The best on-deck swimming pools out there
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Travel
There are lots of on-deck swimming pools available for cruise travellers now, but which are the best? It's a subjective judgement, of course, but here is our reasoned opinion. Time to pack those swimming shorts...
Enjoy the stars—both in the sky and on screen
If you love watching films, you should definitely consider one of the ships operated by Princess Cruises. This California-based cruise line offers a 'Movies Under the Stars' poolside cinema on almost every single one of its ships, but you should aim to book your journey on either the Royal Princess or Regal Princess ship, as the poolside cinemas on these ships have the largest screens. Whether you opt to take a dip at day or at night, an abundance of cinematic pleasure will be awaiting you.
Bathe like an Egyptian
Want to take a cruise ship journey along the Nile River? Sun Boat III, run by Sanctuary Retreats, is the ship for you. As if the beautiful temples on either side of the river aren't enough feasts for the eye from this ship's deck, you can also relax in 'Cleopatra's Oasis', a pool that is lined with genuine palm trees and also has canopied daybeds. Ability for you to effortlessly look like Elizabeth Taylor not necessarily included.
Not quite a typical theatre outing...
We have already mentioned what on-deck swimming pools film fans should opt for, but what if you prefer action that is live and happening right in front of you? Then go for Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas, each run by Royal Caribbean. These ships each have a pool that, at night, becomes an AquaTheatre where water acrobats, aerial athletes and more perform.
You can barely even see the join
With the pool on MSC Divina, a ship run by MSC Cruises, you won't just feel like you are travelling across the ocean - you will feel like you are actually in the ocean. That's because this Garden Pool, as it is officially called, is so minimalist in design, its infinity edge merging with the sea, and you will even be able to hear familiar sounds of nature coming out of sculptures that line the pool.
In the jungle, the mighty jungle...
Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas has a pool at the centre of its Solarium, the abundant foliage of which makes for a tropical jungle-like environment. As only people aged 16 and over are permitted to use the Solarium, it is ideal for couples, who - thanks to a retractable glass roof - don't even have to fret about the possibility of bad weather ruining the romance of their time in the pool.
