Never again

[Cheburashka]

Tbh i ve had similar experiences on the short (5n) Miami ones for mdas

Where I've had this issue is on selected cruises sailing out of Miami or San Juan that feature a lot of South American nationals. It's a noticeably different environment than on cruises that feature mostly U.S. travelers.

 

[Mango7100]

You state parents should be constantly thinking about their kids but then two sentences later state parents should have some adult time to recharge and relax? Which is it? These two statements contradict each other. Recharging and relaxing means reading a book, having a drink, having an adult conversation, doing a non kids activity. During these activities you do not think of your kids.

And no one said parents arent responsible for their children. Parents should not absolve responsibility if their kids are badly behaving. Im not advocating for parents to just ignore badly behaving kids. But kids also should be able to do their own thing and not constantly be supervised by their parents once they reach a certain age. And most of them are well behaved. Running down halls and talking with their friends does not constitute bad child behaviour. Thats just kids having fun.

You stated that a DCL cruise is a time for parents to “not give a thought or care about what their kids are doing” because “they bust a gut” all year round. But then you state parents should not ignore badly behaving kids. So which is it? Do they have a thought or care about them and their behavior or not? When should they have a thought or care—only when it’s convenient? I am capable of reading a book or having a drink and still “have a thought or care” about what my kid is doing. I care that my kid is behaving appropriately, having fun, and being safe even if I am having an adult conversation—is that abnormal? By stating the cruise is a time for parents to not have a thought or care about what their kid is doing, that sure sounds like you are stating they are washing their hands of parental responsibility. As long as they aren’t bothering them, then who cares what they are doing I guess. And running down the halls could absolutely be bad behavior. 2 5 year olds running to their cabin when a parent is right behind them is not bad behavior. A pack of 14 year boys running up and down the halls at midnight yelling with friends? Yea, not acceptable to me.

I’m not the only one who posted and disagreed with your statement. And judging by the comment likes, there are a lot more people who disagree with your take than agree.

 

[asgur5]

You stated that a DCL cruise is a time for parents to “not give a thought or care about what their kids are doing” because “they bust a gut” all year round. But then you state parents should not ignore badly behaving kids. So which is it? Do they have a thought or care about them and their behavior or not? When should they have a thought or care—only when it’s convenient? I am capable of reading a book or having a drink and still “have a thought or care” about what my kid is doing. I care that my kid is behaving appropriately, having fun, and being safe even if I am having an adult conversation—is that abnormal? By stating the cruise is a time for parents to not have a thought or care about what their kid is doing, that sure sounds like you are stating they are washing their hands of parental responsibility. As long as they aren’t bothering them, then who cares what they are doing I guess. And running down the halls could absolutely be bad behavior. 2 5 year olds running to their cabin when a parent is right behind them is not bad behavior. A pack of 14 year boys running up and down the halls at midnight yelling with friends? Yea, not acceptable to me.

I’m not the only one who posted and disagreed with your statement. And judging by the comment likes, there are a lot more people who disagree with your take than agree.

It seems like this is a semantic disagreement mostly. "No thought or care" to me doesnt mean absolving responsibility if your kids do something wrong. It means being able to switch off being a parent whilst being safe in the knowledge that your kids are safe and having fun unless they do something wrong. If they do something wrong then the parents have to switch back into parenting mode. This is what a DCL cruise can provide to parents and is the big appeal for many parents along with sharing greater experiences with their children as well. Dcl is one of the rare places that is both safe and stimulating for kids so parents dont have to be constantly on parenting.

I agree with your statement when kids running is ok and when its wrong. But often when people complain about kids its the former case. Two five year olds having fun. Ive even had complaints when kids were not even talking but just happened to be standing on a pathway. Ironically its in Europe where I find that many adults think kids need to be hidden away out of the public so they dont upset the peace.

On a DCL cruise there needs to be a little more tolerance for kids being kids. Its quite upsetting when adults complain about your kids for minor inconveniences cos they dont understand the kids brains dont work the same way as adults so their behaviour is a little different. On a dcl cruise you dont get the problems of other cruises like drunk, loud and even threatening adults. You take the cons with the pros.

 

[mcd2745]

It means being able to switch off being a parent

A parent never has that ability, at least not completely.

 

[pachy25]

Big difference between saying that 1) Guest behavior in general was poor on the cruise and that Disney didn't do anything to stop it and 2) Singling out specific nationalities. This entire thread seems to be trending toward the latter, and I was questioning why people felt it was necessary to do that. But ultimately, I'm not interested in getting into an argument that I know will never end which is how these things always seem to go.

Again, who peed in your cheerios?

 

[ramee]

A parent never has that ability, at least not completely.

Right. Just dialed down enough for when kids are in a secure situation to do so. I think a parent can take moments to at least “feel off.” Ideally, they’ll be in-tune enough to circle back around to minding them. I can’t micro-manage every second of 2 more lives on top of my own. It’s definitely more of a balancing act than all or nothing.

