The Swim Diaper Conundrum - I figured out why everyone must be confused!

[Seraphine]

We recently sailed on two Carnival cruises - the Glory and the Freedom. As a regular member here, I know the Carnival rules about keeping babies who are not toilet-trained out of the pools. I brought along a small inflatable pool (which was a great success, and so many people stopped me to tell me how clever they thought it was - thanks to the people from this forum for the advice!).

 

But day after day, I saw all these babies in the pool anyway. What gives? Why did I feel like I was the only parent on board bothering to follow the rules? Well, it took almost two weeks but I finally figured it out.

 

Nobody knows the rule, and Carnival doesn't TELL THEM.

 

I was in the upper pool - the one near the waterslide - with my 4 year old, and I could see the "Carnival Pool Rules" sign, stating the diaper rule. Okay, no problem - there were no babies in this pool.

 

Later we were in the pool closer to the Lido entrance, where I counted 8 diapered babies in at once. While in the pool, I couldn't see any signs. Not one. I finally found the sign... it was BEHIND the pool, and not posted where anyone sees it! I casually asked a few of the parents about the pool rule, and none of them knew about it - no one had told them they couldn't take their babies in, so they did it. Staff walked by and never said anything, so why would they think there was a problem?

 

When people saw our daughter in her little pool, lots of people asked me why I just didn't take her in the big pool. I told them she wasn't allowed, and they all reacted surprised! I just said that swim diapers weren't allowed, so we'd be fine with her little pool.

 

I can't speak for other lines as I don't know their layouts, but I can see both sides now - the parents don't think they are doing something wrong, and people who don't want to swim in a baby-filled pool don't realise the miscommunication.

 

So that's my essay - my advice is, that if you are averse to diaper-water, stay out of that lower pool as no one knows or follows the rules. Carnival hasn't made it obvious so what can you do?

[cb at sea]

I do think the cruiseline employees should stop being afraid to "offend" someone who isn't following the rules....especially with a health hazard like babies/pools....

Perhaps you should have moved the sign out into full view...I bet someone who didn't want to abide by the rule moved it!

[nannybeth]

I was on a ship once and there was a baby swimming. I asked the mom if anyone had said anything to her (I had a 15 month old at the time and wondered if they had given her a hard time). She said that a staff member did tell her that kids with swim diapers were not allowed in the pool. So she said (and I'm not kidding) "So I just took her swim diaper off and put her bathing suit on". No swim diaper...No problem.

 

Needless to say, we steered clear of that pool for the entire vaca. We choose to spend our time on the beaches!

[crusinmama06]

I have always said that Carnival has a "Don't ask because we don't tell" diaper policy :eek:

 

The signs aren't very big. They are placed out of the way. And the crew members don't really enforce it.

 

Carnival MUST have that rule because of the World Health Organization -- but I think they turn a blind eye because they don't want to offend their customers.

 

It's sad -- but very true. You have discovered what I have been complaining about for at least 2 years about CCL on this Family Board. They need to enforce the diaper policy AND get a place for the toddlers like the baby splash zones that Royal Caribbean and Disney have. But that would take more money being placed into their ships. Carnival certainly is earning enough money -- they need to put it to good use before someone gets REALLY sick. :(

[YOWmom]

We were on RCCL's Majesty in April and I counted 4 diapered kiddies in the pool at one time, and no one was telling them to get out either (despite prominent signs). Luckily we left our own kids at home on that cruise so I didn't have to explain to my youngest why those kids were "allowed" in the pool and she wasn't...

[mommyto2kids]

That does make it hard for anyone who thinks they should follow the rules when there are other people at the same time who don't.

 

We are cruising in Oct and have told our now 2 1/2 year old son that there are no diapers allowed on the cruise. He now tells us this all the time. We are hoping that it will help with potty training before the cruise.

[pms4104]

I have always said that Carnival has a "Don't ask because we don't tell" diaper policy :eek:

 

The signs aren't very big. They are placed out of the way. And the crew members don't really enforce it.

 

Carnival MUST have that rule because of the World Health Organization -- but I think they turn a blind eye because they don't want to offend their customers.

 

It's sad -- but very true. You have discovered what I have been complaining about for at least 2 years about CCL on this Family Board. They need to enforce the diaper policy AND get a place for the toddlers like the baby splash zones that Royal Caribbean and Disney have. But that would take more money being placed into their ships. Carnival certainly is earning enough money -- they need to put it to good use before someone gets REALLY sick. :(

Yeah, much better to close the pool for sanitizing for a day or more than to offend anyone.:eek:

[smoothy]

Maybe the best thing to do would be to complain to the CDC's vessel sanitation program (the folks who give the ships their CDC ratings) I wonder if the diaper problem gets overlooked as the inspections are normally done in port when pool traffic is light. If they keep an eye on it and issue inspection defects, then CCL (and the other lines) would have to address the issue.

