Is It Wrong To Ban Cell Phones?

[vafamily5]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise? I have told my kids (16 and 17) that they will be leaving their cell phones home when we go on our family vacation. All I have heard about this subject has been nothing but a bunch of wining ("I won't be able to talk/text to my friends," etc.) I have explained to them that this is a FAMILY vacation and I do not want to have cell phones interrupting us the whole time. I have explained to them that we will be taking one of the parents cell phones with us for emergency purposes. Not for talking and texting friends for hours at a time.

 

Oh yeah, the cruise is 5 days and we are disembarking the ship and immediately traveling to Disney World for another 6 days.

 

I think that the kids will survive without a cell phone for 11 days. What do you think, am I being a stick in the mud about this?

[marty30907]

Not at all. When we cruise, we leave our cell phones in the car! They are one of the things that we are getting away from!

[SATXLady]

No way I would let a kid take their phone on the cruise so they can spend their vacation talking and texting to their friends back home. But not because I'm worried about quality family time but because I'm too cheap to pay for it. Costs on the cruise ship or in foreign ports will be significantly higher than stateside. Plus those unlimited messaging plans or free mobile-to-mobile minutes don't come into play when you are outside the US. So you could end up with several hundred or even several thousand dollars worth of unplanned expenses for a couple of teenagers.

[firefly333]

I wouldnt pay roaming charges on board a ship unless it was a emergency, not for chatting with friends because your kids cant put down their cell phones and do things on the ship.

[vafamily5]

Thank you for pointing out the money aspect of it. I did not even think about that. I will tell the kids that too!

[firefly333]

No way I would let a kid take their phone on the cruise so they can spend their vacation talking and texting to their friends back home. But not because I'm worried about quality family time but because I'm too cheap to pay for it. Costs on the cruise ship or in foreign ports will be significantly higher than stateside. Plus those unlimited messaging plans or free mobile-to-mobile minutes don't come into play when you are outside the US. So you could end up with several hundred or even several thousand dollars worth of unplanned expenses for a couple of teenagers.

 

You bet!!!! Exactly, what I was trying to say.

[Kempa]

Take? Yes.

Use? No.

 

When we went to Playa del Carmen, Mahajual, and Cozumel last year, our friends from Mexico brought their cellphones. We used to find out where everyone else was when we were at port. Not to text, not to chat.

[Ok_Cruiser]

I do the same thing with my kids (10,9 and 6) but with their gameboys, Ipods, PSP's, and etc. I am sure it will be the cell phone in the near future as they are already asking for one.

 

Just remember, the world today is a lot different than what we grew up with just like it was a lot different for our parents. Having cell phones, staying connected, up to date, is the "normal" of today and is what teens do. There are a lot worse things that I think they could be doing than staying in contact with their friends.

 

Whatever decision you make your kids wll survive the eleven days with or without. I think either decision is fine. If I found myself in the same situation I would probably opt to let them bring them but not use them on the ship due to the high cost. I would let them know this is a family vacation and if your cell phones interupt our family activities I reserve the right to take them away for the remainder of the trip, so use them sparingly and cautiously.

 

I am assumming you are paying the bill so you have the decision.

[Travel Angel]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise? I have told my kids (16 and 17) that they will be leaving their cell phones home when we go on our family vacation. All I have heard about this subject has been nothing but a bunch of wining ("I won't be able to talk/text to my friends," etc.) I have explained to them that this is a FAMILY vacation and I do not want to have cell phones interrupting us the whole time. I have explained to them that we will be taking one of the parents cell phones with us for emergency purposes. Not for talking and texting friends for hours at a time.

 

Oh yeah, the cruise is 5 days and we are disembarking the ship and immediately traveling to Disney World for another 6 days.

 

I think that the kids will survive without a cell phone for 11 days. What do you think, am I being a stick in the mud about this?

 

I think what you are doing is "Tough Love" and commend you for this..... Cell phones have gotten totally out of hand. We did without them before and did just fine when on vacations.....Leave 'em home is my vote !

[Kurbanfan]

I wish cell phones were banned in all public places.....what you do in private I don't care:p

[Travel Angel]

I do the same thing with my kids (10,9 and 6) but with their gameboys, Ipods, PSP's, and etc. I am sure it will be the cell phone in the near future as they are already asking for one.

 

Just remember, the world today is a lot different than what we grew up with just like it was a lot different for our parents. Having cell phones, staying connected, up to date, is the "normal" of today and is what teens do. There are a lot worse things that I think they could be doing than staying in contact with their friends.

 

Whatever decision you make your kids wll survive the eleven days with or without. I think either decision is fine. If I found myself in the same situation I would probably opt to let them bring them but not use them on the ship due to the high cost. I would let them know this is a family vacation and if your cell phones interupt our family activities I reserve the right to take them away for the remainder of the trip, so use them sparingly and cautiously.

 

I am assumming you are paying the bill so you have the decision.

