Inconsiderate Cruisers

[Orator]

It seems this thread has turned into the ‘all those rotten kids’ posts. I’m coming up on X cruise #25 and have never experienced out of control kids. out of control adults, you bet. There are legit stories of teens/kids causing troubles, but from my direct experience and talking with others and being on this forum, that isn’t an issue on X except for few/far between happenings.

 

So if the remote chance of a youth causing an issue on a cruise is a major concern, make the move over to whatever you think will solve that, except of course the real issue is with disruptive adults, isn’t it.

 

Got it.

 

Den

Absolutely agree!

[Toofarfromthesea]

Sorry, this is an IMO moment. I think that when anyone spends a couple thousand dollars on a cruise vacation then it's reasonable to expect to have an enjoyable time even if it is a school vacation week. Suggesting that passengers who don't like out of control children should book on an adults only cruiseline puts responsibility on concerned passengers and not on a parent's responsibility to control their children or the cruiseline's responsibility to maintain a safe environment. Unsupervised minors on a cruise create safety concerns for all passengers, not just the kids themselves.

 

You are talking about what should be, I am talking about what is. I wish it was the way you describe as well, but the reality is that there is nothing you or I can really do about it - it isn't going to change. So you can beat your head against that wall or you can seek ways to avoid the situations. Not everyone has the flexibility to vacation outside of school breaks, but then there are other vacation options.

[chemmo]

Wherever you vacation there will always be a risk of disruption caused by fellow vacationers without a thought for others...

 

The key factors are how good the cruise line or hotel are at planning to reduce possible conflict issues and how well they manage problems when they arise. Having separate adult only and child centred areas clearly can reduce friction and Celebrity do plan in this way...

 

OP....what did you do after your unsuccessful visit to guest relations? Did you tape the sounds when the issue recurred? Did you ask your butler/room attendant to come to your room to witness that the behaviour was unacceptable or unsafe?

 

If next door guests (adults or children) were significantly marring my cruise experience I would firstly reflect and convince myself I wasn’t being unreasonable (opinion of the butler?) then I would escalate by talking to the guest relations manager, the Michael’s concierge or suite manager....I might knock on the door of the other stateroom adjacent to the noisy one too to see if they were having issues and see if they also would like to speak with management....

[tallnthensome]

I have kids and we are sailing Celebrity. If someone else's kids were being disruptive, yelling, and banging on my partition, this is what I'd do. I'd put my two kids in the cabin, close the door wall, lean over and peer into their balcony. I'd simply tell them to shut the F up, stop yelling, and stop FN banging my partition. Rude and crude, that's what I'd do. My kids do something like that, they know theyre gonna get it.

[micmacmissy]

We were on Allure (6,000 pax) over Spring Break - 1,500 kids onboard with minimal problems. At one point there were teens laying in front of the elevators and I told them to knock it off.

 

What I find worse are the adults. Bluetooth speakers are everywhere now! I don't want to hear it - not on my balcony, not blasting on the beach, not anywhere. Get some headphones. It's so rude. (I'm 40ish, not 80, by the way!)

[Luvcrusn]

We tend to cruise longer itineraries on X during off holiday periods. Occasionally we have encountered inconsiderate cruisers, all adults. There was once a party in the adjacent cabin that went on until 3 AM the night (morning) before disembarkation by all adults. We called security and the party ended. There were the guitar playing/singing mother and son (both on the west side of 50) balcony duo who played/sang at all hours. Neither was in any danger of having a professional career in music or entertainment. Yet they caterwaulled lustily at all hours on their balcony. GS had a quiet word and although it didn't stop completely, they did curtail the volume, frequency, duration,

and late night sessions. There were the ballroom dancers who seemed to forget that the dance floor, small to begin with, was for more than just them. There was no solution for that one. But we do remember that the passengers aboard have paid to be there. Each enjoys their vacation in their own way, which may not be ours, but the vast majority are kind and considerate. We wouldn't care for the behavior as described by OP. The best advice I've seen here is video the behavior and call security. Share the video and express your "concern" about the safety of the children in question in a kind manner. Good luck and try to keep a sense of humor. It goes a long way toward making all situations tolerable and turns some intolerable ones into comedy.:)

[GTarrant]

I’m on the Reflection right now, and something I’m seeing for the first time on my many Celebrity voyages is parents sitting their kids down at dinner (in this case, in Luminae) and plopping down a phone or tablet in front of them and putting on cartoons - audibly - during dinner! As if no one else was in the entire dining room. On Tuesday night there were three different shows being played near us - two at a single table, since I guess the two kids wanted to watch different things.

