Things Kids DON'T do on a cruise ...

[Andersoncd]

Seems like the majority of folks on these boards have something negative to say about kids on a cruise. I personally don't have any problem with them. Here's a quick a list of things kids don't do on a cruise. Can you think of any more?

1. Kids don't smoke cheap cigars or cigarettes in the presence of non-smokers.
2. Kids don't get so drunk they need friends to help them back to their room at night.
3. Kids don't take twenty minutes to get through the buffet lines, because they simply have to have one of everything.
4. Kids don't embarrass you by making foul-mouthed complaints to the stewards because their room is too warm or too cool, or the beds aren't soft enough, or the bathroom is too small.
5. Kids don't care what time they get to eat.
6. Kids don't complain about the food, they just forget it, and get something else.
7. Kids don't take up much space in the whirlpools like that 350 pounder with the blisters on his feet.
8. Kids don't stand around complaining during the mandatory lifeboat drill, ie... they understand what "mandatory" means.
9. Kids don't block your view of the screen in the movie theatre.
10. And finally .... most kids don't stink, have foul breath, cough loudly, or blow their noses in the dining room.

[jhannah]

This reads like it could be for adults, too!

[JDee]

Gave serious thought to shoot down a lot of those reasons, but will just consider tahe list in jest....as a similar listing by a certain late night comedian.....

Happy cruising....

[Nliedel]

I am the mother of four boys so I have to chime in here.. and this is in jest because I adore my boys.. (right now they are fighting over Pringles and I am pretending they don't exist by hiding my head in my computer armoire : ) Dad is taking a day off he is enjoying the pleasure of being refferee)..

1. Kids don't smoke cheap cigars or cigarettes in the presence of non-smokers.

But they do lecture total strangers on the evils of smoking while I try to marshal them back next to me and slap my hand over thier mouths. I do want to raise non smokers but I also beleive in personal freedom.. something they will learn about as they earn it.

2. Kids don't get so drunk they need friends to help them back to their room at night.

But they do watch TV and will, in a nice restaurant, the only time you have had a glass of wine in months ask "Mom are you an alcoholic because you drink?" in front of your in - laws. Gee thanks for that one son... let's hope I forget it before Christmas.

3. Kids don't take twenty minutes to get through the buffet lines, because they simply have to have one of everything.

no, but they will take 20 minutes to go through because they don't like anything. Then whine about not having a hot dog. I am glad more lines are getting kid friendly food.

4. Kids don't embarrass you by making foul-mouthed complaints to the stewards because their room is too warm or too cool, or the beds aren't soft enough, or the bathroom is too small.

No, but they will parrot any and every swear word they have ever heard just when you don't want them to :)

5. Kids don't care what time they get to eat.

They will however become little monsters if they are hungry.

6. Kids don't complain about the food, they just forget it, and get something else.

Uh huh... I don't have a come back for this one but I can say that in my expereince this is not exactly correct ; )

7. Kids don't take up much space in the whirlpools like that 350 pounder with the blisters on his feet.

No but they will make a crack about the weight of the person in the pool.. something I find horrible.

8. Kids don't stand around complaining during the mandatory lifeboat drill, ie... they understand what "mandatory" means.

No but they will complain loud and long that they cannot actually get in the lifeboats.

9. Kids don't block your view of the screen in the movie theatre.

They just talk and talk and talk through the whole movie. This could just be my kids.. they get it from my husband.. who is not allowed to go to movies with me anymore.

10. And finally .... most kids don't stink, have foul breath, cough loudly, or blow their noses in the dining room.

no, they just make fart jokes.

THey can be obnoxious little twerps... But darn it I absolulty adore mine. Just when I am ready to cook and eat all of them they will pick me a bunch of Dandlions and tell me how much they love me. Bless em.

