Cruising with small children....why?

[avatheps]

I chime in at risk of being blasted out of the water but could not resist. I will try and be brief and to the point. I might add that I have yet to cruise and am a parent, grandparent and great grandparent. I have gone out of my way to try and choose a cruise that will put me at least risk of being exposed to an exceptional amount of children. I have had numerous dinners out, trips to theaters, Broadway plays, church services, funerals etc disrupted by misbehaving children. That being said, I have also had the displeasure of having numerous happy or somber occasions marred by unruly adults. What I can assure you of is that I am not a person that will stand by and let the interruption take place and not say something. I will get in your face. You can rest assured of that. By the same token, if you are fortunate enough to have those children who are well behaved and polite as some most certainly are, I am also quick to congratulate you on the fine job you have done raising them. :D:D

[akeasley]

I don't have children yet but when I do, they'll be coming on cruises with me as soon as possible. I would have loved if my mom had taken me on a cruise ship at a younger age so that I could have experienced the kids and teen areas because they look so much fun. Hopefully my kids will be well behaved but I'm sure there will be people who find fault with them.

[sailawaybellaluna]

For us (like most people I'm guessing), vacation means family time. Our son (who is 3) is part of our family, so it's not even a question as to whether or not we take him.

 

In fact, he's now been to 19 countries - throughout Latin America, Europe & Africa.

 

He knows how to sit through a 2 hour dinner in a nice restaurant. (don't get me wrong, sometimes we've gotta pull out the iPad, but he can do it)! :p

 

Unfortunately, the people who are always leaving their kids behind, always getting a babysitter when they want to have dinner out, and always taking "couples vacations" are the ones whose children are a nightmare at a restaurant or on a cruise because they haven't been taught how to behave properly in these different situations.

 

When our son was 7 months old, we took a 1.5 month trip (not cruise) to Egypt, Germany, Holland & the Czech Republic. We were asked by tons of friends and neighbors if we were taking our son with us. I was shocked by the number of people that asked us! Of course! He's part of our family, and he goes on FAMILY vacations.

 

In fact, in his room he has a little painted decal that says, "Oh the Places You'll Go" (Dr. Seuss quote). Underneath it is a collage of framed pictures of many of the places he's been. Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, in front of the Great Pyramids, on a gondola in Venice, etc. etc.

 

He may not remember those trips, I agree with you, but it is part of his upbringing and his education and it will definitely be helping to form the person he becomes.

 

Oh, and also it's important to note that we were all over the globe before our son turned two because he could FLY for FREE!

[Sailingpeace]

I understand OP comment about "don't cry in my ear". I feel the same about adults with loud high pitch voices yakking and complaining all day about all and nothing....;). I don't categorize baldly bevahing children, I just have one category for badly behaving humans ( noise, smell...some perfumes...:eek:, line cutting etc).

 

Actually, the sound of a child laughing is the absolute best sound on earth to my ears and seeing a todler napping with the ocean in the background is the perfect inspiration for my own snooze on deck...

 

I envy those living the absolute joy of cruising multiplied by sharing it with your treasured loved ones.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Sailingpeace

[Warm Breezes]

For us (like most people I'm guessing), vacation means family time. Our son (who is 3) is part of our family, so it's not even a question as to whether or not we take him.

 

In fact, he's now been to 19 countries - throughout Latin America, Europe & Africa.

 

He knows how to sit through a 2 hour dinner in a nice restaurant. (don't get me wrong, sometimes we've gotta pull out the iPad, but he can do it)! :p

 

Unfortunately, the people who are always leaving their kids behind, always getting a babysitter when they want to have dinner out, and always taking "couples vacations" are the ones whose children are a nightmare at a restaurant or on a cruise because they haven't been taught how to behave properly in these different situations.

 

When our son was 7 months old, we took a 1.5 month trip (not cruise) to Egypt, Germany, Holland & the Czech Republic. We were asked by tons of friends and neighbors if we were taking our son with us. I was shocked by the number of people that asked us! Of course! He's part of our family, and he goes on FAMILY vacations.

 

In fact, in his room he has a little painted decal that says, "Oh the Places You'll Go" (Dr. Seuss quote). Underneath it is a collage of framed pictures of many of the places he's been. Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, in front of the Great Pyramids, on a gondola in Venice, etc. etc.

 

He may not remember those trips, I agree with you, but it is part of his upbringing and his education and it will definitely be helping to form the person he becomes.

 

Oh, and also it's important to note that we were all over the globe before our son turned two because he could FLY for FREE!

