What is an adult?

[KCMiller]

Again, didn't mean to start a big debate (although I know that this sort of thing does tend to happen) - I was just wondering what their age limits were.

Adult only is fine. But I do wish they would lower the age limit a bit, or raise it. I know very few 16 year olds who whine and throw food at fancy restaurants. 18 just seems very arbitrary to me - it's not even hacked to the drinking age, which I would totally understand.

Ah, well. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises is looking better all the time . . . but we'll probably try a DCL, too.


KC

 

[Jsme]

I'm going to try to word my opinion on this very carefully, b/c I don't want to appear disrespectful of anyones feelings.

I do not have children...which I've discovered usually makes people stop reading my opinion right there But I have worked with kids of all ages in the past. One thing I dealt with ALOT were parents who thought their kids were different. They were certain Johnny could handle this, or that Susie was more advanced then those, etc. I'm not saying they were always wrong. But I'm saying that plenty of people think that way about their children. Plenty of them perhaps overestimated their chidren, some didn't.

SO, my point in saying that is that if you took every parent who thought their child should be the exception to the rule, AND made exceptions for them...there would be absolutely no point in there even being Adult sections. It would be in theory only.

Honestly, if DCL didn't have Adult only sections, that they truly enforced, then I would not go on DCL. They know this. They even know that parents want some adult only time. So much of the ship is geared towards families and kids, that I think the adults section deserves to be respected. It's a shame that a mature 16 or 17 year old may get bored or feel out of their element, but that should be taken into consideration when booking a vacation. It's a matter of if you make exceptions for one, when does it end? Who determines the cut off point?

I do partly question charging an adult price for under 18. Adults, teens, children all have special places and activities, so really the only reason Disney might justify why children are cheaper is the food consumption (adult menu vs. kid's menu.) Curious..

Amen.

 

[Jsme]

KCMiller, I do not want to seem ugly. I truly do understand my DD is mature for her age and in a few years I am sure I will have the same problems. BUT, I really would not be cruising in a few weeks if the adult area rules were not enforced. I would be highly upset it I am sitting there enjoying myself and there were a few 17 year olds there. I do not care how mature a young adult is, a rule is a rule. If you do not think your oldest will have a good time just do not go. But there is so many things to do. If you encourage her (which I am sure you will) she will be more open to go to the teen area. Who knows she might just meet someone with the same interests and they can hang out at the Goofy pool together. When we cruise with the kids we stay at the Goofy pool. It is not bad just crowded and noisy.
Good Luck in your decision.

 

[linco711]

The issue we were discussing was older teenagers, not children under 10. Younger children should be excluded from adult areas since they have not acquired the acceptable social skills. We had many very loud and boisterous children at dinner with us every evening. I don't understand why parents allow them to be so loud and disruptive to all around them. But a well-behaved 16 or 17 year old child is a different thing all together!

 

[Jsme]

The issue we were discussing was older teenagers, not children under 10. Younger children should be excluded from adult areas since they have not acquired the acceptable social skills. We had many very loud and boisterous children at dinner with us every evening. I don't understand why parents allow them to be so loud and disruptive to all around them. But a well-behaved 16 or 17 year old child is a different thing all together!

Sorry I can not agree with you. I do not care if they are well behaved or not they should not be in the adult areas.

 

[linco711]

Jsme....No need to apologize. We can't all agree on everything! But I bet we can all agree that no child should be loud and boisterous at dinner, no matter what their age! Whatever happened to manners!

 

[branv]

Unfortunately, "well behaved" is a subjective term I've known lots of parents who thought their kids...of ALL ages...were angels, where others would definitely disagree (*cough* count my nephew among them, but I didn't say that ) Disney definitely can't start telling people "well your teenager is well behaved, so c'mon down! You, no, your teenager is a disgrace, off to the side with you!" How would you feel if you were sitting there, feeling proud of yourself for getting your child in, when in walks another person with a 16 year old who is NOT well behaved and ruins this nice, adult atmosphere? But they let yours in, can't turn the other one away... So now it's ruined for everyone who rightfully belongs there.

Why is it nice and peaceful...b/c it's full of adults. Change that and it's not longer nice and peaceful.

I wonder if RCL or Carnival has similar policies?

 

[Keggy]

Just adding my .02 to the mix. The adult age on DCL is 18. You need to be 18 to go to the adult pool, some clubs, and to PALO. I have crusied with kids and without kids. I personally cherish the Adult only areas and would be upset if kids under 18 were allowed admittance. On our last DCL cruise we did ask for some 16/17 year old girls to be removed from the adult pool.

Kelly

 

[Jsme]

Jsme....No need to apologize. We can't all agree on everything! But I bet we can all agree that no child should be loud and boisterous at dinner, no matter what their age! Whatever happened to manners!

 

[Jsme]

Just adding my .02 to the mix. The adult age on DCL is 18. You need to be 18 to go to the adult pool, some clubs, and to PALO. I have crusied with kids and without kids. I personally cherish the Adult only areas and would be upset if kids under 18 were allowed admittance. On our last DCL cruise we did ask for some 16/17 year old girls to be removed from the adult pool.

