The (not my) call for Celeb to go Adults only - is it even practical?

[zitsky]

8 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

It's not a drive by. Someone posted it on another site. Since the rules here are strict about linking or mentioning other sites, I don't know any other way to present it. But hey, I can't make you opine on the question posed. Odd one would choose to participate at all - isn't this a waste of your time? 

You might be right.  A friend of a friend’s mother told me that this thread is a waste of time.

[Gatordad1967]

4 hours ago, hawkesbaynz said:

@Gatordad1967 Virgin are offfering their third opportunity to book a weeks cruise this Summer for 115,000 virgin points. Mainly Med. But Carib. too. I am wondering if that is a reflection of how well they are selling the cruises for cash.  Is the Adult Only concept working for them? 
 

There is a small cruise line in the UK called Saga which are offer over 50s cruises. The new small ships look great and itineraries good too. However Saga is a brand historically synonymous with old folks holidays and my 62 yr old wife will not countenance giving them a try. My friends elderly mother had a great cruise with them in a solo room of which they have many. 
 

We love Celebrity and rarely see children causing an issue. Never travel during school holidays. The Retreat obsession with X is irksome tho.
 

What really annoys me is travelling Business Class and having a noisy child adjacent to me. All that cash for a comfortable flight spoilt by crying and tantrums. 

Not sure.  I want to try out one of their 3 nighters...... just to see.  Because it is truly all inclusive, the higher price may be scaring off people.  Hopefully the concept stays, as I like the idea.

 

[RichYak]

9 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Since the rules here are strict about linking or mentioning other sites, I don't know any other way to present it.

You're correct about linking, and you can't mention travel agent names, but I don't think there's any rule against saying "the idea was floated by someone in a Facebook group" if that's what you're referring to. I guess I'll find out if my post gets deleted.

[Whinenowine]

10 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

 I think if Celebrity had 1/3 the number of ships as they have now, or significantly smaller ships and could command 30-50% higher pricing they could potentially go adults only.  But the name of the game is volume and a nod towards families/multi-generation families is a good volume play. 

Given current X pricing, if they were to jump by another 30-50% I’d likely move to Oceania or Silversea. Think that niche is already well served. Different vibe, but….

[LMaxwell]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

You might be right.  A friend of a friend’s mother told me that this thread is a waste of time.

Take their word for it 

[LMaxwell]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

You're correct about linking, and you can't mention travel agent names, but I don't think there's any rule against saying "the idea was floated by someone in a Facebook group" if that's what you're referring to. I guess I'll find out if my post gets deleted.

I thought it was as strict as that. If your way is correct, it's the way I'd prefer.  Less dancing on egg shells just to participate in a discussion forum. 

[Charles4515]

54 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

I thought it was as strict as that. If your way is correct, it's the way I'd prefer.  Less dancing on egg shells just to participate in a discussion forum. 

If it was posted on a Facebook group I don't see why you would take getting an opinion on the idea seriously.  Facebook cruise  groups are mostly run by travel agents who promote themselves. I have seen the idea of adults only cruises floated every few years on Cruise Critic. A month ago someone floated it on the Carnival board for a couple of their ships. Carnival seems to me to be the least likely cruise line to make any ships adults only. I think there could be a place for Adults only on a smaller boutique cruise line but not in the mass market. Personally I choose on destinations and experience.  If booked adults only that would not be the reason. Virgin sounds intresting and I possibly would book it because it is different but I don't care is they have children cruising on their ships or not. 

[LMaxwell]

25 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

If it was posted on a Facebook group I don't see why you would take getting an opinion on the idea seriously.  Facebook cruise  groups are mostly run by travel agents who promote themselves. I have seen the idea of adults only cruises floated every few years on Cruise Critic. A month ago someone floated it on the Carnival board for a couple of their ships. Carnival seems to me to be the least likely cruise line to make any ships adults only. I think there could be a place for Adults only on a smaller boutique cruise line but not in the mass market. Personally I choose on destinations and experience.  If booked adults only that would not be the reason. Virgin sounds intresting and I possibly would book it because it is different but I don't care is they have children cruising on their ships or not. 

I have found that I prefer the somewhat longer format to discussion here than social media provides. Conversations here tend to grow over days and weeks. I find that more my style, and people more genuinely interactive, than a thread that generates a flurry of responses all at once and dies out. On FB the poster was actually took quite a dug in position about it that I didn't agree with, but overall I thought it was an interesting topic so brought it up here. And mostly people have kept to the spirit of the conversation of "Is it practical, or what would need to be changed to make it so?". 

 

I too am interested to try out VV.  Adults only is not a priority to us, but would be fun to see a new ship and how they run their act. 

 

 

[Denny01]

Edit: Made a comment that belonged on another thread!!

 

den

Edited August 4, 2022 by Denny01

[zitsky]

5 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Edit: Made a comment that belonged on another thread!!

 

den

It’s ok.

Edited August 4, 2022 by zitsky

[Denny01]

10 hours ago, hawkesbaynz said:

@Gatordad1967 Virgin are offfering their third opportunity to book a weeks cruise this Summer for 115,000 virgin points. ……. 

I have to ask….how do you accumulate ‘Virgin Points’? Do you get them for turning down ‘certain offers’?? 

 

Den

[docsneeze]

Coming late to this thread but good market research for the cruise market would take note of couples having kids later in life.  These couples have more disposable income and likely pay more for upcharge features like the retreat or multiple rooms.  My family is one of those.  Prior to having our son 4 years ago, we always cruised Oceania, now not at all.

 

There are fewer children who also tend to act respectfully on upscale cruises.  Celebrity provides enough for children but we choose different cruise lines for different reasons.  Disney and RCL provide the best entertainment for kids on board but sometimes they are just happy to see different places as a family where the on board activities not as critical.  Celebrity charges more for kids than other lines (not including Disney) so there are strategies to limit the children onboard through other measures (including adult only pools).  Nevertheless, our family appreciates the quality of the X experience and hope to be able to continue to cruise with them.

