Attitude of Staff Toward Teens

[debcip]

We just returned from an Adventure cruise with our two daughters, ages 12 and 15. This was our 5th cruise and first with RCI (two with Carnival and two with Disney previously). My daughters do not participate in the organized ship activities, and prefer to do their own things, exploring, going to the pool, having snacks, etc. They have never been considered troublemakers. They insisted that on this cruise the attitude of the staff toward them was very cool. This was not based on any one incident, but rather an overall feeling that they got, that there was a bit of a lack of enthusiasm about them. Is this something that anyone else has noticed?

 

My husband and I loved the experience on this ship, but are a bit reluctant to commit to RCI again if our children are not going to feel welcome. Any input would be appreciated.

[green eyed lady]

We were on AOS 8/3 and my teens had no problems...in fact this was our everyone's favorite cruise :)

[tomko2]

There were a couple of cases of harassment in the past year or so with respect to teens and staff so perhaps the coolness is a sad result. Friendliness can easily be mis-read by people nearby hence the need to maintain distance.

Just a thought.

[wineandbeach]

We were just on AOS with two 17 year old girls. They enjoyed the cruise but definitely felt much more welcome last year on Princess. They were very offended by what they perceived as certain staff members with a bad attitude towards them. On the other hand, they had nothing but compliments for Princess's Youth Security. I did hear that AOS has had a lot of problems with teen drinking recently but they need to find a way to solve the problem without alienating the ones who are in by curfew and following the rules.

[PEGLEG]

Disney just know how to treat kids...of all ages. If you got kids, Disney is for you.

[coopster1974]

TBH I dont blame them. When I was younger if an adult expressed displeasure at my actions I would apologise, kids these days pull out a knife!

[Aquaman#1]

We cruised last December, and we had to practically DRAG our 13yo daughter from "The Lounge" on Navigator. We'd get there at 11, and we'd get "can I stay until 12?", every night. She had a ball, and this is a normally shy and reserved child. No complaints from her.

[G'ma]

We just returned from an Adventure cruise with our two daughters, ages 12 and 15. This was our 5th cruise and first with RCI (two with Carnival and two with Disney previously). My daughters do not participate in the organized ship activities, and prefer to do their own things, exploring, going to the pool, having snacks, etc. They have never been considered troublemakers. They insisted that on this cruise the attitude of the staff toward them was very cool. This was not based on any one incident, but rather an overall feeling that they got, that there was a bit of a lack of enthusiasm about them. Is this something that anyone else has noticed?

 

My husband and I loved the experience on this ship, but are a bit reluctant to commit to RCI again if our children are not going to feel welcome. Any input would be appreciated.

 

It's an unfortunate fact that in our litigious society, some staff and crew onboard some ships have been accused of sexual harassment of younger girls and women. You can't blame the crew for keeping at arms length from 2 young girls who apparently wander around the ship, not taking part in any activities and generally without supervision.

 

It's a good idea to encourage your daughters to get involved in some of the teen activities; meet new kids and join in the fun. The youth conselors onboard most ships are wonderful and they will enjoy their cruise.

[G'ma]

We just returned from an Adventure cruise with our two daughters, ages 12 and 15. This was our 5th cruise and first with RCI (two with Carnival and two with Disney previously). My daughters do not participate in the organized ship activities, and prefer to do their own things, exploring, going to the pool, having snacks, etc. They have never been considered troublemakers. They insisted that on this cruise the attitude of the staff toward them was very cool. This was not based on any one incident, but rather an overall feeling that they got, that there was a bit of a lack of enthusiasm about them. Is this something that anyone else has noticed?

 

My husband and I loved the experience on this ship, but are a bit reluctant to commit to RCI again if our children are not going to feel welcome. Any input would be appreciated.

 

Well, hopefully before you become veteran cruisers, you will take the time to actually read the terms and conditions you agree to when you make a reservation. Let this be a learning experience on how things work. Everything is on RCI's website and addresses many of the things you are upset about. I can understand your disappointment. However, it would be to your advantage to read what you are agreeing to. It will save you a lot of time on the telephone with RCI......

