Parents-how about a little help to your fellow cruisers????

[Cruising89143]

The statement about sailing on Celebrity and a different class of parent seems to infer that the behavior will be somewhat better. As a teacher I have taught some very priveleged children and they are in many ways more snots than those who have not had everything handed to them on a silver platter. I'm surprised that cruise ships haven't instituted a curfew on ships also and I think it would be warranted given behavior I have witnessed and experienced.

 

On many of the pricier ships there are far fewer children because parents with 2-3 kids are virtually priced out of that market, hence fewer problems, but I don't think it has anything to do with class.

 

RCI does have a curfew and from what I have seen it works. I have not had the problem with kids running up and down the halls at 3:00 AM. I have also read stories over on the RCI board of families being placed off of the ship in one of the ports to find their own way home due to their kids. When you get your docs from RCI there is a section for "rules of conduct" that everyone must agree and adhere to. I think that all cruise lines need this and to stick to their guns and this not applies to children but adults too.

[Vanessa L]

I appreciate everyone's pain here, btdt. But have you noticed not one person has spoken up and said, "Yes, those are MY kids and I'm damned proud of their idiotic behavior....and by the way, who are you to tell me I can't leave my 8 year old daughter in a stair well at 2AM to get raped?" While this thread is interesting I think we are preaching to the choir here. Talking about crappy behavior by children is never going to change it unless all cruiselines enforce some sort of curfew.

 

It does feel better to get it off our chests but change anything? I don't think so.

[ValorOct06]

Also, next cruise, no teacher, and no school breaks, hopefully. (2/12/06)

It's British half term... (mid-semester) break that week....

 

;)

[habby]

I appreciate everyone's pain here, btdt. But have you noticed not one person has spoken up and said, "Yes, those are MY kids and I'm damned proud of their idiotic behavior....and by the way, who are you to tell me I can't leave my 8 year old daughter in a stair well at 2AM to get raped?" While this thread is interesting I think we are preaching to the choir here. Talking about crappy behavior by children is never going to change it unless all cruiselines enforce some sort of curfew.

 

It does feel better to get it off our chests but change anything? I don't think so.

 

Two sides here.

 

"Talking about crappy behavior by children is never going to change it unless all cruiselines enforce some sort of curfew."

One, if the cruise lines institute and enforce a curfew and the parents don't like it, they can cruise somewhere else! If I know the rules and don't want to play by them, I don't play. It's as simple as that.

 

And then we get back to the never-ending parental responsibility, which we know is being discussed all over this website in light of recent events.

 

And yes, I feel better getting lots of things off my chest.

[TinaLee]

The skateboard should have never been allowed on board to begin with, nor the rollerblades that the OP talked about.

 

I have to disagree with part of this at least. I don't think the OP meant roller blades in the terms of those that look like roller skates, I think he's referring to "wheelies" - which look like sneakers but have wheels on the bottom which the kids can pop out at will and skate along on. And yes, I have seen them on cruise ships before - simply because they DO look like regular tennis shoes and no one knows the difference until they pop the stupid wheels off and skate past you. My husband threatened to pole-ax one on Caribbean Princess if he caught him doing it again out on the pool deck - and we watched him sit down and take his shoes off and walk away. Of course, he probably went around the corner and put them back on, but we never saw him again! :)

[Vanessa L]

Two sides here.

 

"Talking about crappy behavior by children is never going to change it unless all cruiselines enforce some sort of curfew."

One, if the cruise lines institute and enforce a curfew and the parents don't like it, they can cruise somewhere else! If I know the rules and don't want to play by them, I don't play. It's as simple as that.

 

And then we get back to the never-ending parental responsibility, which we know is being discussed all over this website in light of recent events.

 

And yes, I feel better getting lots of things off my chest.

 

Yep, and that is why I said "all" cruiselines enforce a curfew. You are right, just having a few do this would be futile.

 

Again, with all the posts here and in other threads, I've noticed that not one parent has stepped up and "been proud" of their child's idiotic behavior. One parent did say that she might let her 15 year old run around the ship but I suspect she'll feel differently if the child falls overboard, gets sexually assaulted, or just dissappears. I still think that all this is preaching to the choir. It is clear by the responses to this and other similarly themed posts that we get it and those that don't aren't going to read this and recognize themselves anyway.

[Vanessa L]

My husband threatened to pole-ax one on Caribbean Princess if he caught him doing it again out on the pool deck - and we watched him sit down and take his shoes off and walk away. Of course, he probably went around the corner and put them back on, but we never saw him again! :)

 

LOVE the way your hubby thinks!!! And better yet, verbalizes!! High five Tina!