[crusinmama06]

We were on RCCL's Majesty in April and I counted 4 diapered kiddies in the pool at one time, and no one was telling them to get out either (despite prominent signs).

 

Shame on them too then! I haven't been on the smaller ships recently, will see how RCI Grandeur deals with it in September and report back. On the larger RCI ships, they have Deck Patrol that redirect the babies back to the Splash Zone. So I will have to see how they deal with the babies on RCI ships without splash zones. :( If I see a whole bunch of diapered babies in the pools or if the pools are closed for cleanings because of diaper accidents -- EWWWWW :eek:

 

Look out because the picture threads are going to fly ;)

 

Yeah, much better to close the pool for sanitizing for a day or more than to offend anyone.:eek:

 

Yep, happened to us on every Carnival sea days and one of our Disney sea days :( (a parent put their child in the Mickey pool). We'll see if it happens on a smaller RCI ship in September.

[med9114u]

Ahhh, this debate has always baffled me, and it baffles me more now that we are about to cruise with our 1 year old daughter. We will follow the rules because we know and respect them. But answer me this....do you all honestly think that drunk adults do not urinate in the pools? I have friends that work for RCCL and they have always told us DO NOT go into the hot tubs, and trust me it is not because of kids in diapers. Lol

[Julienatul]

Shame on them too then! I haven't been on the smaller ships recently, will see how RCI Grandeur deals with it in September and report back. On the larger RCI ships, they have Deck Patrol that redirect the babies back to the Splash Zone. So I will have to see how they deal with the babies on RCI ships without splash zones. :( If I see a whole bunch of diapered babies in the pools or if the pools are closed for cleanings because of diaper accidents -- EWWWWW :eek:

 

Look out because the picture threads are going to fly ;)

 

 

 

Yep, happened to us on every Carnival sea days and one of our Disney sea days :( (a parent put their child in the Mickey pool). We'll see if it happens on a smaller RCI ship in September.

 

when we were on the grandeur a few years back there were 3 diapered kids in the main pool, it was never enforced from what I saw. I did see it enforced right away on the Disney Wonder, so kudos to them!!! Two of our Carnival sea days it had to be closed and both times were from an 8 yr old, the same one. I couldnt believe it. Yuck.

[smoothy]

Ahhh, this debate has always baffled me, and it baffles me more now that we are about to cruise with our 1 year old daughter. We will follow the rules because we know and respect them. But answer me this....do you all honestly think that drunk adults do not urinate in the pools? I have friends that work for RCCL and they have always told us DO NOT go into the hot tubs, and trust me it is not because of kids in diapers. Lol

 

I think the biggest issue from a health perspective is fecal matter- urine is gross but fairly innocuous in swimming pool doses. A drunk adult may take a pee in the pool, but you'd have to be really tanked to let a #2 rip in a public pool. For untrained children, a swim diaper won't stop urine and even fecal matter will leak out (some on these boards call swim diapers 'tea bags' for good reason)

[PattyW]

We've never traveled on Carnival, but we've sailed RCCL (never on Freedom Class or bigger), NCL, and Princess, and none of them ever enforced the no diaper policy in the kids' area. I think it's likely a lot easier for a crew member to say - "take your child over there" than it is to say - "your child is not allowed, period."

 

What I don't understand is why would a cruiseline put in a pool with 8 inches or less of water when non potty trained kids are banned? Both the Adventure of the Seas and Norwegian Dawn have baby pools like this. So, it's good for literally passengers aged 2 (if potty trained) to 3? Some kids aren't even potty trained until after they are three. I can't think of many amenities that are only useful for such a small segment of the cruising population, and can understand why people don't understand the rules.

 

Here's a picture of my 2.5 year old (potty trained) on the NCL Dawn. Really, how much longer than 2.5 - age 3 is a kid going to be happy in this pool?

[scubagirrl]

I have a question along these same lines? What do you do with a little one in swim diaper (or even in a bathing suit, who is not trained) at a hotel Pool?? the same thing can happen. Feces in the pool would close it down until the filter could run it clear and chemicals would bring it back to HP etc. Do hotel pools allow "tea bags">??

 

Just wondering. We were at a hotel last summer that was shut down to be "cleaned". I didn't bother to ask what the policy was at the time.

 

I know we don't allow babies in our pool or hot tub at home. (not a big issue since we are mainly adults). What's the general rule??

[Kerry's Girls]

Cruise ships dump the pool water into the ocean, so can not use all the chemicals that land-based pools use, so must have more stringent rules.

 

Best,

Mia

[scubagirrl]

Cruise ships dump the pool water into the ocean' date=' so can not use all the chemicals that land-based pools use, so must have more stringent rules.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

But wouldn't a hotel have to close the pool for the day if something like this happened?? Meaning that all the other guests would be without a pool for a day or 2. Chemicals don't clean feces, it has to be taken out or filtered out.. which takes time.