 

I have copied 2 paragraphs which specifically address your problems and have provided a link to the entire terms contract. These things can affect your future cruises too, so it would be good to know if there are any options for you.

 

6. CANCELLATIION,, DEVIIATIION OR SUBSTIITUTIION BY CARRIIER:

Carrier may for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or

deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off

the Vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. Carrier

shall not be liable for any claim whatsoever by Passenger, including but not limited to loss,

compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement,

substitution or deviation.

 

and..............

 

Carrier reserves the right to impose a supplemental charge relating to unanticipated

occurrences including, but not limited to, increases in the price of fuel. Any such supplement

charges may apply, at Carrier’s sole discretion, to both existing and new bookings (regardless

of whether such bookings have been paid in full). Such supplements are not included in the

Cruise or CruiseTour Fare.

.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/CTC_Not_For_BR.pdf

[dna1990]

Huh G'ma? Did you reply to the intended post..what does fuel surcharges have to do wih 'cool' reactions from crew.

 

And huh debcip? And why would you want more than a professional response towards two young girls, not in a kids program? Did you mean to say they were treated 'poorly' (ignored, condecended to, suspicious, etc), or that they just didn't get warm hugs and high fives from the barstaff?

[Leejnd4]

Ya....methinks G'ma is confused. :rolleyes:

 

Anyway, to the OP: 12 & 15 are a little young to be wandering around the ship unsupervised. I took my teens on an RCI cruise a couple years ago, and I insisted that unless they wanted to hang out with me, they go to the teen club and get involved in the ship-sponsored activities, even though they didn't want to at first. They ended up meeting a great group of teens, and they spent the rest of the cruise hanging out with them. I gave them very limited latittude to go around the ship on their own (a couple times with their newfound friends, but only if I knew exactly where they were so I could check up on them). But mostly they hung out at the teen club, or did an organized activity with staff members.

 

IMO, RCI does a GREAT job for teens. Mine have been on two RCI cruises now, and they loved them both! I guess this doesn't necessarily answer your question about how the staff treats teens when they are alone - but then, I just don't think it's a good idea to let them run off by themselves anyway.

 

Another factor to consider is that there have been many reported incidents of unsupervised teens behaving badly. I wouldn't be surprised if some RCI staff are uncomfortable seeing unsupervised teens at all, because they don't know who the "good" ones are, vs. the "bad" ones.

 

I wouldn't rule out RCI because of what your teens experienced. In fact, I've been on a number of cruise lines and I think RCI is the BEST for teens. But next time you might consider enforcing some rules on them, and insisting they go to the teen club rather than spend the time on their own.

 

It's also just a good idea for basic safety.

[debcip]

Whoa, I believe I have been scolded here on these boards!

 

DNA1990, yes, I meant that they perceived that they were"treated 'poorly' (ignored, condecended to, suspicious, etc)"

 

And Leejnd4 and G'ma, although I understand that the teen programs might be great, I do not expect or force my kids to do them if that is not what they desire. I believe that my question was about how the staff treat the teenagers on board. I meant everyone from the room steward to the guys who give them their sodas. And my children should be treated respectfully whether they are involved in an organized activity or not. I do not believe that I need any advice regarding my parenting.

[mark290]

TBH I dont blame them. When I was younger if an adult expressed displeasure at my actions I would apologise, kids these days pull out a knife!

 

So true. I can't even count the number of times a teen has pulled a knife on me while on a cruise. In fact this board is becoming littered with threads about all the knife pulling teens onboard.

[libertybelle41]

So true. I can't even count the number of times a teen has pulled a knife on me while on a cruise. In fact this board is becoming littered with threads about all the knife pulling teens onboard.

 

 

 

lol.....yep:rolleyes:

[ohioNCLcruiser]

When I was working on one of NCL's ships I never had any problems with any teens. Part of that might of been because I was around their age but they were always nice and we were always nice back. A guest on the ship is still a guest no matter what their age is. Only time I had a problem with a group was when they purposely trashed my area but that was a one time thing over two years.

