Chefs Table and youth

Are youth passengers allowed to experience the chefs table or is it reserved to 18+ or 21+? just wondering. hoping to treat our nephew to a future sailing and would love to experience the chefs table but would hate for him to feel excluded from anything. Just wondering if anyone has any experience personally. Please no "this is what the royal caribbean rule book says" or "this is what I heard from someone who heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend." Thanks an happy cruising to everyone!

there is zero discount for not consuming the wine pairings.

and unless he is used to eating 7 course meals as a matter of course, he will be bored out of his skull.

Spookwife, i never mentioned anything about a discount, and I didnt mention my nephew, his age or his interests. As far as anyone knows he could be the next Emeril Legasse or Guy Savoy. I was asking as to whether or not the permitted younger passengers to participate. Thank you however for providing two answers to two questions nobody asked.

They do allow "all ages" to participate.

I will tell you that many/most adults who are paying top dollar for the experience are NOT happy to see underage guests there.

It simply is no longer the same experience, no matter how well-mannered or interested the young person is.

They do allow "all ages" to participate.

 

I will tell you that many/most adults who are paying top dollar for the experience are NOT happy to see underage guests there.

 

It simply is no longer the same experience, no matter how well-mannered or interested the young person is.

yeap. at least once I know a couple walked out and demanded to be scheduled for another night or refunded when they discovered a child was also along.

I should mention that this couple deliberately sent their OWN child to AO that evening. so it's not like they hated kids.

it really does diminish the experience for the adults who are there to have a CHILD FREE higher end experience.

nobody cares that you claim he's well behaved, or a foodie or any number of justifications.

if Junior was say 16 there might be less of of an issue but it is NOT appropriate to bring anyone under that age no matter their interests or behavior is.

I hope that RCCL would publish and enforce a clearly stated rule that cruise guests below the age of 21 not be allowed to partake in the Chef's Table dining experience. I wouldn't consider bringing my 16-18 year old so I hope you understand too.

Good to know all ages are allowed to dine at the Chefs table for future reference. I didn't realize that. Knowing that we wouldn't ever book that venue. We don't care to dine with kids.

We have participated in several chef's table events. Only once were there any children, a girl about 16. Very nice family, but I felt sorry for the girl. I was uneasy about a young person being there, and it did affect my enjoyment of the evening. I think it changed the ambience of the entire special dinner.

Margee

Spookwife, i never mentioned anything about a discount, and I didnt mention my nephew, his age or his interests. As far as anyone knows he could be the next Emeril Legasse or Guy Savoy. I was asking as to whether or not the permitted younger passengers to participate. Thank you however for providing two answers to two questions nobody asked.

Perhaps it varies by ship, but my BFF who does not drink paid a reduced price (I think $20 less) without the wine pairings. DH and I have done Chef's Table several times and found that it ran 2 to 2-1/2 hours. I am unaware of any age restriction and personally would have no problem dining with a well behaved youngster. You are the only one who knows how adventurous your nephew's palette and how he would cope having dinner in an adult environment. I am sure you will make the appropriate decision. No flames from yours truly.

Thank you Janet for your kind response. You answered my concern directly and i appreciate that. Good seas and happy cruising Janet! And Happy Christmas as well!

The whole idea of a chef's table is a food-wine paring, so anyone under 21 is not going to get the full experience. While it's great that your nephew is interested in the experience, I would wait until they were 21 to invite someone to the chef's table.

The whole idea of a chef's table is a food-wine paring, so anyone under 21 is not going to get the full experience. While it's great that your nephew is interested in the experience, I would wait until they were 21 to invite someone to the chef's table.

I agree, Chef's Table really isn't for a minor, per se.

I think it is great that you are taking your nephew. When I was a kid, my parents would rarely take us out to dinner, but when they did, they would take us out to very fancy places. This allowed us to learn two things: 1) how to behave in an adult environment; and 2) how to appreciate good food. I think there are few better things you can do for a young person than to take them out to a fancy meal that they can appreciate and have good memories of. You can take them out to Cracker Barrel a hundred times, and they'll never have any memory of that garbage. Or you can take them out to a fine dining experience, and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. Don't listen to the haters.

I agree, Chef's Table really isn't for a minor, per se.

I agree that Per Se probably isn't for minors since it's about $400/per person.

I think it is great that you are taking your nephew. When I was a kid, my parents would rarely take us out to dinner, but when they did, they would take us out to very fancy places. This allowed us to learn two things: 1) how to behave in an adult environment; and 2) how to appreciate good food. I think there are few better things you can do for a young person than to take them out to a fancy meal that they can appreciate and have good memories of. You can take them out to Cracker Barrel a hundred times, and they'll never have any memory of that garbage. Or you can take them out to a fine dining experience, and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. Don't listen to the haters.

I totally agree with your comments. However the ship's chef table is quite wine intensive and watching adults getting half sloshed probably doesn't equate with the fine dining experience your folks provided.

I think it is great that you are taking your nephew. When I was a kid, my parents would rarely take us out to dinner, but when they did, they would take us out to very fancy places. This allowed us to learn two things: 1) how to behave in an adult environment; and 2) how to appreciate good food. I think there are few better things you can do for a young person than to take them out to a fancy meal that they can appreciate and have good memories of. You can take them out to Cracker Barrel a hundred times, and they'll never have any memory of that garbage. Or you can take them out to a fine dining experience, and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. Don't listen to the haters.

You are mixing apples and oranges.

I agree that taking children out for fine dining experiences is an excellent idea.

But that should be your own family's private table, in my opinion - not a table for 12 with 10 strangers.

:)

I agree that Per Se probably isn't for minors since it's about $400/per person.

Off topic but...Huh? $400p/p? I recall it was closer to $100 on Oasis.

Off topic but...Huh? $400p/p? I recall it was closer to $100 on Oasis.

Per Se is a "renowned" restaurant in NYC.

http://www.thomaskeller.com/per-se

Per Se is a "renowned" restaurant in NYC.

 

 

http://www.thomaskeller.com/per-se

Ahh...thanks!

Why is it when anyone has an opposing view they are always labeled as haters?

"Haters" might be too strong of a word, but the OP asked a simple question about RCCL's rules and regulations, and most of the respondents weighed in with their opinions that kids should never experience adult environments (or learn to appreciate good food). They didn't answer the OP's simple question.

Wondering if all those who think it's inappropriate for kids to go to Chef's Table also think that adults without kids should be banned from going to the Character Breakfast?

Why is it when anyone has an opposing view they are always labeled as haters?

because some people believe that anything that involves children is sacrosanct and can never be opposed.

"Haters" might be too strong of a word, but the OP asked a simple question about RCCL's rules and regulations, and most of the respondents weighed in with their opinions that kids should never experience adult environments (or learn to appreciate good food). They didn't answer the OP's simple question.

 

Wondering if all those who think it's inappropriate for kids to go to Chef's Table also think that adults without kids should be banned from going to the Character Breakfast?

BULL TWINKIES. who the hell said that children should never experience adult environments?! hell Carole herself heartily endorsed it, just NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER NON FAMILY ADULTS.

the proper way/place to teach kids how to behave in adult situations is at home. I do not want to be part of a teaching moment unless it is MY kid.

I've done the Chef's Table. Very, very few children would appreciate the experience or want to go through it. Some maybe, there are young foodies out there, but it is not an experience tailored for most kids.

Plus I'd never spend that cost of CT for a kid.

The last CT I was at a few of the adults got a bit sloppy after additional pours of wine. So consider the fact that a group of adults that you don't know, and can't control, WILL be drinking.