 

While I agree with your reasons for taking a child on vacation, I have to say I am a proponant of also taking some adult vacations. I believe it is not only healthy for the child to form relationships to others besides their parents but it is also healthy for the parents to have some one on one time with each other.

 

Our children are now 15 and 18. We make it a priority to take at least one week long or longer trip with them a year as well as many weekend trips. But we also make sure to get an adult trip in (usually less than a week) at least once every couple of years. The kids are now old enough to stay home on their own, but in the past they have stayed with close friends or my Aunt who was their caretaker while DH and I worked when they were younger. They have great relationships with others I am glad that they have in their life and they were not harmed in any way by staying with others as DH and I reconnected as a couple.

 

But that is just my opinion and how we choose to spend our precious limited vacation time. Everyone is entitled to their views....however I do feel sorry for the kids of parents who believe vacations are strictly for adults...My stepfather was one of those parents and I was one of those children. That is why family vacations were always our first priority every year and the adult vacations were squeezed in when we could.

[karinad]

I'll add my 2 cents here. Things are different now. My dh and I are in our late 50's. Our 2 kids were born in the late 70's. Vacations were at the Jersey Shore, which was about 3 hrs. from us. Flying was costly and not heard of unless you were rich! My dh and I took our first "flying" vacation to Disney World in 1984. It was a big deal and alot of money for a couple with 2 young kids. They did not go with us. It was a "first" honeymoon for us. Our first cruise was in 1989 on the Carnival Carnivale. We didn't see one child on the cruise.

 

Cruising is a cheaper vacation for a family. It's probably cheaper then going to the Jersey Shore! Having said that, I wish that screaming babies and kids running around the dinner table, would not be seated by us! We request a table for 2, and would love to enjoy a quiet meal. There really should be an area where families would be more comfortable if their children behave like this. I know that the parents don't want others to be bothered either. At least that's how I would feel. Other then dinner time, I'm sure that most of the kids are having a ball!!

[cruisemom42]

There is something about this argument that makes me crazy. Misbehaving children and misbehaving adults have absolutely no relationship to one another. If an adult is drunk or misbehaving, a crew member can ask (nicely or forcefully if necessary) for the person to stop their behavior. If they do not, they can be escorted to their cabin.

 

Has anyone seen the results of an adult nicely asking a child to stop doing something that is annoying other passengers? The parent goes ballistic. Even if you ask politely tell the parent that their child is doing something (kicking the back of your seat on an airplane, putting their hands in the food on the buffet, etc.), the parent pretty much glares at you. Their children are perfect and can do not wrong.

 

To say they have absolutely no relationship is clearly not true. They are both misbehaving. As someone else said, why do we need separate buckets -- a miscreant is a miscreant, whatever the age.

 

And you won't convince me for a moment that when crew members ask unruly adults to cease and desist that they go quietly and with grace. No, they are very likely to go ballistic as well, at least in the same percentage as those who would do so if told their child were misbehaving. Look at Alex Baldwin on the airplane, kicking up a fuss when told to turn off his phone. For that matter, look at just about any reality TV show.

 

The fact of the matter is that we live on this earth with a good many people, not all of whom share the same views, upbringing, culture, or manners that we do. When I'm driving home from work on the highway, I would love to be able to choose to travel on a road where there are no dangerous tailgaters, no distracted drivers, and no idiots cutting in front of me at close quarters. But I don't have that option unless I had access to a private road. It's the same with cruising -- we share that 100,000 ton vessel with 2500 other souls, more or less, and we are not all cut from the same cloth.

 

I am not against children of any age sailing with family on a cruise. But, I do have one question and would really appreciate a well thought out answer rather than getting blasted for asking. Why are so many children allowed to run (or walk) around the ship without supervision? A cruise ship is like a small city -- strangers everywhere..... yet, children are permitted to do what they wish without supervision. Sometimes children are in groups but really do not know each other personally. The trouble they could get into is endless . . . after all, there are hundreds of cabins that may not have parents in them where they can go on their own. It seems to me that being on a cruise ship gives a false sense of security.

 

My response is this. I'm a mother, and one who has just come out the other side -- i.e., my child is nominally an adult, is off at college, and no longer subject to my immediate scrutiny. But the previous years are still pretty close. My philosophy as a parent has been to walk a path that was neither too protective nor too permissive. We educate our children about dangers, we teach them rules and responsibility -- but at some point we also have to let them have just a little freedom (at an appropriate age) in order to learn to make decisions on their own.

