Our story last week revealing Royal Caribbean‘s could introduce curfews to curb misbehaving kids sparked a global debate. In a survey conducted by Cruise Passenger, 70% of Royal Caribbean cruisers said they believe a child’s behaviour is the responsibility of the parents, and 86% said they have experienced being bothered by children while cruising.
Only 3% of participants selected that they were only “rarely” bothered by children and teenagers on cruises, and 11% said they had never been bothered by children or teenagers while cruising.
While hundreds of cruisers shared their stories of having their cruises disturbed due to the misbehaviour of younger passengers, the poll figures appear to show that cruisers don’t believe the onus is on Royal Caribbean to make changes, but rather on better parenting.
What are cruisers saying?
Cruiser Valerie Brocklebank says she’s seen misbehaving kids on cruises, but believes the blame lies in irresponsible parenting.
“We have not yet been on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship but we have been on P&O and Princess cruises. It is not the kids, it is their parents. The parents go to bars and clubs and leave their kids to run around uncontrolled.
“However the cruise lines should also accept some responsibility. They offer cheap cruises, where families don’t pay for children. The adults have a great time and can’t be bothered (some of them) to control their children.
“I can’t even get in the pool because of childrens behaviour in the pool. Kids are running up and down the corridors at 11 pm at night.
“I’m sorry if I sound like a miserable sod but I’ve had 3 children (all adults now) and I never let any of them behave badly. Parents, ‘Take Control Of Your Children’.”
Another cruiser Angel says that “cruise lines simply need to make parents responsible for their own kids”.
She added: “Children should not be roaming aimlessly or causing havoc around the ships, they need to be under parental supervision.
“Kids caught misbehaving should be confined to their room for 24 hours (with a parent forced to stay in there with them too), this will greatly annoy the parents, the chances of it happening again is unlikely.
“I travel with my child. He doesn’t like the kids club and stays with me. He doesn’t roam alone. We enjoy family time, at trivia, in the pool, at bingo, watching shows etc – after all it is our family holiday, but we too seek our lines with less kids (Princess/Celebrity) because despite bringing my child (who behaves more like an adult than many adults), we don’t want to deal with these misbehaving kids either.”
Cruise Candy Coombes-Lowe is soon to take her first cruise and can’t believe that parents would be reckless enough to leave their kids to roam the ship unsupervised.
“Im so shocked to hear this happening. We are about to take our kids on a cruise (first time we kids we have cruised before) and I can’t imagine allowing my kids to be roaming around a ship unsupervised at night in the middle of the sea with a couple of thousand strangers on board – have parents left their brains on the dockside when boarding – so bloody dangerous above anything else”
Cruiser Jane says parents have a duty to ensure their kids behave well on a cruise.
“No need for a curfew, particularly if children stay in their designated zones on the ship where an abundance of supervised entertainment and activities are available for them. I think the key terminology here is for children under a certain age to be appropriately supervised at any point during the cruise day and night.
“Parents or delegated carers on the ship have a duty of care not other random holiday-makers. Who in the right-mind would have children running riot around in the small hours of the morning unsupervised?“
Long-time cruiser Bob Anderson says that parents should have to agree beforehand to supervise their kids.
“Totally agree with the general theme here but everyone is missing the point that the children are the parents responsibility – parents are opting out as soon as they get on board and the kids run amok – lifts and stairwells are becoming no go zones for normal people as these kids take control.
“This is totally outrageous and parents booking cruises with children should have sign an agreement that children will be supervised or parents face the rude or unruly behavior charges that apply for general bad behaviour in everyone’s cruise contract.
“Royal Caribbean must respond to this growing menace or start losing patronage.”
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