What Has Happened to Carnival???

[pe4all]

Just got off Miracle yesterday. Tons and tons of kids acting like - well - kids! For the most part well behaved, though the hot tubs were wall to wall with splashers and jumpers. Spent all of our time at aft Lido pool, which was wonderful. (and well patrolled by staff keeping any kids out of the pool/hottub there) At night, there were bands of kids (12-13 year olds) roaming and acting silly to impress each other, but not being harmful or destructive that we saw. As for the cereal, as long as the inside part doesn't hit the floor, it is okay in my book. People handle the boxes to package it in the factory, place it in a box, unload it, etc. There are more germs than I want to think about! Sorry you had a bad experience. I am sure CCL will refund your FCC if you call them.

[MasonsDad]

Part of this could be blamed on carnival, but the rest of it has to be blamed on the parents of the children that were allowed to run wild. People these days have the idea that rules are made for everyone else, but don't apply to them or their kids. I see it all the time at school functions and it drives me crazy. So instead of blaming carnival, blame the lazy parents of the children that are too preoccupied with something they are doing to properly supervise their own children.

[mystone99]

DW and I were on the Dream in March, had a couple of problems with kids and MDR's food was the worst we've had on Carnival. Not terrible or anything, just not as good as it has been on our other cruises. I think it was because they are trying to cook for so many people.

DW and I agreed to only cruise when kids are in school from now on.

Hope your next cruise is better.

[gone_cruisin]

DH and I just got off the Carnival Dream on 9-3-2011. What a horrible cruise! I have written a review but it has not published yet.

 

While we understand the ship can't help who books a cruise and we also understand that some people are just pigs, what we witnessed on this cruise was appalling. We were told there were over 1000 kids on the ship under age 15 and 1500 kids under 18. Most of them were just turned loose. You had to dodge ice cream cone wielding kids running everywhere. I saw one boy approximately age 9 put his mouth on the ice cream machine and just turn it on directly into his mouth. GROSS!

 

We saw small children ages 6 and under roaming the ship without an adult after 11 pm. Gangs of teenagers were every where. One teenage boy felt he didn't need silverware. We was walking through the Gathering dining room licking pudding out of the bowl!

 

We witnessed cereal boxes hitting the floor and being replaced for people to eat by both passengers and dining room staff. We saw dining room staff replacing cereal and milk boxes that had been on tables for other people to eat. Most people will carry cereal boxes and milk cartons to the table inside their cereal bowls. I wonder how many people got sick? We told the dining room supervisor what we saw and he said there were too many people to watch and he would talk to the staff. Staff was still picking the boxes up off the floor and returning them to the food line even at the end of the cruise. Beware!

 

We saw kids grabbing buffet food with their hands and then putting it back even after they took a bite!

 

Carnival did not enforce any of their own rules! The entire cruise was chaos. I will never sail again when kids are out of school! Many adults were as bad as the kids. I have never seen such "stable" manners on any previous cruise.

 

We wanted to try a Cove Balcony and got the last cabin available. Big mistake, it was under the Galley and the noise was incredible. Between the screaming kid across the hall, gangs of kids roaming the halls at night, and the galley, we got little sleep. We have never been so anxious to get off a ship. We found ourselves hiding in our cabin to escape the chaos outside our door. Needless to say it was a miserable experience.

 

I didn't think the food could get any worse. Think Hospital Food!

 

We have had good experiences on Fantasy class ships and will stick to them in the future. We still have one more Future Cruise Certificate to spend.:eek:

 

I echo your sentiments exactly!

[MissDiva1]

Part of this could be blamed on carnival, but the rest of it has to be blamed on the parents of the children that were allowed to run wild. People these days have the idea that rules are made for everyone else, but don't apply to them or their kids. I see it all the time at school functions and it drives me crazy. So instead of blaming carnival, blame the lazy parents of the children that are too preoccupied with something they are doing to properly supervise their own children.

 

I would expect the establishment to pick up where the parents left off......

[PROCRUISE]

Just got off the Inspiration on Thursday and had 4 kids in an inside stateroom, their parents next to us in a grand suite. Their kids ran the hall all night long (I don't think they knew how to walk), and would party outside our door. I called security and it would take care of it for awhile but it didn't stop them. They had room service and ate a little of the food and would drop the tray in the hallway and laugh. The food was all over the floor. At debarkation the family was sitting behind us and the mother was complaining to one of the other mothers that she went to wake her kids up at 6am and her 12 y.o. daughter was not in the room. She hadn't been there all night long. They had no idea what a trash can was because I looked in their room and all their trash was on the floor. Couldn't imagine living like that but they learned it from somewhere. I don't blame Carnival but I believe they should have some kind of curfew for kids of certain ages if they are not with their parents. Maybe that would curb some parents from bringing their uncontrollable kids on a cruise.

