Cruise as a Family or Just Adults?

[A&Jfamily]

I was just wondering how many people choose to cruise without their minor children.

 

I have never been able to bring myself to do it, as my oldest, 12, is from my first marriage. His father was an alcoholic, and I was so afraid of what would happen to him if something happened to me. Then, this March, my ex died, so I feel it even more strongly.

 

When my kids are grown, I will go adults only. But for now, even for our Anniversary, the kids are going. Their own room, across the hall!

[Canadian Tyler]

We are debating going in January with or without our little one, who will be about 20 months at the time.

We went with her in April when she was 1 yr old and had a great time. But, didn't get a chance to see the shows and have alone time, so thats why we're considering it in January.

When we went in April, there were couples who had little ones around the same age as ours who left them at home, it would still be difficult I think.

[crusinmama06]

Never for us. :) For my husband and I, the fun of cruising is seeing it through the kids eyes.

 

We did the ship tour in NYC (one day, no kids allowed as stated by NCL rules) and the entire time we kept saying "Oh the kids would LOVE this..." "The kids would LOVE to see this..."

 

So for us, the kids are just part of our enjoyment.

 

We can go and have weekends in New York City as part as mommy/daddy dates -- and we have. But for cruises, that is our Family Vacation -- so the kids are always going to be there. :D

 

Until we are old and they are paying for US. :p

[cb at sea]

I suppose it depends what you're looking for in a vacation! If it's a "family vacation", of course the kids come along! If it's a romantic getaway, then they stay home...those 2 types of trips are entirely different!

[Keith1010]

When our kids were young we took them on every cruise that we took. Then when they both were in college and then after that we started to cruise ourself and have also taken them with us a couple of times as well.

 

Keith

[Julienatul]

We have always taken the kids. I LOVE cruising with them and wouldnt be happy leaving them at home. Dont get me wrong cruises without kids are nice too. We just enjoy traveling with our kids. We both work full-time so vacations are a time for us to spend quality time as a family. My daughter (age 5) now begs to go on a cruise. We are sailing for her 5th birthday and it will be her 10th cruise. Before we know it they will be grown and gone and there will be plenty of adult cruising then. For now we are a cruising family!!

[notentirelynormal]

We for the most part always took our kids. When they were young, we only took one cruise without them. Now that they are grown with kids of their own, we still cruise together as a family. With 25+ cruises under our belts, our upcoming cruise will make only the third cruise we've done without them. Now that we have grandkids, they come too. I told the kids, I don't need to take you any more, I've got my new babies to take :D. Like Cruisinmama said, I love to see the wonders through the kid's eyes. I rarely go to the shows anymore. For me, the best entertainment is sitting on the balcony with friends and family.

[bbrme]

I took one short cruise without DS (he was around 18 months at the time) and was miserable the whole time. He was with my parents and was fine but all I could think about was him. We just did our first cruise with kids last year when DS was 8 and DD was 6. We all had a great time. It was a great mix of adult time and family time. We loved it so much we are planning our 2nd family cruise for Dec.

[jerin]

With 4 children, and cruise lines allowing people with only 2-3 in their party to book the few cabins designed to fit all 6 of us, we don't often bring our children on cruises.

 

We do sometimes, but usually, it's just us (and since I homeschool them, bringing them isn't completely time off from my 24/7 job, where leaving them is). We're lucky to be in a situation where our children have grandparents that we can trust implicitly and who are able and willing to take them for a week at a time, so I've never had any qualms about leaving them.

 

It is nice to bring them sometimes, but due to a number of factors, it's not usually practical.

[junglejane]

We just booked our first cruise without the kids. We've always cruised with the kids (9 family cruises so far). In fact, one of the reasons that we started cruising so much is that we didn't have any relatives who were willing and/or able to watch our kids when they were little. Cruising has been a win/win where we can have a good time as a family but also have a little adult time as well.

 

We recently booked a 4 day cruise from LA on the Queen Victoria. We've always been curious about Cunard and this seemed like a rare opportunity to take a short Cunard cruise from LA. But we don't want to take the kids out of school (they'll be in 4th and 8th grades). So for the first time we plan to go without them. We figure with this much lead time, we can find a responsible adult to stay at our house with them for four days.

