Hoosiermama

We got off the Infinity on February 22.  My husband and I were so sick for 2 weeks.  We have read on our Facebook chat, over 700 people were sick on our cruise.  I am so sorry to hear about this crew member.   These people work so hard to make our vacation wonderful, it's such a shame that this happened.  Prayers for this crew member!!

10 minutes ago, George C said:

We loved the cruise, booked same exact royal suite for next year rock and romance . Did do lots of hand washing on that cruise. 

Good to hear.  We washed our hands, wiped down cabin every day with Clorox wipes and didn't touch any railings.  Husband even had a flu shot in November.  He has not had the flu for nearly 20 years, so very surprised.  Just the luck of the draw, but may consider going again next year.  It was an awesome cruise with fantastic music.

2 hours ago, George C said:

I am 70 and health is not great had a great time on infinity a couple of weeks ago. Your ports listed are truly great we hit most of them a couple of years ago. 

Hi George, we had a great time on that music cruise too.  I'm so sorry we missed you!  Our kids had us running every minute, kept us busy and they loved being on this cruise.  We were on the pool deck most of the time, they made the plans and we ended up going along with whatever they wanted to do.  I hope you enjoyed that Royal Suite!

I'm glad you didn't get ill.  We unfortunately came home sick with the flu.  My husband had a severe case and is just now getting around.  I had a mild case for about 6 days.  On the Facebook chat for our cruise, there were at least 300 people very ill with Influenza A that cruised with us.  Some are still sick that we met onboard.  I read Infinity was getting a really good cleaning after their last cruise.  I hope so!  Some say they did a back to back before ours and people were sick before they stayed for our cruise.

So, to answer the question about cruising at 70 plus, well we are 66 and if you asked me if I would go again, right now the answer would be no, but that's because we haven't been this sick in years.  Hoping to forget this experience and enjoy cruising again.  But, our cruise was wonderful, just the aftermath has been extremely difficult.

16 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Better that than a 2 week quarantine at some Army base.  The buffet self serve is gross.

 

Holland America has servers in the buffet.

When you think about it, buffet style is really disgusting.  So many hands touching utensils, hair falling in food and people coughing and sneezing while getting their food.  I try to avoid buffets in restaurants, but always eat at the ones on the ship.  I don't know why, but it seems like the thing to do on vacation.  Lol.

I'm glad to hear they are serious about cleaning.  We were on the Infinity from Feb. 15 - 22 for the music cruise and we came home with the flu.  After reading the Facebook Chat for that cruise, over 300 people have reported being sick after the cruise.  Influenza A has been the diagnosis.  I also heard that some people from the previous cruise stayed onboard doing a back to back, and many reported illness too.

My husband was very sick with the flu for about 9 days.  I had a mild case which lasted about 5 days.  He had the flu shot in November, I didn't have one.  Some of our cruise pals we met on board are still sick.

14 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Taking this thread even further off-track...how do service animals affect lifeboat space?  Do they take up a lifeboat spot and therefore reduce the number of humans allowed on that cruise?  Are they considered a "soul"?

It's not really off track because it's something to consider.  Also, the baby carriage/dog is taking up space in the dining room, so that's one less paying customer.  I think the actual service dogs are welcome, but these little emotional support animals and their strollers and wardrobes....NO.

27 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Interesting question.  I'm guessing an answer would be that a service human (is that would they would be called?) would eat food provided by the ship, and most importantly, they would take up a space on a lifeboat which could have been sold to a non-service human (i.e., a customer).

I know!  We are getting into a murky subject, but I'm sure a discrimination charge could be made if a support person wouldn't be treated the same as a support animal.  That's the problem when true service dogs are being treated the same as an emotional support dog, cat or duck.  I mean, where do they draw the line?  We can't argue common sense, because there isn't any. It seems a baby carriage and pee pads would take up a bunch of room, and who knows what these dogs are eating.  I love dogs, all animals, but the cruise lines are really dropping the ball with this.

17 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

This works better for me as I am not allergic to humans, unless they are grumpy.

I agree!  

31 minutes ago, phabric said:

There were 3 dogs on my Princess Cruise in March.  They were on leases with no vests.

See, I was hoping she would get a free cruise or however the other emotional support helpers are handled.  Do you know how it works?  Perhaps he should call Royal and make sure, because that would be so embarrassing if we did it wrong!

25 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Sounds legit to me!

 

Edit: Does she know how to properly use the bathroom?

I think she is toilet trained, and well behaved.  Hubby says she's well groomed too.

I haven't read every post, but my husband had a question.  Does the emotional support helper have to be an animal?  Why couldn't you claim a human to be needed for your support or particular ailment?

