swimming with children who wear nappies??

[MrPete]

Again, I see some are looking at the wrong perspective.

 

Not only would I allow my infant swim in my toilet bowl, but I would never put her in a communal pool.

[Havingfun2010]

I just can not every understand, why someone with young kids, can't understand that we don't want to swim with their child's poopoo floating around. I think every parent should vacation with their kids, but they must understand the limitations while doing so, and not expect everyone else to suffer.

[Mack2]

Having been a lifeguard too, I've seen a lot, and there's no way I'd want to swim with small kids in diapers. Sorry! But wait...did I read a while back that they cannot use chemicals in the pool (ie. chlorine?)...does this mean that the pools are saltwater? (First-time cruise here, please forgive my stupid questions)

 

The pools are usually filled with filtered seawater.

There are a few lines that have freshwater pools... somewhere... maybe they use the saline filtration/chlorination system.

 

Regardless, I think a lot of environmental groups would be up in a tizzy if the cruise industry dumped chlorinated water into the oceans regularly.

 

edit:

I just can not every understand, why someone with young kids, can't understand that we don't want to swim with their child's poopoo floating around. I think every parent should vacation with their kids, but they must understand the limitations while doing so, and not expect everyone else to suffer.

 

I don't think the OP was asking if it's okay to do so, she was asking if there was any alternatives (she had asked the same in the Family Cruising forum)

Since the RCI forum is more familiar with the Voyager class, I guess this was the 2nd most logical place to go.

 

As mentioned in the Family Cruising forum, Adventure Beach (Deck 12 Aft) may not allow swim diapers... but it's also usually devoid of crowds.

Maybe the inflatable idea would work back there.

[jerin]

Having been a lifeguard too, I've seen a lot, and there's no way I'd want to swim with small kids in diapers. Sorry! But wait...did I read a while back that they cannot use chemicals in the pool (ie. chlorine?)...does this mean that the pools are saltwater? (First-time cruise here, please forgive my stupid questions)

 

It depends on the ship -- some are salt, some are fresh (I'm not sure exactly which are which, though I do know that the biggest ships have fresh), but because of maritime regulations, they are still limited in what they're able to discharge from the ship, chemical-wise, and thus the difference in sanitation. (I do believe that they use SOME sanitation chemicals, but they're not at the levels that would be in a land-based public pool.)

[Langley Cruisers]

...contaminated water in the inflatable pool when their child is done playing in it? Dump it out on the pool deck?

 

My thoughts exactly. It's disgusting. There is no way to safely dispose of this water - over the side? How about NO... that would jeopardize everyone else on lower decks.

 

OP, you've received good advice here. I hope you enjoy your cruise with your family, and please take them to swim at the beaches instead.

[Mack2]

Originally Posted by waterbug123

...contaminated water in the inflatable pool when their child is done playing in it? Dump it out on the pool deck?

My thoughts exactly. It's disgusting. There is no way to safely dispose of this water - over the side? How about NO... that would jeopardize everyone else on lower decks.

 

Actually, I did link one of the reference points to what could be done with the water after the post.

 

There was a mention of dumping it in a floor drain (the shower) or a janitor's sink.

[Papa T]

Last year we took our 3 and 1 year old GK on Freedom. They did have a splash pool for small children with swimmers. The pool (a very small contained area in the H20 zone) was very closely monitored to guard against cross contamination. RCCL did a great job on that cruise and having the splash pool added greatly to the enjoyment of the 1 year old. Next January we will do it again on Allure but no issue this time with 6 and 3 year olds.

[BroncosFan2010]

Having been a lifeguard too, I've seen a lot, and there's no way I'd want to swim with small kids in diapers. Sorry! But wait...did I read a while back that they cannot use chemicals in the pool (ie. chlorine?)...does this mean that the pools are saltwater? (First-time cruise here, please forgive my stupid questions)

 

 

You are correct... the pools are salt-water (except on ships like the Oasis) and therefore will be way worse than a normal pool. In previous posts, I was referring to a land based pool that does use chemicles.

[EVALUATOR]

Here is some easy reading on CDC rules for pools on cruise ships:

 

You can read it...

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/training/videos/presentations/swim.pdf

 

Or you can watch it...

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/training/videos/swim/captionplayer.html

 

Or you can read the whole (approx. 250 pages) 2005 vessel sanitation program...

