On cruise and kids so ungrateful and bored

[Fishnchips22]

On our first ever week long cruise, ship is amazing, loads to do. Family of four, kids are 19 and 12. They’ve enjoyed some
of it but now can’t be bothered to get up in the morning, spend loads of time on phones, haven’t done the pool/slides etc. DH pretty lazy too, so unless I organise stuff we don’t do anything. I’m so frustrated, last day today and I’m off doing my own thing cos they can’t be bothered. I’m just so fed up, it was a very expensive holiday and I’ve had a crap year with losing a parent and just wanted some lovely family time. My 12 year old DD just can’t be bothered, despite being blown away by the ship when we first boarded. I went to a show last night on my own as none of them fancied it. And just had lunch on my own as they were still in bFeel like holidaying on my own in future and saving my money! I just feel they’re so ungrateful. Does anyone else have this?

Actually we all chose it and it isn’t full of
‘oldies’ at all.

Really? Did you sit everyone down and say "What kind of holiday would you like to go on?"

Or did you suggest a cruise to them, which they could tell you really wanted to go on?

@TorroFerney

surely kids should be grateful for holidays though? Plenty of kids don’t get them at all or have to go to Skegness in a caravan every year like I did! It’s good for kids to know that these things take hard work and lots of money and to be grateful rather than expectant- they won’t have much of a work ethic if they don’t!

The whole point of a cruise is that everyone can do their own thing surely?

I wouldn't want to go on a cruise at 40 let alone at 19.
It's their holiday too, let them do what they want to do with their break

A cruise would have been my idea of hell as a teenager. I still wouldn’t fancy one now.

They are kids. Kids get bored. Even if they did fancy the idea of a cruise, the novelty has probably worn off after a few days of being stuck on the ship. Cut them some slack, they’d probably have been the same with a week in Lanzarote or a trek through the Alps.

Did the 19yo actually want to come? They might have a negative effect on the 12yo attitude....

Are they actually being ungrateful or are they just enjoying the holiday in their own way?

Perhaps they are grateful for the bits they are experiencing. Just because they don’t do everything doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying the holiday.

Yes, clearly the OP wants her family to behave in her approved way.

I mean, imagine a twelve year old and a nineteen year old wanting to lie in on holiday! Shocking.

It can be disappointing when other people's ideas don't match with your own and you have an idea of how somethings going to be that it turns out no-one else is on board with, but not everything goes how you envisage it, unfortunately.

My DP was very much a laze around in the morning type, while I'm a get up and get out person. Its a bit late for you now, but I think you just have to all communicate what you want. Discuss what people really want to do, plan to do some things together and let people pursue stuff they want individually too. I was much happier gadding about on my own while DP was snoring away rather than waiting around for him to get up!

I have 2 children and one wants to do loads on holidays and the other loved relaxing and spending time just not doing very much

I have to admit that I would probably feel the same as the kids and would be sitting around just waiting for it to end.
I don't find the idea of a cruise at all appealing. Being stuck on a ship with thousands of other people, being unable to escape from the crowds, having no access to green spaces or countryside, nowhere to walk, no birdsong, no peace - no thank you!

I would not expect children and teenagers to enjoy a cruise.

Just not their thing at all.

Op with respect you can’t make people holiday the way you wish and go entertain you. If this is how they wish to spend their holiday that’s fine.

For what it is worth I am 60 and would never go on a cruise!

I don't think that's true. The teens on the ships I've been on have seemed to have a ball. They love meeting up, taking over a hot tub, going out together in port and basically just enjoying normal teenage stuff.

I'm sorry yours aren't enjoying it. Maybe wrong time of year or it's just half term malaise. Enjoy your time Op and leave them to work out their own fun.

In my house I used to make the DC research their choice of holiday and the present in to the famil. I used to get power points and everything 🤣

they’d still moan once we were actually away 🙄

OP you have my sympathies. Leave them all to it and make sure you get to spend time doing what you want.

For DC I would just allow them to do their own thing- I am not sure I would expect them to be grateful? If DH does not want to do anything that is more problematic as effectively you are on your own on the cruise. Did everyone want to go on this holiday?

I had similar OP, paid for an expensive holiday and after a few days the kids (aged between 11 and 15) stopped coming out of the rooms, they would prefer to watch tv. They were so ungrateful and argumentative, only appeared for food.

We went to Spain a couple of years later, saved myself a few thousand doing that.

The beauty of a cruise is that everyone can do their own thing. Some folk join in with everything on offer. Others prefer to chill, enjoy the restaurants and relax.

You're paying the same either way, so it matters not a jot.

I never expected mine to show such a level of gratitude that they did what I wished and not what they wished. What does gratitude look like in this context. A 19 year old getting up early, spending time on slides or at the pool. Even though they prefer not to, just to what show they are grateful to be there.

They are surely enjoying the rest and relaxation on the holiday.

I do think it is rude of your husband to not accompany you to meals and a show and I think your kids should also spend some of their day with you and also not just scrolling for hours.

I hope they each want to spend a half hour with you on the final day so your memory fothe trip is sweeter.

OP, I'm sorry. Your family sounds annoying. Were they enthusiastic in the ports? I cruised with my 18 year old and we had a fantastic time: watching the scenery, reading in the quiet bars, drinking cocktails, coffees with fab sea views, eating food together, dancing in the discos - we had the best holiday ever. And loved the ports (we did Amsterdam and ate hash brownies). And it was very instagrammable, which DC loved too!

So those saying teens wouldn't like a cruise are wrong IME. Sorry yours are being so rubbish!