Making the specialty restaurants family friendly??

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Actually the children we have seen in that class have been VERY well behaved and a pleasure.

 

Let’s not tar all children and parents with the same brush.  

 

I was across the aisle from a woman and a 3 or 4 year old in first class on a cross-country flight. The little girl had her backpack with books and a doll and whatever else she needed for the flight. She was quiet the whole time. I chatted with the mother and said how well such a small child did in the confines of an airplane. Yes, first class isn't as confining as coach, but it's a long time to sit. The mom said this was already something like the 10th flight for the kid, so she was used to traveling. The kid probably has more miles in her frequent flyer account than I do!.

[Hobcat]

On 3/19/2023 at 1:19 PM, Laminator said:

That philosophy has gotten them in the predicament they are in today as their older demographic is dying off. Many also do not have the disposable income that the younger generations have at their disposal.  

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???  😳 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Hobcat

[Laminator]

2 minutes 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???  😳 

Let me ask you this? Would you like to have a client for 20 to 30 years or have that client for 50 to 60 years? HAL's demographic at present is the 20 to 30 year client. They need to develop younger clientele and maintain them for 50 to 60 years
I brought my son and his GF who are both in their early 30's on my last cruise last month. There would not have been a chance in hell that they would have booked a HAL cruise on their own. I was worried that they would be bored to death. They had a great time and now are coming with us on our Nov Rotterdam cruise. Those 2 will be 50 year HAL clients. I will most assuredly fall into that 30 year range. 

My wife's nephews wifes parents are in their mid 50's. They cruise 4 times a year. Always Carnival. Why? Because they started on Carnival 30 years ago and see no reason to change. They are a very conservative quiet couple.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Let me ask you this? Would you like to have a client for 20 to 30 years or have that client for 50 to 60 years? HAL's demographic at present is the 20 to 30 year client. They need to develop younger clientele and maintain them for 50 to 60 years
I brought my son and his GF who are both in their early 30's on my last cruise last month. There would not have been a chance in hell that they would have booked a HAL cruise on their own. I was worried that they would be bored to death. They had a great time and now are coming with us on our Nov Rotterdam cruise. Those 2 will be 50 year HAL clients. I will most assuredly fall into that 30 year range. 

My wife's nephews wifes parents are in their mid 50's. They cruise 4 times a year. Always Carnival. Why? Because they started on Carnival 30 years ago and see no reason to change. They are a very conservative quiet couple.

They have to appeal to more than 2 people.  They need to get internet that actually works.  Also keep bars open after midnight.  They also need to improve their entertainment.  I doubt if discounts in specialty restaurants for 20 year olds without kids is at the top of the list.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[Laminator]

17 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

They have to appeal to more than 2 people.  They need to get internet that actually works.  Also keep bars open after midnight.  They also need to improve their entertainment.  I doubt if discounts in specialty restaurants for 20 year olds without kids is at the top of the list.

Exactly...And it isn't my job to develop their clientele. The internet will improve tremendously once they get tied into Starlink which will be starting soon if it hasn't already. As for improving the entertainment my son and his GF were very happy with the music offered. Let's hope that once they are staffed properly a bar or bars will remain open longer. 

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Laminator

[Maisyboo]

The information provide in  the  previous post about Nieuw Statendam being full of children is scaring me . We will be aboard this Saturday . We do not appreciate children. That’s unPC for some but it’s true . Holland America has always been our choice for the peace and quite.

[Florida_gal_50]

10 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Exactly...And it isn't my job to develop their clientele. The internet will improve tremendously once they get tied into Starlink which will be starting soon if it hasn't already. As for improving the entertainment my son and his GF were very happy with the music offered. Let's hope that once they are staffed properly a bar or bars will remain open longer. 

 

I’m pretty sure staffing isn’t the problem.  It’s likely more of let’s see where we can cut and make due.  Every business I’ve ever worked for is like that.  I’m speaking of companies with shareholders.  Let’s just see if there is any change, let’s say 2 years down the road.  I’d be willing to bet nothing will be different.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, Maisyboo said:

The information provide in  the  previous post about Nieuw Statendam being full of children is scaring me . We will be aboard this Saturday . We do not appreciate children. That’s unPC for some but it’s true . Holland America has always been our choice for the peace and quite.

It’s the time of year I guess.  After several 7 day back to back cruises I’m happy that the next cruise(s) of mine will have very little appeal to kids. It’s going to be different for sure.

[Laminator]

6 minutes ago, Maisyboo said:

The information provide in  the  previous post about Nieuw Statendam being full of children is scaring me . We will be aboard this Saturday . We do not appreciate children. That’s unPC for some but it’s true . Holland America has always been our choice for the peace and quite.

It's Spring Break. Why would anyone be surprised that any vacation venue is loaded with children?

[ShipWalker]

"Never cruise with animals or children." -W.C. Fields  (or something like that.)

[Hllb]

42 minutes ago, Maisyboo said:

The information provide in  the  previous post about Nieuw Statendam being full of children is scaring me . We will be aboard this Saturday . We do not appreciate children. That’s unPC for some but it’s true . Holland America has always been our choice for the peace and quite.

You don’t have to appreciate children, but that’s different than wanting them banned from somewhere they’ve always been welcomed before. Next week is spring break for my son and many other kids so your cruise will likely have a fair number of kids. I hope you have a good cruise but it was perhaps not the best planning for someone who doesn’t like kids. 

