Children at Chef's Table?

[John&LaLa]

This thread has been an interesting read.

 

Royal Caribbean have stated that children are allowed at Chef's Table. If you don't like the policy vote with your dollars and don't book it. They will soon change the policy if they can no longer fill the table.

 

I would not take my kids to Chef's Table, not because I think it should be adults only but because I don't think they would enjoy it and that would mean my husband and I would not have an enjoyable evening. My kids would much prefer to be at AO.

 

We are loyal to Royal. We were loyal to Royal before we had kids and continue to be loyal because it is a family oriented Cruise Line. They are very good at providing a great vacation to parents and children.

 

Our children eat with us at the MDR on MyTime dining. The waiters have always been very kind and entertaining and the kids love eating there.

We take our kids to see the shows at the theatre. We sit at the back in case it isn't appropriate and need to leave.

We take our children into the Diamond Lounge sometimes for breakfast and sometimes during happy hour. We love that Royal provides this perk to their loyal customers. The kids have always been welcome by the concierge and the bar staff. The bar staff always bring a glass of water and a lemonade before being asked.

 

I do find it frustrating that some people complain about kids in the lounges, at specialties restaurants, at their table in the MDR.... If children bother you that much then I would think a family cruise line is not for you. Why do you keep coming back to Royal?

 

Must be an Australia thing, under 18 are generally not allowed in the DL during happy hour. They are in the CL and maybe the SL, though

Edited June 14, 2016 by John&LaLa

[island lady]

I do not want to be at Chefs Table with a child.

 

If one were present we would quietly leave and ask for a refund.

 

And we would be right there headed to the door with you! ;)

Edited June 14, 2016 by island lady

[setsail]

CT is included with the Star Class restaurant choices:eek: I thought it would have been excluded:confused:

 

Indulge your taste buds with complimentary dining at every specialty restaurant onboard – including the suites-only Coastal Kitchen, serving a fusion of Mediterranean influences and California cuisine.

 

Must be an Australia thing, under 18 are generally not allowed in the DL during happy hour. They are in the CL and maybe the SL, though

 

We have seen children in the DL lots of times and at combined events when they move it to a big lounge, I would guess it all depends on the #'s onboard

[island lady]

I just think it's kind of weird to even WANT to take your child (or grandchild) to an event totally focused on adults drinking alcohol in conjunction with a multi course gourmet meal. The menu is not kid friendly. A major part of the evening is listening to the chef talk about each course. The wine is not kid friendly. An even more major part of the evening is devoted to listening to the sommelier talk about each wine and why and how it relates to the food. Of what interest is that to a kid? Even if none of the adults overindulge and act badly during the 3+ hours of Chef's Table dinner, I have to wonder what these people think their child could possibly gain from the experience. What purpose could it serve? Clearly the experience will not meet the child's needs. But apparently somehow it meets the parents' needs. Beats me!:confused:

Judy

 

Well put. :)

[island lady]

That is hilarious....

 

 

For the poster with the lovely 8-year-old, it's awesome that you have a wonderful kid, who is confident and gregarious enough to engage with those around her. She really sounds like an great kid!

 

But I think you took it too personally when people were saying they didn't want a kid at an adult-oriented venue. Because let's be honest -- upscale cuisine and free-flowing wine should not be part of any kid-oriented venue, right? It has NOTHING to do with your kid specifically, but with the fact that an entire table full of adults might have to adjust their plans to accommodate a little girl, as spectacular as she may be. (And I am not being snarky -- I was a preschool teacher! I love kids with that kind of ease around adults.)

 

But...remember the big table at Thanksgiving, when you were at the little table? It was special -- for 'grown ups' -- and you had to wait for your chance to make it to the "big league" and hang with the big dogs. I think teaching our kids to wait, and that some things SHOULD be for adults only, isn't disrespectful to your or any child. It IS showing respect for the ADULTS, who want to hang out and play with the big kids for their hard-earned and long-awaited vacation. :D

 

I would love to chat with your child in the MDR, at a specialty restaurant, at a cupcake class....but please keep in mind that WE need a place to go and play, too! I love my teen boys, and think they are wonderful, but until they can cough up $85 each they aren't coming to CT with me....and I feel pretty confident they wouldn't want to hang out with a bunch of old, mildly inebriated strangers eating tiny portions of strange food anyways.