My DH swears he isn't trying to bring his cute 21 year old physical therapist along on our next cruise, but he says she is the only one who can keep his old legs moving, and without her, he is a real grump at times.  Just wondering, dogs, ducks, pigs, why not a human?  And at no extra cost of course.

8 minutes ago, gatour said:

Thanks for your review.

 

I had to chuckle about "cutting in half" .20 years ago we took our Honeymoon cruise on her.  Then when they extended her, we booked a cruise on her just to see the difference. 

 

If she was going to fall apart it would have been a while ago, as the extension was done 14 years ago.

Lol, I know!  My husband laughed when I asked if it was safe now.   It seems like an incredible thing to do,  expanding a ship! I'm just naturally curious about things I don't know or understand.  My family was ready with the explanations, because they knew I'd ask about it..lol

For everyone going on this ship, I hope you enjoy it!  The crew was really wonderful, and the size of the ship was perfect for us.  Our cabin was on the 7th floor, and it was so convenient for the 9th floor pool and Windjammer and we loved having the casino and entertainment a few decks down.  Our daughter-in-law won $800 on the penny slot machines, after investing $50.  

Thanks Dan,  I think I am a generally positive person.   I appreciate that trait in others too! And P.S. to all the trivia players, bone up on 80's music, Michael Jackson, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and classic hits.  Good luck!

It's been several years since we cruised, but for some odd reason we decided 2 weeks ago to book a short cruise and take our adult son and his wife with us.  I narrowed the search down to 2 cruises that would work in our time frame and decided on EOS.   Knowing nothing about the ship, or the itinerary, we booked first and then read about the ship and where we were going. BTW, when we first booked, there were no balcony rooms available online, but I called and was told 2 balcony rooms were just released, so we grabbed them.

As soon as we told people about our plans we heard the "Oh my, I would hate to travel right now.  The TSA issues are going to be terrible."  Yes, we didn't think about that!  But, we were going and even the giant snow storm heading our way wasn't going to stop us.

We had a great flight, got through TSA with no problems, in fact, everyone was friendlier than normal.  Security was a bit relaxed, but all was good.

We stayed at LaQuinta Inn in Cocoa Beach. We had a great ocean front room, perfect weather and plenty to eat within walking distance.  Great stay!

Now the ship!  I read how this ship was cut in half and made larger, so I carefully inspected the outside and my husband assured me that doing that kind of a job was entirely possible, so we were ready to board. We got on the ship very quickly.  We arrived right around noon and it was only a matter of minutes to board.  I have to say that the personnel noticed my husband's cane and immediately took us upfront to board.  However there wasn't a huge crowd in the other lines.

My first impression was, this is a very pretty ship!  I saw nothing that looked outdated, or needed clean, it was lovely.  We all bought the deluxe beverage package, so we wasted no time and ordered our first drinks.  The bar staff was friendly and service was good.

Of course we were hungry, so next stop, the Windjammer.  It wasn't difficult to find a seat, and we were happy with our food selection.

We stayed by the pool until rooms were opened,  and at 1pm, the announcement was made that our cabins were opened.  First impression, the cabin was small!  Smallest we've ever been in, although we usually booked suites.  But, it was just fine for our 3 day cruise, and it became home to us very soon.  We did have one of the older rooms without shower doors, just the curtain, but I didn't mind that at all.  You do have to be careful with where to spray the water, it can get wet outside, but we learned quickly to handle it.

We ate at Chops because we were approached so many times to sign up for that, we just went with it.  The food was very good, the service was fast, and we recommend it to anyone.

We were tired, so we found some trivia games, met some good people and just hung around visiting other people.  Our kids stayed by the pool for the most part.  Oh, we did the casino quite a bit on this trip too. We slept well, the ship was quiet on the 7th floor, and we happily rested up for the Bahamas.

The Bahamas.  I really don't care for the Bahamas stop.  I really thought I would stay on the ship, but our kids wanted to go and my dear husband did too.  Now mind you, he had total knee replacement surgery 4 months earlier and he had a bad, bad, time healing,  He is still limping and the pain has been terrible.  He finally at this time has some pain relief, so he wants to go and do more things after being so sedate.  We spent 90 minutes off the ship.  If you're not doing water activities, or care to tour the town, we had no interest at this time.  It was still too loud, too pushy and not my favorite place, so it was a short stay.  My son was approached 3 times to buy weed, or other stuff. No one bothered us in that way, but we're over 60, so we don't look the part I guess.

Again, we played trivia and did the casino, and met more people in the evening.  The next day, the water was too rough to get to Coco Cay, so it was a bonus sea day.  That was fine with us.  We discovered the Solariam and loved it!  The food, the atmosphere and service was really good!  The weather was stormy and windy, so we stayed inside most of the day.  