[bepsf]

Kids don't:


Ask how much you paid for your cruise
Demand compensation for missing a port.
Reserve deckchairs with a book or a towel all day long
Smoke cigars on the balcony next to yours
Worry about "privacy on my balcony"
Order extra lobster
Try to touch you inappropriately in the steam room
Reserve entire rows of seats in the Theatre
Have loud conversations in the Ocean Bar about their medical conditions
order Meatloaf!

[trubey]

Nliedel

That was wonderful. susan.

[QuitMyDayJob]

Nancy, in line with your post:

Some friends of ours got a ride with another family at a soccer tournament and when the other couple started arguing about driving/map reading, our friends tried to laugh it off to reduce the tension in the van. Shortly thereafter, our friends' eight year old said "Oh, my parents fight too, but usually after they've been drinking." And then the car was silent.

Kids say the darndest things.

[Time2sail]

Bother me but their parents who don't teach them manners do.

[cactuslady]

Seems like the majority of folks on these boards have something negative to say about kids on a cruise. I personally don't have any problem with them. Here's a quick a list of things kids don't do on a cruise. Can you think of any more?

1. Kids don't smoke cheap cigars or cigarettes in the presence of non-smokers.
2. Kids don't get so drunk they need friends to help them back to their room at night.
3. Kids don't take twenty minutes to get through the buffet lines, because they simply have to have one of everything.
4. Kids don't embarrass you by making foul-mouthed complaints to the stewards because their room is too warm or too cool, or the beds aren't soft enough, or the bathroom is too small.
5. Kids don't care what time they get to eat.
6. Kids don't complain about the food, they just forget it, and get something else.
7. Kids don't take up much space in the whirlpools like that 350 pounder with the blisters on his feet.
8. Kids don't stand around complaining during the mandatory lifeboat drill, ie... they understand what "mandatory" means.
9. Kids don't block your view of the screen in the movie theatre.
10. And finally .... most kids don't stink, have foul breath, cough loudly, or blow their noses in the dining room.

What is your defiinition of a kid? Someone under 3? Baby goats, maybe? If kids are humans under 18 or 16 or even 14, I woud disagree.

1. I've seen it happen, sad to say.
2. I've seen it happen, although not on a cruise ship because I can't stay up as late as they do.
3. No. They take the 20 minutes because they have to (a) examine everything very closely, then put it back while making a face or (b) pitch screaming fits because peas are on the buffet and they don't like peas.
4. They don't embarass ME, but I have heard plenty of ungracious complaints by kids, usually when they are emulating their parents.
5. If that's true, then why do families with kids try soooo hard to get early seating?
6. See No. 3.
7. It's not the size of the kid, it's the size of the cannonball. And the fact that they don't look where they're going when swimming.
8. Really? Mom, why do I have to wear this goofy outfit? Mom, I'm hot. Mom, can we go to the pool now? These words have never been said?
9. No, but the pieces of flying popcorn do.
10. Oh come on. Have you really never witnessed a belching contest? And high-pitched shrieking doesn't count? Then there's the coughing -- quietly, but right in your face. By the way, just Saturday I was at a parade where the kids in the crowd were buying and promptly using stink bombs, apparently with their parents' approval. :p

[Sillyjilly]

Nliedel and Cactuslady,

DITTO. I have 2 teenage boys and you are so on it! :)

[M.S JAZO]

I will be 18 on our next cruise and I disagree with most on the first list. I dont mix well with kids my age but people older then me.

1. They smoke. Trust me they do. I dont. Not to say never but have not unitl now.
2. Course they drink. What world are we living that some kids wont drink
3. They dont take 20 mins cause they get the same all the time. Pizza Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Pasta. I tell my friends I eat Cavier, lobster, sushi, calamari and they freak out. They dont want to try other things plus they have no manners and skip the lines.
4. R u sure about that. Cause I have before. And dont even get me started with complaines at dinner an for dressing up.
7. Not by one 350 pounder but by 4 or 5 130 pounder together at once
I wont even say anything about others, I am 17 and will be 18 in June. I know these things for a fact. Now dont get me wrong, some kids a very polite, But the general crowd of kids ruin it for the rest. But I have friends and cousins who have done plenty more then those listed. I dont like to be rued. I want the same respect I give towards others. As far as I am concerned, That list if like 10% accurate, by my experiance. Now I will get a ton of "I AM WRONG REPLYS". I might wrong but I am not the only one who would say this and I fall into that age as well so I would know

[tomc]

Kids don't complain about how it used to be in the good old days before Carnival bought HAL.

