ICON of the poop

[DennysDad]

Icon of the seas 

 

Day 5

 

Pools Closed EVERY SINGLE DAY of this trip. Usually 2 per day. Due to poop or vomit in a pool. Each time this happens it requires the pool to close for minimum of 4 hours for cleaning. Always involves the one large pool. This makes all of the small pools so crowded you physically cannot get in 

 

This is a result of parents who let their non potty trained toddlers in the pools. Many don't even get in with their children. They put life vests on children too young to walk and talk and dump them in a pool, then say I'll be right back after I get a drink. One child swallowed so much water 2 days in a row that she single handedly shut down the large pool 2 days running. Amazing she is even still alive. If she didn't vomit, she would be dead. But the parents allowed this to happen the next day all over again. Lifeguards say and do nothing. 

 

No parents want to spend their time in the kids pool at back of ship, so they take there toddlers who are not potty trained where the parents want to swim. Not were non potty trained children should be and/or are safer.

 

It's endless. By every afternoon there are hundreds of people in tiny little pools because the rest are closed and empty. All deck chairs in center of ship are empty. Everyone clumps together around a pool the size of a hot tub.

 

Children have even pooped and closed the swim up bar. Why children are even allowed in a swim up bar makes no sense at all. They swim around and dive underwater around concrete barstools. Zero thought to safety by parents, lifeguards, or Royal Caribbean.

 

This cruise is an unbelievable experience. Nobody gives any thought to the other passengers. And a large percentage don't seem to give any thought to the safety of their children. 

 

Never Ever Ever Again!

Royal Caribbean wants to be Disney Cruise Line. They are failing misserably. 

[bonsai3s]

Did you bring this up to anyone on the ship?

 

 

 

[Ashland]

 I must say that on several RCI cruises we've seen the lifeguards very spot on about monitoring this type of situation in the pools. Sorry to hear it's not what you're experiencing onboard your Icon cruise. Hopefully this situation will be addressed with the staff going forward.

[FamilyCruiserUK]

Lifeguards on the royal cruises i have been on have been good. Bad parenting is rife at the mo, or should i say behaviour of entitled selfish people is rife. 

As for Icon, the more i read about it now its sailing full the more i am considering not going on her. With my main issue being the lack of open deck space in the sun around pools and the size and access of the pools. 

I get its a family ship but the surf side area is mainly for i would say under 10s or maybe younger and as the OP has said parents want to go else where. 

I know thousands love it and we only hear from the few who have had issues. But my mind is not made up yet, unlike Oasis class where i coudnt wait to go on them. 

[Cruise a holic]

Best to stay in the Adult only area- However with Senior Citizens, who knows what is in the water!

[BecciBoo]

Sorry but I have to Rah Rah here.  That is not the fault of Royal, it's the lack of manners and responsibility of parents today.  I don't understand why they have to produce offspring when they really don't want to accept the responsibility that comes with them.  If they're that selfish and self-centered, they have no business becoming parents.  And that's what I told my two kids early on...they didn't listen of course and I'm glad now...love my Grand kids.  Society today pretty much sucks in general in that area.  Like they say..."It's all about me" and they are making sure their kids learn it well.  Something we all have to deal with and move on.  I had hoped Surfside would alleviate some of it, but they tried.

[Mapleleafforever]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Best to stay in the Adult only area- However with Senior Citizens, who knows what is in the water!

Quite a few seniors are afraid of slipping in the shower (or don't fit) and treat the pools and hot tubs as the public bath. Seen it on many cruises first thing in the am. 

[bajathree]

3 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Lifeguards on the royal cruises i have been on have been good. Bad parenting is rife at the mo, or should i say behaviour of entitled selfish people is rife. 

As for Icon, the more i read about it now its sailing full the more i am considering not going on her. With my main issue being the lack of open deck space in the sun around pools and the size and access of the pools. 

I get its a family ship but the surf side area is mainly for i would say under 10s or maybe younger and as the OP has said parents want to go else where. 

I know thousands love it and we only hear from the few who have had issues. But my mind is not made up yet, unlike Oasis class where i coudnt wait to go on them. 

I have to agree...I couldn't wait for the Oasis class ships to come out and have sailed them plenty. Icon as soon I saw the pics and videos of what I now call SpongeBob SquarePants of the Seas I have no interest in it at all...this ship is strictly catered to attract kids...no interest. I know Royal Caribbean is a family line but Icon took it to another level. Put that together with the entitled world we now live in and it's a recipe for something I don't want to be part of.

Edited May 9 by bajathree

[Mapleleafforever]

Imagine paying 5k for an inside cabin and having no pools open? 

[bajathree]

2 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Imagine paying 5k for an inside cabin and having no pools open? 

I couldn't imagine paying $5000 with the pools open.

[Pratique]

Agreed it is bad parenting. The lifeguards are not baby monitors, they are responsible for everyone's safety.

 

I constantly see young children throwing fits, collapsing to the deck to get their parents' attention, and most of the parents ignore it so the behavior continues. In the bars, in the specialty restaurants, in the Promenade, pretty much everywhere on the ship.

 

Not using swim diapers is beyond unacceptable. Allowing the same child to do this two days in a row is concerning.

[Mapleleafforever]

2 minutes ago, bajathree said:

I couldn't imagine paying $5000 with the pools open.

