Question for anyone just off the Golden

[baseballmom2]

I am planning to take the Golden to Hawaii next year for the March 13-27 cruise with my family, and I am curious to kmow if there were many kids on this cruise. My kids will be 14 & 9 then and I am hoping there will be other kids their age they can hang out with! :) I know this is generally a more mature crowd cruise but I'm thinking with it being Spring Break there will be more families?

 

Any info is appreciated, thanks!! :)

[LaCal]

We cruised on the Golden/Hawaii this past November and there were'nt that many kids.

 

 

But I would think with Spring Break happening when your cruising more Families would be able to bring kids....

 

You'll have a Blast.....Hawaii was SOOO MUCH FUN.....:D

[wilfros]

We went on February 1st and there were no kids at all. There were some toddlers and infants but no kids to speak of.

 

Having been a parent of kids the age of yours, and knowing you can only have fun if they are having fun, personally I would look for a different cruise and save this for when you and "the other half" begin travelling "kidless" That day will come.

 

In the mean time there are plenty of cruises out there, especially during March Break where you are certain of having company for you children.

 

I have never before suggested someone look elsewhere other than Princess, I feel like a traitor! But this is my opinion for what it is worth.

 

Good luck.

[jimpod]

We were on the 29th February sailing on the Golden to Hawaii this year. There were some kids but not many. They seemed to spend most of their time in the Kids Zone so were rarely seen about the ship. There is someone posting from the current sailing, perhaps they could give you an idea of how many are there this time - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1604362

[baseballmom2]

Thanks for the responses :) Living in Southern California really limits our cruise options so it's really only Mexico and Hawaii because I don't like to fly. And personally I am not interested in going to Mexico again. Been there done that!! So this isn't something that would make or break our cruise because my kids are perfectly happy spending time with us, it would just be an added plus if there were other kids their age. We've been to Hawaii and really want to go back, especially getting to see the different islands in one trip!

[many cruises]

We were on the Golden from 2/29-3/14 & there were very few kids.

[seamwoman]

When we were on the Golden in December, 2010, there weren't many kids BUT they said they expected 400 on the Christmas cruise! I expect there will be kids during spring break. Karen

[Cruisin' Chick]

Because most spring breaks are just one week long, I can't imagine there would be too many school-aged kids onboard in March. I know the LAUSD discourages parents from taking out kids when school is in session; I'm guessing the other school districts in the area are the same way. Maybe if there's a group of families going with homeschooled kids.

 

This year the LAUSD schools do have six school days off, as today the schools were closed for Cesar Chavaz day, and next week is the official spring break week. Don't have to get the girl off to school til the second week of April!:)

 

We did this cruise twice, but during winter break. Plenty of kids onboard. Despite it being higher in cost due to higher demand, this is a great cruise for families. Plenty of activities, including Hawaiian ones (lei making, hula lessons, uke lessons -- yes, I've seen kids taking these classes) besides what's happening in the kids' area.

[donnajl]

Just disembarked from the 3/14 Golden Princess sailing to Hawaii. There were not many school-aged children on board. When I would see a "pack", I'd automatically figure they were home schooled or on the extended break of a year-round school district. Unfortunately, we did have several babies and toddlers on board. Parents would drag these youngsters to any activity (like Trivia!) and naturally the children would begin fussing. Would the parents make a quick exit? What do you think? Then we'd see the group again at anytime dining -- sometimes close to 9 pm (we dined at 7:30 pm each evening). There were usually more than just the two parents; i.e., grandparents, aunts, etc. Couldn't they have split their group up with a couple taking care of the children in their cabin while mom and dad could enjoy a meal together (and also the rest of the diners!). Or else a quick trip to the buffet would have been in order. No, they inflict an hour and a half (or more) dining experience upon the little ones. What are they thinking?

[Griller]

On the 29th Feb sailing there were just a few kids, most passengers quite senior, slow walkers and scooters were more of a problem than the kids for those of us who were more active.

As a related point the early dining was very full, and by 8pm in the anytime dining room there was hardly anyone in there, sometimes we had the waiter loooking after just our table in his section.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just disembarked from the 3/14 Golden Princess sailing to Hawaii. There were not many school-aged children on board. When I would see a "pack", I'd automatically figure they were home schooled or on the extended break of a year-round school district. Unfortunately, we did have several babies and toddlers on board. Parents would drag these youngsters to any activity (like Trivia!) and naturally the children would begin fussing. Would the parents make a quick exit? What do you think? Then we'd see the group again at anytime dining -- sometimes close to 9 pm (we dined at 7:30 pm each evening). There were usually more than just the two parents; i.e., grandparents, aunts, etc. Couldn't they have split their group up with a couple taking care of the children in their cabin while mom and dad could enjoy a meal together (and also the rest of the diners!). Or else a quick trip to the buffet would have been in order. No, they inflict an hour and a half (or more) dining experience upon the little ones. What are they thinking?

 

Every once in a while there will be clueless parents. And they make the rest of us look bad when they don't take their kids out of a restaurant or a show when they are fussing. But you'll also see some little ones enjoying being at a restaurant or the main dining room of a cruise ship, especially when the parents come prepared with a toy or coloring book to distract a kid, and when one parent will quickly carry out a child (maybe they are overly tired or need a trip to the bathroom or changing table).

 

It's even more important at a performance (my daughter used to go to a music school that had recitals, and before each one, the director will go through her spiel to turn off your phones -- and of course, you'll still hear one go off -- and not cough, and to take out any crying babies, even emphasizing that the performances are being videotaped for purchase). On our first cruise, when our girl was 23 months old, we did take her to the show, but sat at the back. Fortunately, she was into the show and behaved, but it wasn't her first live show so she knew what to expect.

[Belle]

There are quite a few kids and teenagers on this

cruise. With Easter or Spring break (what your school has )

being only one week. Lot of parents took their kids out for the 2nd

They are pretty well behave just take up the hot tubs. (teenagers)

Saw groups in the kids club having fun.

 

See what the next cruise brings.

[lesharona]

We will be on the Golden in 3 weeks I am just wondering which dining room

is the ANY TIME?

[cruiselvr1]

Thanks for the responses :) Living in Southern California really limits our cruise options so it's really only Mexico and Hawaii because I don't like to fly. And personally I am not interested in going to Mexico again. Been there done that!! So this isn't something that would make or break our cruise because my kids are perfectly happy spending time with us, it would just be an added plus if there were other kids their age. We've been to Hawaii and really want to go back, especially getting to see the different islands in one trip!

One of reasons you won't find a lot children, is the cost of a 2 week cruise. Most parents take at the most a 10 day.

[robsaw]

We will be on the Golden in 3 weeks I am just wondering which dining room

is the ANY TIME?

 

The details on times will be in your first Princess Patter but:

 

Traditional: Canaletto Dining Room

Anytime: Donatello Dining Room, Bernini Dining Room (one of these, Donatello I believe, will also have the early-early fixed-time dining)

[Working 2 Cruise]

Actually, on the March 28 cruise to Hawaii on the Golden, there were many children, and I was surprised as it is usually not the case. I can speak to that as this was my fourth cruise to Hawaii... But the March 28 cruise fell just during spring break, so that is why there were so many more children than usual.