Drinks poolside???

[minorad]

I am not a super heavy drinker at all, but when on a cruise in Caribbean I certainly enjoy a good slushy drink poolside.  Is it now the norm on ships that you cannot have a drink next to or in the pool???  I was pretty surprised that this was the case on my most recent NCL cruise.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

You cannot have a drink in a GLASS anywhere near the pools or near the so called "hot tubs".   Most ships have a bar right next to the pool and "hot tubs".

[SoloAlaska]

No glass but usually the poolside bars will serve in plastic cups so you can bring your drink anywhere you go. 

[IAcruising]

2 hours ago, minorad said:

 I was pretty surprised that this was the case on my most recent NCL cruise.

 

I think we need more details about your surprise.

 

[minorad]

The surprise being you couldn't be within several feet of the pool with any kind of drink.  As in, even if you were sitting on the side of the pool, no drink.  Even if it was a plastic cup of water.

 

I was wondering if this was specific to the Epic, NCL or a new thing on all ships.

Edited February 16 by minorad

[dexddd]

Sounds like a new thing.  Trying to figure out other than maybe less drinking how this cuts costs.

[bkrickles1]

I was on Joy this past July and I had drinks with me in the hot tub and by the pool.

Not on this sailing, but I've even had drinks delivered to me by crew in the hot tub.

 

Maybe there's been a change of policy.

We're sailing Getaway in April and I'll be sure to check it out.

[Liljo22]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Sounds like a new thing.  Trying to figure out other than maybe less drinking how this cuts costs.

Stop it.  Everything is not a cost cutting measure as much as you want to make it out to be.  

[PATRLR]

1 minute ago, Liljo22 said:

Stop it.  Everything is not a cost cutting measure as much as you want to make it out to be.  

Sure seems that way to me.  I can't think of any significant change that wasn't done in the name of cost cutting (despite their ever present claims that changes are made for our "convenience").

 

[Liljo22]

9 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Sure seems that way to me.  I can't think of any significant change that wasn't done in the name of cost cutting (despite their ever present claims that changes are made for our "convenience").

 

Since its only the Epic right now, maybe the pool staff is sick of cleaning cups out of the pool every day?  But no, its NCL looking to screw you over again.  

[PATRLR]

5 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

Since its only the Epic right now, maybe the pool staff is sick of cleaning cups out of the pool every day?  But no, its NCL looking to screw you over again.  

Try to follow along.  I'm not the one that said this specific issue was cost cutting, someone else suggested it might be.  And you then replied that everything isn't cost cutting.  That statement of yours is what I responded to.

[bkrickles1]

16 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

Stop it.  Everything is not a cost cutting measure as much as you want to make it out to be.  

I agree!

IF it's a fleetwide policy change, I'm guessing it's a change due to the pandemic.

I don't see how it could be cost cutting. Real drinkers would just go in the pools and hot tubs less.

Gotta have priorities! Lol! 

[UKstages]

24 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I can't think of any significant change that wasn't done in the name of cost cutting (despite their ever present claims that changes are made for our "convenience").

 

have you never participated in a virtual muster drill? 

 

or self assist disembarkation?

 

know anybody who booked a solo balcony cabin?

 

ordered off a tablet in food republic or the indulge food hall?

 

or heard that NCL spent more than two billion dollars in 2023 for new ship construction?

 

or heard that they are installing starlink onboard their entire fleet for more stable internet service?

 

these are all significant changes and i'd be hard pressed to find a cost-cutting motive to any of them.

 

Edited February 16 by UKstages

[Bruce Knight]

No one was enforcing this on the Bliss in January, folks had drinks on the edge of the pool, while in the pool, on the edge of hot tub, in hot tub, never saw any NCL staff say a peep about it over 15 days....

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

have you never participated in a virtual muster drill? 

 

This may actually be a cost savings to them.  Shutting down the entire ship, rounding up stragglers, etc had to have been costly.  But OK, this was reinstated I am sure because so many people bitched about it and might not be a cost cutting measure.

 

or self assist disembarkation?

Hardly a "change".  This has been around since my first cruise 35 years ago.  It's been around as long as I've been cruising NCL.   Regardless, of course self assist saves them money.  The more people that do it, the few baggage handlers needed.

 

know anybody who booked a solo balcony cabin?

 

I've not evaluated the solo balcony pricing structure.  While it may not be cost cutting specifically, I have no doubt it has a positive effect on the bottom line.

