Children in Aft Pool

[lvz2cruz]

Our favorite ship is Eurodam and I know they have a sign as you go out the door from the Lido saying the aft pool is for those over 18.

We cruised Zuiderdam over spring break and it did not have such a sign. Midway through the cruise they put up signs in the Lido pool that said "Family Pool" but there were still plenty kids and teens in the aft pool.

I DO NOT have a problem with kids in the pool. But they were playing the game where someone throws the football to someone who jumps in the pool as they catch it. They also skimmed it across the pool like you would skim a rock in a creek. There was a time they played marco polo despite about 10 adults already being in there. They often did cannonballs into that tiny pool not caring about the adults they kicked. Getting splashed was the least of our worries. That pool was way too small for their games.

It got to the point when the teens showed up the adults left.

I never saw but heard adults say that bar staff had told the teens to leave but they returned a couple minutes later.

I have a Thanksgiving cruise on Eurodam on hold but will not go if this is what will happen again. I love the pool and dreaded sea days knowing this would happen again and again each day.

Do they enforce the over 18 rule or is the mindset that there are so many kids they can't keep them out? Who should we have complained to that could have prevented this?

[dakrewser]

If the pool isn't posted as "adult only" (and the sign may have been removed on purpose for that cruise) then there's little you can do about it, except perhaps cruise a different week.

[cbr663]

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that HAL is very hesitant to enforce any rules other than putting up a sign.

[tartanmum]

Based on our recent cruises on the Prinsendam and the Maasdam the sign at the aft pool has said "Under 16 Requires Adult Supervision". We never had any issues with poor behavior in the pool (from adults or teens!) but both our cruises were 2 weeks long on smaller ships and as such had few kids on board. The most recent Maasdam cruise had 9 kids under 12 and 3 older teens. The only time the younger kids were in the aft pool was for the Panama Canal Crocodile swim. The 3 teens (one of whom was mine) were often in the aft pool but were very quiet and well mannered and spent most of their time chatting with other guests. I would never have allowed my kids to play marco polo or have balls in any of the pools and my blood pressure would boil if I saw it happening. One of the major reasons why we choose the smaller ships and longer itineraries is that we find things to be calmer.

[1of4]

The Seaview pool sign usually has a sign that says under 16 needs supervision. Last year on the 20 day Panama cruise on Westerdam there were free kids, under 10, and 2 were mine. We went to the Seaview pool on day 3 but one woman snarled at me that "they" were not welcome. I always sit on the wooden side even though my two were 13 and 10. I asked an officer who just happened to be passing and he said that really children are not allowed but are welcome in the Lido pool. So that is where they went.

 

Anyone who has sailed with us knows our two are very respectful. But every time one of them hot in the Lido pool a few women would decide to swim laps and swim directly at them EVERY SINGLE LAP. It didn't matter where they went in the pool. Both DD and DS would stay together and were not splashing, yelling or jumping. They would get in when there were less than 5 people, counting them, and within 5 minutes there would be 20+ people in the pool. There was never any monitoring of the posted capacity numbers.

 

So I understand but it goes both ways. During the swim the cane event at the Seaview pool one women pushed both of them and said they were not allowed but we got permission for them to be included.

 

So rudeness has no age restrictions. We were told no children but that is not what the sign says and we have used the Seaview pool on prior cruises.

 

There have been threads were it was stated that the bar staff can not do anything as they arenot officers. I would go to the front desk if it happened again.

[Wrightwoodsbest]

Our favorite ship is Eurodam and I know they have a sign as you go out the door from the Lido saying the aft pool is for those over 18.

We cruised Zuiderdam over spring break and it did not have such a sign. Midway through the cruise they put up signs in the Lido pool that said "Family Pool" but there were still plenty kids and teens in the aft pool.

I DO NOT have a problem with kids in the pool. But they were playing the game where someone throws the football to someone who jumps in the pool as they catch it. They also skimmed it across the pool like you would skim a rock in a creek. There was a time they played marco polo despite about 10 adults already being in there. They often did cannonballs into that tiny pool not caring about the adults they kicked. Getting splashed was the least of our worries. That pool was way too small for their games.

It got to the point when the teens showed up the adults left.

I never saw but heard adults say that bar staff had told the teens to leave but they returned a couple minutes later.

I have a Thanksgiving cruise on Eurodam on hold but will not go if this is what will happen again. I love the pool and dreaded sea days knowing this would happen again and again each day.

Do they enforce the over 18 rule or is the mindset that there are so many kids they can't keep them out? Who should we have complained to that could have prevented this?

 

We did 14 days. in December, on the NA in the Caribbean. Every time people brought small children to the pool an officer was there shortly to remind them of the fact that the aft pool is for adults only. Each time they left. No problem.

[meglet]

Cruising is VERY different now. OP, than it was years ago. While I love cruising so much, I tried an adult only resort for a family wedding last year and it was heaven.