Are Helmets Required on All Ships with a Rink now?

[Sugar*Magnolia]

We were on Explorer 6/24-7/3/2010. It was our 5th time on Explorer and 7th on a Voyager class. It was the first time they required everyone wear a helmet to ice skate. Yes, even though you sign a waiver. I enquired with someone who was on Explorer early September and he confirmed the same.

 

Has it become this way on all ships with an ice rink? I dont think it is fair to those that know how to skate. What do you think? We're curious b/c we're sailing on her again this December and I dont want to pack our skates if we're not going to use them.

 

There are a few groups on our roll call that want to skate! [w/o helmets!]

[The Grumpus]

I can confirm that there was a helmet law on Oasis 2-weeks ago.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Thank you, The Grumpus.

 

Sounding like it went fleetwide for RCIs ships with rinks. Helmets and a waiver. Nothing wrong with signing a waiver, but something big time wrong with making helmets mandatory. Especially on a small rink where the majority of skaters will not build any speed.

 

And, not having the info on their web site is a bad thing.

 

I wonder WHY the change? I beleive it had to be an incident......

[waldocruiser1]

Thank you, The Grumpus.

 

Sounding like it went fleetwide for RCIs ships with rinks. Helmets and a waiver. Nothing wrong with signing a waiver, but something big time wrong with making helmets mandatory. Especially on a small rink where the majority of skaters will not build any speed.

 

And, not having the info on their web site is a bad thing.

 

I wonder WHY the change? I believe it had to be an incident......

 

I would think that is a good thing, if someone fell and hit their head HARD it would be a long time before they could get off the ship, even by helicopter.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

waldocruiser1, it is an excellent option for parents if they need their youngster to wear one.

[attitudeda]

Thank you, The Grumpus.

 

Sounding like it went fleetwide for RCIs ships with rinks. Helmets and a waiver. Nothing wrong with signing a waiver, but something big time wrong with making helmets mandatory. Especially on a small rink where the majority of skaters will not build any speed.

 

And, not having the info on their web site is a bad thing.

 

I wonder WHY the change? I beleive it had to be an incident......

 

I think it's a great idea. They require hockey players to wear a helmet now when 20 years ago it was an option.

[negc]

I'm not sure why it should be considered a bad thing. Anything that makes the participants safer and really doesn't effect their ability to skate seems to be, to my mind at least, a good idea. Head injuries are getting more and more attention as we become aware of the dangers of concussions and if helmets reduce this danger you should be in favor of this measure, not complaining about it. Perhaps I, and others, are missing something but I just don't understand your opposition to the requirement.:confused:

[NordicPrince]

Sharing helmets is just another way that germs (and worse ) can get transmitted from person to person. Even if they spray it now you've got to put that on your hair? Yuck !

 

Just another reason why ice rinks don't belong on ships in the first place IMHO.

[The Big Booper]

I'm not sure why it should be considered a bad thing. Anything that makes the participants safer and really doesn't effect their ability to skate seems to be, to my mind at least, a good idea. Head injuries are getting more and more attention as we become aware of the dangers of concussions and if helmets reduce this danger you should be in favor of this measure, not complaining about it. Perhaps I, and others, are missing something but I just don't understand your opposition to the requirement.:confused:

 

Hi Bill.

 

Off topic, I saw the dustup you had with the Princess Phanatics a few days ago about adding bi-directional computer functioning to the cabin TVs.

 

Useless to talk with them so I just lurk now over there. Had your veggies today?? :D

 

Now on topic, the tort bar has the cruiselines on guard now so expect more of this nanny state overprotection. And for the record, I have been on ice skates once in my life when I was trying to score with a young lady I had just met at a singles weekend at the old Concord Hotel in the Catskills. 41 years later she won't let me forget that. :D

[negc]

Sharing helmets is just another way that germs (and worse ) can get transmitted from person to person. Even if they spray it now you've got to put that on your hair? Yuck !

 

Just another reason why ice rinks don't belong on ships in the first place IMHO.

 

While I can understand your germophobia, can you elaborate on your other reasons for being so adamantly opposed to having ice rinks on cruise ships? If you see the Ice Shows you might have a different opinion.

[Maryscooking]

I never really thought about it, but the reality is that you don't need to be going very fast to fall and hit your head hard enough to cause a problem. So I can't see the harm. Limits liability on their part, keeps our costs down.

 

As far as sharing helmets - the same has to be said for the rock wall (or horseback riding or ziplining or cave tubing, etc) that requires a helmet. If you didn't want to share, you couldn't do any of those things either.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I'm not totally opposed to them. Let me add that the first time my DD ever skated, at the age of 4, with a skating club, she actually fell and hit her head. I guess being 4 yrs old and low to the ground and just slipping, she wasnt hurt at all. I was more upset then she was.

 

What I dont agree with is making it mandatory. It isnt a game of hockey and pax already had to sign a waiver. Making someone with years of ice skating experience wear a helmet just seems, well, wrong.

 

Never thought about the germs. :cool::eek: Good point, but true, then there are many activities that would be missed out on..

[negc]

I'm not totally opposed to them. Let me add that the first time my DD ever skated, at the age of 4, with a skating club, she actually fell and hit her head. I guess being 4 yrs old and low to the ground and just slipping, she wasnt hurt at all. I was more upset then she was.

