Has Carnival Given Up on Adults?

[CRJ700]

I remember in the early 90's Vegas tried to go family friendly. They found out after a few years that it's not the kids that spend money. I hope Carnival makes this realization soon.

[bakersdozen12]

...no enforcement of age limits on hot tubs...

 

 

I think you mean age minimum. Age limit would imply people over a certain age aren't allowed in the hot tubs.

 

With that said, is there a minimum age you need to be in order to use them? Personally, I think it should be 18+. Otherwise kids start treating them as pools, which they are not.

 

 

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[Bosrox]

I remember in the early 90's Vegas tried to go family friendly. They found out after a few years that it's not the kids that spend money. I hope Carnival makes this realization soon.

 

When is the last time you've been to Vegas? We go 4-5 times a year. Vegas is very family friendly, kids and families everywhere.

[Ready 2 Go]

I don't want to sound insensitive, but at the same time, Carnival charges full fare for kids just as they do adults. Kids pay the full amount for sodas, etc. There are no other perks other than the Dr. Seuss deal that I have seen many adults with no children enjoy, as well as, movies in the Imax theatre. Which again, children pay the full amount for. I agree that some parents fail to parent once aboard, which might be similar to how they parent on land. I guess Carnival figures that because of this and the inability to man the gates of the adult only pools it would be easier to open all pools to all cruisers. Just my thoughts.

 

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[Organized Chaos]

Really, I don't like being splashed or cannonballed by a kid so that makes me a bad person. Kids don't do any such things cause you didn't see it on the "few cruises that you've been on". Just unbelievable is all I'm going to say. Go read the poll thread all the way at the top, and your choice didn't even break 100. That's all I'm going to say about that.

She goes around to the threads that talk about the new aft pool policy and plays the same card every time. She accuses people of being "hateful" (her word) just because we say kids scream, splash, and misbehave. If saying those things makes a person hateful, then 99.99% of parents are hateful. Give me a break.

[torcruise]

I didn't say it makes you a bad person. I just said it doesn't bother me. I expect to be splash if near a pool. Children in general don't bother me. I guess I have a higher tolerance for them. And I didn't say everyone who does like to be splashed is hateful. I said 1 persons post was hateful, I do feel like some people are hating on kid for just being kids. Just because you don't like to be splash or loud noises does not mean the children are doing something wrong.

[SadieN]

To avoid kids, sail longer cruises and/or during the traditional school calendar.

Our beginning of March 7day CA Coastal cruise on Princess had 5 kids. Both our Carnival mid October HI cruises had about 20 kids.

 

 

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[kroozers]

We're booked next week on Glory, but I do believe that'll be our last cruise. We'll transition to all inclusive adult only resorts. Cruising is such a unique vacation, but without adequate places to escape to adult exclusive areas, it's just not something we'll continue to spend time and money on. If Carnival doesn't believe they'll suffer revenue losses from the many who are similar to us...best of luck to them.

[Thorncroft]

Y'all realize that Carnival is not the only cruise line out there, right? It's only one of dozens. There might be some that do it better than Carnival, and may not even be more expensive. MSC is really making a push into the N. American market and by all accounts, offers a stellar product. They'll even match your level on other cruise lines. Don't get stuck in the Carnival rut. There's a lot to see and do out there and you may have to consider that you've outgrown Carnival, or that it's become stale to you.

[joeyancho]

When is the last time you've been to Vegas? We go 4-5 times a year. Vegas is very family friendly, kids and families everywhere.

Actually the family friendly Vegas experiment was a financial failure.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Being that adults pay for these vacation, I have no clue why you would suggest that Carnival has "given up" on them. Maybe it's just for dramatic effect.

 

There has been plenty of attention paid to adults. Most of the 2.0 upgrades are geared towards adults. The havana section of the news ships, which are limited in number for a reason. If you want to book one, you certainly can. But yes you have to do some advanced planning just like we do when we want to book certain cabins of limited availability.

 

New serenity decks are being added to ships, and it's not yet revealed everything new Horizon will have. The waterslides and waterparks are for everyone to enjoy and frankly I wish they would add a waterpark to every ship.

