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Do cruise ships have swimming pools?

All mainstream and luxury cruise ships have at least one pool; river and expedition ships often do not. In general, cruise lines put their pools on the topmost deck, referred to as the Pool Deck or Lido Deck. (Lido is a 19th-century term meaning a fashionable beach resort.)



Virtually all modern cruise ships are equipped with multiple swimming pools, serving as a central feature of the ship's outdoor leisure and entertainment decks. The number and variety of pools often depend on the ship's size and target demographic. Large "mega-ships" from lines like Royal Caribbean or Carnival often feature four or more pools, including family-friendly main pools, adults-only "Solariums" or "Serenity" areas, and even high-tech "infinity" pools that overlook the ship's wake. Many ships also incorporate dedicated water parks with slides, "FlowRider" surf simulators, and splash pads for children. In addition to standard pools, most vessels offer several heated whirlpools or hot tubs. To accommodate different climates, some ships feature "Magrodome" retractable glass roofs that can cover the pool area during inclement weather or cold-weather itineraries (like Alaska or the Baltics). Water in the pools is either filtered seawater or chlorinated freshwater, and most pools are drained and refilled regularly for hygiene and safety.

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Cruise lines drain their swimming pools at night to discourage guests from trying to enter the pool when it is closed. Draining the swimming pools each night also allows the cruise lines to replace the water with clean water and a drained swimming pool is safer if the weather is rough.

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When do The Swimming Pools Close? On most cruise lines, the swimming pools are open from early morning until the evening. On some cruise lines, you'll find the pools and hot tubs open late into the evening which I particularly enjoy. There's not a lot better than an evening swim beneath the stars!

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Pools are typically small and no deeper than 5 or 6 feet. Diving and jumping is not permitted; you are welcome to swim laps, but each lap will be short, and the pools will likely be crowded at peak hours.

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You might think that pool decks on cruise ships are pretty quiet at night and into the morning, so staying in a cabin just below one is no big deal. But in the case of quite a few ships, you'd be wrong. Pool decks sometimes can be the scene of late-night revelry that's loud enough to carry down to the deck below.

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When a toilet is flushed on a cruise ship, the sewage travels to the onboard treatment plant. Here the waste is filtered before it enters an aeration chamber. The aeration chamber cleans the waste. It is then sterilized using UV light and released into the ocean when clean enough to do so.

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The most astonishing of the pools is sure to be Royal Bay, located starboard on deck 15, which will be the largest pool ever at sea, with 40,000 gallons of splashtastic fun.

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Cruise ship tap water is safe to drink unless you are told otherwise by the ship's authorities. The water throughout the ship has been treated, filtered and frequently tested to meet the standards of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Public Health Service on ships sailing into and out of U.S. ports of call.

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In general, cruise ships provide all of the towels you need. This means that you don't only get bath, hand, and face towels for your cabin, but you'll also be provided with beach towels for both swimming in the pool and swimming on your beach day excursions offshore.

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Cruise ship pools are usually filled with saltwater which has been chemically treated. On some cruise ships, you will find freshwater pools but these are less common. It is possible to have a cruise ship where some pools are fresh and some saltwater, this is very common on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

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A cruise line will usually close their swimming pools, then a little later on, will drain out the water. A net will usually be placed over the top of the swimming pool at this point.

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Private Pools The Amenity: Luxury suites with pools are almost de rigueur on land but a rarity at sea. The duplex Edge Villas on Celebrity's three newest ships (Beyond, Apex, and Edge) come with private, three-foot-deep plunge pools, giving land resorts a rum for their money.

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First of all, cruise ships must dock in water that is at least 25 to 50 feet deep. What factors in here is the draft, which is the measurement of water between the water line and the cruise ship's bottom hull.

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And while some other items in the video also seem fairly obvious, two things that are flushable at home can't be flushed on cruise ships -- wipes and non-cruise-ship toilet paper. A Carnival ship heads out to sea.

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Cabins that are near the ship's anchor You might not know where the anchor is placed on the deck plans, but typically, it is on a lower deck near the front (or forward) of the ship. If you want to ensure a peaceful morning, try to avoid cabins that might be located near the anchor.

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Cruise ships may be huge, but the ocean is much, much bigger. The U-shaped hull of a cruise ship displaces thousands of tons of water, pushing it down and to the sides, but the ship doesn't sink because the density of the water pushes back against the ship, keeping it afloat.

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Light sleepers, take note: The best place to be if you want the best chance of not being bothered by noise is a cabin that is surrounded by other cabins. This means a cabin that has a cabin directly above it and a cabin directly below it, as well cabins on both sides.

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