NCL Epic Aqua park VS RCCL Aqua park

[rolloman]

For the first time ever NCL will now have its own Aqua park. Below is some detail. I will be on it in a few weeks and will report back my findings. Specifically if they have a splash zone/water spray area for little ones in swim diapers.

 

Suit up and splash down at our first ever Aqua Park. Choose from three multi-story water slides of varying thrill factors. The first one is specifically designed for the not-so-adventurous and zips straight through the rock-climbing wall. The second slide is for the slightly more adventurous, because it twists and turns down three stories. Then there’s The Epic Plunge, the only tube slide at sea that puts the blast of inner-tubing into the core of a bowl slide, with a thrilling drop through a 200-foot long tube. The Aqua Park also includes two main pools with arching water effects that illuminate at night, five hot tubs, a wading pool and a kid’s pool in the children’s Splash and Play Zone that features whimsical sculptures, water sprays and a kiddy slide. Finally, when you are looking to dry off, there’s plenty of room to soak up some rays on one of our expansive sun decks.

 

 

Since I am on the subject I recently went on the Independence of the Seas which most people know has a area for swim diapers but what is really cool is the stop at Labadee, they have built an aqua park which has a huge area for non potty trained children with sprays and water troughs to play in. Awesome.... Labadee IMO would be close to impossible to beat as far as a beach stop goes. I actually rank it over Disney Castaway Cay and that is saying something.

[gerif]

For the first time ever NCL will now have its own Aqua park. Below is some detail. I will be on it in a few weeks and will report back my findings. Specifically if they have a splash zone/water spray area for little ones in swim diapers.

 

Suit up and splash down at our first ever Aqua Park. Choose from three multi-story water slides of varying thrill factors. The first one is specifically designed for the not-so-adventurous and zips straight through the rock-climbing wall. The second slide is for the slightly more adventurous, because it twists and turns down three stories. Then there’s The Epic Plunge, the only tube slide at sea that puts the blast of inner-tubing into the core of a bowl slide, with a thrilling drop through a 200-foot long tube. The Aqua Park also includes two main pools with arching water effects that illuminate at night, five hot tubs, a wading pool and a kid’s pool in the children’s Splash and Play Zone that features whimsical sculptures, water sprays and a kiddy slide. Finally, when you are looking to dry off, there’s plenty of room to soak up some rays on one of our expansive sun decks.

 

Hope you're not disappointed, but I don't see anything there that indicates that there's anything for the swim diaper set.

[rolloman]

Hope you're not disappointed, but I don't see anything there that indicates that there's anything for the swim diaper set.

 

Maybe so but the pictures I saw and the fact they are calling an area a splash zone indicate a good probability.

[shecup]

Rolloman... VERY interested in your findings on the Epic's Aqua Park. When are you sailing in July? We're on the 14Aug sailing and will be with our then 19 month old.

 

Tina

[rolloman]

I will be on the July 24th sailing but will report back info from a friend who is taking the TA over to NYC.

[crusinmama06]

It doesn't look promising from everything I've seen. But we'll be here if you find out anything different. :D

 

Pictures! We want LOTS AND LOTS of pictures! We know you won't disappoint us! ;)

[beachchick]

Maybe so but the pictures I saw and the fact they are calling an area a splash zone indicate a good probability.

 

Maybe, but the FAQs haven't been updated to indicate that the Epic will have an area for youngsters in swim diapers. As I recall, the areas on RCI that do allow swim diapers, only allow those in swim diapers. It's a completely separate area, separately and specially filtered in order to meet the CDC's special requirements. I believe (but am not 100% sure) that Disney's special area is similar in its restrictions. As the splash zone on Epic is for all, it wouldn't meet the CDC's requirements to allow only(?) swim diapered passengers. Considering that the water in a splash zone is sprayed back out into the air, it would have to be extremely well treated/filtered/cleaned to make it safe for re-use.

 

Of course I could be wrong. It will be great to start hearing first-hand reports. IMO, the cruise lines would be well advised to take the time, effort, and expense to include a small separate pool/water play area for non-potty trained youngsters. Not only would it be a nice thing for the toddlers and their parents, it would perhaps stop (or at least decrease significantly) the number of selfish parents who sneak or try to sneak their non-PT children into the pools where it is not allowed--at the expense of risking both the health of other passengers and having the pool be shut down for a day because of contamination. It would also decrease the number of complaints from other passengers and from members here about parents who do that. And it might help mend some of the bad feelings, anger, and resentment from both groups. That would be nice.

 

beachchick

[rolloman]

Update.... my friends currently on the TA to NYC were kind enough to investigate the aqua park on the new NCL Epic and have confirmed YES there is an area for children in swim diapers to play. I will be able to give more detail once they arrive in NYC and of course on my July 24th sailing.

[shecup]

Update.... my friends currently on the TA to NYC were kind enough to investigate the aqua park on the new NCL Epic and have confirmed YES there is an area for children in swim diapers to play. I will be able to give more detail once they arrive in NYC and of course on my July 24th sailing.

 

THANK YOU!!! This is great news for us! I just hope we'll be able to hear the reggae band from this area. Either way, I'll take the splash area! Rolloman, if you find out anything else, I'll be RIGHT HERE waiting. Thanks again.

 

Tina

[beachchick]

Update.... my friends currently on the TA to NYC were kind enough to investigate the aqua park on the new NCL Epic and have confirmed YES there is an area for children in swim diapers to play. I will be able to give more detail once they arrive in NYC and of course on my July 24th sailing.

 

Great news! Thanks for passing it along...many happy parents and grandparents, including us.:)

 

beachchick