Life vests for kids at Castaway Cay?

[scottie]

Are there life vests for kids to use at Castaway Cay? If so, is there a cost and do we need to reserve ahead of time?

 

[outahere]

Are there life vests for kids to use at Castaway Cay? If so, is there a cost and do we need to reserve ahead of time?

I don't recall ever seeing life vests at CC. The only thing I have seen are the snorkeling vests. They are hanging on all the life guard chairs and there is no charge to use them.

 

[chake]

the snorkel vest can be inflated. im not sure how safe they are as far as a flotation device though. but you do blow them up

 

[Babs417]

I think you have to wear them to swim in the water

 

[scottie]

Do they have vests on the ship the kids can use in the pool? If so, I wonder if one of those can be carried off to use at the beach?

 

[RCBA]

I never saw any vests at the pools. We brought a vest for DS (age 2).

 

[flexsmom]

Anything you want at the pool needs to be something you provide - they do not have any available for use.

On the beach, there are inflatable vests that MUST be worn for snorkeling. They do allow these to be used even if you are not snorkeling, and they are very effective. When snorkeling, you can pretty much choose how inflated they are - not at all, or fully, and when they are fully inflated, they are very bouyant! My DD7 was very comfortable wearing hers for snorkeling.

 

[scottie]

Do you think the snorkling vest will fit on a 18month old?

 

[RCBA]

No, I don't think it would fit an 18 mo at all, sorry.

 

[scottie]

Thanks for the info everyone! I think I may be making a trip to Costco then to see what they have in stock for the little guy!

 

[flexsmom]

I can tell you that my DS' first time at CC he was 21 months. We didn't put any kind of inflatable on him at that point - there was ample wading space in the water for him and he was back and forth with his sand bucket to make castles in the knee-to-thigh keep water. I took him out deeper and we sat him on the inner-tube we rented as well, but we were right there with him. Depending on what you want to do with your 18-month old, you should be OK without a specific vest, unless you're just wanting to always have some kind of inflatable on him whenever he's around water, which I know is a preference for some folks.

 

[scottie]

To avoid lugging around a life vest, we may just go with the small arm floats that blow up, since we plan to be with him at all times.

 

[jilljill]

I think you have to wear them to swim in the water

You are only required to wear a life vest when snorkeling.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

To avoid lugging around a life vest, we may just go with the small arm floats that blow up, since we plan to be with him at all times.

DD wore floaties on the CC beach and they worked great, we were at her side all the time anyway and they are a lot more comfortable than a life vest.

 

[scottie]

I emailed DCL Friday to ask if they had vests available, and specified other then the ones for snorkeling. They emailed me back today and stated

“On Castaway Cay, life vests can be obtained from Gil's Fins and Boats for no additional charge (subject to availability).”

I believe we are just going to use arm floats but from DCL response it sounds like there may be at least a handful of ones for kids to wear at Castaway Cay.