Wetsuites for ships pools and slides?

[joeyjpaul]

Hello,

 

We are traveling on the Carnival Pride out of Baltimore at the end of February. Coming from Canada we all have 'shorty' wetsuites which we use to extend our swimming season. Should we bring them on the cruise? (They are a little bulky). I've seen lots of videos of people going down the slides with swim tops, can we go down the slide with a wetsuit?

 

What is the water temperature like in the Bahamas at that time of year as we have already booked a private snorkeling excursion from Nassau?

 

Just for reference the kids will be 5,8,8 and 10.

 

Joey

[cb at sea]

Nassau isn't in the Caribbean, so the water could be a bit chilly...just depends what you're used to! Can't help with the slides, but I don't really see why not!

Edited September 25, 2015 by cb at sea

[jdkbrim]

I sailed on the Pride with 2 of my girls in Feb. 2014. The best thing I did was buy rash guards for the 3 of us to wear. We were able to go into the pool on the 2nd day of the cruise. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten in the water until we hit Florida. It was warm enough in the Bahamas when we went. But, I have read a lot about the ocean water there being a lot colder than the Caribbean in the winter. I don't see any reason why you couldn't wear wet suits on the boat.

[notentirelynormal]

I'd bring them. When the kids were younger I brought their life vests as well.

[Ashland]

Rash guards for kids a good idea...wet suits maybe an unnecessary bulk item...JMHO

 

Little ones can also use their onboard childrens size lifejackets in the pool...we just saw a few doing this on our last cruise ;)

[dsrdsrdsr]

Little ones can also use their onboard childrens size lifejackets in the pool...we just saw a few doing this on our last cruise ;)

 

Your last cruise was RCI, ashland, The OP is going with Carnival. Most lines don't let the life-saving equipment be used for recreation.

[Ashland]

Your last cruise was RCI, ashland, The OP is going with Carnival. Most lines don't let the life-saving equipment be used for recreation.

Thanks for pointing out where my last cruise was...but some answers can apply as general information ;)

 

Perhaps "most" lines don't but it never hurts to ask...or have you specifically seen this written policy on the cruiselines you've sailed ?

[jdkbrim]

I have been on 15 cruises, 12 of them on Carnival and have never seen anyone use a ship's life jacket in a pool.

[Ashland]

I have been on 15 cruises, 12 of them on Carnival and have never seen anyone use a ship's life jacket in a pool.

Even though I cruise with RCI (20+cruise's) I had never seen anyone use their lifejacket in the pool either until two weeks ago. So maybe it is allowed...never hurts to ask if it's something that may apply to your little ones.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Thanks for pointing out where my last cruise was...but some answers can apply as general information ;)

 

Perhaps "most" lines don't but it never hurts to ask...or have you specifically seen this written policy on the cruiselines you've sailed ?

 

Yes. I've seen it written at least once on P&O. Though I would have thought it was so obvious that life-saving equipment is for emergency use only, that it shouldn't need saying.

 

How do they recharge the batteries in the lights if they've been used in the pool? What do they do about chlorination?

 

(You aren't allowed to use the lifebelts in the pool either.)

[Kerry's Girls]

The life jackets as emergency equipment are clearly not for recreational use. The idea that a formal written policy would be necessary may not have occured to the cruise lines yet. Just as people will not always have common sense, may break rules and rules at times will not be enforced or noticed, it would be a mistake to hope to use the ones on board in the pools. I don't doubt that it happened, but I've been on dozens of cruises and never seen it. When my girls were little and I was taking them on a ship shore excursion, I was told the life jackets are not allowed out of the cabin except for emergencies.

 

As for wet suits - I'm not sure about the difference with rash guards, which my girls wear. My hesitation for the slides would be they may slow you down :) but you wouldn't get the rashes that can happen rubbing the sides on the way down! I bet a lot of people will be envious that you can enjoy the pool and ocean more comfortably.

 

Best,

Mia

[notentirelynormal]

The life jackets as emergency equipment are clearly not for recreational use. The idea that a formal written policy would be necessary may not have occured to the cruise lines yet. Just as people will not always have common sense' date=' may break rules and rules at times will not be enforced or noticed, it would be a mistake to hope to use the ones on board in the pools. I don't doubt that it happened, but I've been on dozens of cruises and never seen it. When my girls were little and I was taking them on a ship shore excursion, I was told the life jackets are not allowed out of the cabin except for emergencies.

 

As for wet suits - I'm not sure about the difference with rash guards, which my girls wear. My hesitation for the slides would be they may slow you down :) but you wouldn't get the rashes that can happen rubbing the sides on the way down! I bet a lot of people will be envious that you can enjoy the pool and ocean more comfortably.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Exactly. Why do we have to spell it out that you aren't supposed to use life saving devices for fun? I bought the grand kids suits because I am too cheap to heat the pool and if they want to swim, welllll. I do remember that rash my DGD got swimming at the hotel (years ago) and it took a while to get it cleared up. Plus it makes them feel like they are in the wild. On one cruise when DGS was around 5 he wanted to carry the life vest with him everywhere because of the whistle. A few hours later a supervisor came up to our cabin and offered him his own whistle. She was a grandma and loved their encounter. Pictures were swapped LOL.

 

Mia, while I love your avatar picture, is there any chance we can get a single updated picture of your lovely babies. I mean, those are babies and I believe your little ones are much older and I'm nosy!

[Kerry's Girls]

How sweet! Not sure if I'm attaching a picture correctly, but here are those little twins, Kerry and Skylar, now 10 years old.

 

All the best,

Mia

[notentirelynormal]

How sweet! Not sure if I'm attaching a picture correctly' date=' but here are those little twins, Kerry and Skylar, now 10 years old.

 

All the best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Ahh, very cute. Made me smile.

[Californiacruizers]

I have always found the Water in Nassau to be very warm, compared to the beaches here in Los Angeles. We sailed in April 2015 and the water was very comfortable in Nassau. My 2 year old wore a regular bathing suit(with out the rash gaurd) and I packed a small blow up floating ring for her to use in the pool and in the ocean. I did not see anyone (adults or kids) with life vest on the water. Many of the smaller kids wore these little floating arm bands or had on bathing suits that had built in floating devices.