No more kids under 3 allowed in the Pool!

I've been trying to decide whether to weigh in on this thread or not, but here goes. Given the sudden nature of the implementation of the policy (if correct), I would expect that one of Celebrity's ships was either reported to the CDC/USPH for allowing children in swim diapers in the pools, or they were caught with it during a USPH inspection. The point deductions for a blatant violation of USPH requirements could have resulted in a failed, or nearly failed score. Celebrity simply took the simplest solution to the problem, and set an age limit.

 

As noted by others, unlike municipal and private pools on land, swim diapers are not allowed on cruise ships calling at US ports, per the USPH. You can argue all you want about sterile urine, and fecal contamination, and incontinent drunks, but the recognized world experts on contagious diseases and epidemiology, the CDC, has set specific guidelines for both the construction and operation of water facilities that allow infants in swim diapers. These include, no standing water, higher turn-over rate of the water, separate water supply from other water facilities, a UV sterilizer that can handle the full turn-over of water, a dedicated crew member assigned to monitor the water facility, and a changing facility with a supply of swim diapers. The CDC feels that these measures are required to ensure the health and safety of people using a water facility where children are using swim diapers.

 

For these reasons, on two cruise lines have decided to include water facilities that allow swim diapers: Disney on all their ships, and RCI on their Freedom, Oasis, and Quantum classes.

 

USPH requirements for cruise ship pools and water facilities are stricter for general pools than land pools, and they want the infant water facilities to have even more safety.

 

As an example, the CDC studied hundreds of municipal pools across the US, and found that if these pools were under CDC/USPH requirements, that 80% of them would be shut down immediately for violations. And the numbers would be even higher if you considered only those municipal pools that allowed swim diapers.

 

As for the presence of high levels of chlorine smell indicating the presence of excess urine, that's not quite right. First off, cruise ship pools are required to maintain a higher level of chlorine, and monitor and dose it continuously, than land pools. But as to the smell, that is caused when there are excessive sanitation by-products (in other words, the substances left over after the chlorine sanitizes the organic substances introduced into the water (urine, sweat, skin), so the chlorine has actually done its job in sanitizing the water. The reason the ship's pools are drained frequently is because those pools are salt water, and therefore the water supply is free and abundant, and frequent draining eliminates the need for more chemicals to deal with the sanitizing by-products, that land pools have to deal with. Ship pool chemistry is far simpler than land pool chemistry since we drain and refill frequently.

 

And for those who say, "get out and use the facilities", while this is completely correct, how many of you use the required showers at the pool to rinse off before entering the pool, as the signage says? This removes loose skin and body oils that use up chlorine in sanitizing, and also removes the sunscreen oil that frequently causes a film on the pool water surface which interferes with the chlorine's ability to sanitize.

Great evidence informed post. Thanks for weighing in.

Hmmm ... perhaps everyone should be banned from using the pools. We can all just sit around and work on our suntans ... perhaps they could use them as decorative fish ponds or get some exotic water plants ... or maybe small coral reefs, no snorkeling necessary

Great idea.

While we're at it.

I am sickend by the number of people getting into the hot tubs and pools with open sores. A fellow on our last cruise clearly had bilateral leg cellulitis with

open, weeping sores (hate to be so graphic) get in the hot tubs and pools everyday. Fellow cruisers would see him come and high tale it out.

I have no idea how this could possibly be addressed.

I feel bad about their condition and hope some will see this post and think twice about using the pools in the future. Should the pools be contaminated with poo, their condition could crash in a hurry.

While we're at it.

I am sickend by the number of people getting into the hot tubs and pools with open sores. A fellow on our last cruise clearly had bilateral leg cellulitis with

open, weeping sores (hate to be so graphic) get in the hot tubs and pools everyday. Fellow cruisers would see him come and high tale it out.

I have no idea how this could possibly be addressed.

I feel bad about their condition and hope some will see this post and think twice about using the pools in the future. Should the pools be contaminated with poo, their condition could crash in a hurry.

That is so gross! I would stay away from the pool/tub he was in until the pool is drained and filled up again, which could mean till end of cruise..

I never could understand the allure of climbing into a hot tub of mystery soup. YUK

Maybe a note from pediatrician for example.

How would a pediatrician know.

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While we're at it.

I am sickend by the number of people getting into the hot tubs and pools with open sores.....

I have no idea how this could possibly be addressed.

Realistically, the only way to to address it and enforce the rules would be to have multiple dedicated pool/hot tub attendants, on "guard duty," with their ONLY responsibility being to monitor who does and doesn't go in. One by each pool and one by each hot tub, monitoring for kids in swim diapers, people with open sores, unattended kids etc. You can post signs all over the place and people will ignore them.

My children are older now; however, when they were younger, we cruised "family friendly" cruise lines with Kiddy Pools (example: Royal Caribbean). Thankfully my children were potty trained early, but I feel that many of you are biased towards children - regardless if they're potty trained or not.

Adults also go in the pools; as they might be inebriated, incontinent, our just plain don't care.

Gross, yes! Truthful, absolutely!

Flame away.....

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Of course you are correct in that an occasional adult will have a problem. But in most cases adults will prevent themselves from embarrassing themselves. They use reason and common sense, or at least shame to do so.

That has no relevance whatever to the discussion of infants through 3 years old being prevented from going in the pools. Infants have not learned those things, are physically able to control their bodily functions at different ages and should be assumed to not be toilet trained. Hence the rule.

Has nothing whatever with being prejudiced one way or another in terms of traveling with children.

Good for you that you took your children where there were kiddie pools available for toddlers.

Of course you are correct in that an occasional adult will have a problem. But in most cases adults will prevent themselves from embarrassing themselves. They use reason and common sense, or at least shame to do so.

