Blue bands for kids

[LMaxwell]

As. Usual.

 

I can't respond to that because there's no substance to your comment. If you want to have a discussion like a civil adult, I am all for it, let's do it. If you want to throw a tantrum after you were called out on making a ridiculous comment, you will have to continue on by yourself.

[GUT2407]

Wow another thread where certain posters go off on private dislike for each other. What a surprise.

[LMaxwell]

Not hardly. Someone showed up late to the discussion having a fit and saying those that don't agree with the OP must not have kids. Well...we do. And still disagree with OP and their trivial, minor complaint.

 

Listen, people can complain about whatever they want. But the rest of us are free to point out that it is very trivial and unimportant and that if the parent didn't have such an emotional response it is doubtful the kid would notice or care either. If the concern is that the band shows in the photo, tell the photographer and they will make sure it doesn't show. Very simple issue to solve and doesn't require people to make absurd comments like how anyone against this must not have kids. Come on...

[snoopy5386]

I have kids. They've worn the bands. Neither child nor parent complained. This is not self righteous or bashing. It's pointing out that these bands don't bother kids. It's a very trivial thing to get worked up over especially when the purpose of the band is for safety precautions. Just let it go and accept it.

 

Sent from my B1-730HD using Tapatalk

 

Good for your kids. And just like some kids eat anything and others are picky eaters, some kids are more sensitive to the bracelets and are bothered by them.

 

We sailed Disney way back when before they had the magic bands and required these type bracelets to be worn when the child was in the kids club only. Child in question chose not to go to the kids club instead of wearing the bracelet. We've sailed Carnival where the bracelet was required and child was bothered by it, especially when sleeping (I would be too!) and so we cut it off each night and had to get a new one each morning until we finally just put it on loose enough that she could just slip it on and off. I have to do this with all those type of bracelets, no way can I sleep with them on. Hubby could care less, doesn't bother him at all, different people, different preferences. Same thing at Great Wolf Lodge, we made sure to put them on loose enough so the kids could take them off at night.

 

Child does not mind the magic bands, they are more comfortable and they can be removed if one chooses and for sleeping. That makes all the difference. No silly bands on Princess was actually a big selling point for cruising this line. Everyone seems to have some little thing that bothers them, how long is the butter thread right now? This is our family's weird quirk.

[LeeW]

RCI used to do this and my kids hated it. They felt like they were cattle being branded. lol As soon as they memorized their muster location, we took them off. I understand the use for it but if the kids are old enough to know their way around the ship better than we do and can memorize where to meet, then they don't need them.

 

RCI did this on Oasis last week, all 1400 kids. They don't want the adults running all over in an emergency trying to find the kids. The bands let them round up the kids and take them to where their parents are in the muster stations.

[ceilidh1]

I have kids. They've worn the bands. Neither child nor parent complained. This is not self righteous or bashing. It's pointing out that these bands don't bother kids. It's a very trivial thing to get worked up over especially when the purpose of the band is for safety precautions. Just let it go and accept it.

 

Sent from my B1-730HD using Tapatalk

 

You obviously don't have a kid with sensory issues! The bands bother my kid, as does any label/tag in clothing, seams on socks, any kind of "scratchy" material...the list is endless. He chose not to participate in kids club on Disney as he couldn't tolerate having to wear the band. We are sailing on Carnival for the first time this month and I understand they have the bands - we will see what choice he makes this time! I have no issue with the bands. Neither does my older child. But to say they don't bother any kids is not accurate! Believe me, I have often wondered if the sensory stuff is real or a means of getting attention, maybe even a psychological thing. I have done many things to "trick" my kid to figure out just how genuine those issues are....and I fail every time. Sensory issues are real and my kid simply cannot tolerate certain textures or things touching his body - the bands happen to be one of those things. Having said all of this, I would not make a big deal about it - if the cruiseline has the policy of wear the band to participate in the club, then that is a choice he will need to make.

[Roatanfans]

It seems as though some of you really missed the point- besides these bands being uncomfortable (at least for my kids- their words, not mine) and impractical- NO TRAINING WAS GIVEN TO THE CRUISE STAFF- KIDS CLUB STAFF WAS UNAWARE OF SAID BRACELETS AND HOW THEY WERE TO BE USED!!! What is the point of doing this if not one of the crew responsible for the actual supervision of my children had any knowledge or training about this? They already have a program in place they follow and had no idea what these bands were about! There were no replacement bands available so that in just a day or two no child had a band on anymore. Not one staff member who was asked about it knew how to use these bands (that it was for muster station was a guess from a guest services member when asked the purpose of the kids having to wear them). The check In staff who told us the kids had to wear them at all times just told us it was a new program and could not answer any other questions about it. Do I want my children to be safe- absolutely. Do I want them to feel uncomfortable for no reason? No.

