I just booked a cruise for this fall, and as luck would have it.........it has an ice rink. Has anyone ever skated on a cruise ship rink? I'm planning to take my skates, and hoping the available ice time doesn't conflict with sightseeing.

Ah, going on RC's Voyager class ship, huh? My husband and I went on Voyager BEFORE I started skating. We were amazed at what the show skaters could do on that tiny surface. It's about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of a normal rink, but hey, it's ice, right?

I have never skated on one, but a girl from my area was in an ice show on a cruise ship. I remember that she had to go to a special place where they practiced on a rink that slowly rocked from side to side so they could get used to skating on a surface that was constantly in some sort of motion.

I never asked her how it went, so can't tell you any more about it -- it made me a little nervous to think of me skating on that type of rink, however.

BUT, maybe it's okay -- anyone else?

I did ... the ice surface is really small. I didn't want to pack my skates, so I used rentals and the blades were really dull, so I couldn't do much.

How often is the ice surface available for guests to skate on?

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

Hey, I'm going on a Royal Carribean cruise in late August. I can't remember the name of the ship offhand, but it definitely has a rink. I recently spoke to another skater who went on such a cruise. She confirmed that the rink is really small, but they had a freestyle session with just her on the ice in the mornings. One question- do travelers still have to check in luggage containing ice skates, or can we now carry them onto the plane? I would hate to have my skates lost on a trip!

Yes, so far you still check them. You could call the airline, though, to confirm.

Don't even bother to try to carry skates on-board an airplane unless you have special connections with an airline representative. You will just have to go back down to the ticket counter to check the bag after you have gone all the way through a security line. You are better off to pack the skates well in a secure bag and check them in the first place.

As for skating on a cruise ship, we had a friend who did this and, as other have said, she said that the surface was very very small. She had trouble getting up enough speed to do a double jump. But, she also said that the freestyle sessions were very empty.

I figure I'll take my skates and spin! I kind of guessed the rink would be tiny, but what the heck, it's ice.............and I'd rather skate than go to the ship's gym. Hmmmm, wonder how it is to spin with a rocking ship? I'm going on RC Voyager in mid-September.

Of course, last time I skated with sea legs I landed on my head doing my first spin.............and that was off the ship at a real rink. Remember that big bump I managed Chico?

Daughter skated on a RC ship, here's what I remember her saying:
-the ice surface is VERY small.
-the ice feels different from anything she's ever skated on before
-there's one "advanced" session per day (in the mornings). Advanced, she was told by the staff, basically means that you brought your own skates. There are also public sessions daily, times varying based on the ship's schedule.
-she said that the movement of the ship wasn't significant to throw her off, though she could imagine multi-revolution jumps being disrupted by the tilt of the ship. You have to remember that with a boat the size of the RC cruisers, they don't get rocked around all that much.

Do they use real ice, or is it that wierd stuff that has oil on it?

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

I have successfully carried my skates onto the plane on several occasions within the last couple years. It all depends on security at the airport and has nothing to do with the airlines. I'm 3 for 3 at Denver International Airport (my home airport). I've also been successful in San Diego and La Guardia NYC, but unsuccessful at Salt Lake City and Huntsville.

I always let the X-Ray attendant know in advance that I have skates in my bag. They usually give you a strange look , and then ask a supervisor. It's up to the supervisor to decide. If they say no, you will have to go back to the ticket counter to check them in, so allow plenty of time and pack accordingly!

Hope this helps!

-- Julie

I'm thinking of driving to NJ so I can avoid the losing my skates. The only time I've flown with mine was on 9/15.......immediately after 9/11.........so I figured there was no way they would let them through. I didn't even try.

How do you skate on a rink that moves? It can't be done. You need to be docked. You would fall wouldn't you?

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FSWer

Michigan skater,

=-) I remember. Seems like ages ago.

Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

Nor did we, on 21/09/01! We packed them in our big cases, stuffed with underwear, with the plastic guards on, and right in the middle, so they were well cushioned, and they were fine. I haven't had occasion to fly with them since, but several people have said it is incredibly variable whether you can or can't take them.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I've flown with them a few times recently, but never tried carrying them on. Checking seemed to be the best option. I packed them well, with the skate guards on, plus my fuzzies over the skate guards. I wrapped them up inside a couple of shirts, and cushioned them with the clothes in my suitcase. They arrived fine.

I know several people who FEDEX their skates ahead if they're going to a static address. I don't think this would work for a cruise ship!

I've flown with my skates checked in my luggage several times in the last couple of years and never had a problem with luggage getting lost or the skates being damaged. However, anyone who flies with skates should be prepared for the worst.

If you have a receipt for you boots & blades, have a photocopy with you. (Most airline employees assume that "skates" are way under their $$ limit, so you may have to prove that it's a major claim you're making.)

If not, make sure that somewhere at home you have a photo of your skates, clearly showing any identifying brands (the Riedell or SPTeri logo and the name of the blade). That way you can demonstrate later, using catalogs or printouts of online catalogs, roughly how much they cost. If you have to make a claim for lost or damaged skates, you probably won't have a problem. But in case you get some airline employee who doesn't believe a 150 pound adult could possibly have skates that cost that much, it'll save you a lot of hassle.

Something I was told that you could do was to go through security and such and have them stow your bags when you board.

When I went to NY I was told that I couldn't carry it on, but could take it to the gate and they would load it then rather then having it go through the baggage handling area and such. And when you arrive they unload it and you pick it back up again at the gate, doublecheck however as it may be different depending on who you fly with.

Steven

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