Rant - "too many kids on board"

[dancinman66]

It's only certain kids that can be a problem

I generally don't mind them around

It's the whining adults that are more annoying :)

 

 

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[Adayatatime]

I don't even have an issue with kids hanging around the stairs. I don't spend my time there, not saying its a particularly interesting place for the kids to be, but it doesn't affect me. If you ask them to move they do.

 

Where exactly are they when they annoy adults? I seriously hardly see them.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Adayatatime

[LetsGetWet!]

We were on a cruise with a large group of quinceaneras from Brazil (I think they have a different name for it) and found them to be very well behaved young ladies. We saw them around the ship and shore and they caused no issues at all yet I heard people complaining.

We had one of those Brazilian groups with teenage girls celebrating whatever they call it a few years ago too. As you said, generally well behaved, although they - and the adults with them - were a little more "high-spirited" than similar groups I've encountered from Mexico. The "dancing under the stars" pool party was the same night as their formal party and quite a number of them showed up at the pool party after their event. They were definitely the "life of the party" with more than a few of the girls - and some of the parents too - jumping into the pool, gowns & all!

[jbond]

Some day you will be one, and then you can stay at home.

If they're lucky. :rolleyes:

[rodenboy]

I have to say, I have never noticed any specific "group" of person annoy me. Particular people and/or odd parties may annoy me for personal reasons but I don't go out my way to single out a specific "group" of people.

 

I think if people have enough time to generalise such as "all the seniors were so annoying" or "all the teenagers were so obnoxious" that to me says more about the person noticing it, than the "group" of person they are complaining about. Make your holiday/vacation what it is, don't allow others to define it for you.

 

 

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[heyabbott]

I am a senior and enjoy nice people of any age. As for children, well my DH and I are thinking of trying Disney Cruise line this winter. Just waiting for the price to be right.

 

 

It'll be a long wait

 

 

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[Familygoboston]

I must be the one lucky because I don't see all these drunks that so many on Cruise Critic use to buttress their defense of unruly kids, balcony smokers, or any other poor behavior they choose to defend. Happy sailing! ;)

 

Ditto.

 

MAYBE...you were too drink to notice ;):D

 

Ok, I'm just kidding you both! I also have not noticed as much over indulgence since about 2007,2008. Back then they were deeply, deeply discounting cruises and we were taking short cruises. People were just sloppy drunk! (But Quest was sure a lot more fun:p)

 

We switched to longer cruises to avoid this, and overall, I haven't seen a big over indulgence problem on board (and YES, I'm usually sober;)) I decided to try a short cruise again with mom and daughters more recently, and was a little concerned- short cruise, new all you can drink packages, could be bad; but again was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was pretty measured or just really really tolerates a lot of booze well!

 

In my many years of cruising, I've had no trouble with kids, no trouble with older folks (and even though I am not one, I'm bugged how they all get lumped together behaviorally here on CC; my 80 yo globe trotting, senior league soft ball champ neighbor is not anything like the descriptions I read!) Cruised with truck salesmen, fans of Gino Vanelli, newbies and International guests. I've even cruised with 400 minimally accompanied teens from Argentina, and they were fine too (I fault the cruise line for not providing more buffet space and extra sweets to accommodate them)

 

The worst group we ever cruised with by far was when we were taking cruises in December for the reasonable prices and Royal ran its "Diamonds in December" promos. I was looking forward to a few perks and points, but instead we were stuck with the biggest group of jaded, unenthusiastic, complainers ever! Every conversation turned into a litany of what they didn't like about Royal Caribbean, the CD had to beg just to get a little cheer or applause for the performers at shows. We were so disappointed, we decided, no more Diamonds in December for us! (They no longer run the program anyway)

 

Every cruise needs a good mix of folks to be successful, I think, like a community, and as cruisers, I think it's best to accept our differences without all the stereotyping! Folks who can't enjoy the diversity of a mass market cruise can find plenty of specialty cruises to meet their needs!

[spookwife]

So often I see threads about "too many kids" on board a ship.

 

Well ya' know what - I don't drink but I never see threads about "too many drunks" on board; I'm not old and don't complain about all the seniors on board; nor would I ever post about it. :rolleyes:

 

We were all kids once! Sure the child's behavior will depend on the parents and the way their child has been raised. But what about these adults that over drink and act very childish? Who is responsible for their behavior? I don't care to be around those types, so we steer clear of the bars and avoid those people if at all possible.

