Cruising with small children....why?

[ksimpso3]

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.

My younger daughter was 17 on her first cruise and I was worried about her on the ship...mostly because she can be reckless at times, and all I could picture was her climbing up on the ledge and falling over-board! She said "Mom, I'm not 3!!"...but still...a mother never stops worrying:) We brought our kids on vacations since they were 8 or 9 months old, but never on a cruise (mainly because our first cruise was so horrible it took almost 20 years for us to try another.) I do agree that kids who are crying, running amok, etc. are annoying to me and having to dodge strollers in the buffet or decks on a cruise ship is difficult at times, but have no problem if people want to bring their child with them. Just please remove them from public places if they are crying or throwing a tantrum. I paid for my vacation too.

[mmrudnick]

I understand having some adult trips here and there but I have no idea why you would never take young children on vacation with you. We have been traveling with my son since he was 6 months old. He is 5 now and has been on three cruises, and all inclusive in Mexico, and Disney multiple times. These are the best vacations I've ever had and I'm pretty well traveled. Children should start traveling young. How selfish to never take them with you.

 

 

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[dkjretired]

I love kids' date=' have had a few, and am still surrounded with scads of neices, nephews, grandkids but have NEVER cruised with any youngster under the age of 12. Vacations with the younger ones (6 to 12) have always been vacations of the kids type...Disneyland, beach trips, national parks. Anyone under 6 has been left home.

 

I frequently see families with babies (and I mean teeny weeny babies), a couple still in diapers (that can't be fun on vacation) and a preschooler or two. Mom and Dad (and the Grandparents if they are roped into coming along) spend all their time feeding, watching, running after, disciplining, cleaning up after, etc. their brood and don't seem to have any Mommy Daddy time, or adult conversation.

 

Most children don't remember what they did in life before the age of 6 and don't care about a lot until they are 12 as far as "doing" something different on vacation. So why do parents do it? Just wondering....and I'm not complaining as long as they don't cry in my ear, make stinkies during dinner, or don't knock me down as they are running as fast as they can to get away from Daddy. They are someone else's headache, not mine.[/quote']

 

The better question to as is why not.

[dkjretired]

Another point to be made is that without all the families traveling you would have a few less cruise lines, a lot less ships and many fewer nice ports to visit.

[pafam4]

Wow. children under the age of 6 should not be taken on vacation? So glad our family tradition is different than that. We have taken our kids on vacation since birth. We didn't take cruises til they were a little older (just due to $$$), but weeks at the beach, Disney, other land resorts---our kids enjoyed them all! What wonderful memories we have!! We never would have done it any other way--I grew up the same way and so did my husband. Every summer, we'd pack up the car and head to the shore, whether the kids were tweens or toddlers. Sometimes it was just the immediate family, other times cousins and grandparents and aunts/uncles joined us.

 

I know everyone has to do what is right for their family, but I guess since I have never considered my children to be headaches, bringing them on vacation since they were very little was a joy!

[euro cruiser]

This is an old thread folks, wasn't it beaten to death enough the first time around?

[NMLady]

I understand having some adult trips here and there but I have no idea why you would never take young children on vacation with you. We have been traveling with my son since he was 6 months old. He is 5 now and has been on three cruises, and all inclusive in Mexico, and Disney multiple times. These are the best vacations I've ever had and I'm pretty well traveled. Children should start traveling young. How selfish to never take them with you.

 

 

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Do you realize that you brought back to life a thread that is more than a year old?

[mmrudnick]

Yes. I saw it today and not a year ago. It really upset me so I replied.

 

 

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[mmrudnick]

Was it closed to responses? If so, seems like CC would delete it.... I didn't think so.

 

 

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[ksimpso3]

Was it closed to responses? If so, seems like CC would delete it.... I didn't think so.

 

 

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Love this reply :D

 

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[Sherlock43031]

Probably because they'd spend all their time doing that anyway, so why not do it somewhere with good weather, room service, housekeeping service, and restaurant service?

 

I don't love kids, I don't have any kids, but I understand why someone would take a child or children on vacation with them. I don't like ill-behaved children, but I feel that way whether I'm on vacation or at home.

 

I don't like ill-behaved adults

[Monalis]

My husband and I just got back from our 3rd cruise as adults and kid free ones at that. We love to cruise in December because of the lack of children.

 

BUT... we love cruising so much that we are bringing my sisters family with us this upcoming Dec, and that includes 3 little boys, that will be 3, 4, & 7. Yes it will be a different experience, no it won't be as relaxing... but the memories it will make, for the *adults* as well as the kids will be worth it. I can't wait to see their faces when they see the ship for the first time.