[zitsky]

Do people actually pay attention to adult only rules?  I have read a few stories.

[hawkesbaynz]

@Denny01 I think you were being humorous but you achieve Virgin Points from collecting points with flying Virgin (or Delta) or using their UK Virgin Bank Mastercard. They may have a US version too. We have about 250,000 points but have no space in our calendar for an extra cruise….. even a virtual freebie.
 

Mainly people use Virgin points to fly to the USA but limited availability outside NY & Boston, and try getting through to their call centre😮

[snowballs mom]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

Do people actually pay attention to adult only rules?  I have read a few stories.

Not when there is an official sign noting the family hours in an adults-only area.

[the_dylaness]

We enjoy Celebrity cruises as a couple but usually sail them as a family.

My children are aged 11 and 7 and have been on 3 Celebrity cruises... one just a couple months ago and the others when they were aged roughly 8 and 5, and then 7 and 4. Ish.

 

We've also tried NCL Haven, Disney, and will check out Oasis of the Seas in January, but so far, we all agree Celebrity is the family favorite.  Not so loud and crazy as it can be on NCL.  Better food.

 

No idea what to expect on RCCL but I am looking forward to it more for the "I know my kids will have fun" aspect rather than *I* am personally excited about the cruise.

 

We also use our cruises with our kids, no matter the line, to learn about other cultures, other places, different kinds of people than we might encounter at home, and manners.  As they get older we eat more and more often in the dining room, and use that as an opportunity to teach about "please", "thank you", "no thank you", learn about different kinds of food, how to navigate social settings, and so on.  

 

A little civility never killed anyone and I *hope* to make my kids the ones on the ship that people comment about how "well behaved" they were.  Can I promise they'll *never* run on the pool deck or be a little noisy? Maybe not, but I bet you dollars to doughnuts my 7 year old son will open the door or wait to board the elevator behind/for his elders, people using mobility assistance devices, and so on, more than many adults I have encountered.  It's a good environment to practice being a nice human being.

 

 

[the_dylaness]

5 hours ago, docsneeze said:

Coming late to this thread but good market research for the cruise market would take note of couples having kids later in life.  These couples have more disposable income and likely pay more for upcharge features like the retreat or multiple rooms.  My family is one of those.  Prior to having our son 4 years ago, we always cruised Oceania, now not at all.

 

There are fewer children who also tend to act respectfully on upscale cruises.  Celebrity provides enough for children but we choose different cruise lines for different reasons.  Disney and RCL provide the best entertainment for kids on board but sometimes they are just happy to see different places as a family where the on board activities not as critical.  Celebrity charges more for kids than other lines (not including Disney) so there are strategies to limit the children onboard through other measures (including adult only pools).  Nevertheless, our family appreciates the quality of the X experience and hope to be able to continue to cruise with them.

 

My husband, who is let's just say old enough for AARP membership but yet has a 6th grader and 2nd grader, would agree with you 🙂

 

[D. B.]

The Big RCCL ships have something for all age groups.

 That is one thing the Big ships have room for.

We mostly sail mostly with X but we Love the Oasis class RCCL ships for the entertainment and the Central Park.

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, Denny01 said:

I have to ask….how do you accumulate ‘Virgin Points’? Do you get them for turning down ‘certain offers’?? 

 

Den

You would need to have virgin cocktails.  Not for you from what I know about you!

[Denny01]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

You would need to have virgin cocktails.  Not for you from what I know about you!

I have them all the time…..isnt a virgin cocktail one that you are the first to ‘sip from’???

 

den

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, Denny01 said:

I have them all the time…..isnt a virgin cocktail one that you are the first to ‘sip from’???

 

den

love it!  But sometimes my DW gets to my cocktail first for a sip.

[Redtravel]

There are adults only cruises.  If you want no kids, look for them. If you travel on longer cruises, expensive cruises, or when schools are in session, you will find few kids. Lines that don’t offer kids activities have few kids.  Avoid mass market cruises during school vacations. A Christmas cruise have lots of big family groups with lots of kids. They are mostly well behaved. It never bothered me. 

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, Redtravel said:

There are adults only cruises.  If you want no kids, look for them. If you travel on longer cruises, expensive cruises, or when schools are in session, you will find few kids. Lines that don’t offer kids activities have few kids.  Avoid mass market cruises during school vacations. A Christmas cruise have lots of big family groups with lots of kids. They are mostly well behaved. It never bothered me. 

all very good points.

[di T]

On 8/1/2022 at 8:24 AM, chemmo said:

If you can make your product appeal to the widest market possible then you should ensure more full ships…

 

By having some facilities for children families are welcomed.

 

By not having the bells and whistles children facilities those who do not want lots of kids on board are not put off.

 

Marketing to the younger affluent but then excluding them once they had children would not make sense.

 

Multigenerational holidays are gaining in popularity, excluding children does not make sense.

 

Children who cruise young on Celebrity are the next generation of cruisers. Our son was E+ at 21…

 

Having recently seen the TV program on Virgin cruises I am quite shocked as to what they ‘think’ adults want from an adults only cruise…Loud, brash a focus on drinking….put us right off. Give us the quiet sophistication of Celebrity any day.

 

 

 

Really agree Chemmo, we cruised with our kids when they were young including on Celebrity now they love to cruise! That tv program doesn’t sell Virgin to us or our married with no kids son who likes adult only land based trips. Just less than a month to our next Celebrity cruises, fingers crossed the testing goes well! Dianne 

 

 

[chemmo]

4 hours ago, di T said:

 

Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise, Dianne…