They are REALLY pushing Kids Sail Free. Too Bad.

[MarLieb]

We just sailed on Summit over Christmas week 2018 for the very first time.  My son is now 11 and he really cannot handle the sensory-overload of the more so-called "kid-friendly" cruise lines.  We did our last DCL cruise in March of last year and he didn't even want to go to the kids club anymore.  We also sailed on the Paul Gauguin two years ago where he was, literally, one of perhaps 5 children on the ship and he LOVED it (their kids' program is truly amazing).  After a ton of research into quieter, more sophisticated lines, we decided to give Celebrity a try last year and it really worked well for us.  Even over Christmas week, the ship did not feel overrun by children.  My son loved the kids club program and loved playing on the sports deck where he played basketball with people from all over the world.  We also loved the fact that we could actually swim in a quiet, uncrowded pool, unlike the "kids soup" you find on DCL.  We stayed in a RS and ate in Luminae most nights where, one evening, a fellow diner actually stopped me on the way out to comment on how well-behaved and well-mannered our son was.  We discovered, as long as there were a few kids his age, a basketball court and a pool, our son was happy.  He doesn't need, nor does he want the bells and whistles of, say, a RCCL ship.  Thank goodness, because I don't want to sail on RCCL either!  I am just writing this to point out there are actually children who enjoy a quieter, more relaxed experience than a DCL, NCL, RCCL cruise.  I'm thankful Celebrity allows children on their ships because the experience really suits our vacation style and, I promise, my son will not ruin anyone's dinner or pool time.  

[hcat]

We have found that the policy of X permitting young children in the  outdoor hot tubs..sometimes in their  swim diapers is a bit off putting. 

 

When the reg pool water is chilly  the kids take over hotubs ..using them as heated  kiddy pools. Seems to be okay with X.

 

Some ships have or had spray areas on the pool deck ,  but these are often covered  over with lounge chairs and are not seen in use frequently  if at all. The kiddie pools are long gone...not sure why...so kids are in the general rec pools.

 

If X wants kids on board, they may want to make a few more areas that are kid friendly  apart from gen spaces..

[Tapi]

22 minutes ago, hcat said:

We have found that the policy of X permitting young children in the  outdoor hot tubs..sometimes in their  swim diapers is a bit off putting. 

 

Was it anything like this? This was the scene, literally from opening to closing time, every single day on our last cruise about a month ago aboard a “family friendlier” cruise line. Needless to say, we didn’t used the hot tubs once during that cruise. 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by Tapi

[cgolf1]

Being new to the Celebrity board over the last year, I am seeing a pretty strong reaction to the changes they are making. In my reading it started and has continued with the beat down the Edge is taking on these boards. Having sailed the Edge, we absolutely loved it, but could see where some people would not enjoy it. 

 

It seems that Celebrity has more aggressively started targeting younger families, which my wife and I are all for. As I said before they are making this change knowing that they will lose some loyal cruisers. I can empathize though with some folks who feel they are being pushed out. Disney made some changes that ultimately pushed us to other lines even though we were at Disney’s highest loyalty tier. The good news for us is the change was good and we found two new lines we really like. If some do move on I hope you have as good as luck as we did finding an alternative. 

 

 

[deliver42]

I sure hope the OP was never a kid. He would've been banned like he wants every kid to be. Maybe he's talking about how he behaved, and doesn't want a repeat.

[hcat]

54 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Was it anything like this? This was the scene, literally from opening to closing time, every single day on our last cruise about a month ago aboard a “family friendlier” cruise line. Needless to say, we didn’t used the hot tubs once during that cruise. 

 

 

YIKES!

[twodjs]

cgolf1- similar to your Disney experience, we are at the Elite plus level on Celebrity. Going to Edge in a week and a half with eyes wide open. Really think we will also love it. Have one more Celebrity cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver at the end of April. Don't think either is affected by the "kids cruise free" offer. However, going forward, if this KCF is an aggressive marketing trend, as you suggest, we'd move on. Just does not fit with our idea of a happy place. But have already been on Viking and have another one booked, as well as a back-to-back on Virgin (how's that for a completely different vision of a happy place, drag queen brunch and all!). Perhaps that is how life is meant to work. We've enjoyed the ride. Now there will be room on Celebrity for a couple more ☺

[cgolf1]

