the adults that quickly go on vacation from parenting.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Monarch523

[momof4boys]

Thanks Monarch for the recent post.

 

I am an elementary teacher and DH is a pediatrician. When we started cruising when our kids were younger, they mostly stayed with us. We went over the rules long before the first cruise and maybe because it was such a new thing and they felt like it was such a fabulous thing to be able to cruise with us...they got upset when they saw kids acting wild---running, cutting in line, yelling, jumping on the seats, etc. Trust me....my 4 boys are not perfect in any way....but they knew for a fact that if they got in trouble by us or any other adult...it would be their last trip and they would only get to enjoy the inside of their cabin for the next few days!!

 

I once "found a lost little" near the pool. She was crying and calling for her mom. I grabbed a staff person and we went to her and then he quickly called for an officer. We tried to figure out her last name or cabin (of course she couldn't tell either of us that info) and finally as we were looking around the pool, she spotted her mom. She had apparently got out of the pool on the opposite side that her parents were setting. The officer and I took her to her mom and their table of friends and drinks, and explained the situation. Her mother yelled at her, telling her that she had not moved, and that she (about 3-4 yo) should pay better attention. I turned my back to that little girl and gave that mom my two cents about whose job it is to keep track of children....then she told me to "f off" and that was that!! Felt sorry for that kid.

 

On our last cruise on the Freedom ('12) we were told that they had over 1,000 kids on the ship. Plus there was a large party (or several parties) of several young ladies and their families celebrating their Quinceaneras aboard the ship! Most of the children on board that week and the celebrating teens were unbelievably well behaved. We were shocked!

[Cruise life]

You think Spring Break is bad......Never, ever cruise during Holy Week. Never in my life have I been on a ship (or anywhere else) where there were so many rude, disrespectful, children. And No adult supervision. I have vented to Carnival by both an e-mail and the survey sent post cruise. We were told there was over 1000 kids on this cruise. I will continue to cruise Carnival but will be mindful of the time of year we book. This was on the Carnival Magic out of Galveston.

 

 

This is so true; I am taking my dad out for Father's Day on Friday!! I refuse to go out on Holidays if at all possible. Why wait 2 hours to get into a restaurant (or cruise with 1k kids) when you can move your dates slightly left or right and walk right in (or cruise with 30 kids). We have cruised Easter several times and they are always very busy at camp. Hawaii 16 nt over Easter not so much, but you get the gist. The children have a much better experience when the groups are smaller. My boys still misbehave, but it is caught and managed sooner and more efficiently in a smaller group. The kids have to learn somewhere; I have no problem correcting a child on board if I see something dangerous or improper going on. Counselors document issues at camp and we, as parents, do spend time during the cruise reviewing behavior and expectations, just as we do at home. To be fair, there are times when large adult groups are rude and disrespectful. Either way, disruptive groups can test your patience.

 

 

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[luddite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmaj4700

You are in for a surprise! Some parents get on the ship with kids, let their kids run wild for a week, then meet up and take them home. On my first cruise last year, we had kids sit across the main steps, both sides, and refused to move as people were trying to go up& down the steps.

 

 

 

 

So I said to myself that I'd come back to this post and give my take on the children aboard my Splendor cruise. Well luckily there were not to many children. Just enough (including my two) so I didn't feel like it was smack dab in the middle of summer HOWEVER kids on there def had full run of the ship. Running around the pool pushing other kids in, splashing the surrounding guests who were relaxing. One of the workers on the ship had to tell the children to stop doing "cannonballs" in the pool as they were splashing surrounding guests as well. Kids were hogging up the jacuzzi's and peeing in them (over heard one child brag). The teenagers were out of control too. I get it-its a vacation for all but the parental guidance was nill. I had seen a little boy with his mom on the first day but everyday after that she was nowhere to be found ever again. I saw him everyday everywhere alone doing whatever he wanted to do. I always looked for her. One day leaving a port everyone was on the top deck. He was standing up on a bar and hanging over the railing. I was nervous because he was just to over the edge for me but no one was there to stop him. I just watched over him quietly ready to help him if he needed it until he walked away.

 

One child that seemed to be about 2yrs old had a sword in his hand during the muster drill. He wacked the person next to him several times before the person finally something to the mother that was holding him. The mother got angry that the person would complain and verbally voiced her aggravation saying "He's only a child" instead of taking the sword away for a few minutes. I can only imagine when the ship is full of children. Having two little ones of my own I can't fathom seeing them run amok with no regard for other adults but it appears its the adults that quickly go on vacation from parenting.

 

A friend of mine says that you aren't describing children.

She cals them 'crotchfruit'.

[Jldevlin]

This is so true; I am taking my dad out for Father's Day on Friday!! I refuse to go out on Holidays if at all possible. Why wait 2 hours to get into a restaurant (or cruise with 1k kids) when you can move your dates slightly left or right and walk right in (or cruise with 30 kids). We have cruised Easter several times and they are always very busy at camp. Hawaii 16 nt over Easter not so much, but you get the gist. The children have a much better experience when the groups are smaller. My boys still misbehave, but it is caught and managed sooner and more efficiently in a smaller group. The kids have to learn somewhere; I have no problem correcting a child on board if I see something dangerous or improper going on. Counselors document issues at camp and we, as parents, do spend time during the cruise reviewing behavior and expectations, just as we do at home. To be fair, there are times when large adult groups are rude and disrespectful. Either way, disruptive groups can test your patience.

