What is the obsession with the pools?

[puffkin]

I will be cruising for the first time in a little over the week. I feel from reading these boards and the passporter that I am pretty well prepared. However, the one thing I do not understand is the obsession everyone has with the pools! For instance, the number reason I have found to stay on the ship on Nassau day is the uncrowded pool. The pools look tiny (I know they are large by cruise industry standards) and except for the Mickey slide, they don't seem to have a whole lot going on. So, what am I missing? Thanks in advance, just curious.

 

[jkovick]

Honestly, I didn't think the pools were anything to get excited about. They are small and crowded. You could "dip" in them but not really swim or anything.

 

[DCLADDICT]

I PERSONALLY DON'T GO ON CRUISES TO SWIM IN A POOL. THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS CROWDED, AND I GUESS IF YOU ARE FROM AN AREA WHERE FOLKS JUST DON'T HAVE POOLS OR ACCESS TO SWIMMING, IT IS A BIG DEAL. I WOULD RATHER SPEND TIME DOING THINGS I WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO AT HOME OR EVEN IN MY AREA. I LIVE ON THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SO WATER IS EASY TO COME BY, SO I DO LIKE TO SNORKEL WHEN I CRUISE, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT THAN IN OUR AREA OF THE GULF COAST. JUST MY OPINION.

 

[PenskeSth1]

I think our DS(5) at the time last Nov. Got in the Mickey pool one time, and that was only for about 1/2 hour. We have a pool in the back yard, so like others we did not go on the cruise to enjoy the pools. They were crowded every time we went by. JMO

 

[disneyholic family]

on our 3 day cruise, 2 years ago, we never got near the pools....as everyone said, they're tiny and what's the point?..
we don't feel as if we missed anything...there's too much else to do on the ship anyway....

we don't plan on going near them this time around either (the 4 day)...

 

[mickeyboat]

We live in VT, we cruised in March. Nothing better than leaving the winter behind, enjoying being outside and watching the kids swim in the pool! That being said, they were crowded and I enjoyed the beaches much more!

Denae

 

[ADisneygirl]

I've got to agree with all the posters here -- the pools are tiny and crowded. In fact, we were surprised how tiny that Mickey slide pool was for the number of people onboard. We found so much to do on our two cruises we've been on that the pools didn't matter. We never even went in them. (the adult only pool was the least crowded, but no bigger than an average backyard pool)

 

[Jestocost]

I personally agree with the posters here that the pools are nothing to get excited about, but my kids (DD10, DS6) are a different story. ANY type of swimming--whether in fancy pool or just a large bucket--seems to hold endless fascination. They LOVED the pools on the Wonder and wanted to spend all of our free time there. Fortunately, we were able to keep that to a couple of hours a day (more on the day at sea, less on CC day). As a result, DW and I had to be there too. C'est la vie.

 

[maryisme]

Originally posted by Jestocost
I personally agree with the posters here that the pools are nothing to get excited about, but my kids (DD10, DS6) are a different story. ANY type of swimming--whether in fancy pool or just a large bucket--seems to hold endless fascination. They LOVED the pools on the Wonder and wanted to spend all of our free time there.

We are right there with you!!

Mary

 

[drdelsol]

I'm not a big fan of the ship's pools or the ones at the resorts for that matter. I want to do other things as others have said and don't really want to share that little of water with that many people I don't know

 

[jrabbit]

For the people with very small children (3yo and younger) the Mickey pool is about the only activity there is for that age group.

Kids generally are facinated by pools - I know mine are - every hotel we go to they HAVE to go swimming.

I'm glad that there are a lot of people spending a lot of time up in the pool areas - that leaves more room in the activities that I want to participate in during the day.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jrabbit
For the people with very small children (3yo and younger) the Mickey pool is about the only activity there is for that age group.

Its even worse for kids that age...unless they are potty trained they have that one small ear that they can sit it. People were taking -or rather tring to take- the little ones into the pool and the CM would be right there telling them that they had to keep the little ones in the one ear of the pool. Personally I like the idea that non potty trained kids are not in the pool with the others but boy would my daughter have given me a problem at 2 1/2 if I had tried to confine her to that one ear. I would have just not taken her up by the pools at all at that age since she wasn't potty trained, it would have been easier for me!

 

[crisi]

When you have a cruise line that really appeals to families - and families with kids in the prime swim age, pools are going to be a big deal.

