How closely do they monitor the height requirement for the waterslids on the ships???

[ElvisandTracey]

So I am thinking of booking my first Carnival cruise in 6 years (due to skyrocketing air fare I am trying to sail from my home port of LA), and because my son is a waterslide fanatic and the slides on the Splendor look awesome, I may leave RCCL after 6 years of loyal service. :)

 

However, my son, not quite 4, is 40 inches tall, and the supposed height requirement for the slides is 42 inches. We still have 7 1/2 months of growing time, so he might be big enough, but I am wondering how closely they measure, and if he was half an inch too short, would they let us fudge a bit or would they turn him away.

 

Any parents of small ones who have recently used the slides, I'd love your feedback on their policies. Thanks.:D

[firefly333]

Im sure 1/2 a inch they would let it slide, but they do monitor the slides. In fact on Ecstasy when the ship was in port only the pool was open, not the slides. I was dissapointed, because I wanted to try them. It rained on our sea days and the slides were closed when we were in Mexico on port days, couldnt win.

 

the reason they closed the slides on port day was they said they gave the slide attendant the day off to be in port with the cruisers.

[7toEleven]

I know, and can understand the disappointment if he were too short (our daughter was always too short) but, the rule is there for safety and liability reasons. Here is hoping by then, he will meet the requirement and it won't be an issue!! Happy sailing!

[big_duck]

He may not be able to use the slide but he can use the rest of the waterpark.

[ElvisandTracey]

I did it!!! I booked the Splendor for April 09. When I cancelled my Royal Caribbean booking, they asked me why, and when I told them, they were not very happy!! Oh well, they should have put a slide on the Mariner!!!:D

[G'ma]

So I am thinking of booking my first Carnival cruise in 6 years (due to skyrocketing air fare I am trying to sail from my home port of LA), and because my son is a waterslide fanatic and the slides on the Splendor look awesome, I may leave RCCL after 6 years of loyal service. :)

 

However, my son, not quite 4, is 40 inches tall, and the supposed height requirement for the slides is 42 inches. We still have 7 1/2 months of growing time, so he might be big enough, but I am wondering how closely they measure, and if he was half an inch too short, would they let us fudge a bit or would they turn him away.

 

Any parents of small ones who have recently used the slides, I'd love your feedback on their policies. Thanks.:D

 

Let's hope he grows!!

 

They are very, very strict with this. It's an insurance thing. Their insurance company would NOT pay on any claims where the height rule was not enforced.

 

Hopefully, he'll sprout a little by then. Feed him lots!!!!

[sdirector77]

I did it!!! I booked the Splendor for April 09. When I cancelled my Royal Caribbean booking, they asked me why, and when I told them, they were not very happy!! Oh well, they should have put a slide on the Mariner!!!:D

 

Yes and remove that wall the slide would fit perfectly. LOL

[vacruizer]

Let's hope he grows!!

 

They are very' date=' very strict with this. It's an insurance thing. Their insurance company would NOT pay on any claims where the height rule was not enforced.

 

Hopefully, he'll sprout a little by then. Feed him lots!!!![/quote']

 

You are exactly right! I spent my college summers running roller coasters at one of the big theme parks - those regulations are there for safety as well as liability and insurance reasons and we were not allowed to budge on that height even if the child was only a hair under. Made for lots of angry parents. :( But in the sue-happy world we are in they would probably be the first to sue if something happened to their kid. The main risk on the coasters wasn't the kid falling out, but spinal cord damage. They determined a height at which they thought everyone over that would be safe, and it was set in stone.

 

To the OP - hopefully your little one has a growth spurt and can slide all he wants!

[jahck]

Let's hope he grows!!

 

 

Hopefully' date=' he'll sprout a little by then. Feed him lots!!!![/quote']

 

 

and dont forget to water him and put him in the sun.

[jandjfun]

I have a 3 1/2 year old grandaughter that is 43 inches tall. She rides every single ride in disneyland except Indiana Jones. The scarier, the more she loves it. She also swims like a fish. The entire reason I wouldn't take her on a cruise is the slides, and the fact that if they didn't let her ride on them she would be a very unhappy camper. But she has finally grown tall enough now. There is hope for your little guy too.

[mcfam5]

This happened to our youngest on last fall's cruise on the Glory. He needed to be 42 inches and he was between 41 and 42. :( He was not able to use the slide.

 

Well, we told him it would be fine because he would grow and be able to use the slides on our cruises this fall. Ummm......looked into it well after booking and realized the Holiday is on the ships that has a 48 inch height requirement. :o

 

There is always the Legend, August of '09! :D

[Leo Jay]

Im sure 1/2 a inch they would let it slide....

 

Nicely done.

;)

[ray98]

Very close on my last. There was an attendent their the whole time with a measuring stick.

[Kstofflet]

We were on the imagination in May and my son was 41 inches. The slide attendant measured him and turned him away. The next day we tried again as there was another slide attendant. This time we had him wear his crocs. Again he was turned away. Needless to say, they were very strict and measured all kids were their height was close to the min requirement. My son ended up playing in the other areas of the waterworks for the remainder of the cruise.

[MrPete]

There is always a measuring stick at the top of the slides. If he appears to be short, he'll be asked to step up to it.

 

But remember, the height requirement is for his safety.

[yst347]

Shop around for some aquasocks with 1 inch thick heels. ;)

[MrPete]

Shop around for some aquasocks with 1 inch thick heels. ;)

 

That would not protect the child.

 

Too short, and he/she could spin around and face the wrong way, head first.

 

If you want to beat the "system", add something to the head for height and protection.

 

It's always better to see a child with a head injury than to deny them the thrill of a slide. :rolleyes:

[ElvisandTracey]

I'm just going to invest in a rack medieval style and stretch him twice a day from now til April....:eek: ;) :p

[askfrog]

I would bet he will grow 2 inches in the next 7 1/2 monthes. We measure our kids in December my dd who is 4 was 41 inches then and I just measured her and she is now 43 in. So there is a good possibility that he will grow enough.:) I was a little worried that she wouldn't be tall enough for our Dec cruise but she is. She loves water slides, we went to a park last week and she went on all of them that they would let her on, even ones her 12 year old sister wouldn't go on.:D

[ElvisandTracey]

The way I see it, he had his physical in May and he was 39 inches

(at 3 1/2), so he's already grown an inch in 3 months, so I think we can make 2 in 7 1/2 months!!:) He's in the 70 percentile for his age, so if anyone can do it, he can.

[Jacky4]

teach him to stand up as tall as he can. I had the same problem with my youngest and right before she got in line I told her stand up straight and as tall as you can without being on tip toes. Stretch out your stomach and neck. It might help if its that close.