[richnorto]

I will be 18 on our next cruise and I disagree with most on the first list. I dont mix well with kids my age but people older then me.

1. They smoke. Trust me they do. I dont. Not to say never but have not unitl now.
2. Course they drink. What world are we living that some kids wont drink
3. They dont take 20 mins cause they get the same all the time. Pizza Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Pasta. I tell my friends I eat Cavier, lobster, sushi, calamari and they freak out. They dont want to try other things plus they have no manners and skip the lines.
4. R u sure about that. Cause I have before. And dont even get me started with complaines at dinner an for dressing up.
7. Not by one 350 pounder but by 4 or 5 130 pounder together at once
I wont even say anything about others, I am 17 and will be 18 in June. I know these things for a fact. Now dont get me wrong, some kids a very polite, But the general crowd of kids ruin it for the rest. But I have friends and cousins who have done plenty more then those listed. I dont like to be rued. I want the same respect I give towards others. As far as I am concerned, That list if like 10% accurate, by my experiance. Now I will get a ton of "I AM WRONG REPLYS". I might wrong but I am not the only one who would say this and I fall into that age as well so I would know

I don't know what to say, accept "MAYBE THIS WAS NOT AIMED AT OLDER TEENS!" We all know many teenagers forget every manner ever taught for a few years - especially when parents aren't around! Many teens are more rude to staff and more disrespectful of those around them than the most obnoxious adult. I personally think the OP was acurate in many instances and a little optimistic in others with his very positive outlook on KIDS! I would assume he was speaking of the under 15 crowd.:)

[stanford's girl]

Nliedel,

As the mother of 2 boys, you gave me the best laugh I've had today! :D

[dougnewmanatsea]

Kids don't complain about how it used to be in the good old days before Carnival bought HAL.
According to most of the adults who do complain about this, the Carnival takeover is something recent enough that kids could complain about it though ;) ...

[zdude]

Frankly, I would love it if HAL were adult only.

[Adk~Cruiser]

Kids don't stink, belch, cough or blow their noses? They don't care where, when or what they eat? They don't complain?

Can I move to your planet? It sounds a lot nicer than this one. :)

[Andersoncd]

Nice to see all the replies. Actually, I was just a little bored waiting on our cruise, and thought I would see how many responses I could get to a rather controversial topic. Let me see if I can answer a few questions brought up in earlier posts ...

1. Age - When I say 'kids', I'm talking about the 4-12 year old group. Teens are a whole different subject!
2. When I make a statement about 'kids', it applies to the majority. there are always exceptions to every rule, so I agree that there are some kids who may smoke, drink, etc.... but certainly not the majority of them! In fact, very few of them in the age group I mention.
3. The point of this thread was to show how EVERYONE can do things that annoy others on a cruise. But, I take exception to those folks who arbitrarily think kids ruin a vacation for adults. How much fun would the world be if we never took kids anywhere out of fear they might offend someone else?
4. I whole-heartedly agree hat parents should be responsible for their kids behavior. I don't allow mine to wander freely throughout the ship. I wish other parents would control theirs as well.

Ok, let's have some more fun and forget the kids. What are the top few things that ADULTS do on a cruise that ruin the experience for others? I'll tne in tommorow to see what eveyone comes up with. See ya.

