Not a family cruise!

[La professora]

The problem is not only that the OP cruised during spring break. Afterall, his/her kids were probably on spring break too.

 

The real problem is CCL not handling the crowds and drunken behavior in a way that makes the rest of the passengers feel welcome and safe onboard. The OP paid for the cruise just like everyone else, and deserves to have use of the public areas without worrying about the actions and sobriety of other passengers.

 

Exactly. :) They closed the slide area due to winds, but when we walked up there to check to see if it had opened, the college kids had even put their chairs and towels INSIDE the slide area--not on the outside area where you watch, but in the area where the water would have been flowing if the water had been on. One of them was lying inside one of the slides. I told my younger daughter we might was well not even check any more because I was pretty sure they weren't going to reopen it that day no matter if the wind was completely calm because security was not going to go run off all those college kids to start the water flowing again. I couldn't believe they had set camp inside the water slide area. ( I am not sure if I am explaining where they were clearly, but if the water were on, there would be a shallow water area there. )

[aberthelot]

Exactly. :) They closed the slide area due to winds, but when we walked up there to check to see if it had opened, the college kids had even put their chairs and towels INSIDE the slide area--not on the outside area where you watch, but in the area where the water would have been flowing if the water had been on. One of them was lying inside one of the slides. I told my younger daughter we might was well not even check any more because I was pretty sure they weren't going to reopen it that day no matter if the wind was completely calm because security was not going to go run off all those college kids to start the water flowing again. I couldn't believe they had set camp inside the water slide area. ( I am not sure if I am explaining where they were clearly, but if the water were on, there would be a shallow water area there. )

That is just ridiculous....I plan to pay the extra money and go with Holland America or Norweigen next time!

[SNJCruisers]

That is just ridiculous....I plan to pay the extra money and go with Holland America or Norweigen next time!

If you're just looking to avoid spring break college students and their stupidity, yes, sail Holland, you will not find any on their ships, but with the exception of maybe the Epic, because of the cost involved, I am pretty sure that the other ships in the NCL fleet that are in the caribbean over spring break will contain more than a few spring breakers.

[La professora]

If you're just looking to avoid spring break college students and their stupidity, yes, sail Holland, you will not find any on their ships, but with the exception of maybe the Epic, because of the cost involved, I am pretty sure that the other ships in the NCL fleet that are in the caribbean over spring break will contain more than a few spring breakers.

 

You will have to forgive my ignorance, but with Holland, would we have the opposite problem? What I mean is, I would like to find a happy medium. I would possibly do another cruise on a ship that wasn't so rowdy, but I wouldn't want to force a family of kids on a boat full of senior citizens either. Then WE might be the ones whom are being complained about. lol Is Holland just a "more upscale" line, or is it known for catering to older folks? How old?

 

Also, I am really trying to LEARN about this... so those who want to fight about which line is best, I am not asking for that. I am asking for his/her perception and experience. Thanks :)

[bobsfamily]

Please, PLEASE quit posting to this thread... the OP just loves it...Please STOP!

[Warm Breezes]

Please, PLEASE quit posting to this thread... the OP just loves it...Please STOP!

 

Nobody is twisting your arm to open this thread and read it (let alone continuing to post on it yourself :rolleyes:).

[CanWeGoYet?]

You will have to forgive my ignorance, but with Holland, would we have the opposite problem? What I mean is, I would like to find a happy medium. I would possibly do another cruise on a ship that wasn't so rowdy, but I wouldn't want to force a family of kids on a boat full of senior citizens either. Then WE might be the ones whom are being complained about. lol Is Holland just a "more upscale" line, or is it known for catering to older folks? How old?

 

Also, I am really trying to LEARN about this... so those who want to fight about which line is best, I am not asking for that. I am asking for his/her perception and experience. Thanks :)

 

I have only been on 1 HAL cruise, it was a short one (4 days). There were lots of young adults in the dance club at night. The average age was probably a little older than I'm used to seeing on a carnival caribbean cruise (but not much). I think like all cruises the length of the cruise makes a big difference. The 2 weeks transatlantic I took had mainly retirement age people.

