Is It Wrong To Ban Cell Phones?

[PJBUCHEIT]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

 

I just read this post to my DH and the first words out of his mouth were "are they stupid". I can't believe that adults would allow there 8th grade child dictate there family vacation. Cancel a cruise because she can't use the internet for 5 days. Come on.

[KruznKel]

I just read this post to my DH and the first words out of his mouth were "are they stupid". I can't believe that adults would allow there 8th grade child dictate there family vacation. Cancel a cruise because she can't use the internet for 5 days. Come on.

 

I think it all revolves back to the 8th grader being allowed the cell phone to use "whenever".. The 8th grader is smart knowing how to play their parents.. very sad in my books but maybe I am old school:rolleyes:

[bakechef]

I think I am sticking to my plan. NO cell phones on family vacation!!!! I know how my kids are. They would not discipline themselves to not using a cell phone if they brought it. They would be answering the phone and trying to talk to friends during dinner, site seeing, etc. Not to mention the non-stoppable text messaging because, "Dear God, the friend can't wait too long without a response back." I don't know how this would be a family vacation if they were spending most of the time on the phone with friends.

 

I may even call TMobile and have the phones turned off before we leave. Just in case one of them wants to sneak it with them. :D

 

If nobody has mentioned it T-mobile is the company that charges $4.99 per minute:eek:, that is double the rate that the other companies charge!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

MAC

[halos]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise? I have told my kids (16 and 17) that they will be leaving their cell phones home when we go on our family vacation. All I have heard about this subject has been nothing but a bunch of wining ("I won't be able to talk/text to my friends," etc.) I have explained to them that this is a FAMILY vacation and I do not want to have cell phones interrupting us the whole time. I have explained to them that we will be taking one of the parents cell phones with us for emergency purposes. Not for talking and texting friends for hours at a time.

 

Oh yeah, the cruise is 5 days and we are disembarking the ship and immediately traveling to Disney World for another 6 days.

 

I think that the kids will survive without a cell phone for 11 days. What do you think, am I being a stick in the mud about this?

 

If you're a stick in the mud then, so am I.

I'd do the same.

 

I wouldn't call it sad........more like stupid:eek:

 

I agree. I'd have let her stay home with a relative and my DH and I would have went without the brat. And I'd have taken away her internet for those days as well. Any kid that NEEDS to have internet that bad has a problem IMO.

They totally gave away their vacation because the kid wanted to stay home and chat with friends.

[cathy_kearns]

Tough Love would have been the parents saying Tough Tootsies we're all going on the cruise and you're leaving your cell phone home to boot!

 

I have an 8th grader, and I'm thinking a cruise with a moping 8th grader wouldn't be a vacation for anyone in the room. On the other hand, a cruise without them might be heaven.

 

I did let my kids take their phones on a 4 night cruise. They were allowed to use them while in Catalina, but not Ensenada or on the ship. They also brought a laptop, and we shared the internet hour.

 

My 8th grader loves to go on vacation with us, but she does bring her laptop and cell phone, and for land vacations that doesn't add much to the cost. (Usually my husband also has his laptop, so the girls share one and my husband and I share one.) I know some folks are much more relaxed without access to home, friends, and their community for days or weeks at a time. We aren't those folks. Lack of communication with home makes us anxious. Checking in relaxes us. It just depends on the type of person you are.

[firefly333]

I just read this post to my DH and the first words out of his mouth were "are they stupid". I can't believe that adults would allow there 8th grade child dictate there family vacation. Cancel a cruise because she can't use the internet for 5 days. Come on.

 

I guess those parents sure showed her!!!!

[firefly333]

I have an 8th grader, and I'm thinking a cruise with a moping 8th grader wouldn't be a vacation for anyone in the room. On the other hand, a cruise without them might be heaven.

 

I did let my kids take their phones on a 4 night cruise. They were allowed to use them while in Catalina, but not Ensenada or on the ship. They also brought a laptop, and we shared the internet hour.

 

My 8th grader loves to go on vacation with us, but she does bring her laptop and cell phone, and for land vacations that doesn't add much to the cost. (Usually my husband also has his laptop, so the girls share one and my husband and I share one.) I know some folks are much more relaxed without access to home, friends, and their community for days or weeks at a time. We aren't those folks. Lack of communication with home makes us anxious. Checking in relaxes us. It just depends on the type of person you are.