 

We do cruise with our son - always have and always will take him. We home school and usually cruise during the off season. I am always hoping there are lots of kids on board so he won't be alone :D

 

It just seems to me that if you want a vacation without children - then take that vacation (an all adult, all inclusive perhaps - it's what we did when we wanted a kidless vacation).

 

Clearly a cruise is family friendly and affordable so there will always be kids on board - especially during holidays and summers.

 

Sorry - that is my rant - I don't post much but I just don't "get" it and felt the need to rant :o

 

Happy Cruising!

 

newsflash: not everyone thinks that it is all about the kids and only their vacation matters I get so sick and tired of being told that 'there are too many drunks onboard and no one complains about them'

 

I have yet to see a stupid drunk.. i HAVE seen out of control kids. and sorry but even well behaved ones can be annoying or irritating( loud screeches of happiness are really not all that endearing, Mom and Dad)

 

we have tried the AO all inclusive and DID NOT like them.. so do not tell me I shouldnt take a cruise because it is family friendly and only those families with kids count.

[spookwife]

I don't even have an issue with kids hanging around the stairs. I don't spend my time there, not saying its a particularly interesting place for the kids to be, but it doesn't affect me. If you ask them to move they do.

 

Where exactly are they when they annoy adults? I seriously hardly see them.

 

my personal experience:

 

have nearly been run over by kids racing down the hallways in the cabin area( one DID run right INTO my husband and landed on his butt when he came around the corner hell bent for leather)

 

Have been pushed aside trying to get on an elevator by a roaming pack of pre teens( who, in Disney's defense, were SOUNDLY lambasted by the officer who saw the whole thing)

 

Have been deliberately splashed when walking on the pool deck looking for a spot to sit and watch the movie.

 

had toddlers screech for a solid hour in the CL while grinding cracker crumbs in the carpet, chairs and leave smudgy fingerprints on the glass table, and then have been disturbed when the Concierge had to call in a housekeeper to clean up after them. (vacuum)

 

nearly been attacked by dropped I dunno what they were from a deck above. I wanna say it was ice cream cones. it sure did make a huge mess on the floor.

[Big_G]

MAYBE...you were too drink to notice ;):D

 

Ok, I'm just kidding you both! I also have not noticed as much over indulgence since about 2007,2008. Back then they were deeply, deeply discounting cruises and we were taking short cruises. People were just sloppy drunk! (But Quest was sure a lot more fun:p)

 

 

LOL! I've had no problem with kids, smokers, the heavily perfumed, or drunks but some how the drunks always manage to come up in most rants about bad behavior. It's almost like clock work. :D

[Trainman-2]

After 286 days on RCI ships, I can say that there was only one occasion when I was really annoyed by unruly kids!

 

It is easy to take longer cruises or cruises when the kids are in school which tend to minimize the number of kids on board.

 

It is also easy to go places where there are not too many kids.

 

I guess that some people just like to complain...

[reallyitsmema]

The complainers are going to complain, plain and simple. I ignore them just like I ignore the people who like to make up fairy tales about what they see on cruise ships.

[thegima]

I don't have kids, nor do I want them. Most don't bother me at all, they're just being kids. Sure there are moments where they do things they probably shouldn't (as we all did). At those moments the parents should be somewhere nearby telling them to calm down or stop acting like a maniac -- not off doing their own thing.

 

I don't blame parents (and families) for wanting a vacation, but a family vacation isn't a vacation where you dump your kids on a cruise ship and make them everyone's problem. If that means you (the parent) can't fully enjoy the vacation then tough - you chose to have children, deal with them. Ya know, I don't fault people for TRYING but if you're shopping and your kids are running down the promenade between peoples legs and climbing on the walls that probably means you should try harder.

 

We got plowed into last year on FOS by a group of kids running down the stairs full speed. One of them just about fell flat on his face. Down the stairs into the promenade @ midnight, where are those parents?

 

I don't expect a "kidless" vacation on a cruise ship. I expect a vacation where the parents act like parents, not parents trying to get away from their kids for a break.

 

It takes all kinds of different people to make a cruise fun and different. Kids, seniors, smokers, drinkers, and everyone in between. If everyone on the ship acted exactly like you it'd be a pretty boring vacation don't you think?