 

I honestly can't figure out why they made the adult aft pools on the few ships that had them kid friendly now. Not that I mind either way, but I just don't see the point unless they were being under utilized. In any case, Carnival has done things that gear to adults - journeys cruises, for example, are always offered in the off season and longer. Clearly not geared for families and that's o.k. All of the things you named are still there. The ability to drink, gamble, sun bathe, and have fun. Not every change is going to be geared to all. So these additions don't appeal to you. Others will.

 

I don't think it would be a good strategy to have journey cruises in the off season for families when most schools are in session and MOST families can't cruise.

 

 

Bill

[joeyancho]

Unruly children is just one of the many reasons we no longer cruise with carnival. We have found that princess is a much better experience all the way around.

[sammee]

She goes around to the threads that talk about the new aft pool policy and plays the same card every time. She accuses people of being "hateful" (her word) just because we say kids scream, splash, and misbehave. If saying those things makes a person hateful, then 99.99% of parents are hateful. Give me a break.

 

Exactly. I saw those exact threads you are talking about.

[cruizinisthebest]

I don't think it would be a good strategy to have journey cruises in the off season for families when most schools are in session and MOST families can't cruise.

 

 

Bill

Not sure whether you're disagreeing or agreeing but ok.

 

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[Sizzlechest]

I didn't say it makes you a bad person. I just said it doesn't bother me. I expect to be splash if near a pool. Children in general don't bother me. I guess I have a higher tolerance for them. And I didn't say everyone who does like to be splashed is hateful. I said 1 persons post was hateful, I do feel like some people are hating on kid for just being kids. Just because you don't like to be splash or loud noises does not mean the children are doing something wrong.

 

If only there was a part of the ship where adults who don't want to be around "kids being kids" could go. If only...

[cruizinisthebest]

She goes around to the threads that talk about the new aft pool policy and plays the same card every time. She accuses people of being "hateful" (her word) just because we say kids scream, splash, and misbehave. If saying those things makes a person hateful, then 99.99% of parents are hateful. Give me a break.

In fairness, everyone goes on threads that discuss the same topic and post the same opinion. If it's discussing the same thing then why would ones perspective or opinion change from one like-thread to the next? I understand people's points on both sides although what confuses me is how people are simultaneously upset about the adult pool being gone while complaining about kids in the pool. Weren't you in those adult pools before and therefore not around all the kids?

 

Anyway, no I don't like to be splashed. Very annoying. And kids do stuff like that. Splash that is. But there's a whole list of annoying and bothersome behaviors that go on in these pools and it's not limited to kids. That's just fact. I expect to experience certain things in any crowded pool and that's one reason why I purposely try and stay out of them until late in the afternoon or all together. I had a kid scoop up cups of water from a drink an adult left behind and throw it in my daughter's face. She did it twice before I had to tell her to stop. She thought it was funny. Meanwhile, her father was in a lounge chair close enough to see it but too wrapped up in his beer and conversation to say a word even though I know good and damn well he saw her do it. That's bad behavior exhibit by both the parent and the child. Both. So indeed it works frequently both ways.

 

You don't have to hate kids to not want to be bothered with them but so much on vacation. I get it. But kids do kid things and if you can't figure out how to co-exist with them then it is all together better to cruise when they are not so high in number, which is hard these days cause parents will just pull kids out of school so it can be tricky. The other perfectly reasonable solution is to frequent lines that don't cater as much to the family experience.

 

I hope they reverse the decision regarding the aft pools. And then find a way to reconfigure as many serenity decks without hot tubs or pools to include one or both. Tall order, perhaps, but it would be worth it IMO. And then let's see how many people still complain about splashing kids.

 

These threads go around in circles all of the time. And I just think it's a cheap shot to try and characterize one person as "going around threads playing the same card" when we all basically do the same thing.

 

 

 

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[S.S.Oceanlover]

Not sure whether you're disagreeing or agreeing but ok.

 

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You're argument is CCL still gears things for adults like journey cruises.

 

I'm arguing that of course they do since most families can't cruise on journey cruises. They'd be sailing half empty ships.