My impressions of this small ship....really liked it!   Our fellow cruisers were great!  I have heard people say 3 day  cruises are all party and rowdy, but that was so far from the truth on this ship.  We are in our 60's and there were many people our age or older.  People dressed very nicely on the formal night, (we didn't choose to eat in dining room that night), and it was just a very pleasant time. There was definitely music onboard, which was pretty good, and people did go to those venues.  We did see the comedian do his show and my husband really liked him.  

I will say, if you need assistance, or if you are using a cane,  RC has trained all of their people to help in every case.  We got off the ship quicker, but the lines were long and slow for everyone else, including our kids.  My husband would not have been able to stand in those lines, so if you are offered help, take it!

All told, it was a good cruise and I wouldn't hesitate to go on that ship again.  Great staff onboard and plenty for us to do.

We just did the 3 day to Bahamas.  I enjoyed the cruise, but it would have been nice to have an extra sea day.   Our cruise was far from rowdy, very nice mix of ages.  We are in our 60's, our kids   cruised too, and they are in their 30's.  Suggestion for sea sickness...Bonine.  Never been sea sick when taken every day.  Also, coming out of Seattle for me was far worse than to the Bahamas.  Have fun!

The Summit doesn't have any of those amenities (except balconies :) ) In fact, the passengers that sail the Summit tend to be an older crowd in general. Once I watched a toddler rolling around near the edge and trying to poke his head and arms out beneath the railing. There was only a relatively small opening, but he could have squeezed through. His parents were right there chatting away and paying no attention. I was beside myself with worry and wondering whether to say something. I did, because I decided I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if the child fell off the boat. I'm sure they thought I was a nervous busy buddy...but they picked the child up and I was happy to have them think so.

I am with you, I see things with young children that really makes me worry. I'm probably overly protective, but it only takes a minute for a little one to get away from a parent. I'm glad I'm not raising little ones at my age, because my heart couldn't take it!

We were on Allure of the Seas in January and really enjoyed the shows. Things like the Aqua Show, the Parade and the Ice show are great for little ones! There is also a great water area for small ones!

 

Another thing that might appeal is the range of rooms suitable for family cruising. Check out the two bedroomed Aqua Suite....remember this will come with lots of perks included so compared to booking two joining rooms it does have advantages.

 

 

 

I am not a saying RC will be as good as a themed cruise for music lovers. It will be very different but may be something that could suit you at present. Have a look, just an idea...

Thank you for the info! I I will definitely look into your suggestions!

My husband and I went on the March 2017 Star Vista 70's Rock and Romance on the Summit. Had a fantastic time. Also very much enjoyed no children! We have also gone on other oldies cruises - Concerts At Sea. They don't charter the entire ship so children can go along. They use Princess. Their shows are scheduled at different times than the ship shows. It's like having a private group amongst the rest. They offer the Caribbean (usually around the end of January) and as a first they are also offering Alaska in 2018.

Thanks for the info! Maybe we should look into the Princess cruise. Our son played guitar in a band before getting a "real" job, and his 3 year old son loves all music and knows the oldies well. I guess he learned from watching daddy.

You haven't said that you have been on other themed cruises with this company or on a Celebrity ship. I suspect one of those answers is a no.

 

You may not care about the kids services because you don;t use them, but to the cruise line and sponsors that may indeed make a difference and be a choice they have made. Also, you insist that the performers are likely to bring their kids. As far as I can tell, their kids will likely all be adults. As for the seating in the theater, there may be ample seating but the sponsors have designed their own process for seating. Not at all as flexible as when on a regular cruise. That says to me that they are in control and designed things in such a way that it is likely unsuitable or at least not designed to accommodate kids.

 

It also occurs to me that in the event of an emergency, there are special procedures in place for children. They have to wear special bands etc. On this cruise, the sponsors may have elected not to implement these things.

 

My point is that it is unlikely to be like other themed cruises you have been on. I am sure they have a good theory (if not reason) for allowing adults only. It also could be that the age at which they allow children is older than infants (which your grandchildren would still be considered).

We have been on a total of 10 music theme cruises. I need to update my status, I haven't been around here for years. I've been on 2 more cruises with Celebrity since my last update.

The kids of entertainers and crews were all ages, from infant to adult. Some of the band members were not 40 years old yet that we've seen.

Yes, I can understand the legal/medical issues of having children on any cruise. It's amazing to me that it works so well on normal cruises considering the party atmosphere on most ships, along with water slides, ice skating rinks and balconies. When you think about all the potential dangers...wow!

