Kids Eat Free In Pinnacle ??

[lazey1]

Whether on land or at sea we find it a pleasure to sit near well-behaved children. We always compliment the parents when we see this.:):):)

 

On the other hand when we are seated near children that are not well-behaved we call the dining room manager over and ask to be seated elsewhere. We quietly explain why we want to move.

[pmd98052]

I feel bad that you've run into so many rude adults. I can't ever recall hearing someone act the way you have described. I do see well behaved kids on HAL cruises and I always comment when I do. That said, I've seen plenty of rude, unruly kids too. I applaud parents that have taught there children manners. I wish some folks would do that in Calgary. Screaming and running around in restaurants in the norm in Calgary and parents do nothing to stop it.

 

One of the worst was this guy banging his cruise card on the bar to get the bar tenders attention. An "excuse me" was obviously too much. Once he got their attention he literally barks a drink order "rum and coke" - No "please" - drink arrives - takes it and leaves. No thank you.

 

Boy if our kids did that they would get a stern lesson.

 

I think the reason I notice stuff like that is we're so super sensitive to making sure the kids are well behaved that adults who don't REALLY stand out to us. I'd never have noticed this kind of thing before. On your next cruise watch out for it and you will see truly shocking behavior from adults around you as well as the kids.

 

And while we are super sensitive to poorly behaved adults and kids it wasn't just us. Another couple we met on the cruise cancelled all their HAL booked excursions because the pushing and shoving to get to the front of lines was just too much for them. They didn't want to be associated with the "Cruise ship tourists" in ports.

 

Oh another regular occurrence was adults pushing in front of our kids in the tender line as we're going down the stairs - We ended up being separated from the children many many times due to this. Unbelievable stuff really.

 

And lets not get into the chair hogs... :)

 

So yeah - there are bad kids and bad adults. Both can ruin your cruise. Bad kids I can at least "get" - Bad adults I don't.

Edited September 30, 2014 by pmd98052

[cruz chic]

One of the worst was this guy banging his cruise card on the bar to get the bar tenders attention. An "excuse me" was obviously too much. Once he got their attention he literally barks a drink order "rum and coke" - No "please" - drink arrives - takes it and leaves. No thank you.

 

Boy if our kids did that they would get a stern lesson.

 

I think the reason I notice stuff like that is we're so super sensitive to making sure the kids are well behaved that adults who don't REALLY stand out to us. I'd never have noticed this kind of thing before. On your next cruise watch out for it and you will see truly shocking behavior from adults around you as well as the kids.

 

And while we are super sensitive to poorly behaved adults and kids it wasn't just us. Another couple we met on the cruise cancelled all their HAL booked excursions because the pushing and shoving to get to the front of lines was just too much for them. They didn't want to be associated with the "Cruise ship tourists" in ports.

 

Oh another regular occurrence was adults pushing in front of our kids in the tender line as we're going down the stairs - We ended up being separated from the children many many times due to this. Unbelievable stuff really.

 

And lets not get into the chair hogs... :)

 

So yeah - there are bad kids and bad adults. Both can ruin your cruise. Bad kids I can at least "get" - Bad adults I don't.

 

I hate rudeness from anyone so it's not that I'm blind to adults. If people act like that I'm going to call them out on it. I just wish more people would take notice of what their little darlings were doing. I could tell you a million stories about life in Calgary. It's very, very rare to see kids behaving here.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sadly -- we are all seeing more and more rude people than we have in the past.

You wonder what their home life was like.

[pmd98052]

I think every generation says that about the younger generation.

 

Its likely been this way since time began. I know my parents said it and their parents before them and now us too. :)

 

My core point here is it is somewhat egregious to tar the presence of children in a restaurant as a problem when it very much depends on the child/family.

 

Just as it is to tar all adults as behaving poorly. I'm just noting that that I've seen equal numbers of adults behaving poorly as I have kids - And the adults really should know better. If our 6 year old forgets to say "please" or "thank you" I'll correct them but they're also 6... If an adult doesn't what is their excuse?

[cruz chic]

I think every generation says that about the younger generation.

 

Its likely been this way since time began. I know my parents said it and their parents before them and now us too. :)

 

My core point here is it is somewhat egregious to tar the presence of children in a restaurant as a problem when it very much depends on the child/family.

 

Just as it is to tar all adults as behaving poorly. I'm just noting that that I've seen equal numbers of adults behaving poorly as I have kids - And the adults really should know better. If our 6 year old forgets to say "please" or "thank you" I'll correct them but they're also 6... If an adult doesn't what is their excuse?

 

I can't blame a child that young for not saying please and thank you. I just don't want to see them running around and getting in the way of waiters on a ship. Running up and down hallways also not cool. That can be a huge disaster in the making. I've never seen an adult do that:D. I'm going to be on a ship for American thanksgiving. I'm prepared for it to be extremely loud and have many kids. I should take note of everything unpleasant that they do. That said, I won't because you have to let some things go. Same thing with adults.

[pmd98052]

Not excusing it but given kids can sometimes be, well kids.

 

It might be worth looking at cruise lines that don't cater to them... Your experience would be much improved.

 

I'm still unclear as to what the rude adults excuses are.

[cruz chic]

Does hal cater to kids? News to me. So I guess it's safe to say kids screaming and running around is ok. Gotcha. Sorry, that isn't well behaved to me. Now I understand. I could also say the same. If you don't enjoy adults why not cruise Disney, carnival or Rc?

[sail7seas]

Does hal cater to kids? News to me. So I guess it's safe to say kids screaming and running around is ok. Gotcha. Sorry, that isn't well behaved to me. Now I understand. I could also say the same. If you don't enjoy adults why not cruise Disney, carnival or Rc?