[Onessa]

DH and I planned our family and waited before having our DD. We did this so that we could share all of our lives together.

 

I didn't get married, simply to get married - DH is my best friend. We didn't have a kid simply to have one - she is also our best friend.

 

Can't imagine travelling without DH or without DD.

[akcruz]

I didn't vote in the poll because my answer is it depends. DH and I usually take at least one long weekend on our own each year, sometimes we take a week. It is our way to stay connected and not forget that we are couple and not just mom and dad. We have taken cruises for our alone time in the past, but since our kids have gotten into cruising it is harder to do it without them. They can handle staying home when it is almost anything else, but cruising we get a lot of grief! So, we just cruise as a family and go elsewhere on our own.

 

Of course, I've done it the other way as well, taken my DD on a cruise and left DH & DS home :D. Also done land based trips with her. When DS gets a bit older if he want to go with mom (I doubt it) or dad (maybe) for a bonding trip I am all for it.

 

Yes, family is great and if you prefer to do all your trips together that is perfectly fine. Personally, however, I find a little alone time here and there a wonderful thing, it reminds me that I am more than just a mom, which I feel makes me a better mom overall.

[sailinglisa]

I think it is healthy to mix vacations with kids and vacations without them. As a couple you really need to reconnect with each other without other people (kids) around. Your marriage is your first priority........if you have a good marriage, your kids benefit from that! While family time is great, couple time is just as important. Make time for yourselves as a couple every once in awhile....your kids will benefit from it!

[famcruiser]

My vote is for family cruising. Our son, now 12, has loved every cruise (7). He's our only child and I know we have only a few more years where we will travel as a family. My husband and I still get alone time on the cruise, although that was more often when he was in the children's program. I can't imagine going without him. He's been introduced to so many new things on a cruise (things I don't think he would have experienced, otherwise) and I've loved being there for every moment. Cruising is a great family vacation and with the newer ships having so much for teens to do, I hope that we can continue to cruise together for several years. Mu husband and I will have plenty of time to cruise alone, later.

[6rugrats]

I think it is healthy to mix vacations with kids and vacations without them. As a couple you really need to reconnect with each other without other people (kids) around. Your marriage is your first priority........if you have a good marriage, your kids benefit from that! While family time is great, couple time is just as important. Make time for yourselves as a couple every once in awhile....your kids will benefit from it!

 

I think we are in the minority here, but I totally agree with this. But, then black Lab owners are usually quite wise :).

[dlopiccolo]

I don't think you are a minority at all. I like a healthy mix of vacations. BUT I think cruising offers a great mix for a family vacation. I am working on plans for my second family cruise for next February and am drawn back to the cruise ships because they can offer a family a lower stress way to "see stuff" together, there are built in play dates in a safe environment via the kids clubs, food options are easy, and the prices are attractive for a family of 4. I am also hoping to get to Paris via a plane, rent a tiny apartment, drink coffee/wine at a cafe, walk hand in hand with my hubby, go to the Mulon Rouge and Louvre...and other stuff..without my kids. I agree that it's important to find a balance BUT in the part where I want to include my kids (who are 5 and 7) I think a Cruise is a great way to show them a new corner of the world. I hope to bring them to Paris some day too. But not now. Not yet.

[sailinglisa]

I think we are in the minority here, but I totally agree with this. But, then black Lab owners are usually quite wise :).

 

You are so right.........however (and I don't mean to hijack this thread), the black lab in my avatar, Gusto, went over the rainbow bridge this past Saturday. I miss him so much. Right now, I can't bring myself to think about getting another dog. Maybe in the future, but right now, it feels like I've lost a member of my family.....he was almost 15. How old is your beauty in your avatar?

 

Back to the topic on hand..........

[Onessa]

My vote is for family cruising. Our son, now 12, has loved every cruise (7). He's our only child and I know we have only a few more years where we will travel as a family. My husband and I still get alone time on the cruise, although that was more often when he was in the children's program. I can't imagine going without him. He's been introduced to so many new things on a cruise (things I don't think he would have experienced, otherwise) and I've loved being there for every moment. Cruising is a great family vacation and with the newer ships having so much for teens to do, I hope that we can continue to cruise together for several years. Mu husband and I will have plenty of time to cruise alone, later.

