Cruise Travel: Cruise Kids continued

Regarding "Cruise Kids Out Of Control" (Letters, Cruise Travel. June 2004), we couldn't agree more with the DeMarcos. We also have been on eight cruises on three different lines. Since we cruise with a group of teachers, we have always gone during school breaks (seven during the week of President's Day and one during spring break).

However, we have never had any experience like this past February: Kids totally out of control, unsupervised, undisciplined, and irresponsible. We turned into hall monitors and became the ogres of our deck, which led to nasty notes left on doors. Several cruisers (us included) refused to put our luggage out for pick-up the night before debarkation for fear of what the "marauders" might do. Many passengers had discussions with the purser's office to no avail. No one wanted to address the issue, and the standard reply was, "There is nothing we can do; you picked the wrong week."

I beg to differ. There are several things that could be done, including:

1. Making the parents responsible and letting them know from the time of booking that they will be held responsible for the actions of their children.

2. An onboard curfew for minors.

3. Crew-members need to pay a little more attention and remove children from adult areas (hot tubs, adult pools, casino, lounges) and should have the authority to stop them from running rampant.

Jeffrey & Virginia Allen, Moravia, NY