Why do people complain constantly about...

[DqALEX]

A cruise can be a great family vacation. Of all the cruises I have been on I have seen a few acting up, but not to the point where I feel it was my job to say something to them. My kids next cruise will be there platinum cruise for them. They know what I expect from them on a ship. After cruising for years with them I had no problem letting my daughter go to Paris France last year with her school. I trust them

[jordanaire]

The real problem are the parents that just let their kids run wild while they are off gambling, shopping, watching the shows or whatever they choose to do! The kids are just like the kids that roam our neighborhood, breaking into and destroying an empty house across the street! They are unsupervised! And their parents have no idea what they're doing!

 

On our Ecstacy cruise, my wife and I were walking outside one evening and witnessed 3 teenaged kids trying to toss the ping pong table over the side! If they had not seen us, they would have accomplished their dastardly deed. Why on earth would kids do something like that?

 

Why do kids run up and down the hallways at 2am? Why do they ride the elevators up & down at all hours of the day? Why do kids knock over room service trays in the hallways? Why do kids knock on cabin doors during the night and take off running? All because their parents have no idea what their kids are doing!

 

I, personally, would love to see a 12:00 midnight curfew for kids under 18. I think the two RCL cruises we've been on had this curfew. And it seemed to work!

 

So believe it or not parents, while you're out sitting at the bar or in the casino, your little "angels" are misbehaving, some to a very serious extent!

 

:cool:Bill

 

 

 

 

[sunseeker09]

I read these boards all the time, and post very little, but gee, if I was new to cruising, I would think that the ships were like out of control day care centers to read most of the threads about kids on the ships.

 

I had to laugh when I read this because we ARE new to cruising, and reading some of the threads with the complaints about kids running out of control was indeed scaring me! :eek: Not good to read when you are used to the peace and quiet of adult only all-inclusive resorts. I had to stop reading those and remind myself that we're going just AFTER the holidays, so hopefully most of the kids old enough to be roaming the ship unsupervised will be back at school.

 

I don't think getting rid of kids of cruise ships is in any way practical. Of course families want to go on cruises. I also don't think people's parenting habits are going to change any time soon.

 

It would be nice though if they had the odd "adult only" cruises? Why not? There are cruises with other themes? Just think, tons of couples without kids (or grown up kids), seniors, and young singles would JUMP at a cruise like that.

[missabbi]

The biggest problem we have had was on our last cruise in June on the Victory. There was a wedding party and a large group of family members on our deck. Those young adults were so loud it drove me nuts. They were constantly not paying attention to where they were and would knock on our cabin door instead of one of their family member's cabins. One evening, I was getting ready for dinner and there was a knock at the door. I looked out the peep hole and saw a young girl in a bathrobe with her wet hair wrapped in a towel. When I opened the door, she just came right in not paying attention as she was too busy talking to someone over her shoulder. The look on her face when she saw she was in the wrong cabin was priceless. They were more obnoxious than any children I have been around on a cruise.

[halos]

I have actually seen a child put his mouth under the spout:eek:

:eek:

For cryin out loud!

:eek:

Dang!

 

I think it's like the saying "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch."

 

It isn't that ALL the kids on a cruise run around like wild little monsters, it's those FEW that do that give ALL the kids a bad name.

 

Just like the FEW inconsiderate smokers that give ALL smokers a bad name, etc. etc.

 

I don't mind most kids. I had two of my own, and have five wonderful grandchildren so it's not like I don't like kids. I just don't like the bratty ones AND their "parents" that don't know how to parent them properly.

 

If the kids are behaving, fine, no problems. But when they are purposefully being bad, in running up and down the hallways knocking on everyone's door at 3 a.m., or pushing all the buttons on the elevator, or making a mess (of ice cream, etc.) that a crew member is going to have to clean up because their parents aren't around, etc. then it does become a problem.

 

If parents want to take their children on a cruise, then they shouldn't let them run around unsupervised on the ship. If you're not going to keep them with you, leave them at home with Grandma.

 

I agree, especially about there being usually just a few that ruin it for everyone. I have taken one summer cruise (and am getting on another in two days) and have had several spring break cruises...out of thousands of kids total, there may have been 6 that were really bad...and they were bad enough to remember.

[Nunu]

There's really no reason for self serve ice cream.