[Maisyboo]

I honestly did not realize it was spring break. How long does it last ? . February and April vacations and Holiday sailings I known to avoid. My mistake to late now . 

[oakridger]

In the USA February is winter/President's Day and pretty much most of March and April are different school's spring breaks.  Since Easter and Passover change dates yearly, it fluctuates.

 

You may not have many kids, or you might!  Have a good time and enjoy being on the sea!

 

~Nancy

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Laminator said:

It's Spring Break. Why would anyone be surprised that any vacation venue is loaded with children?

Some people do not live in the USA and don’t have school schedules memorized.  I couldn’t tell you when spring break is.  From what I hear it can be anything from Feb to the end of March.  That gets rid of a ton of holidays for those of us that don’t live in palm tree county.

[Laminator]

24 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Some people do not live in the USA and don’t have school schedules memorized.  I couldn’t tell you when spring break is.  From what I hear it can be anything from Feb to the end of March.  That gets rid of a ton of holidays for those of us that don’t live in palm tree county.

I will give you a hint. Spring Break is in Spring. Not the astronomical Spring but the Meteorological Spring. Been that way for the 64 years I have been alive. Runs for pretty much 6 weeks from Mar 1st thru mid April. 

It's the equivalent of being shocked when a cruise is disrupted by a potential hurricane DURING hurricane season. 
Living outside Chicago isn't exactly palm tree county!

Edited March 21, 2023 by Laminator

[TiogaCruiser]

10 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Can I add the HAL rubber ducky to my PG meal without having to eat chicken clucks?

Just don’t ask for a “starter”.

 

If you do, it will cost you $7.

[Hobcat]

4 hours ago, Laminator said:

Let me ask you this? Would you like to have a client for 20 to 30 years or have that client for 50 to 60 years? HAL's demographic at present is the 20 to 30 year client. They need to develop younger clientele and maintain them for 50 to 60 years
I brought my son and his GF who are both in their early 30's on my last cruise last month. There would not have been a chance in hell that they would have booked a HAL cruise on their own. I was worried that they would be bored to death. They had a great time and now are coming with us on our Nov Rotterdam cruise. Those 2 will be 50 year HAL clients. I will most assuredly fall into that 30 year range. 

My wife's nephews wifes parents are in their mid 50's. They cruise 4 times a year. Always Carnival. Why? Because they started on Carnival 30 years ago and see no reason to change. They are a very conservative quiet couple.

Maybe someday there will be enough cruisers on HAL interested in partying till the wee hours to make it worthwhile for marketing to specifically target those 50 - 60 year clients.  What I hear now is people don't like it when everything shuts down at 11 PM so those aren't the HAL demo anyway.  We are in the less than 20 year group & most likely won't make it to the 30 years.  What attracts us to HAL is the few remaining smaller ships & the longer itineraries that aren't always something working people can do.  People do move around to different cruise companies when they seek a different experience.  

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Laminator said:

I will give you a hint. Spring Break is in Spring. Not the astronomical Spring but the Meteorological Spring. Been that way for the 64 years I have been alive. Runs for pretty much 6 weeks from Mar 1st thru mid April. 

It's the equivalent of being shocked when a cruise is disrupted by a potential hurricane DURING hurricane season. 
Living outside Chicago isn't exactly palm tree county!

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.

Edited March 21, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[SargassoPirate]

When I see anything Family Friendly I equate that to  unfettered feral children accompanied by clueless parents.  It only takes one or two.  

 

 

[Colorado Klutch]

13 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???  😳 

 

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. 

[Hllb]

37 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

When I see anything Family Friendly I equate that to  unfettered feral children accompanied by clueless parents.  It only takes one or two.  

 

 

When I see a bar, I equate that to loud drunken idiots, especially on a cruise ship. It only takes one or two. They should quit serving alcohol on cruises, or at least in specialty restaurants.

[cruisemom42]

53 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

When I see anything Family Friendly I equate that to  unfettered feral children accompanied by clueless parents.  It only takes one or two.  

 

 

 

Some of the attitudes expressed here are a bit....offputting.

 

Funny how your actual comment is quite at odds with your signature quote. 

[SargassoPirate]

15 minutes ago, Hllb said:

When I see a bar, I equate that to loud drunken idiots, especially on a cruise ship. It only takes one or two. They should quit serving alcohol on cruises, or at least in specialty restaurants.

That's funny.  I've run into more feral children than drunken idiots in bars on cruises, but I have sometimes ended up at a table next to a large table of loud, shouting, drunken idiots in the MDR.  

[SargassoPirate]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Some of the attitudes expressed here are a bit....offputting.

 

Funny how your actual comment is quite at odds with your signature quote. 

Funny, and a good point but I don't consider feral children an imperfection since they are not easily overlooked.  Same with drunken idiots.  

 

Most other things one can overlook or work around on a cruise.

[Hllb]

1 minute ago, SargassoPirate said:

That's funny.  I've run into more feral children than drunken idiots in bars on cruises, but I have sometimes ended up at a table next to a large table of loud, shouting, drunken idiots in the MDR.  

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.  I mean, weak arguments have been used to ban black people and women from venues too. Not quite the same, but similar