Princess policy on children in cocktail Lounges?

[startedwithamouse]

40 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

First: The question was about lounges, which I interpret to be the Wheelhouse, Crooners, etc. The answer to that question is not in doubt.  Children are allowed in those venues to listen to music and drink the soft drinks that are included in whatever Package they may have.

 

Second:  The statement quoted above is not true, at least not true categorically.  Many children have beverage packages.  When my daughter was a minor, she always had the Soda and More Package complete with the reusable plastic cup.  Children can go to any bar, walk up or sit, and ask the bartender to fill their cup with a non-alcoholic beverage that comes with their package.  They (or their parent) has paid for that privilege.  I've never seen a bartender at the Mermaid's Tail at 2:00 p.m. say: "Here you go.  But you have to leave.  You can't drink that here."  I know of no such rule.  Now, would the result be the same at the Wheelhouse Bar at 11:00 p.m.?  I don't know.  In this latter scenario, I would think that common sense would prevail over rules. My minor child would not be hanging out on a Wheelhouse Bar barstool at 11:00 p.m. but not because the ship says so.   

[startedwithamouse]

3 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

43 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

First: The question was about lounges, which I interpret to be the Wheelhouse, Crooners, etc. The answer to that question is not in doubt.  Children are allowed in those venues to listen to music and drink the soft drinks that are included in whatever Package they may have.

 

Second:  The statement quoted above is not true, at least not true categorically.  Many children have beverage packages.  When my daughter was a minor, she always had the Soda and More Package complete with the reusable plastic cup.  Children can go to any bar, walk up or sit, and ask the bartender to fill their cup with a non-alcoholic beverage that comes with their package.  They (or their parent) has paid for that privilege.  I've never seen a bartender at the Mermaid's Tail at 2:00 p.m. say: "Here you go.  But you have to leave.  You can't drink that here."  I know of no such rule.  Now, would the result be the same at the Wheelhouse Bar at 11:00 p.m.?  I don't know.  In this latter scenario, I would think that common sense would prevail over rules. My minor child would not be hanging out on a Wheelhouse Bar barstool at 11:00 p.m. but not because the ship says so.   

Not sure how many years ago your experience was, but ours was this year, two different ships. 

 

They can get a drink, ours had the plus package, but couldn't be seated at the bar.  This was different bars, Crown Grill, Crooners and Take Five.  The verbiage was 'they can't stay seated at the bar' - response was, oh we know, we've got a table over there. 

 

Rules change. 

[JimmyVWine]

40 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

This was different bars, Crown Grill, Crooners and Take Five.

And at a poolside bar in the afternoon, you will get a different reaction.

[ChutChut]

19 hours ago, memoak said:

So when you hang out at the bar with your kid and I want to talk about sexual conquests you are ok with that ? 
They can sit at a table, go up to the bar to get a soda but please don’t let them hang out at the bar itself taking up drinkers spaces

Sexual conquests? What cruise line are you talking about? Most of the folks on my Princess cruises are older folks and they probably haven't had "conquests" for many, many years (no offense to older folks). If you go around spewing filth about your "conquests" in ship lounges, I'd rather sit next to  Shirley Temple-sipping kids....

[ChutChut]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

All I am saying is that I have never picked up someone at a table but have at bars on ship. No one else ever had a hookup on a ship especially in our younger years ?

Dude (I'm assuming you're one) - if you have to resort to "hooking" up on a ship and "picking" people up in lounges, kids ordering drinks aren't your biggest problem....

[NavyVeteran]

19 hours ago, memoak said:

So when you hang out at the bar with your kid and I want to talk about sexual conquests you are ok with that ? 
They can sit at a table, go up to the bar to get a soda but please don’t let them hang out at the bar itself taking up drinkers spaces

It is not appropriate to talk about your so-called sexual conquests in any public place, including a bar. I would like to hang out at a bar with DW without her having to hear about your sexual conquests.

I also don't know what you mean about "taking up drinkers spaces". A kid buying a soda is every bit as much of a customer of that bar as someone buying a whiskey.

