Solarium now 18+

[RD64]

4 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Random thoughts: 

- Thing is, "Boot out the obnoxious people" isn't measurable, and the crew is afraid of enforcing rules that aren't solidly black and white.  Playing your music so it can be heard 3-4 seats over vs. playing your music so loudly it can be heard across the pool vs. playing your music loudly at 7:00 am when practically no one is present.  These are fuzzy lines.  Harder to enforce.  

- Age is a relatively good measurement of decent behavior -- for most people. 

On my last cruise, chair hogs were not much of a problem!  It was great!  

Agree that the small number of 16-17 year olds isn't going to make a difference in crowding. 

I agree with giving up your seat to an elderly (or infirm) person on a bus ... maybe some other venues.  Being able-bodied, I also hold doors and otherwise am helpful to those who need it.  

But I don't think it's reasonable to give up your lounger by the pool.  I get up early and claim my spot and stay in it half the day, and I'm not giving it up to someone who slept in just because they happen to be older.  

That's a visual!  

What is a small number 5? 10? 25? If this is considered an adult area, should those 5? 10? 25? Be allowed to use the space - at the expense of adult passengers - because their parents feel that their children are wonderful and the rules should be ignored?

Edited October 5, 2023 by RD64
Spelling

[Ret MP]

7 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I agree with giving up your seat to an elderly (or infirm) person on a bus ... maybe some other venues.  Being able-bodied, I also hold doors and otherwise am helpful to those who need it.  

But I don't think it's reasonable to give up your lounger by the pool.  I get up early and claim my spot and stay in it half the day, and I'm not giving it up to someone who slept in just because they happen to be older.  

That's a visual!  

Well, if you think that the reason for getting to the Solarium late is because they are too old to get up early, I'm sorry you feel that way.  It's kind of an overgeneralization, don't you think?  And you have no idea why anyone arrives late to anything.  And, I'm not talking about YOU, I'm talking about the young, the impressionable, the folks who need to be taught manners.  It's obvious that it's too late for some of us.    

[Ret MP]

12 minutes ago, RD64 said:

What is a small number 5? 10? 25? If this is considered an adult area, should those 5? 10? 25? Be allowed to use the space - at the expense of adult passengers - because their parents feel that their children are wonderful and the rules should be ignored?

100%.  

 

I mean, doesn't it only take ONE!

[BND]

1 hour ago, Billy Baltic said:

I have no issue with the solarium being 18+. Personally, I’d prefer if RC focused on making it a quieter, relaxing place but I guess I’ll stick to a balcony for that. 
 

What I find funny is people being disgusted at children being in the Schooner Bar or generally on “dance floors, bars ,lounges, clubs”. That’s trying to change RC from a family friendly ship with adult spaces to an adult oriented ship with kids relegated to a small number of places. 

They do usually put a statement in the compass that children not be on the dance floor when dance music is being played in the evenings.  There have been several instances of children getting underfoot and adults tripping over them.  Children do not "dance" in their own space.  They are all over the floor and usually running around particularly those under 6 or 7 yr olds.    CD on EN last year told us it's a real problem and that's why he puts it in the compass.

 

And, it's not about making it an adult only/oriented ship.  It's about not every place onboard is appropriate for children.  Do children really need to be in a bar?  Or is it because mommy and daddy want to sit at the bar and drink?  And, yes, I've seen somewhat drunk adults with their children with them acting like they've got no responsibilities.  Obviously this isn't all, but there have been some on every cruise we've been on.

Edited October 5, 2023 by BND

[lovesthebeach2]

4 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

Exactly.  They are allowed to be there. Last year on Wonder my kids loved the band in the Mason Jar. They would sit with me at the bar, having an OJ enjoying the music.

I think people on CC keep forgetting the core demographic that RC are targeting. There are other cruise lines for people who want an adults only experience. RC know who will still be in a position to provide revenue in 30 - 40+ years time. 

I agree there’s no rule that children can’t be sitting at the bar. I personally would have never taken my children to a bar and have them sit AT the bar, (actually I never went to bars) but a bar on a cruise ship isn’t the same as a land based bar…usually…and if it’s not later when some adults have had a few too many. And although the crew can’t do anything, I’m sure they would rather have an adult sitting there ordering drinks that they get tipped for, than children coloring with them getting no 18% tips.

