Is Celebrity the right cruise for kids?

[cindy1957]

To the OP:

My husband and I are typical Celebrity cruisers. I use Carnival for my girlfriend cruises because my DH does prefer a more understated experience. We are going for an adult experience. That being said I have never been bothered on my Celebrity cruises by actual children. They have all been well behaved and interesting individuals who seem happy to be on a cruise. Two of our trips have been over spring break so we have been on trips with more kids than usual.

 

The annoying experiences included one of the spring break cruises that turned out to be more like a five day booze cruise for fraternities and sororities. I hope those "kids" were over 21 because they were making full use of the alcohol package. The "serenity pool" was not very restful. Another included a much older fellow who was yelling at the staff and his wife because he couldn't get into the dining room fast enough.

 

My point being... people need manners. If kids use them then they make the cruising experience fun for those of us who travel to meet people.

[mic123]

I consider Celebrity more of an adult line, but that doesn't mean kids won't enjoy themselves.

 

Celebrity doesn't have water slides, flow riders, ice rinks, bumper cars, etc. If your kids are into these sorts of activities they may get more enjoyment on another line.

 

Yet another reason to love Celebrity. If we wanted to do these things, we could do them on land. My daughter and I do not cruise for these amenities :), yet I know some do.

 

That is the beauty of having so many lines/ships to choose from.

There is a fit for everyone :)

[Going Coastal]

I did not get the impression that anyone was doing anything but answering the initial question. Since the decision had already been made I will not weigh in except to wish you a wonderful cruise.

[offnoncruiser]

I did not get the impression that anyone was doing anything but answering the initial question. Since the decision had already been made I will not weigh in except to wish you a wonderful cruise.

 

Unless I'm missing something, the OP hasn't responded since the original post.

 

To the OP: I'm assuming with your kids ages, you will be sailing during a normal school holiday. I would NEVER recommend going on a Carnival or Royal cruise during school holidays because IMHO the ship's already feel crowded at just being full at double occupancy. Adding a 3rd/4th to many cabins makes it a zoo and nothing but lines for the week. Having said that, if your kids would VERY MUCH want the water features, slides, flowriders, etc., then go for it. Our home area has water parks out the wazoo, so the kids didn't really miss them.

 

As far as the kids clubs, same thing applies. During school holidays, Celebrity's kids clubs don't have too many or too few kids in the club's, it's juuust right (normally). Some other lines are packed with kids. Even one of our Princess cruises had far too many kids in the clubs I thought, and I don't consider Princess to be a big attraction for kids/families. Keep in mind that the S-class ships have much better facilities for the kids as well IMO.

 

My kids are all teens now, and they love the prepaid packages for sodas, smoothies, virgin cocktails, iced/frozen coffee drinks, etc.

 

Hardly ever see them on the ship now that they are teens, and I demand they eat dinner with us in the MDR (not every night), even if it's with other kids at their own table. They have their curfew, and know to stay in line. I personally haven't experienced any 3:00 AM hall runners on Celebrity either, although I'm sure it happens.

 

Bottom line is it REALLY depends on when you go and length of the cruise (stick to seven days or less). But I'm sure they'll have a blast no matter which line you choose.

 

Enjoy!

[offnoncruiser]

I did not get the impression that anyone was doing anything but answering the initial question. Since the decision had already been made I will not weigh in except to wish you a wonderful cruise.

 

Unless I'm missing something, the OP hasn't responded since the original post.

 

To the OP: I'm assuming with your kids ages, you will be sailing during a normal school holiday. I would NEVER recommend going on a Carnival or Royal cruise during school holidays because IMHO the ship's already feel crowded at just being full at double occupancy. Adding a 3rd/4th to many cabins makes it a zoo and nothing but lines for the week. Having said that, if your kids would VERY MUCH want the water features, slides, flowriders, etc., then go for it. Our home area has water parks out the wazoo, so the kids didn't really miss them.

