Tons of ice skating questions

[nicki_momof3]

HI,

 

This will be our first time on a RCCL cruise. We will be going on the Freedom. We have cruised many times in the past but only on Disney so the ice rink situation is new to us.

 

Background: I have a daughter that skates 2.5 hours a day 5 days a week. She is scheduled to test for her next level 2 weeks after our cruise. The thought of not practicing for 9 days before she does a major level test is killing her. This is where hopefully this ship will be great.

 

Questions:

1. Can you bring your own skates?

2. I heard you have to wear a helmet? Is this true?

3. How often is the rink open?

4. I thought I read that there are "advanced" times when people with their own skates can use the ice?

5. Silly question - how is the ice. Is it like normal ice arena ice?

6. How crowded is the ice? DO you need to sign up ahead of time or jsust show up?

 

Thanks everyone :)

[Grandma Dazzles]

HI,

 

This will be our first time on a RCCL cruise. We will be going on the Freedom. We have cruised many times in the past but only on Disney so the ice rink situation is new to us.

 

Background: I have a daughter that skates 2.5 hours a day 5 days a week. She is scheduled to test for her next level 2 weeks after our cruise. The thought of not practicing for 9 days before she does a major level test is killing her. This is where hopefully this ship will be great.

 

Questions:

1. Can you bring your own skates?

2. I heard you have to wear a helmet? Is this true?

3. How often is the rink open?

4. I thought I read that there are "advanced" times when people with their own skates can use the ice?

5. Silly question - how is the ice. Is it like normal ice arena ice?

6. How crowded is the ice? DO you need to sign up ahead of time or jsust show up?

 

Thanks everyone :)

 

I can answer some of your questions .... I am sure there are others out there with more expert opinions, but hopefully this will help.

 

Yes, you can bring your own skates.

 

You must also wear long pants and socks - no exceptions.

 

Yes, you must wear a helmet.

 

The rink times are posted daily in the cruise compass - it is not open a great deal - between shows and the show practices, but on our last cruise it was open daily for a few hours.

 

Not sure about the "advanced time."

 

The ice is fine, but it is a very small rink, not like a major ice arena.

 

How crowded can really vary from cruise to cruise, ship to ship, really depends on the passenger mix and who wants to use it.

[Lionesss]

I guess you could bring your own skates, but, take up luggage space..........wow.

The skates provided are not that bad.

Helmets not required.

Rink open everyday at different times. You will have plenty of opportunity to skate.

Ice wet, easy to get traction for jumps.

Crowded at times, but, non skaters tucker out so you will have no problem enjoying your skate.

Also take long pants we did not like jeans, did better in yoga pants for girls, and moms.

Safe travels.

Sue and crew

[JaxieWaxie]

1. Can you bring your own skates?

 

Yes, I saw a few younger folks who had their own.

 

2. I heard you have to wear a helmet? Is this true?

 

Yes, it is required for all guests on the rink, no doubt for liability/insurance purposes.

 

3. How often is the rink open?

 

It varies, depending on length of cruise, maintenance and skating team's training needs. If memory serves, there were typically two or three days with skate times slotted. There are only so many people allowed to skate for any one session (30 mins, I think... maybe it's an hour. Can't remember.)

 

4. I thought I read that there are "advanced" times when people with their own skates can use the ice?

 

I don't recall coming across anything like that...

 

5. Silly question - how is the ice. Is it like normal ice arena ice?

 

I can't speak to how it is for the shows or at the beginning of the guest skating sessions, but as you'd imagine, it gets rather beat up from all us amateurs rather quickly! Toe pick!

 

6. How crowded is the ice? DO you need to sign up ahead of time or jsust show up?

 

You have to sign up and sign a waiver. It can get rather crowded - keep in mind it is a very small rink, so it doesn't take many guests to turn it into an obstacle course. I've done it several times and never had to wait more than one session for my turn.

