Celebrity good cruise line for children??

[Lois R]

we just got back from a cruise...3 kids, ages 8, 6 & 2. the older kids had a GREAT time in the fun Factory. we did not encounter any rude people, just the exact opposite.

 

the crew was great with the kids and extremely happy to see them, as many of them left their kids at home while they work on the ship.

 

I bet the staff/crew loved your 2 year old:D....I remember I was on

Summit (several times LOL) but I sailed her back in January 2010 and

one of the couples on our roll call had their little girl with them...her

name is Olivia and she must be about 4 years old now:eek:......she was

about 1....(I think) but I remember the staff was just crazy about

her:)......they just love those little ones...;).....(no offense meant

towards being 6 and 8 LOL)

[rebeccalouiseagain]

My children have always been warmly received by the crew on Celebrity.

[Jo and Rob]

Oliver and Emily first cruised on Celebrity when they were 6 and 8. They always have a fantastic time and are really excited about sailing again later today!

 

Highlights for them.

Free ice-cream by the pool.

Multiple flavours of icecreams and varieties of toppings in the buffet.

Excellent kids programme at the fun factory.

Evening sessions.

Scavenger hunts(now older)

Excellent food in MDR and around the ship.

Cookies at cafe al Bacio

Plush loungers round the pool.

Really friendly staff.

Good size cabins (like mini suites on Princess)

Fresh water pools (s class)

Freshly squeezed orange juice.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Jo and Rob]

One thing I forgot to add is that we find better behaved children (and parents) on Celebrity.

 

I have a real bug bear about children watching films or playing on games in the MDR which is very rare on Celebrity. I would much rather talk to my children!!! We go on family holidays to enjoy each other's company. I see a video screen for a child in a restaurant in the same way as a dummy (soother) for a toddler.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Onessa]

Depends upon your kid. My DD (now 18YO :eek:) has never liked amusement park type rides and has always thought that people dressed up like cartoon characters were "creepy". So she prefers the Hot Glass show on the Celebrity Solstice to a flow rider or zip line. Other kids really get into the fancy rides.

 

The kids clubs for the little ones are pretty similar. And if your kid likes participating in group activities, they will love just about any of the kid's programs. If they don't enjoy those types of group activities they will not like or dislike Fun Factory any more or less than Adventure Ocean or whatever.

 

What is your kid like if you go to a special prgram at the kids museum or what are they like on field trips or scouts. If your kid is the one refusing to participate or complaining they are bored at those events, they will not enjoy the kids' programs on board. And you will be responsible for entertaining them (by either booking a cruse with lots to do or by some other means.

 

For the older tweens and teens it is similar - if they live for video games, find a cruise with good video games, if they need skating or flow riding or whatever to keep them entertained, go with a ship that will offer that. If they are "social" it is much more about who they meet and hang with than the teen/kids programs so look for a cruise that is likely to have more kids their age on it.

 

Celebrity might work out really well for your family or it may be a complete bust! On the cruise when my DD turned 16YO we were in the Baltic - she met some kids from Portugal and Spain that she hung out with, there was great shopping in most of the ports (Copenhagen had a Top Shop and ModCloth), and all of the ports were places she had just studied about in European History. She was thrilled - did the lack of a ice skating rink bother her - not one bit!:)

[Onessa]

. . .I have a real bug bear about children watching films or playing on games in the MDR which is very rare on Celebrity. I would much rather talk to my children!!! We go on family holidays to enjoy each other's company. I see a video screen for a child in a restaurant in the same way as a dummy (soother) for a toddler. . .

BTW, while I agree with you with the video games or movies in the MDR, I recognize that some kids just are not ready or whatever for the full MDR experience. We had a family at our table on one cruise where the younger (12YO) son was fine -- sometimes we all really "worked" to include him but it was a great experience for everyone. But the older one was completely unreachable (like some 15YOs get) having him glued to his DS-whatever throughout the meal was preferable to the heavy sighs, rolling of eyes, etc. that occurred when his parents asked him to interact. I'm sure he'll grow out of it :D

[Dorset Cruiser]

One thing I forgot to add is that we find better behaved children (and parents) on Celebrity.

