We just returned from a 7day on the Elation with our 2- and 4-year-old boys. They loved Camp Carnival, took long naps with us every afternoon, had a blast at kiddie pool and play/slide/climbing equipment. Midway through the cruise my 2yr old decided he could not take the dining room any longer, meals took too long. He would not sit in the high chair. We were at the earliest seating 5:45 w/many other families with young children. Some crying but not a lot. Most parents, like my husband and ,I took the little ones for a walk or created diversions with toys. My son calmed when I held him. I missed some nice dining but enjoyed the closeness with my family on this cruise, which was much much more precious to me. Also precious were the hours that my husband and I enjoyed alone while kids were kept busy and happy in kids program. I really didn't notice much bad behavior out of the little ones but maybe I'm conditioned to it. What I did notice were roving bands of unsupervised teens, screaming in the hallways at 4 am, messing with gym equipment in the gym. Also druken adults or near adults flashing boobs and not being able to speak without profanity. Also a lovely family who, at dinner, poured tequila for their teenaged children and taught them how to drink it with salt.
I think if you don't want to be bothered by kids on a cruise, don't go carnival or disney, don't go during school breaks, and don't choose early seating at dinner.
One funny thing, the cabin next to ours was a couple with a baby, a toddler and a 4 yr old. They kept the kids up very late every night. One morning, we were going to breakfast about 8:30 am and my son was making a little noise in the hallway amidst our shusshing him. The father in this other cabin comes out to see what child would dare make noise. I thought this was too funny.
One thing I've noticed (and Margie alluded to it: "I really didn't notice much bad behavior out of the little ones but maybe I'm conditioned to it.") is that many parents with loud kids become deaf to any loud noise the little darlings make. I've seen parents sitting in a restaurant with their precious darling litterally screaming into the parents ears and they don't bat an eyelash, while those around are in pain...
Have to reply to Phillip. What I meant by "conditioned" is that I don't mind a moderate or what I consider a" normal" age-appropriate amount of fussing. Some people without kids start giving you the evil eye if your kid so much as makes a peep. My oldest, 4yr old, did not scream once during any meal and kept his voice at an appropriate level. He knows the meaning of "inside" voice. My 2-yr old has not yet reached that cognitive stage. When he screams and we know it won't stop, we do something to stop it, e.g., remove him, hold him rock him etc. We do not hesitate to remove him and are acutely aware of how it affects others.
Still, I can understand not wanting to be on a cruise with a lot of kids. Maybe cruiselines should have "Family" and "No Children" cruises. Certainly there are enough cruises available to do this.
I do know that when we flew with our kids when they were young, that we "expected" everyone to understand how it was to travel with fussy kids.
I find that as our kids (youngest is now 14) grew up and we got older, that my tolerance for other people's fussy kids has shrunk. I understand it, but don't like it. I don't quite grin and bear it, more like grit my teeth and bear it I do feel sorry for the parents, but definitely realize that when the plane ride is over, my "torture" is done while their's might continue.
I got you on this one. How about kids that take food off other peoples plates or throw it at other people at the table and the parents(?) think this is cute. GOD save me from table mates like this again.
Nothing sucks more than having to take a young child on a long airplane trip. A friend of mine always gives her little one a dose of Benadryl right before the trip. It will help make sure their little ears don't hurt on the plane and the will sleep right thru!
I guess I must always just miss out on the "adults flashing boobs".
Do you think that has anything to do with going to bed early and not hanging out by the pool very much
Of course, there was the one time we were Cozumel (on the Ecstasy) and did the Snorkel, Sail and Beach excursion and on the way to the beach one passenger decided she wanted to have her picture taken with the boat captain and that she needed to be topless
I'm a big supporter of this!! When my kids were young I never traveled by air with them without the mandatory pre-flight dose of benedryl. It helped potential ear pain as well as knocked them out for most of the flight.
Call me cruel - I can't stand my own kids fussing let alone strange kids.
The ages (and I'm bad at this ) 14-10 ,two sisters. I left the table and ate in my cabin the rest of the trip.( only last 2 nights). My head waiter took good care to see I was well fed. Also had kids totally out of control in the theater., saw security tell the parents , that was futile.
PS, The cruise line is out of business.
Yes, we dose with benedryl on plane flights. My kids tend to sleep on plane and in cars very well. How about the kids at the movies and on planes who continually kick the back of your seat? These are kids who are old enough to know better. Certainly there are ill mannered adults and parents who don't parent in abundance. My sympathy is still with the little ones because they really don't know better yet.
Flashing boobs we saw were not at the pool, a girl on deck 10 flashing guys at the bar on deck 8 (atrium view 11 pm) This was in full view of ship officer who did absolutely nothing. Glad my kids were too sleepy to really notice.
Another thing that was so nice were people leaving drinks and coffee cups on elevator floors.
And while I'm at it, I couldn't believe how many people had not filled out their cruise documents. You'd think that ship personnel could remind people as they wait in the 1/2 hour line to do this, but no, no one did. arggghhh.
You got to be trash to uncover your self in full view of people and in a public place. I can't believe this stuff really goes on. I am glad that after five cruises, I have not seen anything like that. My wife would kill me anyway if I looked.
Barry - you got it right about the screaming kids on airplanes!!! There is ALWAYS one. One flight we were on from Florida to Michigan had a 6 mo old that screamed and cried until she vomitted. She would only shut up if Mom held her, but Mom spent all her time in the bathroom!!! Dad did virtually NOTHING to quiet the kid - just blamed it on Mom not being able to hold her. He never walked the aisle with her, fed her etc.
Another flight I was lucky enough to sit next to a woman from another part of the world with a 1 year old. She hadn't purchased a seat for him - she attempted to hold him. She REEKED of mothballs, must have pulled the traditional garb out of storage. The boy yelled and fussed the entire trip. She mentioned at one point that they were meeting the next plane for Amsterdam and then on to Egypt. The kid couldn't even handle the distance in the US. Then on landing, the angel decided he wanted to go visit the lavatory at the front of the plane, so she let him run down the aisle, unbuckled herself and followed. The Flight attendant came back almost immediately with them and SLAMMED the woman in the seat. The woman kept protesting that her son wanted to walk down the aisle!!!
I AM a mother of an 8 year old, and I firmly believe NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 5 should be allowed on a plane. They do not understand the noise, motion or pressure changes.
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