 

Even better put!! Well said! :)

[island lady]

I rather eat with my young nieces and nephews who are well behaved than adults who can be obnoxious when drinking.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. ;)

[John&LaLa]

Indulge your taste buds with complimentary dining at every specialty restaurant onboard – including the suites-only Coastal Kitchen, serving a fusion of Mediterranean influences and California cuisine.

 

OK, but not really a restaurant, any confirmation of this from any of the Genie threads?

We have seen children in the DL lots of times and at combined events when they move it to a big lounge, I would guess it all depends on the #'s onboard

 

Not really the intent, though

 

 

From Cruizer2's Liberty review

[island lady]

When we did CT everyone was nice but one lady got SMASHED and became very drunken sailor obscene. I didn't particularly mind this, it was entertaining, but it did clearly make others uncomfortable, not least her husband. It was quite the show!

 

And is the reason some parents would particularly love to have their "snowflakes"

exposed to this type of behavior in an adult atmosphere with free flowing wine. ;)

[island lady]

like asking people to vacate seats. :D

 

LOL!! Excellent observation! :D

Edited June 14, 2016 by island lady

[setsail]

Not really the intent, though

 

 

Post 32 in this thread talks about the genie

[pattle66]

Must be an Australia thing, under 18 are generally not allowed in the DL during happy hour. They are in the CL and maybe the SL, though

 

We have been on Australian cruises and Med cruises where the kids were welcome at the DL. The signs in the post above were not on the door of the Diamond lounge on our cruises. If they were I wouldn't bring the kids.

 

There are some that say kids shouldn't be in the DL for happy hour because it is a bar. I can't get my head around that as a valid reason to exclude children. Most of the ship is a bar! The pool area is a bar. The windjammer has a bar. The centrum is a bar.

 

Sorry to the op for taking the thread off topic. Back to chef's table.....

[marci22]

It all comes down to Royal not being able to sell CT as an adults-only event. If they could, the 21 year age limit would still be in place.

 

I'm sure there are a lot of exceptional children who would do fine at CT, and I can really appreciate a well-behaved and exceptional child, but I would not want to sit next to one at an $85 wine pairing dinner.

 

I'm sure the parents are proud that their child can make conversation with the adults. And I'm sure the adults think it is somewhat cute. But really, no one wants to have an 8-11 year old dining companion next to them at a dinner like that. They are just being very polite.

[widallas]

It is always about money as it should be. They can't provide you a cruise for FREE. Why do some think they are entitled to something for nothing.

 

 

If I've paid $85 each for my husband and I to go I'd hardly call that nothing... The bigger picture is why would you want to bring little kids to an adult event? If I am going to an adult venue, it's because I don't want to take part in a family event. I could bring my kids with me to my book club, and my lunch with girlfriends, but I don't because I want to hang out with adults. BUT RCI doesn't want to be the bad guy (or potentially lose revenue) and say "adults only." As long as that door is open, there can be people who bring their kids.

 

Why? I have absolutely no idea...it's a few hours out of an entire family-friendly cruise to be adults and not just parents. I look forward to those moments on vacations, but some want to include their children.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[myfuzzy]

Slightly off topic, but similar. A few years ago on a sailing, I forget now which line, that guy from Home Improvement...played Benny, the guy in the hardware store, was booked for the theater. Big signs out side, even in the paper of the day....ADULTS ONLY show. Started 10 pm. We get there lights are up, get seated, what do we "observe" row of under 18's, right in the front row. I say, OH here we go! So the show starts, he comes out, scans the audience, see the "under 18's", which I actually probably would guess pre teens or younger. He say "Well, there goes my act..and improvised the whole show by trying to get his "point" across to the adults, while trying to mis lead the "under 18"s. My point...if the sign says "adults only" why would parents bring children to shows like that?

