Kids on Board?

I'll be on an upcoming Mediterranean cruise on the Marina (next month). I'd imagine there would be fewer kids on this one than on a Norwegian cruise I took a couple of years ago.

Are we talking just a handful of likely encounters with them, or is it less probable we'll be around any? Thanks in advance.

That's hard to predict. You are more likely to find children on board (of all ages) when school is not in session, so next month -- depending on the length of the cruise as well -- you probably are not likely to see many. Around the Christmas and summer holidays (again depending on length of cruise and itinerary) is when they are more likely to be on board.

We have seem very few children on our Oceania cruises, which almost never take place in the summer time or at Christmas time either. Our cruises also tend to be at least 14 days in duration. The children we have encountered have always been beautifully behaved. But there have been some horror stories ...

When parents make sure their children behave, you don't hear of problems. When they leave their youngsters to their own devices, sometimes there are problems. Unfortunately, the Oceania ships aren't large enough to have real childrens' programs although I have sometimes heard that on cruises where a large number of children were on board, the crew got together and arranged something.

We did an October cruise in 2011 in the Med on Marina and I don't remember children so if they were on board, they were not in large number. I agree that NCL has far more children on board (in my very limited experience), but then again NCL also has an excellent childrens' program. When we did a TA on GEM in 2010 the only time we really saw the children was when they were swimming in the pool. That was usually because we were having lunch in the grill restaurant.

Mura

Parents, this is NOT an accusation that all children are monsters ...

Mura

Not sure if you are talking about next month being "Thanksgiving" or another time of the month. Oceania does not cater to children. We will be on Oceania on November 29th (for two weeks) and hopefully will not encounter any children on board. Children tend to sail on Oceania during Christmas vacation and during the summer only.

I am not anti-children. However, we have "been there - done that". After our children were out of the house we choose cruise lines with mostly adults. Most cruise lines (certainly NCL), cater to children. Oceania is more like a country club -- no special events for children. Although this may sound harsh, if you wish to travel with your children, I suggest sailing on NCL.

There may be a few children onboard for the most part they are well behaved

I would think most would be in school but that is no guarantee

You will not find hundreds like on the main stream lines but you may encounter a few

Most Med cruises are port intensive so you probably will be ashore most of the day if there are children you may not encounter them or you might

Are you trying to avoid them??

I think you will have a better chance of not seeing children on Oceania than on NCL if that is your objective

On our Christmas cruise, Oceania's Riviera had a children's program. I remember seeing a few very well behaved children and teenagers.

We are on Riviera now in the Med and have not seen any kids.

I can not tell from your question if you want to see kids or not. As said Oceania has no kids club or program except on a sailing that they call "Family Friendly". NCL is always a "Family Friendly" line so you will see a lot more kids on NCL at all times IMO. From my experience you will see few if any on O, and that is by design. I have come to believe that Oceania and most of their passenger's dislike children, and that is a disappointment to me!

You also have to remember the O ships carry less than 700 PAX & 1250 PAX

so the proportion of children will be less than NCL

On our 1 & only NCL cruise there were 700 children of all ages ...they did have several programs for them but they are not force to go

They were disruptive.. when in packs running the halls & no supervision at many times of the day & night :eek:

I have yet to see this behaviour on Oceania

Oceania does allow children they just do not have programs for them on a regular basis

You also have to remember the O ships carry less than 700 PAX & 1250 PAX

so the proportion of children will be less than NCL

 

On our 1 & only NCL cruise there were 700 children of all ages ...they did have several programs for them but they are not force to go

They were disruptive.. when in packs running the halls & no supervision at many times of the day & night :eek:

 

I have yet to see this behaviour on Oceania

 

Oceania does allow children they just do not have programs for them on a regular basis

Lyn,

what month and what kind of cruise were you on when you cruised NCL..I am cruising in October of 15 on a long TA so am hoping not a lot of kids..

Jancruz1

Dh & I find the longer cruises, 2 weeks or more tend to have less kids than shorter ones with the horrendous exceptions of summer holidays, Christmas and spring break. If your cruise line offers a teen program & you accidentally hit some variation on spring break, make sure you aren't on a direct path to their activity center. Their nocturnal meanderings will keep you awake!

We are parents, now grandparents & we are fairly immune to normal kid behaviour but we have noticed that on lines with daytime kiddie & teen programs that some parents prefer to get thru the holidays on a ship with daycare options. Parents who interact lots with their offspring tend to have terrific kids who are a delight anywhere, but who are really nice in the Lido & mdr at meals.

The well behaved are in the majority, but those who seem overwhelmed by parenting do make a cruise an endurance contest for everyone else.

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Lyn,

what month and what kind of cruise were you on when you cruised NCL..I am cruising in October of 15 on a long TA so am hoping not a lot of kids..

Jancruz1

Jan, my previous two cruises on NCL were in late September and October, when school is in session, in locations other than the Caribbean and on cruises longer than 7 days. As a result, the demographics were much like an Oceania cruise. Your October 2015 cruise, a 21 day repositioning cruise from Venice (on which we're joining you) meets that criteria perfectly, and I expect very few families with children.