 

I have a real bug bear about children watching films or playing on games in the MDR which is very rare on Celebrity. I would much rather talk to my children!!! We go on family holidays to enjoy each other's company. I see a video screen for a child in a restaurant in the same way as a dummy (soother) for a toddler.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Nothing wrong with using a dummy/soother as long as parents know when it is an appropriate age to make the dummy 'disappear' 😉. Each to his own. You say you go on family holidays to enjoy each others company but your children appear to spend a lot of time in the kids' clubs. Nothing at all wrong with that but likewise there is nothing wrong with other parents using tablets and other forms of table entertainment for keeping their children occupied in the MDR. Eating is quite boring for a lot of young children and they have very short attention spans. Our little granddaughter (4) is very good at table and likes trying new foods but after about 30 minutes, she is done and wants to do something else. Thank goodness for the Ipad when we are in a restaurant with her😄. We have never taken her on a cruise but I am sure she would love all the attention and the kids club. We took our other 2 grandchildren on a cruise when they were 5 and 3 and they had a great time and loved the MDR but we were a party of 11 and kept them occupied. However they would not go anywhere near the kids club. All children are different.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

If you are sitting together as a family (without other passengers) and want to give your child a quiet device or a book to amuse them- that's fine IMO. I don't care at all about the tables around me as long as it isn't super loud. So a quiet child is awesome.

 

For us, I travel with just my son and have in years past always done the early seating and have had the pleasure of meeting other families with kids on Celebrity. Wonderful people and fortunately the kids hit it off and felt like part of the conversation. No issues. Having said that, about an hour into dinner, they preferred to skip dessert (yep! the kids preferred to skip dessert) and head off to the kids club that opened at 7 PM. They couldn't wait. So I'd run them up there and return to the table for adult dessert time. It worked great.

 

On Disney- I was sat with a child who had no social graces and fussed all through the meal. It was bad and I was glad that was only a three night cruise. All I can say is... don't choose vacation time to teach kids table manners and social skills.

 

If I were to be seated at a table with another family who allowed their kids to bring games to the table and ignore the adults and other children- that is another story. If kids can't be polite, make eye contact and learn to talk to people they are dining with- teach them now. After the age of 3, there is no excuse for poor table manners. I hear it coming... you never had a "challenging child"- sort of crap. All kids are challenging and they do need to know manners and societal expectations or you are setting them up for failure in life. If they are that out of control that they can't sit through a meal- then it's buffet time.

Edited July 28, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Jane2357]

I was recently at an Art Fair where several of us were shocked and dismayed to see a parent pulling what looked like a three yr old in a wagon and the little guy had his face in a IPAD never looking up. :eek: Meanwhile there were whirly gig type sculptures, Lake MI with boats going past, the train going over a swinging bridge - bright paintings, people - the kid was oblivious. A sad commentary on parenting in today's world. I'm the first one that doesn't want to hear an unruly child while eating but those that quiet their children with electronics will be the parents of teens that can't put their electronics down and make eye contact or conversation.

[bobsfamily]

I was recently at an Art Fair where several of us were shocked and dismayed to see a parent pulling what looked like a three yr old in a wagon and the little guy had his face in a IPAD never looking up. :eek: Meanwhile there were whirly gig type sculptures, Lake MI with boats going past, the train going over a swinging bridge - bright paintings, people - the kid was oblivious. A sad commentary on parenting in today's world. I'm the first one that doesn't want to hear an unruly child while eating but those that quiet their children with electronics will be the parents of teens that can't put their electronics down and make eye contact or conversation.