[RevNeal]

Adults don't:


Run the corridors at 2 am, knocking on stateroom doors
Run the corridors at 2 am, removing breakfast-order cards and other mail
Roam the ship in packs of 4 or 5, vandalizing artwork and equipment
Scream bloody murder down the promenade deck at their friends, telling them to "wait up while I take a dump!"
Run on the promenade deck, pushing little old ladies aside if they get in the way
Pee off their parent's verandah deck if the parents aren't there
Try to order booze and then whine, loudly, and threaten the Filipino steward with charges of attempted molestation if they are told "no." (yes ... I know of a case in which this actually happened)
Kick the person in front of them if they're in the way at the Taco bar
Take dozens of photos that are not of them and put them in the discard slot
Flick boogers at their sister/brother in the Lido Restaurant
While there are not many 350 pound children, they do tend to congregate in the hot tubs in groups of five or six wiggling, screaming, SQUEELING, 80 - 120 pound brats.
Have lungs that will generate squeals that can and will break glass
Whine about having to dress up (ooops ... sorry, I forgot ... some do :D )


Now, the above being posted, let me switch to a moment of serious honesty. I love children. I truly do. My often quoted and referenced remarks, like "Children should be seen and not heard ... and preferably not seen" is just a pose ... a game ... with me (as anyone who has actually experienced me around kids knows). It's usually the parents that allow things, like the above, to take place. I blame parents for children who behave badly ... and I don't care if it's a 5 year old or a 17 year old.

Can and do adult behave badly. You BET ... I've seen horrible behavior from adults on some HAL cruises, and I've shared some of those stories here on this board. But I've also seen EVERY ONE of the above on cruises over the past 14 years. In short, there are always going to be adults AND children who behave like monsters. We can dwell on their poor behavior, or we can attempt -- as the Andrew Sisters used to sing -- attempt to "accentuate the positive."

In the end, I prefer the latter.

[RevNeal]

Ok, let's have some more fun and forget the kids. What are the top few things that ADULTS do on a cruise that ruin the experience for others?

Didn't you already provide that list within the context of what kids don't do?? ;)

[Tatka]

Frankly, I would love it if HAL were adult only.

And I won't!

[Tatka]

10. And finally .... most kids don't stink, have foul breath, cough loudly, or blow their noses in the dining room.

Well...as much as I love kids I can't agree with this. ;)

[Cap'nWoody]

I'm 54 and I love the meatloaf.

[Stevesan]

Adults don't:

Run the corridors at 2 am, knocking on stateroom doors
Run the corridors at 2 am, removing breakfast-order cards and other mail
Roam the ship in packs of 4 or 5, vandalizing artwork and equipment
Scream bloody murder down the promenade deck at their friends, telling them to "wait up while I take a dump!"
Run on the promenade deck, pushing little old ladies aside if they get in the way
Pee off their parent's verandah deck if the parents aren't there
Try to order booze and then whine, loudly, and threaten the Filipino steward with charges of attempted molestation if they are told "no." (yes ... I know of a case in which this actually happened)
Kick the person in front of them if they're in the way at the Taco bar
Take dozens of photos that are not of them and put them in the discard slot
Flick boogers at their sister/brother in the Lido Restaurant
While there are not many 350 pound children, they do tend to congregate in the hot tubs in groups of five or six wiggling, screaming, SQUEELING, 80 - 120 pound brats.
Have lungs that will generate squeals that can and will break glass
Whine about having to dress up (ooops ... sorry, I forgot ... some do :D )


Never sailed with Carnival, eh?:D

[tomc]

Holland America Line -- The ADULT Line

Celebrity May Be "X" But We are "XXX"

Try our HAL Phillips Screwdriver: Milk of Magnesia and Orange Juice, so you can have your personal Smoothie every day: no strain, no pain.

Adult movies every night. Watch Shirley Temple and Bojangles go dancing up the stairs, hand in hand, as he puts her to bed. And then ... ??

We wheel out the best of the entertainers you knew as kids. And there's hardly any swearing, because almost all the words you hear today weren't invented then.