 

ordered off a tablet in food republic or the indulge food hall?

 

Really?  You don't think this was cost cutting?  This was all about cost cutting, less food served, less food wasted, less staff.  Indulge is all about a cheaper way to serve free food.

 

or heard that NCL spent more than two billion dollars in 2023 for new ship construction?

 

Building new ships is not an operational "change" along the lines of disallowing drinks near the pools.  

 

or heard that they are installing starlink onboard their entire fleet for more stable internet service?

I don't know the cost structure here.  It wouldn't surprise me if this has a net cost savings for them.  Especially if you add in those that will now pay for internet knowing it's decent quality. 

 

these are all significant changes and i'd be hard pressed to find a cost-cutting motive to any of them.

Maybe a couple don't have cost cutting as the motivation.  But that doesn't change the fact that the overwhelming majority of changes NCL makes are done so in the name of cost cutting. 

 

 

[ScubaKat]

I just checked and I've seen references to this occurring on various NCL ships as far back as 2019.  Whether it's a lifeguard flexing his powers or specific ship rules that change I don't know.   But it does occur and has for a while intermittently.

[Callmecharly61]

I was on the  Sky in April and the Escape in October. No drinks allowed in the pool or hot tubs. If you were in a lounge chair around the pool, of course you could have drinks. Just none while you were actually in the pool or hot tubs. Going on the Encore in 23 days, will find out more then. 

[drew69]

It is probably to stop the idiots who spill their drinks in the pool or leave their drink refuse - empty cup, fruit, etc. floating in the pool.

 

also, might help with those who never get out of the pool and relieve themselves in the pool.

[IAcruising]

 

We've never lounged by the pool. Even Mrs. IA isn't willing to get up at 6 am to put a flipflop on a chair.

 

[D_And_K_gocruising]

Imagine this, I dont think they allow food around or in the pools either... 

[DCGuy64]

On 2/16/2024 at 6:10 PM, drew69 said:

It is probably to stop the idiots who spill their drinks in the pool or leave their drink refuse - empty cup, fruit, etc. floating in the pool.

 

also, might help with those who never get out of the pool and relieve themselves in the pool.

That's what I was thinking, too. More examples of the foolish behavior of some louts leading to "this is why we can't have nice things." While we do drink when we cruise, we spend very little time in the pools or even on loungers. (I realize that probably puts us in the minority.)

[MoCruiseFan]

On 2/16/2024 at 7:42 AM, dexddd said:

Sounds like a new thing.  Trying to figure out other than maybe less drinking how this cuts costs.

It keeps drunks from spilling drinks into the pool which woudl require the pool to be closed, drained, cleaned, and refilled.  So yes it cuts cost.

[FFTB]

On 2/16/2024 at 3:30 PM, Callmecharly61 said:

I was on the Sky in April and the Escape in October. No drinks allowed in the pool or hot tubs. If you were in a lounge chair around the pool, of course you could have drinks. Just none while you were actually in the pool or hot tubs... 

That was still the case on my late December Sky voyage, which was very upsetting as this was my first of five NCL ships in the past year and a half to enforce this.  The other four (Jewel, Breakaway, Bliss, & Escape) had servers take and bring our drink orders from & to the hot tub resectively. Was definately a disappointing part of my experience on the Sky (wondering if this is because the Sky is usually designated for short "booze cruise" type voyages, and too many drunks spill into the pools/hot tubs).

 

I seriously hope this is not going to become policy fleetwide... 

[zqvol]

6 minutes ago, FFTB said:

That was still the case on my late December Sky voyage, which was very upsetting as this was my first of five NCL ships in the past year and a half to enforce this.  The other four (Jewel, Breakaway, Bliss, & Escape) had servers take and bring our drink orders from & to the hot tub resectively. Was definately a disappointing part of my experience on the Sky (wondering if this is because the Sky is usually designated for short "booze cruise" type voyages, and too many drunks spill into the pools/hot tubs).

 

I seriously hope this is not going to become policy fleetwide... 

Hopefully it will be enforced fleet wide. Who wants to be in a pool, or hot tub full, of spilled drinks. 

[PTC DAWG]

24 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

It keeps drunks from spilling drinks into the pool which woudl require the pool to be closed, drained, cleaned, and refilled.  So yes it cuts cost.

I have a pool, a drink or 5 spilled in it does not cause it to have to be drained…but yeah, I understand ships not wanting folks in the pool with drinks constantly..