Children: unseen & unheard?

[dakrewser]

One of the things my wife and I liked about the late (and lamented, at least by us) Renaissance Lines was their policy of no children and no smoking. All passengers had to be 16 or older. What do you think?

[lknick]

Your poll assumes rotten parents.

[Orcrone]

Ilknick - good point.

 

Dakrewser, there are some adult only cruises. I believe Celebrity has a few. As much as no one wants to be sitting next to misbehaving children, the cruise lines would lose too much revenue banning children, especially during the summer and other school breaks.

[doone]

To be honest, on any of the HAL ships I have sailed, I have never had a problem with children not behaving. I have sailed February school vacation week and no problem, and believe me, if there was something to complain about with kids not behaving, I would be the first. Never a problem here, so I don't mind, so far. As far as smoking goes, well, I am a smoker, a polite one at that and only smoke in deisgnated areas.

[cruisinjudy]

I have yet to see a problem with children on cruise lines. As a teacher we only took cruises during school vacations before retiring and we never had a problem. However, I have seen children in land based restaurants and other venues where the parents should have taken more control of the children.

[iluvcruzin]

I couldn't select any of the choices. I for one am looking forward to sailing on the Maasdam where the child/adult ratio is small. Do I think they shouldn't sail? No.. There is a cruise for every person's likes. I just don't care to cruise during spring break on Carnival or RCCL anymore as my youngest are 20. Been there - done that.

[elmorejj]

I didn`t vote either. On all of the HAL cruises I have taken, I can honestly say that I haven`t been bothered by children, even on the holiday sailings......jean :cool:

[karensj]

As a mother of three children ages 10, 14, & 15 I really didn't know how to answer so I didn't. Our first cruise with the kids was five years ago on Celebrity Cruise Lines. There was around 40 kids on board the ship. My kids loved it and were very well behaved. (No I'm not a mother who thinks her kids are perfect). I think if you use the different programs that are offered you can both be happy. Two years ago we did a Carnival Cruise with them and there must have been 1000 kids on board. It was a totally different experience. I enjoyed the first cruise the most. I love having my kids cruise with me but I can understand the doubts of others. We are planning another cruise this time on HAL with my parents during February vacation. I would assume that there will be other familes on board. I have only cruised during school vacations with my kids so I can't comment on what it is like during off times.

 

Karen

[saltydog28]

dakrewser-This is a tough one for me..........If I were on holiday with only my husband, I wouldn't want to be around other people's children, BUT, it would not ruin my cruise if there were children onboard...........On the other hand......when our children were younger they went everywhere with me. -camping-daytrips-to the mall-as my son would say-'we travel in a pack'- I never had a problem with getting in the car and going. The only babysitters my children ever had were named Nana-Pop-Aunt-Uncle. Our children are what made us a family. And I can count on two fingers the number of times they carried on in public.

So what I'm saying is, if my children aren't allowed in, you won't be seeing me or my husband either.

Take care,

Pat.............."pack-up the babies and grab the old ladies, cause everyone knows, everyone goes.....

[dakrewser]

As far as smoking goes, well, I am a smoker, a polite one at that and only smoke in deisgnated areas.

When we sailed on the "R" ships I was also a smoker. These were totally no smoking ships (and it was enforced! I vividly remember the purser threatening to leave behind someone caught smoking in a restroom!). THere was always a table, some chairs and ashtrays set up on the dock, though. "At sea" days, however, could cause some crabby behavior ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

We try to avoid cruises when we know there will be a lot of children, i.e., spring break, holidays.

Guess we are showing our age.

:o

[ASM]

None of the above.

[geoherb]

We avoid holiday cruises after way too many children on a Princess cruise over Thanksgiving. The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are great though.

 

On our cruise to New England and Canada, there were very few children. We were able to use the pool in peace and quiet.

 

I wouldn't want to go on a cruise with an infant. I think it's better to wait until the child is old enough to remember the trip.

 

We've met some very well-mannered children on cruises. We've also seen some atrocious behavior of unsupervised ones. Of course the parents should be paying attention. But when they don't, I think the cruise line should stop the unruly behavior and take the children to their parents.

[stillfrantic]

None of the above for me either. I would never put an age limit on a general/public sailing. Saying no one under 16 is, to me, like saying no one over 70.....both are illogical. No, I don't want a screaming baby next door, but neither do I want an old snorer with sleep apnea. Wanting the room quiet has nothing to do with age.

 

 

I say everyone should be invited to the party, and all should be on their best party manners.:)

[Roz]

None of the categories fit my experience with children on cruise ships. I'm childless myself, but I've found the children to be fun and in fact, added to the cruise experience. I like being around people having fun, regardless of their age.

 

On my last cruise, all of the children were of pre-school age, the youngest being a 4-month old nursing infant. I never heard screaming of any kind, and the children were well-behaved in the dining room.

