Does anyone know what cruise lines allow swim diapers?

[DiveSquire]

Hi, I have an infant and the first we will be traveling with her she will still be in diapers and need the swim diapers to get in the pool. She is a water baby and I don't want to deprive her of getting in a pool if there is one available...sooooo does anyone know if there are any cruise lines/ships that DO allow for swim diapers in the kiddie pools?

[beachchick]

There are only a few ships that have water play or shallow pools that meet the CDC requirements to allow swim diapers. Because ship pools are not like large public pools on land, they have different regulations. In order to allow swim diaper in even a water-park area, the ship must have a specially designed, separately filtered system for that area. The only ships that I know of that have that are Disney's two ships (I believe it's one of Mickey's "ears" in the family/kid pool area) and RCI's Freedom and Liberty of the Seas (with Oasis soon to come) and possibly a small area of the water-play zone on Echantment, but I'm not positive. There are kid's pools on most ships, but almost none of them allow swim diapers because they do not meet the CDC and Health Dept requirements.

 

If having a water area for your infant is a make-or-break issue, then you're going to have to look at only those very few ships with facilities. I guess I could say that Disney is a "cruise line" that allows them, but again, only in the one specific shallow baby pool area. There is no other cruise line that has baby water play facilities on all their ships, and RCI is the only other one (that I know of) that has such facilities on even a few ships.

 

The bottom line, so to speak, is that kiddie pools onboard almost never allow swim diapers, so you may very well have to deprive her of onboard pool time. Also, do note that it is not the cruise lines who allow or don't allow swim diapers, it is the CDC and Health Dept. The cruise lines follow those regulations.

 

beachchick

[crusinmama06]

Actually beachchick, it's not even the Micky Ears anymore, Disney changed those and built a separate baby water play area with a giant Mickey hat (from Fantasia).

 

So the current list of ships:

Disney Magic

Disney Wonder

Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas

----coming----

Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

[DiveSquire]

Thank you both for your info. I knew it had to do with regulations and stuff, I am just glad to hear that there are at least a couple of ships that have designed an area that allows for babies. It sort of is a make or break for us. The cruise would be a family cruise and part of that is water time for our little one, so we will book our next cruise on one of those ships...of course before booking I will ask to make sure nothing has changed. Thanks again.

[sunandseagirl617]

We've been on Caribbean Princess 3 times and I believe there is a children's splash area. Does anyone know if they allow diapers?????

 

My kid's were already out of diapers when we sailed on her. :)

[smoothy]

We've been on Caribbean Princess 3 times and I believe there is a children's splash area. Does anyone know if they allow diapers?????

 

My kid's were already out of diapers when we sailed on her. :)

 

If they are allowing diapers in, they are gonna get in trouble. Only the 2 Disney ships and the Freedom/Liberty/Independence OTS of RCCL have CDC variances to allow diaper splash areas

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/Forms/VariancesByTopicResultList_VesselGroup.aspx?SID=6.4.1.3.1

[beachchick]

Actually beachchick, it's not even the Micky Ears anymore, Disney changed those and built a separate baby water play area with a giant Mickey hat (from Fantasia).

 

So the current list of ships:

Disney Magic

Disney Wonder

Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas

----coming----

Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

 

Thanks for the update. It's great that they actually created a separate water play area for babies.

 

beachchick

[sunandseagirl617]

If they are allowing diapers in, they are gonna get in trouble. Only the 2 Disney ships and the Freedom/Liberty/Independence OTS of RCCL have CDC variances to allow diaper splash areas

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/Forms/VariancesByTopicResultList_VesselGroup.aspx?SID=6.4.1.3.1

Thanks for the link and I am well aware of the CDC laws. However, this is not the information we were looking for and has been posted on this board numerous times.

 

We are trying to help get acurate information to help parent's with diapered children because there has been conflicting information. Caribbean Princess was recently in dry dock, that is why I was asking! Like I said earlier, my kid's have been out of diapers for many years!

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the link and I am well aware of the CDC laws. However, this is not the information we were looking for and has been posted on this board numerous times.

 

We are trying to help get acurate information to help parent's with diapered children because there has been conflicting information. Caribbean Princess was recently in dry dock, that is why I was asking! Like I said earlier, my kid's have been out of diapers for many years!

 

 

Nope. :( Just Disney and Royal Caribbean. Period. No one else. :(

 

Like we discuss all the time around here...yes there are many, many ships with what we would all consider "baby pools" on them. So parents see those baby pools and think {as they should} "YES! Baby goes there!" Only to be met by a sign posted next to the pool that says "No diapered children allowed"

 

It's very misleading.

 

I am beginning to get a sense that the cruise lines set it up that way to be misleading. If they aren't really up front about it, then the parents will book {and pay} for a baby to be onboard.

[sunandseagirl617]

 

Like we discuss all the time around here...yes there are many, many ships with what we would all consider "baby pools" on them. So parents see those baby pools and think {as they should} "YES! Baby goes there!" Only to be met by a sign posted next to the pool that says "No diapered children allowed"

 

It's very misleading.