 

Very weak argument. In order for an adults only experience on CCL all one has to do is take close to 2 weeks off and voila, mission accomplished.

 

Bill

[jimbo5544]

Unruly children is just one of the many reasons we no longer cruise with carnival. We have found that princess is a much better experience all the way around.

 

 

Curious minds want to know how many reasons there are and how many it took for you to decide.....

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Y'all realize that Carnival is not the only cruise line out there, right? It's only one of dozens. There might be some that do it better than Carnival, and may not even be more expensive. MSC is really making a push into the N. American market and by all accounts, offers a stellar product. They'll even match your level on other cruise lines. Don't get stuck in the Carnival rut. There's a lot to see and do out there and you may have to consider that you've outgrown Carnival, or that it's become stale to you.

 

 

WHHHHAAAATTT? Surely you jest.

 

 

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[cruizinisthebest]

You're argument is CCL still gears things for adults like journey cruises.

 

I'm arguing that of course they do since most families can't cruise on journey cruises. They'd be sailing half empty ships.

 

Very weak argument. In order for an adults only experience on CCL all one has to do is take close to 2 weeks off and voila, mission accomplished.

 

Bill

If the argument is so weak then why are you agreeing? I don't get your beef with what I said. My point was that journeys cruises were in fact introduced to appeal to a more adult crowd. Same for the concert series. So to the OPs point, there are changes and things that evolve that appeal to both adults and families.

 

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[aufish1998]

I never paid attention to the aft pool anyways. I was always in the serenity area at the bow of the ship. Never had issues with children on the ship. Actually, I've had more issues with adults not being polite and waiting on people to walk out of an elevator, saying excuse me, blowing smoke in my face at a casino, being so drunk they can't even walk in a straight line, or not understanding there is a line at the buffet and not a let's jump in front of 20 people and just plead ignorance later. Just act like adults and keep your kids in line and you'll be fine. If you don't have kids or don't like them, then maybe Carnival isn't the right cruise line for you anymore? Don't try MSC either, because there are a million kids on those ships and you will lose your mind.

 

 

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Edited April 21, 2017 by aufish1998

[HillBilly Bob]

If parents believe they need to take their children to an amusement park, there are plenty of land based destinations. That being said, I am very selective on MY sailing dates which never include cruising during a "high holiday period". My primary date selections include week two or three in September, or the first week in January after children are most likely to be back in school....and the prices are less. We have seen children during those times, but more than likely, they are home schooled, well behaved and have manners they were taught from their parents. It is an oddity to see an eight year old boy in a suit and tie after all.

[sparks1093]

That doesn't mean they have given up on adults. But to MY point, out of curiosity I wanna know why they did it. I keep saying maybe those pools weren't being used much - hence the reason - but I don't know that for sure. Every serenity area should have a pool and hot tubs.

 

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That's my guess- they paid attention to how much use the aft pool area received over a period of time versus how much the other pool area was used and likely figured out that the other pool was always crowded while the aft pool was being underutilized. It's the only explanation that makes sense to me since there is no additional revenue involved.

 

OP, for quite sometime CCL has been branding itself as a family friendly cruise line and has done all they can do to attract families.

[Havingfun2010]

So many things have changed in my lifetime. At one point men worked 10 hours per day to put food on the table for their families, leaving them little time to be a Father or to have fun with their children. Women, who didn't work outside the home to make ends meet were slaves to their homes....no dishwashers, dryers, convenience foods, rapid cooking methods. Parents had children while they were little more than children themselves...no extra money for vacations as families. Vacations were reserved to that time in adult lives when children had gone, more money was available in the kitty...so things were geared to adults.

 

Well, I'm from a "normal" middle class family with 4 kids. My Father worked during the week but was always off on weekends. (which means, we had fun times on weekends, sports parks, and just fun things). My mother did not work. She spent a period of time at home, cleaning (but my father worked, so was this any different?). She also spent a good amount of time watching TV and soap operas. Ummmm. We walked to and from school. She cooked, but let's face it, the so called convenience foods are just a waste of money, and cooking really isn't that hard to accomplish. 45 minutes of planning and it's done. We also had washer and dryer, but I guess no dishwasher. So I wouldn't say, the mother was a slave in our home, but an important part of it, and definitely not working harder than my father as a truck driver.