[marci22]

My point...if the sign says "adults only" why would parents bring children to shows like that?

 

They are stupid? They are entitled? They are stupidly entitled?

[luvscruising2007]

They are stupid? They are entitled? They are stupidly entitled?

 

All of the above!

[troykahack]

If I've paid $85 each for my husband and I to go I'd hardly call that nothing... The bigger picture is why would you want to bring little kids to an adult event? If I am going to an adult venue, it's because I don't want to take part in a family event. I could bring my kids with me to my book club, and my lunch with girlfriends, but I don't because I want to hang out with adults. BUT RCI doesn't want to be the bad guy (or potentially lose revenue) and say "adults only." As long as that door is open, there can be people who bring their kids.

 

Why? I have absolutely no idea...it's a few hours out of an entire family-friendly cruise to be adults and not just parents. I look forward to those moments on vacations, but some want to include their children.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

This was in reference too the remark that was made that is always about the money with RCCL, and as it should be. As a Stockholder, I fully expect RCCL to attempt to fill the seats and bring profitability .

 

Our CT only had 6 people at a 12 person event.

[myfuzzy]

This was in reference too the remark that was made that is always about the money with RCCL, and as it should be. As a Stockholder, I fully expect RCCL to attempt to fill the seats and bring profitability .

 

Our CT only had 6 people at a 12 person event.

 

Now to me this... thread is interesting (besides children). I never attempted to attend the CT because of the small amount of seats, I thought I would always be sold out.

[troykahack]

Now to me this... thread is interesting (besides children). I never attempted to attend the CT because of the small amount of seats, I thought I would always be sold out.

 

Actually, no. On my cruise, Majesty over Holiday, 6 Friday, full Saturday, 10 Sunday.

 

They will from time to time offer a discount for those seating's running short of patrons on board. Typically $75

 

It's a great experience, kids or no kids. Learn to enjoy yourselves regardless of situation.

 

Only issue I had, the menu doesn't change for about six months, we were told. The Chef becomes quite an expert with their meal. We would have been back the next night had they changed the menu. It was that good.

Edited June 14, 2016 by troykahack

[Don Pedro]

Must be an Australia thing, under 18 are generally not allowed in the DL during happy hour. They are in the CL and maybe the SL, though

 

John, I think that this policy has recently changed. For some time children have been allowed in the SL/CL during happy hour but not the D lounge. I recently got off the Liberty and now children are being allowed in both lounges. Don't know if this is fleet wide but suspect that it is

[ARCruisinNana]

John, I think that this policy has recently changed. For some time children have been allowed in the SL/CL during happy hour but not the D lounge. I recently got off the Liberty and now children are being allowed in both lounges. Don't know if this is fleet wide but suspect that it is

 

 

That is a change since March on Liberty. Children were not allowed in the Diamond Club on the March 20 sailing. My grandchildren are 8 and 9 (Diamond on their own, Diamond Plus via their mother) sat with us in Olive or Twist.

[foxgoodrich]

Now to me this... thread is interesting (besides children). I never attempted to attend the CT because of the small amount of seats, I thought I would always be sold out.

 

It looks like most (or some?) ships are doing CT on several nights now. That was the case on our recent Liberty cruise - I think there were 5 nights to choose from. There were no kids at our CT, just adults. On the night we went, there were 12 people, but I don't know about the other nights. (We've done CT on several ships and never had kids at the table.)

 

I still can't wrap my head around WHY you would want to bring a child to CT for a 3 hour wine pairing dinner! I'm trying to picture a child enjoying the food...like the sweet pea soup garnished with poached quail eggs or the braised short rib ravioli with green and liver sauce. There's no kid menu. Of the 6 courses served in our CT meal, there was only one (prime beef tenderloin with smoked mashed potato and morel sauce) that my grands would have eaten, other than the dessert course. So 2 courses out of 6 might have worked for my granddaughters. It would have taken about 2 hours of watching adults eat and drink wine to get the those last 2 courses that they would have eaten. I'm also trying to picture a child benefitting from the all the verbal information given by the chef and sommelier about each course and wine. My girls would have been bored senseless.