[boltnut55]

32 pages on this thread?! Sorry, I can't help myself :D I just came back from a spring break cruise. Strangely enough, I did this once before but forgot to declare that I'd never do it again because DH's brother's family can only go during this week, and DH loves traveling w/his family, so I go along just because, but several hours into this cruise, I told DH that I'm never doing this again! On the last day, my BIL recollected that I had said the same thing 5 years ago when we went together. To answer the OP's most recent post, based on my short experience of 6-7 cruises, I'd prefer to be the youngest person with a lot of seniors. Might not be that "exciting" although that's relative, but the noise level is lower, people are more polite and follow the rules (maybe not the chair hog rules but have basic manners), you don't see hoards of young people running everywhere, leaving their litter behind (we found blankets in the elevator, popcorn in another elevator, stuff all over the floor in public areas)...

[La professora]

Please, PLEASE quit posting to this thread... the OP just loves it...Please STOP!

 

Bob, you are correct in one way. When people have advice and real perspectives on things to teach me, I love reading and learning. Despite the fact that there are some folks like you who care way too much about who is talking to whom about what, there are some really nice folks on here who understand what we went through and who have offered great advice.

 

No offense, but I think you might need to think about why you are so wrapped up with how many posts a certain thread or person has. If a thread doesn't interest you, don't read it. To me, this is like a conversation at a party. If you don't like it, join another.

 

For those of you who are explaining about Holland and the length of cruises, thanks. I don't know a lot about cruising except our one experience, which wasn't the best. I appreciate your sharing. :)

[La professora]

32 pages on this thread?! Sorry, I can't help myself :D I just came back from a spring break cruise. Strangely enough, I did this once before but forgot to declare that I'd never do it again because DH's brother's family can only go during this week, and DH loves traveling w/his family, so I go along just because, but several hours into this cruise, I told DH that I'm never doing this again! On the last day, my BIL recollected that I had said the same thing 5 years ago when we went together. To answer the OP's most recent post, based on my short experience of 6-7 cruises, I'd prefer to be the youngest person with a lot of seniors. Might not be that "exciting" although that's relative, but the noise level is lower, people are more polite and follow the rules (maybe not the chair hog rules but have basic manners), you don't see hoards of young people running everywhere, leaving their litter behind (we found blankets in the elevator, popcorn in another elevator, stuff all over the floor in public areas)...

 

Thanks for the perspective. I wondered about that.

[aberthelot]

Bob, you are correct in one way. When people have advice and real perspectives on things to teach me, I love reading and learning. Despite the fact that there are some folks like you who care way too much about who is talking to whom about what, there are some really nice folks on here who understand what we went through and who have offered great advice.

 

No offense, but I think you might need to think about why you are so wrapped up with how many posts a certain thread or person has. If a thread doesn't interest you, don't read it. To me, this is like a conversation at a party. If you don't like it, join another.

 

For those of you who are explaining about Holland and the length of cruises, thanks. I don't know a lot about cruising except our one experience, which wasn't the best. I appreciate your sharing. :)

This is a valuable thread! It was stated earlier on (30 pages ago lol) that OP did not do her research. I would have to say that people should be very aware of spring break cruises now!!!!

[mandakate42]

we have cruise the last 4 spring breaks from new Orleans and its not that bad at all, tons of children and more high school kids than college. I guess it makes a diff leaving from diff ports also.... I can remember MTV spring break from panama city.....craziness!!

[La professora]

This is a valuable thread! It was stated earlier on (30 pages ago lol) that OP did not do her research. I would have to say that people should be very aware of spring break cruises now!!!!

