Reserve time at the family pool???

[Uncleromulus]

Saw this on the Disney Navigator site. Please tell me it does not mean you have to reserve a time to get in the pool-----

 

[BadPinkTink]

Saw this on the Disney Navigator site. Please tell me it does not mean you have to reserve a time to get in the pool-----

Yes. At the moment it is for the UK sailings. There is a virtual queue for the pool area, AquaLab and Aqudunk on The Magic. But its very likely that they will keep the same system for the The Dream test sailing and when USA sailings resume.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Saw this on the Disney Navigator site. Please tell me it does not mean you have to reserve a time to get in the pool-----

It's a likely addition as a way to control crowds when cruises restart.

 

[Quellman]

Honestly, a pool that has reduced number of people might be the only way I would ever use it.

 

[BadPinkTink]

What will happen on the UK cruises for the pool deck is that you join the virtual queue and get a notification when your time becomes available. You can stay as long as you like, but once you leave the pool area you will have to rejoin the virtual queue.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Given that the family pool could double as a tea saucer, reserving time is the only hope of not having people soup.

 

[HiStitch626]

I know people are concerned about this, but I’m not sure it will end up being that big of a deal. We never go to the family pool area, unless we are going to one of the quick service food places. I’m sure there are others like us. I think this policy will also prevent situations where people go up at 6 AM and put towels down on loungers that they don’t intend to use for hours after just so they have a “reserved “ space. With this policy, everyone who wants to go to the pool will have a reserved space they might just need to wait a little while. It will be interesting to hear the reports of how the process works on the UK sailings, especially because all of the days are at sea. They have done similar things with the resort pools at WDW since reopening, and most of the reports have been that the policy is just fine.

 

[Uncleromulus]

So--a tour in Falmouth or your scheduled 20 minutes in the pool?? This is ridiculous. People should be able to get in the pool on their own schedule.

 

[Uncleromulus]

What will happen on the UK cruises for the pool deck is that you join the virtual queue and get a notification when your time becomes available. You can stay as long as you like, but once you leave the pool area you will have to rejoin the virtual queue.

Insane---

 

[Uncleromulus]

Honestly, a pool that has reduced number of people might be the only way I would ever use it.

If you can get the right time!!!

 

[jrapps]

So--a tour in Falmouth or your scheduled 20 minutes in the pool?? This is ridiculous. People should be able to get in the pool on their own schedule.

I agree that it sounds like a PITA, but let's be realistic here...anyone who is CHOOSING to go on a cruise ship while there is still a global pandemic going on and gets upset when there are changes (yes uncomfortable one's) to ensure a safe sailing, quite frankly isn't ready to get on a cruise ship.

You can complain about changes. You can choose to sail. But please don't sail AND complain about the changes. That just makes you look entitled.

 

[BadPinkTink]

So--a tour in Falmouth or your scheduled 20 minutes in the pool?? This is ridiculous. People should be able to get in the pool on their own schedule.

For the UK cruises, there are no port excursions, all the sailings are closed loop cruises to no where. The UK and Europe don't have the same laws about cruises to no where that USA has.

 

[hubbard53]

HAH! No thanks!

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

I agree that it sounds like a PITA, but let's be realistic here...anyone who is CHOOSING to go on a cruise ship while there is still a global pandemic going on and gets upset when there are changes (yes uncomfortable one's) to ensure a safe sailing, quite frankly isn't ready to get on a cruise ship.

You can complain about changes. You can choose to sail. But please don't sail AND complain about the changes. That just makes you look entitled.

Couldn't have said it better myself! I would happily reserve time in the pool if I knew it offered a limited amount of people/more space.

 

[Cheburashka]

I agree that it sounds like a PITA, but let's be realistic here...anyone who is CHOOSING to go on a cruise ship while there is still a global pandemic going on and gets upset when there are changes (yes uncomfortable one's) to ensure a safe sailing, quite frankly isn't ready to get on a cruise ship.

You can complain about changes. You can choose to sail. But please don't sail AND complain about the changes. That just makes you look entitled.

I completely disagree. Imo if you pay for the cruise, you have the right to complain about problems with it. The fact that Covid still exists doesn't take away the right to give a free and honest opinion.

 

[Cheburashka]

Couldn't have said it better myself! I would happily reserve time in the pool if I knew it offered a limited amount of people/more space.

Until it rains throughout your reserved time, and then the sun comes out right after your reserved time is over.

 

[Cheburashka]

What will happen on the UK cruises for the pool deck is that you join the virtual queue and get a notification when your time becomes available. You can stay as long as you like, but once you leave the pool area you will have to rejoin the virtual queue.

What is the priority system for reserving times? Concierge, then platinum, then gold, etc.?

 

[BadPinkTink]

What is the priority system for reserving times? Concierge, then platinum, then gold, etc.?

We don't know yet, as the first sailing is on July 15th. I would guess no priority system, just first come first served

 

[HiStitch626]

Until it rains throughout your reserved time, and then the sun comes out right after your reserved time is over.

If it works the way it has at the resorts, and in the way it will for the UK sailings as shared by @BadPinkTink, there will not be a reserved amount of time. When you want to go to the pool, it may be available right away and you just go. At some point the pool might reach capacity and then you would add your family to the queue and would be called when space is available. Once you are at your pool space, you may stay as long as you like, but if you leave the pool deck, you would have to queue up to return. Now, before someone says "what if I need to go to the bathroom, get a slice of pizza, get a book from my stateroom", these would be handled in time increments just as they are at the resorts. A 5 minute trip to the bathroom or your stateroom, no problem. Going to sit-down lunch at Cabanas? You will need to check the queue.

In our experience, this type of process has worked very well at the resorts. There is distance between groups of loungers so you are more spaced from people that are not your party. Once you have your space, there won't be anyone just lurking and waiting for you to go to the bathroom so they can move your things and say they thought you left. And, if you are a family that likes to go to the pool first thing, all of the loungers won't be "reserved" with towels.

 

[kathi]

What about having to pre-book free on-board activities? Like trivia, crafts, towel folding, etc. I think that is also part of it. If everything has to be pre-scheduled, it really defeats the purpose of a cruise (at least for us).