P&O & limited kid availability

Looking into the school holiday cruises and was told by a TA that P&O limits the amount of child availability on all cruises. Now I'm not being a cruise snob but why not open up kid availability during school holidays. Encourage people with kids to cruise during this time. Others without kids can be informed that during school holidays there maybe more kids on board. Royal & princess don't limit the number of children. P&O is aimed at families so why not do this.

I am not sure if Princess limit numbers at the clubhouse door leaving children on board with parents outwith the club. Realistically there has to be a limit as people will not like the overall cruise experience if their are ridiculously large numbers of children on board. I am a bit surprised that P&O do not synchronise their shorter cruises to match the minor school holidays to maximise their market share. In the past when I attempted to book P&O at half term I have ended up on Princess and surprisingly Cunard which fitted in accurately with a half term holiday.

Regards John

I think it goes back to the number of staff ratio to the number of children in each age bracket. All parents would want that their children are looked after by trained and appropriate staff.

I think it goes back to the number of staff ratio to the number of children in each age bracket. All parents would want that their children are looked after by trained and appropriate staff.

Agreed. I assume it would stop the disappointment of thinking your kids were going to the clubs but not being able to be catered for.

I think it goes back to the number of staff ratio to the number of children in each age bracket. All parents would want that their children are looked after by trained and appropriate staff.

That applies on the other lines too though. e.g RCL will bring on extra staff over the peak holiday period. They look at the number of children booked, then bring in extra staff to cater for larger numbers. In terms of the location, if groups are larger they then have activities going to other parts of the ship.

I think it's to do with the way P&O operate, that they just keep to their maximum without needing to get extra staff or move to other locations for extra groups.

That applies on the other lines too though. e.g RCL will bring on extra staff over the peak holiday period. They look at the number of children booked, then bring in extra staff to cater for larger numbers. In terms of the location, if groups are larger they then have activities going to other parts of the ship.

 

I think it's to do with the way P&O operate, that they just keep to their maximum without needing to get extra staff or move to other locations for extra groups.

If an inordinately large number of children were booked on a ship during school holidays it could become a bit awkward. People who sailed during school holidays on the family friendly ships might stop doing so encouraging more and more families to sail pushing the child to adult ratio up and up. It could get a bit out of hand with all venues changing over to children's activities. I have been to children's activity centres at home over the years and the screaming throng of happy children becomes a bit stressful in as little as a few hours.

Regards John

Many people who can only take holidays, and cruise, during school holidays, may not want to cruise with a large number of children.

If an inordinately large number of children were booked on a ship during school holidays it could become a bit awkward. People who sailed during school holidays on the family friendly ships might stop doing so encouraging more and more families to sail pushing the child to adult ratio up and up. It could get a bit out of hand with all venues changing over to children's activities. I have been to children's activity centres at home over the years and the screaming throng of happy children becomes a bit stressful in as little as a few hours.

Given the massive growth in demand for RCL and Celebrity over the past 8-9 years without limits on children, and sailings with many children over the holiday period, that doesn't seem to have been a problem for most.

We looked at a December cruise on P&O and were unable to book due to kids ages. But the "kids" in our case are 18! Between late November and early January P&O will not allow passengers under 19 to be in their own cabin. I suspect it's to avoid crowds of schoolies, but since the cruise was out of Brisbane, where the majority of schoolies are 17, it left us with a couple of very disgruntled (and I should say employed and largely self sufficient) young adults.

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Is part of the impetus for the kid limit on P&O financial? While kids pay full fare and may eat slightly less they are also not hitting up the bar or the casino. Having a cruise that is 40% under 18 must really limit income generation as well as requiring additional kids club staff.

Is part of the impetus for the kid limit on P&O financial? While kids pay full fare and may eat slightly less they are also not hitting up the bar or the casino. Having a cruise that is 40% under 18 must really limit income generation as well as requiring additional kids club staff.

There is that but it may also have to do with not wanting to have too many kids surplus to kids club capacities which means they may well be mixing in with the adults and adversely affecting their cruise experiences.