Booyakasha Posted October 9, 2011 #1 Share Posted October 9, 2011 We have been on many Celebrity cruises and we a pretty much done. They seem crowded with the pool deck filled with people with empty beer bottles and plates of food strewn about. They pack people in inside rooms for $500 per person to fill the ship. The dining room is full of people in jeans and t-shrits and shorts. I understand that everyone tries to get the most for their money but piling plates with food and ordering 3 entrees at dinner is not the crowd I want to hang out with anymore. I don't need tuxes and formal gowns. I don't need lavish broadway shows. I need good food and good wine, quiet places I can enjoy a nice cocktail and interesting well traveled, well mannered people. I think Oceania might be good for me..... Here is the kicker. I want to bring my kids during a summer cruise in the Med. There are a lot of posts on this site stating "we take Oceania because they don't have kids" I have a Crystal cruise reserved but I really like the Oceania itinerary better. I won't bore you with how wonderful my kids are as all parents think that. I will comment that my kids were MUCH better behaved then a lot of adults on our last cruise. I will tell you that they too are done with the "kids club" on Celebrity as they have nothing that interests them. They enjoy the time off the boat, they enjoy fine dining, they enjoy watching the world sail by. They would never be bored as they don't need constant stimulation. They have traveled extensively. They are however kids 14 and 11 years old. If they want to swim in the pool do I have to worry that they will be disturbing other people if they have some fun? i am not talking about cannon balls off the deck but they may swim laps or see who can swim the farthest underwater (they are Scuba certified). Just wondering...... Thanks, B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted October 9, 2011 #2 Share Posted October 9, 2011 B, it's hard to answer you! Let me say that I tend to be in the anti-kid group (!) but I also will say that the few children (generally mid-teens) we've seen on board have been very occasional and very well behaved. It does depend upon the children as to how the generally older Oceania crowd reacts. People didn't like it (I wasn't on board I just read the posts) when a baby was brought into the GDR and cried throughout and the parents did nothing at all to quiet their child. But if your children are truly well behaved as you say and believe, they'd do just fine. Children are individuals as are adults, and children who are used to museums and touring will be happier on an Oceania cruise than children who want to play video games or some sport. As long as you realize there are no childrens' programs on Oceania, you can decide well enough how happy they will be on a cruise. Now, having fun in the pool ... that's a hard one to answer without knowing which ship you are looking at. The "R" ships (Regatta, Insignia and Nautica although Insignia is being leased out soon, I'm not sure when) are smaller and the pool is really small. You won't see those great slides that you see on NCL, for example. So it probably would be disturbing to other passengers if your children are as active in the pool as I and my sister were when we were young. I'm not due to board Marina until about 9 days out so I don't know how the size of the pool compares. In my experience ships' pools don't tend to be exactly Olympic sized. You say your children are experienced travelers. Based on that I think they'd do just fine, especially if you have a port intensive cruise, not a transatlantic in mind. Heck, they might even like a TA ... I had to be trained to like that many sea days! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esther e Posted October 9, 2011 #3 Share Posted October 9, 2011 A few years ago children from the entertainers were aboard the Regatta and one day wanted to go into the pool. Well, kids are kids....they jumped in and unfortunately jumped on some lady's shoulders or head. There just wasn't any other pool for them, unless the crew had one they could have used. I am also of the anti-kid group. Been there, done that. Now I want peace and quiet and relaxation. The adults on O have always been very gracious and not at all rude or obnoxious. (Can't say that for then Radisson, though.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 10, 2011 #4 Share Posted October 10, 2011 If your children are well travelled & can amuse themselves they should be fine we have had very few children onboard but all have been well behaved except for those that Esther mentioned The pool on the R-ships is small & not really big enough for laps but OK for a cooling off The Marina & Riveria the pool is larger You know your children's limitations You may enjoy Oceania according to your requirements posted ;) No jeans at dinner except in the buffet so you should be OK Give them a try lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted October 10, 2011 #5 Share Posted October 10, 2011 There are many threads on this topic which you can search on this board. We are also in the camp that chooses Oceania because it is not "kid friendly." As has been said, the pools of the R ships are not large enough to "do laps" and because of their size also not kid friendly. It's a real toss-up as to what the happiness factor for both your kids and the rest of the