Unhelpful Customer Service

[irish cailin]

Hi guys

 

Maybe someone out there might be able to help with a small query i have regarding our sailing on 5th July (Coastal Alaska).

 

i am travelling with a 6yr old and have been in contact with Oceania (via our TA) to enquire if any other children are booked on the sailing. I dont want to know names or any other "personal" details that may breach data protection laws... all i wanted to find out if there were other children on our sailing or if our child would be the only little one on board! The reply from Oceania was

 

" Unfortunately we do not have any way of finding out this information. As there are only a few sailings where we offer a children's programme we would imagine that there will be more children than usual. "

 

Surely the company would know how many minors are travelling on a specific sailing?

 

Any thoughts on how i could find this information out? We are going either way but will need to revise our time on board depending on "kids club" (totally selfish on my part - i want to book myself in for some well deserved spa treatments!!)

 

As always many thanks in advance for your comments.

[sitraveler]

There is no kid's club.

 

Oceania is not kid friendly, except for the Alaska cruises.

 

If you search this forum, you will see several threads discussing kids on O.

 

At best, there are just a couple of children on many O cruises.

[LHT28]

I would think it is a privacy issue

They may show that a quad or triple cabins are fully booked but may not know the ages of those in the cabin without going into everyone's file

 

I would think in July even if there is not children's program there will possibly be some others onboard ...it is just a guess on my part

 

You could ask on your Roll Call if anyone has small children with them

 

In any case be prepared to entertain your child

 

Enjoy your cruise

Lyn

[JimandStan]

It seems to me that you have put Oceania into an impossible situation, because your question isn't really "how many children will there will be on the ship".

 

You need to know how many children there will be who could appropriately and willingly socialize with a six year old.

 

That is a very different question, and one not easily answered accurately or discretely.

[cbb]

OP is on a sailing which advertises a "youth program for 5-13."

 

You may not want to sign up for adult activities until you're on board and find out how many kids are participating in the youth program.

 

Some kids might like the organized activities and others may want to be with their parents.

 

Some of the excursions for July 5 sailing look pretty amazing.

[candbgirl]

It's still rather early and the manifest most likely hasn't been completed so the information you want might not be available. But there really isn't a Kids Club on most voyages. Is this one of the cruises that Oceania designated as having a program for children? I'm not sure what the program will entail and how much time you'll have to do other things away from your child.

[Floridiana]

I was on Riviera's Christmas/New Year's sailing and Oceania had hired two babysitters for them who had designed a program for the few kids. Your cruise advertises a kids' program, doesn't it? Even if there is no other 6 year old boy, there will be supervised stuff to do for the kids.

[fjdelrio]

I know for a fact that there will be at least 3 boys ages 5, 7 and almost 8 plus a princess age 5.

FDR

[eddmel]

Oceania cannot respond to a question regarding the number and age of the children anticipated to be on board for a number of reasons. Some responders here have stated them. Also, from a marketing perspective, such information were it given could be a negative as the majority of Oceania cruisers primarily enjoy an adult vacation experience.

[Terryd444]

OMG! FDR is on your cruise!!

 

Incredible, it will be amazing!

[Jancruz]

OMG! FDR is on your cruise!!

 

Incredible, it will be amazing!

 

With his family..and (four grandchildren)

Jancruz1

[TERRIER1]

I know for a fact that there will be at least 3 boys ages 5, 7 and almost 8 plus a princess age 5.

FDR

 

Too funny. Enjoy the cruise.

[moseley]

Just an idea, go to that cruise roll call and see if anyone is posting about traveling with their children.

Good luck.

[irish cailin]

thanks so much for all your replies (and most especially FDR!)

 

I will have one very happy 6yr old this evening when i get home and can tell her that she will not be the only Princess on board!!

 

"We" are marking off the calendar every evening and it seems every programme on the TV lately is Alaska based!!

 

Looking forward to an amazing voyage ... we'll be the ones with the Irish accents, and possibly speaking Irish?!. Cant comment on our Irish Dancing skills tho'!!!

[spook1]

I know for a fact that there will be at least 3 boys ages 5, 7 and almost 8 plus a princess age 5.

FDR

 

 

Now the anti-children crowd can slink back into closet Come to think of it...where is this vocal gang now that we have FDR and his grandchildren onboard?:):):):)

[cbb]

How can anyone protest about children being on board that cruise when it states clearly that there is a children's program and we know that the corporation is encouraging people to take their children and grandchildren on certain cruises? (talk about building a loyal base!)

 

If you don't want to travel with children, don't travel on cruises where there is a youth program and don't travel in the summer or on spring break.

 

To Mr FDR, kudos for traveling with his grands. What sweet memories.

[Mura]

Spook,

 

I don't see why we "anti-children" folks should slink back anywhere. I didn't see any anti-children posts here, by the way.

 

Yes, the cruise is advertised as child-friendly, and that's why those of us who don't want to travel with young children won't be on board! But that doesn't mean we have to throw rocks at those people who WILL be on board.

 

That's also why I (and I know I'm not alone) assumed that this being advertised as child-friendly, there would be more than a few children on board. Maybe not half the passenger population (!), but certainly noticeable.

 

True, I wasn't anticipating that FDR and his family would be on board, but that should be reassuring to anyone who IS traveling with young children.

 

Apropos of not much, we did Alaska on Princess back in June 1990 and I don't recall any children being on that cruise ... maybe they were well hidden, but I sure didn't see them in the dining room either. It WAS a very early cruise (in terms of the season) and children might well have still been in school.

 

Mura

[baldercash]

If I had grand children I would book this cruise and bring them as I am sure they would have as grand a time as I on Oceania.

FDR would ensure it, if O management is saying that children are welcome then they are planning for them.

Kudos to O.