How about making families with children under a certain age say twelve eat between 5-7 PM for dinner. On more than one cruise we've had our dinner impacted because of unruly children. This way if you eat at say 7:30 you know no more kids, same for lunch. Better yet how about adults only restaurants.This would work only on the bigger ships that have alot of dining choices,at least two restaurants could be off limits to kids.
I have been bothered by unruly adults more than kids. <G> I can understand your feelings but is this really practical? Do they have ages when they send the list to the cruise ship or do they just have the # in a cabin? Also, what about those who have kids that wish to dine later? Is that not punishing them solely for having kids?
Jim
An adult dining room may work if the cruiseline has enough demand for it. I believe that some of the cruiselines already set a minimum age for their extra-charge restaurants. I don't thing forcing families with children to eat between certain times would go over too big. I know many families already choose early seating because it works best for them, but I think that forcing all families to dine early would be a public relations nightmare, especially since most cruiselines are marketing themselves as "family friendly".
I know as a mother of two children who know how to behave I would not want to be forced to eat at a certain time. The reality is that we do pay a hefty amount to bring our children and those of us who continue to "parent" our children while on board should have the right to dine when we please. Maybe they can do something to keep an area for adults only but I don't think dictating when families are welcome in a dining room would work. We always take the late seating so that we have lots of time in port, but our kids would find themselves eating a PB&J sandwhich in the cabin if they decided to be brats in the dining room.
I don't think I could approve of such a thing. My wife and I prefer early seating even though our kids are grown. I would be pretty upset if I were 'told' that I had to eat at a certain time or place because we still had kids with us.
Jim
I also don't think it is quite right or fair to have a specific time for families to dine. I cruised w/ my kids back in 1989 & 1990 when they were a max of 11 & 15. We eat late at home and chose late dining then too. My kids were MUCH better behaved than our "adult" tablemates. But then again, I set "house" rules and monitored my kids throughout the day, every day.
On a ship that has two dining rooms, I think it would be a good idea to reserve one for children & have the other be "adults only" without time restrictions.
td, that sounds like a nice idea, but how would it work when the number of families with children and without are not equal. On some cruises there are many children onboard and the "family" dining room would certainly have to overflow into the "adults only" dining room to accomodate them all. On other cruises where there are less children, the "family" dining room would be empty while the "adults only" dining room was overflowing.
I understand on both accounts, well-behaved children, unruly children. Our daughter was also raised with manners and etiquette and HOUSE rules daily....that said....what you all might suggest instead of separate dining rooms....is an ADULT-ONLY cruise! You and the people who have children would be much happier all-around.
I'd much rather be around people who like children and are cordial to them on a cruise than are not....so I'd definitely support you all on your quest for your ADULT-ONLY cruises.
Tigger, I like the way you think!
Even well behaved kids, act like kids. Even more so when they are out of their normal routine and tired from non-stop fun, sun and activity. It doesn't always bring the best side out of even the most well behaved children.
However, the cruiselines are catering to me and my family and I will be dining with my children in the dining room. I really cannot believe that there are that many families with young children who would actually elect to have a late dinner though. As a matter of fact, it was my understanding that the cruise lines actually try to give families with children early seating, to avoid the very problems you are referring to. I know that if I waited to feed my kids until the late seating, dinner would be sheer hell. For pete's sake their bedtime is 8:00p.m.
Cruise lines have identified families with children as a lucrative demographic to woo. Have you seen the facilities that some of the newer ships have dedicated to the little sailors aboard? Do you really think they want to alienate families after making that sort of investment? The mass market cruise lines want the kids on board. Ka Ching$$$
I guess I have been fortunate on my 14 plus cruises, we have never been bothered by unruly children at early dinner, or late when we did that..If by chance a young one started to cry, they were swiftly removed by smart and caring parents.
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