 

As far as costs go, you'd be surprised.... When you factor in the differences in what you spend money on, it isn't that much more expensive. Our cabin for example... last cruise our booking was just over $2k for a 7 day West Caribbean balcony for 2.... this cruise will be under $4k for a 7 day West Caribbean, balcony & inside for 7 people, and may be less if they have a kid sail free sale between now and when we leave.

 

The you figure in that we won't be drinking as much, and less expensive excursions (can't really bring the kids scuba diving or off roading) it really isn't that much more.

[obnurse]

To everyone who chooses to cruise with your children: Enjoy every minute of it! Our two are grown now and it's so much harder for the 4 of us to travel together, since son lives away and our daughter is in college. I treasure those memories of when they were little and ALL our vacations were family oriented. Yes, now we cruise as a couple and it's wonderful but I would not trade one second of the time my children were growing up and we traveled together. That time is truly priceless......and it flies by far too fast.

[Warm Breezes]

To everyone who chooses to cruise with your children: Enjoy every minute of it! Our two are grown now and it's so much harder for the 4 of us to travel together, since son lives away and our daughter is in college. I treasure those memories of when they were little and ALL our vacations were family oriented. Yes, now we cruise as a couple and it's wonderful but I would not trade one second of the time my children were growing up and we traveled together. That time is truly priceless......and it flies by far too fast.

Totally Agree! My kids are now 17 and 19. We are now starting to enjoy being able to travel at times we couldn't before because of their schedules since they can now get themselves to where they need to go and can stay home without us. But I would never regret our travels as a family while they were growing up.

 

We went on 10 cruises together and did multiple, multiple land vacations with them from the time they were 6 months old. Each and every trip holds precious memories for them and for us. Even though they can't remember much of their trips when they were under 4...I remember and cherish them and I have videos and pictures to keep the memories alive. We did take some adult vacations in there too....but it was always a priority to take one week long or longer vacation with the kids each year along with multiple long weekend trips in between.

 

At 17 and 19 we are still doing that with Wisconsin Dells and Mall of America planned for this summer...along with adult trips like DH and I are taking in March, a month that hasn't worked for us for the last 10 years because of dance and basketball. Now we can sneak a vacation in between competitions and DS is no longer in HS sports now that he is in college. I love our new freedom, but I loved our family vacations just as much.

[GKJ049]

My brother, sisters (along with spouses), and my mom took 1 or 2 cruises a year for about 8 years. My wife and I had a baby the year my mom died and the rest of us decided to continue with our scheduled cruise (RCCL Panama Canal).

 

We were not going to leave our 6 month old at home with someone but I was very leery about taking her on a cruise. I don't regret it a bit now. The family loved having her there, the cruise staff doted on her constantly, and she was actually one of the better dressed and behaved in the dining room. She experienced her first pickle, ice cream, and mashed potatoes on that cruise and we have the pictures and memories of them all.

 

We had to skip some excursions because of her (Costa Rica canopy tram) but we are glad that we did it. We still talk about it and she is now 11 and went on the first cruise that she can remember last year. We are scheduling her second one now.

[Yillup]

What a bitter OP. I'm taking my 8 and 6 year old on our cruise on Monday. I am SO looking forward to not having to cook for them, looking forward to them paddling in the pool, and swimming on beaches in different countries.

 

I certainly hope I'm not on a cruise with you, or anyone similar to you. Just because you have a few more years experience you're the only one allowed to have a holiday? Even though you have years, it might be an idea to "grow up"...

 

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[wassup4565]

The OP asked why you would take children on a cruise, that is on a CRUISE, as opposed to taking them on some other type of vacation.

 

For very small children in diapers, I'd probably suggest a vacation in a resort rather than a cruise ship. Toddlers love water play, and so far nobody has a hissy-fit if you let them go butt-naked on a beach (and if a toilet thing happens, it happens). Not so in the pool on a cruise ship. Nobody wants a peepee in the pool.

 

For parents who want to boogie all night, I'd also suggest a land resort offers more baby sitting options. On a ship everybody has a job and is working - not a lot of excess staff available to hire for babysitting while you boogie. The Front Desk at a land resort will likely have a list of available babysitters, or if you talk to your favorite waiter, his sister or her aunt will possibly be available. I'm not talking about the quality of these options - that's for parents to judge - I'm just saying there will be more options for babysitting at a resort.

 

Wee little kids have a driven need to practice their walking and running skills - it's how they learn to use their bodies. If I had a little kid who needed to be crawling, walking-learning, or running like a little pony, I'd rather see that happen on land than on a cruise ship. Land is bigger, and so more room for a feisty little kid to barge around amok than on a ship.

