out of curiosity...

[suebecdan]

I have read often about adults going on DCL and leaving their kids behind. I am just curious about this because I personally would feel a bit sad being on the ship and knowing my kids are back home. DOn't get me wrong DH and I do take vacations on our own. But we travel to places that our kids wouldn't be interested in at the moment. I hope no one gets offended by this,it was just a questions that kept coming to mind. Would I got to WDW resort or a DCL cruise with out my boys? My answer was always the same, not as long as they are young and still dream about it every day. Any one else feel the same or am I an odd ball.

 

[MUN]

I have never read about people taking a DCL cruise and leaving non-adult children behind. I doubt this happens very often; however, it would be cheaper to leave the kids at home. Hmmm, maybe their on to something?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have read often about adults going on DCL and leaving their kids behind. I am just curious about this because I personally would feel a bit sad being on the ship and knowing my kids are back home. DOn't get me wrong DH and I do take vacations on our own. But we travel to places that our kids wouldn't be interested in at the moment. I hope no one gets offended by this,it was just a questions that kept coming to mind. Would I got to WDW resort or a DCL cruise with out my boys? My answer was always the same, not as long as they are young and still dream about it every day. Any one else feel the same or am I an odd ball.

You're no more an odd ball than someone who takes vacations to WDW or DCL cruises without their children. Each family has it's own dynamics, and neither is wrong (or right).

 

[suebecdan]

I have never read about people taking a DCL cruise and leaving non-adult children behind. I doubt this happens very often; however, it would be cheaper to leave the kids at home. Hmmm, maybe their on to something?

You would be surprised, a lot of couples go to resorts and cruises with out their children.

 

[suebecdan]

You're no more an odd ball than someone who takes vacations to WDW or DCL cruises without their children. Each family has it's own dynamics, and neither is wrong (or right).

I guess you are right, I would just find it dificult and sad. Maybe they know something we don't about cruising with the Mouse on their own.

 

[keaster]

We've done it...did a 3-night Bahamas cruise several years ago and did an extra long weekend trip to the Grand Floridian a couple years ago for our anniversary. Do I miss our daughter when we go? Of course! Am I sad? No, I enjoy couples only time knowing our daughter is doing fine staying with grandma (and getting spoiled in the process!)

 

[Scrappysquirrel]

My husband and I prefer to be with our children and definitely prefer to vacation with them. BUT we will be going on a 4 day cruise this summer without our children to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

 

[suebecdan]

My husband and I prefer to be with our children and definitely prefer to vacation with them. BUT we will be going on a 4 day cruise this summer without our children to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

Congrats! Which DCL ship will you be sailing?

 

[fab1976]

We just had our first cruise a couple weeks ago. I keep toying with the idea of doing another for my milestone bday in September and it would indeed be without my kids! It would be a short one, we get just a few nights my parents wouldn't watch them for longer than that. My daughter was miserable on the cruise and it really was not an enjoyable experience for 3 out of 4 of us. My son had fun, but I would be ok with him staying home for a short cruise, he'd have fun with grandma and grandpa too. Meanwhile we would be able to see what makes DCL so fabulous since we truly didn't get that experience this time. My original plan was a wdw trip and I think even with the Canadian dollar being awful hubby is ok with that idea, however he would want adults only. And that, I just couldn't do without the kids! The older one would be very bitter about not going and part of the fun of being there is seeing the kids reactions to things. So a cruise, I would do but wdw no. I know others can and do, but I just can't without the littles.

 

[Mandlz]

I have read often about adults going on DCL and leaving their kids behind. I am just curious about this because I personally would feel a bit sad being on the ship and knowing my kids are back home. DOn't get me wrong DH and I do take vacations on our own. But we travel to places that our kids wouldn't be interested in at the moment. I hope no one gets offended by this,it was just a questions that kept coming to mind. Would I got to WDW resort or a DCL cruise with out my boys? My answer was always the same, not as long as they are young and still dream about it every day. Any one else feel the same or am I an odd ball.

We've taken two with our daughter so far, with a third coming up for her third birthday this April. However, we also have the WBTA booked for September...sans daughter. I find that I'm looking forward to that one as much as I am the April one, and to some degree a little more. Am I going to miss her? Absolutely. However, the opportunity to take a vacation with just my husband, something we really haven't done since she was born, was too much to pass up. And as far as I'm concerned, you can't beat cruising with Disney!

 

[closetmickey]

I absolutely travel without my children, but not to a Disney destination. I'm with you OP....I would be sad knowing how much they love it. And frankly, i love Disney, but half the joy in Disney for me is watching my children's joy.

 

[Heard02]

We are going on our first cruise alone next week without our child!!! And sooooo excited for it! (She is 10 has been on 14 Disney cruises...so it isn't like we are depriving her.)
We've also gone to Disney without her.....
Maybe we are cruel people.....but in the 10 years she has been around I can count on 1 hand how many times we have taken a trip without her!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

In addition to many non-Disney trips I've taken without my DD, I've done one DCL cruise and two trips to WDW by myself. I loved all those vacations and it didn't make me the least bit sad to not have her there. DD is on the autism spectrum and while I love traveling with her, it's not relaxing. I need some time to myself to recharge.

