Taking grandchildren in school term

[Todnic]

Hi. We would like to take our 14 and 12 year old grandchildren on a cruise out of Sydney, April-September2016. We thought Carnival line would have more for them to do. We are choosing not to go school holidays to avoid too many kids BUT will there still be enough for them to do on this cruise? They are quite mature for their ages. I would appreciate any advise thanks!

[GUT2407]

Hi. We would like to take our 14 and 12 year old grandchildren on a cruise out of Sydney, April-September2016. We thought Carnival line would have more for them to do. We are choosing not to go school holidays to avoid too many kids BUT will there still be enough for them to do on this cruise? They are quite mature for their ages. I would appreciate any advise thanks!

 

Unlikely to be many other kids I'd have thought, so t will depend on how happy they are to not have many other of their age group on the ship.

[Tara Jane]

mmmmmmmm I know many parents including myself who took our kids out of school to travel to Yulara which from my experience survives from tourism. How would you feel if families only visited your town in school holidays? Might just make a different to employment in the area. There are ships primarily for families and ships primarily for adults. School holidays vary in different states and countries so chances are whatever cruise you are on could have school age kids who are travelling in their school holidays from whatever country they are from.

To the origional poster, I take my grandkids cruising but they are much younger, however I do it when they have finished school when the majority of schools are still going, ie early december with great deals. Our kids school also has an extra week mid year. I would be more concerned about how much school work they are missing rather than how many other kids will be on the cruise. I have been on carnival spirit in april, during school time and there were 500 plus kids on board, so I am sure your 14 and 12 year olds will find some friends on the ship. It has a fantastic water park for that age group if the weather is kind to you.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Tara Jane

[Loulou01]

We took our kids on Carnival Legend Nov 21 this year and their was a good variety of kids.

I refuse to pay double for the same holiday during peak school holidays.

As for the rant, spend a few if your hard earned dollars and go on an adults only cruise.

[Womble99]

I have been on plenty of child free cruises and they are pretty cheap too (well in fact they even pay you) down side is the ships are all painted grey and the bar hours really suck ;)

[aussielozzie18]

From other parents, it would appear November is the most popular month to cruise outside of school term. However, you have wisely chosen a family orientated cruise line so I am sure that there will be other children on board during the time frame you are proposing.

 

Btw, I think its lovely that you are giving your grandchildren the gift of travel.

 

To the ranter, not all children are feral and run amok. Rude adults of all ages can cause just as many problems as children.

[Aussieflyer]

Not sure if it is relevant to your situation Todnic, but state education departments are taking a very dim view of children missing school for holidays. There was talk of permission having to be sought and a very good case having to be made. Having a revolving door situation where some kids in classes are away on vacation throughout the term is very disruptive for schools and teachers and leads to a lack of continuity of education. Just because it is quieter and cheaper I don't think was one of the acceptable criteria. There has been some pushback from parents, I have heard however.

It may be something you need to look at, given the age of your grandchildren.

[OzKiwiJJ]

My goodness. That was a rant. :) We cruise often and I cannot recall a cruise where the children were a problem. Last December/January we were on four cruises during the school holidays and the kids weren't a problem. I thought it was lovely seeing multi-generational families cruising together.:)

 

Sometimes it may depend on the ship that you are on. Last Christmas we cruised to the South Pacific on Sun Princess and never noticed the children onboard.

 

This year we cruised on Celebrity Solstice (disembarked this morning) and were often disturbed by what sounded like herds of baby elephants running down the corridors on our deck or the deck above. On several nights this went on until well after 11pm.

 

Now, I'm sure there were plenty of children running around Sun Princess but, perhaps due to the construction of that ship, they were never a problem, noise just didn't carry on that ship. On Solstice the cabins were nowhere near as soundproof as on the Princess Sun class ships. We could also hear noise from the cabins on either side, and twice our TV turned on by itself when the people in the adjoining cabin turned their TV on/off.

 

I must admit I was concerned about the number of kids running around Solstice at times, given the number of adults with limited mobility who were also onboard but, as far as I know, there weren't any accidents.

[Todnic]

Thank you. Very good point.

[Todnic]

Thank you. I was shocked by the response

Edited December 28, 2015 by Todnic

[GUT2407]

Not sure if it is relevant to your situation Todnic, but state education departments are taking a very dim view of children missing school for holidays. There was talk of permission having to be sought and a very good case having to be made. Having a revolving door situation where some kids in classes are away on vacation throughout the term is very disruptive for schools and teachers and leads to a lack of continuity of education. Just because it is quieter and cheaper I don't think was one of the acceptable criteria. There has been some pushback from parents, I have heard however.

It may be something you need to look at, given the age of your grandchildren.

 

 

Whereas pretty much every teacher I know (and that's plenty) says that a vacation now and then can be better for a kid than the week or two they miss from school. (Notice I said can be) depends on what the holiday involves and the guardians taking them.

[Aus Traveller]

Sometimes it may depend on the ship that you are on. Last Christmas we cruised to the South Pacific on Sun Princess and never noticed the children onboard.

 

This year we cruised on Celebrity Solstice (disembarked this morning) and were often disturbed by what sounded like herds of baby elephants running down the corridors on our deck or the deck above. On several nights this went on until well after 11pm.

 

Now, I'm sure there were plenty of children running around Sun Princess but, perhaps due to the construction of that ship, they were never a problem, noise just didn't carry on that ship. On Solstice the cabins were nowhere near as soundproof as on the Princess Sun class ships. We could also hear noise from the cabins on either side, and twice our TV turned on by itself when the people in the adjoining cabin turned their TV on/off.