[Wolfie48]

You should have called security.........I did....

 

I'm sure she would have if it had really happened :D

[Wolfie48]

There's really no reason for self serve ice cream.

 

Oh but there is...my DW loves the self serve ice cream.

[Nunu]

Oh but there is...my DW loves the self serve ice cream.

But would she still love it if it was served and controlled by an attendant?

[mzloolue]

Did I read that right?

NO reason for ice cream?

 

Oh no!

 

Actually I have not yet had a problem with kids on a cruise.

Either I am incredibly lucky

Or I am not an old fart yet...

[Nunu]

Did I read that right?

NO reason for ice cream?

 

Oh no!

 

Actually I have not yet had a problem with kids on a cruise.

Either I am incredibly lucky

Or I am not an old fart yet...

 

I believe the poster said no reason for "self serve" ice cream. Okay that was me. :eek:

[Wolfie48]

I agree with most, there are two sides to all stories. I have been bothered too by kids who play aound in the elevators and run up and down the halls but I also am more bothered by the actions of the drunk adults who scream and yelli all hours of the night. Of course the easy thing to do is say call security but these people are spending a ton on booze so there is nothing that anybody is really going to do unless they go way overboard (so to speak). The same number of people that complain about kids could also complain if they said during spring break If you know what I mean). I bring my children but I also don't let them roam free, it is our family vacation.

 

I do find it strange that so many people are bothered by kids yet choose to:

 

1. Sail with Carnival who has more kids than any other line.

2. Sail during school breaks when there are so many more kids on board.

 

Everybody has the right to the vacation of their choice but if you really don't want to sail with children then you should look into other lines or sail when school is in session. Nobody's vacation should be ruined by unruly people no matter what there ages are.

 

Just my opinion,

 

So people should pay twice as much money so some parents can allow their kids to run rampant? :confused:

[Wolfie48]

But would she still love it if it was served and controlled by an attendant?

 

The fact that she can go anytime and help herself is a plus to her. Why deny her that small pleasure becuase some people abuse the situation?

[Traveler353]

I for one have no problem with the kids onboard. Well maybe once or twice, but it was over and done with in 10 seconds. The issue I have is with crappy parents. Not just onboard, anywhere they happen to be. Personally I believe that cruising is a great family activity, break them in early and make life long fans.

[cuyahoga11]

But would she still love it if it was served and controlled by an attendant?

 

 

Maybe the bacon police can moonlight

[rdler]

Well, I do not travel without my kid. And that includes the business trips I go on-- which, thankfully are few and far between.

 

I am a single father of a 7 year old son. The sole reason I cruise is to have good father/son time. Think about it. Unless one or the other of us pushes the other overboard, we are together 24/7. That is wonderful.

 

I do not park my son in Camp Carnival. He and I do things together. Yes, it is not a real vacation for me-- I am on the job the whole time! And I enjoy it.

 

The trips offer me an opportunity to teach my kid some things. How to eat in the dining room, which knife to use first. Where to place the spoon when the soup is finished. We both learn on our excursions. Then I learn, too, as he teaches me the best way to go down that damn slide!

 

But I fully expect my son to be polite and well behaved at all times. At the first sign of a little agitation, we have a little talk. If that doesn't work, we go back to the cabin.

 

If he jumps into the pool and splashes someone, he apologizes. He says "thank you" for his drinks.

 

Mind you, my kid is a little devil when he wants to be, but it is my responsibility to ensure that he acts properly and doesn't bother others.

[ilovelatin]

Well im a teen and I can say I always tried to be polite and nice on cruises and Im not a big splasher but I know other kids are. I really wish some people would stop grouping us all together and demonizing us its rude quite frankly! Its like if I said man all those boozers having a drink or two their all sloppy! Even though everyone who has a drink is not sloppy. I myself was kind of troubled with all the other kids acting up.

[cathyoo]

I agree with the poster about all the CC parents who say "not my child" I've been a parent for 40 years (actually tomorrow is my 40th anniversary for motherhood). Don't know whether to celebrate or to cry. The one truth I've learned raising 4 kids is NEVER to say NEVER.

 

I was just on vacation with my very grown children and shocked to hear about some of the things I never knew. Shocked and relieved that I didn't know.. cause with all the shennagins they grew up to be decent, responsible, hardworking, adults.