6 minutes ago, twodjs said:

cgolf1- similar to your Disney experience, we are at the Elite plus level on Celebrity. Going to Edge in a week and a half with eyes wide open. Really think we will also love it. Have one more Celebrity cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver at the end of April. Don't think either is affected by the "kids cruise free" offer. However, going forward, if this KCF is an aggressive marketing trend, as you suggest, we'd move on. Just does not fit with our idea of a happy place. But have already been on Viking and have another one booked, as well as a back-to-back on Virgin (how's that for a completely different vision of a happy place, drag queen brunch and all!). Perhaps that is how life is meant to work. We've enjoyed the ride. Now there will be room on Celebrity for a couple more ☺

 

Enjoy your cruise on the Edge, it is a beautiful ship and has lots of small details built in that make it unique. It sounds like there are more activities being added all the time and there seems to be something for everyone:) 

 

Haven’t looked into Virgin cruises other than seeing some pictures, but what I saw looks unique. Happy cruising and you never know you may end back up on Celebrity in the future, and we may end back up on Disney too, life is a crazy ride sometimes:)

 

 

[mayleeman]

Seems, based on many visits to venues serving alcohol, that I remember immeasurably more times that my enjoyment was threatened by adults acting childishly than by kids not acting like genteel adults.

[MizDemeanor]

3 hours ago, Tapi said:

Was it anything like this? This was the scene, literally from opening to closing time, every single day on our last cruise about a month ago aboard a “family friendlier” cruise line. Needless to say, we didn’t used the hot tubs once during that cruise. 

 

 

Have you sailed on Celebrity....I am seeing none in your signature cruise history. Would I be correct then in thinking No Celebrity Cruises for you? An then these photos might be a bit....what shall we call them....?

[Tapi]

7 minutes ago, MizDemeanor said:

 

Have you sailed on Celebrity....I am seeing none in your signature cruise history. Would I be correct then in thinking No Celebrity Cruises for you? An then these photos might be a bit....what shall we call them....?

No Celebrity so far (unless you count Celebrity's predecessor, Chandris). Celebrity is VERY high on my interest list, and I'm constantly checking their itineraries and pricing. Unfortunately, I haven't found the ship/itinerary/date combination to make me pull the trigger. Hopefully, it won't be long! Based on everything that I read, I have a feeling that Celebrity may be a great match for me.

[Redtravel]

Hope that kids sail free has a limited time. The promo may attract more kids. It will also make many potential cruisers find another cruise line. 

[crusinthrough]

4 hours ago, Tapi said:

Was it anything like this? This was the scene, literally from opening to closing time, every single day on our last cruise about a month ago aboard a “family friendlier” cruise line. Needless to say, we didn’t used the hot tubs once during that cruise. 

 

 

 

I'm not following.  Is your issue that there was no room for you to get in the hot tub or the hot tub was filled with kids?  If it is the former it could be the same but with adults.  Maybe the ship did not have enough hot tubs to accommodate the number of guests.  If it is the latter someone paid for the kids to go on the cruise so they are entitled to be in the hot tub just like anyone who paid.  

 

 

[crusinthrough]

Celebrity is not only offering the kids sail free promotion but also promoting kids in speciality restaurants.

[MizDemeanor]

I think that they are promoting a Family Friendly experience to attract Families. 

Edited March 15, 2019 by MizDemeanor

[morfred]

Sorry but... More kids means that I will find another cruise line. On vacation I want to be around adults. If that is not possible I have other choices. I have been cruising Celebrity since Horizon, Mercury, etc. 3 to 4 times a years and I/we enjoy the adult atmosphere. If that changes , so will we. As I said, we all have choices.

 

[bEwAbG]

Celebrity's outdoor hot tubs are already usually filled with kids all day, every day.  I don't necessarily agree with the sentiment that they're entitled to hog them all day because they're paying customers, too, since they're preventing other people from using them.  You would get daggers shot at you by their parents if you were to attempt to join them.

[crusinthrough]

3 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

Celebrity's outdoor hot tubs are already usually filled with kids all day, every day.  I don't necessarily agree with the sentiment that they're entitled to hog them all day because they're paying customers, too, since they're preventing other people from using them.  You would get daggers shot at you by their parents if you were to attempt to join them.

 

I didn't say they are entitled to hog the hot tubs. I said they are entitled to be in the hot tub as any other paying customer.  The misconception tends to be that kids should be in the kids club and not in "adult" areas.  However, as unpopular as it may be kids can be anywhere they want on a ship the same as adults can be anywhere they want.  Unfortunately, this may be in a hot tub.  

 

 

[phxbne]

We have sailed X 4 times with our now 13 year old. We have also sailed Crystal with her 3 times. I mention that because one of our Crystal cruises was over the summer and had KSF. Ship capacity was about 1000 - around 60 kids on board, 5-10 of whom were senior crew members children. As others have pointed out, I am guessing that was because some combo of price/itinerary/amenities did not appeal to many families. 

