Sport Climbing at Rock Wall?

[climbsrocks]

Does anyone know if they do sport climbing at the rock wall, or is everything "top-roped" only. In sport climbing you take the "top anchor" of the rope up as you ascend and clip the rope into "bolts" every 3 - 8 feet with a quickdraw, effectively moving the top anchor up as you go. If you've seen anyone climbing with 6 - 10 quickdraws hung on their harness, then they were probably sport climbing. Attached is a picture of a quickdraw...

 

"Will I be happy? Two questions, do they have indoor plumbing, and do they have a rock wall?" ;)

[RenSea]

We were on the NOS last year and it was all sport climbing if thats what its called. There were no clips or any gear needed other then the novice climber being helped up from the bilay man. Anyone from novice to pro would have a great experience just because of the view and the movement at sea makes it challenging.

[msdebbe]

I am answering on behalf of my son who climbs and he says It is top roped and they have trained belayer's (sp?) at the bottom.

Harnesses, helmets,and shoes are provided along with chalk bags.

debbie

[climbsrocks]

Thanks Debbie, that's just what I was hoping to hear about the chalk. I didn't think there would be any sport climbing, but was hoping! Bringing our own shoes because socks tend to provide too much play between the foot and shoe for edging on tiny wall features.

 

Tim B.

[always on vacation]

I think the thing that will interest you the most after you climb it 50 times is that when they have the ship wide rock climbing contest they do keep up with your time. This makes it alot more interesting when it's a competition, especially if you can handle yourself pretty good on the wall.

On Explorer last year the winning time was 18 secs. the next closest was 23secs. everyone else seemed to fall into the 20's low 30. This was just our specific cruise. We asked after the comp what the record was for Explorer and the activities director said that someone did it in 8 secs. (Now there is a skilled climber for you).

[Ocean Boy]

It is all Top-roped.

[Cloudmaster]

It is all Top-roped.

 

 

And it's a good thing!! :) :) :)

[ncamy]

Are the contests divided by age groups? My daughter has been climbing on a team for several years but she's only 10 and small. Although she is very good she can't compete with adults who have a much longer reach. Also is there much of a wait to climb? If so how long will she have to wait? She, too, will definitely be bringing her own rock shoes. They will let her use her own harness won't they?

[Ocean Boy]

I will be very surprised if they let her use her own harness. For liability reasons I think they will require using the ship's.

[ncamy]

You're kidding! Not let her use her harness?? I've never heard of a place (gym, recreation center, etc.) that wouldn't let you use your own harness! Her harness fits her much better than the "one size fits all" type that most places rent you. And from a liability standpoint...I would trust our equipment better than something that is used by hundreds of other people per day.

[climbsrocks]

That's pretty common for the places that let you climb and provide a staff belayer. All the Galyans Sporting Goods stores have that policy, so do the Bass Pro Shops...We'd prefer our own harness as well; much more comfortable and I know it's condition, but that's what I expected to hear also.

[climbsrocks]

Is the timed race you're talking about the same as the "bouldering" competition seen in a sample Cruise Compass? I was hoping they allowed some actual bouldering at certain times (up to a certain height only). Not really into speed climbing, but I guess anytime on a wall is better than none.

[climbsrocks]

In the speed climbing, do you grab any color hold or do you have to stay on a particular color or route only?

[climbsrocks]

I also just heard from another thread that on a previous cruise, the climbers were limited to two climbs per session! :( I could understand that when they were crowded, but he said that there was no one waiting behind him after his second climb and they told him he'd have to wait. Come on RCCL, it's a short 30 ft wall and that's not enough climbing to do more than warm up on! Please tell me that others have been allowed unlimited climbing when no one's in line waiting...

 

Aaaaaarrrrggghhhhhhhhhh This is going to be a frustrating trip if you're limited to 2 climbs per session...

[always on vacation]

On our cruise, everyone went up the hardest route. In the first round,one at a time,each participent went up and they keep up with your time and that determined who went first in the second round. Which I guess that is just a way to let the really good climbers rest a little. Then after the second round of climbing, they took your best time of the two to get a winner. So you get two chances to put up a good mark. They give out 1rst, 2nd, and 3rd prizes.

When we were on the cruise the ship was packed and we never had any problems getting on the wall whenever we wanted. They will make you use their harnesses, but they are not one size fits all. They provide helmet, harness, shoes, and powder and you provide the waiver.

