Going back to carnival!!

[casinostreer]

I'm very sorry to hear that your son was traumatized. That's a horrible thing for parents to see. The only thing I can say is that because of this experience, your son will certainly think twice about stealing again.

 

I find it interesting that your anger is focused on security. This reminds me of parents blaming teachers for their child's poor academic performance instead of looking to or helping their child. It's just interesting.

 

Being a parent, I can certainly understand and empathize. Let's also remember that security officers are not trained to deal with anyone other than security risks and violators, regardless of age. It doesn't justify their actions at all, but let's not hold them to the standards of a trained elementary educator.

 

I hope your son is feeling better and that you all enjoy happier cruises on another cruise line.

 

PS - Agreed. Allure is WAY too big!!

[cruisingagentone]

I have one question for the OP, do you let your 10 year old stay at home alone when you go out to dinner?

 

If not then why do you think it is ok to let him roam on a ship with 6000 strangers?

[Trainman-2]

Welcome Back To Carnival!

 

 

I will NEVER sail Royal Caribbean again

[Havingfun2010]

I see nothing wrong with the way RCCL handled it. They most likely handled it too easy. I have had a "child" that shoplifted. It was over $100.00 so it involved a higher penalty. He went to "peer court" instead of regular court, and had to perform 50 hours of community service.

 

It does not matter if the kid returned the item or not. It should be only considered when dishing out a punishment. The poster only said, the kid got a very good lecture. What punishment awaits him. Why wasn't the kid turned over? It looks to me the kid's punishment was too soft.

 

I felt my kid's punishment was about right. He learned his lesson. He spent his summer, cleaning government buildings, and mowing grass at parks and paining structures.

[vacation_junkie]

We have sailed several cruise lines and Carnival seems to be our trusty go to line.

 

NOT because of the price point but because of the experience we've had with them.

 

Unfortunately a bad cruise can happen on any line.

 

Our worst Cruise was our last cruise and that was on Disney Cruise Lines.

It by far wasn't a "Magical" cruise. and that was more then twice the price of our Last carnival cruise! BUT that was OUR experience, I'm sure 3500 other people on the ship had a wonderful cruise.

 

Regardless of what some people preach...The quality of your cruise is in no way impacted by the amount of money your sailing costs.

 

To each their own. On this board you will get people defending their favorite lines until they are blue in the face.

That's based on their personal experience.

 

Your experience unfortunately with RCCL wasn't a good one. But don't swear off the line forever. Give it another chance. The next RCCL cruise you take could be the best one ever.

[tanzer22pilot]

I have never been on an rci cruise - we are sailing on our first in a week. We have been on a couple of carnival cruises with our children and grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed both of them. In my opinion this thread has absolutely nothing to do with either carnival or rci. It has everything to do with parents allowing way too young children to roam the ship unsupervised while they enjoyed dinner in a specialty restaurant with friends. Yes I realize these parents are looking to place responsibility with someone else but in my opinion they simply need to look in a mirror and accept responsibility for their (and their sons) behavior.

 

We will have our grandchildren who are 9,10, and 12 with us on our upcoming cruise. They will not be running the ship unsupervised. We will be having dinner in a specialty restaurant and the 9 and 10 year olds will be with other children in a supervised environment. The 12 year old will be with us.

 

I know we all have differing parenting styles. But let's not place blame on a cruise line - any cruise line - for this type of behavior.

 

 

Thank you for being a responsable parent and not allowing your children to free-range.

 

This might not make the OP happy, but their kid might have stolen to get attention. It is interesting for my wife and I, that some families go on a cruise to have a "family vacation" and the first thing they do is fiqure a way to pawn their kids off on some nursery, club or to their own devices. The OP is responsible for her kid and the fact that she blames the cruise line rather then her special snowflake says much to me. I can only hope that she will not blame a car manufacturer when he steals a car later in life. Maybe this will be a wakeup call for them.

[casinostreer]

Your experience unfortunately with RCCL wasn't a good one. But don't swear off the line forever. Give it another chance. The next RCCL cruise you take could be the best one ever.

 

Well said.