 

I live in a small city that is next to a very large city. Crime isn't nonexistent there. But my son was allowed to walk a few blocks to elementary school at age 10, to walk farther to friends' houses in middle school, and to walk with friends around the city as a teen. As he proved he was responsible, he would be allowed a bit more responsibility and freedom.

 

I certainly wouldn't let him wander around the ship unsupervised at age 7, but small forays at age 10 or 11 wouldn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

Also, I'm not one who believes there is a danger lurking behind every tree. I think we are too quick to hear one or two stories and then believe everyone is a criminal or a pedophile. I feel the same about travel risks; I'd go just about anywhere that isn't an active war zone. The things most likely to kill or injure us are the routine things we do every day, not the things likely to happen on a cruise ship or on a foreign shore.

 

Sorry -- perhaps I am getting too far away from your original question, but I was trying to give you my thoughts and rationale on the issue.

 

Just for the record, and since it is Thanksgiving, I am thankful this year that my parents passed on a love of travel to me and that they took me with them on many vacations, including cruises, as a child and teen. Travel is now one of my main interests and I spend many happy hours each year planning and taking trips. I've tried to pass this on to my own son, and I think it may have worked. :)

Edited November 22, 2012 by cruisemom42

[rvsullivan]

If everyone, adult or child were held accountable for their actions by the rest of the population, the world would be a quieter, more reasonable place. When an adult acts out, if everyone would call them on it, it would stop. Same with children, if all the adults present held the child and their parent accountable, most of this would go away. No one today wants to be the "bad guy", so we tolerate bad behavior. There is no excuse for a child to act our in public, period.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I agree with cruisemom. Other than teenaged (and 20ish) boys tending to speed, many of the dangers on the streets in my neighborhood seems to me to be those who feel their first priority, while behind the wheel, is to be yakking on a cell phone, or some driver who feels it's his road so he feels free to tailgate, switch lanes constantly, use the turning lane to get ahead of other drivers when the light turns to green.

 

Yes, kids can be loud (we have to constantly remind our girl to lower her voice at times), but it's training on our part as a parent. If the kids are always at home (or always stay at grandma's while we parents travel), when are they going to learn? And often, many lessons have to be taught as they present themselves (for example, my teen was making pancakes today, and didn't realize the burner under the griddle didn't light when she turned the dial. I smelled the gas and pointed out that she needs to watch out for that, and if a burner doesn't light, use another one that does).

[sparky-elpaso]

If everyone, adult or child were held accountable for their actions by the rest of the population, the world would be a quieter, more reasonable place. When an adult acts out, if everyone would call them on it, it would stop. Same with children, if all the adults present held the child and their parent accountable, most of this would go away. No one today wants to be the "bad guy", so we tolerate bad behavior. There is no excuse for a child to act our in public, period.

 

Absolutely true. Too many people today want to be their kids "friends" when they need to be parents. We started by taking our sons to McDonalds and Wendy's - where they were expected to sit in their seats, talk quietly, etc. - then we moved up to family type restaurants. By the time they were 8 or 9 we had no problem going out to nice places knowing they knew how to act.

[Travelcat2]

My response is this. I'm a mother, and one who has just come out the other side -- i.e., my child is nominally an adult, is off at college, and no longer subject to my immediate scrutiny. But the previous years are still pretty close. My philosophy as a parent has been to walk a path that was neither too protective nor too permissive. We educate our children about dangers, we teach them rules and responsibility -- but at some point we also have to let them have just a little freedom (at an appropriate age) in order to learn to make decisions on their own.

 

I live in a small city that is next to a very large city. Crime isn't nonexistent there. But my son was allowed to walk a few blocks to elementary school at age 10, to walk farther to friends' houses in middle school, and to walk with friends around the city as a teen. As he proved he was responsible, he would be allowed a bit more responsibility and freedom.

 

I certainly wouldn't let him wander around the ship unsupervised at age 7, but small forays at age 10 or 11 wouldn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

Also, I'm not one who believes there is a danger lurking behind every tree. I think we are too quick to hear one or two stories and then believe everyone is a criminal or a pedophile. I feel the same about travel risks; I'd go just about anywhere that isn't an active war zone. The things most likely to kill or injure us are the routine things we do every day, not the things likely to happen on a cruise ship or on a foreign shore.

 

Sorry -- perhaps I am getting too far away from your original question, but I was trying to give you my thoughts and rationale on the issue.

