Toddlers and the MDR - AHHHHHHH

[CaroleSS]

I know that I will get all types of hate posts, but I'll say it anyway - if your kid (age 0 to 80+) is crying, squawking, or otherwise making all types of loud noises in the MDR, PLEASE take them outside, to the babysitters, eat at the Windjammer, etc…..PLEASE!!! If your kid can sit still and be relatively quiet, feel free to dine in the MDR, otherwise please make other arrangements!!!!

I get it.....I have kids. We didn't go out to dinner until they were old enough to behave in public and could sit still for an hour. I also totally get that kids make noise, SOME noise - but the kid sitting at the table next to us cried through every meal…..and the parents did NOTHING!!! It was especially bothersome on formal night. The last night the kid was so cranky that the parents just took him out of the high chair and let him run around the dining room!!

I DO understand that they paid for the cruise as well and that they have the ‘right’ to eat in the MDR, but when your kid is preventing me from having a conversation or is incessantly squawking at the top of his lungs, maybe it’s time to go to the Windjammer or get a sitter for a few hours. Come on people….use a little common sense here!

Why is it just sooooo hard to be considerate??? Flame away, but it won’t change my mind!

[utkikr21]

Cant say that I disagree but at the same time you too had the oppurtunity to visit other venues for your dining. As you said, they paid for their cruise as well.

[Jumbiecruiser]

I totally agree but be ready for the posters who will tell you that if you don't want kids to cruise on another cruise line that does not cater to families. I guess this is the excuse of some parents who fail to do their job of taking care of their kids. For many parents, they just tune their precious little darlings out and to heck with those sitting around them.

[seaofwonder]

Cant say that I disagree but at the same time you too had the oppurtunity to visit other venues for your dining. As you said, they paid for their cruise as well.

 

Why should someone have to leave when they are not the ones acting rude?

 

Furthermore, I hate the "I paid for my cruise so I can do what I want" attitude. Do common sense and manners get thrown out the window on vacation?

 

I've seen people drop things on the ground at the Windjammer and say "Oh it's my vacation. I paid enough" and walk away!

[Ocean Boy]

First it was toddlers in the specialty restaurants thread and now its the toddlers in the MDR. I can't wait to see what thread is coming next for the cute little rug rats.... I mean cherubs.

[CaroleSS]

First it was toddlers in the specialty restaurants thread and now its the toddlers in the MDR. I can't wait to see what thread is coming next for the cute little rug rats.... I mean cherubs.

 

For the life of me, I can't see why ANYONE would want to bring a toddler to a specialty restaurant.

 

If I were sitting next to a toddler who was loud and I had paid extra to eat, I'd be REALLY upset! (and BTW, I take my baby medium rare!)

[utkikr21]

Why should someone have to leave when they are not the ones acting rude?

 

Furthermore, I hate the "I paid for my cruise so I can do what I want" attitude. Do common sense and manners get thrown out the window on vacation?

 

I've seen people drop things on the ground at the Windjammer and say "Oh it's my vacation. I paid enough" and walk away!

 

The OP was the one to mention the other party also paid for their cruise... I also said that I did not disagree but if the parents werent going to take care of their childre, the OP had other options. Unfortunately there will be those that have the "its my vacation too" and do not care about others... I did not say these were my beliefs. If someone around me is being rude I would either asked to be moved or go somewhere else. I wouldnt not put up with it for X amount of days and then complain later about it...

[Tim Cruise]

nevermind

[CaroleSS]

We had 9 in our party.....tad difficult to get moved to a different table when there are 9 of you! (not that I didn't think about it tho)

[Tim Cruise]

Why should someone have to leave when they are not the ones acting rude?

 

Furthermore, I hate the "I paid for my cruise so I can do what I want" attitude. Do common sense and manners get thrown out the window on vacation?

 

I've seen people drop things on the ground at the Windjammer and say "Oh it's my vacation. I paid enough" and walk away!

 

Because they wern't breaking any rules. Sucks but they are allowed to be there. Ask for another table perhaps?