[Thetrail]

Surely your Son will need to steal a watch on a Carnival ship before you can make a true comparison.

Sorry but this reply is sooo funny!.....:)

[krev]

I'm leaving the theft issue alone. We are loyal RCI cruisers but swayed slightly a few weeks ago and did a last minute Alaska on Carnival Miracle. I will start by saying it was better than expected, our main complaint was the staff. It was about them first, if waiting for an elevator they got on first, got off first that sort of thing. Nothing to ruin the cruise just an observation, the buffet was very confusing and in sections, bar service in the MDR non existent on some nights. Every ship is differnt, every crew is different, you can't paint the entire fleet with any cruise line with the same brush. When people ask how Carnival was we say it was fine. I will say it was more the cruisers that put me "off" than the ship or crew.

Cheers

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[vacation_junkie]

 

Kid Camp, don't know. Wouldn't bring a child on a cruise. That's Disney for family vacations

 

 

 

 

This upcoming cruise will be #18 for my 14 year old.

 

I've never thought twice about cruising with him.

 

The things he's experienced / learnt in regards to different cultures, different ports he's visited is something that he could never ever experience during a land based "Disney family Vacation". We have visited Disney World Several time. When we discuss the next vacation its always an option but in the past few years he's always suggested a Cruise over DW.

Edited August 12, 2014 by vacation_junkie

[Mothballs]

Surely your Son will need to steal a watch on a Carnival ship before you can make a true comparison.[/QU

 

Good one.Thanks for the laugh.

Elaine.

[Thetrail]

Really SpookWife??? Than explain why the watch was found in his personal belongings 4 hours later? I knew by posting my review here I was going to hear a ton of backlash. But I have to say never did I think people would be soooo mean and callous. For the few who took the review for what it was...thank u! To the rest of u...I only hope that one day you or a child makes a mistake and you receive the same treatment you have so kindly bestowed upon me. Have a nice day!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The more you sound ridiculous! You have made sooo many accusations now that I have a hard time believing half your story now! Boo Hoo, your son stole an item, he cried, maybe he will think twice now, move on and stop trying to lay blame where it's not!....:rolleyes::rolleyes:...Oh and enjoy Carnival:D

[crisndeefromde]

I am still shaking my head and not sure why I even looked at this thread.

 

For some reason when I read this I envisioned a watch being stolen from the watch sale on the promenade. i have never seen the G watch in the arcade section that we frequent on any of the Royal Ships. Interesting.

 

Either way we all have different parenting skills and choices and sadly I don't agree with letting a 10 year old roam the ship.

[vacation_junkie]

My very responsible 14 yr old is not allowed to roam the ship. Even when he was able to sign himself out of Camp/Teen club he wouldn't dare to do it.

 

We have very strict rules as to where he needs to be and when.

 

While I trust MY child I don't trust others.

[Adayatatime]

I agree...they didn't have self sign out until the 3rd day when they proved responsibility...ie...checking in when told...back at stateroom at specific time...and not getting in trouble. I had no reason to think that they would have done something so stupid. Unfortunately, their bad decision overrode their excellent behavior on the first 6 days...I am a good parent with great kids...so sad that many of you think you are so superior.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

So, what lessons did your son learn do you think? If you turn all this into a positive, even if you think it was all handled incorrectly, it may teach him that its just too unreasonable to steal. Reprimands and reactions come in all shapes and sizes - his mom isn't always going to be there to fight his corner. It doesn't really make any difference whether you think the reaction of the cruiseliner was reasonable. His actions have created all of this mess, hopefully he will reflect on this experience and in the future think "best not" if he is ever tempted again.

[websiteauthor]

Surely your Son will need to steal a watch on a Carnival ship before you can make a true comparison.

 

This could be the funniest post I've seen on CC.:D

 

Well played.