[Tommy3putts]

I try to avoid cruise lines and itineraries where there may be large numbers of cracker crunchers. But don't mind being on a ship with families. The only thing I ask is areas set aside for adults where I can escape to. I'm planning to cruise RCCL on Allure. So I know kids are going to be on board. So I'm assuming the risk.

[Familygoboston]

LOL! I've had no problem with kids, smokers, the heavily perfumed, or drunks but some how the drunks always manage to come up in most rants about bad behavior. It's almost like clock work. :D

 

Eww, the perfume thing! My aunt got in the car the other day, thought I'd die! :eek:

 

Yeah, it's funny, because like Mema pointed out, I think some people come on these boards to complain or stir the pot. I usually don't respond in those situations! I also don't weigh in on threads that don't interest me, (like dress codes or drink package) if others like to discuss that, have at it, they don't need me telling everyone not to post about it!

 

The only thing that galls me is when truly new folks (not trolls who know what they are starting:rolleyes:) ask a question, unaware that there is cultural divide and the thread turns into a huge battle zone. I always feel so sorry for those folks, they must walk away thinking that's the last time I ask a question on THAT board! :eek: ;)

[Stateroom_Sailor]

To each their own, but take some responsibility for yourself. If you don't want kids, sail when they're in school. If you don't want drunks, avoid the 3-4 day cruises in January & Spring Break. If you don't want to sail with old people, avoid the 14 day cruises or Holland America.

[Tommy3putts]

Ha, just when are you supposed to cruise? [emoji1]

[gnocchi_mommy]

I have been nearly run down by people in scooters, far more than by children.

 

That said, I have seen some real problems- especially in the young teen age group. I have cruised with my own kids quite a few times so I don't hate kids, but I do dislike some of their parents. ;-)

 

And also some of those people in scooters.

[awhcruiser]

According to who?

The complainers are going to complain, plain and simple. I ignore them just like I ignore the people who like to make up fairy tales about what they see on cruise ships.

[MichaelCMTX]

I try to avoid cruise lines and itineraries where there may be large numbers of cracker crunchers.

 

These wise words, though we prefer the terms "ankle biters" and "diaper fillers". If we cared to be around children, we'd have had them. We purposely schedule our cruises to be on board when kids tend to be in school. Means we've basically sworn off any Holiday and most Summer itineraries, but such is the path we've chosen. As a result though, no cruise yet where we felt the kid ratio was at all high.

[bigboffs]

Over the years and multiple cruises we have seen groups of "children". totally lacking in parental supervision, being disruptive. We have also seen "adults" either on some type of chemical or simply being their obnoxious persona, being equally disruptive. That being said, neither of these situations would exist with frequency if RCCL simply enforced their own rules. The ships have cameras all over public spaces and "security" persons that monitor them; however, we have never seen security take action to stop these disruptions. To be fair, although these disruptions are not on every cruise; it happens often enough to have people on take notice.

[TheGaDawgFan]

I saw VERY few misbehaved kids on our Spring Break cruise. Were there a lot of kids... yes. Did they negatively impact our experience...no! Most were well dressed and enjoying themselves and the experience.

 

If you don't want kids, don't cruise a family line.

[molsonschooner]

newsflash: not everyone thinks that it is all about the kids and only their vacation matters I get so sick and tired of being told that 'there are too many drunks onboard and no one complains about them'

 

I have yet to see a stupid drunk.. i HAVE seen out of control kids. and sorry but even well behaved ones can be annoying or irritating( loud screeches of happiness are really not all that endearing, Mom and Dad)

 

we have tried the AO all inclusive and DID NOT like them.. so do not tell me I shouldnt take a cruise because it is family friendly and only those families with kids count.

 

You have yet to see a stupid drunk. Really?

[Siora7777]

I like all types of people but overcrowded areas can be a bit much. That's why I always like to sail with a balcony. At least that way you can have a place away from the crowds.

[A2Mich]

I saw VERY few misbehaved kids on our Spring Break cruise. Were there a lot of kids... yes. Did they negatively impact our experience...no! Most were well dressed and enjoying themselves and the experience.

 

If you don't want kids, don't cruise a family line.

 

Don't waste your time....there are certain members here that feel that RCI is "above" being a family-friendly cruise line, and you won't change their lofty opinions. I've said the same thing, even while perusing a RCI brochure showing what else......families and children. Yet, there are some who will still complain that children exist aboard "their" cruise line.