Cirque with a toddler?

[doggfan7]

I don't see how restaurants on a ship are any different than restaurants on land. If you're paying for an expensive meal or show, you should be able to enjoy it without interruptions from children or adults. Loudly talking or complaining, by children or adults, can ruin a show. I also wouldn't advise taking a toddler to see Legally Blonde on the the ship, for the same reason I wouldn't recommend taking them to a land-based Broadway show, as the interruptions would be annoying there as well. The last symphony I was at had a grandmother take her granddaughter out about halfway through the show. Since they were sitting right behind me, they managed to ruin quite a bit of the show.

 

A single parent can use the child care services on-board if they want to participate in an adult event.

 

All that said, I think older kids would probably enjoy the show, though the show on the Epic had some PG-13 aspects.

 

You're right. Families should be banned from all restaurants on land or on sea. Geesh.

 

I also think many people have sticks so far up their tuchas that their nights are dramatically "ruined" if a child, on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship aimed at families of all places, attends a dinner with their family. Oh the humanity.

 

I for one will be taking my little one to Cirque in March on day 1 of our Breakaway cruise (included in UDP). And as we do in on-land restaurants, we will respect other patrons and will control our daughter or will leave if we cannot.

 

Many need to lighten up or take a different cruise line.

[bobg529]

A lot of this disagreement really lies at the feet of the cruise lines themselves. It's not surprising that parents would be looking for appropriate entertainment for their kids, but it's also understandable that some adults find the presence of caterwauling kiddies to be unsettling. It would seem to me that there could be an early showing of Cirque that would be open to families, and a later adult only show. Let's face it, there is not a lot to do during the evenings for families. Some of the shows are OK, although I've seen some comedy performances that had all ages in attendance that I found frankly inappropriate. Children don't belong in the casino, or in the bars that feature entertainment. I guess that's why when I was growing up my folks used to pick vacations to places like Williamsburg. We would run around all day exploring, go and have dinner in some kind of middle level family restaurant like Howard Johnson's, and then retire exhausted to our motel room to watch black and white TV and rest up for the next day. Those were good days. :)

[thatjoeguy]

Same goes for the show. If the show has an official rule that everyone is quiet, then yes, it makes sense that a child who is making noise should be removed, the same standards apply to both children and adults.

 

So unless you're explicitly told before a movie or show that you shouldn't talk, you're yammering on the whole time? You must be a delight to be around.

[cruiseseal]

So unless you're explicitly told before a movie or show that you shouldn't talk, you're yammering on the whole time? You must be a delight to be around.

So, if someone argues that you should be allowed to insult Jesus, as part of free speech, they are automatically Jesus haters?

[thatjoeguy]

So, if someone argues that you should be allowed to insult Jesus, as part of free speech, they are automatically Jesus haters?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_analogy#False_analogy

[cruiseseal]

Big question is, why don't family cruises offer more adult-only entertainment? The answer is simple, profit. It's not to the benefit of cruise lines to either lower prices for kids or to limit access to parents with kids. It's a calculated business decision.

 

It's good for consumers too, since more customers means cheaper prices. If you have a problem with kids, you should realize that you might not be able to afford the same level of comfort and entertainment if it wasn't for those pesky kids.

 

The economics are simple, cruise lines need to attract more families with kids to compete and thrive. If you're looking for a kid free experience, you're probably on the wrong ship or the wrong cruise line.

[cruiseseal]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_analogy#False_analogy

[rvsullivan]

Just because you can do something doesn't always equate to you should do it. No one appears to be a child hater as some state. Going to one of the premium shows or restaurants with a misbehaving child is not fair to anyone. Some parents would be the first to scream if a bunch of adults went to the kids splash pool and started partying, but then feel it is ok for a child to negatively impact the adults at some of these venues. If it were possible to quiet or remove a child within a minute or so of a disruption, it might be ok, but the reality is the parents are first going to spend time fixing the problem first.

