A popular attraction of many cruise ships is the pool. Many cruise ships have at least one pool onboard, but many newer cruise ships have more than one pool. When many cruise ships are going to be cruising through warm temperatures and nice weather the pool is used often compared to cruise ships that travel through cold temperatures, like Alaska.
There are some tips to remember if you, your family, and/or friends are going to be using a cruise ship pool. Make sure you always use common sense when you or your loved ones are in or around a pool on a cruise ship.
Cruise Ship Pools Are Usually Use At Your Own Risk - Be Careful and Parents Need To Watch Their Children
This is one of the most important tips, in my opinion. Cruise ship pools do not usually have a lifeguard or a cruise member watching the pools. "Use At Your Own Risk" means exactly what it says - if you use this pool and assume all risk and not the cruise line. If you are cruising with children make sure you keep an eye on them at all times when they are around the pools. If you are not in the pool with your children you should be close to the pool to watch them.
In Good Weather and Tropical Destinations The Pools Will Often Be Crowded
On many Caribbean cruises with good weather, I have noticed the pool areas are always busy. There are many cruisers that want to swim or stand in the pool. There are also people that try to get a lounge chair by the pool. Pool space and lounge chairs can fill up quickly. If you are wanting to get a lounge chair, by the pool, you will need to probably get to the area in the early to mid morning. Most cruise lines have policies against chair saving, but the specifics of these policies will vary by cruise line.
Pay Attention To Pool Depth
Before getting into a pool or hot tub you need to know what the water depth is. This should be posted somewhere near the pool. You should also pay attention to this information if you are going to let your children get into the pool too. Never dive or jump into a pool as most cruise ship pools are not deep enough or large enough for you to do this. You could severely hurt yourself or someone else while doing this.
What happens if someone has a bodily function accident in the pool?
The answer to this question varies, depending on the location the ship is. If a ship is at sea, most likely the crew members will clean the solid human waste (if this was the case) and drain the pool. The pool would be closed during this process and not get reopened until new water has been pumped into the pool.
In most ports of call and homeports cruise ships would clean the waste and drain the pool, but there are many places that have restrictions on cruise ships filling their pools. Most likely the pool would remain closed for the rest of the day or until the cruise ship is back at sea. When I was on the Carnival Elation once, the pool got closed in a port of call because a child pooped in the pool. The pool was closed around 1:00PM and did not open on the same day.
Report Hurt Passengers and Dangerous Behavior
If you see a passenger get hurt in or by the pool you should get them help or help them (if you know what you are doing). If you see dangerous behavior that could put a person or other people at risk you should report this to a crew member.
There are some tips to remember if you, your family, and/or friends are going to be using a cruise ship pool. Make sure you always use common sense when you or your loved ones are in or around a pool on a cruise ship.
Cruise Ship Pools Are Usually Use At Your Own Risk - Be Careful and Parents Need To Watch Their Children
This is one of the most important tips, in my opinion. Cruise ship pools do not usually have a lifeguard or a cruise member watching the pools. "Use At Your Own Risk" means exactly what it says - if you use this pool and assume all risk and not the cruise line. If you are cruising with children make sure you keep an eye on them at all times when they are around the pools. If you are not in the pool with your children you should be close to the pool to watch them.
In Good Weather and Tropical Destinations The Pools Will Often Be Crowded
On many Caribbean cruises with good weather, I have noticed the pool areas are always busy. There are many cruisers that want to swim or stand in the pool. There are also people that try to get a lounge chair by the pool. Pool space and lounge chairs can fill up quickly. If you are wanting to get a lounge chair, by the pool, you will need to probably get to the area in the early to mid morning. Most cruise lines have policies against chair saving, but the specifics of these policies will vary by cruise line.
Pay Attention To Pool Depth
Before getting into a pool or hot tub you need to know what the water depth is. This should be posted somewhere near the pool. You should also pay attention to this information if you are going to let your children get into the pool too. Never dive or jump into a pool as most cruise ship pools are not deep enough or large enough for you to do this. You could severely hurt yourself or someone else while doing this.
What happens if someone has a bodily function accident in the pool?
The answer to this question varies, depending on the location the ship is. If a ship is at sea, most likely the crew members will clean the solid human waste (if this was the case) and drain the pool. The pool would be closed during this process and not get reopened until new water has been pumped into the pool.
In most ports of call and homeports cruise ships would clean the waste and drain the pool, but there are many places that have restrictions on cruise ships filling their pools. Most likely the pool would remain closed for the rest of the day or until the cruise ship is back at sea. When I was on the Carnival Elation once, the pool got closed in a port of call because a child pooped in the pool. The pool was closed around 1:00PM and did not open on the same day.
Report Hurt Passengers and Dangerous Behavior
If you see a passenger get hurt in or by the pool you should get them help or help them (if you know what you are doing). If you see dangerous behavior that could put a person or other people at risk you should report this to a crew member.