[zqvol]

I feel for you!!!

We are the parents of a 6 year old (who WILL be with him at all times OR he will be at Camp Carnival come March on the Miracle) and I find it appauling how some people allow their kids to misbehave and than blame it on the other passengers OR staff!!!

It always amazes me how we of a culture that are raising a bunch of kids that have NO manners OR regard for other people. Not saying ALL are like that but a majority of and I fear for my sons generation when they become adults someday with having had no training in discipline and/or manners or courtesy of others!!!!

Come on folks....do you not realize that a ship is NOT accident proof or worse yet predator proof???? Leaving your kids/pre-teens/teenagers unattended for the entire night not knowing where they are or who they are with can lead to trouble OR being in places they have no business being!!!!

It sucks that you had to deal with this and i can imagine it makes for a sour taste in your mouth regarding cruising with kids.....

When will we get it????? :confused:

I feel like at times that the current generation of parents had no rules so they don't know how to enforce or impose them themselves. A sad situation but one that we as a society need to deal with, not just on board, but everywhere.

[zqvol]

I have to disagree with part of this at least. I don't think the OP meant roller blades in the terms of those that look like roller skates, I think he's referring to "wheelies" - which look like sneakers but have wheels on the bottom which the kids can pop out at will and skate along on. And yes, I have seen them on cruise ships before - simply because they DO look like regular tennis shoes and no one knows the difference until they pop the stupid wheels off and skate past you. My husband threatened to pole-ax one on Caribbean Princess if he caught him doing it again out on the pool deck - and we watched him sit down and take his shoes off and walk away. Of course, he probably went around the corner and put them back on, but we never saw him again! :)

I don't care for the wheelies either but I was referring to the traditional rollerblades that look like skates.

[CordovaMom]

Great post -- we love kids, having four of our own, but waited til they were grown before we went on our first cruise and then we went without them!!!!! We also chose a time of year when most children were in school and there were only 500 onboard our Conquest cruise, although we probably only saw about a dozen, most were very well behaved, so we lucked out. We see enough bad behaviour from unsupervised children at the mall or the movie theater that we wouldn't want to ruin our vacation with misbehaved children onboard. I hope that your post is read by some parents that will heed your advice, but feel that unfortunately, those are the parents without a clue to begin with and your post is falling on deaf ears so to speak. Thanks for a great post.

[bonniemari]

The kid I saw on the Valor looked like he had on rollerblades-could have been the wheelie things at my age (46) they all look the same to me. Guess I should have mentioned that this brat was on these things in Rosie's restaurant of all places. My concern was with the elderly person he ran over. Didn't have time or the thought to chase him down. Hopefully somewhere along the way he was pole axed by a fellow cruiser. Of course then his parents could sue Carnival, the pole axer and any one else they could find if their little darling was injured. Or demanded a full refund and a free cruise so they could being the brat on another ship to once again terrorize all us old folks.

 

Ok I must be having a bad day-just a point here-bad behavior in parents and children can happen anywhere not just on a Carnival ship. Just had a family of 6-mom, dad and 4 little darlings in our retail store-kids were wild opening and slamming refrigerator, dishwasher and range doors, climbing up on top of a glass top stove and pushing buttons on the computer on the front desk. After about 20 minutes of this my DH finally told the parents if they could not control the kids they had 2 choices-take their business elsewhere or come back without the kids. They left in a huff-big deal-just as soon not have the business. I'd bet my last dollar that if the kid that climbed up on the glass top stove had broken the glass and been cut-a lawsuit from the parents would be coming my way-with these set of parents no way would they have offered to pay for the stove.

[Kittybork]

I

Firstly, I know of a private, Catholic high school that costs a small fortune at attend in my area that has a higher pregnancy rate than either of the local public high schools. Sad. Definitely not following (religion) rules there...

 

Perhaps they're following SOME of the rules. Abortion is against their faith as well. The girls from the other schools may have the same high pregnancy rate but deal with it in another way.

[Leafpeeper]

First of all, I love kids. However, after the evening theater performances are over, I think kids belong in their cabin--not running around the ship or hanging out in adult lounges. On my last Carnival cruise, a couple came into the kareoke lounge after 11pm with their kids. I couldn't believe they actually brought an infant in a stroller in and sat next to us. When my children were young, I would never think of bringing them to an adult venue with smoke, loud noise, and drunks late a night when they should be sleeping. I feel that a curfew should be implemented because some parents just don't seem to take their parental responsibilities serious. Don't ships have babysitters? I don't get it.