[Leejnd4]

Whoa, I believe I have been scolded here on these boards!

 

DNA1990, yes, I meant that they perceived that they were"treated 'poorly' (ignored, condecended to, suspicious, etc)"

 

And Leejnd4 and G'ma, although I understand that the teen programs might be great, I do not expect or force my kids to do them if that is not what they desire. I believe that my question was about how the staff treat the teenagers on board. I meant everyone from the room steward to the guys who give them their sodas. And my children should be treated respectfully whether they are involved in an organized activity or not. I do not believe that I need any advice regarding my parenting.

 

I apologize if my post came across as scolding - I certainly didn't mean it that way. You asked if bad treatment of teens was anything that anyone else had noticed, and I replied that it was not something that MY teens experienced. And I theorized that that may be due to the fact that they were not off on their own. So my answer to your question, for me anyway, is no - my teens had a great time, especially at the teen club, and doing organized activities with the staff. Nor did they experience any problems from anyone at any other times - but then, most of the time when they weren't at the teen club, they were with us. So I think my theory that it could be due to your teens being alone and not with any adults could have some validity - but it certainly doesn't excuse it.

 

I'm sorry your teens were treated so poorly, and I agree that they are entitled to be treated respectfully at all times. I was simply offering a possible explanation as to WHY they might have received poor treatment - because of all the problems that other, less well-behaved teens have caused in the past when they are left unsupervised on a ship. And given that, I suggested that they might be able to avoid at least some of that treatment by not going off on their own. Not that it's RIGHT that they get treated poorly - of course it's not.

 

No criticism was meant. We simply have different approaches. I have no problem "forcing" (or, to use a better word, telling - since I am their mother, I have that right :)) my kids to do something that they may not want to do. When they become adults, they will be able to make all their own decisions, and tell me to go suck an egg when I tell them to do something. While they are still minors in my care, I get to call the shots. And I am simply not comfortable allowing them to go around on their own on a cruise ship - just as I wouldn't allow them to go off on their own in port. But that's just my personal approach - no disrespect was meant about yours.

[rclcruzer]

Well' date=' hopefully before you become veteran cruisers, you will take the time to actually read the terms and conditions you agree to when you make a reservation. Let this be a learning experience on how things work. Everything is on RCI's website and addresses many of the things you are upset about. I can understand your disappointment. However, it would be to your advantage to read what you are agreeing to. It will save you a lot of time on the telephone with RCI......

 

I have copied 2 paragraphs which specifically address your problems and have provided a link to the entire terms contract. These things can affect your future cruises too, so it would be good to know if there are any options for you.

 

6. CANCELLATIION,, DEVIIATIION OR SUBSTIITUTIION BY CARRIIER:

Carrier may for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or

deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off

the Vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. Carrier

shall not be liable for any claim whatsoever by Passenger, including but not limited to loss,

compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement,

substitution or deviation.

 

and..............

 

Carrier reserves the right to impose a supplemental charge relating to unanticipated

occurrences including, but not limited to, increases in the price of fuel. Any such supplement

charges may apply, at Carrier’s sole discretion, to both existing and new bookings (regardless

of whether such bookings have been paid in full). Such supplements are not included in the

Cruise or CruiseTour Fare.

.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/CTC_Not_For_BR.pdf

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

[galavant3]

We just returned from an Adventure cruise with our two daughters, ages 12 and 15. This was our 5th cruise and first with RCI (two with Carnival and two with Disney previously). My daughters do not participate in the organized ship activities, and prefer to do their own things, exploring, going to the pool, having snacks, etc. They have never been considered troublemakers. They insisted that on this cruise the attitude of the staff toward them was very cool. This was not based on any one incident, but rather an overall feeling that they got, that there was a bit of a lack of enthusiasm about them. Is this something that anyone else has noticed?

 

My husband and I loved the experience on this ship, but are a bit reluctant to commit to RCI again if our children are not going to feel welcome. Any input would be appreciated.

 

I have to admit I am surprised. Our experience has been quite the opposite and we have been on 5 RCI cruises.