In TMP it's shown that the refitted Enterprise has a recreation deck, which makes a ton of sense, IMO. Surely ships of that size with such large crews would need more than just one lounge (Ten-Forward) and a couple of holodecks for relaxation. That said, I always wondered why they didn't use this on TNG and give the Enterprise-D an entire deck devoted to recreation, especially since they had Starfleet permitting families to live aboard many ships at the time.
Imagine it; it'd be like the Promenade on DS9 in a sense. Civilian merchants with various shops and services, private holosuites separate from the ones used for official functions, simulations, etc. Child care centers, restaurants, bars, gyms, etc. Each time they stop at a starbase, they could get a new group of merchants who would swap out and bring new products/services to the ship. Of course, there would be some who would stay, much like Quark did on DS9.
And even if we assume Starfleet reconsiders allowing children/families on starships after the Dominion War, it would be just as important to keep morale up among the crew, especially if they were going to be separated from their spouses and families for extended periods of time. I can even see a form of long-distance holo-communication between spouses and/or significant others where they... interact with each other in real time via holograms transmitted between their locations, whether one person is on a planet somewhere using a holosuite or using another starship's holodeck. This could also be applied to family gatherings such as birthdays and other non-sexual activities.
Personally, I think having somewhere like this on a starship would make a lot of sense. Maybe we'll see it in the next Abramsverse movie, assuming there is one down the road. Or if they ever return to the 24th century era or beyond. For that matter, I don't suppose there's anything stopping Discovery from using the idea, minus the holosuites, of course.
Imagine it; it'd be like the Promenade on DS9 in a sense. Civilian merchants with various shops and services, private holosuites separate from the ones used for official functions, simulations, etc. Child care centers, restaurants, bars, gyms, etc. Each time they stop at a starbase, they could get a new group of merchants who would swap out and bring new products/services to the ship. Of course, there would be some who would stay, much like Quark did on DS9.
And even if we assume Starfleet reconsiders allowing children/families on starships after the Dominion War, it would be just as important to keep morale up among the crew, especially if they were going to be separated from their spouses and families for extended periods of time. I can even see a form of long-distance holo-communication between spouses and/or significant others where they... interact with each other in real time via holograms transmitted between their locations, whether one person is on a planet somewhere using a holosuite or using another starship's holodeck. This could also be applied to family gatherings such as birthdays and other non-sexual activities.
Personally, I think having somewhere like this on a starship would make a lot of sense. Maybe we'll see it in the next Abramsverse movie, assuming there is one down the road. Or if they ever return to the 24th century era or beyond. For that matter, I don't suppose there's anything stopping Discovery from using the idea, minus the holosuites, of course.
