TheGyms on the Ships......

[Krazy Kruizers]

Know what you mean by runners on the promenade deck.

One time when DH and I were walking, close to the lounge chairs, a runner came up behind us, pushed us apart and kept on running - not saying excuse me - or anything. I nearly feel into the chairs. And there was plenty of room for him to run on the other side of DH - no one was at the rail.

[sail7seas]

This same person probably complains about someone else's (perceived) violation of the rules. Once again.....it's my vacation and I'll do what I want. What they want matters not if it follows the rules the rest of us are supposed to follow. There are several very good reason for the "Do Not Run on Promendade Deck" rule but it doesn't suit some so they do what they want. But will be hollering if they see someone else breaking a rule that they think should be enforced.

 

 

Their Anthem is: Selfish.......me, me, me........As Long as I do what I want, I care not about anyone else!! It's all about me."

 

 

.and then defend and rationalize it all over the place.

[Krazy Kruizers]

sail7seas

You are SO right!

[mhshapiro]

A well placed foot should take care of any runner who is rude enough to push people apart on the promenade deck.

[sail7seas]

A well placed foot should take care of any runner who is rude enough to push people apart on the promenade deck.

 

 

You're right :) But I would be so afraid if I did that I would hurt them....I wouldn't care if they fell and were okay but I would be very upset if they were injured.

 

 

I imagine there's a strong liklihood these same folks have no idea you are not supposed to save seats in the show lounge and hold chaise lounges unoccupied for hours out at the pool. They didn't notice the sign posted (Yea.........right!!!) or didn't see it in the daily program (sure....but they noticed what time the buffet opened) and didn't listen to any other pax who perhaps pointed it out to them. They just don't care about anyone but themselves. Hey....they might want to use that lounge at 4:00 that afternoon so better grab and hold it at 9:00 A.M..............who cares about anyone else who might want to use it!!!

 

Read the expressions on their faces........."I paid my money and I'll do what I want."

 

 

.....like the rest of us boarded for free.

[Cruising Jake]

I would like to use the treadmills in the gym, but they are so busy I quit trying. I usually walk (just walk, not run) on the Promenade Deck. I am not an early riser, so maybe the equipment is less busy then, I don't know. Having a sign up sheet does not work, because I don't have a set schedule and like to walk when I have the free time and the inclination to do it. I used to go to dance classes, exercise classes, etc. on the cruise lines when they were free. I will not pay for yoga, etc. and wish they were free.

[etrainer1]

since i am a personal trainer, i am pleased to read that many of you enjoy going to the gym! personally, i use the week of cruising as my off time, as many of you use your vacation time for your off time from your work. however, it does not mean that i don't do anything! i usually visit the gym once for the week, and i do a minor workout. (otherwise i would feel very guilty). i never use the elevators. i enjoy using the stairs, and when you're on these larger ships, elevators tend to run slow anyway! regardless, i would not like to see a fee imposed on the ship's gyms nor would i like to see them become extinct!!!

[sail7seas]

I know what you mean, Jake, about the treadmills. Even though they have alot of them,they are the most popular and sometimes it's hard to get one.

[sail7seas]

etrainer.......

 

I have to tell you a funny story you may appreciate.

 

DH and I always walk after dinner and usually do about two miles. We don't break any speed records but we are trying to get it faster and faster.

It was a very hot,humid night here one night a week or two ago. During dinner, we went back and forth....should we walk tonight? Nah...it's too hot! We should; okay, but we won't walk as far. We compromised.

 

Off we go and we're trudging along all hot and sweaty, went our normal route and were just about to turn off a major street we walk a short distance on back onto a side street that takes us home. I noticed an SUV cut out of traffic on that main street and cuts into the street into which we were turning. The driver is all smiles and waving and as I got closer and could see the driver........it was our Cardiologist. He was over the moon happy to see us out walking. We had told him we walk daily and I'm sure he (sort of believed) we did some walking but when he saw the route we had gone and we clearly were tired.....he was delighted.

 

As a personal trainer, I can understand why it would please you to hear of people who do not abandon their fitness program totally when they vacation.

 

And, I certainly can understand why you would want a week off from your work. :)

[bryanwal]

First of all, I checked the daily programs for our cruise (and I just rechecked them) - there was nothing in them that said "no running on the promenade deck". Furthermore, there were no signs on the promenade deck that stated no running. Lots of people were running on the deck and my son and I were polite runners, if we had to stop and walk around someone, we did, we never jostled anyone or pushed any one apart and always said excuse me. There were lots of runners and the deck was not crowded - if it had been we would not have done it. I'm sorry if you were offended but there was no indication on the Oosterdam that running was not permitted on the promenade deck. If there had been I would not have done it.

[sail7seas]

Thank you, Bryan. I have not been on Oosterdam yet so I do not know if they have signs posted. Every HAL ship I have evern been on (which is all of them except for Westerdam, Oosterdam and Prinsendam), NO jogging has been permitted and they mean it and with good reason.

