Flow Rider Tricks

[RMH]

Is there a standard RCCL policy about boogie board flow rider tricks and whether they are allowed or not? Several years ago we experienced our first flow rider on the Freedom and my kids loved it. The instructors/life guards showed them how to ride, do tricks, and get to their knees and do a 360. They were great.

 

Our next cruise, was on the Oasis and at the first barrel roll, the **** instructor got mad and said absolutely no tricks allowed. It ruined it for them and we did not so the flow rider again. I'm not sure if he was just mean or if he was following instructions.

 

We are cruising on the Independence in December and I want to prepare them if there is some sort of ban on flow rider tricks, or let them know that they might be allowed if it depends on the ship or life guard.

[chazg]

Our last time one the Allure they were not allowed to do any tricks that require being separated from the board. You should have them try doing stand up because they are a little more lenient for stand up riders.

[mil76]

You can't do any tricks where the board is not on the wave with the rider attached. So that basically means the only tricks you can do are 360s. My son has gotten really good at boogie board since he went through a long phase where he was tall enough for boogie board but too short for stand-up, and the hardest trick he does that's allowed is to get into a crouch position with his hands touching the wave at his sides and he does a 360 from that. I find that much more difficult/dangerous than a Barrell Roll or Superman, but both of those are a no-no on Royal. He gets really annoyed when the staff does the Flow Show at the end of the cruise and get big cheers from the crowd for doing tricks he can do but guests aren't allowed.

 

It also doesn't matter who the staff is at the Flowrider, as some of them have told me Royal has a zero tolerance policy with staff, so letting someone do forbidden tricks is grounds for instant termination of their contract.

[RMH]

Thanks chazg and mil76 - I guess I will just tell my kids to lower their expectations and have their 'fun' on the sports court. Although the crouching 360 does seem pretty intriguing. They have definitely not mastered that one. They did mention that they might just spend time on their stomachs spraying the people in line and life guards with water from the board. I don't suppose that is forbidden now is it?

[Biker19]

They did mention that they might just spend time on their stomachs spraying the people in line and life guards with water from the board. I don't suppose that is forbidden now is it?

No, but it might be a way to get booted from the ride - neither the staff nor riders waiting in line may appreciate getting drenched like that.

[mil76]

Splashing is still allowed. They may not be too popular if they send a spray into the people in street clothes in the seats, but they won't get kicked off for splashing the staff and the people in line. If that was policy, I'd never be allowed to do stand-up.

 

I concur with chazg, in that if they meet the height requirement, stand-up is the way to go since the rules are much more reasonable for tricks.

[RMH]

We have talked about trying stand-up. They have never done it before and the idea of spending an entire week just to get to the point of only standing up when they have the boogie board 'mastered' isn't all that appealing. But, it is certainly worth a try; they may love it. Worse case scenario is they don't hang out at the Flowrider and find other stuff to do. We'll be on a cruise in the Caribbean so that is a pretty palatable worst-case scenario. Thanks for all the input.

[xpcdoojk]

We have talked about trying stand-up. They have never done it before and the idea of spending an entire week just to get to the point of only standing up when they have the boogie board 'mastered' isn't all that appealing. But, it is certainly worth a try; they may love it. Worse case scenario is they don't hang out at the Flowrider and find other stuff to do. We'll be on a cruise in the Caribbean so that is a pretty palatable worst-case scenario. Thanks for all the input.

 

I completely understand, but I had the boogie 90% mastered in about 20 minutes. Stand-up I am well into the thousands of minutes and I have not mastered it yet. That said, I am better than most stand-up surfers on the cruises I am on, but still not perfected, not even close.

 

Stand-up is a far more rewarding experience when you have it sort of mastered.

 

JC

[RMH]

Understood JC and if there were more time I am sure they would want to learn to master or even be average at stand-up. The issue is whether they will even be able to get to the point where they are not doing face plants in the time they have. This will only be our 3rd cruise with a Flowrider and may be our last all together as a family, so is the time better spent trying to learn something new that might not be used or doing something you have learned and enjoy, but stay in your bubble? No right or wrong answer to that one and we will all have to decide for ourselves.

[Cel_cruise]

My son was 10 on our April cruise on Liberty. It was his second cruise /flow rider experience.

 

Since they either do bogie OR stand up, if flow riding was what you wanted to do - it made sense to learn whatever was being offered at the time.

 

He enjoyed learning stand up which he was not tall enough for when he was 8/his first cruise.

 

I would encourage your kids to try stand up and let them decide if they want to learn it themselves. It may come down to secondary factors anyway - like what else is happening on board and what their friends are doing.

 

My son also did a private group flow rider lesson and really had a great time - they seemed to be more lenient with the bogie tricks and also had more time to coach.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jenjer]

No tricks that don't have the board between you and the water....ie no barrel rolls.

 

Standing up is intimidating but the staff will help you sons get it they hold on to you at first have them give it a try. Not being the mater of something should not be a reason to not try.

 

Sports court tells me your going to be on Anthem. The flowrider varies by time as to what they are doing. The first day my DD rode so much bogie board she tore up her feet she was alone on it for hours. So pack suits in your carry on and weather permitting go the first day.

 

Also for the non flowriding members of the family the bumber cars are running and the wait is generally next to nothing that first day.

[njmomof2]

No tricks that don't have the board between you and the water....ie no barrel rolls.

 

Standing up is intimidating but the staff will help you sons get it they hold on to you at first have them give it a try. Not being the mater of something should not be a reason to not try.

 

Sports court tells me your going to be on Anthem. The flowrider varies by time as to what they are doing. The first day my DD rode so much bogie board she tore up her feet she was alone on it for hours. So pack suits in your carry on and weather permitting go the first day.

 

Also for the non flowriding members of the family the bumber cars are running and the wait is generally next to nothing that first day.

 

All ships have a sports court, you're referring to the SeaPlex on Anthem.

 

OP is looking at Indy for December.