What does Disney have that SeaDream does not?

[Jim Avery]

The latest trend, it seems, is toward areas of ships that are set aside and enforced as adult only. Norwegian, Princess, and yes, even Disney have such enforced adult only areas. Current policy on SeaDream is kids anytime, anywhere. How about it? What is your thought on how SeaDream should set policy?

 

1. Leave the kid policy as is.

2. Adults only. 21 or over to sail.

3. Set aside designated areas as adult only. (Top of the Yacht & Bali Beds).

[Zimmy]

I'm not so sure that there is an easy answer to this, Jim. I know that when I sail Seadream, the last thing I want to see is a kid on board. Personally, I would like to see an all adult cruiseline. But I think that it is mainly a matter of economics - the cruiseline does not want to turn passengers away. Whether they are ultimately hurting themselves by doing this because it has the effect of deterring adults from sailing, I don't know. I'm not sure that they know, but "a bird in the hand." In addition, the owner regularly sails with his kids, and I suspect he's not likely to stop doing that.

 

On our most recent Seadream cruise the owner was on board with his family. We did not find the kids to be disruptive in any way.

 

On our first Seadream cruise, which was right after a New Year's cruise, the owner had left the ship but the friends with whom he had been traveling remained on board. Those kids were a problem - their parents did not supervise them so they roamed the ship looking for entertainment and it seemed like wherever one went, there they were. This included the spa. In addition, the parents (there were two families) did not care to have dinner with the kids, so the kids were seated at tables by themselves in a part of the dining room away from their parents. The cruise was full and if you got to the dining room at a time when there was only one open table, then you had the "privlege" of sitting next to these kids. We didn't like it, but then again, it didn't deter us from sailing Seadream again.

 

I think you can't generalize. Some parents have taught their children to behave, and those same parents are also considerate of others and so their children are considerate of others. But then there are other types of parents.

[luvtojump]

Purchase your own yacht.

[DisneyJen]

Interesting poll Jim.

 

DH and I were talking about this last night after we saw your post. We agree with Zimmy that there is no easy or clear answer.

 

As many of you know our first SD cruise was almost our last as our stateroom was sandwiched between a family with a baby celebrating his/her first birthday and a family with a two-year-old. Needless to say we heard lots of crying. SD is just not a ship that can handle children that young.

 

On our next cruise we had no children at all. Actually it was a relatively quiet cruise (except for me constantly calling ctbjr "Jim" instead of his real first name:p).

 

The last cruise we were on (March 08) there were no small children. There were some very well behaved teens/young adults traveling with their parents. They were very polite young men.

 

Our DD is now almost 16 ... and we have contemplated bringing her on a SD cruise during the holidays (although this year we are heading to Disney for Christmas instead). DH and I have debated the issue quite a bit ... we know our DD well and think that she is probably almost at the age where she would enjoy SD if the ports were the right ports. She still can get silly but she also can be very mature.

 

We have sailed on Disney which does an excellent job of keeping the adult areas for adults only and running programs for children of all ages BUT they have the physical plant to do so. They have an adults only restaurant and pool. SD just doesn't have the capacity or configuration to handle this setup. I also don't know how SD could enforce an adults only area like TOY and the Bali beds.

 

I know this is a long winded post but I think that there should be a minimum age. If we use the Disney model that has an age restriction for their five star, four diamond restaurant, Victoria and Albert's at the Grand Floridian, the age could be 13 years old.

 

I'd also be okay with saying 18 years old as at that age teens are legally considered adults (although they can't consume alcohol until they are 21).

 

Just my $.02:p

[yogagal47]

Our recent Athens-Dubrovnik cruise on SD2 was more than 1/2 filled with family groups. there were probably around 30 "kids" ranging in age from 6-college age with a smattering of other young people were were recent college grads. Kids of varying ages took over the TOY bar at night so we were not comfortable there. One night they did Little Mermaid medleys in the piano bar for the little ones, the kids played in the pool and hot tub unsupervised and several afternoons Wii games were offered in the lounge for the kids. there was also a preponderance of kids during swimming and watersports off the ship's platform. We were pretty surprised as the line is marketed as an exclusive, all-inclusive couples line. That being said, the crew/staff are excellent and service provided is top notch. We would have preferred that our fellow passengers were mostly adults however. I feel that SD should offer select "family" cruises, perhaps during holidays, school breaks and at the beginning and end of school holidays, and encourage these sorts of groups to come during those special weeks. They could adjust the price to reflect the fact that underage kids should not be drinking alcohol and they should enforce the rule.