[Funbobby68]

Wasn't going to post and honestly only read the first couple of pages and the last few , thinking everything in the middle is just more of the same my 2cents is , got to lay blame on the parents not the cruise line , maybe the boy was overcome with the whole pirates of the caribean thing , or peer pressure , still no excuse if the parents had instilled right from wrong , have travelled with my kids many time and have never worried about such things because I did my job as a parent

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[ryano]

[dcarjn]

When I was 10 years old I went along with a friend and did a little shoplifting at a department store and was caught. I was taken into a room with the cops, scared to death, and had it on my record till I was 18. Completely regretted it, learned my lesson, and never did it again. So being scared by security isn't exclusive to a cruise ship, and in my opinion isn't a bad thing.

 

I don't think its fair to blame an entire line on a couple of employees, even if they did, by chance, handle it wrong. I understand if you didn't like the big ship because you want more ocean view, or whatnot. That's why it's great they have small and large ships, to fit to everyone's taste. You should try a different ship to see if that one is more to your tastes. Just remember that you will have good people and bad people, good experiences and bad experiences, on any cruise line, hotel, grocery store, gas station, etc.

[A&L_Ont]

For some reason when I read this I envisioned a watch being stolen from the watch sale on the promenade. I have never seen the G watch in the arcade section that we frequent on any of the Royal Ships. Interesting.

 

 

Same here.

[kontraxed]

When I was about ten years old, I was caught stealing change from a stack of newspapers in front of a drugstore. The owner decided to call my father instead of the cops. I begged him to call the cops instead. About a week later (or so) I was able to walk again and never again contemplated stealing anything!

 

On a different note, while I do loving cruising at age 62, one of my biggest complaints is unsupervised kids running all over the place with absolutely no respect for anyone or anything. I've often thought they need to have someone like my father in their lives - if only for a few minutes!

 

I know, "child abuse" and "Oh, the horror!" but I and a lot of other kids survived and learned valuable lessons that stayed with us for life.

[robandana]

We have sailed several cruise lines and Carnival seems to be our trusty go to line.

 

NOT because of the price point but because of the experience we've had with them.

 

Unfortunately a bad cruise can happen on any line.

 

Our worst Cruise was our last cruise and that was on Disney Cruise Lines.

It by far wasn't a "Magical" cruise. and that was more then twice the price of our Last carnival cruise! BUT that was OUR experience, I'm sure 3500 other people on the ship had a wonderful cruise.

 

Regardless of what some people preach...The quality of your cruise is in no way impacted by the amount of money your sailing costs.

 

To each their own. On this board you will get people defending their favorite lines until they are blue in the face.

That's based on their personal experience.

 

Your experience unfortunately with RCCL wasn't a good one. But don't swear off the line forever. Give it another chance. The next RCCL cruise you take could be the best one ever.

 

It's interesting that although you don't feel money has any baring on your cruise's you mention it a lot!

[holden0301]

I'm in shock that a 10yo would be allowed to roam the ship on his own. Sure, many kids are trustworthy and responsible, but a ship is not a bubble. My DD will be 12 on our next cruise and I won't let her go off on her own. It's not her that I don't trust, it's the other thousands of people on the ship. Would you visit a major city and let a child walk around on his/her own?

[goldgirl2]

I too do not understand why your child was unsupervised. I'm guessing selfish reasons on the parents part. Your son was probably screaming and crying to get a reaction out of you. Smart kid, it worked! It took the focus and the blame off of him and placed your anger on someone else. Have you and your DH considered the position you put RCI in? YOUR child handed off stolen merchandise to an unsuspecting maintainance worker. Did your son even know his name?? Maybe that is what took so long to find the guy. I'm glad RCI made your child feel bad, he should feel bad. You sound like you were too busy ranting and raving to handle the situation with your son. What kind is an example did you set? Yelling and threatening them that if they didn't find the guy in an hour they would be arresting you!! Very mature way to behave for a teacher.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited August 12, 2014 by goldgirl2

[diggers dad]

Even though my preferred cruise line is Royal, this is not a comparison of Royal vs Carnival but rather my opinion about how security handled their talk with the boy about the theft.

 

I'm writing as a father and grandfather. If one of my children (now grown) or grandchildren (about the same age as the boy in this incident) had stolen something and even if they returned it, I would want somebody in authority to scare the bejesus out of them to hopefully prevent it from happening again.

 

I think that in this case the young boy was very lucky that no charges were pressed.