Very sad indeed.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Bit of a sweeping statement, everything in moderation. If you think that in today's world, children will not be exposed to Ipads and the like, then you are mistaken. Your example is a rather extreme one. Ipads responsibly used, in a family setting, are very good tools in the 21st century - they use them in school even. What does worry me though are children who spend their whole leisure time in their bedrooms playing Xbox games and the like. Get them out in the fresh air 😄

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[wwcruisers]

I was recently at an Art Fair where several of us were shocked and dismayed to see a parent pulling what looked like a three yr old in a wagon and the little guy had his face in a IPAD never looking up. :eek: Meanwhile there were whirly gig type sculptures, Lake MI with boats going past, the train going over a swinging bridge - bright paintings, people - the kid was oblivious. A sad commentary on parenting in today's world. I'm the first one that doesn't want to hear an unruly child while eating but those that quiet their children with electronics will be the parents of teens that can't put their electronics down and make eye contact or conversation.

 

Actually, it may just have more to do with the age of the child, interests, and attention span. When we were cruising through the Panama Canal, several years ago (Radiance of the Seas), there were not many children onboard. But, when we were actually going through the locks, we saw a very bored 8-10 year old, sitting on the helipad -- intently reading a book. ;)

Edited July 29, 2014 by wwcruisers

[Dorset Cruiser]

Actually, it may just have more to do with the age of the child, interests, and attention span. When we were cruising through the Panama Canal, several years ago (Radiance of the Seas), there were not many children onboard. But, when we were actually going through the locks, we saw a very bored 8-10 year old, sitting on the helipad -- intently reading a book. ;)

 

Exactly - my same little 4 year old granddaughter who can find her way round an Ipad nearly as well as me, is obsessed with books and has shelves of them in her bedroom - always asking for us to read books with her and always has at least two short books read to her before bed as part of her bedtime routine. As I said before it is everything in moderation 😄

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Sloop-JohnB]

Truth is Celebrity is a Cruise Line that WELCOMES families & children (hence the Kid's Club). But it also is a Cruise Line who's primary demographic is focussed at the "Modern Luxury" couple (look at their website or brochures... And count the couple pics vs family / kid ones)... Look at the success of the Adult's Only Aqua Class etc.

 

Every line has a Demographic Focus... Celebrity's tends to be Couples ages 40 to 70 (although for sure their are some younger people in the mix as well as older)

 

Other Cruise Lines are focussed on other groupings...

 

I see no issue with this

 

We cruise Celebrity cause we enjoy the experience... What is advertised matches up well with what we actually get.

 

I know clearly that Holiday Season & Summer when kids are out of school there will be more families... So be it. I can CHOOSE to cruise then or not.

 

And if I wish to "avoid" the kids at those times I know there is always the Adults Only Aqua Class option... Separate cabin area on the ship - Blu Dining Room - as well as the Solarium Pool & Spa areas.

 

In reality I don't believe there are any bad kids... Just bad parents. Kids pattern their environment. So I am all in favor of responsible parents taking their kids on Cruise Ships and modeling for them how to act appropriately... It is how kids learn... And don't end up being an obnoxious adult on a cruise (yes folks, we've all seen far too many of those)

 

I have to say that I do find it some what amusing that here on CC when these topics come up that people ultimately end up flinging around snotty comments on both sides...

 

Making generalizations that ALL of YOUTH are misbehaved... And that anyone who who doesn't embrace kids on a cruise must be an OLD Wealthy Elitist Snob (exactly where the OP has now gone in his replies)

 

Lol, talk about Ageism Discrimination (at both ends of the scale) and a Ridiculous Argument.

 

People are people... There are all kinds... Well behaved and not. A cruise ship is like a floating city guaranteed you'll see all types of people & behaviors on a cruise.

 

What matters most is HOW YOU CHOOSE to deal with it so as to not let it otherwise spoil your vacation.

 

Cheers!

Edited July 30, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[dkjretired]

 

 

 

And if I wish to "avoid" the kids at those times I know there is always the Adults Only Aqua Class option... Separate cabin area on the ship - Blu Dining Room - as well as the Solarium Pool & Spa areas.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Aqua Class is not and never has been Adults only. Because of its nature it draws few children but they are absolutely welcome. Children are also welcome in Blu if they are staying in an AQ cabin or their parents are staying in a suite. (upon availability)

Edited July 31, 2014 by dkjretired