Making the specialty restaurants family friendly??

[DaveOKC]

8 minutes ago, Hllb said:

It really sucks when someone disrupts your meal, but I don’t support banning anyone from venues simply because some can’t behave. Anyone can be a jerk, not just kids.  

Last month in the Tamarind we had a loud group behind us that was a bit unruly - worse than most children!

[Real NHDOC]

We had lunch in the Pinnacle yesterday next to a table with two children. I heard the mother tell the waiter that the kids club onboard has a capacity of 34 for ages 3-17. They have 240 under 18 aboard and she said it’s first come first serve so they start lining up early. Apparently they didn’t get there early enough so the kids had to join them for lunch in Pinnacle. Until the brownie came they seemed to be having a pretty awful time. They had special meals for the kids that looked like they were from the MDR. The parents seemed pretty disappointed with the experience. So if HAL wants to attract families they’re doing everything wrong. 

[Colorado Klutch]

21 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

We had lunch in the Pinnacle yesterday next to a table with two children. I heard the mother tell the waiter that the kids club onboard has a capacity of 34 for ages 3-17. They have 240 under 18 aboard and she said it’s first come first serve so they start lining up early. Apparently they didn’t get there early enough so the kids had to join them for lunch in Pinnacle. Until the brownie came they seemed to be having a pretty awful time. They had special meals for the kids that looked like they were from the MDR. The parents seemed pretty disappointed with the experience. So if HAL wants to attract families they’re doing everything wrong. 

 

Wow, that's very eye-opening. I had no idea the HAL kids club could suffer from such significant capacity problems. Thanks for sharing this. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

38 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

We had lunch in the Pinnacle yesterday next to a table with two children. I heard the mother tell the waiter that the kids club onboard has a capacity of 34 for ages 3-17. They have 240 under 18 aboard and she said it’s first come first serve so they start lining up early. Apparently they didn’t get there early enough so the kids had to join them for lunch in Pinnacle. Until the brownie came they seemed to be having a pretty awful time. They had special meals for the kids that looked like they were from the MDR. The parents seemed pretty disappointed with the experience. So if HAL wants to attract families they’re doing everything wrong. 

 

Which ship are you on? 240 extra passengers (since under 18s can't book their own cabin) is a lot. 

 

Oh oh oh! Upcharge opportunity!! Pre-book your kid's space in Club HAL for a "small fee"!!!!

Edited March 21, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder

[electro]

11 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Just don’t ask for a “starter”.

 

If you do, it will cost you $7.

If you get your kid to order it, will it be $3.50?😀

[Laminator]

5 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Thanks for the hint on that.  I thought for sure it was in the fall. Spring started yesterday in Canada, not March 1. So no one should cruise for 2 months in the spring and November and December.  It’s not everyone’s dream to be cold in Alaska.  But wait, you can’t go to Alaska either because kids will be out.  There will always be some kids.

That is astrological spring. People can cruise anytime they want. Just like when I drive into Chicago, If I leave at 7am in the morning there is a very good chance I will be stuck in traffic for an hour. I am not a big fan of traffic so I leave at 10 or 11am. If you're not a big fan of kids on cruise ships don't go during spring break. 

[Destiny0315]

42 minutes ago, electro said:

12 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Just don’t ask for a “starter”.

 

If you do, it will cost you $7.

If you get your kid to order it, will it be $3.50?😀

Well the kids menu offers the C&C Crazy Dippers for a starter which are carrot and celery sticks with ranch dipping sauce. Their pet rabbit at home probably gets fed better.🙂

[Hobcat]

3 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

The people aging into this demographic are not like the previous demographic. This is what killed Oldsmobile. Their customers died off and people in the next generation weren't interested in buying an Oldsmobile. 

Oldsmobile, really?  Yes, there were other choices just as there are other choices for cruising. 
oh btw, my DH had an Olds when he was in his 20’s. 

[Colorado Klutch]

32 minutes ago, Hobcat said:

Oldsmobile, really?  Yes, there were other choices just as there are other choices for cruising. 
oh btw, my DH had an Olds when he was in his 20’s. 

 

I'm not sure what your point is here. Yeah, my point is if HAL focuses only on their current, seniors demographic, as that demographic dies off, they will not have enough customers to keep them afloat; just like Oldsmobile. 

 

Your DH was a very rare exception. Even Oldsmobile was aware of the problem. Their last gasp ad campaign was "Not your father's Oldsmobile". It didn't work. 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Colorado Klutch

[Destiny0315]

31 minutes ago, Hobcat said:

4 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

The people aging into this demographic are not like the previous demographic. This is what killed Oldsmobile. Their customers died off and people in the next generation weren't interested in buying an Oldsmobile. 