 

As far as the kids clubs, same thing applies. During school holidays, Celebrity's kids clubs don't have too many or too few kids in the club's, it's juuust right (normally). Some other lines are packed with kids. Even one of our Princess cruises had far too many kids in the clubs I thought, and I don't consider Princess to be a big attraction for kids/families. Keep in mind that the S-class ships have much better facilities for the kids as well IMO.

 

My kids are all teens now, and they love the prepaid packages for sodas, smoothies, virgin cocktails, iced/frozen coffee drinks, etc.

 

Hardly ever see them on the ship now that they are teens, and I demand they eat dinner with us in the MDR (not every night), even if it's with other kids at their own table. They have their curfew, and know to stay in line. I personally haven't experienced any 3:00 AM hall runners on Celebrity either, although I'm sure it happens.

 

Bottom line is it REALLY depends on when you go and length of the cruise (stick to seven days or less). But I'm sure they'll have a blast no matter which line you choose.

 

Enjoy!

[DireMongoose]

It is definitely more of an adult cruise line.

 

Many adults, ourselves included, will be very vigilant that rules are obeyed both by Celebrity and parents that bring children on board. That can be stressful for parents making sure kids are on their best behavior at all times. Kids just want to be kids.

 

No running anywhere, no splashing in the pool. An attendant will be called immediately. In the MDR if children are noisy or crying, the Maitre'd will be called and the adults displeasure will be noted. Doesnt sound like it would be much fun for a child.

 

I have also been at guest relations when someone was showing pictures taken of kids on their own, running around, misbehaving and demanding that something be done about it. So parents that think they can just let their kids lose and enjoy themselves will be surprised when they are told that the hotel manager has been made aware of their lack of supervision.

 

If a baby is crying next door, many will/ and should demand a different cabin.

 

 

 

While there's such a thing as too much misbehavior, if I saw someone on a cruise being as obnoxiously hard-ass about these things with someone's kids as you portray yourself to be -- I would make a scene and publically shame you over it, not the kids.

 

Sorry, but no adult wants to deal with cranky old people on their cruise, and correcting that bad behavior is the best way to discourage it.

[Got2Cruise]

Just off the Celebrity Summit to Bermuda. The ship is an adult ship. There are three pools. Kids are only allowed in one of the pools, and that pool is small. Compare that to the other ship with same exact itinerary parked next to us, NCL Breakaway with all the kid friendly pools and activities.

[Jane2357]

While there's such a thing as too much misbehavior, if I saw someone on a cruise being as obnoxiously hard-ass about these things with someone's kids as you portray yourself to be -- I would make a scene and publically shame you over it, not the kids.

 

Sorry, but no adult wants to deal with cranky old people on their cruise, and correcting that bad behavior is the best way to discourage it.

 

I have had a family removed from the solarium area (and they were none too happy) and if you want to call me an obnoxious hard ass so be it -- because if you or your little darlings are in an adult only area - then yes - I'm not o.k. with that. :p

 

Children are allowed on Celebrity and I accept that BUT if your child cannot behave in a civilized manner - than yes - I will shame you and them. There is not ONE person here on CC that comes on and admits to their child being the problem. Wait - there was the person that told the story of their child and friend who put their tongues on the Martini Bar (insert picture of raw tongue photos) - thereby having the entire bar de-iced for decontamination. The parents thought that was funny. :cool:

[DireMongoose]

I have had a family removed from the solarium area (and they were none too happy) and if you want to call me an obnoxious hard ass so be it -- because if you or your little darlings are in an adult only area - then yes - I'm not o.k. with that. :p

 

Actually I absolutely agree that the solarium is and should remain an adults-only area.

 

There's a difference between objecting to that and objecting to kids being in the MDR. (Or implying that if you dare bring your kids on Celebrity, all of the other passengers will be silently judging you for the trespass the entire time, as the person I was responding to was.)