[Jim Avery]

Our recent Athens-Dubrovnik cruise on SD2 was more than 1/2 filled with family groups. there were probably around 30 "kids" ranging in age from 6-college age with a smattering of other young people were were recent college grads. Kids of varying ages took over the TOY bar at night so we were not comfortable there. One night they did Little Mermaid medleys in the piano bar for the little ones, the kids played in the pool and hot tub unsupervised and several afternoons Wii games were offered in the lounge for the kids. there was also a preponderance of kids during swimming and watersports off the ship's platform. We were pretty surprised as the line is marketed as an exclusive, all-inclusive couples line. That being said, the crew/staff are excellent and service provided is top notch. We would have preferred that our fellow passengers were mostly adults however. I feel that SD should offer select "family" cruises, perhaps during holidays, school breaks and at the beginning and end of school holidays, and encourage these sorts of groups to come during those special weeks. They could adjust the price to reflect the fact that underage kids should not be drinking alcohol and they should enforce the rule.

 

Large groups of kids completely change the dynamic on board. We also had 30 kids on a Caribbean cruise (My review is near the bottom of page 5) which was almost our last with SeaDream. Subsequently, we have been lucky but it can happen any time. They are very small ships when there are kids on board.

[DisneyJen]

Catching up on my reading this afternoon which included August's Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

 

This month they have a whole section, written and edited by Wendy Perrin, devoted to cruising. In the "Cruise Ship Finder" section for "Sybarites ... The Luxe Life" they have Seabourn, Sea Dream and Silverseas listed.

 

I found this of particular interest given our experiences and the ongoing conversation and poll...

 

"SeaDream's focus is unbashedly child adverse, so it's unlikely that your calm will be interrupted by screaming children." Page b9, August 2008 Conde Nast Traveler

[Jim Avery]

Catching up on my reading this afternoon which included August's Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

 

This month they have a whole section, written and edited by Wendy Perrin, devoted to cruising. In the "Cruise Ship Finder" section for "Sybarites ... The Luxe Life" they have Seabourn, Sea Dream and Silverseas listed.

 

I found this of particular interest given our experiences and the ongoing conversation and poll...

 

"SeaDream's focus is unbashedly child adverse, so it's unlikely that your calm will be interrupted by screaming children." Page b9, August 2008 Conde Nast Traveler

 

Verrrrrry Interesting. True, but not true. Luck of the draw.

[zqvol]

Catching up on my reading this afternoon which included August's Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

 

This month they have a whole section, written and edited by Wendy Perrin, devoted to cruising. In the "Cruise Ship Finder" section for "Sybarites ... The Luxe Life" they have Seabourn, Sea Dream and Silverseas listed.

 

I found this of particular interest given our experiences and the ongoing conversation and poll...

 

"SeaDream's focus is unbashedly child adverse, so it's unlikely that your calm will be interrupted by screaming children." Page b9, August 2008 Conde Nast Traveler

 

I read that too and had to wonder after our infamous trip. You can always join FT and do the crossing. Not likely to be kids there. Hopefully our March voyage will have minimal kids too.

[janewtb]

After experiencing my first Seadream Cruise in May, I can honestly say that my kids would have called that trip "cruel and unusual punishment" - they would have hated it! There just aren't enough activites to keep most kids entertained. And, if I'm a typical mom, I'm not having much fun if my kids are miserable. I vote adults only.

[carlylecat]

This is really tricky, you know I take our nieces and nephews with Jean and I when we travel the Carribean on Sea Dream but we have never done that on our European trips.

 

Maybe designating family weeks would work out for everyone....but segregating the ship, making certain areas off limits would be difficult given how small the ship is

[scjewels]

um....... On our SD1 cruise the owner was on board with his kids and step kids. They were very well behaved and engaging. The group from Colorado's kids were only engaging when they had been drinking. And they were under aged. We had them going down our halls at night, one night with one of the dads looking for them and yelling at the top of his lungs. Not so great. And, we let him know that. It got a bit better after we said something. Kids are not usually a problem for me, but when parents just don't even check on their own to see what's up, some how problems occur.

 

There was another small group on board with some children but they kept them under their thumbs.

