Drowning on Liberty

[ksuds]

I had watched a 60 minutes or dateline type show recently that had an episode on children drowning. They described how quickly, and not noticed that a child could drown. They don't typically thrash around. When they are in trouble, they tilt their heads back which as soon as they go under water, the flow of water into their lungs is quick.

 

I don't know the how this happened. But sitting on a ship recently looking at how many people were in the pool, and it was cloudy and kids were playing. I thought that in the situation I was watching, a child could very well drown.

[Cruzing Mike]

Disney only added lifeguards on their ships after they had a drowning incident.

 

That is what I was reading as well. Actually, what I read was that a 6 year old almost drowned but survived with serious brain injuries.

 

Either way, I would feel better with lifeguards watching my kids along with me. I am interested to see what RCI does in this case.

[Paul65]

That is what I was reading as well. Actually, what I read was that a 6 year old almost drowned but survived with serious brain injuries.

 

Either way, I would feel better with lifeguards watching my kids along with me. I am interested to see what RCI does in this case.

 

Maybe it's just because I am not used to swimming with lifeguards around that this doesn't seem like a problem to me. Most of the times I'm around a pool or water, it's either a hotel, a cruise ship, or the beach, and in none of those places am I used to having lifeguards around. We used to have a membership at the local YMCA, and they did have lifeguards there, but most times we were around the water, we considered it strictly our responsibility to look after our child(ren).

[iheartbda]

That is what I was reading as well. Actually, what I read was that a 6 year old almost drowned but survived with serious brain injuries.

 

Either way, I would feel better with lifeguards watching my kids along with me. I am interested to see what RCI does in this case.

This is not the first time a child has drowned so they will most likely not do anything different this time. You can bet their legal team has been all over having lifeguards versus no lifeguards.

 

Don't forget, a lifeguard would be watching other children as well. Only you are watching only your child.

[Cruzing Mike]

Maybe it's just because I am not used to swimming with lifeguards around that this doesn't seem like a problem to me. Most of the times I'm around a pool or water, it's either a hotel, a cruise ship, or the beach, and in none of those places am I used to having lifeguards around. We used to have a membership at the local YMCA, and they did have lifeguards there, but most times we were around the water, we considered it strictly our responsibility to look after our child(ren).

 

I am the same way. Growing up we swam in lakes, rivers and did tons of surfing and water activities at the beach, all without lifeguards. I also agree with you that it is on us as parents to ensure our child's safety.

 

I guess the older I get and having kids I don't mind a little back up. Either way, I am going to the be there with my kids.

[Cruzing Mike]

This is not the first time a child has drowned so they will most likely not do anything different this time. You can bet their legal team has been all over having lifeguards versus no lifeguards.

 

Don't forget, a lifeguard would be watching other children as well. Only you are watching only your child.

 

You are probably right.

 

Being a new cruiser with only one Disney cruise under my belt, I guess it just seems normal to me to have lifeguards since that is the way my first cruise was.

 

Well, I will be sailing the Liberty Nov 2016...excited to see a different cruise line and the differences.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Cruzing Mike

[chengkp75]

That's a great story--truly Man's Best Friend!

 

...I hope I don't get in trouble with the Internet Outrage Patrol for being too "gender-specific" there! ;)

 

Don't worry, you put man with a capital M, so that implies the species.

 

The most impressive thing is that this is instinctive to this breed. There is a reason that Nana from "Peter Pan" was a Landseer Newfoundland.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Very sad situation, and my condolences go out to the family. But as a previous pointed out, it is sort of human instinct to wonder where the parents were. And that is okay. It is a shame, but sometimes a parent can sort of "neglect" their child while they are swimming. I am not saying this is the reason that the child drowned, nor am I blaming the parents.

 

I personally know someone who hardly pays attention to their children when they go swimming in the ocean. Makes me worry.

Edited December 22, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[Cruzing Mike]

Cruzing Mike - I understand what you are saying but would like to discuss. Not argue - but to discuss. I think one of the problems we see today is everyone trying to put their responsibility onto someone else. RCCL does not have Life Guards.

 

At the end of the day someone had responsibility to watch that 8 year old. It was not up to the cruise line, nor should it be. On my cruise I just returned from two young girls (likely 10) were wondering the hall at night making all kinds of noise. I wondered where the hack are this kids supervisor? A cruise ship is NOT a safe place to allow a child to roam free.

 

I agree with you 100%. In my original post I stated that it is ultimately the parent's responsibility to watch their children. I do not think it is wise to put that responsibility on the cruise line. I do think that the industry should provide lifeguards as an extra set of eyes. Maybe that would have saved this boy's life?

 

I'm sailing the Liberty next Nov. Lifeguards or not, I will be watching my kids.