 

I dont cut myself off. I do go into the ports and for $3 for an hour I get online and catch up on my emails. We all go to the internet cafe. Works for me and I can email folks how things are going and stay catch up.

 

There are in between things, in between cutting yourself off and going online on the ship or getting on your cell phone.

[Wennfred]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise? I have told my kids (16 and 17) that they will be leaving their cell phones home when we go on our family vacation.

 

Im with you there, leave the kids phone at home. Instead of texting all day and charging up a big phone bill, maybe they might meet new friends and learn something while onboard.

 

My solution is you want to keep the phones? Then I guess you better start unpacking because youre staying behind. :D

 

 

 

Fred

[Another Cruise]

Who is the parent here? I think I was strong enough a parent to get my 8th grader's attention. Imagine what the next generation is going to be with kids like this and parents who are allowing such behavior.

 

 

Thank you so much. Best comment of all.

[momofmn00]

Definately! If you wan't them to leave the phone, I would stand behind you!;) We called home once (for 12 minutes) and had charges of $23:eek: ...not to mention the extra text charges you will incure! :eek: I definately think they could go without it while on the cruise, though might reccomend you give them at least one when you get to disney...in case you need to find them! ;) Have a great trip!:o

[Mysticks1]

I have already told my DD that her cell phone stays locked up during the cruise. I will probably put hers and mine in the safe after we leave the port. I will let her use it up until then. I have to check in Puerto Rico and St Thomas to see if my Nationwide long distance plan works there. If so she will be allowed to use it in port.

As far as Disney goes, I will allow her to use it in Disney as all her friends are on our friends and family plan and not extra. Since it is so easy to get separated in Disney I would want her to carry it just to find each other.

[vafamily5]

I agree. That is why I am making a parental decision. The cell phones stay home. Like it or not. No option of staying home either. You come on vacation with the family and leave the cell phone

home. If I hear any more about it....then when we get back they won't have a cell phone to worry about!!! Problem solved!!!

[RNCHHC]

My kids are older we were fortunate enough to be on the Liberty for 8 days in May all cell phones were put in the safe mine included. We took them in port for emergencies we agreed no internet on ship:eek: new experiences only, we all had a great time. No face book myspace or other stuff. Internet cafe's in port were ok but guess what we were so busy we didn't even check e-mail. As we pulled the phones out before disembarking my youngest said " this was the best thanks for the no phone rule". You can receive calls in your room we left the numbers with our parents for emergencies only.

[DqALEX]

I would never sail without a cell phone. I was on the Carnival Legend and our 8 day cruise turned into a 9 day when we had to turn around on our last sea day so a guy could get airlifted off the ship. We tried to use the cabin phones to change our flights but only around 30 people could use them at one time. When I did get a line out I heard the airline but they could not hear me. Than carnival changed our return time again later in the afternoon and people had to change there air again. There was a line almost 3 hours long at the pursers to use there phone. I used my cell phone after a 1/2 hour of trying. I will never leave home without one. It stays in my cabin.

[CC Help Michell]

I totally agree with OP's decision, without reading the three pages in between! I was treated this weekend to a view of my dear niece's (age 15) cellphone on which she spends her time exchanging photos of herself and her friends with a half-witted "Paris Hilton" pouty face and a fake "gang sign" finger gesture. Oh, h*ll no. If I'm paying for a cruise for a minor (son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild), they're gonna play by my rules or they can live with the alternate housing I arrange for them while the FAMILY is away having a great time (I'm thinking the school counselor's house). :) Stick to your guns!

[Kurbanfan]

I agree. That is why I am making a parental decision. The cell phones stay home. Like it or not. No option of staying home either. You come on vacation with the family and leave the cell phone

home. If I hear any more about it....then when we get back they won't have a cell phone to worry about!!! Problem solved!!!

 

Good for you! Wish there were more parents like you:)

[strtdoc]

LOL, I have friends who were in the middle of planning a cruise for last fall when they were informed by their 8th grade daughter that she would NOT go on a cruise because she would not be able to be on line for a WHOLE 5 DAYS!:eek:

 

So, they cancelled their cruising plans.:(

 

Now, isn't that sad?