 

I did do research, but ,apparently, not the right kind. :o I looked at our ship and reviews about the ship. It didn't occur to me to look at the time period and the length of the cruise because I didn't have a reason to think that would be an issue. I know Spring Break can be full of college kids, but I have always associated Spring Breakers with the beach. Especially "party" beaches. Now, I know they cruise too. lol

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Yes, I do teach them to poke fun. :DThe best thing to teach kids is to laugh at themselves and all the silliness of life. Most people who learn to do that cope much better with life. We laugh at ourselves as much as anyone else. My kids at school tease me mercilessly, and I tease the ones who have been taught to take a joke. My daughter looks very WASPY and one of her best friends is black. Her other friend is hispanic. We laugh all the time that they look like an ad for United Colors of Benetton. One of my students has Tourette's. Her favorite way to get out of something is to say, "Don't pressure me. I have Tourette's!" It is a standing joke, and (God forbid) we all LAUGH when she says it. If you can't laugh at all the sillliness of life, life must be terribly serious for you. So, if you want to rock a Joe Dirt hair cut or if you are a Pamela Anderson wanna be, you go for it, but we are going to say something silly about it.

 

If you are a teacher, then you are certainly missing the point.

 

You make a statement and list a few things about your cruise that you felt were not family friendly. One of the venues that you list was the Carnival production show in which you stated- was not family friendly for your teen age children due to the female dancers wearing "PG" rated outfits that consisted of thongs. - You then started another thread, about Travel Games, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1604413

that goes on to say that one of the games that you play with your children, is to stand in front of the Cruise photo booth area and try to pick-out those that have "fake boobs". Don't you consider this a little Ironic that the production shows would not be family friendly due to thong costumes YET standing in front of cruise photos and laughing at other passengers and calling out "FAKE" or "REAL" would be a fun-family activity ????

 

In addition, do not automacally label folks that do not agree with your -ideas of fun - lacking in a sense of humor. There are many, many folks that have great senses of humor but also feel the moral obligation and decent respect of others to know the difference between right and wrong. To poke fun at another person without their knowledge is wrong.

 

Lastly, As being a HHC nurse for many years, I can tell you that you cannot and will not be able to tell which breasts have gone through reconstructive surgery and which have been done for sole cosmetic reasons. So don't try to play that card. Making fun of someone for what ever reason, is still making fun of someone. If you choose to poke-fun at your family and friends then so be it but the difference is THAT THEY KNOW YOU and ARE AWARE OF IT and fellow cruise passengers and such are innocent strangers and not aware. You are doing it behind their backs.

 

Teaching children to laugh at themselves and find the humor in life is totally different than making fun of unknowing, innocent people due to their hairstyles and body types etc... If you do not understand the difference, than perhaps your County School Board offers a class in Sensitivity Training.

 

 

.

[LIV 2 CRUISE]

La professora, want to say that I honor the fact that your review described YOUR experience and feelings. The cruisecritic boards have been an INVALUABLE tool for me on many of my cruises. However, people many times don't want to sit back and say, "Well, that was THEIR experience," but rather criticize or downplay your feelings or say, "Well, they should have done this ..." Everyone isn't the same, so let's give this poster a break.

[La professora]

If you are a teacher, then you are certainly missing the point.

 

You make a statement and list a few things about your cruise that you felt were not family friendly. One of the venues that you list was the Carnival production show in which you stated- was not family friendly for your teen age children due to the female dancers wearing "PG" rated outfits that consisted of thongs. - You then started another thread, about Travel Games, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1604413

that goes on to say that one of the games that you play with your children, is to stand in front of the Cruise photo booth area and try to pick-out those that have "fake boobs". Don't you consider this a little Ironic that the production shows would not be family friendly due to thong costumes YET standing in front of cruise photos and laughing at other passengers and calling out "FAKE" or "REAL" would be a fun-family activity ????

 

In addition, do not automacally label folks that do not agree with your -ideas of fun - lacking in a sense of humor. There are many, many folks that have great senses of humor but also feel the moral obligation and decent respect of others to know the difference between right and wrong. To poke fun at another person without their knowledge is wrong.