[yj2cute]

I know that I will get all types of hate posts, but I'll say it anyway - if your kid (age 0 to 80+) is crying, squawking, or otherwise making all types of loud noises in the MDR, PLEASE take them outside, to the babysitters, eat at the Windjammer, etc…..PLEASE!!! If your kid can sit still and be relatively quiet, feel free to dine in the MDR, otherwise please make other arrangements!!!!

I get it.....I have kids. We didn't go out to dinner until they were old enough to behave in public and could sit still for an hour. I also totally get that kids make noise, SOME noise - but the kid sitting at the table next to us cried through every meal…..and the parents did NOTHING!!! It was especially bothersome on formal night. The last night the kid was so cranky that the parents just took him out of the high chair and let him run around the dining room!!

I DO understand that they paid for the cruise as well and that they have the ‘right’ to eat in the MDR, but when your kid is preventing me from having a conversation or is incessantly squawking at the top of his lungs, maybe it’s time to go to the Windjammer or get a sitter for a few hours. Come on people….use a little common sense here!

Why is it just sooooo hard to be considerate??? Flame away, but it won’t change my mind!

 

Why should the folks trying to enjoy their dinner in the WJ have to put up with that either? :confused: If it were me, I wouldn't take my child on those types of trips until they were older. But parents don't sacrifice these days. They go where they want, whenever they want, and whomever doesn't want to deal with their noisy kids, too bad! :mad:

[Ocean Boy]

nevermind

 

Correct, nevermind, you read the OP's post wrong.

[CaroleSS]

yj2cute, I suggested the WJ as an alternative hoping that said parents might sit poolside to eat and the kids could have some flexibility in their movement, thus reducing the risk of noise.

[Ocean Boy]

Why should the folks trying to enjoy their dinner in the WJ have to put up with that either? :confused: If it were me, I wouldn't take my child on those types of trips until they were older. But parents don't sacrifice these days. They go where they want, whenever they want, and whomever doesn't want to deal with their noisy kids, too bad! :mad:

 

I am right there with you on this one. We are Windjammer people. Why do we have to take the brunt of what the rest don't want in the specialty restaurants or in the MDR?

[Bobal]

Noooooooooooo :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Please not ANOTHER discussion on toddlers in restaurants - can't you find something else to discuss - it's been done to death on the toddlers in speciality restaurants thread :mad:

[Ocean Boy]

yj2cute, I suggested the WJ as an alternative hoping that said parents might sit poolside to eat and the kids could have some flexibility in their movement, thus reducing the risk of noise.

 

Well, one night we were in the Windjammer and the parents found a great way to keep the kids quiet. As the parents obliviously ate their dinner the two kids sat on the floor in the isle, blocking people who were walking with their food, and sytematically opened packets of sweet-n-low and dumped them onto the floor.

[CaroleSS]

This "pithy" comment really is not at all humorous and really will only inflame this discussion.

 

I have long been a proponent of bringing your kids on vacation with you and having them eat with you in the MDR.

 

But I would like someone like the OP to be able to politely point out that while it is OK for a family to eat together in the MDR, that if one of the kids is having a hard time, that it really is the parents/guardians' responsibility to deal with that situation. And while the parents may be accustomed to a slightly higher level of commotion at home, they need to be sensitive to the fact that they are in a public place and that the level of commotion that is acceptatble at home, may not be acceptable in that particular venue.

 

I do recall times with my little one (now 16YO!) when we would excuse ourselves (either DH and DD, or me and DD) during a meal to work out a clearly impending issue! DD was a pretty tolerant kid, but had she not been, we definately would not have done some of the things we did try with her.

 

I will politely point out that I think that family is THE most important thing that we have! Sometimes mealtime is the only time that we get to actually see our family face-to-face. Spend time together, BUT when you are out in public, be considerate of those around you. What you tolerate at home is probably not as acceptable at a nice restaurant.

 

If your kids get fussy, remove them from the situation. Don't impose them on those around you.

