Billy Baltic

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

I don't need to check again. The bar is for drinking and adult conversation. 

 
not according to the cruise compass. 

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

The BAR is NOT a family entertainment event

Check again. 

19 hours ago, FlyGal25 said:

We are X diehards but their itineraries didn't work for our spring break so we ventured back to our roots with RCCL. Will be on the Odyssey, family of 3. 

 

Question: with RCCL only doing 1 cabin cleaning per day are we always stuck with the couch as a bed? That really cramps our style as we are used to having the couch in the daytime and a bed made in the evening for turndown service. Feels so cluttered with it as a bed in the daytime. But I don't want to have to make up the bed each night either. I can understand not servicing everything 2 times a day but making beds for 3rd and 4th passenger doesn't seem like an insurmountable task. 

 

🤷‍♀️

 

So if you had a 3rd person in your room with the new service what did you do? 

Our experience on Explorer during the summer was they would one come to the room once a day with no exception. We raised the matter with the floor supervisor and they said they were not allowed any exceptions. We chose evening service so the bed was out all day. If we went with morning and they put it away, it was our problem to make it up for bed. 

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

You think that some little kid sitting at a bar coloring in a book is there for the venue's entertainment?

Perhaps they were with other family. Perhaps the entertainment was a few minutes away from starting. Who were they hurting at the time? What law were they breaking? 

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

People don’t need a corporation to define

for them appropriate behavior and decorum for children. 
Children have no business sitting AT the bar, and I have no problem asking the “parents” to remove them. 

Decorum and behaviour? Sitting at a family entertainment event. Go lecture the adults about decorum. 

Just now, Ocean Boy said:

I am pretty aware of what and where things are going on around the ship, thanks. I also have no issue with families enjoying entertainment around the ship.

As long as they don’t sit at a bar?

5 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They do not receive all the same considerations and have access to the same experiences as adults.

I don’t disagree with that but those restrictions are called out by RC. e.g.  casino , nightclub, solarium. I’ve yet to be on a ship where they say kids can’t sit on a bar stool. 

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Do you have an issue with "second class" kids not being allowed in the Solarium? What would be your thoughts about going to the Schooner Bar and finding that a group of kids decided to make that their hangout for the night and your options are either stand or leave? Any thoughts about having a kids club on the ship where you are not allowed to go?

No issue at all with an area, like the solarium, being adult only. Lots of RC family entertainment takes places in bars and lounges. If seats at the bar are free then I’m don’t care if kids sit there. I would sit there with my kids because there is planned entertainment geared for them in that venue. 
Maybe look at the cruise compass in more detail and see the family entertainment that takes place; the times it takes place and where it happens. 

5 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

In the US, states have different laws.

Does RC follow these laws?

10 hours ago, ceo418 said:

There are "grown-up" coloring books available. If I'm having a drink at the bar and working on a picture, how is that different from someone else sitting at the bar with a drink and having a conversation with someone for the same amount of time?  

(I do agree that the kids in question didn't need to be sitting at the bar. But I guess the attitude of a person can only sit there if they are drinking alcohol just pushed me to respond.)

There seems to be a ‘type’ of person on CC who consider kids to be second class. It seems they also consider bars places where you must drink alcohol. If they see an adult sitting at the bar ordering an orange juice they’re going to ask them to sit elsewhere. 

This was discussed to death a couple of weeks ago. Look back a couple of pages and leave yourself a full day to read all the opinions. 

6 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

So... I'll be Devil's Advocate on scooters. 

In non-accessible rooms that aren't a suite or larger, parking a scooter in the room might wind up blocking the exit for the room's occupants.

Do you block the room, or partially obstruct a hallway?

Back in June on QOTS, there were almost always three or four scooters overnight in our hallway on 10. 

Are there more people that need scooters, than accessible rooms?

42 minutes ago, codeyell0 said:

I assume they put away the pullout each day?

our experience is they will take it out or put it away but not both. Crazy and very poor decision by RC IMO. 

4 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

I think SOLAS addresses strollers and motorized scooters, one could easily walk over dishes to exit in an emergency. 

If I heard 7 short blasts, I’d easily get over scooters too. 

29 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

 

The KSF is but one thing that increases the amount of kids on a ship.  But, as it turns out, at the same time that we feel that there SHOULD be fewer kids on the ship, it's the same time that S. America and other regions of the world have their summer break and/or holidays.  And those regions know what the school schedule in the U.S. is and avoid its summer and national holidays, for many reasons.  It's very hard to find that sweet spot where there are the fewest kids onboard.  We've found that the best time is right after major holidays like Christmas/New Year.  I know I've been on cruises that seemed to be totally or very heavily English-speaking families and on occasion, English doesn't seem to be the dominant <for lack of a better term,  language.  So, I usually look at the school and national holiday schedules of many of the S. American countries and plan accordingly, avoiding summer and national holidays in both regions.  

Perhaps the size and class of ship would also help. I’d guess that most families will gravitate away from the smaller ships. 

On 10/9/2023 at 2:28 PM, Dan83 said:

Has anyone recently experienced the tendering process from Odyssey or in Villefrance from any Royal Caribbean ship? Without priority access such as suite or key benefits, is it reasonable to expect to get ashore 2 hours after arriving in port? How about 1.5 hours after arrival? That is probably pushing it a little. 

If you’re a diamond member (not suite or key) then you can get ‘good’ tender tickets from the diamond concierge. 

32 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

but there will always be a good amount of kids 12 and under on these sailings due to the kids sail free promos. 

That’s a very good point. RC run KSF outside of main holiday times and yet people are surprised when there are kids on board. 

9 minutes ago, A&amp;L_Ont said:

 

Maybe in an alcove area?  They must be able to get by housekeeping carts, or do they have to be moved as well for a scooter to pass?

Yea. I think it’s ok with the cart because they are quite narrow. I’ve often passed scooters outside of cabin doors and wondered what happened if another scooter needs to get by …. and it didn’t look like it would fit. 

A little off topic but is it even possible for two scooters to pass in the hall? 

Just as an option, if you’re open to other lines, MSC rates including drinks packages are very reasonable. I priced a cruise for 2 adults and 2 kids in 2024 and all 4 people getting drinks package was 600euro in total. 

11 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Bar stools are at the physical bar, just like on land, kids shouldn't really sit at the bar. They can sit around the bar at a table or stool...but in most states it's illegal for a kid to sit AT the bar. On a cruise, it's just the courteous thing to not let a kid take up a bar stool at the bar 

Ok. It’s illegal in the US. Are the ships following that law?

What’s so special about bar stools?

2 hours ago, ajtaylor29 said:

I'm not sure why someone didn't tell me earlier that they'd be on late but glad i found it eventually!

When I was on board, I got the impression they didn’t know what was coming on. They just left on sports channels and what ever came on, came on. 

8 hours ago, drb116 said:

We use a travel router

Can you recommend a model for this?

20 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

You will have a lot better chance of getting a reservation if you are sailing a Quantum class ship.

Out of curiosity, why is that?