Oldsmobile, really?  Yes, there were other choices just as there are other choices for cruising. 
oh btw, my DH had an Olds when he was in his 20’s. 

Ironically over its 100+ years Oldsmobile was a leader in automobile innovation even to the end by offering what are today must haves in the automobile market place. Things like touchscreen interfaces(1986), HUD(Head up Display)(1988), and a built-in cellular phone(1990) are just a few examples. Like HAL has an issue now with image so did OLDS then and that is why GM pulled the plug. Hopefully CCL can come up with a better plan and the "not your grandparents cruise line" will survive.

[DaveOKC]

Bought my first NEW Olds at 20.  It was a 442 and quite fast and good looking.

 

At 16 I got my first Olds, a 1963 Cutlass with one of the first turbochargers in a production car.  Olds was ahead of its time back then.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by DaveOKC

[Real NHDOC]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Which ship are you on? 240 extra passengers (since under 18s can't book their own cabin) is a lot. 

 

Oh oh oh! Upcharge opportunity!! Pre-book your kid's space in Club HAL for a "small fee"!!!!

On the Nieuw Statendam. If you read the fine print on their website it says they cannot guarantee that space will be available in the kids club. 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, Laminator said:

That is astrological spring. People can cruise anytime they want. Just like when I drive into Chicago, If I leave at 7am in the morning there is a very good chance I will be stuck in traffic for an hour. I am not a big fan of traffic so I leave at 10 or 11am. If you're not a big fan of kids on cruise ships don't go during spring break. 

Yes of course.  I just don't think it's super helpful to be telling people you should know better.

[Laminator]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes of course.  I just don't think it's super helpful to be telling people you should know better.

I am not telling anyone they should know better. You didn't book their cruise for them. I didn't book this cruise for them. They made that choice. All I am saying is don't complain about it. If they are unhappy with the choice THEY MADE that falls on them. 

[Destiny0315]

9 minutes ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

the ships today are large enough for everyone...and there should definitely be  ADULT ONLY AREAS - pools, restaurants, bars & deck space.

I like children but there is a time and place - the parents are having a good time & well kids will  be kids....I cant count the # of times a pool has been closed because a child had a diaper accident... and crying & screaming children shouldnt be on a crowded dance floor or bar - its a cruise not a family wedding...or go on Disney.

You just provided a fine example of perceived image. Does the Disney Cruise Line have more "crying and screaming children" than many other cruise lines? Probably so because they specialize in the family cruise experience. But because of that image they also go out of their way to emphasize the many adult only(18+) areas that they have on their ships including nightclubs/lounges, the fitness center and spa/saloon, the Quiet Cove Pool area, two specialty restaurants Palo(Italian) and Remy(French), and special Port Adventures adult only excursions. Meanwhile the majority of children on board will be entertained too. Now will all that cost you some $$? Sure, but if you have young children and its not some multi-generation cruise your planning a line like HAL should not even be considered in your equation and HAL should know that.

[Roz]

On 3/19/2023 at 2:30 PM, Taters said:

I love kids, I truly do, but I still book cruises that I think not a lot of kids will be on.  I don't think this will affect any of the cruises I'm currently booked on. 

 

On Friday we'll board Oosterdam in San Antonio, Chile for a 17 night cruise up the west coast of South America, through the Panama Canal, to Aruba, then into Ft. Lauderdale.  I am betting there will be less than 10 children onboard.  So this change will not be bothersome at all.  If you're not too keen on sailing with loads of kids, avoid holiday cruises and cruises in the height of summer.

I'm on the segment from BA to Santiago and will be staying on the ship until we arrive in Ft. Lauderdale.  So far there are no children on the ship,  but specialty dining reservations are hard to come by. 

[albingirl]

1 hour ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

the ships today are large enough for everyone...and there should definitely be  ADULT ONLY AREAS - pools, restaurants, bars & deck space.

I like children but there is a time and place - the parents are having a good time & well kids will  be kids....I cant count the # of times a pool has been closed because a child had a diaper accident... and crying & screaming children shouldnt be on a crowded dance floor or bar - its a cruise not a family wedding...or go on Disney.

I like kids but I  have no idea why the cruise ships allow diapers in a pool. Nothing but trouble there. Where I live, it's not allowed.

[3rdGenCunarder]

6 minutes ago, albingirl said:

I like kids but I  have no idea why the cruise ships allow diapers in a pool. Nothing but trouble there. Where I live, it's not allowed.