 

Just for the record, and since it is Thanksgiving, I am thankful this year that my parents passed on a love of travel to me and that they took me with them on many vacations, including cruises, as a child and teen. Travel is now one of my main interests and I spend many happy hours each year planning and taking trips. I've tried to pass this on to my own son, and I think it may have worked. :)

 

Really appreciate your thoughtful response. What you say does make sense. My concerns on cruise ships is for the slightly older child (10-12). Some children of this age can be tempted (peer pressure) to sneak in a room with a few other kids to smoke a cigarette, try alcohol, etc. It seems that the ship is just a mass of private rooms. Do parents feel safer on a ship that in their hometown? I doubt if many parents allow their children freedom to wander around at 10:00 p.m. -- yet, there are children on their own doing just that.

 

I'm only trying to bring awareness to the situation. Threre have been reported cases of inappropriate behavior between children and adults on cruise ships. One crew member was sentenced to prison a couple of months ago. Maybe parents need a new set of guidelines for their children when they are cruising on a ship:confused:

[clackey]

Breena's Mom,

 

I have asked myself this question for several years. Then one day the grandkids came along. I think that it would be a hoot to take them on cruise. It was pretty funny just having them at our house. It may be a couple of years before their parents can tear away from work, but when they do we are going.

[euro cruiser]

If everyone, adult or child were held accountable for their actions by the rest of the population, the world would be a quieter, more reasonable place. When an adult acts out, if everyone would call them on it, it would stop. Same with children, if all the adults present held the child and their parent accountable, most of this would go away. No one today wants to be the "bad guy", so we tolerate bad behavior. There is no excuse for a child to act our in public, period.

Whether we like it or not, standards of "acceptable public behavior" change. You either learn to accept it or you spend an awful lot of your time angry.

 

There are variations on this theme everywhere. A few years ago I listened to a few 40-ish aged parents of teenagers complaining about the behavior of children in church, and wondering why the parents didn't know enough to simply take their kids outside until they could behave in the sanctuary. "That's what we always did", they agreed. I smiled, thinking to myself that when I was a kid if I'd acted up in church my mother would have smothered me in the pew, rather than face the embarrassment of walking me out past everyone. Fortunately for their kids attitudes had changed by the next generation!

Edited November 24, 2012 by euro cruiser

[cusecruise]

I certainly wouldn't let him wander around the ship unsupervised at age 7, but small forays at age 10 or 11 wouldn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

 

Wow - sorry to sound harsh, I have to say I am absolutely shocked by this statement. There is no way I would let my 10 year old niece wander about a ship by herself. I would not worry about predators but rather her simply no being old enough to know what she should and should not do. Expecting a child to be able to make good decisions at this age in a non-familar environment is just asking for trouble no matter how well behaved she is. Walking to school is completely different than wandering around a cruise ship.

 

Children are children and need to be supervised when in a public place no matter how "safe" it might be.

[richraven]

Bottom line is that as parents we want to expose our children to everything life has to offer and if a few adults, who were once children themselves, have a problem with this then too bad.

 

I have a wonderful, loving, happy, happy three year old who's very social and polite. I will do everything in my power to give him every opportunity to experience different people, cultures, and opportunities life has to offer.

 

He won't be worrying about the people that don't think he should be on the ship....I promise you that. He'll just be capturing the memories that will shape his life and being with the parents that love him dearly and trust me he won't be worrying about who thinks he should be home without his parents.

 

 

Lighten up and have fun....It's a cruise for God's sake...lol

[GHDPeter]

I come from a large and socially diverse family.

As far back as I can remember we were taught how to behave in public and in restaurants and how to travel.

I don't have any children of my own but I have nephews and nieces ( I am godfather to them all plus a few cousins and other members in my family), and 2013 is the year that I start them off on cruising.

The ages are 3,5,8 and 12 and they have always been taught how to behave in public and at hotels and restaurants.

For our first big family cruise next year I chose a family friendly ship that I know caters well for children and adults alike, and chose an itinerary that will be easy for everyone.

So the parents as well as the kids will have a great holiday.

I have also given the kids a couple of assignments to research the ship and our destinations as well as showing them the ship when they and it are in town, to help build their interest and excitement.

We even discussed the capacity of life boats, how to wear life jackets and the difference between flying and cruising.( they live 2 hours away by plane so are used to travel)

There are some ships and itineraries that just would not be suitable for us this time, but as the kids grow older I plan on exposing them to as much as possible to what is available in this great big world we live in.

If kids don't learn when they are young how to behave and enjoy life and social contact, how can we expect them to do it as adults?