 

Now, as we jump ahead 50 years...the advent of birth control allowed couples to have their families a bit later when they could, actually, afford them. Women can choose to work as they aren't slaves to full time cooking and cleaning. So, with that, has come the ability of families to vacation as families. To share activities and to give their children "time" (a precious gift).

 

Birth control, does allow some control, but even in the "old" days, it was a choice to have or not to have. Just it was more common to have more kids, and people wanted more kids. I don't believe, "affording" them is any different today than it was yesterday. I do believe, kids cost more today because, both parents work, so the cost of raising kids rise sharply. Stay at home Mom, means no day care cost, or baby sitting costs. So, when a women works, how does this save them time? The cleaning still needs to be done, and the kids still need help with homework. Sorry, but the two people working household, does not change anything, but it does add more work, and less free time to everyone. Also, most people "work" to have things they could not afford if they didn't work, but the important thing is the items people think they "need" are not "needs" but they are "wants". Such as new car, bigger house, phones, and a kitchen filled with fancy coffee makers. Most people work to buy stuff they don't need, while our parents just worked to provide for the family the necessary items.

 

 

Cruising, in today's world has become a family activity (not something reserved just for those who have reached a certain age and a certain financial position). Parents and grandparents choose to travel with their children and they want their offspring to enjoy a vacation that at one time was beyond the financial means of many. Carnival, it seems, has chosen to embrace that market and to create a life long patronage among those individuals....creating an ever growing number of passengers.

 

50 years ago, cruising was not really an option. However, my family, that is parents and all the kids, went on annual vacations. Now, I can't say the price of these vacations, but I'm pretty sure they weren't that cheap. Cruises, if you don't need to fly, are really a nice inexpensive way to have a vacation (the airlines make it out of reach). Most of my friends when growing up, also went on annual vacations. They all had stay at home moms.

 

Sure its a hard pill to swallow for people who like vacations that are geared to adults...but, since their are other lines under the Carnival umbrella that do cater to the "adult" set it seems to be a business decision that is working well for Carnival. I have acquaintances, all the time, who regale me with wonderful stories of their extended family cruises and how assorted siblings and cousins can't stop talking about the fun and enjoyment they had being together as a group and loving the ship and its activities and their ports of call. All at a price that many families can afford since its cheaper than a Disney adventure complete with hotels and transportation and food and amusement park fees.

 

There really are many choices for adults in the cruising world, not so many affordable options for families on a tighter budget. My hat is off to Carnival for filling that niche.

 

The thing about cruises, is that they are resorts, and not just a hotel. Resorts will cater to many different types of people where a hotel, is just that, a hotel. There are 3 main groups of people on a cruise. The young and wild crowd, the families, and the mature crowd. A ship, can cater to all three, thus, filling it with those groups. However, Carnival is eliminating the last group, the mature group, with the big money, and leaving it to the young wild group and families. Now, the families, don't want to be around drunken young people (Please don't say this isn't so, because Carnival actually needs to "limit" the amount of drinks, and they force everyone in staterooms to buy the drink package thus helping with the drunken crowd). And the drunken young crowd does not want to be bothered with the families.

So Carnival now has a direction. They have given up on the middle aged, older crowd, and want to create the party boats, and cheap family vacation. Good for them. It's just part of the downward spiral they embarked on years ago, and will continue.

[FruitStandaficionado]

I don't want to sound insensitive, but at the same time, Carnival charges full fare for kids just as they do adults. Kids pay the full amount for sodas, etc. There are no other perks other than the Dr. Seuss deal that I have seen many adults with no children enjoy, as well as, movies in the Imax theatre. Which again, children pay the full amount for. I agree that some parents fail to parent once aboard, which might be similar to how they parent on land. I guess Carnival figures that because of this and the inability to man the gates of the adult only pools it would be easier to open all pools to all cruisers. Just my thoughts.

 

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Actually, kids only pay the full fare if they are the first or second person in the room. They discount third , fourth and fifth passengers in a room. Typically they are the additional passengers in a room.

 

 

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