[karatemom2]

This thread is so crazy. I've been cruising with Princess for years, many of those when my kids were little. They are all grown up now, but never frequented the bars by taking up barstool space - beyond maybe waiting briefly for their drink before returning to a table with our family. Try as I might, I can't recall ever seeing a gaggle of kids sitting at a bar where people were boozing it up. I don't think this is a real issue but a highly exaggerated scenario that holds no relation to any reality I have ever witnessed on a Princess cruise. And that includes being at a bar where someone is drunkenly talking about their "exploits". This is all much ado about nothing - and frankly kind of hilarious!!

[waltd]

Sounds like something you would hear on a Carnaval board.   We have been traveling more years then I want to admit and have never seen kids at the bars. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

And at a poolside bar in the afternoon, you will get a different reaction.

Ha, well, ours are usually in the pool or hot tubs watching MUTS.

[photomikey]

I've cruised with my daughter since she was less than a year, she's 14 now, we hang out in a lounge and listen to music regularly, it's never been a problem.

 

As noted previously here, I found the bartenders liked the kids more than anyone else and would goof around with them.

 

Also notable, the old fuddy duddy crowd here, voicing their dislike for anyone under age 65... They seem to exist entirely online. In 14 years I've never met one onboard. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by photomikey

[kstaffen]

My 2 cents:

 

I have only seen a few kids sitting at bars, and I've also seen them told they can sit there. But often, that depends on if the bar is crowded. In June on the Emerald, we sat at the bar in Wheelhouse every night. One night we came in at about 8 pm and their were 2 young girls sitting at the bar. Parents were sitting down. The bartender saw no seats, and told them they were not allowed to sit there. I suspect that it depends on the situation.  I often seen kids go up and order drinks though.  Unlike in many cases in the states, where you have to be of age to even go into the establishment, it doesn't seem to be an issue for kids to be in the lounges, they just aren't allowed to take up space sitting at the bar - normally.

 

That said, I honestly haven't seen many with parents/grandparents in any of the lounges, except for in Skywalker's during the Elite 'snack' time, and mostly, those families are sitting at tables. 

 

 

[Potstech]

If children can not go to a bar to get a soft drink where are they supposed to go to get one? It is not as if they are soda fountains or stores through out the ship for them to go to.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Potstech

[JimmyVWine]

37 minutes ago, Potstech said:

If children can not go to a bar to get a soft drink where are they supposed to go to get one? It is not as if they are soda fountains or stores through out the ship for them to go to.

I was going to say that now they can use Ocean Now to order remotely.  But if I do, I am sure that I will be told that children should not be allowed to do that because they will be taking up valuable delivery time from the servers who should be working on adult drinks to be delivered to people who want to talk about sexual conquests.  😎

[karatemom2]

42 minutes ago, Potstech said:

If children can not go to a bar to get a soft drink where are they supposed to go to get one? It is not as if they are soda fountains or stores through out the ship for them to go to.

 

I think it has been clearly established that children can go anywhere on the ship where drinks are being served with the exception of the casino to get a drink. The argument seems to be around whether kids can plant themselves at the bar and indulge in ribald conversation with drunks sharing their inappropriate tales of conquest - which is patently ridiculous on its face. Children do not habitually hang out on barstools on cruises and join in the adult patter. If they are at the bar, it is usually to order a drink and go. This conversation has gone off the rails. Kids are fine in lounges and they can get drinks at the bar - the end.

Edited October 5, 2023 by karatemom2

[Guest ldtr]

Currently on Island. Talked with several bartenders. According to them children can be in lounges with or without their parents. As long as they are old enough to go around the ship on their own. They can also sit at the bar. They are just limited in what they can order. Though  the bartenders said that they usually do not want to sit at the bar. Though they could if they wanted to.

[Potstech]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

I was going to say that now they can use Ocean Now to order remotely.  But if I do, I am sure that I will be told that children should not be allowed to do that because they will be taking up valuable delivery time from the servers who should be working on adult drinks to be delivered to people who want to talk about sexual conquests.  😎

Using Ocean now costs 14.99 for the first use. That is per child.  Then there is the wait for delivery. Why pay it when there are several places to just walk up and get their drink

[Steelers36]

On 10/4/2023 at 4:09 PM, memoak said:

All I am saying is that I have never picked up someone at a table but have at bars on ship. No one else ever had a hookup on a ship especially in our younger years ?