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Elliot Article about taking young children on a Royal Caribbean cruise


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https://www.elliott.org/blog/take-your-baby-on-a-cruise-refund-from-royal-caribbean

 

Not looking to start a debate or a fight, but good to remember if you travel with children. Cruise ships aren't a babysitting service, and it's really important to thoroughly research the ship and what is allowed/available for children of specific ages.

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I wonder what ship they were sailing. The woman obviously didn't do her homework. Nice to see that Elliot didn't try to advocate for someone who had no case.

 

Elliot's really good at advocating when there's a case, and thoroughly explaining why there isn't a case when there isn't one. We're planning a family cruise next month and the first thing I did was make sure my mother-in-law and 8 year old brother-in-law both knew all the rules regarding kids on board. He's not tall enough for the zip-line, and he knows that, but he also knows exactly what there is on board that he can do. Hopefully that will help avoid any tantrums. But even if he does start throwing a fit, the parents know that it's there responsibility to handle them, and they have a schedule set up as to who can get "time away" from the kids and when.

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We never cruised with our kids until they were 7ish. But I don’t have a problem with young kids or babies on cruise ships.

 

I think as parents you have to adjust your expectations. It’s not going to be totally relaxing. You have young kids for whom you are still responsible. To expect anyone but yourself and those with whom you are traveling (if they are willing) to be the load-bearers of this responsibility is not realistic.

 

 

 

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We never cruised with our kids until they were 7ish. But I don’t have a problem with young kids or babies on cruise ships.

 

7-8 seems like a popular age to start. That's what my sister said she is waiting for, and my mother-in-law waited until her youngest was 8 before a family cruise. At that age they'll be able to remember more, and while you still have to be mindful they can be trusted a bit more to behave themselves for a nice dinner, or for an hour to see a show.

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I think she's definitely clutching at straws with the Adventure Ocean complaint, one kid was asked to leave! As for not understanding the staff, we've never met anyone working there that didn't speak great English.

 

We took both of our kids on vacation at very young ages, yes it's a different kind of vacation but the memories made during those trips were priceless.

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My son was 10 months old his first cruise and is about to go on his eight cruise at age nine. I however did research and know what was available to us. This person is so wrong.

 

 

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Single parent here, at time Father to a 4 ,6 and 10 year old on one cruise. As parent you roll with it. Never considered it hard until Teen years and dating, 2 girls. Took them on shore excursions, Dressed up for Main Dining every nite. At times one kid stopped going to Kids Program. Another one was sick for over a day. I usually never missed a show, we sat up in balcony. 4yr old loved the musicals and would even take her to karaoke... No issues for me, wouldn't have not done it for the World. I was prepared been already cruising over 12yrs

Edited by ONECRUISER
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I think she's definitely clutching at straws with the Adventure Ocean complaint, one kid was asked to leave! As for not understanding the staff, we've never met anyone working there that didn't speak great English.

 

We took both of our kids on vacation at very young ages, yes it's a different kind of vacation but the memories made during those trips were priceless.

 

In my experience over the years, most, if not all, of the AO staff where either, American, Canadian or British, very good English

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We loved cruising before we had kids but knew that crusing with small children would not be worth it for many reasons. For a few years our vacations revolved around what would be easier with kids in diapers. We did an all-inclusive resort vacation with one toddler and even found that a bit challenging so we switched to staying closer to home. Renting cottages or going to water park hotels like GWL allowed us more flexibility with little ones.

 

We returned to cruising when the kids were 7 and 5 - ages where they can fully participate in Adventure Ocean and other kid activities. They enjoyed dressing up and sitting for long fancy dinners and having lots of photos taken. My kids will be 14 and 12 on our next cruise and we will be entering into the phase where they have a bit more freedom on the ship - and yes I have done lots of research on the teen club and keeping in touch with my kids (and rules for safety).

 

This woman has only herself to blame for not researching cruising with small children before she booked. Vacationing with small children is never easy and for a parent to think that it would be relaxing on a cruise ship with three small kids is folly.

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This is why my wife and I have already decided that when we do have kids they are not going on vacations with us until they are 7 or 8. No point otherwise.

 

 

Once they are past the diaper and napping phase, it’s much easier. We took a few trips when they were little, one of those being Disney.

The real trips started when my youngest was 4.

Europe and Asia can wait till they appreciate it. The cost of getting there is too exorbitant.

