Passengers are starting to fight back when it comes to hot tub etiquette on cruises.
Hot tub and whirlpools are a key feature on many ships, offering a space to relax with views of the sea or latest port.
You will often find several around a ship’s pool deck. But the view – and the peace – can sometimes be ruined by children splashing around in the facilities.
A survey by cruise blogger Cruise Mummy found 66 per cent of cruise passengers believe children should be banned from using hot tubs on cruise ships.
The poll, conducted via the site’s Facebook community, asked cruise guests whether they felt children should be allowed in hot tubs – and a clear majority said no.
The reasons ranged from safety concerns to hygiene, overcrowding and behaviour.
Read more: The best family-friendly cruise lines
One respondent commented that “their bodies are not mature enough to regulate heat.” Another described how “there are way too many kids playing in the hot tubs, jumping and splashing – not what hot tubs are for.”
Another guest said they often “can’t get near a hot tub because there are 25 kids in there almost constantly.”
Other passengers raised concerns about hygiene, describing kids putting their faces underwater.
Not everyone agreed, though.
One cruiser said: “Kids are people too and should be able to have fun and be respectful at the same time.” Another pointed out that their daughter “behaves and chats with other cruisers” and shouldn’t miss out just because of her age.
Cruise lines do often have minimum age limits on who can use their hot tubs but some passengers feel that these aren’t enforced, especially in adult-only areas.
Hot tubs can, of course, also get crowded on adult-only ships where there could be issues with loud and drunk behaviour.
Cruise Mummy founder Jenni Fielding said: “I think kids should be allowed in the hot tubs, as long as they’re behaving properly and supervised by adults.
“But there also needs to be space for adults to unwind – either in designated adult-only hot tubs or during specific kid-free times.”
Read more: The best adult-only cruises
