swimming pools

[paddy Anne]

Can anyone tell me if Royal Caribbean pools are salt water or not, and if they are open 24 hours.

thanks.

[twogr8sons]

Yes the Granduer of the Seas (both pools) were saltwater. Can't open your eyes for long in them.

[dgund]

The pools were salt water on the Navigator. I don't really know if they were open 24 hours or not.

[ocean lover]

I have heard that the salt pools will soon be fresh water. I also read that they are open 24 hours a day. On other cruises I've been on the pools closed early. Always thought it would be nice to swim under the stars at night! We are doing our first rccl in Feb. Hope the info is correct!!!! Bertz

[aqusis]

They keep at least one pool open 24 hours.

[paddy Anne]

I have heard that the salt pools will soon be fresh water. I also read that they are open 24 hours a day. On other cruises I've been on the pools closed early. Always thought it would be nice to swim under the stars at night! We are doing our first rccl in Feb. Hope the info is correct!!!! Bertz

Hi Bertz, where did you hear this? I am trying to convince someone to cruise with us but they like princess because of the non-salt water. I called RCL but the person didn't know what I was talking about. Do you have any more info?.

thanks, Paddy Anne

[lacruiser]

Seems like there's a persistent rumor going around that RCI will change their pools to fresh water. This seems doubtful due to the increased maintenance and expense keeping fresh water pools, er, "fresh"! The salt water is changed out every day. There are lots of fresh water showers around to rinse off in if the salt water bothers you.

[aqusis]

Explorer of the Seas has fresh water pools about 10 months ago and reports here have also mentioned they were fresh even recently. Maybe this is their test market for fresh water.

[LJR213]

We had fresh water pools on the Explorer in May

[Jeffman1971]

Was on Vision of the Seas' 8/20 Alaska cruise. The indoor pool is salt water, I believe the outdoor pool is also, though I did not try the outdoor pool.

 

But both pools are drained and cleaned at least once a day. This usually occurs at late at night, around 3am or so. Both pools are open 24 hours (except when cleaning of course).

[AOS Honeymooner]

On the AOS last week, they were salt water, but definitely not straight ocean water. I have serious issues with my eyes in the ocean, and the pool water was definitely diluted or chlorinated or something to break up the salt.

 

And at least one pool and one hottub were open 24 hours.

[swysong77]

Salt water pools on the Mariner last week.

[andreadan]

. . . are they saltwater or fresh water?

[yarlenna]

Generally, they are saltwater. RCI is experimenting with fresh water - because of popular demand. Fresh water is rare at this point, so count on salt.

[yarlenna]

Just where would they refill the pools with fresh water? I know they just let the pools empty into the ocean (or gulf or whatever) and refill the same way. That way we get salt water that has been used fewer times. I don't know about anyone else, but I would rather have a pool that is filled with recently changed salt water than a pool filled with fresh water that is anything but fresh.

[happysinglemom]

"Yes the Granduer of the Seas (both pools) were saltwater. Can't open your eyes for long in them."

 

Maybe it varies for different people, but my eyes were just fine in the salt water pool on AOS - standard fresh-water pools have such high levels of chlorine that my eyes are much more likely to get red. Of course - to me - nothing beats swimming in the ocean anyway - so maybe I'm more used to it. However the level of salt in the ship's pool is nowhere near normal ocean water - so don't think that it will be like ocean water. It isn't.

Besides, the salt water is much better for your skin anyway - and it won't ruin your swimsuit or turn your hair green!!

[nyny]

I was on the Explorer the week of 8/29. The pools were saltwater.

[nyny]

The hot tubs, however, were freshwater (you could smell the chlorine).