Prefer 2 Cruse w/your Kids or Leave Them @ Home

[pseudoware]

DW & I cruised once before having kids. Since, we've cruised six times, always w/them, the earliest at ages 7 & 5 (infant/toddler stage, no thanks).

 

We've talked about what it'll be like to cruise as empty-nesters one day, but 'till then, we can't imagine going w/o them, even now as teenagers. Still, we respect the choice of others that do so - families are different.

 

Anyway, what's your take and/or experience?

 

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[leaveitallbehind]

Our kids grew up cruising with us and still join us from time to time as adults. But in recent years more of our cruising is just the two of us, and as much as we enjoyed - and still do enjoy - cruising with our family, it is wonderful to cruise alone. We also cruise frequently with several other couples that we met on previous cruises and especially enjoy and look forward to those cruises.

[Uncwrn93]

Cruised with her as a young teenager and will again in January at 19. There will be a day where she won't be available to travel with us but for now we enjoy traveling with her.

[cb at sea]

If you want to vacation as a family...bring the kids....they are part of your family!

 

If you want a "couples" vacation, leave them with the grandparents!

 

There is no right or wrong way to vacation. Up to you what KIND of vacation it is!

[092306]

We cruised as a couple many times and started cruising with our son when he was 11 months old. Yes, they are different cruises with a child, but we really enjoyed the ones with our son. I couldn't imagine leaving him home, but that's just me.

[DRS/NC]

My late DH & I cruised almost every year w/our DD from age 2.5 (yes, she always behaved well in the MDR) until she went to college.

 

We loved seeing the world together! It was a great education for all 3 of us!

 

Later DH & I cruised whenever possible. Now I cruise alone. It's all good.

[apkpcruisers]

DH and I took our first cruise prior to having babies. Once the kids were old enough to stay home with grandma and we were able to afford to travel again, we started cruising again. Cruising is our thing. We took the kids on vacations also, but not cruising. We just decided it would be out private time.

 

No reason to leave the kids at home if you want to take a family vacation. No reason to take them with if you need a couples vacation.

[Keith1010]

We took our children on many cruises with us and had a great time. For us it gave us special time with them but also time for them to be on their own. We enjoyed this experience.

 

When we became empty nesters we have taken many cruses on our own and enjoyed them.'

 

We have also taken our children and their spouses on some cruises with us and now that we have grand children look forward to taking the extended family with us.

 

We love to cruise and enjoy cruising by ourselves and cruising with the family.

 

No right or wrong on this.

 

We do love to cruise.

 

Keith

[newbiecruiser09]

THis is one of the things I love about a cruise vacation. YOu can take the family but everyone doesn't have to be together or do the same things all the time. Our DD was 7 on her first cruise and used the kids club a lot. DS (12 on first cruise) loved the sports deck and hanging out with kids from different places of the world. We could be together when we wanted but did not have to spend 24/7 all doing the same things.

[Athankfulheart]

I agree with the posters who said to cruise exactly how it makes you happy :)

 

We cruise as a couple and with part or all of our children. It just depends on the occasion . Our last cruise was a couples cruise and our next cruise is with 5 of our 8 children (college kids can't come this time). The one after that is another mom and dad only sailing :D

[akcruz]

I will add to the rest. There is no right or wrong answer, but I will tell you my kids were always much more forgiving if we told them we were doing a grown up trip to anywhere but a cruise. We quickly realized if we wanted a trip for ourselves (which I do think is important to do once in a while) it had to be a non cruise vacation as my kids love to cruise and were always very disappointed if they didn't get to go with us.

 

They are both grown now and one married and we still get those sad eyes when we say we have a cruise booked :eek:. And yes, we still do take them with us on occasion, just not as often anymore!

 

Also, agree we found cruising to be a great family vacation. Lots of family time as well as activities for each of us to do on our own that we enjoyed.