Edited August 30, 2015 by DireMongoose

[drinkspackageexpert]

I have had a family removed from the solarium area (and they were none too happy) and if you want to call me an obnoxious hard ass so be it -- because if you or your little darlings are in an adult only area - then yes - I'm not o.k. with that. :p

 

Children are allowed on Celebrity and I accept that BUT if your child cannot behave in a civilized manner - than yes - I will shame you and them. There is not ONE person here on CC that comes on and admits to their child being the problem. Wait - there was the person that told the story of their child and friend who put their tongues on the Martini Bar (insert picture of raw tongue photos) - thereby having the entire bar de-iced for decontamination. The parents thought that was funny. :cool:

 

I am not out to annoy anyone with my children....There is no way in hell they will be setting foot in the solarium. I happen to enjoy the quiet of the Solarium and will be in there myself while.my children enjoy the Fun Factory. They will also not be allowed in the hottubs/whirlpools because I believe they are not suitable for my children's ages. They can be children in the fun factory and they will run off steam in parks while on shore. My plan for if/when they have a grump on, is to spend time in our room playing games brought from home. I appreciate everyone's need for a nice relaxing holiday. That is what I want too after all so will do whatever it takes to ensure my children do not cause any distress, but will also ensure they have one hell of a fabulous holiday. :D

[kbarnum]

It seems to me the spirit of this thread is lost. It looks to me like the OP was asking if there was enough to keep a 9 and 12 year old happy and occupied.

 

If your children are well behaved and civilized, there is a lot of fun to be had on board a celebrity ship. If your children run around unattended and rude it doesn't matter what line you choose they are going to disrupt the other passengers. I only assume your children know how to act in public, giving that they will have a great time on a cruise in general.

 

I have seen poor behavior across generations on previous trips both on sea and on land. It is just the world we live in, we must be aware on how our actions affect others in close quarters. respect and tolerance go a long way on vacation...life in general!

 

If the kids like fancy dinners, great service, clean ships and organized activities then Celebrity should be great for them. If they are into sports and more physical activities It may suit them to try one of the larger ships with the flow rider surfing, zip line, bumper car, water slide type activities. Either way a cruise is a great way to spend time with those special people in your life. You will make memories and hopefully have some great photos to cherish. I wish you well on the decision and hope you guys all have a great time!

[dkjretired]

I have had a family removed from the solarium area (and they were none too happy) and if you want to call me an obnoxious hard ass so be it -- because if you or your little darlings are in an adult only area - then yes - I'm not o.k. with that. :p

 

Children are allowed on Celebrity and I accept that BUT if your child cannot behave in a civilized manner - than yes - I will shame you and them. There is not ONE person here on CC that comes on and admits to their child being the problem. Wait - there was the person that told the story of their child and friend who put their tongues on the Martini Bar (insert picture of raw tongue photos) - thereby having the entire bar de-iced for decontamination. The parents thought that was funny. :cool:

 

Agree with you on the solarium except when the cruise line allows the children in. They reserve the right to do so and it is indicated as such on their web sit.

 

You don't make the decision as to whether children belong in hot tubs, the parents do. According to Celebrity age policies, children under age 16 are allowed in the hot tubs as long as they are accompanied by their parents. Physically I have read that this is not good for real young children but it is not my call, nor is it yours.

 

I saw three drunk men put their tongues on the Martini Bar, trying to do the thing from Christmas story. I actually saw that, did not get it second hand and they did not have to close down the martini bar.

[CanadianDee]

While there's such a thing as too much misbehavior, if I saw someone on a cruise being as obnoxiously hard-ass about these things with someone's kids as you portray yourself to be -- I would make a scene and publically shame you over it, not the kids.

 

Sorry, but no adult wants to deal with cranky old people on their cruise, and correcting that bad behavior is the best way to discourage it.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

I'm so tired of a core of dedicated Celebrity-is-for-adults fans trying to discourage families with overt threats around policing and turning kids in. Geez. Relax, have a good cruise, and let others do the same.

 

And for the last time, Celebrity is not an adult line! (I fear it won't be the last time.)