 

Mick

 

What goes around, comes around. This "family" would have quickly discovered just how miserable we could have made their cruise too! Would have also been on the phone and at the pursers desk continuously if that is what it would have taken to reclaim an enjoyable cruise! It's time the vast majority of pleasant fellow passengers take action against those who have no respect for others or CCL.

[2wallace]

Really???:cool:

[richstowe]

I have no idea if your cruise was objectively as bad as you say.

What I do know is if I sprang for a cove balcony cabin and the experience was ruined by noise from above and noise from the hallway,

I would be pissed. In fact it could colour my enjoyment of the entire cruise. Possible?

[Cushing985]

I would expect the establishment to pick up where the parents left off......

 

Totally agree with this! I love it when parents (and I'm one) say that the kids are on vacation too. That's fine but when the little darlings start impacting my cruise (I must be lucky because it hasn't happened to us) I would be all over Carnival to take action. I didn't realize Carnival didn't have a curfew for the kids...so dangerous! Some creep could take a girl, assault her and toss her over the side and no one would be the wiser. I can't believe parents would allow their children to run around without supervision after 10:00 or 11:00PM. To me that's child endangerment! Unbelievable! Wake up parents (directed only at the people who spawned the children because they sure aren't parents)!

[Cushing985]

really???:cool:

 

really!!!

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

I have no idea if your cruise was objectively as bad as you say.

What I do know is if I sprang for a cove balcony cabin and the experience was ruined by noise from above and noise from the hallway,

I would be pissed. In fact it could colour my enjoyment of the entire cruise. Possible?

 

If your cruise is ruined based on what is above you, then you didn't research thoroughly. If you book directly below the galley, you are going to have noise. If you book directly under the pool on Lido, you are going to have noise. If you book directly under the fitness center, you are going to have noise. Look at the deck plans for your deck, the deck above and the deck below and make an informed decision. That the OP wanted a Cove and there was only one left, doesn't make the noise CCL's fault. Some cabins are more sought after than others. That is why that one was probably left.

[ncovert]

Wow, we were on the same cruise and didn't experience this. Not saying it didn't happen, just, didn't experience it. Yes, there were a lot of kids, but for the most part they were not noticeable to us. As for your cabin, don't blame that on Carnival. Do you expect it to be quiet under the galley? Do you know what they do there? You don't have to use that FCC. Call Carnival and they will refund you $100.

 

You make a very good point about the FCC. They will refund that money if you request it to be refunded.

 

OP so sorry your experience was so horrific.

 

Thank goodness for the right of the consumer to respond to using the services the receive good service from and not using the services they get bad service from. I am practicing this today, looking for my own FC to spend my FCC on another Carnival cruise this coming May/June.

[HalfMoonLovers]

I just got off the Carnival Victory a few hours ago and all I can say is ***** Carnival? I will save my critique of the cruise for another post, however staying on topic of kids, this was a disgrace! Kids running up and down the halls at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning, banging on doors? Riding elevators alone etc. This was a total ghetto cruise with parents not giving a sh** about where they're own children were.

[DocJohnB]

Kids will be kids remember that and your going on a cruise line that promotes to let loose and have fun.

 

Sorry, but that is the sorriest excuse for forgiving the misbehavior of kids. IMO, it is parents (generally speaking) who follow this mantra whose children are the worst of the lot.

 

Most kids are not like those described by the OP, but even given the old 10% rule, that still leaves a lot of unruly kids.

 

Of course, no one who posts on C/C has misbehaving kids. They are always well behaved and under the watchful eyes of their parents 24/7. But given the chance to "pack up" most kids will find ways of misbehaving.

[ChefSusan]

This thread is one of the reasons why my husband and I will never take a cruise when school is out. We pay good money to travel, and would hate it if there were a gaggle of kids roaming the ship late at night doing whatever they wanted.

 

I thought that Carnival had a 1am curfew for anyone under 18?

[Rhitson88]

Wow, we were on the same cruise and didn't experience this. Not saying it didn't happen, just, didn't experience it. Yes, there were a lot of kids, but for the most part they were not noticeable to us. As for your cabin, don't blame that on Carnival. Do you expect it to be quiet under the galley? Do you know what they do there? You don't have to use that FCC. Call Carnival and they will refund you $100.

 

Some people make it a point to notice these things. Just can't enjoy it.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

I just got off the Carnival Victory a few hours ago and all I can say is ***** Carnival? I will save my critique of the cruise for another post, however staying on topic of kids, this was a disgrace! Kids running up and down the halls at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning, banging on doors? Riding elevators alone etc. This was a total ghetto cruise with parents not giving a sh** about where they're own children were.