 

When I asked the Maitre’D they said they weren’t allowed to ask them to turn the volume off as “Celebrity has no policy regarding videos during dinner”, but mentioned that we were the 3rd or 4th people that night to complain. The next night they came up to us and said that for this cruise families with children would be seated in the “back section” of Luminae, but that was all they could do.

 

But...just the concept of a parent that will play a video - with sound - during dinner in the restaurant is...so inconsiderate.

 

Another family was playing a video for their child quite loudly during the muster drill safety video; I was shocked the staff didn’t ask them to shut it off in the name of safety.

[bEwAbG]

I’m on the Reflection right now, and something I’m seeing for the first time on my many Celebrity voyages is parents sitting their kids down at dinner (in this case, in Luminae) and plopping down a phone or tablet in front of them and putting on cartoons - audibly - during dinner! As if no one else was in the entire dining room. On Tuesday night there were three different shows being played near us - two at a single table, since I guess the two kids wanted to watch different things.

 

But...just the concept of a parent that will play a video - with sound - during dinner in the restaurant is...so inconsiderate.

 

This has been an issue for quite a while and everywhere. Parents will argue that it keeps the kids "entertained" while the rest of us look on in disbelief. I think the flashing screen is just as distracting as any noise it emits; the noise just adds that little something extra, doesn't it? I really question the parenting skills of anyone who would let their kid be a zombie like that during a meal. Restaurant meals are opportunities to interact with your children as well as teach them manners. If they're that miserable, then take them to the buffet and ship them off to the kids club afterwards rather than distract your fellow diners with unwanted noise and flashing light.

[melsdt]

I’m on the Reflection right now, and something I’m seeing for the first time on my many Celebrity voyages is parents sitting their kids down at dinner (in this case, in Luminae) and plopping down a phone or tablet in front of them and putting on cartoons - audibly - during dinner! As if no one else was in the entire dining room. On Tuesday night there were three different shows being played near us - two at a single table, since I guess the two kids wanted to watch different things.

 

When I asked the Maitre’D they said they weren’t allowed to ask them to turn the volume off as “Celebrity has no policy regarding videos during dinner”, but mentioned that we were the 3rd or 4th people that night to complain. The next night they came up to us and said that for this cruise families with children would be seated in the “back section” of Luminae, but that was all they could do.

 

But...just the concept of a parent that will play a video - with sound - during dinner in the restaurant is...so inconsiderate.

 

Another family was playing a video for their child quite loudly during the muster drill safety video; I was shocked the staff didn’t ask them to shut it off in the name of safety.

I don't allow my children to have phones or devices at restaurants (we bring coloring books etc), but I'm writing to confirm you saw families in Luminae? I'm asking because, based on the children hatred I have seen on this board, I have been feeling anxious to bring my kids there. I feel like if they even speak, someone will complain. Last time, we ate in Luminae in 2015, the service was painfully slow (2 plus hours for a hamburger at lunch) and you could hear a pin drop in there so we didn't utilize very much. I'm trying to decide how to approach this on our upcoming cruise.

 

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[bEwAbG]

I don't allow my children to have phones or devices at restaurants (we bring coloring books etc), but I'm writing to confirm you saw families in Luminae? I'm asking because, based on the children hatred I have seen on this board, I have been feeling anxious to bring my kids there. I feel like if they even speak, someone will complain. Last time, we ate in Luminae in 2015, the service was painfully slow (2 plus hours for a hamburger at lunch) and you could hear a pin drop in there so we didn't utilize very much. I'm trying to decide how to approach this on our upcoming cruise.

