Pools! I want pools!

[cruisincuzz]

We are contemplating only our second ever cruise. Our first was on RCI Independence, and while we enjoyed it, I was disappointed in the pools. I like to actually swim, not just dip myself in the water and bake in a lounge chair. The pools on the Indy were freezing cold, at least at the end of February. And from what I've seen in my research, they are not very big or numerous on any line. We are budget travelers, so staying in a suite with access to a private/restricted pool is out of the question. Can you experts tell me which of the more budget-friendly cruise lines generally has the most/biggest pools, and are any of them heated? TIA.

[richstowe]

The short answer is if you really want to swim swim , don't take a cruise vacation . Yes very early or late you might get in a few laps in a near empty pool but that's not what cruising is about . Of course many cruises stop at fabulous ports with great beaches .

BTW , the pools reserved for the suites and premium cabins are always tiny . Cruises are wonderful with fabulous options but doing laps on board is really not a strength.

Sorry.

[CruiserBruce]

The short answer is if you really want to swim swim , don't take a cruise vacation . Yes very early or late you might get in a few laps in a near empty pool but that's not what cruising is about . Of course many cruises stop at fabulous ports with great beaches .

BTW , the pools reserved for the suites and premium cabins are always tiny . Cruises are wonderful with fabulous options but doing laps on board is really not a strength.

Sorry.

 

This! Cruise ships are about efficient use of space. A pool is not efficient (and, I am sure, somebody will add, not revenue producing). There is a very realistic limit to what space will be set aside for a pool.

[navybankerteacher]

You will not find large pools on cruise ships - but Celebrity ships have heated pools in the solarium - so, if you want to get up early or stay up late, you would be able to swim short laps in warm water.

[cb at sea]

Ship's pools are for cooling off...not swimming. Too many people and not enough pool space!

[Keith1010]

There are some pools that you can easily do laps but still they are not the size you find on land.

 

Keith

[rdsxgrl28]

Yeah seiner all my life, 56, all,through high school, college & now. Cruise ship pools are not lap pools. Just do laps when you go to beaches.

[cruisincuzz]

Perhaps I overstated my desire to swim. I read a review on here of a Carnival cruise and the reviewer said that the pools on Carnival are a joke. Several other posters agreed with her, and since I had been leaning towards a Carnival cruise, I am now rethinking my choice. Of all the recreation on board a cruise, the pool(s) would be the most important to me, but I am by no means a lap swimmer. I would just like to be able to swim across the pool a couple of times without getting kicked, elbowed or splashed. I thought the Solarium on our cruise would allow a peaceful retreat, but it was Spring break and it was just as bad as the main pool. And I would like not to be hypothermic afterward. Our previous cruise was at the end of February; we are looking at September or October this time (western Caribbean). My understanding is that these cruise ships fill their pools directly from the ocean, so my assumption is that the pool water should be a bit warmer in the Fall. Is this correct? And if the pools on Carnival are a joke, which cruise line has the best pools?

[mom says]

And if the pools on Carnival are a joke, which cruise line has the best pools?

 

So you're going to select a cruise based on the size of its pool? You don't care about cost, ship amenities, or itinerary? I somehow doubt your fascination with pool size extends to that degree of monomania.

How's this: select the itinerary you want eg. Western Caribbean. Then have a look at a few of the ships sailing that route. Look at a few deck plans and eyeball a few photos of the pool area. None of them are that much bigger than the others. And unless you want to swim late at night or before breakfast every morning, you are going to find it full of people. Of course, if you'd rather swim in the pool than do shore excursions, you would find the pool emptier then, as well.

[MCC retired]

OP will find what he/she wants on any ship , early morning .

Some are fresh water , some salt .

A little online research can identify the pool sizes but a ship with large pools (and few guests ) does not exist .

[cruisincuzz]

Wow. I never expected such condescension and rudeness to a simple question. Maybe you're all right, I shouldn't take another cruise. Always got polite replies as a newbie on land-based travel boards. I know I've asked my last question on here.

[BlueRiband]

Wow. I never expected such condescension and rudeness to a simple question. Maybe you're all right, I shouldn't take another cruise. Always got polite replies as a newbie on land-based travel boards. I know I've asked my last question on here.

 

I didn't take the replies as condescension but just telling you the way it is. Due to limited space - and weight - cruise ship pools are not built for doing laps. Water weighs over 8 lbs per gallon. So even a 1000 gallon pool adds four tons of weight to the ship. Ship architects cannot change the laws of physics.

 

You told us that being able to swim laps is important to you, and you cannot afford to pay a premium for exclusive access to larger facilities. If this workout is a high priority then a cruise vacation is not for you. There aren't any ships with olympic sized pools. And it's unlikely any will be built with "endless" pools as only a few people would be able to use it each day. Imagine the anger from those waiting to use it while one person decides to get in a 45 minute workout.

[cruisincuzz]

I didn't take the replies as condescension but just telling you the way it is. Due to limited space - and weight - cruise ship pools are not built for doing laps. Water weighs over 8 lbs per gallon. So even a 1000 gallon pool adds four tons of weight to the ship. Ship architects cannot change the laws of physics.

 

You told us that being able to swim laps is important to you, and you cannot afford to pay a premium for exclusive access to larger facilities. If this workout is a high priority then a cruise vacation is not for you. There aren't any ships with olympic sized pools. And it's unlikely any will be built with "endless" pools as only a few people would be able to use it each day. Imagine the anger from those waiting to use it while one person decides to get in a 45 minute workout.

