AquaDuck and CC- what to do with my bag (stuff)?

[Syreeta]

I have children aged 5,7 and 8 and am sailing solo. What age do the children have to be to ride the Aquaduck by themselves? My fear is that I will not have any place to put my bag while riding the Aquaduck with the kids. Are there lockers near the pools onboard and on Castaway Kay so we can snorkel?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have children aged 5,7 and 8 and am sailing solo. What age do the children have to be to ride the Aquaduck by themselves? My fear is that I will not have any place to put my bag while riding the Aquaduck with the kids. Are there lockers near the pools onboard and on Castaway Kay so we can snorkel?

There's not really an "age" limit on AquaDuck - more of a height limit:
Minimum height is 42" and you must ride with someone else. To ride alone you must be 54". If the rider is 42", but under the age of 7, he/she must ride with someone at least 14 years old.


There are no lockers, but there are cubbies at the AquaDuck entrance


On Castaway Cay, there are also no lockers. Some venues have a storage box for putting stuff in, if you want. When we snorkel we just keep our stuff together on the beach. But we only bring our KTTW card and ID. My (waterproof) camera stays on my wrist.

 

[DLgal]

Just leave your bag on a chair. No one will take it. Everyone else does this. Same as Castaway. Just don't bring anything expensive or hard to replace. Just bring essentials: sunscreen, goggles, sunglasses, etc. Find a good pair of swim shorts with a pocket and put your room key in there while you swim.

 

[Quellman]

There are a few companies that sell locking beach bags. Kyss is one such company if you are truly concerned.

 

[Syreeta]

Thanks everyone!

 

[cruisingtwins]

They sell these things in aquatica it attaches to any beach chair I'm sure they sell them somewhere else

 

[JW9DVC]

Just leave your bag on a chair. No one will take it. Everyone else does this. Same as Castaway. Just don't bring anything expensive or hard to replace. Just bring essentials: sunscreen, goggles, sunglasses, etc. Find a good pair of swim shorts with a pocket and put your room key in there while you swim.

I would never say someone won't take it. It's quite a possibility as someone could think it's misplaced or "reserving" a chair, which is not allowed. So if it's a prime location, your stuff could get moved by someone wanting to use the chair. Or worse really stolen depending on the type of bag.

Don't let your guard down just because you think it will be fine.

JW

 

[DLgal]

I would never say someone won't take it. It's quite a possibility as someone could think it's misplaced or "reserving" a chair, which is not allowed. So if it's a prime location, your stuff could get moved by someone wanting to use the chair. Or worse really stolen depending on the type of bag.

Don't let your guard down just because you think it will be fine.

JW

Really? On a pool deck of a cruise ship, with shoes underneath and towels, someone is going to take a bag because they think it was misplaced or being used to "reserve" a chair? Isn't that what the chairs are FOR???? For holding all your stuff while you actually are in the water? We have been on several cruises and stayed at resorts all over the place. None of my stuff has ever disappeared. I wouldn't be foolish enough to assume it never will, but odds are in your favor on this one. No one will take stuff off a chair that makes it very obvious that the owners are nearby.

 

[JW9DVC]

Really? On a pool deck of a cruise ship, with shoes underneath and towels, someone is going to take a bag because they think it was misplaced or being used to "reserve" a chair? Isn't that what the chairs are FOR???? For holding all your stuff while you actually are in the water? We have been on several cruises and stayed at resorts all over the place. None of my stuff has ever disappeared. I wouldn't be foolish enough to assume it never will, but odds are in your favor on this one. No one will take stuff off a chair that makes it very obvious that the owners are nearby.

Well, the chair police just may on castaway. Just be forewarned. It has happened.

JW

 

[NC DCL fans]

I would second the vote for the Kyss bag. A determined thief could break into it, but it does prevent someone from just reaching in and taking something quickly and with no effort. Its just a deterrent to a thief, but it might be enough if there are lots of other families around. We lock our kyss bag closed and to our beach chair frame, and leave as many of our valuable as possible back in our room safe. There is at least one thread on this board about a family who had their expensive camera (with all their vacation photos on it) taken off the beach chair at castaway Cay...) so unfortunately it does happen. Take reasonable precautions, then go have a fun cruise!