 

I don't think the OP was asking anything about children's manners. Completely different topic and issue.

[qshari]

We will be taking our 4 year old on her third cruise. Cruising with a little one is different than cruising prior to having her but we love it and so does she. The reason we bring her is we actually enjoy spending time with her doing things we can't do at home. The thought of leaving her home for a week so we can have time away from her just makes me sad. I realize some people have a babysitter that they would feel comfortable leaving their child with for a week but that is not a luxury we have.

[LrgPizza]

Our son went on his first Disney cruise when he was 11 months old. It was one of our best vacations ever. We have amazing photos and memories of him in his first tux, his face absolutely overjoyed at seeing the characters, and napping on my lounge chair overlooking the ocean. He could have stared at the ocean nonstop all day if we'd let him. He loved playing in the sand and letting waves splash over him. Disney has an onboard nursery for babies, so childcare was never an issue if we needed it.

 

Could we have cruised without him? Absolutely. But I can't imagine why I would have wanted to!

[taglovestocruise]

I love kids' date=' have had a few, and am still surrounded with scads of neices, nephews, grandkids but have NEVER cruised with any youngster under the age of 12. Vacations with the younger ones (6 to 12) have always been vacations of the kids type...Disneyland, beach trips, national parks. Anyone under 6 has been left home.

 

I frequently see families with babies (and I mean teeny weeny babies), a couple still in diapers (that can't be fun on vacation) and a preschooler or two. Mom and Dad (and the Grandparents if they are roped into coming along) spend all their time feeding, watching, running after, disciplining, cleaning up after, etc. their brood and don't seem to have any Mommy Daddy time, or adult conversation.

 

Most children don't remember what they did in life before the age of 6 and don't care about a lot until they are 12 as far as "doing" something different on vacation. So why do parents do it? Just wondering....and I'm not complaining as long as they don't cry in my ear, make stinkies during dinner, or don't knock me down as they are running as fast as they can to get away from Daddy. They are someone else's headache, not mine.[/quote']

 

Have to agree with OP. When we cruise it is to get away and relax surrounded with peace and quiet. Really don't want to see diapers, strollers, crying babies, kid running in halls, playing elevator games, sitting for hours at the bottom of stairways, leaving mounds of clutter under the buffet tables, jumping into the pool, sitting in the adult pool Jacuzzi, my advice to the OP would be to book only cruises 8 days or longer, travel off season, and stay away from Carnival. Leave the mayhem behind..

[LrgPizza]

Have to agree with OP. When we cruise it is to get away and relax surrounded with peace and quiet. Really don't want to see diapers, strollers, crying babies, kid running in halls, playing elevator games, sitting for hours at the bottom of stairways, leaving mounds of clutter under the buffet tables, jumping into the pool, sitting in the adult pool Jacuzzi, my advice to the OP would be to book only cruises 8 days or longer, travel off season, and stay away from Carnival. Leave the mayhem behind..

 

If I wanted to relax and surround myself with peace and quiet, the last place I'd go would be on a cruise.

[taglovestocruise]

If I wanted to relax and surround myself with peace and quiet, the last place I'd go would be on a cruise.

 

The last place I would go is on a cruise loaded with kids, Our last four cruises have been 3 TA"S and a 13 night end of season Med cruise. All have been virtually kid free and all have been fantastic. It is fairly easy to find cruise that are mostly adult. When we had young children it was a different story, now it is our time for rest, relaxation, and peaceful enjoyment of the ocean..happy cruising

[Warm Breezes]

If I wanted to relax and surround myself with peace and quiet, the last place I'd go would be on a cruise.

 

There are cruises out there where you can go to relax and surround yourself with peace and quiet. Our last cruise out of New Orleans in October was like that. Very, very few families on board. Time of year, itinerary, cruiseline, and length of cruise are all factors in how many kids maybe on board.

[calliopecruiser]

If I wanted to relax and surround myself with peace and quiet, the last place I'd go would be on a cruise.

 

It depends on the cruise - my last cruise was a transatlantic with Crystal, and it was wonderfully full of peace and quiet. I've never been as relaxed as I was on that ship in the middle of the ocean.

[LrgPizza]

There are cruises out there where you can go to relax and surround yourself with peace and quiet. Our last cruise out of New Orleans in October was like that. Very, very few families on board. Time of year, itinerary, cruiseline, and length of cruise are all factors in how many kids maybe on board.

 

And did you know that ahead of time, or did you just get lucky?

 

I guess I'm in the minority here, because I don't equate peace and quiet with simply NO KIDS. There's a lot more that needs to factor into it than that for me. I've been on cruises where the rowdiness and loudness came from partying adults, and the kids were hardly noticed.