Flowrider Question

[playingpossum]

I'm assuming they will start doing Advanced and BOB on Navigator once it gets to FL, since every other ship there does it as well. That extra 6 hours a week with the smaller crowd really makes a difference, especially on a ship with just one Flowrider.

 

I would love to do the ABCs on a Flowrider ship as well.

 

When we get on the Navigator I will be headed back to the Flowrider right away to check schedules and see if they are going to have the advanced sessions. I like to meet the instructors and chat with them away from the flowrider as it is nice to be able to actually hear them. On our last cruise there were even a couple Canadians running the flowrider and they were really just getting used to it. It was a pretty funny flowshow at the end of that cruise as it was the first for quite a few instructors;).

 

I am hoping that some day we can do a Hawaii cruise on a ship with a flowrider. I would settle for a southern Caribbean one first though as I would love to see the abc's as well(especially Bonaire). New places to see would be fun and keep it interesting and a 9 day cruise would make for a great vacation:).

[mil76]

Sign me up for the Hawaii flowrider cruise. It's getting tougher convincing my wife to visit Falmouth or Nassau for the umpteenth time.

[xpcdoojk]

Sign me up for the Hawaii flowrider cruise. It's getting tougher convincing my wife to visit Falmouth or Nassau for the umpteenth time.

 

That is the problem I have. A Hawaii cruise would be awesome 4 sea days, plus Hawaii. We did a couple of RCI cruises to Hawaii, one from Vancouver and one from New Zealand. Both would be awesome with a flowrider. With all of the big ships in China, I think the potential for these cruises is growing.

 

In hte meantime, I am booked to Norway next May / June on the Navigator. Freezing my bottom off to keep the wife happily sailing ships with a flowrider.

 

Yikes....

 

jc

[Russ Lomas]

Thank you for posting this. It gives me a pretty good idea of what to expect when we go. We are planning on going down later this month if I can talk my wife into it(maybe the 19th).

I am considering going to Adventure Bay to ride on the 19th as well. May see you there (if my DW lets me go).;)

[Russ Lomas]

I am not getting my hopes up but when we go on the Navigator in November when it is docked in Fort Lauderdale I am hoping they have at least the advanced session onboard. If they don't I will have to see how much time I get on the wave. I am also hoping that the 8 day cruise combined with the after Thanksgiving time helps out with increased time to ride. I will probably get to talk to the activities manager on board at some point. We are hoping that it will adopt an advanced session and bob as we would like to do a southern Caribbean cruise in 2017 on this ship.

A friend of mine is going on an April 2017 cruise on the Navigator that is 9 days and goes down to the ABC islands, as well as Lababee. I think there are 4 or 5 sea days as well (great for riding). 9 day trip in all for as little at $600. Wish I could do that trip.

[Russ Lomas]

Maybe if you want to go down again sometime let me know and maybe we can work something out.

If you do end up driving to Windsor and picking up A&L, be sure to stop by my place in London and I will join you. We can split the gas and have company for the drive:D A&L knows pretty well where I live on the west side of London.

[playingpossum]

A friend of mine is going on an April 2017 cruise on the Navigator that is 9 days and goes down to the ABC islands, as well as Lababee. I think there are 4 or 5 sea days as well (great for riding). 9 day trip in all for as little at $600. Wish I could do that trip.

 

Hey Russ,

 

We are seriously thinking of doing this cruise too but it will depend on how well I like the flowrider on the navigator and the ship in general. If they put the advanced session on it I know that I will like it enough to book the 9 day abc cruise for 2017. By this time we will want to see different ports and try new things so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it works out.

 

We are still considering going to Windsor on Saturday(my wife will try to ride too if it is not too busy). Please send me an email (ryanvarey@gmail.com). I really should be finishing up house stuff but I need a break:).

[Ethelfleda]

I took one of the semi-private lessons (6 of us showed up for it) on Liberty in April and was really thankful that the staff went out of their way to help me learn to self load so that I'd be able to go to the advanced sessions.

 

I have another cruise coming up on Liberty in November (6 full sea days - yes thanks!) and I am hopeful I'll be able to remember how to self load.

 

I"m a "fluffy", mid 40s, non-athletic person - but I sure do love stand up surfing on board. I even bought myself a shorty wetsuit to help me not be as cold waiting in line.

 

How long is it until your next flowrider cruise?

 

... unless it's an advanced standup session. If the cruise compass says that it's an advanced session then you must be able to surf without assistance from the activities staff.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Ethelfleda

[Paulette3028]

I'm assuming they will start doing Advanced and BOB on Navigator once it gets to FL, since every other ship there does it as well. That extra 6 hours a week with the smaller crowd really makes a difference, especially on a ship with just one Flowrider.

 

I would love to do the ABCs on a Flowrider ship as well.

 

I understand that 'Advanced' refers to Advanced lessons for a fee on the Flowrider, but what does "BOB" refer to?

 

It probably is in a previous post, but I don't want to look through all the entries....so thanks.

[Ethelfleda]

Advanced is actually not the lesson for a fee, it is a period of time (45 min to an hour) before the flowrider opens to the general public during which time you can ride (for free) if you can "self load" for stand-up surfing. It usually has shorter lines because most people on board are new and are unable to self-load.

 

BOB is the "best on board" competition at the end of the cruise.

 

I hope this helps!

 

I understand that 'Advanced' refers to Advanced lessons for a fee on the Flowrider, but what does "BOB" refer to?

 

It probably is in a previous post, but I don't want to look through all the entries....so thanks.