I was very interested, so I looked up their website. It is a charter and they travel with their own rules. Looking at the pictures I absolutely understand why this is an adults only cruise. Mostly because the public areas are simply crammed with people listening to the performances. I suspect there also will be no kids club, babysitting, or children's menus to accommodate kids. They also issue their own sea pass scheme, have their own processes for entering the theater, and there is no "select" (free style) dining. This is certainly not the typical Celebrity experience.

I wonder of they also have different or limited dining menus for the MDR and buffet?

Thank you for your reply. The food is essentially the same on the theme cruises I've been on. There have always been kids onboard, but I'm not sure if there is a kid's club or babysitting. My son doesn't use those services, his job is prosecuting child abuse cases, along with other horrible things, so he keeps his kids close, or with trusted friends and families. Not saying the cruise hires monsters to watch children, I know they don't, but my son and his wife are extra careful after dealing with what he does every day.

As far as entering the theater to see performances, we had assigned seating because we were in a suite, but it didn't seem to be a problem for everyone to get in and watch the shows.

I didn't pay much attention to the pictures of crammed spaces on the website. I'm sure the company made it look fun! In reality, the shows were in the usual spots and the entertainers, who are years past their prime, eat lunch with their families and passengers at the buffet or main dining room. It's always been a laid back meet and greet type of day with the entertainers. The ship crew seems to love these cruises! They do a great job during the cruise too. Anyway, it's been lots of fun, but we'll be looking for a normal cruise this time.

I'm sorry. I was a little snarky. Too many "there oughta be a law" posts on social media.

 

I hope you find a wonderful cruise that enables you to spend time with your loved ones.

 

 

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Not snarky at all!! No worries!

It's entirely legal. It's their preference, there's no protected right that is being violated, and they're appealing to travellers who prefer a child-free environment (a growing segment of the population, by the way).

 

 

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Thank you for the reply. If it was written on the website, yes, it would be entirely legal. I didn't see that, but honestly could have missed it. I was ready to put the money down, knowing we've done these cruises before and there were lots of families. Live and learn I guess.

By contracting to charter the entire ship, and by agreeing to have it be an adults only cruise, the cruise line can then release the Kids Club staff (send them on vacation or re-assign them to another ship).

 

Also, I can see why it might be advantageous for a charter company to be able to advertise that for the duration of their charter, the ship will be child-free.

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I love my child free time too! I just wish that they had made that clear in their information for this cruise. If they did, I didn't see it. I guess I could ask my son to read it throughly, since he's a prosecutor and knows the law...haha. Really, it's okay now, I was just upset that I picked the cruise, everyone arranged with their jobs to get time off and I was on my way to making travel arrangements...grrr.

I do bet the entertainers and their crews bring their families. It has happened on every cruise of this type. My kids have been on 8 of them and we have been on 2. Anyway, time to find another cruise for our family during that time!

<p></p><br><p>I assume this is some type of charter in which they set the rules.  Who did you try to book with.</p><br>

Hi Don,

The company is called star vista live. The cruise is rock and romance. Yes, it's a theme cruise on the Summit, so yes, it's probably a charter cruise. I'm just surprised that children aren't welcome. We've been on a few of these, with younger musicians, and the musicians brought their own children on board. Since these musicians are from the 1970's, I wouldn't think it would be a rowdy atmosphere. Again, our grandkids would not be using child care facilities, or causing a problem. I guess I just didn't think it was legal to keep the kids from taking this cruise.

I saw a 70's musical theme cruise for March 2018 on Celebrity Summit that would interest my husband and myself. We are 64 years old. Our son and daughter-in-law love music and were interested in going on this cruise too. They wanted to bring their 3 year old and 1 year old. I tried to book 2 connecting rooms for this cruise, knowing we would act as babysitters. The travel company handling this cruise would not allow the children on this cruise.

We have gone on other theme cruises with the kids and had no problems. There were always kids on board, and even the entertainers brought their families and children. Since most of the 70's entertainers on this particular cruise are at least 60, or 70, I didn't think it would be too ruckus, and some of the musicians would bring children and grandchildren. I'm just surprised legally, this could be an option for the travel company.

Celebrity is NO WAY at fault for this, we LOVE Celebrity and will continue to be loyal to them. I can see a singles cruise or gay cruise, or whatever saying kids would not be welcomed, but a cruise with music? Where the musicians are grandparents? My son plays in a band and the 3 year old plays guitar too and knows music better than most people.

I hope to find another cruise where we can enjoy family time, but it's kinda shocking to me about the 70's music cruise. Any suggestions for fun for a musical family? Should we just book a normal Celebrity cruise? We're not interested in Disney and the kids love live music.