Babies and Toddlers in the Pool

[MemawB.]

Some acquaintances of ours thought that they read somewhere that small children who were not potty trained were not allowed in the swimming pools on board ships. Does anyone know anything about this topic? Are babies and toddlers not allowed even if they use the swimmies diapers used specifically for this purpose? Any info on this subject will be greatly appreciated as they are looking into a cruise with a baby and toddler who both like to swim. Thanks.

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

Some acquaintances of ours thought that they read somewhere that small children who were not potty trained were not allowed in the swimming pools on board ships. Does anyone know anything about this topic? Are babies and toddlers not allowed even if they use the swimmies diapers used specifically for this purpose? Any info on this subject will be greatly appreciated as they are looking into a cruise with a baby and toddler who both like to swim. Thanks.

 

:D LOL easy answer, NO THEY ARE NOT allowed in the pools if they are not potty-trained, WITH OR WITHOUR DIAPERS but the Captain bets this will be a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong thread. lol :D

[mrdood]

No, babies and toddlers that are not potty trained are not allowed in cruise ship pools, no swimmies, swim diapers are allowed (or fecal tea bags as they are referred to on this site).

 

They can swim on the beaches in ports, but should stay out of the pools, not my opinion, Carnival rules...

[big_duck]

No non-diaper trained babys no swimmies!

 

The pools are NOT chlorinated.

[wanman]

Nope, no way, and no how.

 

Think abut the health risks involved. What if the young one had a illness or disease or some other infection. By letting it go in the pool they could infect countless others not to mention the down time of having to drain the pool, clean it, and fill it back up.

 

If they want to swim let them do it in port but not on the ship.

[crusinmama06]

OK, let me give you the LONG answer...lol.

 

No swim diapers on ANY cruiseline EXCEPT....Disney....Disney has a infant/toddler water spray area on the Magic and the Wonder. It completly drains away and is only a little spray (Mickey's left ear at the Mickey pool)

 

Here is the whole long drawn out thread...so bring a snack when you read it.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=469772

 

Here is the difference...Disney Water Spray (Mickey's Left Ear)....CAN have swim diapers

 

 

Children's pool.....NO swim diapers

[crusinmama06]

And PLEASE people, let's not beat a dead horse ok. No judgements please. :D

 

[Mikel1733]

I think those swimming diapers are referred to as "tea bags":rolleyes:

[sharecruises]

Hi....why not just have them go on Disney?? More expensive...but if they really think that it is so important, then just cough up the extra $$$ and enjoy the swim diaper area on Disney :)

 

At least they have not already booked, so they should be able to find a Disney cruise that suits their needs

[crusinmama06]

Hi....why not just have them go on Disney?? More expensive...but if they really think that it is so important, then just cough up the extra $$$ and enjoy the swim diaper area on Disney :)

 

At least they have not already booked, so they should be able to find a Disney cruise that suits their needs

 

OR, they could go one ANY other cruiseline and bring an inflatable. ;) We talk about this all the time on the family cruise board.

 

Disney is NOT the only option out there for kids. You CAN bring an inflatable. You see all of that wide open deck space that I showed on the above picture? That is a carnival cruise. ;) :p

[Payd]

Some acquaintances of ours thought that they read somewhere that small children who were not potty trained were not allowed in the swimming pools on board ships. Does anyone know anything about this topic? Are babies and toddlers not allowed even if they use the swimmies diapers used specifically for this purpose? Any info on this subject will be greatly appreciated as they are looking into a cruise with a baby and toddler who both like to swim. Thanks.

 

No diapers or swimmies allowed. As others have pointed out these are fresh water pools.

 

My son ended up with cryptosporidium after swimming in a pool full of kids

(probably up to a dozen babies/toddlers in little swimmies), and trust me he had a horrific few weeks while he recovered. If you haven't already heard of cryptosporidium look it up on the internet...you might be shocked.

 

I hope your friends understand the rules.

 

Payd:)

[crusinmama06]

No diapers or swimmies allowed. As others have pointed out these are fresh water pools.

 

My son ended up with cryptosporidium after swimming in a pool full of kids

(probably up to a dozen babies/toddlers in little swimmies), and trust me he had a horrific few weeks while he recovered. If you haven't already heard of cryptosporidium look it up on the internet...you might be shocked.

 

I hope your friends understand the rules.

 

Payd:)

 

Actually they are salt water pools (a few do have fresh which is actually just filtered salt)

 

I am soooo sorry about your son. That MUST have been awful. Was this on a cruise pool or a land pool?

[Djptcp]

I was so grossed out on a Holland America cruise in 2004 with babies in the pool I couldn't swim in it after I saw that. I checked to be sure it was not allowed and it wasn't, but then we all know there are those parents who just don't believe the rules apply to them or their kids. It is such a health hazard I can't believe parents wouldn't even think of that!