Because a cruise line is family friendly does not mean kids should be everywhere. Why even have a kids club if that's the case. Parents want a child care area to have some "private" time, why not keep you kids with you 24x7?

I agree with another poster, every venue should be child free after 8 pm.

[cruiseseal]

8pm is too early, I'd say 9 is the earliest that makes sense, and obviously not all venues, because that would make it unbearable for parents who choose to put their kids to sleep later, and you'd also have to provide priority access to adults with kids prior to that deadline.

 

As for adults going into the kids splash pool to party, that's against written rules, if it wasn't, parents wouldn't be able to stop that behavior. It's a wrong analogy though, because kids are more attracted to the adult venues and activities than the other way around, and parents have to watch their kids, not the other way around. Sometimes parents have to choose between going with kids and not going at all, if the latter was more likely, these parents wouldn't cruise at all, and that's why cruise lines won't create such restrictions.

[Cole Thornton]

You're right. Families should be banned from all restaurants on land or on sea. Geesh.

 

I also think many people have sticks so far up their tuchas that their nights are dramatically "ruined" if a child, on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship aimed at families of all places, attends a dinner with their family. Oh the humanity.

 

I for one will be taking my little one to Cirque in March on day 1 of our Breakaway cruise (included in UDP). And as we do in on-land restaurants, we will respect other patrons and will control our daughter or will leave if we cannot.

 

Many need to lighten up or take a different cruise line.

 

 

And by the time you remove your little Precious McPoopypants from the venue for acting up you have already disturbed the performers and the audience.

 

Try to think of others. An intimate performance venue is not the place to train your children on how to act in public. :rolleyes:

[naturalbeauty2011]

I've been on Oceana once, I was forced to go because of my parents, but when I went I didn't see no kids at all! Rccc,ncl, carnival and others are family ships! You don't want contact with a kid go to Oceania Or a adult cruise. They cater to the adults. I just don't get people who go on family ships and get upset when they are around kids or crying babies.

Edited January 8, 2015 by naturalbeauty2011

[ColinIllinois]

I've been on Oceana once, I was forced to go because of my parents, but when I went I didn't see no kids at all! Rccc,ncl, carnival and others are family ships! You don't want contact with a kid go to Oceania Or a adult cruise. They cater to the adults. I just don't get people who go on family ships and get upset when they are around kids or crying babies.

 

 

People are not saying they hate kids and don't want to be around them. They know NCL is a family line. Having said that parents should realize that there is places for families and venues for adults. It's pretty simple really. Not sure why some of you don't understand what people are saying. It's simply a matter of consideration for other guests. Like someone else said by the time you remove your child who is acting up you have already intruded on everyone else's experience.

Edited January 8, 2015 by ColinIllinois

[Barb Nahoumi]

I have yet to read a post by a parent that said that their toddler was fussy, loud and threw a lot of food. They are all incredibly well behaved, and the parents promise to immediately take them away if they have an "off night."

I'm sure that parents of"fussy kids," would not dream of bringing them to specialty restaurants or shows-----right?

 

Not us----we didn't.

[OzCanuck]

People are not saying they hate kids and don't want to be around them. They know NCL is a family line. Having said that parents should realize that there is places for families and venues for adults. It's pretty simple really. Not sure why some of you don't understand what people are saying. It's simply a matter of consideration for other guests. Like someone else said by the time you remove your child who is acting up you have already intruded on everyone else's experience.

 

It is simple, really. Unless there is an age limitation, then children are welcome.

[cadien]

I'm sure that parents of "fussy kids," would not dream of bringing them to specialty restaurants or shows-----right?

 

Not us----we didn't.

 

Our toddler is more untested than fussy, but the specialty restaurants and the shows are not where we're going to practice his manners when we cruise in April. We don't do that on land either. You practice manners in low-cost family places and get a sitter for the nicer ones. Simple respect for everyone around you. Plus frankly I want to be able to enjoy my nice meal/show without wondering when something will go wrong.

