Why doesn't RCI do this?

[OceanCruise]

Based on the recurring complaints on this board, it seems as if there are some relatively simple changes that RCI could do to make the majority of cruisers happy. Why don't they:

 

-Designate one side of the decks as non-smoking cabins. Then we can all coexist peacefully. No need to make the entire ship non-smoking but maybe have several non smoking lounges/events.

-Designate a certain night or two as family night in the specialty restaurant. All other nights would be adults only for those who want a quiet evening.

-Designate some adult only swim times in the pools. They do this at our town pool where periodically, there is a half hour or hour time when adults can do laps or not worry about noise or being splashed. Maybe have a kids ice cream party during this time to entice them away from the pool.

-Designate a section of the dining room as the family section so those without kids can have a quieter experience. Don't get me wrong, I like kids but I relish a peaceful, elegant meal. (I am sure some of you will say there should be a separate area for those who don't follow the dress code LOL)

Anyone have other ideas? RCI are you listening?

[wolfcathorse]

They do designate a pool lap time, in the Solarium pool, which makes it for adults only (over 14/16 yrs old). I saw it in my Grandeur Compass. Anytime I've been in the dining room, its been noisy with all the adult conversations going on, I couldn't pick out a little one if I tried. I've had to look closely at the neighboring tables to find kids, I could see 'em but I couldn't hear 'em (and they seemed to be having a rambuncious time!). Maybe its my old ears are starting to have trouble hearing in a crowd! As for the smoke, I have asthma, and the only time smoking has bothered was when I sat in a smoking designated area in Schooners. I moved to the other end and the air conditioning took care of the rest. There were smokers on the balconey next to ours, but hey, we're going 16-17 knots, the speed blew that smoke away before it could bother me. Some people are funny, they enjoy themselves on a cruise, and keep cruising, but they feel the need to complain or criticize about something (anything) to be happy!

[Lewdog]

-Designate some adult only swim times in the pools.

 

Try the Solarium pool on the Splendour, adults only and they were enforcing it recently.

[MGoBlue2]

Personlly, I don't see any of those things as issues.

[teddie]

These are my opinions on your post (no flames please)

 

Designating half the cabins as non-smoking only could easily interfere with revenue, and RCI is not going to do that. (I myself would not like to have my choice of cabin location limited by whether I smoked or did not smoke.)

 

The solariums are heavenly for adults, and since they are always adults-only, why curtail children from using the main pools at all?

 

Finally, we always choose second seating for a variety of reasons, one of which is a more adult dining environment. We have never been disturbed by children in the dining room so far, and if we were, we'd ask to be moved.

[Treven]

We coexist happily by having all the cabins smoke-free. You can smoke on the promenade deck - as long as you're downwind of me. I'll even throw you a bone, I won't go into any of the bars or lounges where smoking is allowed.

[OceanCruise]

I did not realize the solarium was adult only. When we were on the Enchantment, the solarium was the meeting place for teen events. Also, the pool deck usually has music and you are outdoors in the sun. (does the Solarium have bar service?). It was just a thought. Hotels do not seem to have a problem with non smoking areas and it is a preference, not a guarantee when you book. It doesn't mean you can't book a certain room but would create some rules. I am just suggesting that an entire ship does not have to be designated non smoking like the Paradise. Now if we could only solve the chair hog problem.

[Murphy]

Why doesn't RCCL implement? Simple.. They don't have to! Although it is human nature to complain about things, at this point in time at least, RCCL isn't losing any $$$ because they don't implement any of your suggestions. And implementing them would cost them money, even it was just adding one more staff person. And the bottom $$$ matters most to a corporation and its shareholders.

[teddie]

...Now if we could only solve the chair hog problem.

 

Yes, Oceancruise, if only.....

[crusinmama06]

--The "specialty restaurant" is already off limits to children under the age of 13. So as far as screaming kids, there are none. Problem already solved.

 

--The solarium pool, as previously stated, is already adult only. So you want to take the 2nd pool away from people with kids? Last time I checked, we pay just as much (if not MORE) then you do on those cruises.

 

--I have been on cruises before and after I've had children, I NEVER noticed kids being a nuisance in the dining rooms. Most are very respectful.

 

Let ME throw some suggestions out there to RCCL. How about a...

--toddler paddling pool like on other cruiselines

--a milk card, (just like a soda card) that allows you to get milk for the kids any time of the day

--free after hours adventure club. Did I see somewhere that you have to pay to send your kids to the club after 10pm? On other cruise lines, the kids could go as long as they wanted for free, even as late as 1am (they can NOT leave the club and MUST be signed out by an adult)

--parent pagers for kids of ALL ages at the kids club

[OceanCruise]

Why doesn't RCCL implement? Simple.. They don't have to! Although it is human nature to complain about things, at this point in time at least, RCCL isn't losing any $$$ because they don't implement any of your suggestions. And implementing them would cost them money, even it was just adding one more staff person. And the bottom $$$ matters most to a corporation and its shareholders.