 

EDIT to add, children sitting IN a bar is perfectly fine IMO, but if I had small ones and adults were getting to rowdy, I wouldn’t want them to see that.

Edited October 5, 2023 by lovesthebeach2

[Mum2Mercury]

5 hours ago, RD64 said:

What is a small number 5? 10? 25? If this is considered an adult area, should those 5? 10? 25? Be allowed to use the space - at the expense of adult passengers - because their parents feel that their children are wonderful and the rules should be ignored?

I don't think you read what I actually wrote.  My point was that -- realistically -- this rule isn't going to change the population in the Solarium much, as not many 16-17 year olds were in the adult pool area in the first place.  

4 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Well, if you think that the reason for getting to the Solarium late is because they are too old to get up early, I'm sorry you feel that way.  It's kind of an overgeneralization, don't you think?  And you have no idea why anyone arrives late to anything.  And, I'm not talking about YOU, I'm talking about the young, the impressionable, the folks who need to be taught manners.  It's obvious that it's too late for some of us.    

Why they arrive later than me is irrelevant.  The point is that it's not reasonable to expect a younger person to give up their pool lounger for their elders in the same way they might give up a bus seat.  

4 hours ago, BND said:

Do children really need to be in a bar?  Or is it because mommy and daddy want to sit at the bar and drink? 

Having been a child who was frequently taken to bars (by a father who then drove me home under the infuence), I assure you, it's not much fun for the kids.  

[Ocean Boy]

30 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

 

Having been a child who was frequently taken to bars (by a father who then drove me home under the infuence), I assure you, it's not much fun for the kids.  

Hence, the crayons and coloring books.

[bretts173]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Hence, the crayons and coloring books.

The problem is that the definition of kids is such a broad age range and maturity level when it comes to these things. 

 

My now 13 and 15 year Olds love nothing better than sitting at the Schooner Bar (never the actual bar top though) and playing any of the the trivia games on there and have for 4 or 5 years. They are never bored and are always respectful. However they have friends of the same age that would be bored after 2 minutes and wood need to get up and run around.

[Ret MP]

4 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Why they arrive later than me is irrelevant.  The point is that it's not reasonable to expect a younger person to give up their pool lounger for their elders in the same way they might give up a bus seat.

If it's irrelevant, why did you say it/use it?

 

And once again, I'm sorry you feel that way, no matter what shape you make that pretzel.  I can tell you that if I see an elderly person, with issues or really really old, physically, I'll give up my seat/lounge no matter what the intended use of the thing is.  The Solarium is not a place, as far as I'm concerned, where I leave my humanity and compassion for others, behind.    

[Charles4515]

9 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

14 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

 

I agree there’s no rule that children can’t be sitting at the bar.

No written but children sitting at the bar taking up space with crayons and coloring books, the mother is rude and self centered. The bar is there for drinking. One thing about rules. You can’t anticipate everything people will do that is wrong and write a rule. Many rules are unwritten. 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Charles4515

[Tree_skier]

In the Bamboo room on Navigator on my last cruise a couple came and took up the last three seats at the bar.  One for each of them and they set their car seat carrier thing with their baby in it next to me.  They proceeded to down shots.  We actually hadn't left port on embarkation day.  I should have called CPS.

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

In the Bamboo room on Navigator on my last cruise a couple came and took up the last three seats at the bar.  One for each of them and they set their car seat carrier thing with their baby in it next to me.  They proceeded to down shots.  We actually hadn't left port on embarkation day.  I should have called CPS.

I saw a woman nursing a baby while drinking a cocktail. 

[BND]

35 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I saw a woman nursing a baby while drinking a cocktail. 

You can't fix stupid.

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, BND said:

You can't fix stupid.

She told me her doctor said one drink was okay. All I could do was roll my eyes. 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

No written but children sitting at the bar taking up space with crayons and coloring books, the mother is rude and self centered. The bar is there for drinking. One thing about rules. You can’t anticipate everything people will do that is wrong and write a rule. Many rules are unwritten. 

