RCCL Mariner Pool and 3 year old

[IronKey92]

Ok, very new to this board, glad I found it. We are cruising on Mariner in 2 weeks and have a 2 1/2 year old. Question, appears Mariner doesn't have a kids pool, so can my toddler swin in the pool with a swim diaper. Help Please:confused:

[Patsfan3]

My son was the same age when we went on the Mariner in December. I was all stressed about getting him trained before we went since the policy is no swimmers.

 

On the ship there were all ages in the pool, even babies. There is a very small section of the pool that is nice and safe. There is a metal fence that blocks it from the deeper end.

 

An added note-kids must be 3 to skate at the open ice skating sessions.

 

My little one loved the miniture golf.

[richkinkade]

Vessel Sanitation Program

Operations Manual

August 2005

"diapers 6.4.1.3.1

 

Children in diapers or who are not toilet trained are not permitted in the public swimming pools and whirlpool spas" (page 51)

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/operatio...Manual2005.pdf

 

Swim diapers, and non potty-trained children are not allowed in pools on any cruise ships that call at US ports. This is a US Public Health Regulation.

 

"Why are children who are not toilet trained forbidden from swimming in pools on cruise ships?

 

Children who wear any type of swimming diaper or who are diaper-aged are not allowed to swim because fecal matter may contaminate the water. This can expose other swimmers to fecal matter that is potentially infectious. "

 

Swim diapers are not allowed in pools on any cruise ship. This is a US Public Health Regulation, and covers all cruise ships calling at US ports.

 

"Why are children who are not toilet trained forbidden from swimming in pools on cruise ships?

 

Children who wear any type of swimming diaper or who are diaper-aged are not allowed to swim because fecal matter may contaminate the water. This can expose other swimmers to fecal matter that is potentially infectious. "

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/FAQ/FAQ.htm#children

 

Babies in diapers are allowed in "splash areas" that don't collect water. There are, to my knowledge, 4 ships that have CDC variances for such areas. Disney Wonder and Magic have a variance for what they describe as "notapool/wet play area." Royal Caribbean Freedom Of The Seas and Liberty Of The Seas each has a "Baby Splash Zone." http://wwwn.cdc.gov/vsp/InspectionQu...ID=6. 4.1.3.1

More ships may add such areas and receive variances.

 

It's also possible the crew may not enforce the regulation. Whether you would want to ignore it in those circumstances is up to you.

[IronKey92]

Yikes:( I didn't realize it would be that big a problem as most pools we frequent across the southeast let toddlers swim while wearing swim diapers.

 

Thanks.

[bcsurvivor05]

I have real issues with this question because I was in your position and basically got reemed for even thinking to ask the question. I have a 3 yr old who is in the process of potty training. She hasn't pooped in a diaper in a while but she forgets to tell me when she has to pee. That being said I KNEW that she would not poop in the pool so that was never an issue for me. People get so testy over this issue. I called Carnival and asked what the policy was because I have never heard of this issue and being on several cruise prior to this one with my dd it never even dawned on me that kids would not be allowed in the pool. What I was told was basically "don't worry unless someone complains". Once on the ship, I can't tell you how many people (kids) were in the pool with swimmies on and no one said a freakin word. Most people do not frequent this board when going on a trip and therefore do not know the rules and don't think to say anything (which is what my experience proved to me). (let the bashing begin)

[crusinmama06]

I have real issues with this question because I was in your position and basically got reemed for even thinking to ask the question. I have a 3 yr old who is in the process of potty training. She hasn't pooped in a diaper in a while but she forgets to tell me when she has to pee. That being said I KNEW that she would not poop in the pool so that was never an issue for me. People get so testy over this issue. I called Carnival and asked what the policy was because I have never heard of this issue and being on several cruise prior to this one with my dd it never even dawned on me that kids would not be allowed in the pool. What I was told was basically "don't worry unless someone complains". Once on the ship, I can't tell you how many people (kids) were in the pool with swimmies on and no one said a freakin word. Most people do not frequent this board when going on a trip and therefore do not know the rules and don't think to say anything (which is what my experience proved to me). (let the bashing begin)

 

No bashing, you make a VERY good point! I can be the first to tell you that when we first started cruising with our oldest and she was a toddler, we were on NCL and there were no posted rules back then. And no one told us any differently. So, as on land, we had a swim diaper on her.

 

Many of the Carnival ships have that baby/children's pool that I have shown pictures of...the sign is either non-existant...or pretty much hidden with a list of other rules. Then you have crew members that tell parents it's "OK" to use the pool until you get caught.

 

So no doubt, it would be very confusing for parents to know what the real rules are.