 

 

If you had bothered to read my posts closely, you would have seen that I said I do not swim laps. I just wanted to be able to float around in a warm pool. I am far closer to Ursula than I am to Ariel. When I said I wanted to swim across the pool, I meant I wanted to swim across the pool, not lengthwise, but across. I do not need to be told what a cruise it about, or to receive a lesson in physics, nor to be told how I should narrow down my choices. To the poster who suggested I don't care about itineraries, price, etc., I have done my research and have narrowed my choices down to several cruises leaving in September and October on Carnival, RCI and NCL. I thought knowing which had the best pools might be the deciding factor. Never mind.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I've been on a couple of pools that had 'swim against the current' pools; I don't think the current was on all the time, but I didn't try, so not sure.

 

Sometimes the water is heated, usually if it is a coo; weather cruise; NCL Jewel had very warm water on a Transatlantic we did. We are just off the Emerald Princess, and at least some of the pools were heated part of the time. This was a cruise around the Horn of South America and some of the weather was quite cool.

 

I can't tell you if they were heated all the time; I only tested the water once because I was curious to see so many kids in the pool in the quite chilly weather. Definitely heated that day.

 

IMO, (and I love to swim too) there is no way to really swim laps--and even just a few trips up and down the pool can be iffy--on most cruise lines. Not enough room, too many people.

 

Maybe swim at off hours--the pool deck really clears out around 4-5.

[crzndeb]

Since most cruise ship pools are created equal, I might suggest booking a Havana cabin on the Carnival Vista, or the Horizon coming out this year. It’s not a big pool but it is only for guests in the Havana area cabins until 7 in the evening. Also, only 12 and older allowed in those cabins. I’m sure you could google and find info and pictures.

[Pyrate13]

While I didn't find most replies to be rude I have to agree with some, if a pool you can swim in is important for your vacation, and it obviously is, then cruising may not be for you. We've been on 16 cruises (multiple cruise lines) and other than early mornings when fewer folks are up and about, I can't recall ever seeing a cruise ship pool that was conducive to swimming, very small and lots of other people enjoying the water.

[Bonnie J.]

We were on Princess, a long time ago, and they had a pool that you swam against water. You could set the speed.If you didn't swim, you got pushed back to the other end of the pool. I forget what this is called. The pool did not have to be big for this. There was little use of this pool so maybe its now just a regular pool.

 

Sorry, don't remember the name of the ship but ask on the Princess site here and see if you can find it.

 

Carnival has a pool on some of their Serenity decks. This deck is for adults only, no smoking, and they mean that. ( I call the pools full of kids the pee pools!). On this deck, on the Sunshine, decks, 11,12 & 14, there is a waterfall from deck 14 to deck 11 but its only about 5 or 6 stokes to get across the pool.

 

Most cruise ships use the ocean water to fill their pools- that's why they are salty.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Bonnie J.

[richstowe]

I read two rude posts . #11 & #13 The rest were trying to be helpful.

[navybankerteacher]

I read two rude posts . #11 & #13 The rest were trying to be helpful.

 

I think you have nailed it. After briefly scanning the original question and the replies, it seems that the over-whelming number of replies simply addressed the question, non-judgemently and with facts.

[spookwife]

If you had bothered to read my posts closely, you would have seen that I said I do not swim laps. I just wanted to be able to float around in a warm pool. I am far closer to Ursula than I am to Ariel. When I said I wanted to swim across the pool, I meant I wanted to swim across the pool, not lengthwise, but across. I do not need to be told what a cruise it about, or to receive a lesson in physics, nor to be told how I should narrow down my choices. To the poster who suggested I don't care about itineraries, price, etc., I have done my research and have narrowed my choices down to several cruises leaving in September and October on Carnival, RCI and NCL. I thought knowing which had the best pools might be the deciding factor. Never mind.

 

doesn't change anything. you are not likely to find the kind of swimming you prefer on a ship regardless of line, ship class or itinerary. 'across' is maybe a body length and a few extra inches. as in my husband the Lifeguard doesn't;t even get a full stroke in. on sea days all the main deck pools will be packed. the adult only pools on Royal will be only slightly less packed.

 

and now most lines will net them over at like sunset and not remove said netting until 8 or 9 am which means no sneaking in at sunrise either.

[rdsxgrl28]

When you said you wanted to "swim" in the pool it kinda implies laps, so............

 

You got more than enough answers that were in no way rude.

 

and YAGE!!!!

[jocap]

We were on Princess, a long time ago, and they had a pool that you swam against water. You could set the speed.If you didn't swim, you got pushed back to the other end of the pool. I forget what this is called. The pool did not have to be big for this. There was little use of this pool so maybe its now just a regular pool.

 

Sorry, don't remember the name of the ship but ask on the Princess site here and see if you can find it.

 

Carnival has a pool on some of their Serenity decks. This deck is for adults only, no smoking, and they mean that. ( I call the pools full of kids the pee pools!). On this deck, on the Sunshine, decks, 11,12 & 14, there is a waterfall from deck 14 to deck 11 but its only about 5 or 6 stokes to get across the pool.

 

 

Most cruise ships use the ocean water to fill their pools- that's why they are salty.

My husband uses the pool with the swim against currant on P&O's Ventura, which is a Grand Class ship, the same as many Princess ones.It's great for exercise... unless someone comes along and turns it up to full! :o

[cruisincuzz]

Thank you for the tips, everyone. Apparently, I worded my original post very badly. I was getting frustrated that nobody seemed to be getting the point. I should have just asked, "What cruise line has the best pools?" and not tried to make myself sound like Michael Phelps. Mea culpa.

[rdsxgrl28]

Thank you for the tips, everyone. Apparently, I worded my original post very badly. I was getting frustrated that nobody seemed to be getting the point. I should have just asked, "What cruise line has the best pools?" and not tried to make myself sound like Michael Phelps. Mea culpa.

 

You mean you're not? Lol!!! It happens.

[cruisincuzz]

:o:D