Cruise ship hot tubs - safe or not?

[Sacruiser62]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

So, just interested, what is "temp high enough"?  Most hot tubs should be 100-104*F, but legionella can grow in water up to 113*F.

Warm enough to relax, for me close to 104.  I should want out in 15 min.

 

Not worried about bugs.

[Sacruiser62]

3 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Some threads just should never be resurrected 

You have no idea!

[Engineroom Snipe]

Hot tubs become a hot topic.

 

Who would guess?

 

🤔

[barbeyg]

2 hours ago, cruisinfanatic said:

actually lots of hot tubs can have bubbles. Doesn't mean they are dirty

This was scum. I know the difference, thanks. 😂
 

Who on earth resurrected this thread? 

Edited March 22 by barbeyg

[toxicfairy]

I've never been a hit tub person. Sitting in hot steamy water with a bunch of others doesn't sound fun. Then again I prefer a shower over a bath. My sister has had a got tub for many years and I think I briefly went in it once lol. I watched a family sit in one for HOURS with a baby!! Took baby out layed him on the side changed his poopy diaper and put him back in. 

[CuseJeff44]

i love hot tubs and will use them. i'll shower after and avoid getting the water in my mouth

[neverbeenhere]

Hot tubs, too many chair hogs and no one tips. We own one, no need to jump in with fellow cruisers. 

[travelberlin]

We do not use hot tubs. However we use the swimming pool to do our routine swimming. It is annoying to have in the pools groups of usually big people just standing there talking for hours. We heard one passenger calling the pools in ships “hippo pools”. Those of us who just want to swim are not able to do it. Some of those standing passengers just won’t move and look to swimmers as if they are invading their own pool. I guess the swimming pools are also not free of germs because of these practice of standing for hours on the pools, using them as if it were another hot tub. 

Edited March 22 by travelberlin

[Cruise a holic]

I no longer go in hot tubs.  After the cruise, I typically was getting Urinary track infections.  Not sure if from the chemicals- or people using the hot tub with body excrements!  I suggest ladies bring monostat for potential yeast infections, and medication for possible UTI's. 

Edited March 22 by Cruise a holic

[BK79]

4 hours ago, travelberlin said:

We do not use hot tubs. However we use the swimming pool to do our routine swimming. It is annoying to have in the pools groups of usually big people just standing there talking for hours. We heard one passenger calling the pools in ships “hippo pools”. Those of us who just want to swim are not able to do it. Some of those standing passengers just won’t move and look to swimmers as if they are invading their own pool. I guess the swimming pools are also not free of germs because of these practice of standing for hours on the pools, using them as if it were another hot tub. 

Are you wanting to swim laps? People are swimming incorrectly? 

[travelberlin]

10 minutes ago, BK79 said:

Are you wanting to swim laps? People are swimming incorrectly? 

The people I mentioned are not swimming. They are just standing around chatting not allowing others to swim.

[theotherchad]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:51 AM, travelberlin said:

The people I mentioned are not swimming. They are just standing around chatting not allowing others to swim.

I understand your frustration, but at the same time, I'm sure those people who are relaxing and enjoying the cool water are thinking "who is this dude banging into everybody trying to swim laps while we're just chilling listening to the pool band? Somebody help this guy learn how to Google the word 'vacation'. " 😁

 

There are frustrating things we all deal with, but their frustrations are no less valid than your own. I would guess you'd have better luck on a cruise line that was less oriented towards party/family.  RCCL and Carnival pools are definitely more oriented that way. It's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a thing. 

[travelberlin]

5 hours ago, theotherchad said:

I understand your frustration, but at the same time, I'm sure those people who are relaxing and enjoying the cool water are thinking "who is this dude banging into everybody trying to swim laps while we're just chilling listening to the pool band? Somebody help this guy learn how to Google the word 'vacation'. " 😁

 

There are frustrating things we all deal with, but their frustrations are no less valid than your own. I would guess you'd have better luck on a cruise line that was less oriented towards party/family.  RCCL and Carnival pools are definitely more oriented that way. It's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a thing. 

Thanks. Interesting. It did not occurred to me that just standing around in the swimming pool for long periods of time was kind of acceptable behavior because people were on vacation. I have thought the pools were there to be able to swim. It must be a cultural difference. We usually swim on our pools and chat outside. 
 

By the way, we have heard so many times using the “I am on vacation” line to justify lack of consideration for others that it has become also something to wonder about it. 

[Keksie]

2 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Thanks. Interesting. It did not occurred to me that just standing around in the swimming pool for long periods of time was kind of acceptable behavior because people were on vacation. I have thought the pools were there to be able to swim. It must be a cultural difference. We usually swim on our pools and chat outside. 
 

By the way, we have heard so many times using the “I am on vacation” line to justify lack of consideration for others that it has become also something to wonder about it. 

I have yet to see a ship's pool large enough to swim in even if there is no one else in them.  A couple of strokes and you are at the other end.  These pools are not designed for lap swimming.  They are a way for people to cool off, listen to the pool band, socialize and drink an adult beverage.  The pool is also used for different pool games.  

