Most family friendly cruisers????

[CanadaFour]

Many ships market themselves as family-friendly. There are amenities made available to families on most mainstream lines: kid's clubs, family-programming, etc. This isn't what I am referring to.

 

I have been dismayed by the family/kid- bashing on some boards. Posters who speak about children on cruiseships as the equivalent of bed bugs. OK-- that is a bit of an overstatement, but... they speak of cringing when a family is seated nearby, kids in hot tubs ruining their experience, the 'noise' the kid's programs make when the do parades around the ship etc. etc.

 

So... which line has the most family-friendly *guests*?

[boulders]

I'll be very interested in the responses to this. I've only cruised RCCL and haven't found the crew or the pax that kid-friendly. So, I'm trying Carnival in a couple of weeks and Princess in the summer. :D

[crusinmama06]

I HAD to vote Disney because of the way the poll was asked. I find the Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships pretty family friendly...and just as friendly as Disney. But you asked about the PAX and that means, have I ever heard a rude comment from a passenger on Disney? Well no, I haven't because anyone on Disney better prepare themselves that there WILL be loads of children. ;)

 

On Royal Caribbean, the passengers are coming around. You can see it even here at Cruise Critic. The anti kid posts aren't as bad.

 

Now on the Carnival board...I've seen them post the cabin number of people who were going to let their diapered kids in the pool. :eek:

 

I've never had any problems, staff/passengers on any ship. I have heard comments, at least one per cruise. But nothing I can't handle.:D

[cb at sea]

Here's the thing with kids---most of us have them and love them--but--and this is the thing----if you don't bring your own kids, you really don't want to have dinner with other peoples kids...

I have no objection to kids on a cruise ship with me...after all, I'm not taking care of them! And we've seen some really well-behaved kids, thanks to the parents! The "not so well-behaved"...bad parenting and they tend NOT to care that their child is being intrusive into other people's vacation time. but you get that EVERYWHERE--the grocery store, the movies, EVERYWHERE!!! A cruise is (or should be) no different!

[lolakat]

I've always found the negativity about kids on cruises a bit odd. Especially on lines such as RCL, Carnival and NCL that clearly are trying to attract families with children. There are many vacations that cater to a child free atmosphere, like adult only resorts. Even higher end cruise lines such as Regent don't seen to work to attract children. I just don't understand why someone would book a clearly family oriented product, like a RCL cruise, and then complain that there are kids there. It is like going to dinner at a steak house and complaining that there are not enough vegetarians there.

[cruisethree]

We have only been on 2 but have been so pleased. The first is a no brainer -- Disney Wonder.

 

But NCL Spirit came close. First, we went winter break week and there were 250 kids on board. The kids crew was top notch and the facilities very good. Great pool area. And because they had free style dining, you don't have to eat with people who don't want to eat with kids.

 

We had such a great vacation on NCL Spirit with our 4 year old, who begged to go to her club when we were at sea or after dinner. They had a very cute talent show one night of all the different age groups. And on the way back, a day at sea, I was by the adult pool and hear pirates. Her kids club were dressed as pirates, parading through the boat singing songs. She loved it.

[crusinmama06]

It is like going to dinner at a steak house and complaining that there are not enough vegetarians there.

 

 

This is my favorite quote all week! :D:D:D HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

I just may use it. I am in a discussion with some Royal Caribbean Board members over the dining room.

[lolakat]

This is my favorite quote all week! :D:D:D HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

I just may use it. I am in a discussion with some Royal Caribbean Board members over the dining room.

 

 

glad you like it :D

[Garn]

I agree that Disney is an entirely different category than the others.

 

But a lot seems to have to do with the length of the cruise, the time of year, the destinations as well. I also suspect that the way your own kids are treated depend on how rude or polite the other kids on the cruise are- if the other pax have had a bad experience earlier in the week, they are less likely to give your kids the benefit of the doubt.

 

That said, our kids felt very welcome on both Disney and NCL- I can let you know in a couple weeks about Princess.

[Islandbear]

The problem is usually not the kids but the parents that think that going on vacation means going on vacation from being a parent. They act as is they have no responcibility for their kids.

 

I look forward to vacations with my family and love spending extra time with them, not the other way around. I cringe when I hear people talk about how great the ship was "There was so much for the kids to do! We hardly ever had to see them. They spent the whole cruise in the game room or club!" OMG :eek:

[brenderlou]

The problem is usually not the kids but the parents that think that going on vacation means going on vacation from being a parent. They act as is they have no responcibility for their kids.