[FlyingPhotog]

I also just heard from another thread that on a previous cruise, the climbers were limited to two climbs per session! :( I could understand that when they were crowded, but he said that there was no one waiting behind him after his second climb and they told him he'd have to wait. Come on RCCL, it's a short 30 ft wall and that's not enough climbing to do more than warm up on! Please tell me that others have been allowed unlimited climbing when no one's in line waiting...

 

Aaaaaarrrrggghhhhhhhhhh This is going to be a frustrating trip if you're limited to 2 climbs per session...

 

I doubt there's ever an empty line...

[climbsrocks]

Great info Andrew. Sounds like other cruises may have had lazy belayers. On any given rope, do they have single colors of holds or do they have a mixture of colors on each rope? I saw a picture of the wall on one of the ships and it appeared that some ropes had a single color or "route" and other ropes had multiple colors and routes. My experience on Entre Prises walls (the manufacturer of the RCCL walls) that are land-based, is that you'll find them laid out (or set) with combinations of easy colors and hard colors on the same rope depending on which you choose to touch. I would guess that in a speed climbing event, you'd be allowed to touch any color on whatever rope the round was being held on. Is that the case?

 

Tim

[climbsrocks]

Attached is a picture of a bolt hanger used in sport climbing. These are what you clip the quickdraw into for sport climbing. Does anyone recall seeing these bolted to the wall at 4 or 5 foot intervals? Would be very cool to get to do sport climbing when they're not busy, if that ever occurs.

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

[Ocean Boy]

There is no such thing bolted to the wall.

 

They will let you go up as many time as you want during a session if there is no one waiting to go. Every session I went to on Mariner I went up at least 3 times.

[climbsrocks]

 

There is no such thing bolted to the wall.

 

They will let you go up as many time as you want during a session if there is no one waiting to go. Every session I went to on Mariner I went up at least 3 times.

 

 

Thanks Ocean Boy, that's what I want to hear regarding repeat climbing!

[MRRUSS]

Hi,

 

Is there a fee for the Rock Climbing??? Also, do I need to make a reservation in advance??

[Ocean Boy]

There is no fee and they do not make reservations. You just show up about 15 minutes before the start of the session that you want to go to and sign up. The times that the wall is open will be posted in the Cruise Compass.

[lostinplace]

We just returned from Splendour of the Seas. The rock wall had three stations, and usually had two belayers working (and one person signing in people and providing helmets, shoes, and harnesses). There were five levels of difficulty, each one denoted by different colored hand-holds. You could reach more than one route from each station.

 

We had no problem getting in on any session. If there was no one waiting, we did more than two climbs. My daughter did four in one session, and only got off because it started to rain.

 

The family speed climb was based on the combined times of two people doing the two easy routes (one person on each route). The adult speed climb was based on your combined time on the easiest and next difficult route, with time penalties for grabbing or standing on the wrong colored hold.

 

They had a bouldering route set-up that they were trying out.

 

The staff at the wall was really great. One had been a climber before joining Royal Caribbean, so maybe that explains the set-up. I imagine that there are variations on the contests, etc. from ship to ship.

[frayedend]

I am not a rock climber, but on the Mariner last year there was hardly ever a line (I like to watch people doing it). I think the climbers here have the false impression that this is a cruise for serious rock climbers. It seemed to me more for entertainment and my guess is that like me, most people on board didn't really want to do this activity. They did have different levels and my nephew (11 YO) got only about halfway up the easy part, so it should be fun for the serious people, but I don't think you need to worry about how much you get to go.

 

As for harnesses, well even if your own is much better, I'm willing to bet that the cruise lines insurance requires you to use their own equipment. While you know your equipment, the cruise line doesn't and I would bet that they see more liability if a persons own equipment failed and they let them use it. Gotta love those insurance companies and lawyers.

 

Have fun everyone, I like watching all you guys with way more guts than me climbing those walls.

[climbsrocks]

Back from SOS and the rock climbing was outstanding. During some sessions I got to climb upwards of 10 times. None of the routes were harder than 5.9+ or maybe a 5.10a. The belayers said they were rated 5.11 or 5.12, but there was nothing on the wall I couldn't climb easily and I've never climbed a 5.11 route without lots of rest stops and falling. The staff even tied my feet together once and blindfolded me another time. It was a scream!!!!! Great people, and a ton of fun. We even had an 82 year old lady try the wall! I'LL BE BACK!!!!!! :)