[crusinmama06]

I have a question along these same lines? What do you do with a little one in swim diaper (or even in a bathing suit, who is not trained) at a hotel Pool?? the same thing can happen. Feces in the pool would close it down until the filter could run it clear and chemicals would bring it back to HP etc. Do hotel pools allow "tea bags">??

 

Just wondering. We were at a hotel last summer that was shut down to be "cleaned". I didn't bother to ask what the policy was at the time.

 

I know we don't allow babies in our pool or hot tub at home. (not a big issue since we are mainly adults). What's the general rule??

 

Yes, hotel pools allow swim diapers. And the amount of chemicals in them are enough to gag a maggot. ;) Yes, they drain the pool if there is "floating debris" from an accident. But seriously -- in those hotel pools, the chemicals are so strong that the occasional leaking accident won't cause the hotel to shut the pool down. Unless a guest sees it happen and screams about it. :eek:

 

But think about it. Have you ever seen them shut down and drain a place like Atlantis because of a leaky diaper? Um, no. They just use enough chemicals to hopefully keep it in check.

 

Mia is correct. The ships can't use those kind of heavy duty chemicals in ship pools. Not when they are being dumped back into the ocean.

 

And in water park type pool areas -- they add ultraviolet lighting systems on top of the chemicals to help kill some of the harmful stuff.

[NJfoodie]

I don't remember the signage on the NCL Jewel but I don't think there was anything prominent by the kids pool since it was off to the side. There were plenty of parents in it w/ their diapered babies. I do agree though that it doesn't seem obvious that no swim diapers are allowed given that the "kids" pool is really a baby/toddler pool - it's all of 4-5 ft in diameter and is 10 inches deep. Any older kid (>3 yrs) would not likely have any interest in it, especially one who knows how to swim. I'd love to see more cruiselines find a way to make that little kiddie pool safe for diapered babies (filtration? some chemicals? separate drainage?). With a designated place for them, it would be more family-friendly and hopefully encourage keeping diapered tots out of the main pools.

[tamsocal]

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/swimming/pools/fecal-incident-response-recommendations.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/pools/swim-diapers-swim-pants.html

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/faq/

 

We have been at a hotel/resort when the pool was closed. Also at swim lessons-- which has never been for an infant when I have been there-- in the past 7 yrs of swim lessons for our kids there have been a handful of closures & it has always been in the 3-4yr old range-- already potty trained and just didnt get out & go to the restroom. They require 2 swim diapers for the kids who arent potty trained-- but I think they should for the up to 4yr olds just in case

[gerif]

What astounds me is parents who sit by the pool watching their own kids and then report on 2 or 3 people with diapered kids in the pool but say nothing. Don't they realize that these people are putting their own kids in danger? Children have died from ingesting e-coli in a pool where a baby has had an "accident." I would demand that a pool attendant make them leave immediately.

[victoriasmommy]

just got off the NCL sky.

saw no sign at the main pool or kiddie pool about diapers, and saw diapered babies......

[HMT213]

Honestly though, this is gross but there are plenty of people who are not babies and don't "wipe properly" or pee in the pool and you are swimming in there... just don't drink the water! :)

[jerin]

I'd love to see more cruiselines find a way to make that little kiddie pool safe for diapered babies (filtration? some chemicals? separate drainage?). With a designated place for them, it would be more family-friendly and hopefully encourage keeping diapered tots out of the main pools.

Disney's ships and RCCL's two biggest classes (Freedom and Oasis class) DO have special pools with proper filtration to handle diapered children. So hopefully as other ships/lines are updated, this technology will catch on.

[momofdss]

ok, i have a question to add to this....

 

i've read in several areas on cruise critic of parents bringing an inflatable pool, setting it up on the deck for their child to play in.

 

now, i've contacted our carnival pvp and asked her about this. i wanted to know how do we fill the pool and what are the policies for this. she didn't know. so she emailed the ship (the triumph).

 

I have a guest that says that she read that she can bring a small inflatable pool for the deck.. is this true? If so, how can she fill the pool?

 

the ship emailed her back. reply:

 

Please be advised that above request cannot be accommodated.

so what the hay??? i am totally confused!!! the op even states she took a pool.....

 

we are in the middle of potty training now and it won't really be an issue as to getting in the pools, but i'd like the idea of my son having the ability to play in the inflatable pool - he can't swim and being in the big pool requires us (mom and dad) to hold him the whole time. he loves splashing and playing and can do so for an hour or more!!

 

can anyone help me out on this one??

[krmlaw]

we are bringing a small pool too on our upcoming cruise ... no idea why they would say you cant!

 

im told people fill them with the beer buckets from the pool water, then dump them down the drains.