 

[C6PT7]

Really? On a pool deck of a cruise ship, with shoes underneath and towels, someone is going to take a bag because they think it was misplaced or being used to "reserve" a chair? Isn't that what the chairs are FOR???? For holding all your stuff while you actually are in the water? We have been on several cruises and stayed at resorts all over the place. None of my stuff has ever disappeared. I wouldn't be foolish enough to assume it never will, but odds are in your favor on this one. No one will take stuff off a chair that makes it very obvious that the owners are nearby.

I would say no. The chairs are for sitting or laying on. Not personal belongings storage apparatus.
Yes you can leave your stuff on the chairs, but if you vacate them for longer than is a reasonable amount of time to go use the pool, buffet, stand in line for some activity then you run the risk of someone else moving your stuff or a staff member removing them and storing them. I think 30 minutes is a reasonable and realistic time.
If you know you are going to be standing in a line for the aqueduct or dunk or going for a leisurely lunch at the buffet for 45 mins to an hour or to go use the spa steam room or showers then as a show of courtesy to your fellow cruisers you should place them on the deck floor in a corner, or take your belongings back to your cabin. If you are watching your kids in the pool and want to sit at the edge there is no reason you cannot bring your and their belongings with you and not tie up a chair or chairs others could be enjoying.
Your cabin is not that far away, like at a resort. it only takes 6-8 minutes max to return and dump your stuff if you don't want to leave them unattended and unsupervised. And if you plan a time to go it will make your life easier to prepare.

 

[DLgal]

I would say no. The chairs are for sitting or laying on. Not personal belongings storage apparatus.
Yes you can leave your stuff on the chairs, but if you vacate them for longer than is a reasonable amount of time to go use the pool, buffet, stand in line for some activity then you run the risk of someone else moving your stuff or a staff member removing them and storing them. I think 30 minutes is a reasonable and realistic time.
If you know you are going to be standing in a line for the aqueduct or dunk or going for a leisurely lunch at the buffet for 45 mins to an hour or to go use the spa steam room or showers then as a show of courtesy to your fellow cruisers you should place them on the deck floor in a corner, or take your belongings back to your cabin. If you are watching your kids in the pool and want to sit at the edge there is no reason you cannot bring your and their belongings with you and not tie up a chair or chairs others could be enjoying.
Your cabin is not that far away, like at a resort. it only takes 6-8 minutes max to return and dump your stuff if you don't want to leave them unattended and unsupervised. And if you plan a time to go it will make your life easier to prepare.

Well, I only use chairs while I am actively at the pool. Going to the buffet, or elsewhere on the ship, we take our stuff with us.

It is ridiculous to suggest that people bring everything with them to sit at the edge of the pool rather than "use up" a chair. Are you serious??? So, I should bring 4 pairs of shoes, 4 towels, and a bag and place them at the edge of the pool while I'm in it? Um...no. Not happening and I have never seen anyone do that.

I am fairly certain that the majority of people who are "at" the pool deck spend some time sitting in the chair and some time doing other pool related stuff.

We are not talking about leaving a book, or a single towel, on a chair for hours here. Totally different.

I am not about to place my belongings on the ground of a pool deck. Everything would get wet.

 

[C6PT7]

Well, I only use chairs while I am actively at the pool. Going to the buffet, or elsewhere on the ship, we take our stuff with us.

It is ridiculous to suggest that people bring everything with them to sit at the edge of the pool rather than "use up" a chair. Are you serious??? So, I should bring 4 pairs of shoes, 4 towels, and a bag and place them at the edge of the pool while I'm in it? Um...no. Not happening and I have never seen anyone do that.

I am fairly certain that the majority of people who are "at" the pool deck spend some time sitting in the chair and some time doing other pool related stuff.

We are not talking about leaving a book, or a single towel, on a chair for hours here. Totally different.

I am not about to place my belongings on the ground of a pool deck. Everything would get wet.