 

When we were on RCCL Freedom, I counted at least 4 different babies in the H20 zone wearing swim diapers. And they were in the area where swim diapers are not allowed. Not one crew member said anything to them.

 

So it's easy to see why there would be so many untrained kids in the pool.

[crusinmama06]

Ok, very new to this board, glad I found it. We are cruising on Mariner in 2 weeks and have a 2 1/2 year old. Question, appears Mariner doesn't have a kids pool, so can my toddler swin in the pool with a swim diaper. Help Please:confused:

 

You can bring an inflatable.

 

Here is a link listing the different options for ships with infant pools for non-potty trained children

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=723649

[njmomof2]

When we first cruised with our older son, he was just potty trained (3.5) and it was on Disney. This was back in 2001. I don't recall there being any issues with swim diapers then and saw many children in the Mickey head pool wearing them.

 

Fast forward a couple of years and the push to keep swim diapers out of pools began. By that time, we had a second child and I told DH that we would not be cruising until he was completely trained, as I had heard of many stories where fecal matter ended up in the pool, it had to be completely drained and sanitized before being refilled. This caused issues for other cruising guests.

 

Now, I think it's incredibly hard to keep a little person out of the water, especially when the "baby" pools often are no deeper than little ankles or knees. However, I also think that when you have a little person, you need to be a bit more concerned with how your little person influences those around him/her in many situations...eating out (if they are screaming or making a scene, we always removed them), shopping/malls (if they were throwing a tantrum, we left), resorts (if there were issues/fears about lack of bladder/bowel control, we didn't put them in the pool). It's not a matter of others being "kid unfriendly" but more a matter of being courteous and conscious of others.

 

That said, if I knew that there was a policy that swim diapers were not allowed in the pools, I simply could not in good conscience put my swim diaper clad little person into the pool. I know that others would disregard the policy and signs, and that many would follow crew "advice" and do it until someone complained (and then some would be upset that someone dared to suggest that they should follow a posted rule) but frankly, if I know it's not permitted, I won't do it.

 

It sucks and maybe on some level it's not fair, but then again, if my child cannot enjoy the full cruise experience, it might be best to wait a bit longer until he can to go on a cruise. As I said, we did wait...and didn't take him until this past November when he was over 5 (he could have gone earlier...he was fully trained at 3 but schedules didn't permit) and he absolutely loved the whole thing.

 

When we cruise in just a week (Mariner 3/16) and we have only the salt water pool (no H2O zone like Liberty where a swim diapered little person might be able to put their little tootsies into the ankle deep water w/o a serious threat of possible contamination from fecal matter) I know that if I see someone with a baby in a swim diaper in the pool, I would have to point it out to a crew member. I'm sorry, I know that you just want to enjoy your trip, but if your little person ends up pooping and that escapes, everyone (including you) will end up affected when the pool is closed and drained.

 

Okay, I hope that I wrote this in a non offensive way and that you just understand my position on this.

[It'sRC4ME]

Yikes:( I didn't realize it would be that big a problem as most pools we frequent across the southeast let toddlers swim while wearing swim diapers.

 

Thanks.

 

Most public pools are heavily chlorinated, which takes care of some of the possible contamination, but most cruise ship pools are salt water with no chemicals added to kill bacteria. To keep the water clean the ship will drain and refill the salt water several times during the cruise, but that still leaves a chance for bacteria to spread prior to the pool water being drained and refilled.

[sharktums]

^^Great post!

 

Rules, whether we agree with them or not, whether they're stupid or right on still need to be followed. It's not the best example to kids if you're the one suggesting they break them.

 

I'll be on Liberty of the Seas this Winter with a 20 month old and will only let her go where she's allowed.

[kitty9]

I was on Celebrity Summit last year and the main pool was closed for two days because a swimmie leaked poop, and the pool had to be drained and sanitized. Since there's been a recent spate of kids getting sick with e-coli at waterparks, they've become pretty strict with diapers of any kind in pools. And as for chorine, that only kills bacteria from urine, not feces.

[crusinmama06]

I was on Celebrity Summit last year and the main pool was closed for two days because a swimmie leaked poop, and the pool had to be drained and sanitized. Since there's been a recent spate of kids getting sick with e-coli at waterparks, they've become pretty strict with diapers of any kind in pools. And as for chorine, that only kills bacteria from urine, not feces.

 

Same thing happened on our Carnival cruise. The children's pool had to be shut down on the only sea day because there was poop in the pool. :rolleyes: My kids were too short to swim in the main pool. So we had to find other things to do. :(

 

Which is why I get so upset when I see people report that Carnival crew members had told them to go ahead and go into the children's pool with swim diapers. :mad: