ToniV

My only complaint, after 50+ cruises, is that ALL cruise lines make rules they don’t enforce. Whether it’s no diapers in the pool, no kids in Solarium (nor in casino/gym/adult shows/spa), wash hands before entering buffet, don’t wear shorts to dinner, no “saving” chairs, cannot cruise six months pregnant, cannot cruise until six months old, wear a mask, be vaccinated, WHATEVER, there are always blind eyes turned, conflict seemingly avoided, exceptions made, loopholes left open. Most of the time all it takes is a guest willing to lie (“I’m not pregnant!” “Fluffy’s my service animal; she’ll stay with my husband while I go ashore!” “My baby’s six months old and already toilet-trained!”) and an employee too busy or too intimidated or totally untrained and unempowered in how to deal with it. (I’ve heard all of these whoppers on board.) Crew members responsible for enforcement seem more fearful of angering rule-breakers with correction than of angering the rest of us who see what others get away with — who see what others shamelessly BRAG about getting away with. Failure to enforce some of these rules results in a health or safety hazard. Failure to enforce others compromises the atmosphere of a given venue and creates resentment among the rule followers who are made out to be chumps. If you aren’t going to enforce even the most fundamental parts of a dress code, for example, why have one? If you are leaving it up to adult guests in the Solarium to report the 10yos in the Solarium pool or hot tub, why promote the Solarium as being for those 18 and up, leading me to believe that it actually WILL be for those 18 and up? I actually would like to see a few NEW rules — 21+ in Solarium, no one under 21 on barstools, ONE elegant bar on board for strictly 21+, for example. But I’d be satisfied with genuine enforcement of the rules ALREADY IN PLACE.

Never thought about it, until hubs expressed a preference for having bed nearer bath and sofa nearer balcony. How can I tell how any given room is configured? We sail Royal & HAL.

Now that I've spent a year protecting my 80yo husband from covid and getting us vaxxed, I've booked four cruises. I'd like to know if the lines are ready to truly enforce the rules about non-toilet-trained babies/toddlers in pools and hot tubs. After everything, the idea of being exposed to e coli and live virus (from kids getting routine vaccinations) in the pool is more an issue than ever. Too many parents clearly have no idea of the policy, many ignore it and staff are reluctant to enforce. Maybe have parents sign a form at booking, acknowledging the CDC policy? Charge parents for costs of cleaning? Have lifeguards to enforce? This is the ideal time to start fresh.

Is there a thermal suite in the spa? A thalassotherapy pool or warm ceramic  beds? 

My hubs (80) & I (60) have nearly 40 cruises to date. He's Sicilian & loves the Med. We are in a hopeful mood. We are looking at two Med cruises & need help deciding. We will be taking along another couple, in their 60s; neither has cruised the Med before. Carnival Legend on Sep 5 to/from Rome, 10 nts, & Royal's Odyssey on Aug 15, 7 nts. Wdyt?

Remember, your baby can’t enter pools or hot tubs, not even the family pools. Must be toilet-trained.

Silver lining? Maybe cruise lines will now empower staff to enforce rules about diapers and those who need them not getting in pools and hot tubs.

No diapers, and no one who needs them, allowed. 

Why would your 9yo even BE in the adult pool?

I don't believe that a one-year-old is toilet-trained. And neither does anyone else.

On 7/8/2019 at 11:40 AM, cb at sea said:

If your 15 month old is totally potty trained, then you can use the pool.  If not, then it's the "splash zone" only...IF that ship has it. Otherwise, you can bring a blow up tub, for splashing.  Empty into a floor or shower drain....NOT onto the deck or into the pool!

 

Ship's pools aren't like land-based pools, and any fecal material in the pool (whether it's contained in a swim diaper or not) will contaminate the pool.

 

I think your only "babysitting" option is to use the nursery.  They do age-appropriate activities!

If your 15-month-old is potty trained, you need to sell that secret and buy a ship for yourself. Your baby shouldn't be in any pool at all on board any ship, only the splash zones and the like. Those are ONLY for non-trained kids in swim diapers, so if you have two kids it will be hard to supervise both at once. 

If by Amber Cove you mean the beach...your non-trained child can go in the ocean water. But not in any cruise ship pool, not even the "family" pool. As far as I know, Carnival doesn't have the splash zones -- those are not pools, just wet areas with sprayers and sprinklers and so forth -- for non-trained children; they must wear swim diapers in these splash zones and children who ARE trained aren't allowed in them, making it difficult if not impossible for one parent to supervise two children at once. And yes, the rule is enforced, and if it isn't it should be, for the sake of your own children and everyone else. And if it isn't, other folks will see that it is, I promise. 