 

Perhaps this is more of an "only child" thing. We were talking about a similar topic at work and those of us with only one kid, across the board, couldn't imagine going anywhere without the whole family. While there was a bit of a split with the parents with two or more kids - some thought it wasn't a vacation without the family, others actually used words like "needing to get away" from the kids.

 

I can understand the one poor woman currently with four kids under five years old, who works full-time, whose husband runs his own business who laughed about just imagining ANY vacation was beyond her abilities.

 

We are all members of dual income families where both parents work outside of the home (and in about 90% of the cases both work full time).

[MamaParrotHead]

We cruised twice sans kiddos when they were really small, one year we'd do cruise as a couple, the next year we'd do a family land-based vacation. Now that we've jumped to bringing the kids with us (they're 7 and 10 now), I don't foresee cruising without them. Honestly, it's almost just as relaxing with them as without them, and the only reason I wanted to get off the ship to go home was to be with the kids...so having them with me eliminates that, LOL.

[reallyitsmema]

Perhaps this is more of an "only child" thing. We were talking about a similar topic at work and those of us with only one kid, across the board, couldn't imagine going anywhere without the whole family. While there was a bit of a split with the parents with two or more kids - some thought it wasn't a vacation without the family, others actually used words like "needing to get away" from the kids.

 

I can understand the one poor woman currently with four kids under five years old, who works full-time, whose husband runs his own business who laughed about just imagining ANY vacation was beyond her abilities.

 

We are all members of dual income families where both parents work outside of the home (and in about 90% of the cases both work full time).

Definitely might be an only child thing. We prefer to take vacations as a family and have always taken our son, who will be a sophomore in college. This fall, while he is off at school in PA, my DH and I are taking a cruise without him. I have already talked to my mother and my brother and told them they are on standby just in case their are any problems while we are away. We have taken weekend vacations over the years while he has been at camp but we have never taken a full week without him.

[6rugrats]

You are so right.........however (and I don't mean to hijack this thread), the black lab in my avatar, Gusto, went over the rainbow bridge this past Saturday. I miss him so much. Right now, I can't bring myself to think about getting another dog. Maybe in the future, but right now, it feels like I've lost a member of my family.....he was almost 15. How old is your beauty in your avatar?

I am so sorry you lost your guy! Mine is four years old, and hopefully will be around a long time. Take care.

[Aelsantokie]

We are never without our kids, this might be good or bad.

 

We have five kids and don't have much of a support system at all so we have to rely on each other. Neither of DH's parents are around, and we have no siblings. My mom is older and her health isn't so good. She used to watch the kids for us one wknd a year so we can get away and that doesn't work anymore.

 

All of our vacations are with the kids, and luckily for them, we love to vacation!

[Onessa]

Definitely might be an only child thing. We prefer to take vacations as a family and have always taken our son, who will be a sophomore in college. This fall, while he is off at school in PA, my DH and I are taking a cruise without him. I have already talked to my mother and my brother and told them they are on standby just in case their are any problems while we are away. We have taken weekend vacations over the years while he has been at camp but we have never taken a full week without him.

 

DD is starting her freshman year of high school and will be off on a high school band trip next week for a week. She's done the camp thing and staying with relatives thing and has done weekend trips with her curling team; but this is her first real trip without us -- I'm getting a bit verklempt here :D.

[bdink921]

When I tease DS11 about going on a vacation without him, he says 'You're gonna go without ME???" We do take an occasional overnight or weekend without him but for vacations at this point, he always comes. Cruises are awesome for our family because we get family time and couple time in the same trip.

[SusieV]

We would never take my son until he was old enough to really enjoy it except that my mother is getting married on the cruise in December and she wants him along. She also offered to babysit him in the evenings so we can have some alone time.

 

I go on vacation to relax and recharge. I don't see a reason to spend all that money on a cruise and then have it be just as stressful as it is at home. I love my son very much but I'm a better parent when I get a break, too.

 

We are cruising in March for our anniversary and leaving him behind with Grandma.

 

We will probably start taking him when he's five or six but perhaps not until later.