Pickleball

[Frogtog]

First time to cruise and plan to be doing more. I want a cruise ship that has pickleball courts. It's a very popular sport that many Seniors and Young folks play. I like to eat and playing pickleball is not only fun but a good way to burn calories. What cruise lines have pickleball courts? 

[LHT28]

who knew

https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/2018/03/30/pickleball-cruise-ships-holland-america-princess-regent/463529002/

 

https://www.usapa.org/usapa-news/pickleball-at-sea-these-cruise-ships-have-courts/

 

[leaveitallbehind]

You would have to google it, or check the cruise line websites, to see which ships offer this but HAL, Princess, and Regent Seven Seas have added pickleball courts to some - but not all - of their ships.  Not sure if there are any others.

Edited March 19, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Frogtog]

Thanks. I have seen this article. Its a bit dated and mostly talks about cruise to Asia. I'm not planning on that - yet. What about Caribbean or similar cruises? I think cruise lines are missing out by not making this activity more visible in their cruises.

Edited March 19, 2019 by Frogtog

[LHT28]

did you find  a newer source?

 

If the same ships are in the Caribbean would  they remove the courts??

[leaveitallbehind]

13 minutes ago, Frogtog said:

Thanks. I have seen this article. Ita a bit dated and mostly talks about cruise to Asia. I'm not planning on that - yet. What about Caribbean or similar cruises.

Again, you would have to check with the websites - or call the cruise lines - to see which ships and their related itineraries offer this, as with the lines referenced it is ship specific. The three lines I mentioned are the only ones I am aware of that offer it, so the research should not be too difficult.

 

As to other cruise lines adding it, it would require space for a tennis court - or conversion (by way of adding a net and associated hardware) of an existing basketball or other sport court - to do so.  Not necessarily feasible with many ships and would also necessitate a dry dock time with associated cost to do so for a facility to be added if space is available.  Cruise line target demographics would also come into play as to who would see this as viable for them.

Edited March 19, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Schoifmom]

I have to confess, I had to google pickleball 🙂  Looks like fun.  Couldn't you simply play this on any ship with a tennis court?

[Frogtog]

1 minute ago, Schoifmom said:

I have to confess, I had to google pickleball 🙂  Looks like fun.  Couldn't you simply play this on any ship with a tennis court?

Its a smaller court than tennis. Look it up in your community if interested to learn. I bet Parks and Rec or private facility have it.

[Essiesmom]

Why don't you go to the forums here of the cruise lines referenced and ask if they still offer it.  I have seen it mentioned on the boards here, but as it had no interest for me, I don't remember what boards they were.  But the only cruise line boards I frequent here are Carnival, Celebrity, HAL, MSC, Princess, and occasionally Cunard.  

[Frogtog]

Cruise lines should be offering this venue across the board. Not all seniors  just want to sit around especially when food is available 24/7. Have to burn those calories. Even the young folks play it. I play practically everyday where I live. I'm 65. I am actually playing some folks who are in their 70s and 80s.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, Frogtog said:

Cruise lines should be offering this venue across the board. Not all seniors  just want to sit around especially when food is available 24/7. Have to burn those calories. Even the young folks play it. I play practically everyday where I live. I'm 65. I am actually playing some folks who are in their 70s and 80s.

 

I, too, live in a community where this sport is very popular and I understand your interest in seeing this on all cruise lines.  But as I commented in my previous post, it may not be as simple as may think to offer this on all ships.  It would require space for a tennis court - or conversion (by way of adding a net and associated hardware) of an existing basketball or other sport court - to do so. 

 

This would not necessarily be feasible with many ships that may not have existing space and would also necessitate a dry dock time with associated cost to do so for a facility to be added if space is available.  Cruise line target demographics would also come into play as to who would see this as viable for them.

 

So while it may be a popular sport to you, it may not be one that can be an easily added venue to all cruise ships.

Edited March 19, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[SbbquilterUT]

We did have pickleball on the Allure of the Seas in December.  They pull out portable nets and play on the basketball court.  There was a listed open play time most afternoons but it was a bit of a struggle to move the basketball players off the court.  