[RevNeal]

Try our HAL Phillips Screwdriver: Milk of Magnesia and Orange Juice, so you can have your personal Smoothie every day: no strain, no pain.

Adult movies every night. Watch Shirley Temple and Bojangles go dancing up the stairs, hand in hand, as he puts her to bed. And then ... ??

We wheel out the best of the entertainers you knew as kids. And there's hardly any swearing, because almost all the words you hear today weren't invented then.


FOFLMHO

[caribbean girl]

Let's face it, there are rude people in every age bracket. I have two teens who have cruised with us and we have found ourselves being embarrassed by both 'older' folks and their assumptive attitudes and spoiled kids. I am deeply annoyed by people who are impolite to the staff, in particular, just because they seem to have difficulty speaking English. They would never get away with treating American service staff that way. It is what I see as the 'ugly American' syndrome. I am a naturalized citizen and I cringe whenever I see it. I guess this is one of the down sides of my cruise experience.

[Himself]

Sometimes we forget that we were once children. I love to see children on a cruise. They remind me of when I was young.

Himself

[Lanson5]

What and excellant response Nancy. I was a little reluctant to respond at all , but I really got a kick out of your post. It's a little refreshing when a parent is aware and actually admits their kids "aren't perfect".
It's usually those "perfect little ones" that cause the headaches.

Bet you're a great mom.:)

[richnorto]

All right, I'm one of those to "peg" teens into that "rude" peghole! I was VERY wrong on this cruise! There were as many children as adults on this cruise and the teens were by far the most polite and respectful group! WOW! I can't say enough about the parents who raised children like these! It gives me hope for society!:)

[spcl4cs_gal]

Adults don't:

[list]
Run the corridors at 2 am, knocking on stateroom doors
Run the corridors at 2 am, removing breakfast-order cards and other mail


Now if we're referring to adults as being anyone 18 years of age and older, I would have to differ with your points. On my last cruise there was a "pack" of young adults who found the need to be on the stairs near the aft elevators and chase each other up and down these same stairs, screaming and yelling. Unfortunately my cabin was right outside these stairs. When I went out to ask them politely to move their game to another location on the ship, I got sneered at, more or less told where to go, and endured the knocking on my stateroom door for about 15 minutes. Guess it was when I reported these "adults" by phoning the front desk that forced them to move on. I had to get up early for a shore excursion the next day so wanted to get some Zzzzz. This pack of idiots removed my breakfast card and my privacy card from the door before leaving but fortunately I had another card so got my breakfast on time in the end.

And then there was the cabin of middle aged women in the room next to me that insisted on talking about their assorted "romps" with various men...while out on the balcony! I found this amusing at first but when one of them was loudly and proudly revealing details of having oral sex with one of the Beach Boys, that was enough. What class....NOT!

[blackbird71]

As a single male that has no children, I like a mix of children on a ship. I would not go on a Disney cruise because of the number of children.

Blackbird'ss Rules on kids.

1) Blackbird likes other ppls kids and other ppls dogs, just does not need any of his own. :p

2) Blackbird likes his kids like his dogs, Housebroken. :p

3) As for teenagers..... :rolleyes:


10. And finally .... most kids don't stink, have foul breath, cough loudly, or blow their noses in the dining room

Two words ---- Poopy Diapers... :D

[RevNeal]

Now if we're referring to adults as being anyone 18 years of age and older,

On HAL ships, where the average passenger age tends to be about 65, middle-age begins at 50 and you're not an adult until you're 30. :D ;) At least, that's what I've read claimed by people who think that HAL is the geriatric cruise line.

[spcl4cs_gal]

On HAL ships, where the average passenger age tends to be about 65, middle-age begins at 50 and you're not an adult until you're 30. :D ;) At least, that's what I've read claimed by people who think that HAL is the geriatric cruise line.