And the Mickey Pool is pretty cool for a certain age - and not just the under threes. The 3 to 6 (or maybe 7) who can't stand in a deep pool seem to love it there as well. Our community center has a zero entry depth pool, but for kids whose experience to date has been the average kiddie pool - the Mickey Pool is huge and wonderful!

The other thing about the pools is that they are made additionally crowded by the deck chairs, the beverage station, the bars, the fast food options, and the proximity to Topsiders. Even if you don't plan on swimming, chances are pretty good you'll need to spend time near the pool every day. If you are going to lounge outside in the sun, you are likely to be near a pool (there are other spots, but deck 9 and deck 10 overlooking the pools are deck chair central). So sometimes when people talk pool, they aren't necessarily talking about being IN the water.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

Originally posted by Jestocost
I personally agree with the posters here that the pools are nothing to get excited about, but my kids (DD10, DS6) are a different story. ANY type of swimming--whether in fancy pool or just a large bucket--seems to hold endless fascination. They LOVED the pools on the Wonder and wanted to spend all of our free time there. Fortunately, we were able to keep that to a couple of hours a day (more on the day at sea, less on CC day). As a result, DW and I had to be there too. C'est la vie.

My grandkids love pools too ... any kind ... at the theme parks we have to take a mid-afternoon break so they can go back to the resort to swim ... so I'm sure we're going to spend some time hanging out at the pools.

 

[westjones]

Our kids love the pools, so we go for them. We don't try to get the chairs by the pools, we usually get a table in the shade near the pool and our kids know where we are so they can come get us if they need us (we have twin 10 year olds). I leave the chairs by the pool for the parents with younger children.

DH enjoy sitting up on deck snacking on pizza or ice cream and just talking while the kids swim. They usually only go for an hour a day, but they do enjoy it.

They were SO excited to hear that that 10-12 year old group gets to have a private pool party one night on the cruise (I think they only do this on the 4 and 7 night cruises, last year on the 3 night I don't remember them doing this). That should be a lot of fun for them.

Their FAVORITE pool time is when we get on the ship. We do not go to lunch, we go straight for the pool (swim suits under their clothes). They were the first ones in last year. Then DH and I get pizza for lunch. There will be plenty more buffets through out the cruise and honestly this is the ONLY time the pools are not crowded.

DJ

 

[SweetSpot]

It always surprised me when people say don't pack too much because you'll be in you bathing suit most days because we never considered the pool a desirable activity. I think that if you have little kids you really don't have any other option though. Unless the kids love the clubs there isn't much else for the really little ones to do to keep busy during the day and water is a huge draw.

We have the kids wear their bathing suits and head for the pool right after lunch the first day when the pools are clean and empty. My DD8 went in for a couple hours on a rainy day last year because the pools were fairly empty but otherwise I think they are too small with too many people in them to be safe and clean enough to enjoy especially on sea days. The first day with the pool to themselves seemed to be enough for them.

Westjones: My DS's loved the nighttime party at the pool, it was one of the things they looked most forward to. The club kids had pizza and the pool to themselves. Your kids will love it.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Those pools scare me. I don't like having to climb DOWN into a pool. I know, I am strange. We have yet to even dip a toe in any of the DCL pools.

 

[Dreamer04]

My DD 6 loves the Mickey pool and slide! We live in a seaside community and we own a pool. That has zero effect on her desire for the Mickey pool!

I love it because it is shallow enough to satisfy me and deep enought to entertain her.

Personally, I don't care for the pools and I have not yet tried the adult pool. Just not interested, I guess. I spend my time watching my DD, reading, eating and sleeping.

I can't wait!!!

 

[Mr. Bill]

The Mickey pool was addictive to my eight-year-old granddaughter. She has a pool where she lives and I have a pool at my house (she uses it more than anyone) and her main interest on the ship was the Mickey pool! She even asked to leave the beach early so she could get in the pool before dinner.

The slide plus the interaction with other children her age, I think that was the attraction.

Bill

 

[Crazy8]

THe people with the little tikes are probably the ones excited about the pools. Also, i personally did not find nassua to be anything real "exciting". However, if you are one serious shopper (see the show the 1st day of the cruise.. you get some good discounts) then you will more than likely want to be off the ship early to hit all the good stores. The pools arent anything great, so dont stay on the ship just to swim... but its a nice bonus for the extreme sun. Have fun! hope all goes well for you.... I WANNA GO BACK!!