How to AVOID children on cruises?

[debates2]

My heart goes out to you. I am a single father of four and the kids go on vacation with me. Granted depending on where in the US you live Spring Break may fall on a different weekend, so your guess at making a reservation is as good as mine. If you live in New York you also have Winter Break to contend with while making reservations.

 

I think RCCL does a good job at keeping the kids involved in activities, but at some point the kids go out on their own. Although most ships have Security staff that help curtail some of the teen traffic I'll agree that you'll find kids roaming the halls of the ship during all hours of the evening and morning. My teens typically don't roam and I pray are more respectful that to push every button on the elevator or scream up and down the halls.

 

I tend to place a curfew on my kids, even though they are on vacation or have them check in with me ever so often. You would think most other families would do the same, but I recently encountered an 8 year old wandering the halls of teh ship. He happened to be the child in the care of one of my table mates and I knew which cabin they occupied. I promptly escorted him to his cabin. The nanny (babysitter) was fast asleep in the cabin and unaware he was out and about.

[ExcitedCruzer]

Defensive? I thought some of the posts were offensive, but not too many were defensive.

 

And i don't think is was the question that was offensive. I think the OP calling kids spoiled because their parents want to take them on a cruise is way out of line.

AND i know he said he didn't see where else to post, but why he would post in the family cruise section is beyond me...:confused:

[AddictedtoFL]

I guess we really.. really spoiled our kids, they have been to WDW 4 times and 3 Cruises, the older kids of the two is only 6.5 yrs.

 

I guess we have to cancel our second Disney's Cruise for next year :rolleyes:

[sas80]

I just wanted to pint out that ZeroTx has only EVER posted in THIS thread on CC and their last post was April 3rd, 2010, 05:11 PM.

 

I feel fairly confident that the purpose of this thread was to get everyone riled up.

 

Why take the bait? Let the topic die.....

[tcv cruiser]

My husband and I are 48 and 38 and we have a 3 year old son. We cruised before we had him and continue to cruise. We've taken him on cruises and we've left him with his grandparents while we cruise.

 

I don't agree that children shouldn't be taken on a cruise but I do agree that parent's have the responsibility to ensure their children are not disruptive. Having said that, I'd offer the following advice.

 

Since you can't avoid holiday cruising, and you probably aren't in a position to try the luxury lines (we certainly aren't), I'd avoid Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Norweigan and Disney. All the lines will have children but these lines will have much greater numbers and tend to have more family and party atmosphere. Celebrity, Holland America and to a lesser degree Princess will provide more of what it sounds like you are looking for.

 

I personally avoid RCL, NCL and Carnival. They just aren't for us. When my husband and I travel alone we'd choose Holland America or Celebrity (or Princess)and when we travel with our son we'd choose Princess or Disney. I put Princess in both categories because for us it is the best compromise line. The children's program is excellent but it is great for adults too.

 

In short, I'd recommend you try HAL or Celebrity and I hope you do try it. Cruising is great. We love it. Don't let one negative experience spoil it for you.

[cmp137]

Is there a website that will tell me how many children will be on my ship? We will be cruising with our four children 11-8-10 and I wanted to know if they will have other children in the kids camps.

[Cuizer2]

Is there a website that will tell me how many children will be on my ship? We will be cruising with our four children 11-8-10 and I wanted to know if they will have other children in the kids camps.

 

No, there is no website that tells you how many children are booked on the ship. Also, if you call the cruise line I doubt that they would provide you with that information. You can find out once on board.

[cruisedad521]

No, there is no website that tells you how many children are booked on the ship. Also, if you call the cruise line I doubt that they would provide you with that information. You can find out once on board.

 

Actually, you can try calling the line, Princess told us how many children were booked on our upcoming cruise. It was nice to know to get an idea of how many children will be on board with our daughter.

[slo mo]

We are oldrer,and have no children.We've enjoyed our cruises with

our niece,and her family.

We don't have a problem with children.We have a problem with

parents who don't provide proper supervision for their children.

I love seeing the kids on board.More good parents than bad

judging from our experience.

[~earthmama~]

You know what, it took me YEARS to have my "rugrat" and I have NO intention of "leaving him with Grandma". I did not have a child to leave him home on vacation. He will be taking his first cruise at 11 months this week.

[Julienatul]

My husband and I work full-time so vacations for us mean quality time together as a family. I wouldnt even think of leaving them home. My DD age 5 loves cruises (this next one will be her 11th cruise) and she learns about different foods, cultures, music, broadway type shows, how a ship runs, what starboard and port mean. She begs to go on cruises and we love having her there. She does not disturn others and we teach her how to behave in dining room settings. If they act up we remove them immediately. I wouldnt change cruising with my kids for the world !! I dont consider them spolied, I consider them fortunate!

[Mack2]

Who resurrected this thread?

 

It's been months since it died away... it's more of a zombie than a resurrected thread.

[brianosaur]

Who resurrected this thread?

It's been months since it died away... it's more of a zombie than a resurrected thread.

 

Hey well as long as the zombie has risen from its crypt and walking with the aforementioned hoards of teenagers---

 

when actually IS the spring break weeks?

 

Looking to take some advice from this ghostly thread and NEVER EVER BOOK A CRUISE during that time.