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Once they are past the diaper and napping phase, it’s much easier. We took a few trips when they were little, one of those being Disney.

The real trips started when my youngest was 4.

Europe and Asia can wait till they appreciate it. The cost of getting there is too exorbitant.

I agree, we have 5 kids, and there were several trips that those still in diapers stayed back with the grandparents, but once they were 3+, they came along.

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DS started cruising with us when he was 3 and fully potty trained. He doesn't do kid's club and tags along to everything with us. He is well behaved in general, but at MDR he has to use a tablet with games/cartoons, or he'll get bored like all the other kids we see in MDR, who are a total terror to the rest of the diners.

 

We can't even think of going on a cruise without him.

 

The lady in the article is out of her mind - asking about a refund because she didn't have a relaxing vacation. Lady, you have 3 kids - the days of relaxation are over!

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Are they serious?!?!?!?!

"So Belben says that she and her husband spent the rest of the week just focused on trying to entertain the children — without the benefit of the kids’ programs."

Heaven forbid you have children, are responsible for their well being and entertainment, and actually have to spend quality time with them on your vacation.

Add to that the indignity of having your child face consequences of pushing around other kids, and/or your second child being exposed to other languages/English second language on a vacation that visits foreign countries!!

But this part really takes the cake:

"With high hopes for a relaxing and restorative vacation, Belben, her husband and three children (ages 6, 3 and 1) boarded their Caribbean-bound cruise. "

6, 3, and 1??? Relaxing and resorative????

"Royal Caribbean does have The Royal Babies program, but those are classes and activities with the parent and the baby. So that program wouldn’t provide any kind of respite for a tired mom looking for a break either."

Well maybe Dad could step up and take the kids while Mom took a break?

SMH

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We took our young children on vacations at very young ages. Some of them they remember, others they do not.

Our requirements were that we did things aimed at the kids. We went camping, Disney World, cross country to MtRushmore and Yellowstone, Boston and Niagra Falls. We were looking for fun things for them and some educational things. DD still talks about our Family Vacations. When both kids were out of high school we started our adult vacations, Las Vegas, cruising.

Children change your lifestyle but in the end it is well worth it.

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Are they serious?!?!?!?!

"So Belben says that she and her husband spent the rest of the week just focused on trying to entertain the children — without the benefit of the kids’ programs."

Heaven forbid you have children, are responsible for their well being and entertainment, and actually have to spend quality time with them on your vacation.

Add to that the indignity of having your child face consequences of pushing around other kids, and/or your second child being exposed to other languages/English second language on a vacation that visits foreign countries!!

But this part really takes the cake:

"With high hopes for a relaxing and restorative vacation, Belben, her husband and three children (ages 6, 3 and 1) boarded their Caribbean-bound cruise. "

6, 3, and 1??? Relaxing and resorative????

"Royal Caribbean does have The Royal Babies program, but those are classes and activities with the parent and the baby. So that program wouldn’t provide any kind of respite for a tired mom looking for a break either."

Well maybe Dad could step up and take the kids while Mom took a break?

SMH

I agree with you.

 

The only relaxing and restorative vacation with kids is to leave them at home with grandma. With that said, I took my 3 grandkids age 5, 9 and 14 on the oasis 2 weeks ago. That was challenging in itself because of the age differences and what they could do due do restrictions etc. My relaxing, recovery and restorative vacation is happening on a b2b 8/17 and 8/25 once they are safely tucked in school and grandma is “off call”.

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Agree with sentiments above. Traveling ANYWHERE with small children is neither relaxing nor restorative. But neither is being at home with them! This parenting stuff is work...

 

We travel with our children regularly (just took first cruise with them). And while I’ve never come home from a family vacation rested or rejuvenated, I have come back having had lots of fun, getting some great family pictures, spending time doing new things with the kids, getting to spend lots of time with the kids I don’t get when I’m at work, learning new things about my kids, and looking back very fondly on our trips.

 

Were the trips with the kids perfect? No way. But would I ever trade them? Definitely not.

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The only point that I can understand why she felt disappointed was when she found out her toddler couldn't go in the pools. I swim at the Y and there are almost always babies/toddlers in swim diapers around.I'm sure they pass all the public health requirements . All of the public pools that I can think of allow that, so maybe that's why she didn't look for different regulations. As for the 6 yr not being interested in the kids club, it happens. As for the 3 yr old, he is not ready to be left in a play group yet for whatever reason. How is that the fault of RCCL?

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