Sky Princess - a mistake for those less able

[lois1112]

I'm distressed to hear this, if one person has a problem, I'm sure several others do as well

 

I hope Princess fixes this problem

 

to the OP- I would be very upset as well

[FloaterBoat]

Are there other Princess ships with steps into the pool?

[Id rather be diving]

Just going to give you an experience of ours.  The access office has told us the “Standard” response of you must have someone to operate the lift, the crew will not.  However, on the Sapphire Baltic last year, the crew would not let us do it ourselves and they operated the lift to get my husband in and out.  They even went above and beyond when it started to hail..they had two crew members holding towels over him as he was lifted out and immediately surrounded him with more towels as soon as he was out of the hot tub and back on deck.  So perhaps the crew will help, but I realize you don’t want to count on that.  It is disappointing that they have not improved their handicap accessibility on new ships.

[DebbieMacG]

41 minutes ago, FloaterBoat said:

Are there other Princess ships with steps into the pool?

Yes there are. 

[FloaterBoat]

2 minutes ago, DebbieMacG said:

Yes there are. 

Makes me very curious why Princess would go away from that then...I prefer the steps also, I really just never liked the ladder.  Plus I think aesthetically, the steps look better.

[Reader0108598]

2 hours ago, lois1112 said:

I'm distressed to hear this, if one person has a problem, I'm sure several others do as well

 

I hope Princess fixes this problem

 

to the OP- I would be very upset as well

Yes other people will have a problem! I don't get why they did that ! I live in the Northeast and cruise in the winter . I love to swim at least twice a day . No way would I even try to get out of the pool with a ladder. I doubt I could and I don't want  to  bring attention to myself! Good grief, well the sky is out!

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Reader0108598

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, Id rather be diving said:

Just going to give you an experience of ours.  The access office has told us the “Standard” response of you must have someone to operate the lift, the crew will not.  However, on the Sapphire Baltic last year, the crew would not let us do it ourselves and they operated the lift to get my husband in and out.  They even went above and beyond when it started to hail..they had two crew members holding towels over him as he was lifted out and immediately surrounded him with more towels as soon as he was out of the hot tub and back on deck.  So perhaps the crew will help, but I realize you don’t want to count on that.  It is disappointing that they have not improved their handicap accessibility on new ships.

I think it is wonderful that they have the lift  for those that need it! I walk just fine, I just don't have the strength any more to make it up the ladder. They think the lift is an answer for everyone ! So they leave the steps out, that is ridiculas!

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Reader0108598

[Coffeeluvr05]

It surprised me that they would not put stairs in at least the retreat pool since many of the passengers are advanced in age.  Even those of us not advanced in age prefer not to use a ladder.  Even my pool at home has steps.  I do wonder what their reasoning was on that.  I sure don't want to pay to use the enclave just to have a pool with stairs.  I guess my ms bath tub will have to do.

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

It surprised me that they would not put stairs in at least the retreat pool since many of the passengers are advanced in age.  Even those of us not advanced in age prefer not to use a ladder.  Even my pool at home has steps.  I do wonder what their reasoning was on that.  I sure don't want to pay to use the enclave just to have a pool with stairs.  I guess my ms bath tub will have to do.

It is a shame you should not have to make a choice between  not going for a swim or using the lift! I can walk up the pool stairs fine !

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Reader0108598

[Sweet Dreams]

4 hours ago, DebbieMacG said:

Yes there are. 

 

4 hours ago, DebbieMacG said:

Yes there are. 

 

4 hours ago, DebbieMacG said:

Yes there are. 

I have been on several princess ships and have never experienced stairs in outdoor pools only ladders. Which ships have steps in outdoor pools? 

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Id rather be diving said:

Just going to give you an experience of ours.  The access office has told us the “Standard” response of you must have someone to operate the lift, the crew will not.  However, on the Sapphire Baltic last year, the crew would not let us do it ourselves and they operated the lift to get my husband in and out.  They even went above and beyond when it started to hail..they had two crew members holding towels over him as he was lifted out and immediately surrounded him with more towels as soon as he was out of the hot tub and back on deck.  So perhaps the crew will help, but I realize you don’t want to count on that.  It is disappointing that they have not improved their handicap accessibility on new ships.

I read this thread initially and thought back to when I have seen the lift used, and it was crew members who did operate the lift. I wondered then to myself if something had changed. I am glad you posted your experience. Hopefully this will be the case for the OP. I also hope they Princess will change their pools in the future to allow steps (and not just a ladder). While I can use a ladder, I prefer steps myself.

[Coral]

11 minutes ago, Sweet Dreams said:

 

 

I have been on several princess ships and have never experienced stairs in outdoor pools only ladders. Which ships have steps in outdoor pools? 

The aft pool on most (all?) of the Grand Class ships have stairs.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Coral

[Lucky TGO]

What a horrible decision by Princess to make all the pools that way. I know that my wife will NEVER book a cruise on the Sky Princess for that reason. (Only Ladder Access). 👎 

Tony

[mthomp5]

Very disappointing to hear about the lack of pool stairs on the Sky.  I can use a ladder but have disliked using them even when I was much younger.  

Edited October 17, 2019 by mthomp5

[Papa Yoda]

The Enclave thalassotherapy pool is large enough to walk around in - it's about 15 feet by 20 and 3 ft. deep.  Stairs with rails on both sides.  Heated to just above body temperature (except day one when they change the water).  Bubbler stations  on each of the long sides and bubbler bench across the back.  3 various therapy steam rooms and 8 heated loungers.  We found it worth the extra. 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Ferd Berfle

[DebbieMacG]

8 hours ago, Sweet Dreams said:

 

 

I have been on several princess ships and have never experienced stairs in outdoor pools only ladders. Which ships have steps in outdoor pools? 

Princess sent me these images of their pools with gradual steps, I believe they are of regal and one other ship they sent me these thinking Sky was going to be the same and said that at least one pool on each ship had gradual steps.

 

Then when I challenged this because I’d seen photos of all pools,, they admitted that Sky has ladders only.

Edited October 17, 2019 by DebbieMacG

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, DebbieMacG said:

Princess sent me these images of their pools with gradual steps, I believe they are of regal and one other ship they sent me these thinking Sky was going to be the same and said that at least one pool on each ship had gradual steps.

 

Then when I challenged this, they admitted that Sky has ladders only.

Figures they never give a straight answer!!

 

[DebbieMacG]

1 minute ago, Reader0108598 said:

Figures they never give a straight answer!!

 

To be honest I actually think they assumed like me that one pool would have gradual steps, based on the history of the pools in this ship class, they even sent me a photo and told me it was Sky Princess retreat pool and I sent them one back of Sky Princess and said, look it’s not! They apologised for the error!

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, DebbieMacG said:

To be honest I actually think they assumed like me that one pool would have gradual steps, based on the history of the pools in this ship class, they even sent me a photo and told me it was Sky Princess retreat pool and I sent them one back of Sky Princess and said, look it’s not! They apologised for the error!

 

Yes i can see that who would ever think they would neglect that important piece to many of us!