[MommaBear55]

On 3/22/2024 at 4:53 AM, travelberlin said:

We do not use hot tubs. However we use the swimming pool to do our routine swimming. It is annoying to have in the pools groups of usually big people just standing there talking for hours. We heard one passenger calling the pools in ships “hippo pools”. Those of us who just want to swim are not able to do it. Some of those standing passengers just won’t move and look to swimmers as if they are invading their own pool. I guess the swimming pools are also not free of germs because of these practice of standing for hours on the pools, using them as if it were another hot tub. 

I always find it curious that people try to swim laps with so many other people in the pool, it seem like it would be a frustrating endeavor. I feel the same way about people who try to run laps when there are so many people out and about. I know I tend to do activity early in the am before many people are around. 

[travelberlin]

19 minutes ago, Keksie said:

I have yet to see a ship's pool large enough to swim in even if there is no one else in them.  A couple of strokes and you are at the other end.  These pools are not designed for lap swimming.  They are a way for people to cool off, listen to the pool band, socialize and drink an adult beverage.  The pool is also used for different pool games.  

We have been swimming in all our cruises. You are not correct. I wonder where you got the information that pools have not been designed to swim. Best pools for swimming you can find on Regent and Crystal. Of course they are not olympic sized pools, but large enough to do laps. Pools at Royal Caribbean ships are large enough to swim. Pools on ships are used for several purposes for example to do aqua classes or to play games at certain hours. But most cruise lines do not allow people to drink while on the pool. 

[travelberlin]

7 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

I always find it curious that people try to swim laps with so many other people in the pool, it seem like it would be a frustrating endeavor. I feel the same way about people who try to run laps when there are so many people out and about. I know I tend to do activity early in the am before many people are around. 

We find curious that so many people are just standing around in the water for hours as if it were another hot tub. And this was actually the subject that the OP mentioned: safety in terms of hygiene of the hot tubs. As long as people are standing a long time in the swimming pools also, those pools are not hygienic either. As I have said before, it seems to be a cultural difference. We would never consider to go into a public pool with an alcoholic drink in the hand (although this is not allowed) to “socialize”. However others seem to find it the right thing to do. Enough for me about this subject.

[Sacruiser62]

12 hours ago, theotherchad said:

I understand your frustration, but at the same time, I'm sure those people who are relaxing and enjoying the cool water are thinking "who is this dude banging into everybody trying to swim laps while we're just chilling listening to the pool band? Somebody help this guy learn how to Google the word 'vacation'. " 😁

 

There are frustrating things we all deal with, but their frustrations are no less valid than your own. I would guess you'd have better luck on a cruise line that was less oriented towards party/family.  RCCL and Carnival pools are definitely more oriented that way. It's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a thing. 

One of my non royal cruise had one od those lap pools with flowing water.   By the time I figured it out, cruise.was over! 

[chengkp75]

10 hours ago, travelberlin said:

As long as people are standing a long time in the swimming pools also, those pools are not hygienic either.

What about people standing for long times in a pool makes the pool unhygienic?

[QTBabyNurse]

This nurse would never subject themselves to a "human stew pot"...🤮

[crewsweeper]

Just when you convince yourself hot tubs are ok:🤢

https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2024/03/25/yes_hot_tubs_are_full_of_nasty_germs_1020477.html

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Just when you convince yourself hot tubs are ok:🤢

https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2024/03/25/yes_hot_tubs_are_full_of_nasty_germs_1020477.html

And, this is why the USPH/CDC is so stringent in their hot tub sanitation requirements.  Who monitors or regulates the chlorine level in an AirBnB hot tub?

[Biker19]

Apparently, even having too many people in a whirlpool is a CDC violation - from the recently failed Margaritaville at Sea CDC inspection:

 

For example, the report notes “on several occasions, up to six bathers were noted in each whirlpool. Each whirlpool is designed to have a maximum bather load of 4 persons.” The associated recommendation is to “ensure the maximum passenger bather load number is not exceeded, so the proper halogen and pH values are not adversely affected.”

 

Margaritaville at Sea Cruise Ship Fails CDC Inspection (cruisehive.com)

[smokeybandit]

Lots of ridiculous things are CDC violations on a ship.

 

 

[The Fun Researcher]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Apparently, even having too many people in a whirlpool is a CDC violation - from the recently failed Margaritaville at Sea CDC inspection:

 

For example, the report notes “on several occasions, up to six bathers were noted in each whirlpool. Each whirlpool is designed to have a maximum bather load of 4 persons.” The associated recommendation is to “ensure the maximum passenger bather load number is not exceeded, so the proper halogen and pH values are not adversely affected.”

 

Margaritaville at Sea Cruise Ship Fails CDC Inspection (cruisehive.com)

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if this is violated daily on Royal's ships.  So many times the hot tubs are not only shoulder to shoulder, but also include additional cruisers sitting on the lip with just their feet/calves dangling in the water.

 

...still doesn't keep me from using them.  😄

Edited May 15 by The Fun Researcher