[ceilidh1]

It seems as though some of you really missed the point- besides these bands being uncomfortable (at least for my kids- their words, not mine) and impractical- NO TRAINING WAS GIVEN TO THE CRUISE STAFF- KIDS CLUB STAFF WAS UNAWARE OF SAID BRACELETS AND HOW THEY WERE TO BE USED!!! What is the point of doing this if not one of the crew responsible for the actual supervision of my children had any knowledge or training about this? They already have a program in place they follow and had no idea what these bands were about! There were no replacement bands available so that in just a day or two no child had a band on anymore. Not one staff member who was asked about it knew how to use these bands (that it was for muster station was a guess from a guest services member when asked the purpose of the kids having to wear them). The check In staff who told us the kids had to wear them at all times just told us it was a new program and could not answer any other questions about it. Do I want my children to be safe- absolutely. Do I want them to feel uncomfortable for no reason? No.

 

THIS!!!! Agree with you 100%....I saw the use on Disney with the huge number of kids and locator chip to track them. Don't really see the purpose of a piece of paper that no one knows anything about! :D

[mamkmm2]

I am going to try and explain something and not be rude because that is definitely not my intent. I had debated adding my two bits here. And this is gonna be a little long. That said, some people don't seem to grasp the big picture issue at hand.

 

1. Crew and ship personnel have no say over this. This rule is from corporate and before corporate it is required by the insurance companies. Make of that what you will.

 

2. It has nothing to do with anyone's parenting. Zero. Zip. Nada. It is however a response to various events that have occurred or that have the potential to occur. It doesn't matter who was at fault ... some creepy pedophile, the cruise ship for not preventing entrance to certain areas by unaccompanied minors, parents, kids not listening to and/or not adhering to rules, confusion during an emergency, etc. What does matter is that those events have occurred and this is the resulting action taken by the cruise lines corporate office to address what happened.

 

3. The cruise line has always reserved the right to control movement, activities, etc. of all people on board ship ... and explicitly say so concerning minors. This even includes restricting the number of minors on any given ship at any given time. The cruise line is not required to make something easy or comfortable ... they are bound by law however when it comes to safety of ship, crew, and passengers.

 

4. The insurance companies could care less whether something is "comfortable" or not. Life vests aren't exactly comfortable but they are required under certain circumstances, sometimes to the point of being required by law ... just like helmets and other safety equipment when riding a bike and playing sports.

 

5. When you buy a cruise, you accept all of the rules and regs ... and you accept them on behalf of any minor children you have in your party. But since we are dealing with minors it is you, as the guardian/parent who are ultimately responsible for requiring the child to not only pay lip service to the rules but to adhere to them to the full extent.

 

6. Not doing so means you are circumventing the rules and regs (and possibly laws that created those rules and regs) and that is a fairly sucky lesson to be teaching a kid, especially when it will more than likely come back and bite you on the butt at some point when the kid uses the same learned tactics on you.

 

If you don't like a rule/reg complaining about it here on Cruise Critic might vent your spleen and get you a few thumbs up but otherwise it is a very lame tactic, nor is it the least constructive action to take. Start a dialogue with the cruise line, you might find out that there are things going on and being addressed that you have no clue about. Alternatively, you might find out that you influence someone that actually can address your grievance and it makes a corporate-wide difference. If you can't be bothered to take it up directly with the cruise line(s) then why waste your time about it here?

 

And before anyone gets in a twist and says that I must not have kids ... wrong. I have five children. Only the oldest child is now 25 with a baby of her own on the way. The youngest is 12 and we have them spread out between those two. I've been through the entire textural, strong willed, don't wanna, tween, teen, hyper indpendent, good kid, yada, yada, yada plenty. I'm well aware of the challenges there are for some kids to conform and/or deal with something that is "uncomfortable." I also know what it feels like to have to enforce a rule even when I think it might be lame, and I did it because I know what the rules /laws are when I sign my name on the dotted line, especially when I am signing on the dotted line on behalf of my kids.

 

A cruise is not your average vacation. Just because it is a closed environment it doesn't mean that rules can be relaxed. On the contrary, because of the type of environment there are going to be even more rules. The ship crew and personnel aren't out to shake you down or ruin your vacay. But they aren't there to make everyone feel like a special snowflake either. Their job is to relay what the rules are and to enforce them ... not to create them or explain them to anyone's particular satisfaction. They have no control over them beyond enforcement. If they make the mistake of not enforcing the rules they will lose their job and for most that would be a significant impact on their families.

[easyboy]

It seems as though some of you really missed the point- besides these bands being uncomfortable (at least for my kids- their words, not mine) and impractical- NO TRAINING WAS GIVEN TO THE CRUISE STAFF- KIDS CLUB STAFF WAS UNAWARE OF SAID BRACELETS AND HOW THEY WERE TO BE USED!!! What is the point of doing this if not one of the crew responsible for the actual supervision of my children had any knowledge or training about this? They already have a program in place they follow and had no idea what these bands were about! There were no replacement bands available so that in just a day or two no child had a band on anymore. Not one staff member who was asked about it knew how to use these bands (that it was for muster station was a guess from a guest services member when asked the purpose of the kids having to wear them). The check In staff who told us the kids had to wear them at all times just told us it was a new program and could not answer any other questions about it. Do I want my children to be safe- absolutely. Do I want them to feel uncomfortable for no reason? No.

This is a disturbing observation that should be addressed by concerned officers so as not to defeat the purpose of the band.

[shredie]

It seems as though some of you really missed the point-

 

Standard practice around here. :rolleyes: