If you have Kids and you are going on a cruise come here!!!!!

[Dengail]

Babies are always loved! Please, if you want, bring your babies. I've not had any negative experiences onboard either, but my kids are well behaved and I make sure of it! I have, at other places run into 'out of control kids and parents allowing it' type of behavior and usually just move away or ignore it. I suppose if there were really unruly kids in the solarium I would either come back later or ask them to leave. If their parents were there allowing it we would just leave. On the other hand (I know I'll probably get flamed for this) I am going to pick a quiet time when hardly anyone else is there and bring my 12 yr. old daughter in to the cantilevered hot tub in the solarium just so she can see what it's like. She's almost as tall as me and she won't be causing any trouble! I took my 16 yr old (I asked permission) into the Disney spa room for an hour or so when we bought the spa pass there. She says it was the highlight of her cruise! Most of the kids are well behaved, just having a great time and the way I look at it, if you want a totally kid free environment, cruise a line not so kid friendly! Case in point...we love the Disney cruises and they are designed to be baby friendly, but this time we are cruising the Liberty of the seas where you don't generally encounter sooo many little ones. And we are leaving our 2 yr. old at home, taking our 12 and 9 yr. olds with us.

By the way LIBERTY OF THE SEAS, DEC. 8 Eastern route...anyone with us??

[sharktums]

Lots of family and friends and our (at the time) 9 month old daughter!

 

Very excited for her first cruise! She's already traveled to six countries, this cruise will add four more!

 

I know this is off season right before Christmas, but anyone else travelling with kids on this one?

[Keurigirl]

I'll have my 9 month old daughter on the Grand Princess to Mexico on 11/10/07

[dadof3girls]

Is there no one going to Alaska with kids???

Ryndam 7/9/08

boy 14

girl 12

boy 10

boy 7

Tricia

 

WE are just now considering for summer ( aug ) 2008 looking for input, advice etc....

 

3 girls 7 & 6 yr old twins

[AlabamaWorley]

It will be our wedding cruise. We have about 35 people in our group so far. My 2 children, DD 9, DS 6. Friends are bringing thier children, DD11, DD 8!!:)

[KimiSoo]

I'm getting a little down on my upcoming cruise. From reading these boards, especially the Carnival one, there is so much children bashing and parent bashing.

 

Over and over I see quotes like "drunken parents not taking care of their kids", "kids running all over the ship alone", "don't take elevators as it will be filled with kids who push all the buttons".

 

I am really worried my kids will be looked down on, even if they aren't doing anything wrong. My kids (well 11 yo DS specifically - DD is only 6) will be watched like a hawk while people look for something to yell at him for. He is a very well behaved kid, not perfect, but he knows better than to misbehave. But I feel like some people will be waiting to blame him.

 

I totally agree kids should NOT be in Adult only areas, but for the tone of ALOT of people, it sounds like they would rather kids not be allowed anywhere on the ship. Is this how your kids have been treated, or is just the "you cant read tone" in the posts?

 

Please advise and set my mind at ease.

I know, I am so SICK of these judgemental kid-basher posts!

I went on a Carnival Imagination for my honeymoon. Not a time when I would have wanted to be around a bunch of kids, as I was not a parent at the time. But I never saw ANY kids being disruptive or annoying at all! Yeah there were kids, but its a big ship! :) Bring them and have the best time ever! That's what I'm planning on doing! I am 3 weeks from my first cruise with my 20 mo daughter and I am just as worried! She's a toddler...and she melts downs once in a while. She's too young for the babysitting, activities or even the pool. But she will be watched like a hawk (by Mom, Dad, Grammy, and Grandpa!), and taken out of the dining room if she is being disruptive, I'm sure we won't have to spend the entire trip locked in the room as to not annoy anyone.:rolleyes:

[roughd]

Yes, I do think we are nuts, but we're taking all 5 with us on the Carnival Triumph, Dec. 8. At least we're leaving the dog home!! DS14 (6'2", 230 lbs.), DD12, DD10, DS7 and DD3. Still working on the potty training for DD3, just read about no swim diapers allowed in the ship pools, makes it even more urgent. I'm a little worried that there won't be many other kids on the cruise, since its during school days.

[NoelsCat]

Yes, I do think we are nuts, but we're taking all 5 with us on the Carnival Triumph, Dec. 8. At least we're leaving the dog home!!

 

Hey, I don't think your crazy... we are taking to whole darn family, too -- incluiding a senior with early alzeimer's, a mentally retarded great aunt, a tween, a toddler, a baby and a bunch of crazy 25 to 45 year olds to watch the whole lot. Our family may be nuts... but we got a lot of love among us -- something not bought with a cruise ticket.

 

I wish the lot of you all the fun and love I know we will have on our trip!

[larronry]

I know, I am so SICK of these judgemental kid-basher posts!

I went on a Carnival Imagination for my honeymoon. Not a time when I would have wanted to be around a bunch of kids, as I was not a parent at the time. But I never saw ANY kids being disruptive or annoying at all! Yeah there were kids, but its a big ship! :) Bring them and have the best time ever! That's what I'm planning on doing! I am 3 weeks from my first cruise with my 20 mo daughter and I am just as worried! She's a toddler...and she melts downs once in a while. She's too young for the babysitting, activities or even the pool. But she will be watched like a hawk (by Mom, Dad, Grammy, and Grandpa!), and taken out of the dining room if she is being disruptive, I'm sure we won't have to spend the entire trip locked in the room as to not annoy anyone.:rolleyes:

Man I so feel the same way. I think we have to look at it this way: The people without kids who are coming to the family forum are most likely coming here for the purpose of posting judgmental kid-basher posts. Now that is not always the case, but I would never have come to the family forum before I decided to take my son on this cruise and I've always loved kids. Now for those who are being nice don't get mad at me for saying this, but I really came here to get help and ideas for dealing with a toddler on a cruise and not to be told the he should stay home.

[roughd]

Hey, I don't think your crazy... we are taking to whole darn family, too -- incluiding a senior with early alzeimer's, a mentally retarded great aunt, a tween, a toddler, a baby and a bunch of crazy 25 to 45 year olds to watch the whole lot. Our family may be nuts... but we got a lot of love among us -- something not bought with a cruise ticket.

 

I wish the lot of you all the fun and love I know we will have on our trip!

Wow, you're right, you are crazy! :D Best wishes for your trip!

[momonthego17]

We just took a cruise on the Enchantment of the Seas with DH, myself and 2 DDs (5 & 7) and never had a moment of negative attitude from anyone. Having said that, we did watch our children all the time when they were in public areas, like we would when we are anywhere else. My DDs had a wonderful time in the Kids Club and spent lots of time with us onboard and on excursions.

What bothers me is that my DDs befriended a 6 year old girl whose parents never were within earshot or our view. She walked around without any supervision which I think potentially could make for a very bad situation. I wish parents would realize that not everyone who takes a cruise is trustworthy. This little girl was too vulnerable and I asked her a number of times if her parents were around and she indicated that they were off out of view.

Children behaving badly is a pain, but the worst is no adult supervision or protection.

[geminikidd37]

We got 4 boys. 8yrs. 11yrs. 18yrs. 21yrs. We all will be sailing on the Inspiration on 10/22/2007. can not wait. it will be fun for the whole family to be together on this cruise.:) :) :)

[Onessa]

Hey, I don't think your crazy... we are taking to whole darn family, too -- incluiding a senior with early alzeimer's, a mentally retarded great aunt, a tween, a toddler, a baby and a bunch of crazy 25 to 45 year olds to watch the whole lot. Our family may be nuts... but we got a lot of love among us -- something not bought with a cruise ticket.

 

I wish the lot of you all the fun and love I know we will have on our trip!

 

Our family took my father with us on one cruise a few years back, he had been diagnosed with "mild to moderate" dementia at the time (due to a series of ministrokes). While he did not remember any of the trip later, he really enjoyed it and the time he could spend with other people at the time he was doing it and my DD and nephew enjoyed his company.

[dreamer_perth]

Hi

we are taking my seven year old son on our first cruise from Barcelona to Galveston on the 12/8/07, is anyone else on this cruise?

Thanks

Natalie

[Dengail]

We just took a cruise on the Enchantment of the Seas with DH, myself and 2 DDs (5 & 7) and never had a moment of negative attitude from anyone. Having said that, we did watch our children all the time when they were in public areas, like we would when we are anywhere else. My DDs had a wonderful time in the Kids Club and spent lots of time with us onboard and on excursions.