 

Lastly, As being a HHC nurse for many years, I can tell you that you cannot and will not be able to tell which breasts have gone through reconstructive surgery and which have been done for sole cosmetic reasons. So don't try to play that card. Making fun of someone for what ever reason, is still making fun of someone. If you choose to poke-fun at your family and friends then so be it but the difference is THAT THEY KNOW YOU and ARE AWARE OF IT and fellow cruise passengers and such are innocent strangers and not aware. You are doing it behind their backs.

 

Teaching children to laugh at themselves and find the humor in life is totally different than making fun of unknowing, innocent people due to their hairstyles and body types etc... If you do not understand the difference, than perhaps your County School Board offers a class in Sensitivity Training.

 

 

.

First, I am a teacher. I pointed out that there weren't as many family friendly shows as I expected. Seeing butts isn't that big of a deal for teens, but that isn't a show designed for kids. Period. But, I don't want anyone in my family walking around like that. Second, the boob jobs we were laughing about were the ones that were obviously fake. When women have reconstructive surgery, they usually don't put bowling balls that are half a foot apart on a size zero girl in her early 20s. Whether you like that or not, I think it looks ridiculous and THEY are the ones sending the wrong message to teens. So, yes, I think it is just fine that my daughter laughs at that. She has a perfectly cute figure just the way God made her, and in my opinion these young girls have been fed the lie that they need to make themselves look ridiculous. So, I am glad my daughter can see that. I am glad she thinks it is ridiculous and doesn't find the need to do that to her body to try to get more work. She models, btw. There is plenty of pressure to tweek things, but she sees how silly it looks. I am so glad. So, if you don't like my opinions, don't read them. This thread isn't about that.

[awhcruiser]

delete

[cathyoo]

Yes, I do teach them to poke fun. :DThe best thing to teach kids is to laugh at themselves and all the silliness of life. Most people who learn to do that cope much better with life. We laugh at ourselves as much as anyone else. My kids at school tease me mercilessly, and I tease the ones who have been taught to take a joke. My daughter looks very WASPY and one of her best friends is black. Her other friend is hispanic. We laugh all the time that they look like an ad for United Colors of Benetton. One of my students has Tourette's. Her favorite way to get out of something is to say, "Don't pressure me. I have Tourette's!" It is a standing joke, and (God forbid) we all LAUGH when she says it. If you can't laugh at all the sillliness of life, life must be terribly serious for you. So, if you want to rock a Joe Dirt hair cut or if you are a Pamela Anderson wanna be, you go for it, but we are going to say something silly about it.

I agree with the poking fun at oneself. My grown children have the best laughs when they are talking about mom's shortcomings. However laughing/talking about people who are not part of the conversation is something quite different. Encouraging children to poke fun at strangers for how someone looks (boobs or any other feature) seems very wrong to me.

[dcreech1966]

Sincerely regret your poor experience with CCL. Hindsight is always great but doesn't eliminate your negative feelings. I do understand that you have to take vacations when you are also on school breaks. Unfortunately, most of us would NEVER consider a cruise during spring break on CCL, NCL, and maybe even RCCL. Secondly, I'd also never cruise this time period, or maybe even itinerary, on The Fascination.

 

Again, sorry for your family's experience. Believe it or not, MOST 7 day or more CCL cruises do not provide this type of poor environment. It won't do any good, but I would suggest a detailed letter be sent to the CCL CEO.

 

This happened to my husband and me on a cruise at the end of May/beginning of June one year. There were college students everywhere and they were vomiting in the hallways...just disgusting! We complained while we were there and there just were too many of them. At the time, there wasn't the rule of at least one person having to be 21 in each cabin. When we returned, I wrote a very long letter to Carnival. We got a letter of apology, $500 back, a discount for a future cruise, and they said they would now have a rule that you must have at least one person in the cabin that is 21. So, write that letter! Just know that all cruises are not like that! Unfortunately, it was my husband's first cruise...I had to do a lot of convincing for our 2nd one together!!