 

Yes it is a different world we live in then we did in the past, but it is not necessary for a child to stay connected with friends just to ask "What are you doing" ! The Ipods, PSP's, are ok as there will be times when perhaps they get a tad bored, but why allow them to bring a cell phone with and say it can't be used ? Whats the point of bringing it at all then ? I think that would only add anger to the child much less their attempts to make costly calls when the parent is not looking !

[ScottsSweetie]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

[RatherBFishin]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise?

 

I wouldn't get all philosophical about it. Most people don't let their kids do that,and it has nothing to do with the sanctity of family time. Using their cell phones on the ship costs a ton. No matter what your calling plan is, it almost certainly doesn't extend to International calling.

 

Just explain it can be as much as $10/minute worst case. No, that isn't a misprint.

[Kurbanfan]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

 

I wouldn't call it sad........more like stupid:eek:

[Travel Angel]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

 

Nope... thats an extreme case of "TOUGH LOVE" and I am in favor of what they did !

[sjohnson529]

How can that be tough love when THEY gave in ot HER? Why cancel your plans for what seems to be an unreasonable young lady?

[Retired Man]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

 

Who is the parent here? I think I was strong enough a parent to get my 8th grader's attention. Imagine what the next generation is going to be with kids like this and parents who are allowing such behavior.

[Kempa]

My older DS is at camp right now. Cell phones are not allowed. He didn't take his, nor asked to. When we visited him, he said that some kids brought theirs, but they did not use them. They kept them just in case of an emergency. That is a full four weeks without a cell phone. And he is loving it.

 

So sad for the family who didn't cruise because the 8th grader couldn't part with her cellphone. They should have gone without her. If they have a relative in town, the relative could check on the girl once a day, and make sure she was OK, while the rest of the family could have fun on the cruise. It's a severe case of misplaced priorities.

[vafamily5]

I think I am sticking to my plan. NO cell phones on family vacation!!!! I know how my kids are. They would not discipline themselves to not using a cell phone if they brought it. They would be answering the phone and trying to talk to friends during dinner, site seeing, etc. Not to mention the non-stoppable text messaging because, "Dear God, the friend can't wait too long without a response back." I don't know how this would be a family vacation if they were spending most of the time on the phone with friends.

 

I may even call TMobile and have the phones turned off before we leave. Just in case one of them wants to sneak it with them. :D

[kakarp]

on our May cruise my SIL kept texting and calling the kids back home.

to her surprise the next phone bill was over $750.

 

my DW and i did call home a few times just to check on Mom the dogs and our 27yr old son. and a long call on our GD 16th B-Day because she with us and we wanted to share the morning of opening cards with her parents back home. that call maybe was just short of half an hour. our bill was about $65. more.

 

Keep the kids phones home

 

Kevin

[GayleR]

Oh yeah, the cruise is 5 days and we are disembarking the ship and immediately traveling to Disney World for another 6 days.

 

I would bring the phones for Disney World unless you are planning to stay together the whole time. We used our cell phones at the parks if we were going to be late meeting the group, etc....

 

I would NOT use them on the ship. That's just crazy.

[brandymleahy]

DH and i are planning a cruise for mid april and will only be bringing along one cell phone. For emergency purposes only as ATT charges $2.49 per minute. We will e-mail to communicate or at a much lesser cost of 50cents per we may text to check in on the kiddo's.

[ShedQueen77]

My kids do not have cell phones. In all fairness, my 11 year old is the only one of my three kids (my other two are 5 and 3) who would even consider having one. If he *did* have one, it would stay home. Period. Why? Because I'm the Mom and I said so! ;)

 

Since we're cruising without the kids for the first time, I am bringing mine along as an emergency contact number ONLY. My parents and my XH will have the number for the ship as well and are well aware how much it will cost me to use my cell phone. They have been told to call it in the event of an emergency only.

[rcoaster809]

I'm 21 and enjoy locking my phone in the room safe for the duration of a cruise. Usually one person from each group takes a phone with them to shore for emergencies only. My sister is 17, and she has a hard time without it. My parents didn't tell her that the ship had cell service the entire cruise, so it was only an issue in port.

 

As for Disney, we always make sure that one person in each group has a phone so we can keep in touch.

 

I personally like having a cell phone for emergency reasons, and for the caller ID. Other than that, I don't use it much differently than a land line. And that includes not using it on vacations.

[pugsy&porter]

I am definitely believe that kids should be able to go a week without a cell phone. Especially in today's day and age when parents are forced to work more for less money. Family Vacations are a critical part of the overall family dynamics. It is good to charge the batteries. Since you are going for another week to Disney; maybe you can meet in the middle and offer them their phones from the trip from the port to Orlando to give them a chance to "catch up"; but once the Disney events begin, back in the bag. Although, it may help pass the time with the lines at Disney, although I have found that to be the best time to talk and catch with everything going on in the kids lives.