[jenku]

Thank you for all the honest replies. It seems like many people are split on whether the kids would have fun or not. To clarify a little...my son will be 13 at sailing and is very low key and well behaved. We are in the process of adopting our foster daughter who will be 10. Her behavior continues to improve, but there is a lot of work to be done to undue a lack of structure, supervision and discipline for the first 7 years of her life. I get the impression that Celebrity is a higher end cruise with more adults, and do worry that the kids would be expected to act as mini adults. This will work for my son, but my daughter can act out at times-not tantrums or anything, but can be a little silly and antsy. I don't want to be constantly stressed that the kids are being kids and disrupting any adults as I know how expensive vacations can be. I also want our entire family to enjoy our vacation and don't want complaints that the kids are bored.

All opinions are welcome, and really appreciate everyone who has posted their experiences. Hopefully we can make a decision on the next few weeks, so keep posting.

[notsomadhatter]

It's really up to you to know your kids. Do they enjoy going to nice restaurants? Do you enjoy going with them? Will they enjoy the environment and activities in the kids' club? Do they prefer smaller groups or larger groups? Are they kids that need the stimulus of video games or movies or phones and will hugely miss them while you're "unplugged"? How port intensive is your itinerary? What time of year will you be sailing? Will you be planning to spend more time off the ship or on? What kind of family activities do you see yourself doing onboard?

 

Answering these kinds of questions will help you better decide what line works for you. While I don't have children, many in my life do, and I tend to evaluate a cruise line based on many family (couples, gay or straight, older, younger, active, sedate, foodies, parents, childfree, multi-generational... you get the gist) types so I can give feedback to them. I would call Celebrity an adult-focused line. While it is not purely for adults only they don't specifically cater to kids. You won't find any characters, tv screens at the pools, a big movie theater, "kid friendly" shows, rock walls, carousels, bumper cars, water slides, or surf simulators.

 

As a kid, I was thrilled with some beautiful things to look at, tasty food, and a book. We traveled a lot and I meshed well with adults. Those things all still apply to me as I approach my 30s. :) Celebrity is my line of choice. Only you can decide if it's for you and your family. Good luck!

[bremenkat]

We have just returned from a Baltics cruise with our 13 year old daughter. We sailed during the summer holidays here so there were a number of children on board. Generally pretty well behaved.

Our daughter went to the teens club the first few nights but then decided it wasn't for her. She was happy to hang around with us and relax in the room when she wanted. On times she had room service in the room watching TV whilst we went to dinner which she loved.

The kids clubs for the 11 and under group were pretty active. They had them doing all sorts of activities and certainly kept them under control. It was made clear to them that if they couldn't behave then their parents would be informed and they would be collected.

We had discussed doing RCCL with her when we picked the cruise but after looking at all the options we picked Celebrity. She was happy with our choice and would happily cruise with them again.

I do think it might depend on which itinerary you are looking at . Ours was pretty port intensive so generally the younger children were off doing stuff with their parents and then relaxed on sea days. The patents were also keeping a pretty close eye on them.

I know some of the older teens had done the cruise before so not all of them got off at all the ports even if their patents did. There were no complaints made about them that I know of.

I know my daughter enjoyed chatting to lots of people on board and had discussions with many nationalities at meal times and on trips.

[Jane2357]

I believe that there is room for all - children and adults alike on Celebrity - what it takes to make it work to everyone's satisfaction is respect. From both sides.

 

[Jane2357]

Agree with you on the solarium except when the cruise line allows the children in. They reserve the right to do so and it is indicated as such on their web sit. Yes I've heard that they will sometimes open that area to families when the outdoor pool is too cold -- this was not one of those times. Just an a family with a sense of entitlement who at first claimed they didn't speak english and then admitted the outdoor pool was too crowded - so they brought their 2 small child into the adult only area. They were made to leave by the pool attendants."

 

You don't make the decision as to whether children belong in hot tubs, the parents do. According to Celebrity age policies, children under age 16 are allowed in the hot tubs as long as they are accompanied by their parents. Physically I have read that this is not good for real young children but it is not my call, nor is it yours.

Don - sometimes I wonder if you are reading my posts - at all. I didn't say anything about the hot tubs - although if they are in the adult only area - then no there should not be children and yes I too have read that they are not healthy for young children but that isn't my call.

 

I saw three drunk men put their tongues on the Martini Bar, trying to do the thing from Christmas story. I actually saw that, did not get it second hand and they did not have to close down the martini bar.