[cruisemom42]

 

I certainly wouldn't let him wander around the ship unsupervised at age 7, but small forays at age 10 or 11 wouldn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

 

Wow - sorry to sound harsh, I have to say I am absolutely shocked by this statement. There is no way I would let my 10 year old niece wander about a ship by herself. I would not worry about predators but rather her simply no being old enough to know what she should and should not do. Expecting a child to be able to make good decisions at this age in a non-familar environment is just asking for trouble no matter how well behaved she is. Walking to school is completely different than wandering around a cruise ship.

 

Children are children and need to be supervised when in a public place no matter how "safe" it might be.

 

 

My goodness, how did you get from "small forays" in my post to "wandering about a ship by (him)self"? That is not at all what I said. :cool:

[circuitrider]

Walking to school is completely different than wandering around a cruise ship.

 

Children are children and need to be supervised when in a public place no matter how "safe" it might be.

 

Why would walking to school be completely different than wandering around a cruise ship? What if we're talking about walking to school in NYC vs wandering around a 500 passenger ship? Both are public places.

 

Now, I can tell that many people just assume a cruise ship is 100% safe and don't worry about their kids roaming by themselves at a young age. I think that's woefully irresponsible. BUT...I don't think a cruise ship would be any more dangerous than a small city with a similar population. Perhaps less so. Yes, bad things can happen to your kids (or anyone, really)...but what are the odds that someone will kidnap your kids and be thousands of miles away by the end of the week? Um...you're on a ship...there's only so many places you can go. And...if you're a bad-doer, there's only so many places you can hide (basically, you can't). My guess, is that the semi-bad people who are actually scared of being caught, may be behaving themselves a bit better than they would on land.

 

Anyways...my kids are too young to let them go anywhere unattended...but when they get older, I'm not going to freak out just because we're on a ship with people who may not be the best society has to offer. I'll give them some free reign and have certain rules that are 100% set in stone (probably along the lines of, not going into someone else's cabin without our permission, we have to know within 2-3 areas of the ship where you'll be at all times, etc.). I mean...yes, I want to protect them from every conceivable bad thing that can happen to them; but if I make them live in a bubble, they'll never learn how to live in the real world.

Edited November 24, 2012 by circuitrider

[hubofhockey]

My goodness, how did you get from "small forays" in my post to "wandering about a ship by (him)self"? That is not at all what I said. :cool:

 

No need to defend yourself. I agree on the small forays as ours at that age would go off on their own to grab a slice of pizza or ice cream. You have to know your kids as well and have a feel for their limits, which are dictated less by age and more by maturity and personality.

[rvsullivan]

Whether we like it or not, standards of "acceptable public behavior" change. You either learn to accept it or you spend an awful lot of your time angry.

 

There are variations on this theme everywhere. A few years ago I listened to a few 40-ish aged parents of teenagers complaining about the behavior of children in church, and wondering why the parents didn't know enough to simply take their kids outside until they could behave in the sanctuary. "That's what we always did", they agreed. I smiled, thinking to myself that when I was a kid if I'd acted up in church my mother would have smothered me in the pew, rather than face the embarrassment of walking me out past everyone. Fortunately for their kids attitudes had changed by the next generation!

 

The standards of behavior have never changed, tolerance for bad behavior has! Being angry is a result of bad behavior that is not fixed. There is never an excuse for someone, adult or child, to be boorish, loud, acting out or belligerent. Again, your standards might have changed, but others belief that they have a right to peace and quiet have not. There is a time and place for acting out. Excitement at being at Disney World is different than loud obnoxious behavior in the dining room of a cruise ship. Hold everyone accountable for bad behavior and the world will be a better place for the majority.

[cusecruise]

The standards of behavior have never changed, tolerance for bad behavior has! Being angry is a result of bad behavior that is not fixed. There is never an excuse for someone, adult or child, to be boorish, loud, acting out or belligerent. Again, your standards might have changed, but others belief that they have a right to peace and quiet have not. There is a time and place for acting out. Excitement at being at Disney World is different than loud obnoxious behavior in the dining room of a cruise ship. Hold everyone accountable for bad behavior and the world will be a better place for the majority.

 

Well said!

[VillaHappy]

I don't have children and I'm annoyed by badly behaved children, but there's an easy answer. People bring their children along because it's a FAMILY cruise for them. Everyone goes on vacations for different reasons and they go on different types of vacations. I don't think a cruise is anymore inappropriate than a land vacation. I don't plan to stop cruising when I have kids and I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable going on vacation without my children. It's all about balance, doing what's right for your family and knowing when it's time to take a fussy or tired child elsewhere.