 

I must admit I was concerned about the number of kids running around Solstice at times, given the number of adults with limited mobility who were also onboard but, as far as I know, there weren't any accidents.

Currently we usually cruise on Princess. I cannot comment on noise issues (or TVs turning on/off) on Celebrity Solstice. That sounds bad.:( We have been on only one Celebrity ship (Celebrity Century) and I do not think there were many children on board.

 

One November P&O cruise many years ago had a lot of kids. There wasn't any chance of using the waterslide. We found out the cruise has been marketed "Kids sail free". :)

[GUT2407]

Thank you. I was shocked by the response

Don't be shocked, you'll see some pretty rude posts here, not sure if there'd be as many if they had to put their real name to what they say or not.

[Esilef]

Ok then. I'm taking my autistic 6yr old on a cruise in the first week that school goes back.

 

Teachers haver previously advised me that travel broadens a child's skill set. My son is with me the entire time. A few grumpy people have told me off for his behaviour but most people whom cruise seem to understand his autism and want to know all about him.

 

Oh btw I'm taking him out of school to go on his second holiday to Europe next December. Hope that we travel far and wide doesn't offend some people but oh well. Learn tolerance. You were once a child.

 

To the op. Look at Royal Caribbean as well. Prior to booking check with the teachers at school and see their thoughts. Some other kids we have meet whilst travelling have been given travel homework. This includes things like studying where the ship is traveling to (geography) their history and writing a daily diary of what they have seen and done.

[Todnic]

Thank you. When our children were young we had to take them on holidays in school term as our business relied on tourism. This was never detrimental to their education and added to their life experiences and education. This thread has certainly given us food for thought!

I thank everyone for their input.

[Esilef]

Whereas pretty much every teacher I know (and that's plenty) says that a vacation now and then can be better for a kid than the week or two they miss from school. (Notice I said can be) depends on what the holiday involves and the guardians taking them.

 

 

That's what my sons teacher has told me. I work so hard on improving his autism skills that I will spend the entire cruise implementing therapies and strategies. This all helps him.

[Esilef]

Thank you. I was shocked by the response

 

 

Don't think of us as all rude. Most people in this forum are fun cruise loving people whom want to support and laugh with fellow cruisers.

[Tara Jane]

There is always the situation of parents taking long service leave - usually about 12 weeks and thats often the only time the kids get to have an extended holiday with parents usually including a full term off school and the holidays either side. LSL only comes every 10 or so years and so I consider it to be a very special opportunity for families to travel and bond. Another 10 years those kids are teenagers, taking teenagers is a totally different situation family wise.

We took our kids out of school for LSL but that was 30 years ago, with the encouragement of their school and with memories that have lasted Their teachers over the years commented how great their general knowledge and geography was.

Of course times have changed and as others have said schools are now very different in their approach.

We plan to take our grandaughters to europe next year and it will involve their mid year 3 week holidays plus a week either side. I firmly believe the 10 days of missed school will be well made up for with their experience.

A dose of the measles or flu has kids off school for that length of time.

I have cruised with Esilef and her son, and all I can add other than William is a lovely little boy, is that I have an admiration for Esilef that I am unable to express. She puts her little man first and he most certainly caused no problems to the other cruisers. I wish I had 10% of the energy that mum has to keep up with her little man.

Keep travelling Esilef, you have enough hurdles to deal with so keep yourself and William happy cruising.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Tara Jane

[Esilef]

Thanks Tara Jane. Much appreciated.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Currently we usually cruise on Princess. I cannot comment on noise issues (or TVs turning on/off) on Celebrity Solstice. That sounds bad.:(

 

The TV turning on/off was quite a surprise - we couldn't work out what had happened at first. Solstice was a lovely ship. We booked with Celebrity for that cruise as it had the itinerary we wanted and really enjoyed the ship ... apart from the herds of baby elephants. :rolleyes: ;) :D

 

It does make me wonder if the newer builds are using cheaper/thinner materials between cabins and between decks though.

 

We have been on only one Celebrity ship (Celebrity Century) and I do not think there were many children on board.

 

 

We expected to have a large number of children on that cruise. After all, it was a Christmas cruise and we chose to cruise at Christmas.

[Tara Jane]

I was on the diamond princess this last July on a cruise around Japan, and there were certainly plenty of children, all well behaved on it!!!! Not sure which cruise around Japan on diamond princess you think will be child free.

It is lovely to see several generations of families cruising and enjoying holidays together.

[Loulou01]

Unfortunately you can not control when people choose the convenient time and affordability to cruise. What you can do do is choose a cruise that has a limit put on kids or no kids at all.

It is not rude or selfish that a family goes cruising in school term. What is selfish is the person who thinks they deserve the cheaper fares and run of the ship!

We are all entitled to do what suits us!

[Esilef]

Funny. Most of the people whom have been posting in this thread are hardly new to cruising myself (and my son for that matter) are not.

 

Please do not be rude to new people posting.

 

They have a right to decide what is best for them and their families as do you.

 

I'm thinking a private yacht around the Whitsundays would be perfect for you. That way normal happy people won't offend you.

[Esilef]

Sorry laughed at the family being kicked off for badly behaving kids........

 

Really if kids are not in the kids club their parents sure be responsible for where they are and what they are doing at all times (dependant on age of course)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Really if kids are not in the kids club their parents sure be responsible for where they are and what they are doing at all times (dependant on age of course)

 

Unfortunately not, Esilef. I spotted a herd of kids racing around the stairways and elevator "lobbies" on decks 3-5 of Solstice (near the MDR) after 10pm one evening, just when late diners were leaving the MDR. Not a parent in sight. :( :mad: