Flowrider....new policy fleet wide?

[skiiergirl]

We have heard there is a new policy fleet wide that requires any wanting to do the stand up surfing must do the boogie board first.  
You are required to get a white band and do the boogie board once and then they will give you the blue band for stand up.

 

Has anyone else heard this?  Apparently new policy recently implemented.   
 

It is in effect on FR. 
 

Anyone else on another ship now that can confirm (or deny) that this new policy is felt wide? 

[hotsauce126]

if its not its probably a good idea

[BNBR]

Yes, I saw this last week on Symphony.  They did the boogie board on the same stand up FlowRider.  Basically once it was your turn, they had you spend about 30 seconds showing you can manage the boogie board.  Turn right, turn left, etc.  Then they have a bag of wristbands, the attendant grabs one and you are good to go.  You don't lose your session and immediately they let you hop on the stand up.  If you aren't capable on the boogie board, obviously don't waste your time in line at the stand up before getting your practice.

 

I obviously can't confirm this is fleet wide and can't confirm they will always do it this way, but that's how it was last week.

Edited December 3, 2019 by BNBR

[FionaMG]

Just off Adventure. They were doing it too.

[Anita Latte]

We just got off the Mariner yesterday.

 

When you sign the waiver, they will give you a red band if you are tall enough for stand up and a white band if you are only tall enough for boogie board. When you go to the Flowrider for the first time...they will have you ride the boogie board first. All you have to do is go out into the flow...veer away from the side you entered on and then steer yourself back over to the side. That's it. I saw that even if someone wiped out on the boogie board...they could then do stand up.

 

It all happens in the same turn. You don't have to get in line again.

 

They put the blue band on before you even get out on the boogie board...

[Emfagan]

My husband and son had to do this on Ovation in May

[not-enough-cruising]

Has been this way for at least a year on all the ships I have been on

[mil76]

On Anthem last week if you were an experienced rider the threshold was about 3 seconds on the boogie board to get your blue band.  If it was stand-up specific hours you did this at the beginning of your turn and then got to do your stand up run.  Even noobs who had no clue what they were doing and would wipe out multiple times on the boogie board were given blue bands at the end of their run.  I have no idea what kind of "skills" they are looking for to warrant doing this, but from a time perspective it didn't really slow things down in the grand scheme of things.  Now Mixed Session hours, that's a different story...

[Cruiser_1977]

There was a video recently of a man doing the Flowrider and falling off and getting "stuck". It went viral. Maybe that had something to do with the policy change.

[Esprit]

Same applied on Allure last month. The Starboard flow rider was dedicated to boogie boarding and the Port flow rider purely for surfing with blue wrist bands only.

[acpalmer]

This was the case on the Allure in June of this year, so it doesn't seem new or recent based on that.  It took very little time and was no problem.

[bonsai3s]

Yes on the Freedom.

I was given a white wrist band first.

Then it was cut on the spot and was given a blue wrist band after boogie boarding first.

[mmedic177]

On Harmony in October, I just showed the staff at the desk a photo of me doing stand-up flow rider (from a previous cruise) and they gave me a blue band. I hate boogie boarding. Somehow I just don't get it. But I can stay upright and somewhat control a stand-up flowboard. I hope they don't make me boogie board on Freedom in April. I don't think I could pass any sort of test on a boogie board.

[Biker19]

9 hours ago, mmedic177 said:

I don't think I could pass any sort of test on a boogie board.

All you have to do is lay there - I hope you have understanding Flowrider staff.

[xpcdoojk]

Wonder what they will do on the Allure in a couple of weeks with my flowboard in hand when I go sign the waivers and the waiver for my board, that they won’t just put the correct band on my arm.  I haven’t boogie boarded since 2013 when I showed up on the Freedom on embarkation day at 1:30PM only to be told no stand-up just boogie board only.  I said, I am the only person here, can’t you go get a board?  Nope boogie board only.  I proceeded to learn how to boogie board for the next 30 minutes, I found it very boring.  When two kids finally showed up.  I left.  So that is my entire boogie board experience.  

 

JC

[Biker19]

21 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

I found it very boring.

You didn't try hard enough.

[xpcdoojk]

I didn’t know what tricks could be done, because I had never watched it before.  I was on my knees, going back and forth all over the wave, hardly ever falling off, it just seemed too easy and pointless.  

 

JC

[cello56]

Several years ago I managed to do the stand up board for 7 seconds! I was so proud of myself! Then I did the boogie board, wiped out, landed badly and broke my tailbone! Should have stuck with the stand up board! 

[zanydoc]

Thank you for the info! Good to know for our Adventure cruise this weekend....My husband does stand up, but I think he can manage a boogie board demo. If not, well then I guess he’ll be joining me at the bar, Lol!

[FlowBroTy]

I Always Do The "Test" When I Boarded The Ship. It Saves A Lot Of Time.