kids at bars/past guest parties

[pafam4]

Notable exceptions would be The Disco after 10 PM and the Comedy club adult only shows.

 

Fair warning, depending on the performer, the piano bars can get a little ribald.

 

I agree about the piano bar. They are a lot of fun, but we brought my pre-teen daughter the first time we visited a Carnival piano bar a few years ago. We quickly got the gist that this was probably not a place for the younger set...I guess this particular piano player was a litte R-rated. We left the venue, and returned when my daughter was attending other activities. We (adults) had a great time at the piano bar.

[RuthlessBoss]

Let the war begin on here. There was a very long thread here a while back about people allowing kids in the bars. Don't recall which line's thread though.

 

I fully intend to have my kids (12 and 13) with me in the lounges listening to music - up to a certain point in the evening. Yes, I know that people may swear, but I am thinking my kids hear more swearing from other kids at school than what we will hear in the lounges.

 

I suspect that my kids (as the other poster pointed out) will eventually decide that they would rather be with other kids or hanging out in Circle C, but I will spend as much time with them on the cruise that they want.

 

For the inevitable posts on here that will say that the lounges are inappropriate for kids, I would say that I am much more comfortable sitting in the piano bar with the kids than on the pool deck where I have seen some craziness from over-served folks in the middle of the day.

Oh, please, please, please bring your kids to the bar!! We soooooo enjoy having YOUR kids there. It's such a learning experience for them! It's such fun for them. What child would rather be in the bar sitting at a table, listening to "normal" songs than at the pool? Face it, you are the one who doesn't want to sit poolside with your little darlings. In the meantime, we adults scratch our heads and wonder why the kids are at an adult venue.

[gunther619]

In the end that's all there is. Accusations of being a bad parent. Arguments about the horrid language and things people do in bars that make the ship's bars sound like some kind of roadhouse filled with rival biker gangs - which incidentally do nothing but bolster the low opinion of Carnival that cheerleaders of other lines have.

 

I am guessing these are the same people who allow their cruises to be ruined by the fact that somebody on the other side of the dining room decided to wear jeans.

 

We will go to the venues and enjoy our time together on the family vacation. If the kids decide to misbehave, they will be out of there before anybody even notices.

 

I agree with this.

 

Although I'm not a huge fan of kids being at a bar...it depends on the kid/age AND depends on the bar/lounge. Bring your kids to the bar ....but if the kids become rowdy, please do everyone a favor and take them somewhere else...OR if the bar becomes too rowdy ....It's in the best interest of the kids to go elsewhere ....so you can save their virgin eyes :rolleyes:

 

Just be aware of your surroundings. You, as a parents can decide what you want them to see or not. There's someplace on the ship to make everyone happy :)

[cdamion]

Oh, please, please, please bring your kids to the bar!! We soooooo enjoy having YOUR kids there. It's such a learning experience for them! It's such fun for them. What child would rather be in the bar sitting at a table, listening to "normal" songs than at the pool? Face it, you are the one who doesn't want to sit poolside with your little darlings. In the meantime, we adults scratch our heads and wonder why the kids are at an adult venue.

 

I am still curious as to how your time at the piano bar is disrupted by kids sitting at a table in the lounge.

 

Nobody can answer that question. They just complain about bad parenting and the exaggerated biker bar atmosphere there.

[cdamion]

I agree with this.

 

Although I'm not a huge fan of kids being at a bar...it depends on the kid/age AND depends on the bar/lounge. Bring your kids to the bar ....but if the kids become rowdy, please do everyone a favor and take them somewhere else...OR if the bar becomes too rowdy ....It's in the best interest of the kids to go elsewhere ....so you can save their virgin eyes :rolleyes:

 

Just be aware of your surroundings. You, as a parents can decide what you want them to see or not. There's someplace on the ship to make everyone happy :)

 

I assure you, if the kids become rowdy they are yanked from the situation quickly before it bugs anybody - even if it is from the MDR or a restaurant, but they know this after experiencing it a couple of times when they were younger.

 

As I posted earlier, in my experience on Carnival, I am much more concerned about the drunk idiots on the Lido deck mid-day than I am about people singing along at a bar or dancing to a Latin band. (well, late night at the piano bar can be pretty interesting, but the kids would be long gone by then).

[near the beach]

Many children receive invitations to the past guest party.

Just curious what are “normal” songs? I thought that all of the songs I have heard in the piano were normal.

[RuthlessBoss]

I am still curious as to how your time at the piano bar is disrupted by kids sitting at a table in the lounge.

 

Nobody can answer that question. They just complain about bad parenting and the exaggerated biker bar atmosphere there.

