"We do not have lifeguards on duty at our pools." says Carnival spokeswoman after boy's drowning...

[cynatnite]

There was no lifeguard on duty on the Carnival cruise ship on which a 6-year-old boy drowned on Sunday.

Qwentyn Hunter, of central Florida, drowned on the Carnival Victory as he played with his 10-year-old brother, the Miami Herald reported.

"We do not have lifeguards on duty at our pools," Carnival spokeswoman Jayme Weber told the Los Angeles Times on Monday morning. "Parental supervision is required for children under 13."

In this case, she said, "there was a parent present at the time of the incident."

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-boy-drowns-carnival-victory-no-lifeguard-20131014,0,3999523.story

I'm pretty shocked by this. It seems that lifeguards would be a no-brainer. Every public pool and beach we've been to has had lifeguards.

I don't know if one present would have saved this boy's life or not. I would like to know their reasoning for not requiring lifeguards at their pools.

[peace13]

1. On the other hand, hotels don't have lifeguards.

Parents are supposed to watch their kids or keep them out of the pool.

[cynatnite]

2. Carnival ships can have thousands of passengers...

A friend told me that their cruise had well over 3,000 people. Nothing like a hotel.

[cali]

4. incorrect. The MGM Grand in Vegas, for instance has over 5,000 rooms

and there are many hotels with over a thousand rooms. Now as to whether or not they have lifeguards, I couldn't say.

[hunter]

13. Last time we stayed at a large Las Vegas hotel there were plenty of lifeguards.

I know because our kids were kids then, acting like kids, and were scolded a few times.

[Xithras]

18. It's up to the hotel. Many don't have them.

Last time I was in Vegas I stayed at Bally's. No lifeguards at their pools.

When I stayed at the Bellagio, there were several on each pool.

Just depends on where you stay. And virtually NONE of the smaller hotels have them. Once you get off the Strip, you're on your own with hotel pools.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Lots of beaches don't have lifeguards.

[KaryninMiami]

5. Many hotels and many beaches do not have lifeguards

There are notifications posted everyone on cruise ships warning that there are no lifeguards and parents are required to be present with children under 13. Cruise ships are not the same as a public pool or a public beach- nor are hotels. This is not the fault of the cruise line. This is a horrible tragic accident that appears to have happened when the parent turned away or was not paying attention closely enough for just a few seconds.

If a child wandered away for a few minutes on a non-lifeguard beach would it be the fault of the city or beach if there was a similar accident? If a child drowns in a hotel pool where there are signs posted everywhere that advise there are no lifeguards and parental supervision is required for children under 13- is the hotel liable? I think not.

[cynatnite]

8. I don't know if this could have been prevented with a lifeguard...

I'm just surprised that a cruise line this large wouldn't have a lifeguard.

It seems to me that it would be a matter of public safety whether it's a large hotel or a cruise ship.

I guess it's proof at how inconsistent we can be when it comes to public safety.

[oldhippie]

10. One could argue that it isn't a matter of public safety .......

A cruise ship, like a hotel, is more like a private venue. When you agree to go on their premises, you agree to certain terms and conditions as to liability. Ever been to a race track? You sign away any rights to liability claims before you get past the gate.

And as an aside, the last cruise I was on (in the Med) the average age of the passengers was 67. There were only two children on board, teenage Romanian royalty of some sort, with their own tutors and security detail. No lifeguards at the pool. (I don't even remember seeing anyone in the pool.) I am sure Carnival cruises are different.

[tazkcmo]

6. Possible reasoning

Maybe they figured parents value their children enough to make sure they don't drown?

[kentauros]

9. I can see that as typical corporate reasoning.

However, parents usually don't have lifeguard training. They aren't watching the pool with the same kind of uninterrupted focus as a lifeguard. They'd be chatting with friends, reading and glancing up from time to time, and not simply staring at their kid to make sure nothing is amiss. They're distracted and thus, not prepared for this kind of event.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. And the bad PR from having a kid drown is something corporate WILL care about.

That's why they'll keep emphasizing that a parent was present when the drowning occurred. That neatly shifts the blame to the parent without tackling the harder question, namely why no lifeguards are employed at their pools. If the cruise ship targets families with children it's a recipe for disaster.

[kentauros]

15. What's even more ridiculous

in comparison, water-parks have lifeguards everywhere! And some of these cruise ships are akin to floating theme parks. Carnival Corp seems intent on killing their reputation entirely these days. And yet people continue to use them.

[Brickbat]

7. Public pools and beaches, sure. Private ones, not so much. Hotels, country clubs,

cruises, so on. It's not uncommon.

[HappyMe]

11. The public beach here doesn't have any life guards.

There are at least 4 'no life guard on duty' signs.

I would think that you would know if your kid is a good swimmer or not. I think one of the parents should have been in the pool right beside the little kid. Carnival shouldn't be responsible just because the parents didn't give a crap.

[William769]

12. Hotel's don't have life guards at their pools

I look at a cruise ship's the same as a hotel's.

[Arugula Latte]

16. I agree lifeguards are needed, but parents also have to take pools very seriously.

I always got in the water with my kids until they were much older than six. You can't be too careful with swimming and kids. Also, I'd heard several stories about kids drowning in public pools within plain sight of many other people -- including lifeguards. Drowning often doesn't look like what people expect.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

[Sheepshank]

17. IF there was a lifeguard present and a kid jumps/falls overboard....

....would the lifeguard be required to also jump overboard?

I can see why it would be easier to follow hotel generalities and not have a guard on duty.

[kentauros]

19. The drowning took place in one of the upper-deck pools,

and not over the side of the ship. I would guess the protocols for an overboard rescue are quite different due to the churned waters from the bow and the following wake. If a person survived all of that, any rescue would likely be only by dingy or other quickly deployed small boat.