Babies in diapers in the pool

[Fam_Cruise]

Did you get a refund?

[PaulMCO]

What about adults in diapers???

[Shining Clem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHT28

We have been on a few cruises (NOT Oceania) where the pools had to be emptied & sanitized due to "ACCIDENTS"

It is hard for little people to understand why they cannot wade in the water on a ship

 

The little people do not need to understand anything -- their parents do.

__________________

Laraine

******************************

Shining Clem (sounding like an old fuddy duddy...)

 

Exactly, Laraine. Some of us are old enough to remember polio and not being allowed to go anywhere near a pool (other than a wading pool in the back yard), a pond, small lakes, as a child, even a crowded Mass beach, until the vaccines came out. My god parents had a child with polio, and that was an example right under my parents' noses.

 

We survived and even learned to swim, eventually. I remember my mother driving for miles to Bantam Lake in Conn, which she considered safe, so I could go swimming. Also trips to Jones Beach with my cousins.

 

This topic has been under discussion on the HAL bd, and I quoted Oceans&Rivers post there.

 

This disgusting situation needs as many comments on the last day evaluations as smoking, chair hogs & slow/poor internet service. If it is enforced regularly, evenly and completely by fellow passengers, crew & officers, the word will get around.

 

:rolleyes:Maybe sending transgressors to the 'naughty room' with those who try to smuggle liquor, irons, weapons, etc on board would do the trick! :rolleyes:

[wripro]

I find it ironic that at the Terrace Cafe you cannot help yourself to the food because they are so concerned that germs could be spread yet they are completely unconcerned about a baby in diapers in the pool.

[shedevil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHT28

We have been on a few cruises (NOT Oceania) where the pools had to be emptied & sanitized due to "ACCIDENTS"

__________________

Laraine

******************************

Shining Clem (sounding like an old fuddy duddy...)

 

Exactly, Laraine. Some of us are old enough to remember polio and not being allowed to go anywhere near a pool (other than a wading pool in the back yard), a pond, small lakes, as a child, even a crowded Mass beach, until the vaccines came out. My god parents had a child with polio, and that was an example right under my parents' noses.

 

We survived and even learned to swim, eventually. I remember my mother driving for miles to Bantam Lake in Conn, which she considered safe, so I could go swimming. Also trips to Jones Beach with my cousins.

 

This topic has been under discussion on the HAL bd, and I quoted Oceans&Rivers post there.

 

This disgusting situation needs as many comments on the last day evaluations as smoking, chair hogs & slow/poor internet service. If it is enforced regularly, evenly and completely by fellow passengers, crew & officers, the word will get around.

 

:rolleyes:Maybe sending transgressors to the 'naughty room' with those who try to smuggle liquor, irons, weapons, etc on board would do the trick! :rolleyes:

 

This issue is more important than chair hogs and slow internet service - it is about keeping folks healthy and safe while traveling.

 

The comment on polio is relevant to travelers today....with global travel and multiple nationalities on cruise ships, the potential for the rapid spread of a virus is a reality. Thus the questions about health status when going through customs. A lady on our cruise to Alaska May 25, was standing near us in the line to go through security/customs/check-in. She was sniffling and complaining about these flu like symptoms she had been fighting for the last 2 days. When we got to the customs windows, they were right by us and I only heard no answers to the questions which include have you recently suffered any flu symptoms. I must admit was was relieved to see her head for the Princess check-in line but I felt guilty for not saying something. Those questions are intended to help health officials track potential outbreaks and carriers of disease.

 

As for polio - in 2013, There have been 55 cases of polio in 5 countries reported. And the WHO just met yesterday to discuss an outbreak of wild polio virus in two polio free countries - Somalia and Kenya. In May 2013, 9 cases were reported in Somalia - a country that had not recorded a single case of polio since 2007.

 

Even more relevant are the 5 cases reported in Daab, Kenya in June 2013. The first cases in Kenya since 2011 and important because of the 500,000 refugees, including refugees from Somalia, in a camp in Daab. Why is this relevant? One health care worker, traveler, delivery person, anyone that is not vaccinated and exposed to the virus can transmit the disease to South America, Canada, England just by getting on a plane, train or boat. Many countries no longer vaccinate for polio because it has been eradicated in their countries.

 

Polio and many other viruses spread easily in water (pool, sewer, drinking, contaminated puddles on the street) and if we are to be healthy global travelers, we need to be aware of risks of contact with so many people.

