Tatka

I am not sure how 3-12 are lumped in the same group. IMHO 10 is much close to 13 than to 3-7.

Is this a serious assessment?!?!

Was hot tab in DL? New feature? 🙂

Enchantment has a very small DL and in weird location. When we sailed on her in 2022 and 2023 we just took snacks and spent time in VCL by large windows. We do this in all places possible. We are thinking what to do оn Vision next year. We do get coffee from time to time in DL. This is a nice benefit.

It is good to have a talk with kids about balconies. Many in US grow in 1-2 story houses without balconies or elevators so they are not used to them. It’s more of “get used to things” than age. I grew up in 5 then 9 story building with 1 and 2 balconies, surrounded with 5-9-12-16 story buildings. I don’t remember ever kids falling from balconies.

This sounds like usual fare in DL.

Interesting. We noticed that on Anthem lounge was used, on Oasis (no windows) not so much

We always use overflow on Anthem. Love high tables near windows

We go on Quantum and smaller ship with VCL It is fun especially during saiaways … nice snacks, drink or two and ocean goes by.

I wish they had Family pool covered as as Anthem had, but it is a different story.

I do not thing Quantum class has water slides. It has other things you may be interested in https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/11/08/20-free-things-do-odyssey-of-the-seas

I don't know... We live not far from Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun in CT and many new casinos in Massachusetts. We also live 1 hour from Boston port, 3.5 hours from Bayonne and 2 New York ports, 6 from Baltimore ... and even Florida ports are in driving distance although we now avoid driving to Florida if we can... but we used to do 1 run a year. My husband has gambling problems, this is why he avoids casinos all together. Well, down payment for our first townhouse was 100% from winning, but we were young and even then we figured out that playing against casino in a long run is dangerous. We are in positive territory, and we play the highest odds game Blackjack, still odds are against you. 🙂 (Well I am not completely truthful.. he can play even on ships once in a while, but he uses lets say $50 and if he wins he continues if not .. well... next time.) We do 5 a year. 2 longer Southern Caribbean, 1 Bahamas, 1 Bahamas or Bermuda, 1 New England/Canada. Sometimes 1 is substituted for European cruise. Technically we can do more, but we want to keep excitement. Congrats on your new fun!

Exactly! Different standards for different size of people. My kid is 30+. I don't have a stake in this discussion, but this is such a strange discussion overall. I can understand criticizing parents who force screaming child to sit through the dinner in MDR rather than bring him/her outside or arrange dinner differently, but memories? Who can/should measure this?!

Not a flame, but it’s your choice really. In US vacations are smaller than in majority of this world as is. It’s a good time to spend it with kids. Vacation is a time from work, not from kids for many. You are right about different strokes.. What strange is .. suggesting that kids will not remember this or that to a parent who clearly wants to vacation with kids. Reminds me when people ask about quality of internet there is always somebody who mentions putting phone in safe. 😞

I don’t get why people concentrate on kids remembering cruise. Kids may not remember other vacations too. Does this mean parents shouldn’t vacation with kids till they remember? As for behavior, parents know their kids… and again people vacation with all kind of kids. 🙂 Besides 2+ yo are not infants who may cry uncontrollably, unless there is some kind of huge developmental delay. In this case parents would know also. RCI is a family line.. why are people surprised parents vacation with young kids?

Because it’s a quality time with kids. People work and only see kids limited time. Cruise is where parents don’t have other chores and can spend more one on one time with kids. I remember some episodes of my first sea vacation with my dad at 2+ yo, but even if I didn’t I’m sure we had terrific time.

He loves the ocean. I doubt he works 24/7. Eating healthy and not drinking every day is not bad

Super Mario #2? I used to work from ships on some days when I didn’t have enough vacation. He is right about healthy lifestyle. Even without 300 days on board you gotta do it or you cannot cruise for long

We sailed on her in March 2022, and March 2023. Both times (old and Starlink) were very good... unlike to my surprise on Anthem last times (Thanksgiving 2022, January 2023)... which before was the best out of all ships.

People of all walks of life commit crimes, but you need percentage. It is not difficult. In US it is even more visible. Compare towns/cities/districts by income of population and you can draw a conclusion. Of course there are all kinds of exceptions because for example some groups of immigrants are poor, but very determined so less crime in such ethnic enclaves. Otherwise it is not difficult to see connections between income and crime data. Overall I see cruise crowd on average more prosperous than numerous districts of US cities.

I grew up in 1.5 million people city, some other people I know in 3-5-10 million people cities. While we knew some people in our districts, most people were still strangers. I attended activities in downtown for example. Rules were the same. I see huge issues with young people here in US due to over-protection. Do I need to say what happens on campuses of colleges or just when students rent apartments in another cities to attend colleges? This is what you do.. you gradually allow kids wander in the city, ship etc full of strangers. I actually think that ships are better than average city. Yes, there are bad people, but percentage is way lower due to costs.

5 is definitely too early. 7 is a bit too yes.

This is why kids should know basic rules like ... not talking to strangers, not going anywhere with strangers and such. US is very different from most of the world where cities are full of families with kids and suburbs are rather exceptions. Kids from the age of 9-10 easily take public transportation to schools, activities and such. Rules are all the same.

You know this particular kid? Did you watch kid whole day long? Also, what age? I took bus and subway from the age of 9 and walked everywhere. I hope strangers were not concerned. Why? Unless child is doing something inappropriate why are you concerned? Wandering is not breaking any rules. Riding elevators too! Do you watch adults wandering aimlessly? 🙂 Kids are overprotected till teen years and then parents are surprised teens who suddenly got freedom (and often a car as parents are tired to drive them everywhere) do stupid things.

This is a difference. I live in private months between cruises. Large house, backyard etc. Aside from weekends it is two of us. Cruises to us is like going out to restaurant.. travels. Also even when we do have balconies we do not eat there because I like to have variety in food and buffer, restaurants provide this. During summers we do not even cruise anymore. Last summer cruise was on Queen Mary 2 for Independence day in 2017. We camp and vacation on Cape Cod and Maine. We cruise around Labor Day, Thanksgiving, New Year (or right after), in March and our last cruise is around Memorial day. All to maximize our vacation time as we work. Enjoy your cruises!!!