[MsTabbyKats]

DS was a non-eater. And when he started eating, he was a fussy eater. So we never went classier than McDonalds etc....until he started to enjoy the food. It was pointless....in many respects.

 

But...if the child is well behaved, I wouldn't have a problem.

 

I recently had to ask 2 adults to "shut up" during a movie. I was amazed that nobody else bothered to. But, if I'm paying, I expect to enjoy whatever it is that I'm paying for.

 

I was once at a small venue....where the singer asked the parents to remove their child because he was disruptive.

[rvsullivan]

It is simple, really. Unless there is an age limitation, then children are welcome.

 

Welcomed by who??

[mjkacmom]

Welcomed by who??

 

Obviously NCL. My kids are older (and all behaved well at this show - lol), but some of them would have been fine as toddlers, and some would not have. I think parents know their kids best. I've always played it safe, and made sure we had an easy escape, if necessary, when my kids were little.

 

It's not the symphony - there were plenty of kids there when we went.

 

For those who have never seen it, it's not a high brow quiet show - my youngest were 10, and their eyes never left the stage.

 

Edited January 8, 2015 by mjkacmom

[OzCanuck]

Welcomed by who??

 

NCL - because really they are the only ones that matter here. Sure, there are issues of consideration, behavior, etc. etc. But for every parent that does the right thing, there will be one that does the wrong thing. And you can never change their behavior because they will never realize they're doing the wrong thing.

 

So... people can huff and puff on an internet forum but the only way to actually solve the problem is to go with a different line - if it is that important to you or it is such an issue...

[cadien]

I think the fact that the kids' club is staffed until 1:30am is kind of a hint.

 

Very few businesses are willing to flat out bar children. The mommy bloggers freak out on them and it becomes national news even for a random independent restaurant.

[thistimeplease]

I took my son when he was 3 and there were several families with young children there. Never once were any of the children a problem as they were too mesmerized by the show. So to answer the OP's question, yes you can bring children to the show, despite what others might want. Those that want to attend shows "kids free" should vacation on a adult only line.

[OzCanuck]

I think the fact that the kids' club is staffed until 1:30am is kind of a hint.

 

Really?

 

I would say that NCL's description of Cirque is also a hint:

 

"From breathtaking butterflies to the balancing giraffes to the kings of the jungle, this explosion of athleticism, theater and imagination will exhilarate and entertain your entire family"

 

For the record, I have a 3-year old and I would not take him to this show, because I would be so concerned about his behavior that I would not enjoy myself. Is he well behaved? I dunno, he behaves like a 3-year old. I am super sensitive to his behavior around others and have only had to 'walk' him from a restaurant once.

 

But like I said - for every parent like me, there is one that just .. doesn't ... care.....

[cadien]

Now that's interesting. They don't have that part on the website any longer. I wonder whether it's just inconsistent marketing or they deliberately changed it.

 

But at least it still doesn't have the "This show is an incredible spectacle of wonder, enchantment and sensual delight" blurb that the Cirque show on some of the other ships has.

[OzCanuck]

Now that's interesting. They don't have that part on the website any longer. I wonder whether it's just inconsistent marketing or they deliberately changed it.

 

But at least it still doesn't have the "This show is an incredible spectacle of wonder, enchantment and sensual delight" blurb that the Cirque show on some of the other ships has.

 

Really?

 

Because I found it right here, under Cirque Dreams... :confused:

 

http://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway/onboard/entertainment#tab_detail

[Samstress]

I think it's not 'one size fits all' in this situation. I have seen parents bring small children to restaurants & expect these same kids to sit through a 2 hour plus dinner with nothing to entertain them. But I have also seen parents who are totally prepared with suitable distractions. If you know your child; and you

know that he/she will enjoy and not be disruptive then by all means go.

I have 2 of my grandsons in mind when I post this. One of them I would have

taken in a heartbeat...the other would be in the Kids Club:)

Cheers,

Sandra

p.s. Now if I can just figure out a way to keep my adult Sister from being disruptive I will be happy!