 

Honestly, my 17 year old son would be sooooooooooooooooooo bored unless he had kids his age on board or some of his friends, which might not go over to well on the ship. Granted, they wouldn't be drinking, I'm sure they would be using the pool, the ocean toys, etc.

 

Unless your'e chartering, I would say forget bringing kids.

 

As Disney Jen said, just my .02 worth.

[Jane1614]

I agree, Why would a kid, of any age under 21 like this kind of cruise? There maybe exceptions...but really......nothing for them.

I vote over 21 only. And so glad on our first SD cruise in earlyJune we had no one under 30!

[Jim Avery]

Large groups of kids completely change the dynamic on board. We also had 30 kids on a Caribbean cruise (My review is near the bottom of page 5) which was almost our last with SeaDream. Subsequently, we have been lucky but it can happen any time. They are very small ships when there are kids on board.

 

Woops! the review in question is now at the top of page six.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

We were thinking about a SD cruise here in the near future but after reading this, and seeing first hand the havoc that just three out of control kiddies did on a Regent Mariner cruise, I'll pass on SD. I can't imagine what a cruise on such a small ship would be like if those three little monsters (and their parents) were aboard. At least on a larger ship there might be places to escape...

 

I'll check back occasionaly to see if SD wises up and goes adults only.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

One thing SD could do is to require that anyone under 18 be under *constant* supervision of their parent or guardian, with removal of the family from the ship at the next port for the first offense (well, maybe second offense, I'm feeling generous today...). This could be justified just on a safety basis.

 

Plus make things like the bars off-limits to those under 18, even with parents (like many land-based bars). They should be able to set up some non-obtrusive barriers to demarcate these areas.

 

If they made this clear on their website and pre-cruise docs, this might deter the unruly masses and yet allow responsible parents with well behaved children.

[Jim Avery]

So far, this poll has produced interesting, and not unexpected results. Over 86%, as of this date, of SeaDream customers or potential customers have overwhelmingly stated their desire for a change in the kid policy at SeaDream. Are they listening? Do they care? We can hope.

All the best,

Jim.

[DisneyJen]

Were your ears burning last night Jim? Frequent Traveler, my DH and I were in Charlotte at the Kenny Chesney concert. While we were tailgating before the show we were talking about this poll ... and the possibility of you and Lois joining us in March:D

 

I do know that some folks from SD do indeed read these boards. Not sure if those are the same folks who are in the position to influence/change the policy.

[Jim Avery]

Hi DJ:

You are on SDII 6 March right? We are playing around with the idea of joining you but a few things need to happen first. Plenty of time for now. Say hello to FT & hubby.

Jim.

[DisneyJen]

SD2 March 6 to 15 is correct:D Hope that you and Lois will be able to join us.

 

Did Lois happen to see the article in today's USA Today about Chico-wearing Debbie Phelps, mother of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps? Thought of Lois this morning when I read that article ... actually I thought about all the SD women who take Chico's on board with us!:p

[Jim Avery]

I dont think she has seen that but she did ask me if I wanted to stop in Chicos after we had lunch out. Yeah, right.

[Jim Avery]

Woops! the review in question is now at the top of page six.

 

Review is now part way down page 7. How did that happen?

[zqvol]

Hi DJ:

You are on SDII 6 March right? We are playing around with the idea of joining you but a few things need to happen first. Plenty of time for now. Say hello to FT & hubby.

Jim.

 

Thanks Jim.

 

FT is being a Kenny Chesney groupie this weekend. Not my type of music plus I had to teach last night so I stayed home while FT, DJ and MrDJ enjoyed the sounds.

 

Do your best to join us for the 9 day from SJU on March 6!

[zqvol]

SD2 March 6 to 15 is correct:D Hope that you and Lois will be able to join us.

 

Did Lois happen to see the article in today's USA Today about Chico-wearing Debbie Phelps, mother of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps? Thought of Lois this morning when I read that article ... actually I thought about all the SD women who take Chico's on board with us!:p

 

DJ, I was at PFC having lunch today and almost fell off my stool when I saw that. If I can just hide it from FT!

[DisneyJen]

Considering that FT is chasing the cowboy for the next two nights you should be okay. Mr DJ missed the article this morning so he did not share the info with FT on their ride back to GSO:p

 

I understand that they listened to "Demons" quite a few times:D We sure did miss you in CLT last night!!