A cruise ship you can’t swim in.

[Actuality251]

So Im about to take my first Caribbean cruise on Virgin’s Valiant Lady and I just learned it has not a single full size swimming pool.There are apparently two you can wade in. The largest has a sign saying “Maximum: 14.” I didnt think this would be something I had to double check.  Don’t all cruise ships have pools? Even the Titanic had one. I had ordered a second swim suit but sent it back without trying it on. What’s the point? Wasn’t it right to assume this ship would have a real pool? 

[1025cruise]

Apparently you didn't do any research. It's been a long held complaint about the sizes of the pools on Virgin.

[Actuality251]

5 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Apparently you didn't do any research. It's been a long held complaint about the sizes of the pools on Virgin.

I just couldn’t have imagined… 

[crystalspin]

29 minutes ago, Actuality251 said:

I had ordered a second swim suit but sent it back without trying it on. What’s the point? Wasn’t it right to assume this ship would have a real pool? 

Maybe for beach days? Not a swimmer myself, but obviously it was not "right" for this ship.

 

People ooh and ahh about the benefits of smaller cruise ships, but there is going to be less or fewer of SOME things. 

[Actuality251]

1 minute ago, crystalspin said:

Maybe for beach days? Not a swimmer myself, but obviously it was not "right" for this ship.

 

People ooh and ahh about the benefits of smaller cruise ships, but there is going to be less or fewer of SOME things. 

 

[Actuality251]

This isn’t a small ship. It’s a big ship without a pool you can swim in. But thank God it’s got two boxing rings. A girl never knows when she’s going to need one of those. 

[donaldsc]

I can see why the OP might have made the mistake that she did.  If you go onto the Virgin WEB site it shows that there is a pool on one of the decks but there are no pictures or anything to show how big the pool is.

 

DON

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 hours ago, Actuality251 said:

So Im about to take my first Caribbean cruise on Virgin’s Valiant Lady and I just learned it has not a single full size swimming pool.There are apparently two you can wade in. The largest has a sign saying “Maximum: 14.” I didnt think this would be something I had to double check.  Don’t all cruise ships have pools? Even the Titanic had one. I had ordered a second swim suit but sent it back without trying it on. What’s the point? Wasn’t it right to assume this ship would have a real pool? 

Surrounded by an ocean in a tropical climate area with a ton of port stop beaches and you’re worried about the size of the ship’s pool(s)???🤔

[CDNPolar]

My experience is that pools on cruise ships are not made for "swimming" anyway.  If the pool is big enough it is going to be crowded with kids and those just wading.

 

Most that I have witnessed are pretty small and not there for lengths.

[Actuality251]

Who knew? They look big in movies.

[shipgeeks]

I have never been interested in a pool, nor packed a bathing suit for a cruise. But even I find it curious.  Interestingly, one of the complaints I've read about some MSC ships is that the pools are too deep for standing around with a drink; only good for swimming.

[1025cruise]

In all honesty, I've never been on a cruise ship that had a pool that I would consider "swimmable". But Virgin definitely has a smaller pool than most ships of that size.

[Actuality251]

Just seems odd given their purported commitment to fitness.

[chengkp75]

You are looking for a "full size" pool, by which I assume you mean a 25 yard pool (most common public pool in US).  Think about where the pools are located on cruise ships, up on the highest decks so they are out in the open.

 

A 25 yard pool holds about 250 metric tons of water, and placing that much weight that high on a ship would adversely affect the stability (the ability of the ship to stay upright) of the ship.  Additionally, the "free surface effect" (the change in center of gravity as the water sloshes from one side or end to another as the ship moves) further degrades the ship's stability.  Finally, the longer the pool, the more likely it is to have water sloshing out of the ends as the ship moves, flooding the open decks and requiring constant make up of tons of fresh water that requires energy to produce from sea water.

 

No cruise ship in operation today has a "full size" pool.  Even Titanic's pool was only 30 feet long (about 5-6 body lengths) by 14 feet wide.

 

And, even if the pool was "full size", think about having it used by 2000 people at the same time.  Would there be room to swim laps?