 

 

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Hubby and I now have the luxury of cruising when we want. So we have a 10 day Alaska booked for mid May .. the little darlings should still be in school. And a 10 day Hawaii for late September 2105 .. also a 5 day coastal this Sept. And they all were booked with the knowledge that they should be reasonably kid free. I have never had a bad situation with kids on the ship and I would like to keep it that way!!!

[sacnaillady]

A friend of mine says that you aren't describing children.

She cals them 'crotchfruit'.

 

 

Hahahahahaaaaaaa! I got to remember that one!

[Lisichka]

OMG we had a girls adult vacation, and we embraced all the kids. It was a blast. We did not encounter one rude or disrespectful child, maybe it was it was your attitude towards the situation. Just saying.....:D

 

I agree. Some here are just too old or too bitter to enjoy children. It is THEIR vacation too.

[ETinCA]

Damn there are some ugly people out there. Very insulting.

 

 

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[Cruise life]

Speak for your own family...

 

My kids are ALL that! :p

 

My children too :-) And we are military so we take family vacation whenever we can get it, sometimes during school. I spend a lot of summers managing the household. Our community and school board support active duty members and we get a week per year excused leave when a soldier is deployed much of the year. A cool part of cruising during US school schedules is that other countries are sometimes out. My boys have been exposed to children from other parts of the world just by cruising at random times. Last Hawaii cruise we had two girls from Iceland in camp. Another time the children were from South America.

 

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[jujibee]

That is why We NEVER go any place on a holiday.

 

 

Ditto! And we have kids. Lol.

 

 

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[jsfromsc]

I always vacation, whether it be a cruise or land vacation, in the off season so as to avoid kids. Nothing against them, just choose to avoid them at all costs on vacation. It makes for a much more pleasant holiday. ;)

 

My sentiments exactly! :D

[jsfromsc]

This is exactly the main reason we booked for the 2nd week in December, rather than later in December. After that 2nd week, kids will be out for Christmas break and I wanted NO part of that. Our kids are grown, and weren't EVER allowed to run as they pleased, so tolerating this generation of kids is not something I care to do at all.

 

We will never cruise over a holiday, or from May-August, unless it's an adult only cruise.

 

We tried cruising mid-December one year. I thought I was being so smart because the fares were so cheap and I thought kids would still be in school or more likely to be cruising over the holidays. WRONG. I'm sure there were plenty of kids cruising during the holidays, but our cruise was swarming with kids that were quite unruly. Some threw soft serve ice cream cones from the Lido down onto our balcony while we were out there. Sure I think that kids deserve a vacation, but that doesn't mean that I want to be around kids who are deliberately misbehaving. I choose to cruise at times when they're likely to be in school.

[bury me at sea]

Cruise began May 25 out of Galveston. Lots of Texas kids already out of school. One minor situation early on embarkation day prior to leaving port. Walking on deck 7 toward elevarors down hallway. Three young (maybe 10ish) year old girls had set up a game on the floor of the narrow hallway. There was an open cabin door nearby.

I told them this was not a good place to play. Never happened again.

 

Children being children has never bothered me. In a week's time encountering one insignificant inconvenience was hardly a bother.

 

Ran across lots of kids playing in pool areas but nothing unruly or bothersome. I enjoy hearing kids laughing and having fun.

[CrimsonTideGal]

We were on this cruise. Even though we also learned our lesson to never travel this week because it is Mexico's equivalent to spring break... I still had a great time and it wasn't that bad. OR maybe I felt that way because those other kids made my kids look like angels. haha The only thing that I saw was this kid running around the water slides with this long toothpick thing and every time someone tried to take it away he would run. Of course his parents were nowhere in sight. He ran by me and I stripped it out of his hand. Oh and one time all the buttons were pushed in the elevator. We also learned that if you open all the closet doors and the bathroom door it blocks out some noise from the hallway.

 

Opening the closet doors also gives a little more privacy when the room Steward knocks real fast and then enters without waiting.

I was on the Dream and me and my cousin were waiting on a elevator. 2 little darlings about 8 years old ran into the first elevator that opened and pushed all the buttons and jumped out. After watching this we decided to wait for the next one. When the next doors opened we got on first and sure enough here comes the little darlings, I then proceeded to block them and said in a real mean voice if you touch those buttons I will beat your a**. OF course I would never do that but they didn't know that. They got off real quick running the whole way. No I am not proud of myself but it did feel good.

[near the beach]

Holy week? I have never heard of holy week.

We have been on five spring break cruises without any problems.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Edited June 10, 2014 by near the beach

[Fitzget]

It's really a shame this thread had to be resurrected. Should have just let it RIP.