Lifeguards on the Disney Cruise Line Ships

Lifeguards on the Disney Cruise Line Ships

 I’ve been reading on other blogs and Disney fan sites about lifeguards being added on the DCL ships. I decided instead of depending on other people’s reports about the lifeguards on this or that ship at this or that pool I would call DCL Media Relations to get the scoop. So here is what DCL is officially saying.

“At Disney CL we continually evaluate our practices and make changes as necessary and have added life guards on the Family Pools on the Magic & Dream and will have them on the Wonder and Fantasy by Mid-November.”

So from that statement and the conversation I had with the representative the information I have is there are lifeguards at the Goofy and Donald Family Pools on the Magic and Dream right now. Within the next couple of weeks Goofy and Donald Family Pools on the Wonder and Fantasy will also have lifeguards. Lifeguards will be stationed at the pools during the posted operating hours of the pool and the hours have not been changed. All other existing Pool Rules still apply.

Why the change? I believe the changes are because 1 children drowned and another nearly drowned in Disney pools at the beginning of this year. One died at the Pop Century Resort at WDW and the other near drowning was on the Disney Fantasy. One child died the other child has brain damage but is progressing. The final outcome is not really know for the little boy that was a near-drowning in the Fantasy Donald Pool before the ship left Port Canaveral. One child drown on a different cruise line in the ships pool recently as well.

Here are my opinions on the pros and cons of lifeguards at the pools

Here are the pros to having lifeguards at the pools.

·        If something happens there is a trained crew member there to deal with the situation.

·        There is someone there to control the natural and normal craziness that happens when kids get into a pool, rules will be enforced.

·        Children will not be allowed into the pools without adult supervision.

Here are the cons to having lifeguards at the pools.

·        It is one less crew member to do other necessary things on the ship. There is only so many spots for crew members on the ship. They can’t go home after their shift so they are boarded on the ship.

·        Possible added cost that will be passed onto the guests.

·        Lifeguards give a false sense of safety. Parents who might have otherwise watched their children like hawks may relax thinking the lifeguard will see anything and everything that happens. I think this is the biggest problem.

Lifeguard or no lifeguard your and your child’s safety is your responsibility. Only you know if you or your child is ready for the deep water of the Family Pool. Only you can tell if your or your child is getting too tired to be safe in the water. The lifeguard has all the people in the pool to watch and can be looking away at the moment tragedy strikes. You, as a parent have just your children to watch. You will have a better chance of seeing your child is in trouble before the lifeguard, unless you child is being a problem in the pool and has caught the attention of the lifeguard.

Before letting your child into any pool learn CPR, know the signs of drowning and how to swim. You would be surprised to learn that what you see on TV when people are drowning is not what really happens! Check out this links below for the real signs of drowning and a brief idea of CPR. Everybody should know how to do CPR.

CPR Hands Only

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/HandsOnlyCPR/Hands-Only-CPR_UCM_440559_SubHomePage.jsp

Real Signs of Drowning

http://lifehacker.com/5578943/recognize-the-real-signs-of-drowning-and-save-a-life

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