 

As a parent/grandparent/retired professional educator I would simply not inflict this experience on a child that I cared about. There is nothing about the CT experience that remotely meets the needs of a child in terms of socialization, nutrition, or activity. To take a child into an environment intended for adults is not only an imposition on the other adults (whose expectation is for an adult experience), it's detrimental to the child as it meets none of the child's needs and may expose the child to alcohol induced inappropriate adult behavior. It's a set-up for poor child behavior since the evening is focused on wine and a leisurely (lengthy!) adult dinner.

 

BUT...evidently there are people who disagree with me!:o I think a compromise could be reached by simply placing people who bring children at a completely separate table for the Chef's Table dinner. That way the adult table would be unaffected by the presence/distraction of children and the parents could focus on their own kids, enjoy their little darlings, manage behavior, and teach them all about wine and gourmet foods at their own table. It could be a win/win for everyone...except maybe for the Chef and the Sommelier!;)

Judy

Edited June 14, 2016 by foxgoodrich

[myfuzzy]

It looks like most (or some?) ships are doing CT on several nights now. That was the case on our recent Liberty cruise - I think there were 5 nights to choose from. There were no kids at our CT, just adults. On the night we went, there were 12 people, but I don't know about the other nights. (We've done CT on several ships and never had kids at the table.)

 

I still can't wrap my head around WHY you would want to bring a child to CT for a 3 hour wine pairing dinner! I'm trying to picture a child enjoying the food...like the sweet pea soup garnished with poached quail eggs or the braised short rib ravioli with green and liver sauce. There's no kid menu. Of the 6 courses served in our CT meal, there was only one (prime beef tenderloin with smoked mashed potato and morel sauce) that my grands would have eaten, other than the dessert course. So 2 courses out of 6 might have worked for my granddaughters. It would have taken about 2 hours of watching adults eat and drink wine to get the those last 2 courses that they would have eaten. I'm also trying to picture a child benefitting from the all the verbal information given by the chef and sommelier about each course and wine. My girls would have been bored senseless.

 

As a parent/grandparent/retired professional educator I would simply not inflict this experience on a child that I cared about. There is nothing about the CT experience that remotely meets the needs of a child in terms of socialization, nutrition, or activity. To take a child into an environment intended for adults is not only an imposition on the other adults (whose expectation is for an adult experience), it's detrimental to the child as it meets none of the child's needs and may expose the child to alcohol induced inappropriate adult behavior. It's a set-up for poor child behavior since the evening is focused on wine and a leisurely (lengthy!) adult dinner.

 

BUT...evidently there are people who disagree with me!:o I think a compromise could be reached by simply placing people who bring children at a completely separate table for the Chef's Table dinner. That way the adult table would be unaffected by the presence/distraction of children and the parents could focus on their own kids, enjoy their little darlings, manage behavior, and teach them all about wine and gourmet foods at their own table. It could be a win/win for everyone...except maybe for the Chef and the Sommelier!;)

Judy

 

You couldn't have said it better!

[brenderlou]

I have an extremely well behaved 11 yr old daughter. Dinner in the MDR has never been an issue but they can be long if you don't ask for a quicker meal.

Personally I wouldn't want my child at a wine pairing dinner that could go on for 3 hours. First it's just too long for a child to sit through and second this really is GEARED towards adults. Why not have her enjoy the kids club that night and have the experience without her?

Edited June 14, 2016 by brenderlou

[John&LaLa]

That is a change since March on Liberty. Children were not allowed in the Diamond Club on the March 20 sailing. My grandchildren are 8 and 9 (Diamond on their own, Diamond Plus via their mother) sat with us in Olive or Twist.

 

The picture I stole from Cruizer2 was Liberty in April