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/operationsmanual/OPSManual2005.pdf

[jmom5]

It depends on the ship -- some are salt, some are fresh (I'm not sure exactly which are which, though I do know that the biggest ships have fresh), but because of maritime regulations, they are still limited in what they're able to discharge from the ship, chemical-wise, and thus the difference in sanitation. (I do believe that they use SOME sanitation chemicals, but they're not at the levels that would be in a land-based public pool.)

On RCCL, all of the Freedom class ships and the Oasis have chlorinated pools.

[imsulin]

We were on a cruise in Dec.A mother put her toddler in the pool with a swim diaper.Security told her to remove the child,she refused.It became a very heated argument.They pointed out the rules to her.She yelled she was not a USA citizen and the rules did not apply to her.Long story short the captain put her and the family off at the next stop.We were thankful to have them gone.

 

Wow!! More details, please! What line and ship? That sounds pretty extreme....maybe they violated other rules? TIA.

 

I don't like seeing entitled parents plopping entitled NTT babes into pools not designated for them, either. We had that problem once in our very small private resident pool a couple of years ago. A daughter of a resident with two small kids decided it was OK to put her two twin NTT babes into out pool stark nekkid....despite posted rules. The resident is always required to be with a guest if the guest is using the pool. The resident gave the guest the pool key, didn't go with the Mama, and voila! Pool was shut down for three weeks to be cleaned, and the resident had to pay for it. You just don't want to do this.....anywhere it's forbidden.

[sas80]

Cruise ships get a lot of negative press when there's a viral or bacterial outbreak of some sort on a ship.

 

A lot of ships do not have the capabilities to use chemicals in their pools to sanitize the pool water since most pools are drained back into the ocean (they can't dispose of those chemicals in the ocean without having an impact on the environment)

 

Swim nappies will contain solid wastes but they won't stop the germs from those wastes from contaminating the water.

 

I'm sure the last thing the cruise line wants is some good old fashioned e.coli contaminating the pool water while people are walking out of the pool to eat lunch... munch on a pizza or something.

 

A lot of parents of toddlers recommend bringing along an inflatable pool for the children.

 

Although, if your child is old enough to start considering potty training, the cruise might be good incentive to start training!

 

While I keep reading this suggestion I´m real curious about where would you put it on a crowded pool deck? How do you fill it and more importantly how do you get it emptied?

 

You might want to try a more "bathtub sized" blow up "pool". You can find them on Amazon and estimate their size with your own tape measure.

 

You get a beer bucket and can fill them with either pool water or the shower water that is available in the deck showers. Really, most babies this age are content with a few inches of water.

 

You need to drag it over to an actual drain to empty it, and be sure to be as precise as possible and get the contents down the actual drain.

 

We have done this and it has been great!

 

Happy Sailing!

[crusinmama06]

Queen, you asked this question and received the best answers on the Family Cruise board. Not sure why you felt the need to ask again :confused:

 

But just in case you didn't see the responses to your question, its here....

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1173636

 

To anyone else who is wondering about this -- no, the Voyager Class does not allow kids in swim diapers. You can bring a small inflatable pool. You can place it at Adventure Beach and you can dump it in the janitor's sink(ask a crew member). We are talking a couple buckets of water, not 1,000 gallons of toxic waste. There is much worse in the hot tub, I assure you.

 

The fresh water pools are on the Freedom Class and Oasis Class Ships. The rest of the RCI ships have salt water pools.

 

The Freedom Class and Oasis class have Baby Splash Zones for Babies/Tots in Diapers. The Baby Splash Zone is 6" deep and uses a high powered filtration system to keep it clean. Kids who are potty trained are not allowed in the Baby Zone.

[newbiecruiser09]

To the OP: Even though your kiddies love to swim, they may not miss the pools on board. Our DD (who is 7 and very potty trained) is a very avid swimmer and would be in the pool/tub as often as she can here at home. She only swam in the pools on our last cruise during sail away. The rest of the time she was so busy in port (we did do beach/water activities at 2 of 3 stops) with us or in the AO that she never missed swimming. If you keep the kids active with things to do and see, they may not miss swimming while on the ship. I know yours may be too young for AO but there is still a ton of stuff to do to keep them occupied and away from the pools if you want. Good Luck!

[waterbug123]

Actually, I did link one of the reference points to what could be done with the water after the post.

 

There was a mention of dumping it in a floor drain (the shower) or a janitor's sink.