passingers will be. It is not a line we would take our, very well behaved, grandchildren on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted October 10, 2011 #6 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I sail both Celebrity and Oceania. We sail Celebrity for the itinerary and we always sail with another couple -- allowing us to keep to ourselves if we do not like the crowd. I imagine your comments are about the Caribbean - where the demographic is young and cruises are cheaper and it's a party atmosphere. We have never experienced behavior as you describe on any Celebrity cruise. But, nevertheless, Celebrity is NOT Oceania. I think your kids will be bored to death on O. There is nothing for them to do. Nice that they are "well behaved" (whatever that means -- it's in the eye of the beholder) but I would be more concerned about how they will fill their time. Boredom sometimes leads to less than ideal behavior where kids are concerned. Personally, I do not think O is much of a vacation for kids. The pool is not one for kids to "play" in and splash around. Kids (especially the ages you mention) want to have fun and be occupied with fun and interesting things to do. You will not find that on O. Just being honest. Why not try Disney? I hear it's great for parents and kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipcat Posted October 10, 2011 #7 Share Posted October 10, 2011 On our last cruise in July there are a few children. It was nice and no problem for the children, and also no problem for the other guests. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERRIER1 Posted October 10, 2011 #8 Share Posted October 10, 2011 There is no entertainment for kids, however, the Med cruises are port intensive so much of your day is spent off the ship. By the time you get back to the ship, it's late and dinner time. Marina and Riviera have a little more to do then the R ships but it is limited i.e. ping pong, a little golf course, shuffleboard, etc. There are lots of DVD's you can check out and most kids today come with their own electronic entertainment. You know your kids so if they are well behaved and not overly rambunctious you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiamiBeach Posted October 10, 2011 #9 Share Posted October 10, 2011 14 and 11 is certainly old enough to pick up on social cues and act appropriately - your description of your children sounds like they are up to that task. Personally, I think the plethora of "kid-oriented activities" these days, once they are over the age of 6 or 7, does everyone a disservice by creating a more me-oriented society. I'm showing my age, but we did fine without these things when I was growing up. Sports helped one burn off energy, you figured out how to be around and converse with adults, enjoy foods other than chicken fingers, read, take in the world around you rather than be immersed/entertained in "teen club" or eternal texting. I spent several summers in Europe when I was growing up, sometimes with just my grandparents. Sure, I missed hacking around with my friends once in a while but it was hardly a hardship. It sounds like the Med trip on a smaller boat would be a good experience for your children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbwex Posted October 10, 2011 #10 Share Posted October 10, 2011 As far as all of your other concerns -- cleanliness, food quality, service quality -- you seem aware that Oceania will take care of all of those. There were a few kids on our Oceania cruise to the Baltic (14-days), and they were significantly younger than you kids are, and they were fine. They were always well-behaved, and never made any noise. We don't sail on O because it is kid-unfriendly, but we enjoy O. If there was any concern or upset on the part of other passengers because of the kids, we never saw or heard a peep. On our trip to Alaska, there were two kids on our tour -- about 10 and 7 -- and they were fine even on the 9-hour Denali tour. They are experienced travelers, and were fine being the only kids around with no kids' activities on the tour. You know your kids, and you know what they will demand. I don't see a problem concerning the pool if they are just swimming and playing reasonably in the water. Doing a lot of ports, they will be tired like everyone else each day. Knowing what you know about the line, and you know your kids, so you can likely answer the question best already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyakasha Posted October 10, 2011 Author #11 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thank you everyone for your honest opinions. I find it very interesting that almost everyone commented on the kids but not on the other things. I appreciate the feedback. B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aZ4me Posted October 10, 2011 #12 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We were on Marina in April (Pearls of the Riviera) and saw a few (very well-behaved) young children in the GDR. When I later watched the video the ship sold of our cruise, I was surprised to see that there were actually quite a few teens and pre-teens on board; I hadn't seen any of them. I agree that the cruise will be so port intensive, you'll find that your days are filled with activities / sightseeing off the ship. At night, you'll probably find that getting dinner and relaxing will top your agenda. What a great experience you'll