I called the DCL cruise my "scouting trip." DD and I were already booked on a 7 night Fantasy cruise when I decided to take a 3 night cruise on the Dream by myself. We had never cruised before and I was a little nervous about taking her. For several years now, I've taken one solo vacation per year so that year I decided my solo trip would be a DCL cruise so I could check it out and get my bearings for our longer cruise together. It was perfect. There were many things I figured out on that solo cruise that helped make our Fantasy cruise much smoother.

DD gets to go to WDW at least every other year and sometimes more often than that. Both times I went to WDW solo were 3 to 6 months after a longer trip she and I did together. So she'd already gotten her WDW fix, and I was able to go back and enjoy the parks without being constantly "on" for her.

Now I will say that DD did not know the true destination of any of those 3 trips while I was on them, and she still does not know about my solo DCL cruise. I don't know that I will ever fess up about the cruise.

You're not an oddball though. If we weren't able to go on so many vacations, then I probably would feel guilty at traveling without her. But since she has been able to go on so many great vacations, I don't feel she is losing out by not getting to go with me on every trip.

 

[JJsmama]

Yes, I have read about a lot of people doing it.

We planned to but it didn't work out. There are all sorts of reasons and circumstances that might lead to the scenario.
For example:
My Dh is a CPA, so traveling January- April 15 is not an option. We decided to do an After Tax Season trip as a reward for his hard work / long hours and my patience. We researched other options, but were pressed for time, so just decided to cruise to Caribbean. For one thing we don't have to figure out where to go to dinner every night and worry about driving after drinks. Plus, we needed Sun and Warmth! We have high standards so chose DCL as the other higher end cruise lines did not have Carib itineraries in late April. (Apparently they all go somewhere else...?)

Our two teenage sons are in high school and honor students and missing a week of school is not possible. Their spring break is April 1 week. Even if we risked angering the school, the boys would be stressed out bc their teachers are not nice in such instances. Thus, they didn't even want to be included in the trip. So we decided Adults Only and grandparents would stay with kids. After planning this for about a week, I began to really worry about being away from Ds8 for 7-8 days as he is at the age when he needs me more than the others. I didn't want to go anymore. Dh said 'Bring him! Just let him miss school. It is 2nd Grade!' That day I added Ds to ressie and am so excited. This Ds won't spend tons of time in the clubs. I am a 'non working' mom so he is not used to day care or babysitters. I WAS looking forward to Satellite Falls, and Serenity Bay, etc so I totally understand DCL without kids. Those who have done it, seem to love it .

My kids are 'spoiled' because they have been able to go a lot of places, but actually not spoiled at all. They do not begrudge us our trip without them at all.

 

[Mitura]

We always threaten the kids if they don't behave then we'll go with out them! LOL! But we'd feel weird leaving without them. Maybe when they're older..... that's definitely an option!

 

[MarleneP]

I have never travelled without my boys (15 & 11) I know a lot of people who do all kinds of vacations without their kids. I know people where the husband may take one child and the wife take another, to different places or different times of year. It all boils down to what works for our family. The funny thing is that I would never want to vacation without my boys. But when my son was 12 he went with an student travel group to Canada for 12 days (with out my husband or I) and this last summer he went to Japan for 14 days with a student travel group. He has no issues traveling without mom or dad!

 

[JJsmama]

I absolutely travel without my children, but not to a Disney destination. I'm with you OP....I would be sad knowing how much they love it. And frankly, i love Disney, but half the joy in Disney for me is watching my children's joy.

Actually, I am MUCH more excited about our upcoming trip than my DS8 and my teens, who have been on DCL three times, did not even want to go. Mine all prefer WDW to cruising, but this one is for R&R for Dh and I.

 

[lorimay]

I feel guilty when we take a cruise on DCL and our grandchildren aren't with us. LOL
Forget when we go to Disney World without them, I'm talking about them the whole time feeling bad they aren't there.
This past weekend we had a couples trip planned to Disney for just the 2 of us, in a flash it went from the 2 of us to the 8 of us (our kids and grandkids were all there) It was great. Crazy and hectic but great.
They did leave us in peace for our anniversary dinner at The Boathouse on Sunday.

 

[suebecdan]

We always threaten the kids if they don't behave then we'll go with out them! LOL! But we'd feel weird leaving without them. Maybe when they're older..... that's definitely an option![/QUOTE
We also feel wierd, so we end up taking them withus all the time. We threaten ours all the time as well.

 

[Ofinn]

I would never cruise DCL if I didnt have kids. I'd cruise on celebrity or something less pricey. I wouldnt go to Wdw without kids either. I'm really not a Disney person....you wouldnt know it though considering all the money I've given them over the last few years.. I love to cruise and I love to vacation, and Disney is great for kids.