 

I never ran down cruise hallways knocking on doors cause we never took cruise vacations. But I made lots of "is your water running" Go chase it" type phone calls. I actually got a big laugh out of a post that talked about kids switching room service tags. Elevator buttons being pushed... Not the end of the world. Knocking on the door in the middle of the night could be annoying but I think I would just roll over and go back to sleep.

 

If you are near enough to the pool to get splashed it is what you should expect. Mile high ice cream... say to the child "wait right there, let me get you a bowl" or wait a minute hon, you look like you are going to drop that, let me carry it for you". Throwing the pool table over the side of the ship.. that's pretty serious and I think I would have had to report that one.

 

I am not a frequent cruiser .. Nov will be my 6th cruise... maybe I've just been very lucky.. but I've enjoyed watching the families with children and have never had any bad experiences.

[B&JHall]

The previous poster who stated these kid's are "effing up" everybody elses vacation, nailed it. But it's the parent's "effing up" the vacation for the rest of us. Most of the kid's on our cruises have been great. It's those few who are not being supervised that make us all mad.

[CruiseLover824]

Just last week John Heald posted a story on his blog about a group of unruly teens on a Carnival Freedom cruise. They ruined a motorized scooter of another guest to the point of it having to be repaired by the crew. Oh, and apparently the scooter was actually stolen twice! It was taken again after the crew fixed it the first time. This same group of teens was also suspected of spitting down the atrium onto the musicians who were playing in the lobby. I wonder where their parents were when they were doing these things?

 

Everyone is correct when they say that you should expect that there be plenty of kids on a Carnival cruise....However, is it wrong to expect these children to behave in a civil manner? I know a couple of times I have given my 'teacher look' to kids who were doing the wrong thing on the ship. I shouldn't have to, but once a teacher, always a teacher!!! They generally stop what they are doing---and move to a new location.

[DragonfireXv]

Kids will be kids. I'm sure every person here at one point or another did some mischievous things when they were younger. If you're looking for a cruise ship without kids, Carnival is not, and most likely will never be it.

 

Personally, I think I'd prefer kids over uptight seniors who go on a "fun ship" and expect no dancing, no laughing, no partying, and generally no fun on a vacation.

[glrounds]

I don't know where the unruly kids and absent parents come from. It just amazes me, that everyone on this board states how it is never their kids, theirs are the well behaved quiet ones. I think that is part of the problem, they THINK THIERS ARE THE GOOD ONES. Sorry, I am sure you will put me in my place. But I read alot of posts on this board and just can't believe every one of you who brings their 10-16 year olds have angels and it is only the non members who have the unruly unsupervised children.

 

Cindy

 

EXACTLY ! !

 

Parents who report here that their children are "little angels" ;) and "raised to never do that" :rolleyes:, SOMETIMES only see their angelic qualities when they are with their parents.

 

The Father of four boys, I can imagine what sometimes occurs when the "cats away". :rolleyes:However in all my cruises, I've only observed one childish act of defiance onboard, when two 12-year olds virtually destroyed a chess game that a young couple was playing on the aft Lido deck of the Spirit. They had a huge chess board and pieces and the two cruisers were contemplating their moves with intense concentration. These 2 little hellions just marched up and knocked them all over ! ! The young couple was aghast as these idiots continually kicked and threw pieces in every direction. :eek: I just stared them in the eye as they laughed hysterically.

 

That OLD WELL-EXECUTED NON-BLINKING STARE worked its magic and those little brats scattered and avoided me like the plague for the rest of the cruise. They'd see me coming 50 feet away and make a hasty detour immediately. I must admit, I was starting to really enjoy this. :D

 

Incidentally, are mile-high ice cream cones allowed ? I can't wait. :)

[DqALEX]

There's really no reason for self serve ice cream.

I agree. It should be left to the professionals.

[momsbusy]

The kids that tried to throw a ping pong table overboard or who spat on musicians from above should have been reported and their parents held accountable - I think everyone would agree. But really, I still think it is unrealistic for someone to book a Carnival Cruise and expect it to be kid free, and I especially think its unrealistic for anyone to board a cruise ship and expect to not get splashed. That doesn't make any sense at all.

[Nunu]

I agree. It should be left to the professionals.

 

haha nice