 

I am beginning to get a sense that the cruise lines set it up that way to be misleading. If they aren't really up front about it, then the parents will book {and pay} for a baby to be onboard.

 

Got it! Yes, it's very misleading! Those 3/4th person rates can be killer as well! There is a picture of CB Princess that has a small pool on the kid's deck! :eek:

 

The cruise lines are attracting more and more families but not making it clear that babies cannot use the "children's pools" upfront! :(

[crusinmama06]

Got it! Yes, it's very misleading! Those 3/4th person rates can be killer as well! There is a picture of CB Princess that has a small pool on the kid's deck! :eek:

 

The cruise lines are attracting more and more families but not making it clear that babies cannot use the "children's pools" upfront! :(

 

Yep, sad. They make their money and they don't care. :( And many times even the crew onboard will say "Oh yes, baby can use that pool" meanwhile the sign says otherwise.

 

So officially, no, Princess and Carnival have no areas for babies. But onboard, parents are often met with crew that look the other way.

[smoothy]

Thanks for the link and I am well aware of the CDC laws. However, this is not the information we were looking for and has been posted on this board numerous times.

 

We are trying to help get acurate information to help parent's with diapered children because there has been conflicting information. Caribbean Princess was recently in dry dock, that is why I was asking! Like I said earlier, my kid's have been out of diapers for many years!

 

Sorry I don't know what else to tell you, the link is the list of the only ships that are allowed to have a diapered swim area. As cruisinmama said though, what is allowed and what actually happens are sometimes two different things. Having said that, it would not be a happy situation to book the ship based on anecdotal evidence that they allowed diapers in the pool then get on board and find differently

[Tggrtoes]

TOTALLY AGREE!!!! It is VERY confusing. We went on the Sapphire Princess and they have a baby pool inside their kids club and we were told specifically by the staff that it was a swim diaper pool. There wasn't any sign - especially since it was inside the kids club and not on the regular decks anywhere, and I knew from these boards that it wasn't a true CDC-approved pool, so I questioned them a 2nd time and they all said again that it was for babies in diapers. So, in the end, we did use it with DS in swim diaper, but I wouldn't count on being able to do it.

 

I've also been over on the Carnival board as we've decided to try their line this time and have been trying to determine between two ships and SEVERAL posts have told me to go with one ship over the other because of the water works area (that we know DS won't be able to go on if I can't get him potty trained in time).

[Kerry's Girls]

We've been on Caribbean Princess 3 times and I believe there is a children's splash area. Does anyone know if they allow diapers?????

 

My kid's were already out of diapers when we sailed on her. :)

 

Most of the Princess ships have a tiny splash pool near the kids area (smaller than a jacuzzi), but it is not for diapered children. Sometimes there is a paper sign taped up in the area and sometimes there is not. However, I've been on 5 Princess cruises and only on one of them was the staff monitoring and making people follow the rule. I will say though, that in all my cruises on Princess, I have never seen a diapered baby in the main pools, which seems to run rampant on other lines (not that it doesn't happen, but I've never seen it).

 

Best,

Mia

[sprite]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the swim diapers?? Anytime my little ones has worn them, they've always leaked everywhere. Is it really just so no "tootsie rolls" can go swimming?

[Tggrtoes]

Yes... it's the #2 that is the issue... I'm sure the regular pools are filled with urine from all the kids not wanting to get out to go to the bathroom. the chlorine kills that bacteria, but not for the other apparently (not that I am an expert). I will say that I've never had any problems with leaks from swim diapers but I have friends that have. Course I never leave them on that long either before changing so don't know if that's it or just how they fit my DS.

[readytolose]

Just so you kind of have an idea of the size, here is my grandson on the Liberty of the Seas in the kiddie pool. It is just a small triangular shaped area ankle deep but he had a blast and never tried to get out and wonder over to the splash zone.

[sunandseagirl617]

Awww! The picture above is too cute, reminds me of my son (now 15)!:p Darn blondes!!:D

 

crusinmama & smoothy- It's just sad and disappointing that there is an adult area on most mass cruise lines, a main pool, but rarely do you see a pool area for diapered children! Seriously, the CDC states the laws, the cruise ships have a choice of either following or not following the laws. I suspect (just an opinion) that they only get in trouble when a passenger reports the incident. (Look at Enchantment-here today, gone tomorrow)

 

I bet there is a major cost involved! Disney and Royal must be willing to pay to keep up with the CDC and the cost to operate. I can image there is no filtration system that would be able to do the job properly! I don't know, I'm NO expert!

 

 

 

It's crazy the cruise lines don't communicate that there are no diapered children allowed in the 'children splash area' (I know I am using the wrong description here!) to parents that are traveling with little ones. :confused:

 

 

Mia & Tgg-that was our experience as well. When my dd was 2 we went on Sea Princess and my TA at the time went out of her way to tell me that there was nothing that she could do on the ship! It was a port intensive cruise so I was not worried about being on the ship too much! (Same 2 year old is 9 now!)