 

Some people love spending time with their children and would give up "adult time" any day of the week to spend time with their kids. I know I feel that way with about my nephew.

 

 

THANK GOD for people like you!

[VillaHappy]

Why did my girls start cruising as infants? Why are they going on their 13th cruise this month?

 

Look at page ONE and what Partman said. His wife died 18 days later. You never know how long you have on this Earth. Why wait?

 

No, my girls may not remember every detail of every cruise (although they do seem to remember a good majority of them starting in the toddler years).

 

But that doesn't matter because I DO.

 

If I die tomorrow - I have lived a wonderful life with my girls up until this point. I haven't wasted the past decade WAITING for some obscure number to start having these fabulous experiences with them - I have ALREADY BEEN LIVING these spectacular experiences with them.

 

And for that I am truly blessed :D

 

And this board is truly blessed for having you! :D

[Travelcat2]

To say they have absolutely no relationship is clearly not true. They are both misbehaving. As someone else said, why do we need separate buckets -- a miscreant is a miscreant, whatever the age.

 

And you won't convince me for a moment that when crew members ask unruly adults to cease and desist that they go quietly and with grace. No, they are very likely to go ballistic as well, at least in the same percentage as those who would do so if told their child were misbehaving. Look at Alex Baldwin on the airplane, kicking up a fuss when told to turn off his phone. For that matter, look at just about any reality TV show.

 

The fact of the matter is that we live on this earth with a good many people, not all of whom share the same views, upbringing, culture, or manners that we do. When I'm driving home from work on the highway, I would love to be able to choose to travel on a road where there are no dangerous tailgaters, no distracted drivers, and no idiots cutting in front of me at close quarters. But I don't have that option unless I had access to a private road. It's the same with cruising -- we share that 100,000 ton vessel with 2500 other souls, more or less, and we are not all cut from the same cloth.

 

 

 

My response is this. I'm a mother, and one who has just come out the other side -- i.e., my child is nominally an adult, is off at college, and no longer subject to my immediate scrutiny. But the previous years are still pretty close. My philosophy as a parent has been to walk a path that was neither too protective nor too permissive. We educate our children about dangers, we teach them rules and responsibility -- but at some point we also have to let them have just a little freedom (at an appropriate age) in order to learn to make decisions on their own.

 

I live in a small city that is next to a very large city. Crime isn't nonexistent there. But my son was allowed to walk a few blocks to elementary school at age 10, to walk farther to friends' houses in middle school, and to walk with friends around the city as a teen. As he proved he was responsible, he would be allowed a bit more responsibility and freedom.

 

I certainly wouldn't let him wander around the ship unsupervised at age 7, but small forays at age 10 or 11 wouldn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

Also, I'm not one who believes there is a danger lurking behind every tree. I think we are too quick to hear one or two stories and then believe everyone is a criminal or a pedophile. I feel the same about travel risks; I'd go just about anywhere that isn't an active war zone. The things most likely to kill or injure us are the routine things we do every day, not the things likely to happen on a cruise ship or on a foreign shore.

 

Sorry -- perhaps I am getting too far away from your original question, but I was trying to give you my thoughts and rationale on the issue.

 

Just for the record, and since it is Thanksgiving, I am thankful this year that my parents passed on a love of travel to me and that they took me with them on many vacations, including cruises, as a child and teen. Travel is now one of my main interests and I spend many happy hours each year planning and taking trips. I've tried to pass this on to my own son, and I think it may have worked. :)

 

Obviously we have differences of opinion which is fine. I do want to comment on one point. I do not think that there is a "criminal or pedophile" around every corner. The concern is with other "children and peer pressure. In some cases, a 10 year old could be influenced by a 12 year old who thinks it is "cool" to stop by the cabin and smoke and/or drink. It is, IMO, this is much easier to do on a ship than in a town...... any town.

[SoBaycruiser]

Back to the comments by the OP about why would one want to bring their children on a cruise... I don't understand people taking sides on this. There isn't a right or wrong, but maybe a difference in perspective. I realize I'm generalizing but many of us grandmothers were stay at home moms who were with their kids every minute. They saw the first burp, the first smile, the first step, etc. So if they think a vacation means getting away from the kids, I won't criticize. On the other extreme, if both parents are working full time and they miss all those little things their children do, of course they enjoy having the kids with them. They may have missed the first step but they'll experience other special firsts on the cruise. So what I'm saying is, there is no right or wrong way to vacation...whether it be with or without family.