 

What I dont agree with is making it mandatory. It isnt a game of hockey and pax already had to sign a waiver. Making someone with years of ice skating experience wear a helmet just seems, well, wrong.

 

Never thought about the germs. :cool::eek: Good point, but true, then there are many activities that would be missed out on..

 

And how is the cruiseline to know just how many years of ice skating experience the guest has? Better safe than sorry seems to be a good motto and other than some philosophical objection to anything being mandated by authorities, I fail to see what problem making skaters wear helmets creates. If a four year old of mine had fallen on the ice, even if he or she wasn't hurt in that particular instance, I think I would be a staunch advocate of helmets to protect him or her in the event of a subsequent incident when the results might not be as auspicious.

[egh170]

Sharing helmets is just another way that germs (and worse ) can get transmitted from person to person. Even if they spray it now you've got to put that on your hair? Yuck !

 

Just another reason why ice rinks don't belong on ships in the first place IMHO.

 

Yuck, other people have been in your cabin, used your toilet and sink and slept in your bed. Might as well stay home and avoid the germs.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I still wonder when the change took place and why?? (Hey, a girl could be curious! :))

 

Also, I know accidents happen and I also understand an ice rink on a ship is a liability for RCI. And, as for determination of ability, isnt that why adults sign the waiver? :confused:

 

btw: Im an advocate for soooooo many positive things in life :), including wearing helmets when you bike ride and seatbelts too. Just sayin'.......

[FloridaPalms]

Helmets were not required on our Navigator cruise last year. While my grandson was skating, a child fell on the other side of the rink and an adult woman went to assist the child. From the way she skated over and turned to stop, she appeared to be a rather experienced skater. The next instant, her legs went out from under her and she went down HARD!

 

Her butt took some of the blow but the momentum threw her head against the ice! I heard the CRACK of the blow from clear across on the other side!!! :eek:

 

Cries of "OMG!" rose up from among several who witnessed it. Now she was laying there as the child and two men came to her assistance. Thankfully, within a minute or so, she got up and was laughing it off as she left the rink. I couldn't help but wonder how she would be feeling later on when the adrenaline wore off.

 

I for one am glad they instituted the helmet requirement. I would think the last thing anyone wants to see on a cruise is someone's brains splattered on the ice.

 

For those who have years of experience ice skating, how much has been at sea ... on a moving ship?

 

~ Judy

[BETEP]

I think it's a great idea. They require hockey players to wear a helmet now when 20 years ago it was an option.

 

I think its a terrible idea. I dont want a cruise line to tell an adult to wear a helmet during recreational skating. Its not sport, not a game.

 

Soon enough they will force you to wear a helmet while on the deck if the boat is in motion.

Give me a break

[negc]

I think its a terrible idea. I dont want a cruise line to tell an adult to wear a helmet during recreational skating. Its not sport, not a game.

 

Soon enough they will force you to wear a helmet while on the deck if the boat is in motion.

Give me a break

 

Hardly likely but if you want to draw such a ridiculous extreme from a policy instituted to deal with a potentially very serious possibility, feel free. I don't exactly see Big Brother in this development and don't see where anyone's freedom is seriously infringed upon.:rolleyes:

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I agree, this is not considered a dangerous recreation.

 

And look at this clip, the little ones alone on the rink do have helmets on.

 

 

Also, the rink closes when skating can potentially be comprimised by motion. Never felt motion while skating on the ship.

[PS90]

I think its a terrible idea. I dont want a cruise line to tell an adult to wear a helmet during recreational skating. Its not sport, not a game.

 

Soon enough they will force you to wear a helmet while on the deck if the boat is in motion.

Give me a break

 

I couldn't agree more. Maybe it's the hillbilly in me, but this is no different than seat belt laws - if a consenting adult signs the waiver and opts not to use it, then that should be their decision.

 

I understand the cruise line's CYA attitude, but it just makes you wonder what the next step will be...

[wrp96]

If a consenting adult signs the waiver and opts not to use it, then that should be their decision.

 

In many cases, judges will override those waivers like that so even with the waivers the cruiseline wouldn't be protected from someone who wanted to sue.

[dirtgirl]

I can't believe that people would fight wearing helmets. Can you imagine the lawsuits in this sue-crazy society?? When little Johnie or Janie falls and cracks their head open, do you think they would all just get up and laugh? Not on your life! They could die from that.

 

You can die falling on the sidewalk and hitting your head. Your brain starts to bleed, and though you may feel fine for a while, eventually, you can die. It happens.

 

It's not an act of big brother. It's smart business practice. It doesn't matter how skilled you are. Crap happens. I skated once on the Mariner. Never again. A bunch of pre-teens were crazily skating, it was crowded, and I got off the ice while the getting was good. Those idiot kids were causing wipe-outs.

 

As for germs, the problem is head lice. I insisted once, when I saw that they did not spray the helmet that they were about to put on my head, that they needed to spray it. Once I did not climb the rock wall because they weren't spraying the helmets.

[bwest the man]

I disagree with the new policy. If you sign the waiver you should be good to go and they should have helments if you want one like before. Requring a helments though is a little protective in my opinion and because of this I probally won't be ice skating now in a week.

[dirtgirl]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/49603.php

 

Just one article. If you google head injuries ice skating, you will find many more.

[dirtgirl]

http://www.halifaxpersonalinjurylawyerblog.com/2009/12/mandatory_helmets_for_recreati.html