 

...and I have kids :rolleyes::D

[CanadianTwosome]

Hey well as long as the zombie has risen from its crypt and walking with the aforementioned hoards of teenagers---

 

when actually IS the spring break weeks?

 

Looking to take some advice from this ghostly thread and NEVER EVER BOOK A CRUISE during that time.

 

...and I have kids :rolleyes::D

 

Here in Saskatchewan, my daughter is off during the last week of April. I can't guarantee that it's the same across the continent, but I'd say if you avoid that week and one on each side, you should be safe. :)

[Warm Breezes]

Here in Saskatchewan, my daughter is off during the last week of April. I can't guarantee that it's the same across the continent, but I'd say if you avoid that week and one on each side, you should be safe. :)

 

Our Spring Break is always the first week of April. You may want to avoid the whole month of April.

[Onessa]

Here (a smallish school district in North Eastern Wisconsin) they have eliminated Spring break. Too many non-Western rites Christians (Orthodox sects, Jewish, Hindi, etc.) and too many people planning/taking vacation at other times to "avoid the crowds". They have a three day break in late February (they are on a "trimester" system and late Feb is some sort of logical break) and get out of school a few days earlier than school districts around here.

 

Other school disctricts (more heavily Catholic) take off either the week before or the week after Western Rites Easter.

[CanadianTwosome]

Here (a smallish school district in North Eastern Wisconsin) they have eliminated Spring break. Too many non-Western rites Christians (Orthodox sects, Jewish, Hindi, etc.) and too many people planning/taking vacation at other times to "avoid the crowds". They have a three day break in late February (they are on a "trimester" system and late Feb is some sort of logical break) and get out of school a few days earlier than school districts around here.

 

Other school disctricts (more heavily Catholic) take off either the week before or the week after Western Rites Easter.

 

Yes, that's exactly how our break is determined; it's the week after Easter. It's really late this year. I'm a tax accountant, and we're used to getting a big influx of returns after the Easter weekend, so I hope people are more on top of things this year. I don't want to get 200 returns in with only a week left to file!! (in Canada we file by April 30)

[Mack2]

Hey well as long as the zombie has risen from its crypt and walking with the aforementioned hoards of teenagers---

 

when actually IS the spring break weeks?

 

Looking to take some advice from this ghostly thread and NEVER EVER BOOK A CRUISE during that time.

 

...and I have kids :rolleyes::D

 

 

I know the State of New Jersey holds it's Teacher's Convention the first week of November.

So, a lot of families take their kids on vacation that week since the kids have off on Election day (1st Tuesday of November) and the Thursday and Friday of that week is off because the teachers are in Atlantic City doing their convention. Then most school districts offer a half day on that Monday and Wednesday, and some school districts just close for the week.

 

When that happens, Disneyworld and cruise vacations get a few more kids and families occupying the rooms that week solely from the state of New Jersey.

 

Then, of course, there's the break around Christmas, and the spring break that is usually the week of President's Day... when schools close and everyone goes somewhere if they can.

 

Then you have to worry about college spring breaks... which occur around March... don't they?

[andy11]

If you want to avoid kids it seems fairly simple.....go on an adults only ship:confused:

[Mack2]

If you want to avoid kids it seems fairly simple.....go on an adults only ship:confused:

 

Yeah... but some people don't fall into the HAL age bracket... which is a few decades past the "Golden Years" :p

 

I have kids... We go the first week of November.

 

 

 

 

I don't know of too many "adults only" ships... I think you might find some "naturalists" who might black out a week on a cruise for themselves... but I think those are few and far between.

[griffy116]

My Grandson has been cruising since he was 4 and we wouldn't think about going on a cruise w/o him. That being said, it sounds as if the OP may have stumbled onto a cruise with an organized group of teens (number of teens on the cruise; 4 teens to a cabin with limited number of chaperones). Someone posted a short time ago about a school band going on a cruise. While we LOVE kids and enjoy seeing them enjoying themselves, a band of teens (no pun intended) was scary for me as a parent and grandparent. We have students and teachers in our family and have to cruise during summer or school breaks. The worst group of cruisers we ever encountered was a lengthy cruise to Hawaii where the majority of the passengers were elderly. The most "entitled" group I've ever seen. No manners, no apologies, no rules applied to them. I still have a scar from being too slow in front of a walker..and no apology whatsoever, in spite of the blood. I didn't let it ruin my cruise. Everyone has their "special" group they want to avoid. Children, smokers, elderly, drunks seem to be at the top of everyone's list of those that it's politically ok to complain about. I would suggest the OP goes in summer, rather than spring; find a long cruise (11, 12+ days), try Europe or a colder climate such as Alaska. There will still be kids onboard, but they might not outnumber the adults.

[CruisinMermaid]

The OP is making a generalization that all parents let their children roam around the ship unsupervised, causing mischief and trouble everywhere they go. That would be like me making the generalization that if the OP is a middle aged male, then all middle aged males are judgemental. I'm sorry your experiences with children on board cruise ships have been negative, but don't stereotype and say parents who take their children on cruises are spoiling them. My children are always supervised, either by me and my husband, or by the camp supervisors at the kids clubs. Cruising is also a more economical way to enjoy a family vacation together. So, if you have issues cruising on a family-friendly cruiseline, might I suggest you cruise on a more expensive "older" ship, like Holland America, and I hope that my family and I don't run into you on a cruiseship.