LMAO!! You are so right! :D

[1stMate]

Having only been on 1 cruise the only thing I can really add is anecdotal but I saw many children, 16 and under, go out of their way to be considerate and helping elderly strangers get things or hold things, but I rarely saw adults of any age go out of their way to be pleasant to children not related to them.

The worst offenders are those adults who get in a buffet line and hold conversations, loudly and inapproriately, and do not move forward and order when it's their turn. The help tries to get their attention but they're so engrossed in their world the do not acknowledge others around them, children and other adults alike. It seems the older the passenger the only manners are those that they demand of others not of themselves. If there ever was a time for the golden rule to be lived, it's on a ship of 1800 passengers and 600 crew, together for an extended period of time.

[Himself]

There used to be a song about kids and there was a line in it that said:
"Why can't they be like we were, perfect in every way?" I find that in some respects they come closer than my generation ever did. I got out of high school in '57. In many ways, the teens of today are more considerate than previous generations were. I think it might have to do with sensitivity awareness and that so many of them have "service hours" required for graduation. The only requirement of my generation was Grades and Pass the Constitution Test.

Himself

[midgecruiser]

In general when we cruise travel we really prefer a break from kids. Having said that we took my 14 yr old step daughter and her friend on the Odam for mid winter break to Mexico. We had a S suite and put them in a inside cabin down the hall (friends mom did not want private veranda due to her own phobia, ok with us, cheaper). First, we would not have taken them on this cruise or given them thier own room if they were not good girls. Second, they had written rules to follow and knew that if they did not they would start loosing freedom. The rules included everything from no drugs, drinking or sex to no bad language, always show respect, don't block public areas, no running, no loud voices, and most important, dinner with us in the dining room every night. The first night they ran down the hall to get to thier room before midnight. We heard them and called the room. "did you just run down the hall" and thier answer "yes, how did you know". "We always know, don't do it again. You loose half hour on your curfew tomorrow night". That was the only time the rules were broken. They also thought that we "fixed" the door at night and would know if they opened the door. We did not but they thought we did. At dinner (their favorite part of the cruise. They loved dressing up every night. girls will be girls.) they would tell us stories about the other teens on the ship. Drinking, vandalism, a 15yr old girls having sex with two boys. Yikes!
Do these kids have parents? Our girls are not perfect but having parents that have expecations of thier behavior keeps them in check. They know that if they screw up then they would loose the vacation privilage and they loved this trip.

[blackbird71]

My favorite teenage girl story was a Med cruise on the Royal Princess. The RP has English stewdresses and cute too :D and I would talk with mine. One night I was walking down the hall and she just came out of a cabin with a bad look on her face. I asked what wrong and she said three teenage girls. She said that she could only do their bathroom and I asked why, she opened the door and said look, and there two to four inches of clothes covering all the floor space in the cabin. I asked where their parents were and she said two decks up.. Mmmm :D

[midgecruiser]

blackbird71, I would tell the poor girl to run. No one can expect the steward to deal with that. Yikes!

[richnorto]

Alright, I admit it - I cleaned the clothes up off the floor of my children's cabin every morning before breakfast! Every inch of floor was covered in clothes - daily, even the bathroom floor! Granted, they had to listen to me rant and rave! I was too embarrassed for the steward to see the slobs I raised. Someday they will be someone elses problem. HA!:D

[Oregon D&B]

[QUOTE=midgecruiser]In general when we cruise travel we really prefer a break from kids. Having said that we took my 14 yr old step daughter and her friend on the Odam for mid winter break to Mexico....First, we would not have taken them on this cruise or given them thier own room if they were not good girls. Second, they had written rules to follow and knew that if they did not they would start loosing freedom. The rules included everything from no drugs, drinking or sex to no bad language, always show respect, don't block public areas, no running, no loud voices, and most important, dinner with us in the dining room every night.



"Now kids, no drinking, drugs, or sex on this cruise...But more importantly, meet us for dinner."

Nothing more needs to be said here....

:eek:

[Lanson5]

:D LOL :o