I considered dcl just for the kid’s clubs. I could allow my kids to have some independence from me within a safe, appropriate environment. They can have time for them, I will try to take some time for myself, and we’ll also have family time. Our first cruise is coming up, and I hope we don’t have any of these issues I’m reading about here.

 

[CanucksRock]

I’m hoping by doing DCL cruise the first week of September there will be less kids to contend with This will be my first experience on DCL so we’ll see how it goes. (Usually do RCCL, have also been on Carnival and NCL)

I too wish Disney would on occasion have an Adults only cruise.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I too wish Disney would on occasion have an Adults only cruise.

It would be amazing, and the outrage so funny to see, what do you mean no kids on this sailing, it DISNEY , this is discrimination etc etc

 

[DCLMP]

I haven’t read the whole thread, but on the Wish there were some young kids( I think a South American family) that were running around stage in MDR. Parents oblivious, Elsa was annoyed, cm finally said something to them.

What was really a strange thing were unopened IPAs left on the outside deck 4 at night. Please people don’t ruin Disney liberal alcohol policy by leaving beer around for kids to find. My son and his friends found them at 2am. He’s 19 and no they didn’t drink them.

 

[Girl of the South]

Ad for college cruises . . . . they are EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ad for college cruises . . . . they are EVERYWHERE!!!

View attachment 886884

Yeah...we got the picture pages ago

But spring break vacations are nothing new and wasn't what we were talking about (at least for me). I think we're good on the topic now

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

for kids being kids.

How this is still a thing to be said for different types of behavior? So similar to the "boys will be boys".

I don't know where you were going with your thought about people on a Disney cruise not understanding children's brains. They just don't want them running around being highly disruptive and potentially a safety hazard on a ship. You're going to see more children on a DCL ship than some other cruise lines yes but that doesn't equate to the parents essentially letting them be someone else's problem which was pretty darn close to what your comments were about.

 

[DCLMP]

Right. Just dialed down enough for when kids are in a secure situation to do so. I think a parent can take moments to at least “feel off.” Ideally, they’ll be in-tune enough to circle back around to minding them. I can’t micro-manage every second of 2 more lives on top of my own. It’s definitely more of a balancing act than all or nothing.

I considered dcl just for the kid’s clubs. I could allow my kids to have some independence from me within a safe, appropriate environment. They can have time for them, I will try to take some time for myself, and we’ll also have family time. Our first cruise is coming up, and I hope we don’t have any of these issues I’m reading about here.

You most likely won’t have any issues if you like kids.

 

[DCLMP]

It would be amazing, and the outrage so funny to see, what do you mean no kids on this sailing, it DISNEY , this is discrimination etc etc

There are plenty of sailings with very few kids. I don’t see why the would need an exclusive adult sailing.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

There are plenty of sailings with very few kids. I don’t see why the would need an exclusive adult sailing.

Yes, but you dont know that until on the ship. Thats different to an adults only sailing where you can not book anyone under 18 as a passenger.

 

[DCLMP]

Children model the behavior of their adults including entitlement, rudeness & lack of civility. DCL's lack of policing guest rude & unsafe behavior is a lesson to kids that you can get away with anything.
After 16 DCL cruises going back to 1998, it's been the last 8 years or so that we've seen more abhorrent parent behavior. One fight so bad at the fireworks that a man was beating another with his belt claiming the man blocked his view--took quite a while for DCL staff to respond; a couple so drunk & loud in Skylight Lounge that that they were falling off their stools--the bartender kept serving them as other passengers fled & the cruise director ignored them; parents sitting in the adult pool next to the pool bar late in the afternoon with their empty beer buckets around them watching their two kids fling deck chairs--no DCL stuff ever appeared; etc.
We have sailed on multiple other lines at various times of the year; DCL is the worst. IMHO It's because Disney markets the "perfect family cruises", the codeword for parents to leave their kids in the clubs all day, have dinner with the kids on their tablets then send them right back to the clubs until bedtime (they DCL staff even come get them from the dining room); this leaves the parents time to relax without a thought or care to what the kids are doing. There's even a kid's club on CC & parents can leave on an excursion in port while the kid stays onboard in the kid's club!

My 33 DCL cruises have been so boringl I need to stop going to bed at 10. I have heard stories from my kids though.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes, but you dont know that until on the ship. Thats different to an adults only sailing where you can not book anyone under 18 as a passenger.

A ship full of Disney adults sounds cringy.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

A ship full of Disney adults sounds cringy

Not bothered about what other people think. Its just a hypothetical right now, but I see I was right about the judgement and outrage.

 

[DCLMP]

Not bothered about what other people think. Its just a hypothetical right now, but I see I was right about the judgement and outrage.

Judgmental yes, outraged no.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It would be amazing, and the outrage so funny to see, what do you mean no kids on this sailing, it DISNEY , this is discrimination etc etc

You just know that the DIS thread discussing it would be hysterical.