 

That has no relevance whatever to the discussion of infants through 3 years old being prevented from going in the pools. Infants have not learned those things, are physically able to control their bodily functions at different ages and should be assumed to not be toilet trained. Hence the rule.

 

Has nothing whatever with being prejudiced one way or another in terms of traveling with children.

 

Good for you that you took your children where there were kiddie pools available for toddlers.

My statement regarding adults being prejudice towards children stems from posts early on in the thread; at least that was my interpretation of those posts.

There are places in the world where potty training is started very early and children do have control at a very young age; predominately Asian and Eastern European Children.

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My statement regarding adults being prejudice towards children stems from posts early on in the thread; at least that was my interpretation of those posts.

 

There are places in the world where potty training is started very early and children do have control at a very young age; predominately Asian and Eastern European Children.

 

 

 

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That's not the Celebrity demographic....At our condo in Fla whenever there is a fecal accident in large kiddie pool...pool has to be drained , cleaned...out of service for all the kiddies...no pool, no slide no fun! Those are the rules, based on State and county law.

I surmise that there will not be consensus on this, will continue to swim early and get out....and hope Celeb does not cave on health and safety,..

That's not the Celebrity demographic....At our condo in Fla whenever there is a fecal accident in large kiddie pool...pool has to be drained , cleaned...out of service for all the kiddies...no pool, no slide no fun! Those are the rules, based on State and county law.

 

I surmise that there will not be consensus on this, will continue to swim early and get out....and hope Celeb does not cave on health and safety,..

Yes, draining, cleaning, and out of service for 12+ hours were the rules on RCCL, too.

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My statement regarding adults being prejudice towards children stems from posts early on in the thread; at least that was my interpretation of those posts.

 

There are places in the world where potty training is started very early and children do have control at a very young age; predominately Asian and Eastern European Children.

 

 

 

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I would beg to differ but I am most certainly not engaging in a potty training discussion on a cruising forum. Suffice to say "yeah" for Celebrity making a logical decision. I hope they implement it permanently and across the fleet.

[emoji106]

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What other criteria besides age would they use? They can't screen each child (they don't have the resources) and/or take a parent's word (I don't think I have to explain this). If a few children that are ahead of the curve are inconvenienced, that has to be weighed against the thousands of people on-board who are inconvenienced when a pool has to be shut down indefinitely for cleaning.

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I would not want to be in a pool with kids at all, so the adult pool is a no brainer for me. Young kids, even toilet trained, have accidents. I think it's a great rule, and 'swim diapers' are an abhorrent idea.

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I would not want to be in a pool with kids at all, so the adult pool is a no brainer for me. Young kids, even toilet trained, have accidents. I think it's a great rule, and 'swim diapers' are an abhorrent idea.

 

 

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You do bring up an excellent point: utilizing the Adults Only Pool. When we cruised the Mediterranean on Equinox, it was too cold to be in the pool, so there was no risk of our (then) 3-year old to want to play in the pool; however, what else are children to do if there isn't a child's pool to play in?

Again, as previously stated, arguing about (P) in the OOL is a silly topic; however, I felt someone needed to be an advocate for the children. We pay full fare for our children just like you pay full fare and on a lot of these boards, not necessarily on this one, bringing children on-board is almost a sin.

Lady_G

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What do you do for the over three year old who isn't trained, they're allowed in because they're three. Seems a bit ironic.

I asked this question earlier and no one has answered. For all of the parents advocating for children.....

Your child is potty trained and is under the age of three, but little Annie has on swim diapers and is not completely trained and has an accident. You are okay with your child being in the same pool?

1 year old trained??? Impossible. That is the average age of learning to walk. Even a 2 year old to be completely toilet trained is not common....still wearing overnites and pull-ups.

I agree w/ the age limit. It's a sound way of being able to enforce the rule. Besides they need to get used to age limits as their lives will have restrictions from here on out. From sports to scouts to eventually obtaining a drivers license. and even a legal age of drinking.

I asked this question earlier and no one has answered. For all of the parents advocating for children.....

 

Your child is potty trained and is under the age of three, but little Annie has on swim diapers and is not completely trained and has an accident. You are okay with your child being in the same pool?

Excellent Question: Am I OK with the parents that are breaking the rules, no; however, in my mind I'm more concerned about the adults who avoid washing their hands or using sanitizer when manipulating the serving utensils at the buffets and not washing their hands after using the restrooms; leaving their empty drink and food containers everywhere that are germ covered.....

Remember, the pools are salt water.... Where do they get the salt water for the pools? In the very water that sea creatures use as their homes; other vessels that bilge their waste; any type of waste in general..... Do I want to actively swim where I know/see fecal matter, of course not, but some people are naive enough to think the water without children is cleaner...safer....purer than the water where the child (who is breaking the rules) wearing the swim diaper.

But yes, I'm irritated when other adults think they're above the rules; thus, we researched which Cruise Lines "catered" to younger cruisers until they were older and my children are allowed to play in the pools not designated specifically, "Adults Only".

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You dodged the question very nicely. How would you even know if a parent was dis-honest? You wouldn't. Now...

Would you allow your child in a pool with "under 3" children? If you don't want to answer and answer honestly, then so be it.

You dodged the question very nicely. How would you even know if a parent was dis-honest? You wouldn't. Now...

Would you allow your child in a pool with "under 3" children? If you don't want to answer and answer honestly, then so be it.

Personally, just flat out ban children under 6 from the pool! Those parents who say: Oh my little one would never pee in the pool, are full of what's in the pools! I peed in the pools at that age. Anyone who says they didn't, is full of crap!

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