S&D VII - To bring or not bring....the kids

[becky11]

Has anyone here brought their kids on any of the previous cruises? Please give me your no-holding-back opinion on whether or not you think this is a good or bad thing.

We're trying to decide if we will bring our daughter or not. She'll be 5 by cruise time, she's very social, and she loves concerts.

Any and all feedback welcome!

[Philip]

We're thinking of bringing our children this year, but they will be 17 and 15 by then and are already really into their live music and comedy shows, and, of course, can be left to fend for themselves.

I personally wouldn't bring children younger than about 10 or 12 on the cruise because a lot of the music is pretty loud; much of the comedy is adult-orientated; I wouldn't want to be stuck in a cabin with a sleeping child knowing that I'm missing out on a BNL and Boothby Graffoe comedy spectacular just down the hall; and a cruise ship just isn't the kind of place you could take your eye off a child for even a second.

Having said all that, I did see a few younger children on the cruises who looked like they were having a good time!

(I didn't feel guilty about leaving the children at home for the last two cruises because they get to stay with an aunt, uncle and cousins they love; we buy them presents; they go snowboarding in Austria with their school every year; and, most importantly, I had to sit through the Barney The Dinosaur live show with them - so they owe me!)

[Suebee42]

I don't have kids, so I really have no real leg to stand on, opinion-wise, but I have met your daughter (granted, quite some time ago), so... I personally would love to see her again. LOL!

BOTH lines, as you know, have really excellent kids' programs, and I think (from what I know of her) that she would have a great time in them. :D

Plus... she'll have LOTS of "aunts and uncles" keeping an eye on her, too. ;)

[Den of Antiquity]

We brought our daughter on both S&D I (age 12) and S&D V (age 14) and she enjoyed the cruises a lot. We had to restrain ourselves a little to be semi-reponsible parents, but in the end that was both good for us in both the "killing fewer brain cells" and "running up a collosal bar tab" departments. I was more worried about her on the boat as a 12 year old just starting to figure stuff out, and my wife was more worried about her as a 14 year old just starting to know everything about everything unlike her parents.

The one positive about bringing a younger one on board would be that they would enjoy the many kids activities on board, which would give mom and dad a chance to spend a lot of time alone. There were plenty of kids on both cruises we went on, but there were certainly some areas to avoid, like the comedy shows and some of the later night shenanigans.

[sandimas]

Terri and I did this last year. Here's what happened:

Matthew dearly loved every minute he was on the cruise. He loved shuffleboard, playing soccer on the tennis courts, the kids buffet, and walking around Cozumel. He even got to randomly encounter 4 out of the 5 guys, and a member of Great Big Sea.

However, I never could get him in the pool, he fell asleep at both the Snacktime and night show, and I could never get him into the kids' club they had on board. He wanted to be with us 24/7.

Although I enjoyed the family time and doing the dad thing, it was a huge sacrifice in terms of what shows to go to and hanging out with friends after he and Terri went to bed because I felt like I couldn't hang out that long or else I'd be super-tired and cranky during the day with the family.

Add this to the fact that Terri and I were just missing each other in the communication department and you had all the makings of a disaster.

So if you are going to bring her, make sure that your mindset is totally on "family time". Don't entertain the notion that you can do "family time" and "show/friends time" in the same space. I can tell you from experience that it most likely won't happen, or if it does, it'll be at a great cost.

That said, Matthew dearly loved the cruise and talked about it for months afterward. He even still proudly wears his Key West hoodie. I think I (and Terri for that matter) would have had a better time if I had just focused on making only a few shows and concentrated more on sleep for the next day.

So there ya go! :)

[sandimas]

btw, Matthew was 5 and 1/2 at the time, so there's a good reference point for you. :)

[wildeagle]

Nicey and I took our kids on the first cruise (more because we had to) and although they enjoyed the cruise and the port stop they weren't really into the music and we missed a lot because they were young and one of us had to be in the room with them at night. They are now going to be 14 and 11 on the next cruise and tehy both want to go but I think we will be leaving them with Grandma because we have a lot more fun with out them and I still don't think they will be that in to all the concerts.

[garyrulez]

We brought our 3 year old last year, and she had an incredible time. As a caveat, we brought my mom too- which helped! If (IF) we go on VII, we would do exactly the same thing.

[becky11]

We brought our 3 year old last year, and she had an incredible time. As a caveat, we brought my mom too- which helped! If (IF) we go on VII, we would do exactly the same thing.


Gary, would your mom watch my daughter? ;)

[garyrulez]

Sure! And I say this with absolutely not asking her in any way.

[42stairs]

Sure! And I say this with absolutely not asking her in any way.

Spring it on her at the very last minute. You know, when the ship is to far away for her to swim back to shore. :D

Not that she would probably mind....if she's anything like my mother-in-law, the more kids to fuss over the better. My MIL is acquiring a nice collection of pseudo-grand kids. ;)

[Amicustoall]

Grandma rulez is a cool lady, and the kiddo rulez is the BOMB. It would not the same without both of them on the ship!!!

[garyrulez]

Grandma rulez is a cool lady, and the kiddo rulez is the BOMB. It would not the same without both of them on the ship!!!

Thanks, Amicus! Very kind of you!

[katezilla]

Our son Michael will also be 5.5 at time of S&DVII next year, so we are having the same thoughts -- depending on if our in-laws can take him, of course, along with our new baby, who will then be 13 months (ish)....

MfSD - thanks for your input - you gave me a lot to think about. It will totally change the scope of the vacay.

Gary - we are considering taking the in-laws along, with both kids, and trying for a suite or something. Glad to hear that taking along your mom worked so well for you last year. :)

So much to obsess over, before we get the official details..... ;)

[Jolena]

We will have an 8 month old once the cruise is here and we are trying to figure out the same thing. If we bring him with us, I think that we will probably bring grandma along too. I don't know if I will be able to leave him at home with someone for that long...Gary, maybe your mom can watch my infant too! LOL

[Amicustoall]

Hey gary have grandmarulez get ahold of me, I think perhaps we could draft some contracts that would be advantageous for her and perhaps you as well. I see a nice suite in her future!!;)

[garyrulez]

My mom has assured me she will watch every child under 10 on the boat. She will not, however, watch adult children travelling with their multiple-tattooed girfriends.


oooh.

[Jolena]

:D too funny!

[Amicustoall]

OK now I have a picture of grandmarulez being like the pied piper on ship, with a gaggle of kids all following her about!