kids program

[Big Easy]

O will introduce its first kids program in 2013 for Alaska...Del Rio admitted to having too long of cruises in Alaska

[Hunding]

O will introduce its first kids program in 2013 for Alaska...Del Rio admitted to having too long of cruises in Alaska

 

Any further details, Big Easy? Such as, on every Alaska cruise or only selected cruises? Did FDR share this information with you personally, or did you find him quoted somewhere? I ask because this might determine whether we sail to Alaska with Oceania or with some other line.

 

Thanks.

[RJB]

No kids for us. We will find another ship that does not cater to kids. Need a little peace and quiet when on vacation:)

[Big Easy]

Any further details, Big Easy? Such as, on every Alaska cruise or only selected cruises? Did FDR share this information with you personally, or did you find him quoted somewhere? I ask because this might determine whether we sail to Alaska with Oceania or with some other line.

 

Thanks.

Found it on Cruise Critic's Cruise News....many more details there....no other itineraries will be affected

[shorton]

Here's the link:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4835

[Mura]

Found it on Cruise Critic's Cruise News....many more details there....no other itineraries will be affected

 

So far .....................

[PHOENIXfire]

Been there done that with kids. That is why they ask "do you want to get away!" That is also what Disney Cruiselines is for.

 

I need an drink! Where is my blood presure medication "Oh my it makes me nervious" :eek::p Thanks I feel so much better!!!

[ClaudiaF]

guess that leaves Alaska off mycruises w/ O:eek:

[orchestrapal]

:(One could easily see that with the larger ships online the atmosphere of the Oceania that we love would change. Almost kid and smoke free, 700 folks and minor entertainment was what created the Oceania feeling. O has to fill ships and we, happily, have choices. Alaska last year with NO kids was a delight.:)

[esther e]

First, Alaska; then Christmas. Gee, spring break might be nice.... I don't like the way this is playing out. O won't be special any longer.

[Kkamlani]

Any further details, Big Easy? Such as, on every Alaska cruise or only selected cruises? Did FDR share this information with you personally, or did you find him quoted somewhere? I ask because this might determine whether we sail to Alaska with Oceania or with some other line.

 

Thanks.

We have always delivered an upscale cruise experience for ADULTS. That has not changed. We received guest feedback from last year's Holiday Sailings that if we know children will be onboard that we should have an organized program for them so they are not running around the ship aimlessly and interfering with the adult onboard experience. We took this feedback into account when deciding to return to Alaska. Alaska tends to be a destination where two and sometimes three generations sail together. The Alaska Youth Explorer Program for 2013 is a structured program designed to keep the third generation organized and engaged among themselves. As a result, you can look forward to a peaceful sailing.

Kunal S Kamlani

[RJB]

We have always delivered an upscale cruise experience for ADULTS. That has not changed. We received guest feedback from last year's Holiday Sailings that if we know children will be onboard that we should have an organized program for them so they are not running around the ship aimlessly and interfering with the adult onboard experience. We took this feedback into account when deciding to return to Alaska. Alaska tends to be a destination where two and sometimes three generations sail together. The Alaska Youth Explorer Program for 2013 is a structured program designed to keep the third generation organized and engaged among themselves. As a result, you can look forward to a peaceful sailing.

Kunal S Kamlani

I do not quite agree with you. We have been on sailings with kids and at times they were not controlled by there parents. Especially at night after dinner. If your policy changes that we will find another cruise line to sail with, as will many other of your loyal customers i am sure. Too bad:mad:

[esther e]

We were on a Regent cruise a few years back with the "3 generations." Unfortunately, the two older generations were "on vacation" and their 5 kids, under the age of 7, were horrible. Regent tried to accommodate them, but as soon as the kids' activities were finished, they ran wild.

 

Maybe it's my age, but I cannot understand why parents/grandparents would want to take children on a cruise line that is geared to adults. We sure wouldn't.

[pacheco18]

If you create a program for them, they will come.

 

I fear that such programs, even if limited to Alaska, will encourage folks to bring kids on Oceania. Alaska first, then the Mediterranean . . . .

 

I think O is listening to feedback from a small minority of its customers. Most of us cruise O because of the lack of children and the absence of children's programs.

[cruzmaven]

If you create a program for them, they will come.

 

I fear that such programs, even if limited to Alaska, will encourage folks to bring kids on Oceania. Alaska first, then the Mediterranean . . . .

 

I think O is listening to feedback from a small minority of its customers. Most of us cruise O because of the lack of children and the absence of children's programs.

 

I was going to say something similar but you said it much better than I would have.

 

Seems strange that the complaint was that children were "running around the ship aimlessly and interfering with the adult onboard experience" and the response was to introduce a program that will entice people to bring more children.:eek:

[Pimienta]

DH and I are planning to go on an Alaska sailing on Regatta in 2013. This news is most upsetting. I wonder if we should cancel. Will Mr. Kamlani guarantee that we can "look forward to a peaceful sailing"? That didn't seem to be the case from reviews of holiday sailings.

