Kids and smokers on 14 nights Christmas/New Year Panama Canal on Statendam?

[KC from California]

We are considering to go on the 14 nights Panama Canal sailing from Dec 24 to Jan 7 on the Statendam. I have a couple of questions about this cruise.

(1) Given this is a longer cruise than the typical 7 days, will we see many kids on this sailing eventhough it is during the holidays?

(2) Can we anticipate more smokers on the Statendam (S) class ship than the Vista class ships, or is it the luck of the draw? We are sensitive to smoking and would really like to able to enjoy our balcony without the smoke coming from our neigbors.

[mechcc]

Smoking neighbors are the luck of the draw. There could be only 2 cabins on a whole ship that have smokers and you could have the bad luck of being right next to those 2 cabins.

Best bet to avoid smokers on a balcony is to book as far forward as possible and then pray that you don't have smokers next to you.

[CtheW0rld]

you'll be overrun with smoking children

[DougandEric]

Regardless of the ship, itinerary or time, smokers are the luck of the draw as others have said - much like running the gauntlet to get into a building - some days it's awful, other days there is no one.

As to children, we've never cruised during the holidays, but I *think* the possibility of more children is highly likely (much like spring break). Longer itineraries tend to have fewer children but over the holidays you could end up with lots.

[catl331]

On 10 cruises, I have only been bothered once by a smoker on the veranda. He was smoking a cigar and his wife made him smoke out on the veranda. There have been other times when I left the casino due to a smoker right next to me. One lady kept the cigarette to the far right, behind my back, so that her relatiaves wouldn't get the smoke!!! Barely puffed the blasted thing--just let it burn next to me.

[IRL_Joanie]

We are considering to go on the 14 nights Panama Canal sailing from Dec 24 to Jan 7 on the Statendam. I have a couple of questions about this cruise.

(1) Given this is a longer cruise than the typical 7 days, will we see many kids on this sailing eventhough it is during the holidays?

(2) Can we anticipate more smokers on the Statendam (S) class ship than the Vista class ships, or is it the luck of the draw? We are sensitive to smoking and would really like to able to enjoy our balcony without the smoke coming from our neigbors.

Just Pure Luck of the draw about kids/no kids, smokers/non smokers.

Have a wonderful cruise:)

Joanie

[Faith77]

I cruised on the Amsterdam through the PC last year over the holidays. I choose cruises over 12 nights hoping I won't be overwhelmed with kids. So far, on both HAL and Princess, I've been lucky.
Faith

[KC from California]

I cruised on the Amsterdam through the PC last year over the holidays. I choose cruises over 12 nights hoping I won't be overwhelmed with kids. So far, on both HAL and Princess, I've been lucky.
Faith

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope I will have the same luck as you on this sailing.

[mechcc]

Our first HAL cruise happen to be during spring break for that part of the country (and not our home state of Texas) and there were lots of children on board. Have to say they were very, very well behaved and we enjoyed watching them having fun and being excited. Maybe we have been lucky but have never had annoying children on a cruise. Encountering annoying adults is a different story.