 

Chlorine does not kill all the germs in a pool. And those that are killed by Chlorine - can take minutes to days to die. A mouth full of water in a pool with a sick child in a diaper - could mean exposure to multiple health threats, ie: E. coli, Crypto (Cryptosporidium which can stay alive in chlorinated pools for several days), Giardi, Shigella, norovirus, Pseudomona, and Schistosomiais (swimmer's itch).

 

My list is not intended to scare - it is intended to point out that in a confined environment with global travelers, the potential for the spread of disease is a very real threat. It is not just a couple of passengers being upset about kids in pools or hot tubs. It is the transmission of disease that can cause severe illness and is a major threat to the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. Ever gotten sick on a cruise and thought it was just something you ate......it might have been the pool you swam in. It is the responsibility of the parents, fellow travelers and the cruise staff to ensure that everyone is protected from transmission of disease by the simple act of keeping kids (or adults) in diapers out of the pools.

 

Stepping off soap box - but I do feel strongly about this.

[angelina46]

just back today from the riviera.i too saw these two babies in the pool,usually early morning,they belonged to a russian family who didnt speak english so probably couldnt read the sign (yes,there is one next to the pool saying no children in diapers) i think the staff were frightened to speak to them!

apart from that, a wonderful cruise!

angelina46

[ksps cruise fan]

just back today from the riviera.i too saw these two babies in the pool,usually early morning,they belonged to a russian family who didnt speak english so probably couldnt read the sign (yes,there is one next to the pool saying no children in diapers) i think the staff were frightened to speak to them!

apart from that, a wonderful cruise!

angelina46

 

This is what confuses me: The staff appears to be unwilling to deal with passengers who are breaking ship's policy and CDC policy, but don't seem to be adequately concerned about the comfort -- and potential consequences -- to passengers who have the weight of numbers, common sense, and health regulations on their side.

 

Incidentally, I wouldn't assume the Russian cruisers couldn't speak English. The fact that they spoke English to one another is understandable, but it doesn't tell us whether, at least, one family member speaks some English.

 

Below, I've included a link to an article I found about English-language proficiency in Russia. I'm guessing that a family that can afford/chooses a cruise on Oceania is likely to have some English proficiency.

 

http://www.ef.com/epi/europe/russia/

[G&G]

What about adults in diapers???

 

It "DEPENDS". :eek:

[Mjflowers]

just back today from the riviera.i too saw these two babies in the pool,usually early morning,they belonged to a russian family who didnt speak english so probably couldnt read the sign (yes,there is one next to the pool saying no children in diapers) i think the staff were frightened to speak to them!

apart from that, a wonderful cruise!

angelina46

 

Ignorance or language barrier is no excuses.

[RachelG]

I guarantee if they can afford an oceania cruise, they can read English to the extent needed to read a sign about no babies in the pool.

[TERRIER1]

I guarantee if they can afford an oceania cruise, they can read English to the extent needed to read a sign about no babies in the pool.

 

I don't know if they can read English or not but it is up to the staff on Oceania to enforce the rules. Even if they don't read or speak English someone on the ship speaks Russian and can convey the rules. Babies in diapers are not allowed in the pools so why would anyone be reluctant to convey the message?

[shedevil]

I don't know if they can read English or not but it is up to the staff on Oceania to enforce the rules. Even if they don't read or speak English someone on the ship speaks Russian and can convey the rules. Babies in diapers are not allowed in the pools so why would anyone be reluctant to convey the message?

 

I agree. Many parents don't know the regulations, some parents seem to think it is just folks who don't like kids in the pools.

 

It is up to Oceania to provide a safe and healthy environment on her ships for passengers and staff. The staff working on the pool deck have a responsibility to enforce the laws and regulations. The crew should be trained in how to enforce the no diapers in the pool rules, just like they are carefully trained in the muster drills and how to handled uncooperative passengers. This is a training issue that should be bumped up to the next level to ensure passenger safety.

 

Sharon

[freddie]

It is quite disturbing to read that the Oceania staff is afraid to enforce the clear rules of the ship and the CDC, without regard to the language status of the people who are violating those rules. Perhaps the initials that we should be stressing on this subject are "FDR", who should be quite concerned about such violations of ship policy and health regulations.

 

Fortunately, in our case, we don't use the pool (in kindness to those fellow pax who might have to gaze upon our ample pale flesh) and therefore are not at risk of contracting any nasty illness from the little dears in diapers. Nonetheless, this ain't a good situation, if little kiddies in nappies are allowed into pools and hot tubs.

[Andromeda93]

I find it ironic that at the Terrace Cafe you cannot help yourself to the food because they are so concerned that germs could be spread yet they are completely unconcerned about a baby in diapers in the pool.