 

Celebrity has kids clubs for at least 8 years that I am aware of - any cruise line that offers a kids club, I expect kids to be on board (crystal does too, which is why we even considered cruising with them). So I view the promotion and marketing pics as a gradual shift, not a dramatic one.

[ldubs]

On 3/13/2019 at 7:04 AM, Dreamcruise27 said:

 

I'm sorry, but I don't understand your need to point out that the parents were "Asian"

 

 

OMG, and they probably had selfie sticks too.  That will definitely ruin vacations.  

Edited March 15, 2019 by ldubs

[florisdekort]

On 3/14/2019 at 1:04 AM, Dreamcruise27 said:

 

I'm sorry, but I don't understand your need to point out that the parents were "Asian"

 

 

Threads like these always bring out the worst in people. Funny thing is some don’t even realise how racist or intolerant they are. Asians are bad, Puerto Ricans are bad, young people can’t be in the hot tub because... because what? I don’t even know.

 

I think I’ll take a photo of 8 old people in a hot tub on my next cruise and post it here with some derogatory comments like “clearly we didn’t use it all cruise” - see what happens.

 

And oh - typing “lol” or a smiley behind an insult doesn’t make it OK or funny. Just saying. 

 

 

[hcat]

6 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

I didn't say they are entitled to hog the hot tubs. I said they are entitled to be in the hot tub as any other paying customer.  The misconception tends to be that kids should be in the kids club and not in "adult" areas.  However, as unpopular as it may be kids can be anywhere they want on a ship the same as adults can be anywhere they want.  Unfortunately, this may be in a hot tub.  

 

 

Hot tubs are not rec for young children from a health standpoint ( hi  water temp)  but the parents must decide unless X makes an age limit.  Having children use them as all day  kiddie pools makes them unusable for others.

 

The high martini glass ones on EDGE may attract fewer children.  If X wants more children they  should make kid friendly areas with a pool and sprays,.....like they used to have!

 

Children are not  permitted in the Solarium so those hot tubs are available to adults,

 

 

Edited March 15, 2019 by hcat

[Tapi]

7 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

I'm not following.  Is your issue that there was no room for you to get in the hot tub or the hot tub was filled with kids?  If it is the former it could be the same but with adults.  Maybe the ship did not have enough hot tubs to accommodate the number of guests.  If it is the latter someone paid for the kids to go on the cruise so they are entitled to be in the hot tub just like anyone who paid.  

 

 

I sailed on that cruise with my 7 and 9 year old children, so needless to say, I don’t have an issue with children. 

 

What I do have an issue with is with the lack of consideration for other fellow passengers, regardless of age. In theory, hot tubs are created for people to sit in for a limited amount of time and move on (many post a time and age limit due to health risks). They are not for people to turn into their (or their kids) personal playground, or their private swim-up bar for hours and hours without consideration for others.

 

If no one isn’t waiting to use it, stay as long as you want. If your kids want to use it, supervise it. But if you see others waiting to use it, show some consideration. If you’re the parent, either be with your children or in close proximity. It’s really not a lot to ask. 

 

You’re most likely right and the ship didn't have enough hot tubs. There were two on this pool deck on a ship with a capacity of over 2,000 passengers. But that, in my humble opinion, is an even bigger reason to become even more considerate of other fellow passengers, limit your time, and allow others to enjoy the facilities. This goes for both adults and children. 

 

But I also understand that we live in a society where people feel very entitled. “I paid to come on this cruise, so I’m entitled to take over this hot tub”. I’m really not that surprised.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Tapi

[mafig]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

 

 

Children are not  permitted in the Solarium so those hot tubs are available to adults,

 

 

Our first Celebrity cruise was on Summit in 2003.  It was in October.  For some reason there were a lot of children on this cruise, most of them European.  I point this out only because they and their parents did not seem to understand English.

 

DH and I were in the Solarium and a French man and his children were playing in the pool.  Several passengers went to him to tell him it was adults only but he did not seem to understand.  You could tell that the people in the lounge chairs were steaming.  My dh asked me why everyone looked so angry.  I told him it was because there were children in the pool.  

By the end of the cruise, when those glass doors opened up to the solarium you could hear the shrieks of the children.  They had taken over the Solarium.  

 

We were in the hot tub on one cruise where a young girl came into the hot tub  to soak her bloody toe …. that's where her mother had sent her.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2019 by mafig

[wpgcycler]

More "fun" than a tipping thread!