 

Sounds to me like those parents need to gain control of their child. My children would not dare tell me they would NOT do something I told them they were doing, no matter what it was. They may protest, but they would still do it and they would NOT tell me they weren't doing it. Mom and Dad better get a handle on things, or they are going to experience much worse behavior in the future

[DqALEX]

Sounds to me like those parents need to gain control of their child. My children would not dare tell me they would NOT do something I told them they were doing, no matter what it was. They may protest, but they would still do it and they would NOT tell me they weren't doing it. Mom and Dad better get a handle on things, or they are going to experience much worse behavior in the future

I agree with you 100%. I would insert my right foot in my kids azz

[RNCHHC]

Sounds to me like those parents need to gain control of their child. My children would not dare tell me they would NOT do something I told them they were doing, no matter what it was. They may protest, but they would still do it and they would NOT tell me they weren't doing it. Mom and Dad better get a handle on things, or they are going to experience much worse behavior in the future

 

 

I agree and then the cell plan gets cancelled and internet service suspended. And thats after the cruise she can set in the room if she wants. Sounds like the parents are punishing themselves not the kid.

[asoutherngal]

I have already told my DD that her cell phone stays locked up during the cruise. I will probably put hers and mine in the safe after we leave the port. I will let her use it up until then. I have to check in Puerto Rico and St Thomas to see if my Nationwide long distance plan works there. If so she will be allowed to use it in port.

 

As far as Disney goes, I will allow her to use it in Disney as all her friends are on our friends and family plan and not extra. Since it is so easy to get separated in Disney I would want her to carry it just to find each other.

 

Just a reminder--if you are on the ship or in port and someone calls the phone, the charge for the incoming message is charged to your phone with most service providers so while you might not be making any calls, those friends calling your phone and leaving messages can run up your bill--better to leave it in the good old USA to avoid these charges.

 

And, like Kurbanfan said in an earlier post, I am a firm believer that cell phones should be banned in all public places--and I depend on my cell phone to earn a living as a Realtor!!! Life was much less urgent without them and the job still got done!!!:rolleyes:

[asoutherngal]

Good for you! Wish there were more parents like you:)

 

Amen!!!:)

[stargate fan]

We always fly into our port city a day ahead. All four of us take our cell phones with us in case we get separated in the airport or one of us needs to send another off to do something, or one of the kids feels like staying in the hotel room while we go off to the pool. I feel safer knowing that we can all communicate with each other if need be. (My kids are 19 & 17.)

But once the ship sets sail, all the phones go in the safe for the week. (Yes, the kids call their friends from the ship and brag about it...so what? Is it going to matter in 10 years from now that they spent 15 minutes texting their friends?)

Personally, I would feel safer if my kids had phones while in Disney. Yours are getting to the age where they might want to go on a ride by themselves, or off to grab a bite. You would be able to keep in contact at all times.

Ultimately, you are the parents and you do what you feel is right for your family.

Best wishes.

[cathy_kearns]

I dont cut myself off. I do go into the ports and for $3 for an hour I get online and catch up on my emails. We all go to the internet cafe. Works for me and I can email folks how things are going and stay catch up.

 

There are in between things, in between cutting yourself off and going online on the ship or getting on your cell phone.

 

For those with more port time than they know what to do with, this is a great compromise. Personally, I treasure every minute off the ship, but tend to have lots of down time on the ship. (I know, they plan all these activities and I don't do any of them...) But the whole communications thing is one reason why we prefer land vacations over cruise vacations.

[jessemon]

Is it just me or does everyone else let there kids take cell phones with them on cruise? I have told my kids (16 and 17) that they will be leaving their cell phones home when we go on our family vacation. All I have heard about this subject has been nothing but a bunch of wining ("I won't be able to talk/text to my friends," etc.) I have explained to them that this is a FAMILY vacation and I do not want to have cell phones interrupting us the whole time. I have explained to them that we will be taking one of the parents cell phones with us for emergency purposes. Not for talking and texting friends for hours at a time.

 

Oh yeah, the cruise is 5 days and we are disembarking the ship and immediately traveling to Disney World for another 6 days.

 

I think that the kids will survive without a cell phone for 11 days. What do you think, am I being a stick in the mud about this?

They'll live without them. Cell phones go in the safe in the cabin and do not come out until cruise is over. At Mickey world it is still vacation. No phones.

Of course you could always let them do what ever they want.....

Hmmmmmmmm.......;)

If you have to ask us what to do...I guess you haven't figured out how to lay down the rules after how many years of the whining...?????

Just a thought......

[nofishforme]

i agree with the op and adults should not use theres either .Its a family vacation spend time with the family talk to them instaed of your friends get in touch with each find out whats going on in each others lives our daily lives are so busey we miss things and the vacation is time time catch and make up for these and enjoy each other