be offering your children. I wouldn't avoid Oceania just because there aren't usually many children on board. The people we met were extremely friendly, and I'm sure they would have been just as friendly to you and your family. Everyone is there to relax and have a good time. Hope you'll get to experience what O has to offer. :) Oops...I forgot what some of the other questions you asked were, but you'll love the casual atmosphere (NO formal nights!!!!) yet you won't see folks take that to the extreme: no jeans or shorts in dining venues at night (except Terrace Cafe). The O experience is all about practical comfort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted October 10, 2011 #13 Share Posted October 10, 2011 It seemed to me in reading your question that you were really asking about your children, not the "other things". You don't want formal nights, and you won't have them. At the same time you don't want super casual clothing in the dining rooms, and you won't have those either. You don't like crowded pool decks with lots of trash around, and I have never seen anything like that on Oceania. You don't need super duper entertainment, and you won't get that either! From the outset of your question it sounded like you figured out that Oceania could well suit you better than Celebrity. And then you got to the issue of your children, which certainly IS a hot button topic with this crowd. I don't envy you having to make your decision with the various kinds of responses you've gotten. Some of us say "keep them away from me" and some say "your kids sound fine and should do well on Oceania". Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted October 10, 2011 #14 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Booyakasha, The person you need to be questioning regarding your kids is yourself, not us. Are you willing to watch them and be sure that they do not misbehave, yell in the pool, make unnecessary noise etc? Are you willing to give up your fun time to make sure that they can enjoy themselves wile not disturbing others? From your original post it seems that YOU are unhappy with Celebrity, not them, therefore you are considering changing cruise lines so that YOU will have a better time, not them. Most people, imo, who bring children on to upscale lines are more interested in their own enjoyment than that of their kids. The 14 year old should be no problem but an 11 year old will need supervision and amusement and that is your job, not Ocenia's since they do not provide it. If you are indeed willing to take that on while on vacation then it might be okay to bring them on Oceania. jmo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brlight Posted October 10, 2011 #15 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We just returned from an O cruise and there were several young children. There was a charming young man about 12 (?) who seemed to really have a good time with his grandparents. He made many friends of the adults with his friendliness and good behavior. It sounds like your children are like this young man. O is port intensive, so you won't have a lot of time for the pool. I have never seen food or trash sitting around. The adults are as well-behaved as the few children. Bring your children. Plan your own excursions, since O's tend to be mundane and expensive. Let them help you plan and include interesting, active things to do like snorkeling, off-road jeeps, etc in addition to seeing the sights at each port. Your children will enjoy the variety of restaurants onboard - be sure to book these over the Internet 30 days before the cruise. Each room has a DVD player and there are many DVD's to borrow. What a great gift you are giving your children! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted October 10, 2011 #16 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thank you everyone for your honest opinions. I find it very interesting that almost everyone commented on the kids but not on the other things. I appreciate the feedback. B. As Mura stated there were a lot of statements in your OP but only one question and it concerned the kids. I'm assuming that's why everyone answered that question. I've never quite understood what people mean by well traveled and interesting. What one person finds interesting I might find to be a bore that I have no interest in listening to, and vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddmel Posted October 10, 2011 #17 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I've reread the original post and there is a clear concern by Booyakasha regarding the use of the pool by his children. Specifically, He sought feedback about underwater and lap swimming. If his children were not able to use the pool in this manner, they might be pretty unhappy as there is not much for them to do otherwise. As Mura has so correctly pointed out, this issue appears to be the hot button one. The OP should carefully make a decision weighing this factor appropriately. The O environment is not designed for children and how risky would it be to try to make it work for his children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathi Posted October 10, 2011 #18 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Knowing this is such a hot button issue for most, I will just tell you what our experience has been. We love the "atomsphere" on Oceania but have found it on the Princess small ships as well. The entertainment often leaves a lot to be desired but only have a few hundred people onboard makes it friendlier than the big ships. You will get know almost everyone onboard. As to the kids, our first Oceania cruise was 35 days and there was a family of 5 onboard. The kids were from 10 to 15 and we only noticed them because they were the only non-white head onboard. They were home schooled kids who were very well travelled and very well mannered. You should have no problems taking yours on an Oceania cruise as long as they & you are aware that they will have to make their own fun. On of the reasons for using Oceania is their wonderful itineraries and if that's what you want take the kids and have a ball!