Simple. A bar is an adult place to go. It has nothing to do with behaviors. If we want to be with kids, go to Camp Carnival. That's exclusive, and bars should be exclusive.

[cdamion]

Simple. A bar is an adult place to go. It has nothing to do with behaviors. If we want to be with kids, go to Camp Carnival. That's exclusive, and bars should be exclusive.

 

There are bars that are exclusive - and it is pointed out in the Fun Times: the dance club and casino bar. Also there is the aft pool as well as Serenity.

[karatemom2]

Simple. A bar is an adult place to go. It has nothing to do with behaviors. If we want to be with kids, go to Camp Carnival. That's exclusive, and bars should be exclusive.

 

If Carnival considers them an adult only venue, they would be billed as adults only venues. I agree that children don't belong in "bars" but I see absolutely no problem with families sitting together at a table in a LOUNGE participating in a family appropriate activity if it happens to be held in that LOUNGE such as karaoke, music, entertainer or other ship sponsored activity that has not been billed ADULTS ONLY. Some of our best family moments on our Princess cruises have been participating in activities that occur in one of the LOUNGES. My kids are not babies or toddlers or even young children. They are a tween and a teen and we enjoy spending time together as a family. We don't go on vacation to dump our kids in the Camp and escape from them for a week. We go on vacation to spend time together as a family and as long as cruise ships continue to offer things for the entire family in a LOUNGE we will all be there, together!

[H82seaUgo]

Simple. A bar is an adult place to go. It has nothing to do with behaviors. If we want to be with kids, go to Camp Carnival. That's exclusive, and bars should be exclusive.

 

as long as carnival collects the same fares for kids as they do for adults, they should have equal access to all venues except where age inappropriate, set by carnival.

 

we will be requesting chugga chugga big red car on our next piano bar visit.

[maarten288]

Sit your kids near me when I'm having a few drinks in a bar with my friends and I'll make sure you never bring them in a bar again. ;)

[cdamion]

Sit your kids near me when I'm having a few drinks in a bar with my friends and I'll make sure you never bring them in a bar again. ;)

 

That's helpful. I'll use it as a learning experience of what type of person not to become.;)

[H82seaUgo]

Sit your kids near me when I'm having a few drinks in a bar with my friends and I'll make sure you never bring them in a bar again. ;)

 

that sounds like a threat.

[maarten288]

that sounds like a threat.

 

Read into it as you will but please point out the threat?!?!?

[MISSSNOOPYGIRL]

Yikes didn't mean to stir up a debate! I appreciate all the helpful replies but don't appreciate judgement! It is not my preference to have my child at a bar either, but my question more or less meant, "if I should so happen to want to peek inside the piano bar for a few minutes while my kid was with me, would he be allowed?" Believe me I would much rather prefer he stay in the kids' clubs or with Grandma! :)

[MISSSNOOPYGIRL]

;)

we will be requesting chugga chugga big red car on our next piano bar

visit.

 

Uh oh should I request this in front of my kid? LOL!

[RuthlessBoss]

Sit your kids near me when I'm having a few drinks in a bar with my friends and I'll make sure you never bring them in a bar again. ;)

I don't always side with maarten person, but all he/she was relating was a bar or piano bar scene is not for kids, or should not be acceptable to have kids there. If the parent wants to attend, so be it. Leave the kids elsewhere. We are not kid haters, we just want adult only places to go.

[Geology_Rocks]

As an Adult I for one do not like having Children at a Bar. It is an adult venue, plain and simple.

 

+ another 1

 

I don't like that the content of the show is made to be family friendly in a bar/lounge. I would like to go to an adult venue and be entertained with material suited for people old enough to vote/drink/have a mortgage etc. I don't want to have to listen to a Justin Bieber sing-a-long to appease the kiddos.

[DrLookGood]

I don't always side with maarten person, but all he/she was relating was a bar or piano bar scene is not for kids, or should not be acceptable to have kids there. If the parent wants to attend, so be it. Leave the kids elsewhere. We are not kid haters, we just want adult only places to go.

 

Not every bar or piano bar is not the place for kids. The lounge in atrium is kid friendly and as pointed out by some sometimes piano bar has mellow atmosphere. Most parents can judge the situation and decide whether or not the atmosphere is appropriate for the kids. Most parents will also remove misbehaving children. Notice, I said most. Definitely not all.

 

And if people don't want to see the kids around, there are some bars/places that are adults only. Other places will have to be shared :).

[kyrisong1]

My goodness! You'd think bringing children into a piano bar where there's music and alcohol (or sodas for the younguns) was a major catastrophe!:rolleyes:

Sheesh!! I can think of many worse things that parents allow their children to do!