Kelly

Oh I am glad to hear that Kelly. I was just sitting here wondering about that. I am not above doing this at all.

 

[kcashner]

For "adults only" locations and activities, you are defined as an adult at 18 on DCL. For purposes of paying the adult fee for excursions, you are an adult at 10.

In the parks, you pay adult admission at age 10. You pay adult prices in the restaurants at 12. At the hotels, you are considered a "youth" or "junior" until age 18.

 

[Eeyorefan12]

When I was walking by the adult's only pool on the Magic last week, lots of children were "cutting through" the area to get to places like the Arcade (which is badly placed next to the adults areas anyway, IMO). A guy in a lounge chair just suddenly shouted out "Get these kids out of here!" LOL! I don't think it was the best way to handle it (and it probably didn't do much) but the level of frustration had probably been building all day for him.

But, as I said, the adult area is placed so that it is sometimes difficult (when foot traffic is high) to get places without cutting through. Plus, there are not clear boundaries around the pool. Perhaps this will be addressed when the Magic is in dry-dock?

CB

 

[BethA]

We just returned from the Adventure of the Seas and they did not seem to enforce the adult only areas. Teens were in the casino and bars, etc. This surprised me since on DCL it seems to be enforced.

There are a lot of teens and most seem to find someone with similar interests. At least that is the experience we have had. We also are able to take a friend for my teen son so that keeps him very happy.

I agree that there are instances as a parent where i feel my children are mature enough, well behaved enough, but I realize that rules are in place and you need to follow them. I hope everyone enjoys their cruise and that the teens can make the situation work for them.

 

[mamalle]

dh and I throughly enjoyed our adult time at the pool, spa and palos without babies, toddlers, kids and teenagers- thats what we are paying for and as long as DCL has the adult only rules- I hope they will enforce them along with the parents.

 

[lbgraves]

Now we have walked past the adult pool with the kids since we have had rooms forward & those elevators aren't used quite as much. We do try to avoid it though simply due to the smoke. If we remember to walk aft on our deck & use those elevators or stairs to go up then we don't have to walk thru the smoke at the adult or Goofy pools.

 

[txaggie94gigem]

lbgraves...we are the same way...we have 4 wonderfully insane children and do not live near family...what sane friend would watch all of them for us while we went on vacation alone??!! we have hopes that my mom might watch them for us in a few years when they will all be in school all day so they won't be too much of a stessor at once! but until then we travel all as a unit!

I also agree with the Disney rules...they have to draw the line somewhere...I agree there are some 16 and 17 years olds that behave better than some adults ( ) but i am not ready to eat at Palos next to a whole table of rowdy teenagers...some people are going on board to get away from their kids for a while...the adult only places offer a place to get away but there would be no way for DCL CMs to kick out rowdy kids from quiet "adult" places without seeming discriminatory.....

 

[ibouncetoo]

. We do try to avoid it though simply due to the smoke. If we remember to walk aft on our deck & use those elevators or stairs to go up then we don't have to walk thru the smoke at the adult or Goofy pools.

SMOKE!?!?!?!?!? I haven't had my Disney Cruise, YET. Why did I expect there to be no smoking--except verandahs or designated areas (and maybe the bars)?? I guess that's something else I'd better check out while doing my research.

 

[aprilgail2]

SMOKE!?!?!?!?!? I haven't had my Disney Cruise, YET. Why did I expect there to be no smoking--except verandahs or designated areas (and maybe the bars)?? I guess that's something else I'd better check out while doing my research.

They can smoke anywhere outside except around the mickey pool....otherwise all open areas are smoking areas.

 

[lbgraves]

SMOKE!?!?!?!?!? I haven't had my Disney Cruise, YET. Why did I expect there to be no smoking--except verandahs or designated areas (and maybe the bars)?? I guess that's something else I'd better check out while doing my research.

I have allergies and that is one thing that can set my system off & ruin a vacation for me. When the ship is at sea the breeze carries it all aft & I found that it hit me right in the face when we walked out the door near the elevators there. It is easy to avoid though once you learn your way around the ship. We also avoided walking thru the Beat Street area on deck 3 from the forward elevators to reach the atrium. We just walked to the mid ship area & took the stairs down.

 

[georgina]

Unfortunately, "well behaved" is a subjective term I've known lots of parents who thought their kids...of ALL ages...were angels, where others would definitely disagree (*cough* count my nephew among them, but I didn't say that ) Disney definitely can't start telling people "well your teenager is well behaved, so c'mon down! You, no, your teenager is a disgrace, off to the side with you!" How would you feel if you were sitting there, feeling proud of yourself for getting your child in, when in walks another person with a 16 year old who is NOT well behaved and ruins this nice, adult atmosphere? But they let yours in, can't turn the other one away... So now it's ruined for everyone who rightfully belongs there.

Why is it nice and peaceful...b/c it's full of adults. Change that and it's not longer nice and peaceful.

I wonder if RCL or Carnival has similar policies?

We did RCCL last year, and I believe the adult pool was 16 and up. Since it was a cruise to Alaska and the adult pool was the only enclosed pool, they did open it to families for 2 hours a day.