WDYT? Are we too young? Family of 4

[mornac]

Hi all,

 

We have found a Fred. Olsen cruise which the dates fit in perfectly with our holiday plans for June 2014 on Braemar. We are a family of 4, aged 48 39 8 & 5. I'm not too concerned about no kids clubs facilities as we also have a p & o cruise booked two weeks later which they will love. But everywhere I am reading says average age is 60+. While it is fine with us as we are not really into the party scene (would rather sit around with the kids playing board games etc) what is the general feeling of others having children onboard?

 

Tia

[Parsman]

It is fair to say that the vast majority of passengers on Fred. Olsen cruises tend to be elderly although on shorter voyages there is always a significant number of younger people. Except during school holidays there are few children but the few that do travel seem to have a good time. I note that your holiday is in June which is before the Summer school break (unless they are at school in Scotland) so bear this in mind.

[ovccruiser]

Hi all,

 

We have found a Fred. Olsen cruise which the dates fit in perfectly with our holiday plans for June 2014 on Braemar. We are a family of 4, aged 48 39 8 & 5. I'm not too concerned about no kids clubs facilities as we also have a p & o cruise booked two weeks later which they will love. But everywhere I am reading says average age is 60+. While it is fine with us as we are not really into the party scene (would rather sit around with the kids playing board games etc) what is the general feeling of others having children onboard?

 

Tia

 

Average age of 60+, but with a number of 80+'s so yes, there are some younger people on there but not too many. I have done a couple of world cruise legs, where apparently the average age is supposed to be higher. I am in my early 60's and was by no way the youngest, apart from that, age is only a number of years, not what is between the ears :D

[1160451]

Hi, FO has a country house feel and as such caters for couples and the more mature in age.

Saying that, and and we have cruised with FO, P and O, Thomsons and HAL, it's not Children that most people grumble about its the poorly behaved children that we take issue about.

I also take issue with poorly behaved adults as well so I am sure that the appearance of your family with two well behaved children will not cause the slightest problems.

To be honest though if I knew then what I know now, I think I would not cruise with a young family on FO, but that's just my opinion. Ok with say an extended family of Grandparents, parents children then maybe so.

But in answer to your question about the general feeling of having kids on board well as I say behaviour is the key.

Have a great cruise what ever you decide.

[Maianthemum]

We took our children on Black Watch to the Baltic two years ago; they were then aged 11 and 14. I think there were about 25-30 children on board, so not many. There was one five year old, a small group of 10-13 year olds and some older teenagers.

 

They run a kids' club in the main summer holidays which was really good, probably the best we've had, but so far as I know, it's just Black Watch and Balmoral that have them. I suspect that there won't be many children on Braemar in term-time.

 

We found that children were well-accepted on the whole. There were some issues with them in the pool - kids tend to be a bit too 'splashy' for some passengers, but this was soon resolved with some 'kids only' and 'adults only' swim sessions.

 

If you're happy to have no kids' facilities and aren't party people then you should enjoy a Fred Olsen cruise. We were 39 for the last one and we're going back in a few weeks, on Balmoral this time. You will be some of the youngest passengers but that really wasn't a problem for us.

[simonpjd]

You are too young for Fred. No getting round it.

They will organise excursions to look at you. 'These are young people Mildred'.

[theldaken]

If your children are reasonably "well'behaved,i.e:

Allow older people access to the lifts and steps

Say Please,Thank You &Excuse Me Please,at the appropriate moments.

Remove their head covering,when inside & certainly at the dining table

And lastly,eat with quiet,good manners,you will have no problems

Enjoy your trip

[Freecall]

My first reaction when I saw that you were 48, 39 and 85 was that at 39, although a bit on the young side, you would be ok.

 

However I have just realized that you said 48, 39, 8 and 5!

 

Wow.

 

;)

 

.

[simonpjd]

What's that little thing Edith.

It is a child Mildred.

Faints dramatically.

[Mark_T]

Don't be put off by the previous comments.

 

The key aspect is not expecting any child-specific services, as long as you are good with that then age need not be an issue.

 

I've never seen anyone worry about well behaved children on a Fred cruise.

 

You know your own children best, if prone to tantrums at the dinner table and a need to run around during meals then probably not the best cruise line to go with, if they are used to eating out and sitting through meals in a restaurant then I can't imagine you are going to have any problems.

[mornac]

Thanks for all your replies :)

[ginaRAWR]

We have been on Fred Olsen twice. The first time me and my sister (in our early teens) were some of the youngest on the ship, there were perhaps 2 children younger than us. However, the second time we went (I was 18) there were a lot more children on board, all of them well behaved, and all seemingly entertained as well. Plus when we were eating in the restaurants the waiters seemed to give them plenty of attention as well. I'm sure you'll probably be fine on there :)