Yeah, instead let's just leave them to wander the ship alone, they'll be ok, besides I deserve a vacation too!!! :rolleyes:

When we were little my dad played softball, we'd always end up in the bar on Saturday afternoon after watching our dad play softball.

Parents would have a few beers, we got to drink soda and eat beer nuts. We'd watch our parents dance to the juke box and we'd also dance a little.

Those were good times!!! I'm not a raging alcoholic from it. I didn't learn to swear from it (got that from my big sisters and other kids at school, although they can get it from prime time tv now)

I don't see a thing wrong with taking your kids in the piano bar, kids are enriched by music too, and you as a parent will be right there with them, knowing where they are and making sure they don't see or hear the bad behavior, if anyone acts up, you can remove the child and then use that idiot as a model for behavior that will get you in trouble every time.

Kids are smart, believe me they see more in a rap video on mtv then they do in a piano bar on a ship.

JMO, Carole

[cdamion]

+ another 1

 

I don't like that the content of the show is made to be family friendly in a bar/lounge. I would like to go to an adult venue and be entertained with material suited for people old enough to vote/drink/have a mortgage etc. I don't want to have to listen to a Justin Bieber sing-a-long to appease the kiddos.

 

Nobody is asking for the content of anything to change to appease the kids. Why would a band alter it's playlist because there are a few kids in the room? Is the Carnival show band playing gangsta rap in the lounges now? What material is too mature in there?

 

As far as the piano bar, in my experience on Carnival in the piano bar things get progressively rowdy as the night progresses. 8pm in there is much different than 1am.

 

With the comedy there are specific adults only shows and family friendly shows - both of which occur in a lounge. Should the kids not go to the family friendly comedy simply because it is in a bar?

[parrotthead]

As a relative newbie to Carnival I find this thread rather confusing based on my experiences as a frequent Princess cruiser and I'm wondering what we will find when we cruise on the Spirit in a couple of months. I have never really viewed the venues on the ship as "bars" but more as lounges. Much of the organized entertainment on Princess both day and evening take place in said lounges including things such as trivia, game shows, karaoke and wii competitions. In the evenings this also includes family friendly entertainment like jugglers, magicians, etc. Our kids often accompany us and we have never thought twice about it and no one has ever given us a second look on Princess. We have never experienced an instance of swearing or bad behavior in the lounges, although we have in the pool area and dining room which should be extremely family friendly areas, or at least one would think so.

 

On Princess they have something called the Ultimate Kids Program that allows for unlimited sodas, mocktails, smoothies, etc. and the lounges are typically where the kids will get their beverages. Again, no big deal. We would never allow our kids to go to a show that was billed as adults only or to an adults only venue such as the disco, but why anyone would think that kids shouldn't go into a lounge area on a cruise ship is news to me. And I consider myself one of the "good" parents as far as supervising and guarding over my children. So is it completely different on Carnival? I would love to know so I can adjust my expectations accordingly.

Same on Carnival...no worries.

(the only thing is)

Unlimited Soda "Card" only includes Soda, Juice, and some Mixers (or any combonation) my DD gets Cranberry/Sprite, for instance.

[RuthlessBoss]

Not every bar or piano bar is not the place for kids. The lounge in atrium is kid friendly and as pointed out by some sometimes piano bar has mellow atmosphere. Most parents can judge the situation and decide whether or not the atmosphere is appropriate for the kids. Most parents will also remove misbehaving children. Notice, I said most. Definitely not all.

 

And if people don't want to see the kids around, there are some bars/places that are adults only. Other places will have to be shared :).

You are getting technical here, referring to an open atrium lounge vs. a closed in area. Yes, parents can judge if atmosphere is appropriate, but shouldn't be in a bar. Many people go there to relax, raise hell maybe, hopefully get away from kids, not have strangers kids brought to them.

[parrotthead]

.

 

I partially agree with you if the kids are being unruly, running around or something, but not if they are quietly in the room.

This is really the difference to me. When I was younger, I was around adults more then kids, I *Knew* how to act...so my children (now 22and 23) *Knew* how to act, now thats also what Im teaching the GingerBaby and my Niece (11yrs) who will cruise with us.

If they can act as expected then then get the privlage of hanging out...otherwise... Im NOT putting up with it!

(and I "expect" other parents to be considerate as well, but I know thats not always the case)

:rolleyes:

[kroozers]

Simple. A bar is an adult place to go. It has nothing to do with behaviors. If we want to be with kids, go to Camp Carnival. That's exclusive, and bars should be exclusive.

 

Well said. Someone who gets it. There aren't many places on a ship designated adults only. It doesn't seem to be asking too much that bars might be one of them. If you decide to bring your kids on a cruise - that's great. Just keep them out of the adult venues.