[spazzyjanet]

Does Liberty have one of those circular "wave" pools that kids run around in? Those scare the crap out of me.

[ZoeyVictoria]

The Captain's letter to the passengers (found on another site, Google it) states that the incident happened " early today" on December 21. Could "early" mean 6 a.m. or even 2 a.m.? Is it possible that the child slipped out of the cabin, eager to go to a pool he had been anticipating, and there were no adults present at the pool at that hour? While still a tragedy, this could have happened for a totally different reason than is being assumed.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Does Liberty have one of those circular "wave" pools that kids run around in? Those scare the crap out of me.

 

Not sure about Liberty, but didn't a child drown in one those on Oasis or Allure over the past year or so?

[A&L_Ont]

Not sure about Liberty, but didn't a child drown in one those on Oasis or Allure over the past year or so?

 

It was on Allure within the last year.

[Bobal]

Not sure about Liberty, but didn't a child drown in one those on Oasis or Allure over the past year or so?

 

There was an incident with a child in one of those pools, although I think the child did survive having been airlifted off the ship. Ever since then I have noticed that there is always a member of crew watching whenever we have been on a ship with the same type of pool.

[JulieRose]

Ever since then I have noticed that there is always a member of crew watching whenever we have been on a ship with the same type of pool.

 

Didn't notice anyone monitoring it on Anthem last week.

[voyager70]

Does Liberty have one of those circular "wave" pools that kids run around in? Those scare the crap out of me.

 

Yes they do.

[Merion_Mom]

[spookwife]

I am sailing on the Liberty next Nov and I have a son, who will be 10, and daughter, who will be 14. I would like to know the circumstances with this drowning. Was there a lifeguard? How deep was the pool? Were the parents nearby?

 

no lifeguards at all

the family pool at its deepest is not that deep, I wanna say under 7ft?

 

no one knows if ANY adult or other reliable supervision solely for the child was in play at all

 

my sisters 4 YO nephew drowned earlier this year at a large party surrounded by several dozen adults and older children. in under ten minutes he got out of a gated yard, crossed a dry stream bed, climbed another fence( with locked gate) and fell into a neighbor's pool.

 

the boy's grandfather actually sprained an ankle trying to reach him as the neighbor was not home to unlock his gate

 

sometimes even well supervised children get into trouble

[Paul65]

Here's a brief article on Cruise Critic about it:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6719

 

Of course, it's an insensitive, judgmental article, because it closes by saying, "Talking to children about pool safety before cruising and close adult supervision at the pool are just two ways to keep kids safe. For more, read Cruise Critic's cruise ship pool safety tips."

[fred30]

Stop with the personal attacks!

[AustinCruise]

Here's a brief article on Cruise Critic about it:

 

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6719

 

 

 

Of course, it's an insensitive, judgmental article, because it closes by saying, "Talking to children about pool safety before cruising and close adult supervision at the pool are just two ways to keep kids safe. For more, read Cruise Critic's cruise ship pool safety tips."

 

 

Very sad.

 

I do feel the article is fair. Good time to remind parents to discuss pool safety. Children should be told to not go in the pool unless their parents / responsible adults are around.

[ZoeyVictoria]

The Captain's letter to the passengers (found on another site, Google it) states that the incident happened " early today" on December 21. Could "early" mean 6 a.m. or even 2 a.m.? Is it possible that the child slipped out of the cabin, eager to go to a pool he had been anticipating, and there were no adults present at the pool at that hour? While still a tragedy, this could have happened for a totally different reason than is being assumed.

 

The CC article now states "afternoon". Apparently the "early today" in the Captain's letter should have said "earlier today".

[MommieMara]

Easy to judge without knowing the circumstances. Did the child wander off or were the parents close by. No one knows. Was this a typical child or did they have special needs? That to can play a role. Did you know that in children with autism 90% of fatalities under the age of 12 are due to drowning from wandering away. One of my students left his apartment while his parent was asleep and drown in the fountain out front. You can not watch children 24/7. We don't know the situation, so don't judge this poor families pain. They went on what was supposed to be an amazing family Christmas vacation and it has ended in tragedy. Horrible no matter what the circumstances.

[camofwilliamsburg]

I can not even imagine the pain for the family. It is beyond horrible. But as an ex special education teacher, and an aunt to an autistic boy, he is never left unsupervised. NO reason to speculate how it happened. It happened. Sad as anything, we all agree. No one is pointing any fingers. But, like I said, it is the parents responsibility. I have sailed on too many ships and have seen too many kids unsupervised around the pools. The parents are drinking or talking. I have had to find pool attendants to go over to kids jumping into the pools to find parents. They think they are immune to anything bad happening. Bad things happen all the time. The best we all can do is to make decisions based on safety and to monitor our kids at all times.

[cincicruisers]

Very sad no matter what the circumstances were.