Babies on Cruise Ships - Page 3 - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

LuLu · 07-25-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanford's girl

Teeth are what made me decide to give up breast feeding!!! LOLOL

Isn't that the truth!

You know how cruise lines are! All bottom line! Probably feel they actually lose money on infants.

While this sweet infant won't be eating anything, he also won't be spending any money in their bars, gambling in their casino, or old enough to whine for his parents to buy him everything he sees in their gift shops.

The room steward does still have an extra ... someone has to take away the used diapers ....

LuLu · 07-25-2009, 01:24 PM

The Auto-Tip will be added for the infant as well.

GeneK · 07-25-2009, 08:47 PM

Flame me if you want to, but I don't like to eat in restaurants where there is a baby crying, and I don't want to be on a cruise ship where I hear babies crying. I do, however understand that sometimes it can't be helped. I guess that's why I stay with HAL. All the passengers are too fricken OLD to have babies

johnson6ofus · 09-01-2009, 01:46 PM

Flame me and Gene both.... We have 4 sons, and they did travel with us after they were old enough to expect proper manners (5+) and enjoy the fare we paid on their behalf. They would not run like crazies, hog elevators, or make a nuisance of themselves in general. In fact, after a 10 days Europe cruise with kids 7-12, people stopped on the last dinner asking to take pictures of our family as they had been so good. With only about 20 kids on board, I got a lot of positive "Oh, you are the mother of the 4 boys..." which usually followed a very nice compliment over the entire cruise. They dressed and acted appropriately throughout...and had a great time. They WERE the kid's club...lol.

I also, in general, do not want a fare reduction to add more babies/ young children on board. I raised mine, thanks. I understand in this instance (wedding/ family), it is the way it is... but if the rules change, we get more young ones on. Remember, not all parents remove their screaming children politely and you get, "Hey, I paid their fare too...", "Why should I miss the show...", etc. Then the event is ruined for 200 people who DON'T have screaming kids. Fine restaurants don't offer "kid's plates" for this same reason...

Sorry, yup, the baby loses on activities and food in a full 3rd passenger fare rate, but a minimal number on board helps insure more peace for the rest of us.

Char · 09-01-2009, 01:58 PM

No flames here! We love to hear divergent opinions and seem to manage to keep pretty civil about it in the process!

cruisin' chick · 09-01-2009, 03:04 PM

I definitely think parents should supervise their kids. Usually I see parents around their kids on the ships, but have seen the other side when parents decided to spend their time in the casinos, leaving their brats to fend for themselves. And since they didn't take part in the kids' program (at least as far as my daughter saw), they were bored...and that's why they were causing problems, IMO. And maybe because they were brats, too. That's the only time we've seen misbehaving kids in nine cruises.

We were concerned when we took our girl on her first vacation at age 23 months on a cruiseship. Carnival had upgraded us to one near the bow, so we're guessing we were placed there to lessen the "baby crying" irritation to fellow passengers. Fortunately, our little one was so enthalled at this new experience, she was a little angel the whole time. It was a three day cruise to test her and then we were in San Diego and she had her first hotel stay. It was our first stay away from home since her birth as our kidsitting options were very limited. She was with us the whole time, which was fine as we got a chance to her exploring the ship, the big production show, the "dinner entertainment."

If someone was to ask me about taking their babies onboard, I would suggest a shorter cruise and also to take a lot of time planning out what to take (as your options onboard for shopping will be limited), and planning what to do (use the buffets a lot, especially even junior is persnickety; consider staying onboard the ship in port). Make sure any kids are sufficiently occupied until bedtime. Set rules for the older kids. In other words, be a good parent and then maybe others wouldn't notice your kids in a negative way. It does help make it easier for all parents and children, doesn't it?