 

We are sailing on Carnival Triumph in February during school vacation week. I hope I don't regret booking this cruise. I guess I could spend my week sitting on my balcony wearing earplugs.

[msolberg]

Great post -- we love kids, having four of our own, but waited til they were grown before we went on our first cruise and then we went without them!!!!! We also chose a time of year when most children were in school and there were only 500 onboard our Conquest cruise, although we probably only saw about a dozen, most were very well behaved, so we lucked out. We see enough bad behaviour from unsupervised children at the mall or the movie theater that we wouldn't want to ruin our vacation with misbehaved children onboard. I hope that your post is read by some parents that will heed your advice, but feel that unfortunately, those are the parents without a clue to begin with and your post is falling on deaf ears so to speak. Thanks for a great post.

 

I agree CordovaMom. We didn't take our kids on our cruise vacations either. We did the Disney thing with them and several Cedar Point vacations along with other trips and camping. We took two or three cruises while they were still home, but they stayed with relatives. Without the kids is definately the way to take a cruise.

 

I hope those of you who do take your kids don't take this post the wrong way, I am just saying this worked best for us.

 

Diane

[christhree]

As we cruise twice a year, I have also experienced the "kid factor", yet we go when kids would normally be in school...

I remember a dad at 8am crying at the bar { a coke was easier and closer for me than coffee}, who could not find his 15 yr old daughter....let the tragic story recently make these parents aware.......

I do NOT hesitate to correct unruly children..{ yes I had my own}.

AND I do NOT feel bad getting splashed at the pool..I learned...." sit near water, expect to be splashed" .

HOWEVER, I do not enjoy the dipping of tea bags in the pool. ONE little "leak/accident" cost us a entire day in the pool and the slide, because someone felt the need to take a toddler in the pool...HOW RUDE !! 1,500 people had no access while they scrubbed with clorox?

YES, they paid for their cruise...but are they going to pay for MY "time-out"? I think not. So I agree, parents should be more WATCHFUL of their kids and what they do.:cool:

[TanIslandGirl]

Picklebongo,

You are so right !!!!!!!:)

[halos]

I remember a dad at 8am crying at the bar { a coke was easier and closer for me than coffee}, who could not find his 15 yr old daughter....let the tragic story recently make these parents aware.......

 

 

:rolleyes:

OK...so I just HAVE to ask. If your 15 year old daughter is missing how the he** can you just sit at the bar and cry...shouldn't you be off your a** looking for her??? Did you ask this idiot why he was sitting????????????????????????? What did you say to him?

[jeast]

The problem is, you're preaching to the choir. I expect that the type of people who research, discuss, and put a lot of planning and time into their cruising, such as cruise critic members, are less likely to be the type of slap-dash parents you speak of.

 

I think you should have a license to have kids.

[da_cruisin_bears]

We are planning our first cruise with our 3 kids for Spring of 2007. At that time our DD will be 11 and twin boys will be 9. I have read sooo many posts about misbehaved children and am actually fearful of taking my kids. I do not want to have my kids labeled "the brats" and will have drilled it into their head how their behavior is expected to be when they are with us and not. They will be with us more often than not unless they are in Camp Carnival. We are also taking our 18 year old babysitter with us for help overseeing the kids in cases when everyone wants to do something different and we will have 1 adult to each child.

 

I will post which cruise we will be on and want anyone on the same cruise to report to me ANY misbehavior by any of my kids immediately in the few cases they may not be with one of us. My kids have been taught their manners, to be respectful to any other person no matter their age and how to behave. They do act up - they are not angels by any means and do need reminded to settle down.

 

Luckily we travel frequently for weekend trips to see family and we always stay in a hotel so they know how to behave in "close quarters" - but once again we do have to remind them at times.

 

For any parent that has already cruised with their younger children - any tips/reminders to tell our kids before we leave would be appreciated. I will of course threaten that we will be kicked off the ship at any port for misbehavior. ;)

[halos]

We are planning our first cruise with our 3 kids for Spring of 2007. At that time our DD will be 11 and twin boys will be 9. I have read sooo many posts about misbehaved children and am actually fearful of taking my kids. I do not want to have my kids labeled "the brats" and will have drilled it into their head how their behavior is expected to be when they are with us and not. ;)

 

If this concerns you, then I'd wager your kids won't be the brats. The parents who care are the ones whose kids will likely behave.

Relax and have a great time.