[lissa42886]

HI,

 

This will be our first time on a RCCL cruise. We will be going on the Freedom. We have cruised many times in the past but only on Disney so the ice rink situation is new to us.

 

Background: I have a daughter that skates 2.5 hours a day 5 days a week. She is scheduled to test for her next level 2 weeks after our cruise. The thought of not practicing for 9 days before she does a major level test is killing her. This is where hopefully this ship will be great.

 

Questions:

1. Can you bring your own skates? yes ( but are you going to skate THAT much that you want to waste the space and weight on skates? )

2. I heard you have to wear a helmet? Is this true? and arms/knee pads, they have them there are recommend it. i didnt wear any but my friend did.. you sign the waiver saying if you get hurt its your own fault, and your S&S card gets a hole punch

3. How often is the rink open? i forget this.. but prob a hour or so each day.

4. I thought I read that there are "advanced" times when people with their own skates can use the ice?

5. Silly question - how is the ice. Is it like normal ice arena ice? small rink. as normal as ice can be..? not large at all.. but i guess enough if you just want to practice tricks or jumps.

6. How crowded is the ice? DO you need to sign up ahead of time or jsust show up? when i skated on explorer there was maybe 10 people

 

Thanks everyone :)

....

[alfaeric]

Is the helmet a new thing? (I see while I'm typing that it's required, so that's a non-question now...)

 

Anyway, OP, being skaters, I'm sure you are aware of the qualty of rental skates at most rinks. As in most are so dull that they are very, very dangerous. The times that I've skated on the ship- the skates there were very sharp. Probably a little too sharp for the softness of the ice, but they were very nice to skate with (nice enough to not even consider packing my own skates)

 

That also answers your "how is the ice'- no, it's not like normal rinks- it's soft. And it does degrade pretty fast. Space wise, it's really small, but you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean, not playing a hockey game... :D

[JaxieWaxie]

In most cases, I liken bringing your own skates to skate on the ships' rinks to bringing your own golf clubs to play a round of miniature golf at the boardwalk. :o

 

Most people will end up asking themselves, "I bothered to bring my own equipment for THIS?"

[hiccups]

I was on Oasis last week, and the rink was open on sea days. I saw one time period listed for advanced skaters that bring their own skates, but I don't recall if it was on every sea day.

 

The ice was fairly crowded, with a lot of kids trying to learn to skate, so I wouldn't count on any real practice time unless they have an advanced session.

[FreshOffTheBoat]

Some people here are saying the skates aren't bad.

 

I am here to say the skates are bad. If your going to practice (IDK how advanced your kid is because they don't really allow you do do any tricks or even go fast on the ice, so heres to hoping they have the advanced session).

[cb at sea]

Just consider this a vacation...she's not going to be able to get her "normal" practice time in....

[nicki_momof3]

Thanks everyone for the quick replys.

 

What kind of helemts are they? Are they bike helmets, full hockey helmets, or like a board helmet?

 

Does anyone know about the "advanced time". I read about on another thread. It said they had it and it was only open if you brought your own skates.

 

Glad to hear the skates are not bad. My daughter will bring hers since she skates so much and hers have the support she needs to do the skills she does. My sons will just use theres. We get free checked bags on all flights so having an extra bag is not a concern.

 

Are they hockey skates (rounded blade) or figure skates (toe pick)?

[snaebyllej]

On the Navigator '08 spring transatlantic, the ice was very hard.

[negc]

Just consider this a vacation...she's not going to be able to get her "normal" practice time in....

 

She may not get in 2.5 hours a day, but any time is likely to be better than none, especially over 9 days and if there are special sessions for advanced skaters, she can probably make the most of whatever time is allowed. Vacation time, or not, the OP has legitimate questions and concerns which most posters have answered instead of just dismissing them as unworthy of consideration because they are on vacation. I believe that the only incorrect answer was the one regarding helmets. As far as I know they ARE required and with so many unskilled skaters on the ice at one time, it is probably a very wise requirement. I hope that even minimal practice time will help the young lady in her subsequent test to move on to her next level.:)

[Langley Cruisers]

I have a daughter that skates 2.5 hours a day 5 days a week. She is scheduled to test for her next level 2 weeks after our cruise. The thought of not practicing for 9 days before she does a major level test is killing her.