 

Families are allowed as everyone staying in a suite is assigned to that dining room. There may be some initial looks but as long as they're well-behaved or you remove them if they aren't, then I doubt anyone will say anything to you. If you can eat earlier as opposed to later, it should be less crowded. They'll pace your meal to be faster if you ask them to.

[melsdt]

Families are allowed as everyone staying in a suite is assigned to that dining room. There may be some initial looks but as long as they're well-behaved or you remove them if they aren't, then I doubt anyone will say anything to you. If you can eat earlier as opposed to later, it should be less crowded. They'll pace your meal to be faster if you ask them to.

Thank you. I know they are allowed, but I'm not interested in the stares. It just stresses me out as a parent. Last time, they were unable to provide a more speedy service (we were not looking for fast food by any means, but it seemed they couldn't produce a meal that wasn't 3 hours in length so we gave up trying). My son has been in all kinds of fine dining and does just fine, and yet we still felt uncomfortable being there. However, it was when it first opened, there were no sky suites included which may it feel very quiet, and the service wasn't organized well yet. Hoping that is not the case this time :)

 

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[Orator]

I've been on lots of cruises since they included Michael's Club as a Suite/Zenith benefit and while I've not seen more than a handful of children at any time, those I have observed are universally well behaved.

[Baron Barracuda]

This has been an issue for quite a while and everywhere. Parents will argue that it keeps the kids "entertained" while the rest of us look on in disbelief. I think the flashing screen is just as distracting as any noise it emits; the noise just adds that little something extra, doesn't it? I really question the parenting skills of anyone who would let their kid be a zombie like that during a meal. Restaurant meals are opportunities to interact with your children as well as teach them manners. If they're that miserable, then take them to the buffet and ship them off to the kids club afterwards rather than distract your fellow diners with unwanted noise and flashing light.

 

If you have a pair of earbuds walk over and offer to lend them to child so everyone can eat peacefully. Hopefully they'll refuse but get the message.

[WorcesterPear]

I can also confirm that all of the families who have dined with small children in Luminae whilst we have been there have also been charming, and the children well behaved and under control.

With regards to the folks who push past others in lifts and who race to get seats etc, I always comment, in cheerful, exaggerated and audible tones “ gosh, you must be in a real hurry to get somewhere, so please, after you!” This usually provokes a giggle from the others in the lift!

 

 

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[GTarrant]

I don't allow my children to have phones or devices at restaurants (we bring coloring books etc), but I'm writing to confirm you saw families in Luminae? I'm asking because, based on the children hatred I have seen on this board, I have been feeling anxious to bring my kids there. I feel like if they even speak, someone will complain. Last time, we ate in Luminae in 2015, the service was painfully slow (2 plus hours for a hamburger at lunch) and you could hear a pin drop in there so we didn't utilize very much. I'm trying to decide how to approach this on our upcoming cruise.

 

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I’ve seen more families with children in Luminae this cruise than some previous, and they have been almost universally well-behaved and actually quite pleasant. Once in a while there’s a squeal, but that’s what children do. I was a kid once too, I get it. I absolutely don’t mind having children onboard. I do mind parents (or anyone - I’ve been on airplanes where adults are playing videos on tablets audibly because they forgot headphones or the like) playing videos with sound, however.

[Travelcat2]

Some of these posts have us concerned ..... with our first Celebrity cruise being a month from today. I suppose that there will be less children since school has started in most places in North America but it wouldn't take too many children to be disruptive if they were playing video games/movies or whatever with the sound on during dinner. This sounds like a new trend and perhaps Celebrity should look into having a rule about sound on devices while dining.

[Hlitner]

I’m on the Reflection right now, and something I’m seeing for the first time on my many Celebrity voyages is parents sitting their kids down at dinner (in this case, in Luminae) and plopping down a phone or tablet in front of them and putting on cartoons - audibly - during dinner! As if no one else was in the entire dining room. On Tuesday night there were three different shows being played near us - two at a single table, since I guess the two kids wanted to watch different things.