 

It's completely irresponsible of O to ignore health-related regulations on their ships. If they are so strict about secondhand smoke that they disembark any passenger who breaks the smoking rules, they should be absolutely emphatic about ensuring passengers keep their diapered babies out of the pool and hot tub.

 

In addition to possibly exposing guests to infection in the pool, imagine the tragedy if an infant died from heat exposure in the Jacuzzi. Increased body temperature in infants can cause heatstroke and death.

 

The pool deck staff should have taken immediate action, or if their training was not adequate to this task, should have summoned an officer or senior manager who could handle the situation. It could have been disastrous.

[Oceans&Rivers]

I don't know if they can read English or not but it is up to the staff on Oceania to enforce the rules. Even if they don't read or speak English someone on the ship speaks Russian and can convey the rules. Babies in diapers are not allowed in the pools so why would anyone be reluctant to convey the message?

 

All Oceania has to do is find or design a sign that shows the objectionable thing that is not to be done and put a diagonal red line across it. That's done all over the developed world, and things such as the following should suffice for people of all countries:

 

[DOJO466]

All Oceania has to do is find or design a sign that shows the objectionable thing that is not to be done and put a diagonal red line across it. That's done all over the developed world, and things such as the following should suffice for people of all countries:

 

 

Other than no peeing in pool.....where do you come up with no babies in diapers?

[ededmd]

Other than no peeing in pool.....where do you come up with no babies in diapers?

 

It would seem Oceans&Rivers was using these signs as an example of the type of sign Oceania could post.

 

As an aside, even Disney now bans swim diapers and non-toilet trained children from the pools. The aforementioned information about Disney allowing swim diapers in the pool is outdated.

 

from the DCL site:

Important Information About Swim Diapers

The United States Public Health Service requires that only children who are toilet trained are permitted to enter swimming pools and spas aboard cruise ships.

 

Please note, swim diapers are not permitted in the pools, the hot tubs or spas, the AquaDuck and the AquaLab.

 

Of course this doesn't then prevent some inconsiderate parents from just removing the swim diaper and "rolling the dice" with the child's temporary continence.

 

I have personally been there with young children more recently than many on this board. I don't hate kids. I do really dislike pools being shut down due to foreseeable "accidents".

 

Agree with wripro's comment about health and safety re - can't serve yourself from the buffet but won't enforce valid safety rules regarding what is on other boards colloquially referenced as "fecal teabags" / swim diapers.

 

Why is the necessary scripting for this any different than any other "delicate" but necessary conversation?

[Oceans&Rivers]

It would seem Oceans&Rivers was using these signs as an example of the type of sign Oceania could post.

 

Thank you for clarifying that for DOJO466. If I had found a sign that was exactly right, I would have posted it, but as I did not, I posted signs that were similar to what Oceania could do, since someone mentioned that a lack of knowledge of English understanding was or might be an excuse given for not following the rules.

[wripro]

Does lack of a sign in different languages allow non English speaking passengers to serve themselves at the buffets?

[ggglo]

We are in riviera right this moment having the same problem. Have spoken to management twice, been assured situationbeing addressed. Guess what,kid back again today. This time not in jacuzzi, but in regular pool with no diaper,just swimming trunks.

 

I hope mr Del Rio reads cruise critic since his crew has no inkling how or what to do. They didn't even know there was any policy. My husband just found the sign next to the pool about no children not toilet trained in pool.

[Oceans&Rivers]

We are in riviera right this moment having the same problem. Have spoken to management twice, been assured situationbeing addressed. Guess what,kid back again today. This time not in jacuzzi, but in regular pool with no diaper,just swimming trunks.

 

I hope mr Del Rio reads cruise critic since his crew has no inkling how or what to do. They didn't even know there was any policy. My husband just found the sign next to the pool about no children not toilet trained in pool.

 

Take a video and post it to YouTube. Maybe then you'll get some response.

It's really disgusting that nothing is being done about this situation.

[orchestrapal]

Take a video and post it to YouTube. Maybe then you'll get some response.

It's really disgusting that nothing is being done about this situation.

 

What a great idea!

Posting a letter to the CDC would also probably catch their attention.

[wripro]

It did wonders for the situation on Silver Shadow. in fact, the threat of a negative video on youtube should have that baby out of the pool in a hot minute.

[Cancun01]

I concur about the babies. It is not just the babies who keep me out of the pool. What about the adults who drink all afternoon and you never see them get out of the pool?

[TERRIER1]

It did wonders for the situation on Silver Shadow. in fact, the threat of a negative video on youtube should have that baby out of the pool in a hot minute.

 

I don't understand why anyone has to go out of their way to rectify this unacceptable situation. This has been an issue before and obviously it has not been corrected.