Yupppppppppp

[bouhunter]

No interest whatsoever in Icon.  Looking forward to Grandeur, Explorer and Serenade next winter.  Not only do we like the "smaller ships", almost all comped thru the casino and we still won 🙂

 

[mjkacmom]

6 minutes ago, Pratique said:

Agreed it is bad parenting. The lifeguards are not baby monitors, they are responsible for everyone's safety.

 

I constantly see young children throwing fits, collapsing to the deck to get their parents' attention, and most of the parents ignore it so the behavior continues. In the bars, in the specialty restaurants, in the Promenade, pretty much everywhere on the ship.

 

Not using swim diapers is beyond unacceptable. Allowing the same child to do this two days in a row is concerning.

There shouldn’t be swim diapers, there are zero pools on any cruise ship designed for non potty trained kids, DCL and some RCCL ships have specially designed small splash pads for diapered-kids, that’s it. As a mom of 5, swim diapers contain no urine, and about 75% of poop.

[SilkySal]

Question again @DennysDad, did you bring all of that to anyone's attention? Problems cannot be fixed, unless management is alerted. Thanks if you did just that!

 

We have already booked Icon for next year, so hoping most problems will be addressed accordingly. We still intend to enjoy our cruise but maybe without the pool; we rarely use it anyway. Booked Utopia and Celebrity XCEL as well! Oasis class continues to be our favorite so far. Cruising while we can! Cheers friends!

[island lady]

Bacteria soup.  This senior would not even think of sticking a toe in that water.  

 

Case in point:  "Bubba" has his six beers and never leaves the hot tub.  Ummm...ewww.  

Just one example, other than the "fecal teabags" in the pool.  🤢

[Pratique]

2 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

There shouldn’t be swim diapers, there are zero pools on any cruise ship designed for non potty trained kids, DCL and some RCCL ships have specially designed small splash pads for diapered-kids, that’s it. As a mom of 5, swim diapers contain no urine, and about 75% of poop.

I concur, although the urine issue is unfortunately not limited to children and will not close a pool down. RCCL allows swim diapers in the pools on Coco Cay. The rules need to be enforced and not by the lifeguards but instead by an officer or a crew member with authority. Otherwise this behavior will just continue.

[SilkySal]

Yep, just that @island lady, double eeewwww! We rarely get into either the pool or the hot tub but, when we do, it's usually in the morning on a port day when not crowded and most are off of the ship, immediately followed by a hot shower and a change of clothes. Oh, and remembering not to touch my face! Party on!

Edited May 9 by SilkySal

[cruiselvr04]

We don’t use the pools much.  When we do it’s usually at the end of the day after a hot excursion or a hot tub for a few minutes. Afterwards it’s an immediate shower with soap.  
 

This is probably going to be an ongoing problem. You have a huge ship that caters to families, families with small children. 

[Bocker3]

4 minutes ago, Pratique said:

 The rules need to be enforced and not by the lifeguards but instead by an officer or a crew member with authority. Otherwise this behavior will just continue.

Of course it should be the Lifeguard enforcing the rules!  They are the staff member who is present all the time.  What good is having an officer come by every so often to look - the damage would likely already be done.

1st line of defense:  The parent!  Who should know the rule and not break it.

2nd line of defense:  The Lifeguard (who IS a Staff Member with Authority)

[rolloman]

It is quite baffling to me the amount of people who desire to go on a cruise ship and physically get in a pool or hot tub. After taking well over 100 voyages to date, I actually don't think I have ever jumped into a pool or hot tub. Clearly, it is disgusting on land and sea to get in these community cesspools. 

[time4u2go]

1 minute ago, rolloman said:

It is quite baffling to me the amount of people who desire to go on a cruise ship and physically get in a pool or hot tub. After taking well over 100 voyages to date, I actually don't think I have ever jumped into a pool or hot tub. Clearly, it is disgusting on land and sea to get in these community cesspools. 

I do it all the time and I've never had a problem.  Same with the ocean.

[DennysDad]

6 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

Yep, just that @island lady, double eeewwww! We rarely get into either the pool or the hot tub but, when we do, it's usually in the morning on a port day when not crowded and most are off of the ship, immediately followed by a hot shower and a change of clothes. Oh, and remembering not to touch my face! Party on!

Everything has been mentioned to everyone and the entire ship is a running joke.

 

New Facebook post says a 2 year old and a 5 year old in their PJs were discovered in the elevator and are now with security. This wonderful parenting is the norm on the ship from hell. On land, half these folks would be answering to social services by now. 23 Disney cruises since 2006 and NEVER saw adults behave like this. Or a cruise line that says and does NOTHING. Enforce the rules. 

[DennysDad]

11 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We don’t use the pools much.  When we do it’s usually at the end of the day after a hot excursion or a hot tub for a few minutes. Afterwards it’s an immediate shower with soap.  
 

This is probably going to be an ongoing problem. You have a huge ship that caters to families, families with small children. 

No the problem is the ship takes Everyone's money, so it needs to cater to All it's paying passengers. It does not. 

[SilkySal]

3 minutes ago, DennysDad said:

Everything has been mentioned to everyone and the entire ship is a running joke.

 

New Facebook post says a 2 year old and a 5 year old in their PJs were discovered in the elevator and are now with security. This wonderful parenting is the norm on the ship from hell. On land, half these folks would be answering to social services by now. 23 Disney cruises since 2006 and NEVER saw adults behave like this. Or a cruise line that says and does NOTHING. Enforce the rules. 

Question again, did you complain (please)?