 

When I asked the Maitre’D they said they weren’t allowed to ask them to turn the volume off as “Celebrity has no policy regarding videos during dinner”, but mentioned that we were the 3rd or 4th people that night to complain. The next night they came up to us and said that for this cruise families with children would be seated in the “back section” of Luminae, but that was all they could do.

 

But...just the concept of a parent that will play a video - with sound - during dinner in the restaurant is...so inconsiderate.

 

Another family was playing a video for their child quite loudly during the muster drill safety video; I was shocked the staff didn’t ask them to shut it off in the name of safety.

 

That is a bummer in Luminae or any other dining venue. So what to do? Ask your waiter to please send over the Maitre'd and quietly express your outrage at the disturbance. Without making a scene, politely ask the Maitre'd to either deal with noise issue or move you to a table in a different part of the dining venue. At this point you will have made this the Maitre d's problem and he/she will be responsible for finding a good solution. If this fails to get the desired result you can quietly elevate the issue at a later time. The one thing not to do is to directly confront the parents. That is the job of the professional staff.

 

I think the biggest problem with these kind of issues are the folks that simply keep their mouth's shut and put up with the misery. If nobody raises the issue it is unlikely anything will be done and the problem will likely grow. As far as the kids playing video games or watching cartoons...I have no problem. But they need to be using ear buds.

 

Hank

[keithm]

Thank you. I know they are allowed, but I'm not interested in the stares. It just stresses me out as a parent. Last time, they were unable to provide a more speedy service (we were not looking for fast food by any means, but it seemed they couldn't produce a meal that wasn't 3 hours in length so we gave up trying). My son has been in all kinds of fine dining and does just fine, and yet we still felt uncomfortable being there. However, it was when it first opened, there were no sky suites included which may it feel very quiet, and the service wasn't organized well yet. Hoping that is not the case this time :)

 

Sent from my SM-G930U using Forums mobile app

We were introduced to fine dining at a very young age(under 5)We never had problems or caused issues...Well one time in Chicago with my father, eating tons of "fresh" seafood, I had a "bad" clam. As my father exclaimed "My son has an iron cast stomach" I ended up doing my best "Linda Blair" impersonation all over everyone. Horrible then, but great topic for humor at a later age:)

[Sascol]

What I find worse are the adults. Bluetooth speakers are everywhere now! I don't want to hear it - not on my balcony, not blasting on the beach, not anywhere. Get some headphones. It's so rude. (I'm 40ish, not 80, by the way!)

 

Similar issue on Harmony last fall. We saw (heard) several bluetooth speakers in the sundeck area. Really?? Listen to your music, have at it. But have some awareness of others. Not everyone has your taste in music and even if they do, not everyone wants to hear your music.

 

Similar issue - cell phone conversations on speaker. I don't care if your aunt sally missed the trash pickup or that Jimmy got a 90 on his math test back home. Talk on your phone. Talk all you want, but talk at a normal volume and take your freaking phone off the speaker setting. In that same category, don't watch youtube videos in public spaces and use the speaker either.

 

Headphones people, headphones! Common sense.

[kathynorth]

Some of these posts have us concerned ..... with our first Celebrity cruise being a month from today. I suppose that there will be less children since school has started in most places in North America but it wouldn't take too many children to be disruptive if they were playing video games/movies or whatever with the sound on during dinner. This sounds like a new trend and perhaps Celebrity should look into having a rule about sound on devices while dining.

 

I wouldn't worry about your cruise. This thread just happens to be on the Celebrity page. I've witnessed these types of behaviors at local restaurants, high end resorts, the movie theater, you name it. We seem to be witnessing the emergence of a "me" generation focused on immediate gratification. We've done our fair share of cruising on quite a few lines and IMO Celebrity has a much more controlled environment than other cruiselines.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Similar issue on Harmony last fall. We saw (heard) several bluetooth speakers in the sundeck area. Really?? Listen to your music, have at it. But have some awareness of others. Not everyone has your taste in music and even if they do, not everyone wants to hear your music.