[gscoggin]

Funny how times evolve.  There are several pickleball cruises now! Just have to Google it. 

[Frogtog]

Was on Sky Princess this month. They have two pickleball courts but only one very bad shape net. I spoke with the activities director about it. They have scheduled it for 10am but there are ppl there as early as 8am playing. There are plenty of players. I told the director that they are missing an opportunity here by not maintaining the facility. That's one of the reasons I went on the cruise.

[evandbob]

Since the P courts, if available, are usually on a top deck, the winds can make playing the game quite challenging.  The ball is so light that the wind will screwball or knuckle it every which way.

 

It does make a light hearted game, except for the real serious devotees.

 

On a different more somber note, we were at the zip line station next to the pickleboard courts when the medical alarm sounded and responders quickly sheeted off a section to give private medical attention to someone who collapsed on the court.  This was on the Symphony OTS in January.

[Frogtog]

The breeze was not that bad. You have to make adjustments and it makes playing very doable. Some days we had to tape down the net supports to keep it from falling down. I played everyday. Fun!!

[awhcruiser]

HAL has pickleball available on all of their ships.  Hubby most recently played on the NA last October.

[ducklite]

On 3/19/2019 at 11:14 AM, Frogtog said:

Cruise lines should be offering this venue across the board. Not all seniors  just want to sit around especially when food is available 24/7. Have to burn those calories. Even the young folks play it. I play practically everyday where I live. I'm 65. I am actually playing some folks who are in their 70s and 80s.

Many of us who are old enough to live in senior communities choose to sail on smaller ships that would have no room for such a thing.  So no, not all cruise lines should be offering this venue across the board.  

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

The reality is that on most ships this would be played on the same court as basketball or soccer. When something "organized" is planned they know that they can accommodate a half dozen or more people all playing at the same time. This is not the case for pickleball. 

 

For those organized events, I am sure you would have noticed the cruise staff just want to get things going and over with as soon as possible so they can get to their next "event". Again this is not as easy with even a dozen eager pickleballers. 

 

So, they can just have specific time scheduled for "not organized" play, but as mentioned by Sbbquilter, what are you going to do when you get there only to find a bunch of (kids) people playing basketball or soccer. Do you want to be the grinch?

 

As mentioned most communities now have organized pickle ball played. Also there are many ship where they do try to accommodate people that want to play. I just wanted to point out that there are many other ways on a ship that are convenient and easy to get the work out that those food lovers should consider. The most obvious is that there is a gym that is free to use on every mainstream cruise line ship. The easiest solution for most people would just be to use the stairs (no excuses now) 😀. 

[ldubs]

On 3/19/2019 at 8:14 AM, Frogtog said:

Cruise lines should be offering this venue across the board. Not all seniors  just want to sit around especially when food is available 24/7. Have to burn those calories. Even the young folks play it. I play practically everyday where I live. I'm 65. I am actually playing some folks who are in their 70s and 80s.

 

Thanks.  I like the idea of more lower impact physical activities (for oldsters like me - haha).  

[Frogtog]

3 hours ago, Nic6318 said:

...mThe most obvious is that there is a gym that is free to use on every mainstream cruise line ship. The easiest solution for most people would just be to use the stairs (no excuses now) 😀. 

Gyms are easier said than done. Pickleball is interactive and fun. Gym equipment can be boring.

[Frogtog]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Thanks.  I like the idea of more lower impact physical activities (for oldsters like me - haha).  

Impact of Pickleball to body depends on how you play. You can take it slow or be aggressive. 

[Rob-Bob]

On 2/28/2020 at 11:25 AM, awhcruiser said:

HAL has pickleball available on all of their ships.  Hubby most recently played on the NA last October.

Not true.  I was on the Oosterdam last year and there was no pickleball court or area to play.

[awhcruiser]

21 hours ago, Rob-Bob said:

Not true.  I was on the Oosterdam last year and there was no pickleball court or area to play.

I guess the website I got that information from is incorrect!