Yesssssssss.  It's also called common sense, the premise of the space, and the appropriateness.  I actually don't have a problem with Mon and Dad having a glass of wine or a beer with their, at least, middle-teen teenager(s) sitting at a table, not the bar.

[vegascruiser1]

We just got off the Grandeur today and it was changed to the 18+. I did notice that a lifeguard did ask two girls to leave the Solarium, they did look young. They left with no problem. Another lifeguard did talk to a mother and her daughter, they didn’t leave. I am going to assume she was 18, from a distance she did look young.

[BND]

10 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

She told me her doctor said one drink was okay. All I could do was roll my eyes. 

What is recommended is if you have a drink, that you pump and dump so the next feeding isn't impacted.  I'm sure that's what her Dr. meant, not feeding while drinking, sigh.

[BND]

8 hours ago, vegascruiser1 said:

We just got off the Grandeur today and it was changed to the 18+. I did notice that a lifeguard did ask two girls to leave the Solarium, they did look young. They left with no problem. Another lifeguard did talk to a mother and her daughter, they didn’t leave. I am going to assume she was 18, from a distance she did look young.

If you saw me when I was 18, you'd probably would have thought I was younger.   Of course, there are 13 year olds that look 18 too.  

[2chiefs]

On 9/26/2023 at 3:55 PM, ShillyShally said:

Interesting, I always felt badly for the teens who wanted a quiet area as the solarium never seems to get rowdy (why we stay there) but I can also appreciate the age restriction and want to keep it quiet.  I expect it will be as usual, they won't monitor it unless someone is making it obvious or acting up. 

Don't the teens have "The Living Room" which was designed for that purpose?

 

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, 2chiefs said:

Don't the teens have "The Living Room" which was designed for that purpose?

 

They do have that area, but knowing teens, I doubt that area is quiet.  🙂  My guess is it's either empty and "dead" or full and loud.

[BND]

12 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

They do have that area, but knowing teens, I doubt that area is quiet.  🙂  My guess is it's either empty and "dead" or full and loud.

But, the point is, they do have a space.

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, BND said:

But, the point is, they do have a space.

Yeah, they have plenty of other areas on the ship. I have no problem with the 18 year old requirement in the solarium area. I also did not have a problem with it being 16 as long as the kids were not obnoxious.  
 

The only thing that ever has bothered me about kids on the ship is when they are running through the halls and stairs, or fill an elevator just going up and down acting like it’s their own private hang out.  I guess the other one is when they fill up hot tubs at night and just hang there for an hour or more when others would like to use it.

[BND]

33 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Yeah, they have plenty of other areas on the ship. I have no problem with the 18 year old requirement in the solarium area. I also did not have a problem with it being 16 as long as the kids were not obnoxious.  
 

The only thing that ever has bothered me about kids on the ship is when they are running through the halls and stairs, or fill an elevator just going up and down acting like it’s their own private hang out.  I guess the other one is when they fill up hot tubs at night and just hang there for an hour or more when others would like to use it.

I've actually stopped a couple of boys who were running around corners and up and down stairs and told them to stop before they knocked someone over.  Hot tubs when we first started cruising were for 16 and over.  Kids treat them as swimming pools (and parents let them) which they are  not.  

[Charles4515]

4 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Yeah, they have plenty of other areas on the ship. I have no problem with the 18 year old requirement in the solarium area. I also did not have a problem with it being 16 as long as the kids were not obnoxious.  
 

The only thing that ever has bothered me about kids on the ship is when they are running through the halls and stairs, or fill an elevator just going up and down acting like it’s their own private hang out.  I guess the other one is when they fill up hot tubs at night and just hang there for an hour or more when others would like to use it.

I have been on sailings where kids ran down the hallway knocking on all the doors. One sailing some kids went down the halls and removed the breakfast room service request cards from the cabin doors. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Interesting. Until reading this thread, I didn't realize that bars on RCCL didn't convert to 18+ after a certain time.

 

On Disney, they're 18+ after either 8 or 9pm.