 

How would the suggestions cost them more money? I don't see how another staff person is indicated. In fact, I think it would very popular to have several ships with some non-smoking rooms. I truly think those rooms would book up first and I would be first in line. BTW, my DH really enjoys the cigar bar but would never think of smoking a cigar on the balcony or in the room. Again, I am not asking for an entire non-smoking ship, we saw that that didn't work on the Destiny. However, from the numerous and often heated smoking threads, I think it is an option that people want.

[OceanCruise]

--The "specialty restaurant" is already off limits to children under the age of 13. So as far as screaming kids, there are none. Problem already solved.

 

--The solarium pool, as previously stated, is already adult only. So you want to take the 2nd pool away from people with kids? Last time I checked, we pay just as much (if not MORE) then you do on those cruises.

 

I have a child too so I probably spend the same as you. In my earlier post I didn't realize the Solarium pool was adult only- I thought teens could use it. Also, did you read the recent threads about the specialty restaurants with parents breaking the rules and kids ages 5 and 6 in the restaurants?

[Triciken]

We coexist happily by having all the cabins smoke-free. You can smoke on the promenade deck - as long as you're downwind of me. I'll even throw you a bone, I won't go into any of the bars or lounges where smoking is allowed.

 

Throw me a bone nice. Yah mon....

[crusinmama06]

Also, did you read the recent threads about the specialty restaurants with parents breaking the rules and kids ages 5 and 6 in the restaurants?

 

Yes, I read that thread. But I also read the other 50 posts about this topic where people swear they've never seen anyone younger than 13 in portofinos/chops when a person asks if their 12.75 year old child can go in.

 

Think about it. If you go into those restaurants and there are kids that young (most people say they allow it in the earlier hours when the restaurants first open), and those kids are loud, crying and causing a scene, interupting your meal. Don't you think that someone would ask them to leave? I haven't seen alot of posts here that say "I was in chops on this date and there was a screaming infant in there" blah, blah, blah.

 

It's just not something to keep harping and complaining about. :rolleyes:

[Jtd724]

Sorry, those complaints IMO are not really heard of on RCCL, we have adult only pool, we have restaurants with age limits (even if there wasn't i never experienced rawkous behavior from any child or children in any of the restaurants, maybe your thinking Carnival?). To make half the ship non smoking is pretty much losing a big chunk of money to competition, that is why CCL Paradise is no longer smoke-free, they lost too much money.

[Nitra]

The Paradise used to be a totally non smoking cruise but it was not working for CCL, they had to change it because they were not making enough money. Also almost every cruise they had to toss people off because a family member was caught smoking, and yes it was teen children a lot of the time, not saying all the time. I am a smoker, I respect non smokers and do all I can not to annoy them with my smoke. I am approached on almost every cruise by a child of less than 15, hard to tell now but they are always young, asking me for a cigarette, which I refuse to give them. When I have inside cabins, I try hard not to smoke in there and when I do I spray febreeze and anything else I can haul with me to help, this time I have a balcony and am soo happy I can just step out there and not have to wander up on deck, by choice of course. The cabins have poor ventilation in my opinion and even being a smoker I hate the smell of stale smoke in an enclosed room. I even notice it walking down the halls, you can tell which cabin has smokers that are just pufffing away not thinking about how it is making all their stuff smell. Boy I make a bad smoker.. LOL Even at home I do not smoke in any room but one, and that is my glass sun porch and then I sit right next to the sliding glass door.

 

I also do late dining since most families tend to take earlier dining, the kids I have seen in there always are well behaved.

 

I have seen worse behavior by kids in the elevators, pushing and shoving as they run around the ship without supervision, etc, but then I have seen some pretty bad behavior by some adults too.

 

Life is just too short to worry about all this stuff. If it is that big of a bother, then why leave home at all. Heck going to Walmart can be a nightmare at times.

[LonW]

These are my opinions on your post (no flames please)

 

Designating half the cabins as non-smoking only could easily interfere with revenue, and RCI is not going to do that. (I myself would not like to have my choice of cabin location limited by whether I smoked or did not smoke.)

 

The solariums are heavenly for adults, and since they are always adults-only, why curtail children from using the main pools at all?

 

Finally, we always choose second seating for a variety of reasons, one of which is a more adult dining environment. We have never been disturbed by children in the dining room so far, and if we were, we'd ask to be moved.