 

We decided not to take the children until later on, but just in passing on Caribbean Princess I saw that pool area on the kid's deck and would not have thought twice about a diapered kid in there....! Not back then, now I would know better:D

 

But walk by the area that Mia is describing and yes, I would think they were CDC approved!

 

I'll probably get sued over these but look at beyond ships pictures of Caribbean Princess....NO SIGNS and would does it look like to you?? (the direct like is beyond ships dot com!)

 

[firedisney97]

I just thought you might be interested in what John Heald of Carnival told me regarding the Carnival Dream's Waterworks area for non-potty trained children. As you can tell by my question to John we are desperatly trying to train our 3 yr old but it is very slow going

 

Melissa Asked:

(please reply)

John, (please reply if you can)

I am curious about the new Waterworks on the Dream. That “other” cruise line (you know the one – nickleanddimeoftheseas) has an area on some of its newer ships where toddlers that aren’t potty trained can go to splash in a water fun area. It isn’t really a pool for them but it’s like fountains and sprinklers and things like that. Is the Dream going to have an area like that? I have a three-year-old little boy who loves to swim and we are trying very hard to get the potty thing figured out before we cruise in Feb, BUT he is a boy and the concept is just not sinking in yet, I am afraid we will still not be potty trained and was hoping there would be somewhere for him to play too. Good luck back on ship and good luck to Heidi all alone at home with Kye!

John Says:

Hello Melissa

Yes indeed. We have this feature on the Carnival Splendor and will have it on your Carnival Dream. It will feature a splash pool and sprinklers and fountains and tiny cute baby slides. Your three year old will be in baby heaven. Don’t forget you and the other adults will get to enjoy the grown up water park with the twister slides and DrainPipe bowl will be amazing fun.

My best wishes to you all and thanks for the kind words for Kye

John

[readytolose]

I just thought you might be interested in what John Heald of Carnival told me regarding the Carnival Dream's Waterworks area for non-potty trained children. As you can tell by my question to John we are desperatly trying to train our 3 yr old but it is very slow going

 

Melissa Asked:

(please reply)

John, (please reply if you can)

I am curious about the new Waterworks on the Dream. That “other” cruise line (you know the one – nickleanddimeoftheseas) has an area on some of its newer ships where toddlers that aren’t potty trained can go to splash in a water fun area. It isn’t really a pool for them but it’s like fountains and sprinklers and things like that. Is the Dream going to have an area like that? I have a three-year-old little boy who loves to swim and we are trying very hard to get the potty thing figured out before we cruise in Feb, BUT he is a boy and the concept is just not sinking in yet, I am afraid we will still not be potty trained and was hoping there would be somewhere for him to play too. Good luck back on ship and good luck to Heidi all alone at home with Kye!

John Says:

Hello Melissa

Yes indeed. We have this feature on the Carnival Splendor and will have it on your Carnival Dream. It will feature a splash pool and sprinklers and fountains and tiny cute baby slides. Your three year old will be in baby heaven. Don’t forget you and the other adults will get to enjoy the grown up water park with the twister slides and DrainPipe bowl will be amazing fun.

My best wishes to you all and thanks for the kind words for Kye

John

 

Just so you know the area on the "other" ships for babies in swim diapers is not the area with the sprinklers and such. It is a small little swimming pool. The other area is the H2o zone and that is for potty trained people!

[crusinmama06]

John Says:

Hello Melissa

Yes indeed. We have this feature on the Carnival Splendor and will have it on your Carnival Dream. It will feature a splash pool and sprinklers and fountains and tiny cute baby slides. Your three year old will be in baby heaven. Don’t forget you and the other adults will get to enjoy the grown up water park with the twister slides and DrainPipe bowl will be amazing fun.

My best wishes to you all and thanks for the kind words for Kye

John

 

And THIS is where the problems begin. They DO NOT have it on Carnival Splendor. According to Carnival, they don't. The area is there but it is not for non potty trained.

 

Why do they send out info that is simply not correct. It is ridiculous they that can't keep their own info straight. Do me a favor please, send this link to John and ask him to respond....

https://www.bookccl.com/irman/bookccl/shipboard_knowledge/Facilities_CQ_GL_VA_LI_FD_SL_DR.htm

Carnival Splendor

 

Other Kid Friendly Areas On Board:

Children’s Water Spray Park

Pool with waterslide (for children at least 42" tall and able to swim) – slide separate from the pool

Note: Due to United States Public Health (USPH) Regulations, we do not allow children in diapers or those not toilet-trained in the pools/spray park.

[Kim4]

I thought another picture may help...here is a picture of the H20 Zone on Freedom of the Seas. The only area that is for diapered babies is the area on the bottom left corner. It's about 3" deep, and my son loved crawling around in it and sitting and splashing. Everything else in the picture is still the H20 Zone, but it is not for diapered babies (even the area with the fountains). The rest of the H20 Zone has a pool that's about 5', a circular lazy river type thing that's 3.5', and a bunch of fountains. My kids enjoyed all of it, and we chose the Freedom of the Seas specifically because there was an area for our diapered little one :) Hope this helps.