When we took a New York to Quebec 10 day round trip on NCL Jewel in 2010, there were, according to the children's staff, 13 children on board. The previous cruise, from Miami to New York, had 400, and the Caribbean cruise prior to that, in late August, had 1300.

The message is clear -- avoid mass market ships on shorter cruises in popular locations on school vacations.

Jan, my previous two cruises on NCL were in late September and October, when school is in session, in locations other than the Caribbean and on cruises longer than 7 days. As a result, the demographics were much like an Oceania cruise. Your October 2015 cruise, a 21 day repositioning cruise from Venice (on which we're joining you) meets that criteria perfectly, and I expect very few families with children.

 

When we took a New York to Quebec 10 day round trip on NCL Jewel in 2010, there were, according to the children's staff, 13 children on board. The previous cruise, from Miami to New York, had 400, and the Caribbean cruise prior to that, in late August, had 1300.

 

The message is clear -- avoid mass market ships on shorter cruises in popular locations on school vacations.

Don, Im excited about cruising with you and Betsy again and chose a long TA in October for the very reasons you give..I seriously doubt we will run into a lot of kids..I havent been on a TA or NCL in a long time and am looking forward to relaxing days at sea and good entertainment

I plan to buy the dinner package which allows you to eat in a specialty dining room every night..which should eliminate waiting in line for dinner..

Hope you are getting excited about the WC..

Regards,

Jancruz1

Jan you are probably safe

We were on a 7 day in March did not even think of spring break (we have no kids)

Would rather spend the extra time & $$ for Oceania ;)

Enjoy your cruise

Lyn

Jan you are probably safe

We were on a 7 day in March did not even think of spring break (we have no kids)

 

Would rather spend the extra time & $$ for Oceania ;)

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

Lyn[/quote

 

I want to see what NCL has to offer and at the price and and amenities it is a great deal for 21 days..there is no bigger critic than I am so I will certainly give my opinion when I return..

Jancruz1

...I plan to buy the dinner package which allows you to eat in a specialty dining room every night..which should eliminate waiting in line for dinner..

Hope you are getting excited about the WC..

Regards,

Jancruz1

Jan, I don't plan to buy the dinner package, although it looks like a good deal for those who want the specialty spots every night. The reason is, I've had some of my best meals on NCL in the main dining room and it's been a great spot for spontaneous dining with the many friends we've made on board.

We are very excited about the WC, although it's been a year of effort to prepare for it. Just planning what to do in almost 90 ports has been a challenge, lots of arrangements had to be made, even though Oceania is handling the visas the various paperwork requirements were very challenging, and the budget plans involve sums we're not used to handling. Now just 83 days away, we're looking forward to getting aboard and just letting out a big sigh of relief!

We only have seen children on board Oceania when we have cruised in the summer months when there is no school in the U.S. All of them have been well behaved and have not affected our cruising experience at all.

Now just 83 days away, we're looking forward to getting aboard and just letting out a big sigh of relief!

Wow, so close and very exciting. Enjoy! :)

Jan and Don,

Our one recent NCL cruise was in April 2010, a TA, and there WERE a lot of children on that one -- youngsters, pre-teens and teens. It was NYC to Venice and I don't remember exactly but it probably had more children than usual for that kind of cruise because a vacation time from school. Either that or parents just took them out of school "for the experience".

It was also at the time the Iceland volcano was blowing its stack and we weren't sure if we'd be able to get home or not. The ship offered special discounts to current passengers who wanted to continue on for the next 7 days through the Greek islands. We figured we'd either do that or simply stay in Europe as long as necessary, but as it happened the Venice airport opened for service a day or two before we arrived and our reservations back to NYC were honored.

I don't remember those children on that cruise as being particularly disruptive, just numerous.

Mura

Now the we have retired from teaching we go on the cruises we could not take on academic schedule and most of the time do not see any children. Last year in August, we treated our daughters and families to Disney Cruise. THOUSANDS of kids and many being raised by very tolerant parents. We still had a blast -- our kids loved having other kids and our unit of 8 had things planned together and apart so everyone had some choices. Really great AND what we had planned for and expected and somewhat what we were paying the big bucks it costs to take that trip. With my kids and grandkids lots of kids seem like more fun than when it is the two old fuddy duddies.

One other time that we ran into more children that expected and "some" who had less manners than expected was on a cruise around Cape Horn. Feb. is the middle of summer vacation in Southern Hemisphere and there were many many children on board from Brazil and Argentina with huge family groups. It was easy enough to avoid most of interaction except pools and buffet restaurant and elevators. As bothersome as children were on several "big ship" cruises were many groups traveling together (often speaking a language other than English) and those adults and especially elders sitting all day in the upper restaurant and sort of making it their own lounge thus causing congestion and lack of table space. So I guess it is not only children that can get on your nerves.:p