 

They don't allow it. But parents bring their kids into the pool anyway.

 

On Princess, I saw a guy bring a diapered baby into the ADULT pool. Cool, breaking two rules at once!

[Colorado Klutch]

17 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

They don't allow it. But parents bring their kids into the pool anyway.

 

On Princess, I saw a guy bring a diapered baby into the ADULT pool. Cool, breaking two rules at once!

 

Flashbacks from "Caddyshack"...

[OlsSalt]

What if HAL continues concentrates on the large Boomer demographics which are turning 60-70 every single day?

 

A sizable replacement cohort already exists for us Golden Oldies, who also started cruising HAL in our 60's but realistically  will be soon gone.  Sooner rather than later, if HAL destroy the mature ambiance and satisfaction that has long been the strength of the HAL appeal these past 30 years or so years.  

 

HAL never had to reach down into the 30-40' set to develop its future loyal client base, just so they will be still around when they are in their 70-80's. That needs corroboration. The 30-40 set will probably be done with "active" cruising before they are 60 if they start that early - after they have seen and done it all for 20 or so years. Far more predictable they will  also be seeking out the quieter pleasures of slow, lazy travel; not onboard frenetics. 

 

Stick with appealing to the 60-70 crowd of every successive generation - they do continue to come down the pike.  Relentlessly, with every turn of the calendar page. HAL will do just fine if they refuse to stray from their long-standing strengths - a cruise line for "old people". 

[Taters]

59 minutes ago, Roz said:

I'm on the segment from BA to Santiago and will be staying on the ship until we arrive in Ft. Lauderdale.  So far there are no children on the ship,  but specialty dining reservations are hard to come by. 

See you on board, @Roz!  We're flying away tonight and will arrive into Santiago Thursday morning.  I figured there would be a small number of kids on board, but zero?  This trend will probably continue on the next cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

What if HAL continues concentrates on the large Boomer demographics which are turning 60-70 every single day?

 

A sizable replacement cohort already exists for us Golden Oldies, who also started cruising HAL in our 60's but realistically  will be soon gone.  Sooner rather than later, if HAL destroy the mature ambiance and satisfaction that has long been the strength of the HAL appeal these past 30 years or so years.  

 

HAL never had to reach down into the 30-40' set to develop its future loyal client base, just so they will be still around when they are in their 70-80's. That needs corroboration. The 30-40 set will probably be done with "active" cruising before they are 60 if they start that early - after they have seen and done it all for 20 or so years. Far more predictable they will  also be seeking out the quieter pleasures of slow, lazy travel; not onboard frenetics. 

 

Stick with appealing to the 60-70 crowd of every successive generation - they do continue to come down the pike.  Relentlessly, with every turn of the calendar page. HAL will do just fine if they refuse to stray from their long-standing strengths - a cruise line for "old people". 

 

I've often thought that the "old people's cruise line" would continue to get new passengers as people age out of party ships. But HAL isn't offering enough activities and entertainments to replace the "frenetic" activities that younger people enjoy on a cruise (that is a huge assumption/generalization, btw). I can see moving to less active excursions--walking tours instead of mountain biking, and similar substitutions. I'd like to think that as we get older and our bodies want less vigorous exercise, our minds will still want/need exercise in the form of enrichment. I don't think a talk in the jewelry store on "alexandrite, the gem of the tsars" meets that need. 

 

 

[LSEA]

23 hours ago, Hobcat said:

So are you saying that as the "older demographic" is dying off, there is no one aging into said demographic.  What's going on?  Are people just dropping dead at age 50 now???  😳 

I think "older" changes.  My interests differ dramatically from my parents interests at the same age.  For one thing, I had (and the same can be said for generations younger than me) children much later in life.  My parents had us all through college, and were grandparents by the time they were 55 courtesy of my older sibilings.  I'm 55 and my kids are still in high school.  

[Boatdrill]

7 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

 Yeah, my point is if HAL focuses only on their current, seniors demographic, as that demographic dies off, they will not have enough customers to keep them afloat; just like Oldsmobile. 

 

IMHO, HAL focuses on affluent travelers as a demographic, rather than seniors.

Affluent travelers have the money, the time, and desire to cruise. They tend to be experienced and knowledgeable travelers,  and have reasonable expectations because of it. They appreciate personal service and recognition, and look for quality and value for the price they pay. Sound familiar ? 

If you need an age, that demographic generally starts at 45 yrs old.  

   

Edited March 22, 2023 by Boatdrill

[DoorCounty]

We book our cruises for non-peak times. Fall or late summer……the screamers are back in school!