What bothers me is that my DDs befriended a 6 year old girl whose parents never were within earshot or our view. She walked around without any supervision which I think potentially could make for a very bad situation. I wish parents would realize that not everyone who takes a cruise is trustworthy. This little girl was too vulnerable and I asked her a number of times if her parents were around and she indicated that they were off out of view.

Children behaving badly is a pain, but the worst is no adult supervision or protection.

 

We saw this too, on a couple of our cruises. Our teens would actually bring kids to activities with our family because their new friends were told to "stay away from them (the parents) and not come back to the cabin!!" Sometimes this was LATE LATE at night- the kids spent half the night on the top decks sleeping on deck chairs. Maybe this is why the teens now have a curfew (RCI)- not necessarily because of wayward kids but wayward parents!

[magic cruiser]

Sun princess 5 DEC 07 new Zealand

girl 8 yrs baby girl 16mths

[NoelsCat]

...new friends were told to "stay away from them (the parents) and not come back to the cabin!!" Sometimes this was LATE LATE at night- the kids spent half the night on the top decks sleeping on deck chairs. ...

 

This is so sad to me.

I can't imagine EVER telling my son to "stay away" from us. :(

[CanadianTwosome]

We saw this too, on a couple of our cruises. Our teens would actually bring kids to activities with our family because their new friends were told to "stay away from them (the parents) and not come back to the cabin!!" Sometimes this was LATE LATE at night- the kids spent half the night on the top decks sleeping on deck chairs. Maybe this is why the teens now have a curfew (RCI)- not necessarily because of wayward kids but wayward parents!

 

This disgusts me. Aside from the obvious abandoment issues, I also agree about cruises being potentially dangerous. There have been many incidents of assault and inappropriate behaviour on ships. I don't think there's necessarily any higher risk of untrustworthy people being on a ship than anywhere else, but statistically speaking, they have to be there! Whether their brand of untrustworthiness is a threat to your child or not, you have no way of knowing. I read in another thread about adults that were hanging around in the teen clubs or kid's areas - using the excuse that the other areas were too crowded... and it may have been true, but I'm not prepared to risk it.

 

Ewwwwwww, I'm feeling all icky now talking about this!! ha ha ha I wish it wasn't an issue. I feel so badly for children whose parents push them away, at home or on vacation. I just started a thread about how to get the best out of a family vacation!! ha ha ha I remember one time at a friend's, it was her little brother's birthday, so I told him that he should pick the video for all of us to watch. My friend asked,'Are you sure you want to do that?' and I said 'yes'... and then got comfy for the viewing of his favorite wrestling tape. I certainly wouldn't have chosen it myself, but it sure made him happy on his birthday. I figure if I could endure that for someone else's kid, I can do almost anything for my own!! (I do have limits of course - margarita tasting is OFF LIMITS!!) :p

[jrox44]

My DH and I are bringing our almost 4 year old daughter on Enchantment of the Seas, 2/04/08.

 

Anyone else with young kids going to be on the ship?

 

This will be our first cruise and we're really excited!

[mspostallady]

I remeber being on a daycruise with princess when I was 14 the crew paid me a little more attention than my mom liked and now that I have a 14 year old and going on our first real cruise, I plan to watch her like a hawk and let her know to be very careful when I am not with her.

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

We cruise consistantly with children, have not seen any problems.

[cruisingcows]

We're going with two kids - daughter, 10 and son, 6. Anyone else with kids on that one?

 

We've been on two cruises with our kids and have had excellent experiences both times.

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

Hey Kids, we are booked on three crossing over the next 18 months (see below). If any one else are booked let us know. We prefer crossings to other types when cruising with the kids.

[Bankergrl]

We are taveling on RCL on Jewel of the Seas on March 2nd. I have a DS 21, DD 16 and DS 10. I am concerned about the activities for my 10 year old. Has anyone ever traveled on the Jewel and experienced the kids activities? We traveled on Carnival Miracle in O5 and we were very disappointed with the activities they had for the kids. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!:)

[Justcat]

We'll be leaving on the 11th with twin five year old boys ...

 

Three cruise message boards and I haven't found a single kid yet maybe I should worry...:confused:

 

Really hoping they can make some cruise buddies in AO although they're just fine playing by themselves too.