 

I agree 100% Teddie!!:D

[madforcruising]

Well I have to say I have had issues in Hotels with smoking rooms and always ask for a non smoking one. On the other Side never had this problem with any room on a cruise ship. Maybe they have some better strategy in air conditioning and cleaning.

Maybe the question could be why can cruiselines do such a good job on cleaning the air and hotels can´t:rolleyes:

[TrinaLC]

How would the suggestions cost them more money? I don't see how another staff person is indicated. In fact, I think it would very popular to have several ships with some non-smoking rooms. I truly think those rooms would book up first and I would be first in line. BTW, my DH really enjoys the cigar bar but would never think of smoking a cigar on the balcony or in the room. Again, I am not asking for an entire non-smoking ship, we saw that that didn't work on the Destiny. However, from the numerous and often heated smoking threads, I think it is an option that people want.

 

It would indeed be expensive, because once you put new rules in place, you have to enforce them, or people will complain even more than they did before the rules were added.

 

So - think of all the midnight calls to security reporting "smokers" in the room next door. And the other calls when kids insist on staying in the pool during the adult hour (sometimes even encouraged by their parents, after all, the "paid" for the cruise, they should have "equal" rights).

 

Honestly, it would be a nightmare. Instead, work on being tolerant, understanding and co-existing.

[English Jane]

My children have always dined with adults and that is how they have learned to behave correctly in a restaurant. They have never disturbed anybody - if they had become noisy or disruptive I would have taken the initiative and left first but it has never been an issue.

I personally believe that 'child ghetto' restaurant areas - ball pits and other monstrosities are a retrograde step in parenting. Children need to learn that meal times are for sitting still, speaking pleasantly and displaying good table manners. I am proud and delighted to report that my children are now 14 and 16 and have beautiful manners - at all times.

[katiel53]

I am a non-smoker and when we go to hotels, I get non-smoking rooms. I would love to have a non-smoking cabin on a ship, but to say that one side of the ship would be non-smoking is going a bit far. I happen to like port side cabins. What if the ship made port side cabins the smoking side? I'm sure there are others who like starboard cabins as much as I like port ones. What if that side is the smoking side? We would be forced to be in a cabin on the opposite side of the ship from the ones we prefer or worse yet, stay in a cabin that has been used by smokers all the time.

 

The way things are now, every room has an equal chance of having had a non-smoker in it the week before. I wouldn't want to make any changes unless the entire ship became non-smoking, and we all know that isn't going to happen.

[stbmom]

I think non smoking rooms would be great.

I know we are paying a premium to have the room and balcony we have purchased, because we are traveling with a one year old. That will be our refuge and I will be piping hot if someone is smoking and my toddler can't spend any time on the balcony because of it.

Just like I will take him out the room if he gets fussy in the middle of the night, because others payed a lot of money and my child shouldn't cause them to not be able to sleep.

[madforcruising]

I am a non-smoker and when we go to hotels, I get non-smoking rooms. I would love to have a non-smoking cabin on a ship, but to say that one side of the ship would be non-smoking is going a bit far. I happen to like port side cabins. What if the ship made port side cabins the smoking side? I'm sure there are others who like starboard cabins as much as I like port ones. What if that side is the smoking side? We would be forced to be in a cabin on the opposite side of the ship from the ones we prefer or worse yet, stay in a cabin that has been used by smokers all the time.

 

The way things are now, every room has an equal chance of having had a non-smoker in it the week before. I wouldn't want to make any changes unless the entire ship became non-smoking, and we all know that isn't going to happen.

 

And then what about the aft cabins, are they smoking or non-smoking?

Or how are they splitted up?

Will there be a smoking next to a non smoking cabin?:rolleyes:

 

And now to be a snob, will the one Royal Suite onboard be a smoking or a non smoking cabin?:D

[luckyprincess]

Not to start any problems, but when people complain of others smoking on balconys next to them 'all the time', how is that possible? I mean, unless the two of you are the only two people on the cruise who refuse to leave your rooms, then you can't both be out there together 'all the time'. If it is that difficult, then figure out when these people aren't in the room and switch around your schedule. I mean, it's perfectly legal for them to smoke on their balcony. So get an inside or ocean view cabin if you are so scared of that happening. I know, you'll say "why should I not be able to have a balcony just because someone else is smoking?". Fine, but you can't have it both ways. If you want a balcony and someone is smoking next to you, then you will have to change your schedule to suit yourself. The smoker isn't doing anything wrong. And no, I don't smoke.

 

Also, I would pay for no children, for sure. I would also pay a lot more for more time at ports, too.

Melody

[wanda1101]

 

Did you know there is an urn of milk at the Cafe Promenade? It's there where the coffee and tea set up is. I filled a cup to drink when eating cookies and it was always very cold.