 

Carnival - 1995, 1998, 2006, 2006, 2007

Holland America - 2004, 2006

NCL - 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003

Royal Caribbean - 2002

[Payd]

I am soooo sorry about your son. That MUST have been awful. Was this on a cruise pool or a land pool?

 

I'm sorry I should have been clear:o

 

It did happen at a land based pool.

 

Our experience with the ship pools has always been good.

 

Payd:)

[Sandi149]

I know they are saltwater, but is there a reason why they cannot put clorine in them?

[crusinmama06]

I know they are saltwater, but is there a reason why they cannot put clorine in them?

 

I am going to make an assumption here..and this is NOT backed up by any scientific means...lol....but I have always assumed that they can't put chlorine into it because the pools are dumped every night and refilled. They would be dumped INTO the ocean. And if I recall my days of having goldfish, fish do not survive in clorinated water. ;)

 

So if every cruise ship on the sea dumped their chlorinated water, then THAT would be bad.

 

Like I said. I am noooo biology major. But I bet that's the reason. :)

[MrPete]

yes, they would cancel each other out.

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

I am going to make an assumption here..and this is NOT backed up by any scientific means...lol....but I have always assumed that they can't put chlorine into it because the pools are dumped every night and refilled. They would be dumped INTO the ocean. And if I recall my days of having goldfish, fish do not survive in clorinated water. ;)

 

So if every cruise ship on the sea dumped their chlorinated water, then THAT would be bad.

 

Like I said. I am noooo biology major. But I bet that's the reason. :)

 

i'll bite :D :D :D lol

[Sandi149]

I am going to make an assumption here..and this is NOT backed up by any scientific means...lol....but I have always assumed that they can't put chlorine into it because the pools are dumped every night and refilled. They would be dumped INTO the ocean. And if I recall my days of having goldfish, fish do not survive in clorinated water. ;)

 

So if every cruise ship on the sea dumped their chlorinated water, then THAT would be bad.

 

Like I said. I am noooo biology major. But I bet that's the reason. :)

 

Ahhh yes...that's right...the chemical reaction. It's too bad there isn't some other chemical that's environmentally safe that would kill any bacteria in the pools but not hurt the sea life.

[jckvpa0]

As an adult I don't go in those pools, 3,000 paxs a couple of pools & no chlorine :eek: !!! Can't imagine putting a small child in those pools potty trained or not!

[crusinmama06]

As an adult I don't go in those pools, 3,000 paxs a couple of pools & no chlorine :eek: !!! Can't imagine putting a small child in those pools potty trained or not!

 

You know what's sad? I think alot of parents don't want to put their kids in those pool anyway, even potty trained. They are cold AND deep. But on ships like RCCL Freedom of the Seas (where we are going in April) they have a HUGE H20 Zone that looks like a big water amusement park....total kid HEAVEN. And in all that color and all of that space, there is still NO place for infants/toddlers to play. If Disney can do it, then other cruiselines should as well.

 

That is my vent for the day. I complain about that on EVERY kid/pool thread. And I hope one day the cruiselines listen to me. LOL! :p

 

I don't know why I still vent about it. I have two very potty trained kids. But I am still trying to help those parents who don't. :D

[CARNIVALAUTHORITY]

Ahhh yes...that's right...the chemical reaction. It's too bad there isn't some other chemical that's environmentally safe that would kill any bacteria in the pools but not hurt the sea life.

 

 

HOW CAN IT KILL BACTERIA AND NOT HURT SEA LIFE? BACTERIA IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SEA LIFE... ITS THE FIRST RUNG IN THE LADDER TO THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.. I MEAN I'M JUST SAYIN'.....:rolleyes:

[kujobie]

Here's the skinny on the pools. They don't use chlorine because they don't have to. The pools are constantly being recirculated with new filtered sea water at all times that they are in use, at a rate of 60-100 gallons per minute. At this rate, the entire contents of the pool are recirculated with clean water every hour or so. It would take a lot of "tea bags" (I don't really like that term) to pose any kind of health hazard in that environment. Chlorine is a much greater health risk. And you're much more likely to get sick eating at the buffet or touching a contaminated bathroom fixture or door handle than swimming in the pool. All that said, diapers in a pool are just gross. I could bleach the heck out of my toilet and flush it 100 times and I still wouldn't want to wash my face in it. Not because I fear e coli, but because it's just gross.

[Sandi149]

HOW CAN IT KILL BACTERIA AND NOT HURT SEA LIFE? BACTERIA IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SEA LIFE... ITS THE FIRST RUNG IN THE LADDER TO THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.. I MEAN I'M JUST SAYIN'.....:rolleyes:

 

I'm not a Marine Biologist, so I don't know....I was just asking a question. :rolleyes:

[VentureMan_2000]

But on ships like RCCL Freedom of the Seas (where we are going in April) they have a HUGE H20 Zone that looks like a big water amusement park....total kid HEAVEN.

 

 

Perfect suggestion... RCCL for parents with small children. Can't imagine bring them on Carnival. Doesn't sound too fun.