 

 

That seems to be the crux of the problem.

[ggstoy]

Sorry you had such a lousy time. I believe every word of it. I NEVER cruise when the kiddies are out of school for this very reason. And I only cruise Carnival because RCCL has abandoned the West Coast. People have no respect for others anymore. Discipline has become a dirty word in our society. Carnival needs to put a few of these animals off the ship in foreign ports and then make ship wide announcements. That would put a damper on this behavior.

 

OMG LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I hope this doesn't happen on our October cruise on the Fantasy. I will be peed-off.

[momof4boys]

WOW!! That sounds horrible!!!! I teach school and DH is a pediatrician and boy there are a lot of stories we can tell you about kids and their "parents" today. There is a lot of, "Ok?" in their vocabulary. As in, "I'm not sure you should be knocking on people's doors at 2am. OK?" :cool:

 

We are also the parents of 4 boys and we know unsupervised kids...even ones from really "good" families... can be rude and annoying.

 

I am not sure when some parents are going to step up and do their jobs. For the most part, if you ask, those parents think they are doing a fine job and in fact, are preserving their child's self concept and allowing him/her to learn to make choices.

 

I do see a fair amount of people trying to teach their chldren respect and awareness of others' rights. They just don't get a lot of peer support.

 

A good little trick may be to take out your camera and take a lovely picture of the kid with his/her mouth on the ice cream machine....and sharing it with CCL and the parents if you see them later.

 

If you see the parent, a sweet smile and a "I was trying to take a picture of my darling Johnny but your little one got in the way," could go a long way. Then again, the parent may not see anything wrong with a mouth on the ice cream machine!!! :eek:

[PoppyMac]

I have been considering the Dream for our first family cruise. I mean, Carnival promotes itself as a family cruiseline, so not surprised by a ton of kids and think that part of review is more due to being without kids around too many kids. This boat has some great sounding stuff. Really, only Carnival and Disney, and RCCL seem to really want families..IMO. Everyone else (cruiselines) seems geared to adults only, with kids more of a..if they happen to come kind of mentality. I feel families have less choices than couples without kids. Adults shouldnt expect a quiet cruise during school breaks on Carnival.

The Dream, has really been getting crappy reviews lately. The food sucks, it is dirty, white trash/ghetto kids/adults. Dirty rooms, not enough staff to clean. Not a carnival wide review..but The Dream review. I am reconsidering the Dream big time, so many bad reviews.where there is smoke there is fire..so to speak.

Someone said the cruiseline promotes itself as all ages letting loose, and I think that is kind of true.It is my impression. I wouldnt be surprised to see kids running around unattended on any family cruiseline after reading so many reviews here.

Anyway, Im glad I havent booked yet, this is just another review making me wonder what is wrong with The Dream and reconsider what I have been thinking.

[H82seaUgo]

This thread is one of the reasons why my husband and I will never take a cruise when school is out. We pay good money to travel, and would hate it if there were a gaggle of kids roaming the ship late at night doing whatever they wanted.

 

I thought that Carnival had a 1am curfew for anyone under 18?

 

you thought wrong.

 

carnival no longer enforces anything. nothing. nada.

[gone_cruisin]

you thought wrong.

 

carnival no longer enforces anything. nothing. nada.

 

Except the smoking ban

[KrystalWaters]

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. I was wondering what was your cabin number? I am booked on the Dream for my next cruise, in a cove too:eek:

[nodogkisses]

Thought I'd add my two cents here based on our 6/25/11 Dream sailing. The MDR food was the worst of all the Carnival cruises we have taken, however, Chef Art's Steakhouse was the absolute best. I have to say that our Dream cruise was our least favorite of all our Carnival cruises---I really think that this ship attracts more families with kids since it's a new large ship and near Disney/Universal. The kids were running wild and elevator riding on our sailing, too. It really is annoying after awhile. Yes, I know it was summer. The lines were so much longer in things like the liquor tasting( we never did taste any) and it was absolutely ridiculous in the Carnival shops. The way the shops are designed, it's hard to put a lot of people in them. The Serenity, however, was the absolute best on this ship though. My November cruise is back on Fantasy class which I think is my fave. Out of the six of us on the Dream, only my 21 year old daughter and her friend liked it enough to cruise it again in the near future.

[RRLLAL]

Wow, looks like your review wasn't too well received. Seems as if some people are even questioning whether it happened. We have been on seven carnival cruises - four of them on the DREAM. I agree with every word you wrote. I am not a fussy eater and found the food inedible for the most part. They seem to be making cuts everywhere including the food and service. I have enjoyed every cruise on Carnival before this but won't chance another one with so much competition out there.

 

The Dream is horrible and it took you 4 times to figure it out? All righty then.