pool ?? for cruisers with toddlers not yet potty trained

[all4fun]

We're thinking about taking a cruise next year when our ds will be 17 months old. We heard that due to the Norwalk virus, kids who are not yet potty trained will no longer be allowed in the kids pool, even with a swim diaper on.

My question is two-fold:
For those of you who have cruised recently with a small child in this age group (who was not yet potty trained), how did you child handle this situation?

Will a child this age even notice the pool unless it's pointed out to him? (We don't have a pool and don't go to a public one either).

Any info on this subject from cruisers who have experienced this first hand would be great!

Thanks!

 

[sap1227]

We just returned and I have a 21 month old little boy. He did notice the pool, but usually was easily distracted. There is one "ear" of the Mickey Pool that non potty trained kids are allowed to use, it has little fountains instead of standing water. However, beware that there may be bigger kids running over your toddler. This was the only upsetting part of my trip. On Castaway Cay day we spent almost 2 hours on the island and then returned to the pool (this was the only time we used the pool). There was no one (and I mean 0 people) in the pool or the other Mickey "ear", but there was 6 kids in the "ear" we had to use. I would not have cared, except they were all 5-6 year olds (they had on their wrist bands from the clubs, so I knew their ages). They were jumping and rough housing in our little ear. One of the boys pushed my son out of the way when he was trying to touch the water spray. There did not seem to be any adults with these children
But, I was so glad there was some where he could play in the water, he really loved it!! I wish we would have attempted to use it more.

HTH
Christy

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

pool ?? for cruisers with toddlers not yet potty trained

Yes, it's called a toilet...

 

[Griggle]

We went in May with our then 18 month old, and in all honesty, he would have totally disregarded the pool, if it were not for having an older brother that we sat there and watched in the Goofy Pool. Talk about water torture for the little one. Day two we smartened up and DH and I took turns distracting the little one about the ship while the big one was in the pool, and it was no effort at all.

Since it's just the one, I think you'll be fine!

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

When we cruise this October my toddler will be 27 months and should be potty trained we are almost there with no accidents I am hoping to accomplish this by October but if not how was the Mickey ear the toddlers and babies with swim diapers on can use? Except for the older kids running over the little ones did it seem fun for your son? Did he still want to climb in the bigger pool.

Last year it was hard but this year since they have the one ear and my son will be trained I think it will be fine. I am sure the more "current" parents with little ones know to use swim diapers therefore not making the pool and toliet.................sorry about the older kids running over your son.

That is one of my biggest pet peeves the older children roaming without any adult supervision. For goodness sake we are on a cruise ship with the countless possibilties for a child to get in harms way, not our own back yards.

 

[sap1227]

He did not seem to notice the other pools, until the big kids would jump from the ear into the pool. Then he wanted to try that. After about an hour he would not stay in the ear so we left. We went and played ping pong with him and he loved it. Like all battles with toddlers, distraction is everything

Good luck, I bet your child will be fine.

Christy

 

[mariamard]

I bought a tiny little blow up pool for our tiny one. It is one of those 2 foot across pools, 5 inches deep. It is small to put in a shaded corner near the big kids pool, away from traffic. We were going to bring a couple of tub toys to throw in there, too. The pool was packaged in plastic and will fit great in a beach bag for Castaway as well. It cost $3.50 at Wal mart and in the package is smaller than a diaper.

 

[moinab]

How does your DS feel about water? We didn't spend any time at the pool on our cruise with DS, who was almost 3. We tried putting him in the "ear," but he wasn't really interested. If your DS isn't familiar with pools, you very likely will be able to ignore them. There is so much going on all the time, it should be very easy to distract him.

Regarding the older children in the toddler "ear," we simply told them it was a pool for babies, pointed to the sign, and told them (very nicely) they had to get out. If other parents aren't supervising their children, I'm not going sit by and allow them to run roughshod over the little ones.

I posted a trip report on our cruise with our toddler and infant.
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=417172

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

How did you fill the blow up pool up?

Last year my 5 year old spent his whole time in the "larger" area of the pool and my youngest just liked being splashed

This year my youngest should be potty trained sowe should be ok.

I love the picture of your baby asleep on the Cay. My DS slept like a rock on a hammock last year too..............

 

[mariamard]

WE ARE BRINGING A BEACH PAIL AND WE WERE ONLY GOING TO PUT ABOUT 2 OR 3 BUCKETFULLS FROM THE BAR SINK OR RESTROOM IN THERE. JUST ENOUGH FOR HER TO SIT AND SPLASH IN AND PLAY WITH HER TOYS FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AT CASTAWAY, WE WILL DO THE SAME.