[orchestrapal]

We have always delivered an upscale cruise experience for ADULTS. That has not changed. We received guest feedback from last year's Holiday Sailings that if we know children will be onboard that we should have an organized program for them so they are not running around the ship aimlessly and interfering with the adult onboard experience. We took this feedback into account when deciding to return to Alaska. Alaska tends to be a destination where two and sometimes three generations sail together. The Alaska Youth Explorer Program for 2013 is a structured program designed to keep the third generation organized and engaged among themselves. As a result, you can look forward to a peaceful sailing.

Kunal S Kamlani

 

Your statement makes it very clear that you plan to have children's programs which will encourage young families and discourage those of us who have been loyal to O since it's founding.In addition we have always paid top dollar for your OS and there are better larger suites out there for less money,

So long and farewell!:(

[dundeene]

We had our first cruise on one of the larger ships (Marina) and loved the Oceania experience! There were less than a dozen children visible on-board.

I am a school teacher and met MANY teachers on our cruise. We all enjoyed being "children-free" for 10 days.

 

I think management may not know the extent that the lack of children's program discourages parents with children from sailing Oceania. And the extend that those of us choosing Oceania do so because of the quiet almost "child-free" experience.

 

I believe that having a children's program greatly encourages families to sail from US ports. If you are sailing Oceania to Alaska and want fewer little ones on-board choose a sailing when school is still in session.

 

I think the longer length of Oceania's sailings in Europe along with the higher price point will continue to keep the child to adult ratio very low there.

 

The answer may not have been to add children's programs, but rather to better train the crew members to courteously address problems that arise when children are behaving inappropriately.

 

We certainly will not abandon Oceania because of the change in Alaska, we had the time of our lives on Marina and have a b2b booked on Riviera next year.

[pacheco18]

I am always surprised when a company has a near perfect product with its own niche, adoring fans, repeat customers who refer others and then decides to change some of the particular aspects of the product that attracts customers in the first place.

 

first change: larger ships (1200 is NOT 700, even with the lamb chops and lobster in the Terrace Restaurant) - but I do understand the economies of scale.

 

second change: kids programs

 

Everyone I know who sails Oceania loves the R ships and sails O specifically because there are no kids or kids programs.

 

third change: ?????

 

I guess we will have to see how it goes.

[ruppert18]

Agreed. When we take our grandchildren on a cruise it is one that is geared towards families, ie RCCL. They do a great job with their children's programs and my grandchildren don't want to leave the groups!! When we sail alone we do not want children running around or screaming and parents thinking it is ok and being discourteous of other passesnger. Can't blame the kids when their parents are thoughtless. And also - you can't go to Alaska when school is in session - it is off season!!

[donkaufman]

 

Everyone I know who sails Oceania loves the R ships and sails O specifically because there are no kids or kids programs.

 

quote]

 

In agreement, that is one of the main reasons we decided to try Oceania this year.

[pacmom]

Just discussed this with DH. He said as many have said--we sail O because of the lack of children running around--so no Alaska for us next year. Pat

[potterhill]

There were a few children on our 21 day NZ-South Pacific-Australia cruise in March ranging from toddler to teenager. We hardly say them. The boy who was about 5 was especially adorable.

 

Don't get me wrong. I do not love children, in fact I have told my children they are not allowed to have any! (So far we are doing well on this count as most of my friends have them already.) But they are part of the human race and we are stuck with them. In fact I believe it is against the law to discriminate on the basis of age.

 

I think this change is in response to that thread where people were so angry about the holiday cruise. O is d**ned if they do and d**ned if they don't.

 

I have not cruised on Disney, Carnival or RCCL, nor am I likely to. If I ever have grands and take them on a cruise, it may well be on "O". My children were always controlled and well behaved and I will expect no less of any grandchildren I might have.

 

Mo

[AGMCruise]

We have always delivered an upscale cruise experience for ADULTS. That has not changed. We received guest feedback from last year's Holiday Sailings that if we know children will be onboard that we should have an organized program for them so they are not running around the ship aimlessly and interfering with the adult onboard experience. We took this feedback into account when deciding to return to Alaska. Alaska tends to be a destination where two and sometimes three generations sail together. The Alaska Youth Explorer Program for 2013 is a structured program designed to keep the third generation organized and engaged among themselves. As a result, you can look forward to a peaceful sailing.

Kunal S Kamlani

 

Mr. Kamlani,

 

I appreciate and am impressed that you are paying attention to the comments on this board. I personally think the kids program seems like a good idea, for what it's worth.

[wripro]

Having sailed on Marina and loved it (with no children aboard) I made the mistake of recommending it to a good friend for the Christmas/New years cruise. It was overrun with kids and he found the pool area unusable. AS has been previously stated having a kids' program will encourage people to bring more kids. This puts Oceania squarely into the category of lines that need to be avoided during the summer, spring break and holidays. The haven is gone.