 

Ok, I don't mean to sound cynical, but emptying an inflatable pool bucket by bucket into a janitor's closet? Which is likely to be located how far away? Do you really think someone is going to make umpteen trips to a janitor's closet, which they are going to have to ask someone to unlock for them, to empty an inflatable pool? Somehow I don't see that happening. Physically, yes, it could happen. Realistically, no, I doubt it would. I realize dumping it into a floor drain could work, but I still see a lot of spillage onto the pool deck, and multiple trips back and forth with a bucket. Somehow I just don't see most people making this kind of effort to empty an inflatable pool each afternoon.

[cruzincurt]

? they love swimming!!!!!

 

Did the kiddos happen to read the brochure indicating that there are swimming pools on the ship? Unless you take them to the pools, the kiddos wouldn't even know there were pools.

 

Last time I used a hot tub was just prior to watching a dad dip his diaper clad kiddo in and out like a tea bag. Oh what fun they were having.

[Langley Cruisers]

Actually, I did link one of the reference points to what could be done with the water after the post.

 

There was a mention of dumping it in a floor drain (the shower) or a janitor's sink.

 

Thanks, but that doesn't make it right, acceptable, or sanitary.

[cruzincurt]

And to be fair, adults with diapers need to stay out as well.

[imsulin]

And to be fair, adults with diapers need to stay out as well.

 

But will they be able to read the brochure indicating where the pools are?

 

(I've just gotten my triifocal RX updated. No Depends yet, but the adult kids often threaten me with "The Home" if I don't behave.) :) :)

[John Henry on CC]

Queen, you asked this question and received the best answers on the Family Cruise board. Not sure why you felt the need to ask again :confused:

 

But just in case you didn't see the responses to your question, its here....

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1173636

 

To anyone else who is wondering about this -- no, the Voyager Class does not allow kids in swim diapers. You can bring a small inflatable pool. You can place it at Adventure Beach and you can dump it in the janitor's sink(ask a crew member). We are talking a couple buckets of water, not 1,000 gallons of toxic waste. There is much worse in the hot tub, I assure you.

 

The fresh water pools are on the Freedom Class and Oasis Class Ships. The rest of the RCI ships have salt water pools.

 

The Freedom Class and Oasis class have Baby Splash Zones for Babies/Tots in Diapers. The Baby Splash Zone is 6" deep and uses a high powered filtration system to keep it clean. Kids who are potty trained are not allowed in the Baby Zone.

 

She hasn't returned to this thread, either.

[crusinmama06]

Ok, I don't mean to sound cynical, but emptying an inflatable pool bucket by bucket into a janitor's closet? Which is likely to be located how far away?

 

You don't need to sound cynical, because you are being cynical. But on the family board, where Mack got this tip, we discuss this option often. So it's pretty accepted as something that is done. Like I said in my post, we aren't talking about a 1,000 gallon pool, we are talking about a couple of buckets. Many, many parents have done it. It's a way to keep the babies out of the main pools. The parents on the family board are the ones who want to do the right thing. So instead of being cynical and argumentative, read what the person is saying. Its done everyday by the parents on the family board. Just because you don't think it can work, doesn't mean it can't.

 

The "pool" most often used is the duck tub which doubles as a bath tub (because most cabins have showers and the little ones can't shower) -- so it really is only a few buckets of water to splash around in -- not gallons and gallons.

 

And these are the parents you want onboard. You don't want the parents who say "It's my vacation. I paid full price for my infant and they are going in the pool!" and yes, we have seen those parents on the family board.

 

 

She hasn't returned to this thread, either.

 

Yep -- that's what I figured. You always have to wonder when someone starts a hot button topic with their first post and then repeats it not once but twice. :rolleyes:

[SherriZ366]

Wow!! More details, please! What line and ship? That sounds pretty extreme....maybe they violated other rules? TIA.

 

.

More details would be great -- I think there are lots of examples of Captains taking stands and booting folks off the ship.

[Rancher Dave]

Just because I saw someone on enchantment take the no diapers to a different level...I will also suggest no nude swimming (for the kids that is) as likely security will stop it.

 

Yes on Enchantment, while still in port at one stop one family pulled the kids clothes off had her swim nude in the hot tub in the Solarium...pool attendants didn't seem to mind...I did however not hit the hot tub after seeing that. :eek:

[BroncosFan2010]

And to be fair, adults with diapers need to stay out as well.

 

LOL Hadn't thought of that! :p

[madforcruising]

And to be fair, adults with diapers need to stay out as well.

 

LOL Hadn't thought of that! :p

 

 

Actually for some years now the ships I have been on had the signs at the pool changed from "Kids in diapers" to "Persons in diapers"