My mistake - the mother admitting to her dear darling and his buddy was actually on a Facebook post of Celebrity cruisers and because the boys had left behind chunks of their tongues on the bar -- with the gross pictures to prove it, which the mom posted. So while goody for your cruise that the bar didn't have to be de-iced I would think that had the bartenders had to help them get their tongues back into their heads the story would have been different.

:eek:

[Cruise a holic]

While my DH and I love Celebrity, unless the kids are very young, RCI a better choice for families. Especially the Oasis class. So many more things for them to do. However, some kids like to sit and read or play with ipads, so for those less active 9-12 year olds, celebrity works.

 

We enjoy both. However RC wins handsdown. We Both love watching our grandchildren surfing, climbing the rock wall and ziplining. The teens love the teen facilities and gathering. The water park on the oasis class keeps the younger one's very happy. Overall more potential playmates.

 

Enjoy your cruise

Edited August 31, 2015 by Cruise a holic

[Priya2]

While there's such a thing as too much misbehavior, if I saw someone on a cruise being as obnoxiously hard-ass about these things with someone's kids as you portray yourself to be -- I would make a scene and publically shame you over it, not the kids.

 

Sorry, but no adult wants to deal with cranky old people on their cruise, and correcting that bad behavior is the best way to discourage it.

And yet the poster was only stating that many passengers, including her/himself, would report it to staff if kids were running around breaking rules! If they were doing that, they would inevitably be disturbing adult passengers and, without question, their parents would be at fault for failing to supervise them properly!

[CanadianDee]

And yet the poster was only stating that many passengers, including her/himself, would report it to staff if kids were running around breaking rules! If they were doing that, they would inevitably be disturbing adult passengers and, without question, their parents would be at fault for failing to supervise them properly!

 

You may have missed some of the more offensive posts about kids/families that were deleted by the Mods.

[Got2Cruise]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

 

 

I'm so tired of a core of dedicated Celebrity-is-for-adults fans trying to discourage families with overt threats around policing and turning kids in. Geez. Relax, have a good cruise, and let others do the same.

 

 

 

And for the last time, Celebrity is not an adult line! (I fear it won't be the last time.)

 

 

I didn't read anyone here stating that Celebrity is an adult line. But the fact remains that there are very few activities for active children on board compared to other lines. My kids are grown. But when they were younger I put their needs before mine. Did I want to go to Sesame Place or Disney, no, but I wanted to watch my kids enjoy themselves in age appropriate experiences and have family time together.

[Gone Fishing]

I saw three drunk men put their tongues on the Martini Bar, trying to do the thing from Christmas story. I actually saw that, did not get it second hand and they did not have to close down the martini bar.

 

My mistake - the mother admitting to her dear darling and his buddy was actually on a Facebook post of Celebrity cruisers and because the boys had left behind chunks of their tongues on the bar -- with the gross pictures to prove it, which the mom posted. So while goody for your cruise that the bar didn't have to be de-iced I would think that had the bartenders had to help them get their tongues back into their heads the story would have been different.

 

I triple dog dare ya!!!!

Edited September 14, 2015 by Gone Fishing

[CanadianDee]

I didn't read anyone here stating that Celebrity is an adult line. But the fact remains that there are very few activities for active children on board compared to other lines. My kids are grown. But when they were younger I put their needs before mine. Did I want to go to Sesame Place or Disney, no, but I wanted to watch my kids enjoy themselves in age appropriate experiences and have family time together.

 

As you know, not all children are the same or have the same interests. It's not necessarily a case of parents (or in our case, grandparents) putting their "needs" before a child's.

 

For example, my husband and I love Disney. In fact, of our two vacations with our granddaughters next year, one is on a Celebrity ship, the other is Disneyworld. We expect that our granddaughters will enjoy both as much as we do.

 

Your idea of what a family should look like and enjoy just doesn't match ours. Which is fine.

[Priya2]

You may have missed some of the more offensive posts about kids/families that were deleted by the Mods.

Ahh, fair point. However, the poster I was replying to was quoting a reasonable point.