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Need advice on kids pool on spirit

Miko

By Miko,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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KeystoneCruiser

KeystoneCruiser

Posted
Posted

Swim Diapers and kids who are not potty trained are no no's in all NCL pools. This is, as Shoreguy said, a law.

 

NCL is very strict with this policy. On the Dawn this summer, my sister in law took her 5 year old and my 8 year old swimming one day in the kids pool. She also had her 6 month old with her. (he was not even in swim attire, by the way). As she was putting her towel down on a chair with the baby in his carrier next to the chair, a NCL employee came running up to her right away and said that she would have to leave because swim diapers and babies were not allowed in the pool. She looked at him and said: "he is not going in the pool, he is going to sit here with me and watch his brother and cousin in the pool." He still wanted her to leave the area with the baby but she refused unless he wanted to tell the 8 and 5 year old that they couldn't swim. He left her alone!

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shoreguy

shoreguy

Posted
Posted
This policy used to make sense to me until I had a baby - since kids these days aren't potty trained until they're 3 or so, who exactly is using the "baby pool"??

 

Not really a "baby pool" in this case but in fact a kids pool. Perfect for those a little older

 

P5220349_JPG.jpg

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electricron

electricron

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This policy used to make sense to me until I had a baby - since kids these days aren't potty trained until they're 3 or so, who exactly is using the "baby pool"??

Used to make sense? You must be kidding! The rules exist, at the GOVERNMENT level, for a reason! The reason is called Noroviruses.

Read this url

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm

Excerpts:

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis), in people.

The symptoms of norovirus illness usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness.

Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:

eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus;

touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth;

having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).

Persons working in day-care centers or nursing homes should pay special attention to children or residents who have norovirus illness. This virus is very contagious and can spread rapidly.

 

If your child poops in the pool, everyone using the pool until it is cleaned and disinfected will catch the virsus.

 

And people blame the cruise line food handlers for noroviruses.

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kids1stcruise

kids1stcruise

Posted
Posted

seiously, last week on the spirit a girl got sick--the crew immediately got everyone out--had to drain the water and really disinfected it for disease and germs--it was a lot of work . it was closed the rest of the day until morning.

in the kid pool it would even worse if disease set in there.

there would be a lot of miserable kids in 98 degree weather w/ no where to go--is that fair?

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cruisingbug

cruisingbug

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I'm actually bringing a blow up pool for my baby to use on the deck, and we're planning to empty the water in the toilet, regardless of swim diaper contents.

What I was trying to ask was, I guess, what the difference is between the baby pool on a ship and a baby pool at a water park, etc., as swim diapers are fine there. I assume it's just that the ship is a self-contained area and if a baby's dipe explodes at a water park and people get sick, no one knows because they all went home at the end of the day. Or is it that ship pools don't have the same levels of chlorine??

But I've seen that some of the larger ships have actual "baby" sized pools that even a 5-year-old wouldn't be interested in - small, shallow water, etc. and I can't see the point in their existence since babies can't use them. I also can very much understand why babies shouldn't be allowed in the "big" pools. But babies share germs a thousand ways - they steal each other's toys and mouth them, they reach out with their spitty fingers, etc. Older ones tend to do a little treasure hunting in their diapers when you're not looking (or so I'm told).

And I do suspect that the majority of norovirus outbreaks on ships are caused by adult-adult contact, and not from some baby's diaper blowout. It has to start somewhere, most likely from an infected adult passenger who has boarded, and then is spread from there. A sick baby isn't likely to be taking a cruise.

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cruisingbug

cruisingbug

Posted
Posted
Not really a "baby pool" in this case but in fact a kids pool. Perfect for those a little older

 

 

Shoreguy:

What ship was that picture taken on? I noticed the same little "hot tub" at the back of the Dawn in the T-Rex area....do you know, is it a "warm tub" for kids or just a deeper "plunge pool" but same temp as the kids pool?

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NJBear

NJBear

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Posted
Shoreguy:

What ship was that picture taken on? I noticed the same little "hot tub" at the back of the Dawn in the T-Rex area....do you know, is it a "warm tub" for kids or just a deeper "plunge pool" but same temp as the kids pool?

 

That picture is the SPIRIT kids section. The hot tub is a regular sized hot tub as the ones by the main pool and I saw mostly parents in it with older children. I don't know what the temps are though

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papadave

papadave

Posted
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The law may be more cautious than the laws about public health where you live. Public health and safety laws are often at the local level, but the CDC governs when it comes to cruise ships. On a cruise ship everyone's health is dependent on everyone else's behavior. On land you can have a pool in your own backyard and avoid unhygenic behavior of others.

 

There are many wonderful things to do on the ship with children of all ages. If you child is walking bring him or her to the special children's buffet -- it is at child height and also has special child size tables and chairs. NCL is really family oriented, so it is a natural destination for people with babies. But, again, please follow the rules rather than trying to figure out what rules you might be able to break without punishment. You have the ability to make the cruising experience fun for everyone around you.

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sailorsixx

sailorsixx

Posted
Posted

Recently back from the spirit (July) with my 14 mo. old grandson. I took a blowup pool (1 ring) that I bought in the pool store for $2.99. There is an outdoor shower by the kids pool. I filled the pool with some of this water & 2 of us carried it to a shaded area on the side for the baby. I also saw another lady that had this same pool parked right next to her lounge chair by the main pool. I had called NCL prior to the cruise & was told I could bring this pool. Great idea as you really don't know what all those little kids are "doing" in the pool. Also, the hot tub by the kids pool is the only one I could use as all the other ones were never empty. It's a regular hot tub & plenty hot! Also, the water in the pools on the ship is ocean water & not chlorinated like other pools so therein lies the dangers for anyone I would think.:)

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cruisingbug

cruisingbug

Posted
Posted
Recently back from the spirit (July) with my 14 mo. old grandson. I took a blowup pool (1 ring) that I bought in the pool store for $2.99. There is an outdoor shower by the kids pool. I filled the pool with some of this water & 2 of us carried it to a shaded area on the side for the baby. I also saw another lady that had this same pool parked right next to her lounge chair by the main pool. I had called NCL prior to the cruise & was told I could bring this pool. Great idea as you really don't know what all those little kids are "doing" in the pool. Also, the hot tub by the kids pool is the only one I could use as all the other ones were never empty. It's a regular hot tub & plenty hot! Also, the water in the pools on the ship is ocean water & not chlorinated like other pools so therein lies the dangers for anyone I would think.:)

 

Hi sailorsixx:

Where did you empty the little pool? My husband thinks it'll be too heavy and difficult to carry to a bathroom - maybe there's a drain on deck?

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beachchick

beachchick

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Please tell me you all are kidding about throwing the water overboard (and right onto balconies below). Also, the drains on deck aren't intended for infant pool water (and all that implies). I'm not sure where you would drain it. And I've always wondered about the liability issues for the cruise ships (especially if there were a bunch of the little pools all over the pool deck; there just never seems to be all that much extra space), but that's the cruise line's issue I guess.

 

Anyway, however you do it, make sure you dispose of the water in a way that won't affect others.

 

beachchick

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