I did not say you should place them at the edge of the pool where they could get wet.
What I did say was "If you are watching your kids in the pool and want to sit at the edge there is no reason you cannot bring your and their belongings with you and not tie up a chair or chairs others could be enjoying."
Also
"you should place them on the deck floor in a corner, or take your belongings back to your cabin."
I DID say in a corner. And yes you are unnecessarily "using up" a chair someone else could be using.

As ridiculous as it is to you, it is also ridiculous to me for you to assume you own that chair or chairs?
"Well, I only use chairs while I am actively at the pool."
"use up" a chair." Chair or chairs.
You could easily put all of your belongings in a pile on the floor in the back section of loungers away from the water and they would be equally as safe as on any lounger on the pool deck.
Yes you wouldn't have YOUR lounger/s to come back to, but they would still be equally taken care of.

You could also use a bag that is waterproof if you're that concerned.

I did give a caveat of " I think 30 minutes is a reasonable and realistic time."
If you disagree with that, then I disagree with you.

 

[C6PT7]

@DLgal, I will not say you appreciate how sparse and coveted loungers can be, however your attitude and statement does indicate you think other wise.

 

[Flossbolna]

I just wish there were other places to store my stuff while I am in the pool. A wall with cubicles, sleep slightly larger than those for the Aqua Duck that you can see on PrincessShmoo's picture would be perfect. While not everyone might want to use it, I am sure some would and it can then free up some chairs.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Once I have a lounger or table,, I keep my bag there, with iphone and iPad and books and keys all day. If I get up for lunch, I bring it back. Can't imagine why I would move it around all day. We have been on lots of cruises. Never had a problem

 

[luvpooh]

I'm also puzzled why I would pack up my stuff and put it in a corner(?) of the floor if I am in the pool. Whenever I have encountered chair saver issues, it's been that people take up a chaise lounger at a very early hour of the day with, say, a towel or a flip flop, go elsewhere on the ship or at the resort, then come back later in the day to use the pool area. I would never assume that if I were taking my son into the pool I would forfeit my chair. If that were the case, they would have storage lockers poolside.

 

[Billinaz]

If there is not a human body in a chair for greater than 30 minutes, then any property left on it should be removed and stored. This is especially true for the people I have seen come out on deck at 6 or so and put one shoe on one chair, one shoe on another, and towels and bags on yet others. The chairs remained that way for many hours. I can only guess the person went to breakfast and other things.

These are the people who cause the problems. When I see this happen, I usually put the items on the towel bin and tell a CM that the items should be in the lost and found.

 

[C6PT7]

The reason I would think there aren't cubbies provided for everyone to use is the sheer number that would be needed and the space required.
Say even if only 50% of cabins use them, on the magic class thats 437 cubbies or on the dream class thats 625 cubbies. Shmoo's picture illustrates how much space is taken by just 15 cubbies.
Where could all of that space be reclaimed from? The only place I can think of is the glass walls of the pool deck and I'm sure no one would want them covered up?
Personally I am of the opinion if you are not going to use your chair or lounger for 30 minutes or longer you should vacate it for someone else to use and find a new one when you are ready to sit down again from what is available.
They are shared chairs so no one is forfeiting their chair, as when they aren't using it is available for the next person to use. dcl ask no seat saving. They should not have to staff to enforce that, common decency should dictate that you follow that rule for your own benefit when you want a chair and for the person looking for one who sits in the chair you just vacated for a break of 30 minutes or more.

 

[FindMeAFishingSpot]

Here's what we do...usually by the time we get up to the pool deck, there are no chairs to be found. I have one bag (a KYSS bag). We head over to an open table, take off shoes, bathing suit cover ups, etc and for me, my leg braces. I find as safe a spot as I can for the bag and shoes near the rail. I found a great spot under the Mickey Slide on the Dream last time that was out of everyone's way but relatively safe). I then hobble my way over to the pool (often burning the bottom of my feet since I can't use water shoes or flip flops with my feet that don't work quite right). I then sit on the side of the pool while DS plays and then hobble back over, find a new table and put everything back on. This way, I don't take up a lounger (as my intention is to keep an eye on DS, not enjoy the rays while reading my kindle - maybe when he's older!).