[meggie711]

Why should the folks trying to enjoy their dinner in the WJ have to put up with that either? :confused: If it were me, I wouldn't take my child on those types of trips until they were older. But parents don't sacrifice these days. They go where they want, whenever they want, and whomever doesn't want to deal with their noisy kids, too bad! :mad:

 

Not the case for all parents these days, at least not for us. Hubby and I will be going on a 10th anniversary cruise next year and leaving our son with his Gigi. He will be 4 when we go, and we will be leaving him home for a couple of reasons. 1: It's our anniversary. 2: We want to eat dinner at the specialty restaurants and MDR 3: He's not ready for a 7-day, which includes a 7-hour (one-way) drive to Miami and back. It shouldn't be that hard for parents to weigh that sort of thing out. On top of that, I will be aggravated if I'm around misbehaving children and uncaring parents on our cruise, and will not apologize for it. :)

[Cigar King]

I agree with you. That being said, I think I would have asked for another table. In fact, I have been tempted to do so, even though the little bundle of joy was several tables over. Crying kids are beyond annoying.

[CaroleSS]

Well, one night we were in the Windjammer and the parents found a great way to keep the kids quiet. As the parents obliviously ate their dinner the two kids sat on the floor in the isle, blocking people who were walking with their food, and sytematically opened packets of sweet-n-low and dumped them onto the floor.

 

This behavior is no more appropriate in the Windjammer than the MDR. If it were up to me, I'd have gotten a vacuum cleaner and told the parents to clean up the mess!

[Ocean Boy]

This "pithy" comment really is not at all humorous and really will only inflame this discussion.

 

I have long been a proponent of bringing your kids on vacation with you and having them eat with you in the MDR.

 

But I would like someone like the OP to be able to politely point out that while it is OK for a family to eat together in the MDR, that if one of the kids is having a hard time, that it really is the parents/guardians' responsibility to deal with that situation. And while the parents may be accustomed to a slightly higher level of commotion at home, they need to be sensitive to the fact that they are in a public place and that the level of commotion that is acceptatble at home, may not be acceptable in that particular venue.

 

I do recall times with my little one (now 16YO!) when we would excuse ourselves (either DH and DD, or me and DD) during a meal to work out a clearly impending issue! DD was a pretty tolerant kid, but had she not been, we definately would not have done some of the things we did try with her.

 

It was funny.

[yj2cute]

Not the case for all parents these days, at least not for us. Hubby and I will be going on a 10th anniversary cruise next year and leaving our son with his Gigi. He will be 4 when we go, and we will be leaving him home for a couple of reasons. 1: It's our anniversary. 2: We want to eat dinner at the specialty restaurants and MDR 3: He's not ready for a 7-day, which includes a 7-hour (one-way) drive to Miami and back. It shouldn't be that hard for parents to weigh that sort of thing out. On top of that, I will be aggravated if I'm around misbehaving children and uncaring parents on our cruise, and will not apologize for it. :)

 

Meggie,

 

There are many folks on these boards who whouldn't DREAM of leaving their little one home. They must spend every waking hour together. I am like you. I believe DH and I need time together, ALONE, to keep the marriage healthy. Then we also spend time as a family. The balance works best for us. Good for you that you've decided to do this. You won't regret it! ;)

[Ocean Boy]

Not the case for all parents these days, at least not for us. Hubby and I will be going on a 10th anniversary cruise next year and leaving our son with his Gigi. He will be 4 when we go, and we will be leaving him home for a couple of reasons. 1: It's our anniversary. 2: We want to eat dinner at the specialty restaurants and MDR 3: He's not ready for a 7-day, which includes a 7-hour (one-way) drive to Miami and back. It shouldn't be that hard for parents to weigh that sort of thing out. On top of that, I will be aggravated if I'm around misbehaving children and uncaring parents on our cruise, and will not apologize for it. :)

 

His what?:

[Bobal]

His what?:

 

Hahahah - I wondered that too, but didn't like to ask :D

[CaroleSS]

It's southern speak for Grandmother. Some say Mema, Nana, etc. Folk in the north have their own shortcut words for G'ma.