 

 

Cruz chic........ I've sailed a number of times over Thanksgiving and never found the children to be an issue for us. I love seeing generations of family traveling together and having their Thanksgiving meal. I get real pleasure seeing that and can tell you each time we've been aboard for a holiday, it amazes me on that holiday dinner to see so many children in the MDR. We normally are unaware how many there are because they are kept busy by Club HAL and have been no disturbance to us at all. It surprises me when I see them and wonder how they have kept them hidden all week. :D

 

[pmd98052]

Does hal cater to kids? News to me. So I guess it's safe to say kids screaming and running around is ok. Gotcha. Sorry, that isn't well behaved to me. Now I understand. I could also say the same. If you don't enjoy adults why not cruise Disney, carnival or Rc?

 

I think you're putting words in my mouth. Kids should not be doing that but kids being kids you will always have some issues - They are kids - Again I'd ask what is the excuse for the adults who pushed and shoved our kids out of the line for the tenders? It would be better to go with a cruise line that doesn't cater to kids if the risk of a kid running is too much to endure in a corridor. Again you won't see our kids doing that but you will have it happen! It might even be our kids at times - they're kids! They'll get a stern talking to but they do kid stuff sometimes. Sorry.

 

HAL most certainly caters to families and kids - Witness their investments in ClubHAL, kids menus, kid centric excursions, promotions for 3rd/4th free/reduced in cabins etc... Our kids had a truly wonderful 41 nights on HAL just last fall. They prefer ClubHAL to Princess and NCL...

Edited September 30, 2014 by pmd98052

[cruz chic]

Cruz chic........ I've sailed a number of times over Thanksgiving and never found the children to be an issue for us. I love seeing generations of family traveling together and having their Thanksgiving meal. I get real pleasure seeing that and can tell you each time we've been aboard for a holiday, it amazes me on that holiday dinner to see so many children in the MDR. We normally are unaware how many there are because they are kept busy by Club HAL and have been no disturbance to us at all. It surprises me when I see them and wonder how they have kept them hidden all week. :D

 

 

I sailed in November 2012 at thanksgiving so I know how things can be. I'm speaking from experience. I'm hopeful, but I'll also be prepared. Because I'm so hemmed in with work deadlines I'm pretty much stuck with mid month cruises. Some of my friends refuse to do thanksgiving cruises. Any day on a ship is better than any day at work and home in the snow.

[CowPrincess]

I sailed in November 2012 at thanksgiving so I know how things can be. I'm speaking from experience. I'm hopeful, but I'll also be prepared. Because I'm so hemmed in with work deadlines I'm pretty much stuck with mid month cruises. Some of my friends refuse to do thanksgiving cruises. Any day on a ship is better than any day at work and home in the snow.

 

We don't do Thanksgiving cruises after experiencing one.

[ithaca gal]

Everybody has the right to their own opinion and for those that are parents they had the right to teach their children what they thought appropriate. Some things, like politics and religion are known "faux pas" to discuss in public. I feel the same way about children.

 

Nobody should feel free to tell me how to raise my children. I have done that myself with no help from anybody when times got tough except from DH (hospitalizations, death in the family, etc).

 

So why is it that when we step foot on an airplane or ship everyone automatically assumes I have not done my job? Most do not wait to see if my children behave they just assume they will not. So I assume that they did not do their job with their own children and are judging me by their own actions.

 

If we have a family celebration we will eat in the pinnacle grill and pay for our children, like last year when we renewed our vows on our anniversary. I will bet you my two were better behaved than some of the people in the restaurant that night and I guarantee you they are better dressed on formal night than some others in the dining room.

 

We do our own thing as a family and we have chosen HAL to do it on. If people fee that strongly about not sharing the ship with children then they should chose a cruiseline that has age restrictions.

S

 

So, instead of parents holding children to acceptable behaviors, we should choose a cruiseline that has age restrictions? That seems to be the mentality that gets us to this discussion in the first place. Sighhhhhh

[pmd98052]

So, instead of parents holding children to acceptable behaviors, we should choose a cruiseline that has age restrictions?

 

 

I don't think anyone is saying that - We hold our kids accountable and they have never "run around" or made noise in the MDR or Pinnacle... However I also appreciate they are 6 and 8 and sometimes can be rambunctious.

 

Apologies for that.

 

I think someone made that suggestion because if kids really are such a problem and ruin cruises to this kind of extent then sailing on a family orientated cruise line likely isn't a super smart plan.

Edited October 1, 2014 by pmd98052

[1of4]

S

 

So, instead of parents holding children to acceptable behaviors, we should choose a cruiseline that has age restrictions? That seems to be the mentality that gets us to this discussion in the first place. Sighhhhhh

 

If you read all my posts you would know that I would not accept bad behaviour from my children.

 

It is the comments from adults that assume that my children will be terrors that I object to; and yes I have seen bad behaviour by all ages and specifically children which is why I won't sail Princess anymore.

 

My comment was directed at those who hate sailing with children or they seem to by their loud comments about children should have no place on the ship. If they hate it so much then they should chose a cruiseline that has age restrictions. HAL has no such age restrictions so people should expect fellow cruisers of all ages.

 

That's all.

 

Nobody likes ill-behaved children. But I also don't like people assuming all children are going to be disruptive.

Edited October 1, 2014 by 1of4

[1of4]

I don't think anyone is saying that - We hold our kids accountable and they have never "run around" or made noise in the MDR or Pinnacle... However I also appreciate they are 6 and 8 and sometimes can be rambunctious.

 

Apologies for that.

 

I think someone made that suggestion because if kids really are such a problem and ruin cruises to this kind of extent then sailing on a family orientated cruise line likely isn't a super smart plan.

 

Exactly what I meant. Thanks for understanding.