 

I look forward to vacations with my family and love spending extra time with them, not the other way around. I cringe when I hear people talk about how great the ship was "There was so much for the kids to do! We hardly ever had to see them. They spent the whole cruise in the game room or club!" OMG :eek:

 

We just came back from the Celebrity Century. Our 4 1/2 yr old absolutely LOVED the kids program and would ask to go. If she wanted to, we took her and always gave her a choice...."Do you want to be at the pool w/ Mommy & Daddy or go to the kids club?".....Kids club won every time.

We had ALOT more alone time then we even thought possible or was excepting and enjoyed every second. It was great so I am one of those parents that said that when people asked.

Oh, by the way, I'm not upset you posted this but just wanted to give our experience with cruising w/ a child.....Have a good one!!!:)

[Islandbear]

I appreciate that many parents find a balance and take advantage of all that the ships offer kids. My kids love the freedom they have on vacation to do their own thing too. But when I see bad behaving kids on a cruise I blame the parents not the kids.

[brenderlou]

I appreciate that many parents find a balance and take advantage of all that the ships offer kids. My kids love the freedom they have on vacation to do their own thing too. But when I see bad behaving kids on a cruise I blame the parents not the kids.

 

I agree !00%!!!!! I am considered a "strict" parent by my brother and sister-in-law who also has a 4 yr old. We recently all went to Disney together (we live in Ft Lauderdale) for the weekend and had to put up with thier child's tantrums (at 4 yrs old:mad:) at dinner, at the park, at the hotel, etc.......but she still got everything she wanted.

I heard later they were embarrassed by thier daughter's bad behavior and mentioned how well behaved our daughter was. My thought is you want a good kid, you have to work at it CONSTANTLY. You want a kid that is a brat, be lazy.

[CanadaFour]

Thank you for all your opinions. It is really great to hear the wonderful experiences many of you have had.

 

The reason that I posted this is that I was literally driven to tears by some recent threads on other boards. I have seen such threads even on Disney cruise boards (not this BB)--

 

This poll, however, was about one's fellow cruisers. I have never had a bad experience with a crew member dealing with my children and would even say that my DDs have been openly embraced on every, single ship we have been on. The crew members, many of whom are parents themselves, miss their children so much; when our DDs show crew members warmth and attention, the photos of their own kids come out. My heart breaks for them and I hope that the hugs and warmth of my kids help them deal with their homesickness............

 

But, the other PAX. Hmmm. I find it disheartening that some people see children as an intrusion into their private world of cruising. I really don't get it. I mean I REALLY don't get it. I would take a kid (even a crying one) over a boorish adult any day. I have seen poorly behaved children on each cruiseship we have been on (and, yup, the parents need to take some responsibility here) but I have encountered (as a percentage) wayyyyyy more disruptive adults. Behaviour which, if exhibited by a child, would be considered horrid, is tolerated from adults (like heckling entertainers, throwing things, yelling at family members)......

 

Many lines are moving to more open dining to accomodate guests needs for flexibility. This is why we originally chose NCL for most of our cruising. I think now, however, that we were wrong. I think that the structure of traditional dining helps the 'family bashers' cope... People who show up for an early sitting know that they will have more families surrounding them. They accept this prior to boarding. They come to the first dinner with the hope that they will be seated next to families with "good kids". But, they know and accept that kids will be there. With open dining, I think that we face more eyerolls because the presence of children at nearby tables is intermittent and not anticipated.

 

Just my thoughts.

[emjsea]

I blame the cruise lines as much as the (very few) bad parents for the problem. If the cruise lines actually enforced the very few "no children" areas of the ship, then there would be a lot less complaining from people without children or who don't have their children on the cruise. It's really annoying to find the few adults only area (the gym, the sauna, the hot tubs, the disco) full of children. I think adults on a cruise that caters to children should have a reasonable expectation for some adults only time and areas. I believe Disney does this and is strict about the adults only area and that would make me more like to go on a cruise on Disney with friends who have kids rather than alone on another cruiseline. Wanting time away from children, your own or other people's, doesn't mean you are mean or a child hater. As the cruiselines like RCCL expand their offerings for children, I'd like to see them expand and enforce their "adults only" offerings. Perhaps an adults only restaurant or restaurant seating. Adults only shows, etc. That way everyone can enjoy the ship and their vacation whether want to be around children or not.