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Topic: swimming pools

andrews
First Class Passenger
Member # 6414

posted 07-24-2006 01:59 AM

Bit of a strange question, but I've read reviews of a cruise on another board and someone was complaining about the state of the pool water. This lead to a bit of a discussion about whether or not sea water is used in the pools. I have always understood that sea water is pumped in, and treated, for use in the pools. Does anyone know if this is the case for all pools on board? I've been on 4 different ships, and each time the pools were emptied every night and refilled the next morning. The water was always very salty to swim in.

Posts: 28 | From: Brisbane, Australia | Registered: Apr 2006 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 07-24-2006 08:10 AM

In most cases it is seawater - some ships nevertheless have (or had) a portable water pool.

I have seen different practices concerning the exchange of the water - but again, on many ships the pool is emptied in the evening.

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 07-24-2006 08:18 AM

I sailed on the last NOORDAM when she was brand new in 1984--her large pool contained fresh water, which was quite a luxurious extravagance at the time. Don't know how many ships these days use fresh water in their pools; I'm not one to use public pools.

It seems appropriate to change the water each day, considering the number of people using the pools, with all of their sweat and suntan lotion. Even seawater is filtered and chlorinated, of course.

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 07-24-2006 08:21 AM

HAL ships always had sea water in their aft pools and were never emptied each night that I ever saw. Maybe on the last night of a voyage, but certainly not each night.

Now that all of the ships (except the Prinsendam) have a mid ship pool, which is under a retractable dome, they use fresh water in these pools and most of the aft pools are now also fresh water. I was told that they have changed over because the sea water was corroding the pipes - whether this is true or not, I don't know.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 07-24-2006 08:52 AM

Hey, Prinsedam has a 'mid ship pool' - I admit that it is so tiny that I wouldn't have put it there - but it is there - and if I remeber right it features the first swim-up bar on a cruise ship. (which is one of the more useless features found on ships

)

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 07-24-2006 09:26 AM

During a Canada trip a few years back we were on NCL's Leeward which had a tiny mid-ships pool that they would fill with sea water. One afternoon, my son spotted a small fish (about an inch long) in the pool. We rescued the fish in a plastic cup and retuned him to the sea later that afternoon - fancy ceremony on the promenade. If they filter the sea water it must not be much of a filter.

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-24-2006 11:04 AM

Maybe it was a flying fish, Joe? Did you notice any wings?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 07-24-2006 11:24 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Ernst:
Hey, Prinsedam has a 'mid ship pool' - I admit that it is so tiny that I wouldn't have put it there - but it is there - and if I remeber right it features the first swim-up bar on a cruise ship. (which is one of the more useless features found on ships )

My mistake, Ernst! Thanks for setting me straight. I guess I was thinking about it not having a domed pool.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 07-24-2006 11:39 AM

all 3 pools on the Sun Princess class are fresh water, and very cool, almost too cool to swim in.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 07-24-2006 11:53 AM

I'm a big swimmer and use the pools on just about every cruise I take. The pools and surrounding deck space are very important to me as I spend a lot of time out there.

Many ships are switching to all fresh water. Princess has done this for years but now Cunard, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity have joined them. In addition most lines leave at least one pool open 24 hours, and this seems easier to do when using fresh water.

A major exception is Carnival. They generally have VERY SMALL pools that are still filled with salt water. The pools are still emptied at night so no 24 hour swimming. I'm always amazed at how small Carnival's pools are compared to other lines. It really should be just the opposite.

The most disgusting pool was on NORWEGIAN MAJESTY after sitting in Bermuda for 3-days. Downright nasty and I wouldn't dip my big toe into it! Once we were back out to sea it was emptied and refilled and this it was fine.

Ernie

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 07-31-2006 11:07 AM

Not being a water person I have never been in a pool on any cruise.
But did you ever notice there isn't any salt residue around the pool area or hot tubs. I have heard the ship produces a large quantity of fresh water and indeed all newer ships may use this. Also I seem to remember that a few ships had a shower near the pool for a rinse off. I don't remember seeing this now.
F4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 07-31-2006 11:21 AM

All ships have showers by the pools, whether they be salt or fresh water... they are to rinse off the sweat from you, before getting in any pool or hot tub, not for cleaning off salt.

Out of recent trips, Century was salt water and not heated, Westerdam was fresh under the magradome, Norwegian Jewel had one pool of each, MSC salt water.. seems to be a real mix around still.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-31-2006 02:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by PamM:
All ships have showers by the pools, .. they are to rinse off the sweat from you, before getting in any pool or hot tub, not for cleaning off salt.

Oh, I thought that they were for the Bikini girls to perform for the male observers?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

linerguy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4289

posted 08-10-2006 03:53 PM

Malcolm,...I like the way you think!

-Russ

Posts: 1486 | From: Bright, Indiana | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

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