RCI and Freshwater pools-Rumor, Fiction or Fact??

[ElvisandTracey]

Ok, I have heard rumblings on the boards about RCI switching all ships to freshwater pools.

 

Does anyone have a link to something official in writing saying so? I am on the FOS in June, and many have said she will start from day 1 with freshwater pools (I am hoping this is true).

 

I have also heard that as ships go to dry dock, they are switching to freshwater. I am on the Monarch in March, and she is in dry dock today, so I am wondering if she is being switched over as we speak (again, I hope so).

 

I would love any real info that any of you experts may have tucked away on a link somewhere.

 

Thanks.

[elleluv]

We're just off Enchantment and one of the two pools in the main pool area is now fresh water. We hadn't heard that they had made that change, so were pleasantly surprised. :)

[glentally]

We're just off Enchantment and one of the two pools in the main pool area is now fresh water. We hadn't heard that they had made that change, so were pleasantly surprised. :)

 

Was there signage saying one was fresh or did you just stumble on it??

 

Glen

[negc]

There have been a lot of rumors and speculation on these boards on this subject, but so far I have been unable to find anyone who can cite an official source for this claim. When we were on Enchantment after the stretch, there was no indication that any of the pools (outside or in the solarium) were fresh water pools. Frankly,IMHO, heavily chlorinated pools, such as you find in many hotels are far more objectionable than salt water pools. Besides when I get off the ship in the Caribbean, I am usually going to be swimming in the ocean, which last time I checked was salt water.;)

I have asked on other threads but no one has backed up their claim of a changeover to fresh water pools, with anything like a reliable source.

[zotzer]

I, for one, am hoping they stick with saltwater....I love feeling like I am in the ocean, when I am in fact, floating around the ocean. :)

 

Tracy

[CruiseConvertTN]

I am just off the Sovereign. It was salt water in the one pool that I used. The whirlpool hot tubs were freshwater. The Sovereign was, as I am sure almost EVERYONE knows, drydocked in November 2004. It might have been done before this switch was made.

 

Either way is ok I guess. I grew up with a swimming pool so I am used to freshwater pools. Saltwater was an interesting change.

[glentally]

I hate salt water . I wish I had known the hot tubs were fresh water as I would have checked them out.

 

Like I said what is wrong with telling the people what your plans are vs all this guessing

 

Glen

[ElvisandTracey]

Well, I guess a rumor is all we have so far....:p

[negc]

I hate salt water . I wish I had known the hot tubs were fresh water as I would have checked them out.

 

Like I said what is wrong with telling the people what your plans are vs all this guessing

 

Glen

Since their ships' pools have always been salt water, they may not have felt it necessary to make an announcement unless they were planning to change to fresh water. If that were the plan, I would have expected to hear about it from the line by now. No one has been able to point to an official source for what, to date at least, is only an unconfirmed rumor.

 

BTW - what do you "hate" about salt water and what do you swim in when you go to the beach on any of the islands that the ships visit?:)

[ElvisandTracey]

It wasn't me that you quoted, but I hate salt water too, as does my entire family. We love to cruise, but rarely come into contact with sea water-I go to the beach, but do not swim. I swim in pools where the beautiful chlorine kills all the nasty things that I don't want to know about.

 

I also hate the taste of salt water, it burns eyes, skin, reeks havoc on my hair-I love fresh water pools-you can see the bottom, no surprises, I really hope that they switch, but I have a feeling it is only a rumor.

 

I do swim in the pools when I cruise, I don't not swim just because it is salt water, I would simply like it a whole lot better if it were fresh instead.

 

I know Princess has fresh, maybe I will try them someday?

[cb at sea]

I like the salt water, since they do change the entire contents frequently--so called "fresh water" they can't change, they can only add more chlorine. Ugh! You can only tell the difference if you taste it, and I wouldn't recommend that to anyone!

[critterchick]

Vision just came out of drydock & the people in the hot tub with us told us that the pool was still saltwater. We didn't test it. It's not murky saltwater, by the way - it was sparkling clear.

[johnbob7]

When we were on the Explorer in March 2004, they started the cruise with the pools (at least the Solarium pool for sure) as freshwater. But the water was quite cloudy.

 

I spoke with an engineering officer who stated that they were trying out switching to fresh, but that they had problems with the piping used for salt water over the years having mineral deposits that were reacting with the freshwater treatment chemicals to create the murkiness.

 

About midweek, they drained and switched the pool back to saltwater, which was indeed crystal clear!

 

bobj

[elleluv]

Was there signage saying one was fresh or did you just stumble on it??

 

Glen

 

No signage... but you could sure tell when you got in! It was fresh water (a little heavy on the chlorine). The fresh water pool had a lot more swimmers than the salt water pool.

[glentally]

BTW - what do you "hate" about salt water and what do you swim in when you go to the beach on any of the islands that the ships visit?:)

 

I live in Florida, love the beach but hate saltwater. No matter how hard I try whether snorkling or just goofing around in the water I get it in my mouth. It upsets my stomach and ruins my taste buds for any eating or drinking after that. Lets see, another disadvantage is you feel all crusty after going in it.

 

Oh boy I forgot the benifit of being able to float without kicking, what a deal!!!

 

When I go on the beach I wade out to cool off and will go underwater but keep my mouth shut. If you knew me ( that is not easy, LOL)

 

Glen

[floridaken77]

I did the looking for you, and here is a long thread (http://http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=53449) about the "rumor" or not...

 

HEY would ya look at that.....my countdown ticker is down to single digits....

[negc]

I live in Florida, love the beach but hate saltwater. No matter how hard I try whether snorkling or just goofing around in the water I get it in my mouth. It upsets my stomach and ruins my taste buds for any eating or drinking after that. Lets see, another disadvantage is you feel all crusty after going in it.

 

Oh boy I forgot the benifit of being able to float without kicking, what a deal!!!

 

When I go on the beach I wade out to cool off and will go underwater but keep my mouth shut. If you knew me ( that is not easy, LOL)

 

Glen

 

Then I guess it won't do me any good to suggest that you keep your mouth shut in the pools.:D

As far as that crusty feeling, there are showers located next to the pools to wash that icky salt off your body, and heavily chlorinated water is not my drink of choice either, not to mention what it does to the colors in bathing suits. I dislike the smell of chlorinated water that permeates the areas near pools on ships, at hotels or the Y. In most cases, I know that if you blindfolded me, I could easily lead you to the pool in one of those locations based on my sense of smell alone.

I can take either salt or freshwater pools and try to reserve my 'hate' for things that are more worthy of that emotion.

[It'sRC4ME]

I also hate the taste of salt water, it burns eyes, skin, reeks havoc on my hair-I love fresh water pools-you can see the bottom, no surprises, I really hope that they switch, but I have a feeling it is only a rumor.

 

 

To be honest, on the one Princess cruise we took, the pools were disgusting by the end of the week. No amount or chlorination can clear out the skim of sun tan oil, so you couldn't see the bottom - gross. At least the salt water gets changed every so often.

 

I do agree with you on the hair thing though - mine is naturally curly and if I don't rinse it in the fresh water shower after swimming I get dread locks!