Soccer balls on ship or Castaway Cay

[Tinknalli]

DD plays club soccer and trains year round. She likes to get in 2000 touches a day and will be missing training and games while we are on the cruise. It's fine with me if she doesn't touch a ball on vacation, but if she feels the need to get some touches are balls available on the Fantasy or Castaway Cay? Is it acceptable for her to take a small area in the corner of the sports deck for this purpose or is it more organized/group games that go on there? Anyone bring their own deflated ball and pump in their checked luggage and was it a problem? I see the prohibited items lists sporting goods but then goes on to list bats, fishing poles, ski poles, pool sticks etc and makes no mention of balls at all.

 

[lanejudy]

This is what the DCL site indicates as prohibited:

Sporting equipment (i.e., baseball and cricket bats, hockey and lacrosse sticks, pool cues, ski poles, fishing gear and archery equipment.)


I would consider a soccer ball to be "sporting equipment." And I definitely expect DCL would not allow it to be used onboard should she managed to bring one with her (and not have it confiscated at port). I doubt it would be allowed at Castaway Cay, either, due to liability and risk of injury to other passengers should the ball go astray. I know it sounds like she simply wants to keep it well under control, but the rules are there for everyone and they really shouldn't be expected to make exceptions.

Could she substitute a balled up towel or something to practice her "touches" without using a real ball?

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[rentayenta]

The way I read the restrictions, I don't see a ban on balls. It seems like more stick like equipment. I say take her cheapest ball and if its not allowed, they'll take it but I think you can get it back. You'd think if there were no balls allowed they'd put sports balls or something of that sort. Easy to encompass but they don't list any sort of balls.

DS also plays comp year round.

 

[lbgraves]

Definitely keep it confined to the sports area on the top deck to prevent it from possibly going overboard on the ship. There are times on the new ships when no one is permitted on the sports deck due to the noise heard in Palo during meals there. They have volleyball on CC, so it's possible she would be able to work with some sort of ball there. I'm not familiar with the new teen area. You don't say how old your DD is to know if she would be able to be in that area. The family beach is definitely too crowded to do anything with a soccer ball there.

 

[SZ2016]

The last time we were on the Wonder they had half the sports court set up as with goals and soccer balls, my brother and I played every night after late seating dinner. Not sure if this is on any other ship as when we were on the Magic the year before it was only basketball.

 

[gatorfreud]

When we were on CC they had a beach soccer game in the kids club there, complete with goals! My boys were all over that! So I am guessing they have balls there at least in the kids club area and may let her play even it's not the scheduled activity.

Kim

 

[Tinknalli]

Thank-you all. She is 12 so no teen beach. She would only need a 5x5 area so I don't think it will be a problem finding spot on Castaway Cay that is off the beaten path. Sounds like there should be balls on the ship and island if we ask. The worst they can say is no if we ask. And, like I said it's OK if she doesn't touch a ball. We will be on vacation! She is just super driven and who knows what her coaches will tell her about their expectations while she is away.

 

[geoly1]

Hi! I have two soccer obsessed kids too...on the dream I signed them up on the sports deck to kick penalty goals on goofy (animated of course!) there is a charge ..& I can't remember like $30 or $40? It is (or was) over by the mini golf. It is all closed in and maybe when it is not in use she could practice in there? They might tell you no before you get on the ship but once on board CMs have a hard time saying no to anyone lol! Also, my son played beach soccer on Castaway...most of the day!

 

[Prose]

I definitely remember kids on the sports deck playing soccer on Tracy Arm day on the Wonder.

DD plays rec soccer, and she loved the sports simulator on the Fantasy. Not the same as working on foot skills, but she got the chance to kick some goals and have fun.

 

[fumipappa]

There was no soccer activity on deck of Fantasy 2wks ago. I remember Magic/Wonder had it but they used soft sponge like balls. So it was not real soccer balls. At Castaway, there was a beach soccer field, so all my daughters played at there. At there, they used real soccer ball, size 5

 

[jana616]

I just wanted to add that if you try to bring your own ball and pump, put the pump in your carry on bag if you are flying. We brought tons of balls to Ethiopia a few years ago and something about the pressure changes in the cargo area ruined our pump. Next trip we carried it on and it worked just fine. Random, I know, but I thought I'd share (I have a soccer obsessed kid-and husband-too!)

 

[Tinknalli]

Where were the soccer games on Castaway Cay? We didn't run into it last time and didn't know to look for it. Might be fun for her to get into a game with other kids. Thinking we might just put a size 1 skill ball in her carryon in case a size 5 is not available on board. Again, thanks all for the input.

 

[gatorfreud]

When my kids played in was in the kids club - Scuttles cove I think it's called right?

 

[fumipappa]

Where were the soccer games on Castaway Cay? We didn't run into it last time and didn't know to look for it. Might be fun for her to get into a game with other kids. Thinking we might just put a size 1 skill ball in her carryon in case a size 5 is not available on board. Again, thanks all for the input.

Behind bike rental, there are beach volleyball court and beach soccer field.
Balls were on the ground when we were there 2wks ago. We went there as Navigator indicated there would be soccer game organized. However, there was no CM to organize any. Kids, mainly boys/teen were there, my daughters(14,12, and 9) and my friends' daughters(15 and 13) played with them.
(I also played)