[Paulette3028]

Advanced is actually not the lesson for a fee, it is a period of time (45 min to an hour) before the flowrider opens to the general public during which time you can ride (for free) if you can "self load" for stand-up surfing. It usually has shorter lines because most people on board are new and are unable to self-load.

 

BOB is the "best on board" competition at the end of the cruise.

 

I hope this helps!

 

It is a lot of fun to watch the Best on Board competition at the end of the cruise. Thanks for adding to the understanding of what Advanced meant.

[IandY]

Advanced is actually not the lesson for a fee, it is a period of time (45 min to an hour) before the flowrider opens to the general public during which time you can ride (for free) if you can "self load" for stand-up surfing. It usually has shorter lines because most people on board are new and are unable to self-load.

 

BOB is the "best on board" competition at the end of the cruise.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Not to be difficult but I commented on a similar post to this some time ago on this thread. We were on the August 22 sailing and your information does not jive with what happened on our cruise. The advanced session typically had at least 20 people and of those, I would say only 2 or 3 could "self load", most required assistance (including my 12 year old daughter). Of those 20 or so people, only a small number could stay up for an extended period of time.

[snorkelman]

BOB doesn't exist for the boogie, as they only allow a couple tricks. Although I can do about 50 tricks on the boogie board, they only allow riding on knees, drop knee, and 360s on those two styles (as well as prone 360), and then the only other tricks are pretty much riding indian style, riding backwards, riding laying on your back or doing pushups. That's pretty much it. Not really that impressive to watch any of that stuff except maybe a 360.

[Ethelfleda]

Perhaps I should have said that the intent of advanced is to have only those who can self-load. I'll let you know how that plays out on my next cruise, but the one I was on in April was exactly that.

 

Not to be difficult but I commented on a similar post to this some time ago on this thread. We were on the August 22 sailing and your information does not jive with what happened on our cruise. The advanced session typically had at least 20 people and of those, I would say only 2 or 3 could "self load", most required assistance (including my 12 year old daughter). Of those 20 or so people, only a small number could stay up for an extended period of time.

[snorkelman]

Perhaps I should have said that the intent of advanced is to have only those who can self-load.

 

 

yes. the reason is that they only schedule one sports staff for that first "advanced" hour and then a second staff comes around when self-loading isn't required.

[Big Beer Gut]

yes. the reason is that they only schedule one sports staff for that first "advanced" hour and then a second staff comes around when self-loading isn't required.

 

 

We have never seen this. On all of our advanced sessions, there has always been two Sports Staff for stand-up. This is often an issue because often times someone on the Sports Staff sleeps in and they won't operate with only 1 person. In fact, this is one of the rules I have always seen the Sports Staff follow. Whenever one person needs to leave the wave, they stop passengers from riding. However they do allow boogie boarding with only 1 staff member.

[Charger2008]

Perhaps I should have said that the intent of advanced is to have only those who can self-load. I'll let you know how that plays out on my next cruise, but the one I was on in April was exactly that.

 

All of our cruises have been that way, first hour (or however long they designate) is advanced only and we have seen the staff turn people away who could not load themselves in and tell them they would have to wait until advanced was over.

 

Advanced riding is our favorite time :D No long lines.

[mil76]

I've had a couple of times where someone will show up for advanced that can't load themselves, and the instructor will tell him it's advanced, but load them in for their few second ride. They won't let them back on until after the advanced session though.

[A&L_Ont]

I've had a couple of times where someone will show up for advanced that can't load themselves, and the instructor will tell him it's advanced, but load them in for their few second ride. They won't let them back on until after the advanced session though.

 

I have seen it where the non-advanced rider doesn't even get helped out onto the wave for one run. I have also seen where the rider can barely get themselves into the wave to be told to return when open riding starts.

[njmomof2]

I was very surprised on Freedom last month when there was basically no advanced time at all. The boys prefer the early advanced session, when they ride with less people and the more experienced group, and this time they only had stand up in the morning.

 

I have to say that this trip my boys rode much less than usual. Partly because my older one's friends were with us and they don't ride, but also because of the lack of advanced time.

 

I'm hoping that the Christmas cruise on Anthem with just us, coupled with the cooler weather, will keep the noobs away and give the boys more ride time.

[conandrob240]

I see in the planners that they also have boogie boarding sessions each day. Does the 58" height requirement still apply. Have a 5 yr old who is truly a master boogie boarder and desperately wants to do Flowrider. I told him he can't buy saw the boogie boarding thing listed so wanted to check on that.

[snorkelman]

Your kid must be at least 52 inches tall to use the boogie board, and 58" to do standup.

[conandrob240]

Oh, no! He's 49 1/2 inches. Poor guy. He'll be sad to not get to do it! Next time!

[snorkelman]

Oh, no! He's 49 1/2 inches. Poor guy. He'll be sad to not get to do it! Next time!

 

That is probably way too short. I have seen the sports staff on multiple ships walk the kid over to the height stick whenever the kid even looks small.

 

The only exception is if you get a staff member who doesn't.

 

I suggest you fill out the waivers online. Then walk up with your kid and try and get a wrist band. You never know. Maybe have him wear shoes when he approaches the desk and they may not ask him to stand near the height thing.

 

If it was my kid and my kid regularly does this at home, I probably would try a few different times during the cruise if my first attempt didn't work, but that is just me, and may get some flack from others.

[papcx]

I honestly don't know the answer so I'm not trying to be smart, but....

 

Surely the height restriction is for a health and safety reason. Trying to work around it may not be a good idea.