 

Similar issue - cell phone conversations on speaker. I don't care if your aunt sally missed the trash pickup or that Jimmy got a 90 on his math test back home. Talk on your phone. Talk all you want, but talk at a normal volume and take your freaking phone off the speaker setting. In that same category, don't watch youtube videos in public spaces and use the speaker either.

 

Headphones people, headphones! Common sense.

 

Alas, common sense is an oxymoron.

[Sascol]

I’m on the Reflection right now, and something I’m seeing for the first time on my many Celebrity voyages is parents sitting their kids down at dinner (in this case, in Luminae) and plopping down a phone or tablet in front of them and putting on cartoons - audibly - during dinner! As if no one else was in the entire dining room. On Tuesday night there were three different shows being played near us - two at a single table, since I guess the two kids wanted to watch different things.

 

This one drive me nuts as well. I get the need to occupy the kids but again here, headphones should be an expectation.

 

The best (well worst at the time but best to tell a story after the cruise) was the couple on our last cruise that took their 3-year old to the specialty restaurant at 9pm and to keep her occupied gave her one of those little drums on a stick that you twist in your hand to make the beads hit the drum. Not sure what they are called but hopefully I explained this well enough so you know what I am talking about. How is this in any way, shape or form a reasonable way to keep a child occupied at a fancy (or any) dinner table in public? I know what I wanted to do with that little drum but I won't say it here.:mad:

[Orator]

I've only experienced two dining experiences that were really negative and they both featured larger groups of over lubricated adults. One was in Blu the other in Tuscan. The issue in Blu was resolved when the Maitre 'd called in the F&B Manager after many complaints and the group was invited to leave and were banned from Blu for the remainder of the cruise. The Tuscan incident was once again a very loud table of 6 that everyone around me complained about. Maitre 'd made an effort to get them to reduce the noise without success. The restaurant was full and there was no place to move. Fortunately, we were at dessert and simply skipped it and left. The Maitre 'd followed us out and apologized. Offered us another dinner, but his apology was more than enough for us. Large tables + too much alcohol = inconsiderate behavior.

[Sascol]

I've only experienced two dining experiences that were really negative and they both featured larger groups of over lubricated adults.

 

I am adding this phrase to my vocabulary.

[SoCalTraveler]

While inconsiderate behavior can occur anywhere (last Friday we left a restaurant because of noise from over lubricated adults), we have had a few such experiences on ships.

 

On one cruise where we had an aft cabin, our next door neighbor smoked cigars, and held the cigar around the divider on our side. When I confronted him, his excuse was that his wife did not like cigar smoke. I noted we did not, as well. When his behavior did not improve (it happened during late afternoon cocktails) we called customer service. An officer appeared, observed the hand and cigar, and went next door. The officer returned in five minutes and reported the problem was solved. Literally, while he was telling us this, the hand with cigar reappeared. The officer got the hotel manager involved, and we heard that the fellow was called in for a taking to. Then I ran into the wife, who accused me of being responsible for getting her husband in trouble! In any event, the hand with cigar did not return the balance of the cruise. This was a 15 day Trans-Atlantic.

 

On another cruise (I will refer to the ship only by its initials, Carnival Inspiration), the family in the suite next to us had two small children who would pound on the common wall from 6:00 a.m. until midnight. When asking the parents produced no results, we asked the ship to intervene. Same as with the cigar, no sooner than the officer return to tell us the problem was solved than the banging on the wall started up again. The officer went back, and there was an angry confrontation in the hall. The problem was cured only by docking in Los Angeles at the end of the cruise as the cruise line, who I will only refer to as Carnival, threw up its hands. Since this cruise suffered from numerous problems, the kids banging on the wall were only part of our experience. On the other had, there was the couple having sex one night in the aft port Jacuzzi, which was an improvement in the typical entertainment. Did I mention this was the Carnival Inspiration?