On 2/21/2019 at 5:45 PM, grg said:

Hi, I've done this trip twice once with a 9 month old and then again with his brother when they were 1 and 3.

 

First off the boys were treated fabulously by the crew!  I was surprised how many would want to talk or interact with our kids.  You tend to forget they have lives outside the ship and are missing their own families.

The first time we had a mini suite and a crib.  plenty of room for the 3 of us.  We called Princess ahead of time and they arranged baby food for us.  We were asked what he liked to eat and how much before the trip and on embarkation met with the Maître de to confirm.  He asked if we wanted it in our cabin or to be brought out at meals.

 

Second time we did an inside.  The boys (1&3) loved the bunk beds.  the room wasn't too crowded as they were small.  Both boys ate off he children's menu this time.(the absolutely best chicken strips in the world!)  Again the crew was wonderful. We had fixed dinning and the wait staff took excellent care of us. having a little snack at the table ready for our boys, and other little things like that. 

 

Some of my thoughts:

-Get a good "umbrella" stroller the compact folding kind. Our first trip we had his full size one and it took up a lot of space in the mini suite.

-The provided baby food was great, cut down on packing.

-The buffet was good always found something for our picky eater.  At dinner fixed dinning  with the same waiters was great. 

-The kids club was not operating on our second cruise. Not enough children but they let us use the rooms. They had Legos, balls, trikes, a play room.

-As for packing "baby" stuff there are normal stores in Ketchikan and Juneau  for getting things if you run out.

-My wife and I are both from Alaska and I spent a lot of time in S.E. Alaska  and my mother lived in Ketchikan (reason for cruise #1) so we just walked around the ports with our boys.  There was enough to keep them and us interested.

-For naps we took turns in the cabin.

-Both are potty trained and we went to a pool everyday and played.  It's an Alaskan cruise so the pools are pretty deserted!

-With kids your daily cruise routine is changed it is still fun but just different.

-Traveling with family is nice because you have built in help. my wife's parents were with us and took the boys for a night or two so we could be out late.  

-I have to say I talked with more cruise staff on these cruises than on any of my previous ones.  I usually talk to them anyway but I found them to initiate conversation more when my boys were present.

 

I'm sure you'll have a great time. It is a different cruise experience when you have small children. 

 

Be sure to tell us how it went.

 

 

 

Are you saying you had a one year old son who was toilet trained and entered the  cruise ship pool?

Anybody here, including cruise line employees, who can talk about the rules of cruising pregnant? 

On 2/21/2019 at 10:58 AM, pyropoodle said:

i have my first cruise out of NYC this august.  It isssss a lot of sea days, but this will be our first vacation as a family of 4 with 2 littles and I really did not want to deal with flying and trying to take a suitcase just for diapers.  so, we will take those sea days this go around and enjoy our time on the Sunrise, but NEXT NYE I will fly the family to Miami and enjoy the Magic!  best of both worlds.

Are you aware that babies/children in diapers of any kind (including "swim diapers") are by law forbidden to enter cruise ship pools and hot tubs, even "family" pools and hot tubs? No one in a diaper, and no one needing a diaper of any kind, no one not completely toilet-trained, is allowed in. 

On 7/7/2018 at 10:17 AM, rockon391 said:

That’s BS. Sounds like my kids with/without diapers will be joining me in the adult pools.

Bet not. 

On 10/26/2018 at 11:12 AM, ETaylor1015 said:

Not at the Disney resorts in Orlando . I have never been told she can’t swim and haven’t seen that rule anywhere

Resorts and ships are governed by different rules.

On 10/25/2018 at 2:33 PM, Kday11511 said:

I am typically just a "lurker" as they would call it on this site, looking for pieces of information that would help me plan my trip and living vicariously through those kind folks that post reviews. However, after reading through the responses to this topic, I feel inclined to say something, even if it is short and sweet. 

 

I am too a mother of young children, one of which will be wearing one of those wonderful tea bag swim diapers on our upcoming cruise in 2 weeks. I am appalled by the nasty, sarcastic responses. It is despicable. There are ways to communicate your opinions without being rude or downright mean. 