Edited March 25 by chengkp75

[CDNPolar]

22 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I have never been interested in a pool, nor packed a bathing suit for a cruise. But even I find it curious.  Interestingly, one of the complaints I've read about some MSC ships is that the pools are too deep for standing around with a drink; only good for swimming.

 

Why would they be so deep that you cannot stand with a drink?  To prevent the below:

 

All inclusive resorts or hotels in a warm climate that has a swim up bar, you see people there for hours drinking and they never leave their spot for ANY REASON.  

 

This is part of the larger pool and in my opinion, you are just swimming in a toilet.

 

 

[Essiesmom]

It also keeps kids from taking over the pools.  EM

[Mum2Mercury]

On 3/23/2024 at 2:13 PM, Actuality251 said:

The largest has a sign saying “Maximum: 14.” 

Saves on lifeguard salaries.  

On 3/23/2024 at 4:27 PM, donaldsc said:

but there are no pictures or anything to show how big the pool is.

Many pictures are cleverly arranged to insinuate "more than is real".  One example that comes to mind right away is Royal Caribbean's casitas ... they show pictures that imply they're right by the pools, when -- in reality -- they're a deck above on the jogging track.  Another example is fish eye lenses that make cabins look more spacious than they actually are.  

On 3/24/2024 at 1:40 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Surrounded by an ocean in a tropical climate area with a ton of port stop beaches and you’re worried about the size of the ship’s pool(s)???🤔

Beaches are wonderful, of course, but many of us enjoy the pools on Sea Days or evenings.  

12 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Why would they be so deep that you cannot stand with a drink?  To prevent the below:

Well, being 4'11", many pools are too deep for me to stand with a drink. 

[MacMadame]

I am someone who swims as part of fitness and also training for races/events. Therefore, the lack of a lap pool bugs.

 

It's too bad that ships don't have an endless pool, maybe in the gym. If ships can have a FlowRider, I don't see why they couldn't have an endless pool. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to swim laps on vacation!

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I am someone who swims as part of fitness and also training for races/events. Therefore, the lack of a lap pool bugs.

 

It's too bad that ships don't have an endless pool, maybe in the gym. If ships can have a FlowRider, I don't see why they couldn't have an endless pool. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to swim laps on vacation!

 

I would suggest that this would be an insurance no-no for a ship.  Not that many people that would understand or have experience using an endless pool.

[MacMadame]

9 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I would suggest that this would be an insurance no-no for a ship.  Not that many people that would understand or have experience using an endless pool.

And they would a FlowRider?

[navybankerteacher]

On 3/23/2024 at 2:13 PM, Actuality251 said:

So Im about to take my first Caribbean cruise on Virgin’s Valiant Lady and I just learned it has not a single full size swimming pool.There are apparently two you can wade in. The largest has a sign saying “Maximum: 14.” I didnt think this would be something I had to double check.  Don’t all cruise ships have pools? Even the Titanic had one. I had ordered a second swim suit but sent it back without trying it on. What’s the point? Wasn’t it right to assume this ship would have a real pool? 

I have never seen a “full size” pool on a cruise ship (about 30+ cruises, 25 ships) - and 20 people would make any of  them pretty crowded.   No one cruises to swim on the ship.

[CDNPolar]

15 hours ago, MacMadame said:

And they would a FlowRider?

 

Same thing.

[sparks1093]

3 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Same thing.

And yet, ships have them. And ice skating rinks. And bumper cars. And sports decks. And ropes courses. 

 

As for the OPs comment, have we forgotten what it was like when we first started cruising, how certain things weren't as we expected them to be onboard? Some may have been sailing since they were kids so cruising is all they've ever known but most of us came to it as adults. Even though I "grew up" on Navy ships I was still amazed by cruise ships when we started cruising.

[1025cruise]

I've been on ships that have had lap pools. But most of the time the "stuff" that made them lap pools was always broken.

[ldubs]

On 3/26/2024 at 10:41 PM, MacMadame said:

I am someone who swims as part of fitness and also training for races/events. Therefore, the lack of a lap pool bugs.

 

It's too bad that ships don't have an endless pool, maybe in the gym. If ships can have a FlowRider, I don't see why they couldn't have an endless pool. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to swim laps on vacation!

 

I suspect the primary reason is demand/usage would be pretty low making it hard to justify.