 

When we return to Zuiderdam next month, be sure I will be checking to see if it is posted there.

 

I am happy to hear you and your son were considerate of walkers and others using the deck for walking/strolling/sitting/standing at the rail.

 

You can only imagine what it did to me to be hit from behind at that stage of my recuperation by a jogger who thought it was one of the funniest things he'd done in ages. I literally had to gasp for air and I cannot describe to you what it felt like.

 

Thank you for being more courteous of others.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were on the Oosterdam there were joggers and runners on the Promenade Deck. Remember that the Oosterdam's Promenade Deck is above the the lower part of the dining room, the Explorer's Lounge, the casino, the piano bar, the Windstar Cafe, the show lounge, etc.

There aren't any cabins below the Promenade Deck on the Vista class ships like there are on the other ships.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There was a time on HAL ships when lists were put out every 3 or 4 days (sometimes for the entire week) and you had to sign up to use a treadmill. That stopped about 2 years or more ago.

They were 1/2 hour time slots and you could not sign up for an entire hour at one time.

There was also a time when notes were put on the treadmills allowing you only 25 minutes - I have no idea of how they came up with 25 minutes.

 

[sail7seas]

That just isn't long enough. Sure, I understand the point was for everyone to have a chance for a little time on a treadmill......

 

The way to handle it more effectively IMO is to buy more treadmills. For crying out loud, they are not that costly. If so many pax want to use them, then the ships should have more.

 

I remember the sign up sheets.......it is much better now as long as everyone gets a chance to use a machine.

[etrainer1]

sail7seas:

keep up the great work!!!:D

[amenuensis]

I would be VERY upset if they started charging for gym use. I view the gym as a selling point, if they made that extra I probably would choose a land vacation over a cruise. One of the objections a lot of my non-cruising friends make about cruises is you're stuck on this boat and you have to just sit around and eat and gain weight. Or walk a gazillion times around the boat...I tell them no, there's a gym on all ships. The gym allows you to maintain your fitness and to NOT gain weight (or at least not that much!). I went to the gym 5 out of 7 days on my last cruise in the mornings, worked out on the recumbent bike with a great view, did some weights, and the sauna and then enjoyed the rest of my day and evening (and dinner) much more than if I had not worked out. Okay, so I still came home a few pounds heavier but I know it would have been much worse if I hadn't worked out at the gym!

[BLStokes23]

S7S - As per Bryanwal's post regarding running on the Oosterdam, I also went back and checked ALL the daily programs on the Zuiderdam. There was absolutely nothing that mentioned anything about running/walking on the Promenade. My husband and I both walked the entire deck looking for signs, checked the booklet in the room, and finally noticed a couple days into the cruise that many were enjoying this deck for walking and running. I usually went sometime between 5:45 a.m. and 6 and would be finished by 6:30 a.m. at the latest. Normally saw only a handful of people out at that time. I would never try to run when there are lots of people trying to walk. I'm sorry for bad experiences some of you have had, but to lump everyone into the category of being selfish is very hurtful. Please post what the real rules are when you return from the Zuiderdam in October. Hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[sail7seas]

[b]BLStokes....As I said above, I have not been on Oosterdam so I will accept what you say until such time as I go myself and see for myself.[/b]

[b]It is a good point that was made that Promenade on the Vista ships is located differently than on any other HAL ship....they have passenger cabins on Promenade. [/b]

[b]While it may hurt to be lumped together......trust me it REALLY hurt to be banged from behind by a runner so soon after such very serious surgery. I am not a huge person....I'm slim (slimmer than I've been for a while) and was certainly not at my 'most hearty' at that point.[/b]

[b]I am happy to hear most runners are considerate....[/b]
[b]I most assuredly will be paying attention to what the rules are on Zuiderdam as I am sure I will be walking that deck for miles. I will never again put up with being subjected to physical harm again if people are ignoring the rules. It shook me up so badly that I simply left the deck when it happened but I will never again be chased away like that.[/b]

[b]One would think that joggers and walkers should be able to co-exist on the same track but it takes courtesy by both.[/b]

[bombero]

I use them every day.. Early morning is best. The first few mornings it's full, but for most people, that's it for the cruise, the rest of the time it's not bad... Bombero

[sail7seas]

Thanks, etrainer. Appreciate your words of 'encouragement'. :)

[TedC]

I don't remember seeing any signs about not running on the Oosterdam's promenade deck but I have on other ships.

But I always thought it was sort of an unwritten rule: You walk on the "Promenade" (or Lower Promenade) decks and run on the "Sports" deck.


By definition, it seems to make a lot of common sense. Unfortunately common sense isn't always that common.

[sail7seas]

Thank you for that post, Ted. As a walker, I appreciate your 'sensitivity and common sense'.

[Globaliser]

If a ship started charging to use the gym, I'd stop cruising on it. I set myself a target to lose a pound a day on a cruise, and I wouldn't have a hope of getting anywere near that if there were no gyms.