 

This has been discussed pertaining to bringing instruments because the family was concerned about the child not practicing for a week or so. I consider the two situations to be similar, and thus you will get various replies and advice.

 

I have been on several ships with an ice rink and my observations are these: if a skater goes too fast or does jumps, they are asked to not do so. This is for the safety of everyone else on the ice. The rink is small, much smaller than she will be used to, and in all honesty, she may get frustrated because of this. The most she can do is to skate in a circle, maybe backwards, but she will not be allowed to perform her program or do most of her skills. It's not a competitive rink; it's a rink designed for an ice show, and for vacationing guests to do something they maybe have never done before.

 

Enjoy yourselves. :)

.

[Gilgo Surfer]

I guess you could bring your own skates, but, take up luggage space..........wow.

The skates provided are not that bad.

Helmets not required.

Rink open everyday at different times. You will have plenty of opportunity to skate.

Ice wet, easy to get traction for jumps.

Crowded at times, but, non skaters tucker out so you will have no problem enjoying your skate.

Also take long pants we did not like jeans, did better in yoga pants for girls, and moms.

Safe travels.

Sue and crew

 

Helmets are now required and the skates ARE that bad.:eek:

[LBumb]

skates are really bad and ice is very soft and full of ruts.

[necruiser3]

Umm .... wearing a "community helmet" is kind of like kids sharing hats at school :eek:. That sort of freaks me out a bit. That may keep me & my kid off the ice. I imagine the same is true for rock climbing wall too ?

[Langley Cruisers]

I imagine the same is true for rock climbing wall too ?

 

Yes, helmets are mandatory.

[necruiser3]

Yes, helmets are mandatory.

 

Hmmm....thanks for the info .

[reney313]

To the OP--I do remember seeing once on the compass on our Liberty 5 day cruise of an advanced session for the ice rink. It may have been there daily, I'm not really sure--I'm definitely not advanced :)

 

Anyway, since it was on a 5 day, I imagine they would have some time on a longer cruise.

 

Even if she's able to get the feel of the ice with her skates a few days during that time, it's better than none at all. I'm sure you will prepare her that she likely won't be able to "do" much to keep her expectations low on how much practice she will actually get.

[bsbcgirl]

To Nicki Momof 3:

 

If your daughter is a "skater" the skates are not good. - take your own. My daughters used to be skaters, tried the skates offered by the ship (which are fine for most) and said that they prefer not to skate unless they brought their own.

[cmason]

Dont forget that one sea days, the ice rink is MOVING...something that likely will not help her and likely frustrate her. You might get better luck during port days.

 

Heck I would talk to the staff, or even the skaters, and ask if she can practice alone or even with the skate crew...worth a shot.

[Langley Cruisers]

Heck I would talk to the staff, or even the skaters, and ask if she can practice alone or even with the skate crew...worth a shot.

 

Yeah but, don't you think that's pushing it? I mean, no offense to OP and her daughter, but there are 6000 guests onboard. Who else would like that opportunity? They have to draw the line somewhere.

[cmason]

I don't think its pushing it. The worst that happens is they say no, and you are in the same place you started. In my experience, there are not that many folks wanting to skate, especially on port days.

[hansolosmom]

Umm .... wearing a "community helmet" is kind of like kids sharing hats at school :eek:. That sort of freaks me out a bit. That may keep me & my kid off the ice. I imagine the same is true for rock climbing wall too ?

 

Something our school does because of community helmets for gym class sports - the gym teacher makes the kids bring in book sox and they wear those on their heads under the helmet. So if you have any of those or bring a banadana to wear under the helmet.