 

But now that you mention it, I did hear the nursing infant complain about only getting half a lobster tail on formal night. Should they be banned for that? I don't think so.

 

Roz

[sail7seas]

I could not respond to the poll, either.

 

We like to cruise over holidays (including Easter) and are well aware there will be many children. We also enjoy cruising the Caribbean during the summer months. Again...lots of children.

 

On most of these holiday/summer cruises, we have been unbothered by unruly children. On a few cruises, we were somewhat disturbed by them.

If there were no parents present (or other adult supervision), I had no problem telling the screaming/splashing/running or whatever he/she was doing brat to cool their engines. Didn't disturb me in the least to get in their face and tell them they were invading My Space and they would do well to remember their manners. On EVERY occassion (truthfully, there have only been a few), the child responded appropriately and their behavior became more pleasing. It proved to me without question....the kids want discipline and respond well to it. If Mom or Dad were there, these kids would not have been acting up.

 

Where in the world were Mom and Dad?

 

I want to see children on cruises and everywhere else (age appropriate) where people are having good, clean fun. Children cannot be expected to behave when in public if they are never brought out in public and taught.

[localady]

I have children and we have cruised together, though not on HAL. Generally I have met very well behaved children on board with one or 2 exceptions. I did tell a child to stop splashing in the pool as he was hitting some elderly folks next to us and it was obvious that the child had no supervision. I asked where his folks were ( it was nearly noon) and was told they were still sleeping!! Because I was a lifeguard for many years and am a mother, I too had no problem telling the child to knock it off. He looked at me with a "you can't tell me what to do" attitude, but he stopped when he could see I was not taking that for an answer!!! (Yes we parents are great at growling!!):eek:

I couldn't answer the poll either because I don't think kids should be banned from cruises. I do believe that parents should be told that they are to supervise their children, and not let them roam wild! If children are identified being a nuisance the parent should be contacted and requested to kindly supervise their children or both of them can walk the plank!!:rolleyes: :cool:

[ekerr19]

Your poll assumes rotten parents.

 

Iknick-

 

I agree! It is not so much the kids, but their parents. :)

[Jett456]

I took a cruise two weeks agon on Carnival without my teens. They didn't want to come this time. I was worried that it would be terrible with screaming kids everywhere. But it was fine. I had the late dinner and stayed by the adults only pool. The security guard actually enforced this rule. There was one parent there that didn't get it and the guard pointed out the sign. I was impressed. I took a celebrity cruise two years ago and they didn't enforce the 'no kids in the hot tub' rule at all. I think adults only cruises are fine for those that really really can't tolerate kids but in general no, kids deserve vacations with their parents. I have some great memories of taking my kids on the cruise.

[Giorgi-one]

We also took our children everywhere with us. Only babysitters were family. However, our first cruise was in 1996 and my youngest was 19 at that time. We obviously got a late start on cruising. I don't have a problem with children on a cruise as long as the parents are responsible. That means if their two year old starts screaming in the dining room, they all leave. That means that they don't take infants with diapers in the hot tubs or pools. That means that they don't let their kids play on the elevators. That means that theydo whatever is requried to make sure their children don't interfere with everyone else's cruise.

[FoxyTerrier]

I love seeing the kids on the ship. I think it is wonderful for them to be exposed to lots of different people and cultures. On the baltic we just ended there were kids of every age - infants to late teens. I wasn't disturbed by any of them exept a few that would not leave the dance floor in the disco when asked by the cruise staff. Their parents were the problem though as it was clearly posted no one under 18 years old and the parents put up a big stink over it - in the end the head security officier had to be called.

 

Kids yes.

Rotten parents no.

 

BTW - I saw alot more rude and annoying over 60s - should we ban them too?

[dexter]

My wife and I had a terrible cruise on Carnival Glory last July. I love kids, but this was the "unruly cruise from Hell". We found out later that there were over 900 kids under 13 on that cruise and it was obvious. They were running up and down the hallway at all hours, playing hide-n-go seek during the art auction (behind the artwork), fighting on the Promenade and much more. We will never cruise in the middle of the summer on Carnival again because of that.

[Himself]

Come on gang, each of us were once children and none of us were perfect.

Let us be a little open minded. While I don't think an infant should be on a cruise. I have no problem with little children being on cruises.

Himself

[RevNeal]

I tend to agree with Mr. Granger from the BBC's "Are You Being Served?"

 

"Children are better seen and not heard ... and preferably not seen."

 

In particular, boys can be a scourge on the human race. They should be nailed into a barrel at the age of 6 and fed through a bung-hole until they turn 16. At age 16 one should bung up the hole, toss the barrel overboard, and have the captain take the ship to flank-speed.

 

 

 

 

;)

[Roz]

I personally have found non-mobile infants to be no problem at all. The problem is for the parents that have to care for them.

 

Roz