 

I applaud you for being for being so mature in your responses to these downright immature responses. Thank you for not sinking to their level.

 

Bravo for taking your small children on vacations with you. We have taken small children on a few cruises now and I have so many memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. People will be nasty where ever we go so it is important for us fellow parents to cheer each other on. Ignore the haters. I am certain that you are doing a fabulous job raising wonderful children who will be more kind to others than some of our fellow Cruise Critic members posting here. 

Will your non-toilet-trained child be in a pool or hot tub with a swim diaper? Because that is against the established rules designed to protect your child and everyone else. I don't think anyone here has been "rude or downright mean." I think folks who announce their intentions to violate health and safety policies are worse than "rude or downright mean." 

On 9/9/2018 at 7:41 PM, ETaylor1015 said:

 

For one I doubt she would be the first kid that has peed in a pool. I would rather her pee in a swim diaper then do what all the other kids do, which is pee with nothing on. My daughter can fully swim since 8 months old and a proper high quality swim diaper that is ISR approved absolutely holds in poop. That is what the purpose of them are. I would never be a parent that would spoil it for the other kids. It just seems that if they are charging an infant a full adult fare to go on the cruise , then she should have a place to have fun and swim too.

The rules come from the Centers for Disease Control's Vessel Sanitation Program (CDC/VSP). All the cruise lines must adhere. The rule is, no diapers of any kind (including "swimmers," cloth diapers, Depends, "pull-ups," etc.). NO DIAPERS. The other part of the rule is, no one who NEEDS diapers of any kind. If your kid isn't COMPLETELY toilet-trained, they can't get in the pool. Period. It doesn't matter if you disagree with it, doesn't matter if you don't like it, doesn't matter if your tot cries about it, doesn't matter how much you paid for your child to cruise, doesn't matter if you have a doctorate in microbiology or if you are absolutely convinced that your child doesn't poop and even if he or she does, it is the crystalline pure poop of the gods. Follow the rule. Everyone knows that a child who can neither walk nor talk isn't toilet-trained and many aren't even after they acquire these preliminary skills. Just. Obey. The. Rule. If you don't want to obey the rule, stick to land-based vacations with different rules until you can. I for one will rat you out if I see you violating this rule because it is a health and safety rule. 

It's not just the diapers that are forbidden. Non-toilet-trained people are forbidden. 

On 8/3/2018 at 12:34 AM, Smm2016 said:

I plan on using a swim diaper! But the carnival rules say they don’t allow babies in swim diapers. They need to be potty trained. So my question is how strict are they on that rule?

On 8/3/2018 at 3:50 PM, gerif said:

Swim diapers do absolutely nothing to contain bacteria so that is why you would not put them on a child who is not fully trained. No Carnival ships have water facilities for children who are not trained. If they don’t see the pool, they will not know it’s there. If the pool staff doesn’t say something, I know other parents will.

I hope VERY. Many of us are happy to rat you out when we see you. 

On 9/10/2018 at 9:03 AM, ETaylor1015 said:

Yep happy I booked it! Just trying to plan ahead for some of the details and use the knowledge that others have gathered !

You mean “plan ahead on how to break the rules and ignore the knowledge others have gathered.”

On 9/9/2018 at 8:14 PM, Grandma Dazzles said:

 

Very sad and so entitled! Sorry rules don’t apply to you and your swimming 15-month-old.

 

Perhaps you shouldn’t take a cruise until she can fully participate in everything offered.

 

Swim diapers are not allowed in pools on cruise ships. Take it up with the CDC and US Public Health. Their rules; cruise lines are obeying the law.

It’s not just diapers — including “swim” diapers — that are forbidden. Those not completely toilet-trained are not allowed in any pool or hot tub, including family facilities. The rule applies to you and your child. Doesn’t matter if the diaper doesn’t show. She isn’t trained and shouldn’t go there. Period.

On 9/12/2018 at 10:02 PM, ETaylor1015 said:

Thanks Andy! I wasn’t expecting that response about the diapers! I guess it didn’t help that I just came from Disney and none of the pools restricted babies in swim diapers !

 

Just to be clear though ..the oasis class ships do have an area that babies in swim diapers can go ??

 

I wish we could afford a suite !

Disney does indeed restrict diapered and non-toilet trained children from many water features on their ships. Your 15mo child is not by any stretch completely toilet-trained and everyone knows this. There are fellow cruisers who WILL call this to the  attention of security/medical/pool staff; I’m one of them.