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyakasha Posted October 10, 2011 Author #19 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Again, thanks for everyone who has taken the time to write something here. The answers are pretty much what was expected. We are good at making our own fun and the cruise we are looking at has no sea days so there will be actually too much for us to do. We are primarily using the ship to explore Europe and have somewhere nice to have dinner and rest... so although we would most likely be in the vast minority I think O may work for us. The itinerary looks wonderful, the new ship looks phenomenal and the boys are already looking at the menus for the various restaurants. For those of you who try to avoid kids at all costs I would suggest staying away from cabin 1106x and 1106y on the 6/17/12 cruise out of Lisbon. :D B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted October 10, 2011 #20 Share Posted October 10, 2011 :rolleyes: Again, thanks for everyone who has taken the time to write something here. The answers are pretty much what was expected. We are good at making our own fun and the cruise we are looking at has no sea days so there will be actually too much for us to do. We are primarily using the ship to explore Europe and have somewhere nice to have dinner and rest... so although we would most likely be in the vast minority I think O may work for us. The itinerary looks wonderful, the new ship looks phenomenal and the boys are already looking at the menus for the various restaurants. For those of you who try to avoid kids at all costs I would suggest staying away from cabin 1106x and 1106y on the 6/17/12 cruise out of Lisbon. :D B. Fair warning! you may also want to stay away from the canins below those....:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted October 11, 2011 #21 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Booyakasha, Even though DH and myself are averse to children in general (!) I would never avoid the cruise you mention just because YOU will be on board! The fact that you bothered to ask the question says that you are considerate, and I would be surprised if your children are not as well. Have a great cruise. And Lisbon is one of our favorite cities ... I highly recommend going in at least several days before the cruise because there is MUCH to see in Lisbon and the surrounding areas. COnsider renting a car and driving around for a bit. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Understood Posted October 11, 2011 #22 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Boo, Switch to the one leaving Lisbon Sept 14. We are on that one and we dont mind the kids at all! :D ------------------ Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyakasha Posted October 11, 2011 Author #23 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Boo, Switch to the one leaving Lisbon Sept 14. We are on that one and we dont mind the kids at all! :D------------------ Helen Thanks Helen - unfortunately the boys will be in school. Every trip we have been on my boys have met some interesting people (adults) as they love to talk about living in different parts of the U.S. and other countries. They are also very good at Chess and Gin Rummy if anyone is interested.... :D B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpNorthLady Posted October 11, 2011 #24 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We were on Nautica in January. There was nothing on the ship for children to do so I don't know how her family managed to keep her entertained while we were at sea. The pool is very small and not very "kid friendly." I do not recommend Oceania for children mostly because they would be bored. I think you, as their parent, would be grasping at things for them to do when the ship is not in port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 11, 2011 #25 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We were on Nautica in January. There was nothing on the ship for children to do so I don't know how her family managed to keep her entertained while we were at sea. The pool is very small and not very "kid friendly." I do not recommend Oceania for children mostly because they would be bored. I think you, as their parent, would be grasping at things for them to do when the ship is not in port. It really depends on the child Not all children require people to keep them entertained 24/7 & will not be a problem to others If there are several children onboard I noticed the CD & staff will find things for them to do Gosh sometimes I am bored on a cruise so does that mean I should not sail on Oceania:eek: Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.