[La professora]

This happened to my husband and me on a cruise at the end of May/beginning of June one year. There were college students everywhere and they were vomiting in the hallways...just disgusting! We complained while we were there and there just were too many of them. At the time, there wasn't the rule of at least one person having to be 21 in each cabin. When we returned, I wrote a very long letter to Carnival. We got a letter of apology, $500 back, a discount for a future cruise, and they said they would now have a rule that you must have at least one person in the cabin that is 21. So, write that letter! Just know that all cruises are not like that! Unfortunately, it was my husband's first cruise...I had to do a lot of convincing for our 2nd one together!!

 

Thank you. I did write an email. I haven't heard back, which from what I have gathered on here from others who have written letters, surprises me. I expected at least a standard email saying we received your message and will take it under consideration. I am not sure if it didn't go through or what happened, but I really don't want anything from the cruise line other than for them to be aware and bump up their crew during those periods.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

First, I am a teacher. I pointed out that there weren't as many family friendly shows as I expected. Seeing butts isn't that big of a deal for teens, but that isn't a show designed for kids. Period. But, I don't want anyone in my family walking around like that. Second, the boob jobs we were laughing about were the ones that were obviously fake. When women have reconstructive surgery, they usually don't put bowling balls that are half a foot apart on a size zero girl in her early 20s. Whether you like that or not, I think it looks ridiculous and THEY are the ones sending the wrong message to teens. So, yes, I think it is just fine that my daughter laughs at that. She has a perfectly cute figure just the way God made her, and in my opinion these young girls have been fed the lie that they need to make themselves look ridiculous. So, I am glad my daughter can see that. I am glad she thinks it is ridiculous and doesn't find the need to do that to her body to try to get more work. She models, btw. There is plenty of pressure to tweek things, but she sees how silly it looks. I am so glad. So, if you don't like my opinions, don't read them. This thread isn't about that.

 

 

........ And this response and judgmental justification for such bizarre behavior is coming from a supposed educated adult ?

 

The thead is about what is considered "family friendly" on a cruise. You yourself started a thread that mentioned you and your teenaged children enjoy poking fun of other passengers that have noticeably large breasts and then make the "call" FAKE or REAL. What you just don't seem to understand is that there is a BIG difference between being silly and laughing with someone and making fun and laughing AT someone.

 

What appauled me the most is that you state that you are a teacher. In today's society, teachers are considered role models for our children. What does that teach them when you pubically state that you think it is perfetcally OK and even funny to make fun of others just because you don't agree with their looks and personal lifestyle decisions? Your little hobby is both disgraceful and disrespectful and quite frankly really bizarre.

I can think of 1001 things that I would rather be doing with my children on a cruise than teaching them that it is ok to laugh at others behind thier backs.

 

If you enjoy this little hobby of yours so miuch, then you should have saved your cruise fare and sat on a bench at the Mall for a week.

 

 

 

.

[cathyoo]

........ What you just don't seem to understand is that there is a BIG difference between being silly and laughing with someone and making fun and laughing AT someone.

 

 

 

 

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like

[bplazo]

Just because someone is a teacher does not make them a good role model or nice.

[DragonMouse]

I wasn't on that particular cruise but we did cruise in the summer. I honestly just didn't notice the dancers being all that skimpy...I've seen less at the beach. I might have seen a drunk or two but I saw them on RCI as well. Maybe I just have "blinders" on or something. I've seen a lot more "aggravating" little kids playing in the pools than "aggravating" teens/20-somethings.

[ddgleason]

Just because someone is a teacher does not make them a good role model or nice.

 

Agree. And I can't agree anymore that teachers are considered role models. More and more people look down on us. My students and their parents seem to feel that teachers are not in a position that should be respected. Not all of them, but more than in the past. It seems to get worse every year.

 

OK, back to the regularly scheduled debate about appropriate behavior on a cruise, err, I mean family friendly cruises.