Nieuw Amsterdam lido cabanas

Since the Dive-in restaurant seems to be quite popular, I was wondering if the area around the cabana closest to the Dive-in gets very congested and chaotic

It can be at times -- especially for the first couple of cabanas near the Dive-In.

The congestion is a little better now that they issue pagers. You can order, and then grab a table or a drink while you wait. However, a lot of fun just stand around in a bunch with their pagers.

We stayed in a lido cabana last year and were assigned one in the middle. If you've booked one I would request a fan to cool the cabana. I found it very stuffy in there and could not sit there very long. I requested a fan each day from the member of staff assigned to look after the cabanas with no luck, however, when I went to reception and told them I wanted to cancel it as it was so hot in there, they organised a fan and somewhere to plug the fan into. If you find it hot don't accept that they cannot do anything about it because they can and did albeit it was the last day of a 12 night cruise.

We booked a retreat Cabana on our last cruise and thought it was great. I did check out the Lido Cabanas for comparison and I felt like they were less private and too hot and humid for me. [emoji41]

You are right about the Lido cabanas -- there is no way they can get air circulation as the windows behind them can not be open:

While on the Eurodam last year I walked past the lido cabanas while we were docked in some carribean port. I did notice that the cabanas seemed quite warm with the sun hitting the windows behind each cabana.

I am on the fence to book one for next year in Alaska. Only because I can guarantee a table during the day if anyone in the family wants a bite to eat at the Lido or the Dive-In.

We chose to book a large inside cabin and a cabana for the entire week on our Caribbean cruise. I think we would do that again sometime. We loved our Special K cabin and loved having our own spot on deck for the week. The service was great.

Can anyone enlighten me, please. How do you book cabanas? How much are they? Where are the retreat cabanas? I can't even find out on the HAL site. DEC will be our 1st HAL cruise & I'm only taking that to check out the ship for our Everglades to Vancouver cruise in APR. I really like NCL, esp. the JADE. Hope we won't be disappointed.

Can anyone enlighten me, please. How do you book cabanas? How much are they? Where are the retreat cabanas? I can't even find out on the HAL site. DEC will be our 1st HAL cruise & I'm only taking that to check out the ship for our Everglades to Vancouver cruise in APR. I really like NCL, esp. the JADE. Hope we won't be disappointed.

See the attachment on post 9 on this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2125867&highlight=retreat+cabanas

you cannot book the lido cabanas online, you have to call them.

they are $300 for the week or $75 for the day if any are available.

I like having the cabana, it is stuffy but I don't spend all day there.

I go for lunch and afternoon snacks.

It was good having a lido cabana because my friend is disabled and doesn't like the sun and my daughter loves the pools. I felt I could look after them both at the same time. If HAL had got me a fan from the beginning it would have made a much more enjoyable holiday. Next time, I know to advise them at the time of booking and go straight to reception if it is not done. The last day of the holiday proved much more enjoyable than the other 11.

Just wanted to add that we had a Lido cabana (St Tropez) on NA back in March for B2B cruises. We liked it but it did get a bit stuffy. We took a walk past all of them one afternoon after we noticed ours had an outlet up above the windows. The only other one that had an outlet was the other end one (closest to Dive In). So, if you want, you could get one of the end ones, bring an extension cord and a small fan and you would be quite comfortable. Or ask the staff, as noted previously.

We found that if we went for a quick swim and sat in the cabana, it was fine. Or if you don't want to do that, jump in the outside shower for a quick hit of water. made a big difference.

I think the retreat cabana's would be cooler and quieter but they are too far away from the action for us!!:) And they cost more.

ML

Are they hot and stuffy on Alaska cruises also? Specifically mid - August time frame?

Just wanted to add that we had a Lido cabana (St Tropez) on NA back in March for B2B cruises. We liked it but it did get a bit stuffy. We took a walk past all of them one afternoon after we noticed ours had an outlet up above the windows. The only other one that had an outlet was the other end one (closest to Dive In). So, if you want, you could get one of the end ones, bring an extension cord and a small fan and you would be quite comfortable. Or ask the staff, as noted previously.

 

We found that if we went for a quick swim and sat in the cabana, it was fine. Or if you don't want to do that, jump in the outside shower for a quick hit of water. made a big difference.

 

I think the retreat cabana's would be cooler and quieter but they are too far away from the action for us!!:) And they cost more.

 

ML

They are cooler for sure but they are away from the pool. That doesn't make any diiference to me. They'd have to pay me to take a lido cabana. It would be too hot and noisy for me.

Are they hot and stuffy on Alaska cruises also? Specifically mid - August time frame?

I think it would depend on how warm alaska is. I see you are going next year on the NA. The Noordam doesn't have lido cabanas so no one would be able to do alaska this year.

They are cooler for sure but they are away from the pool. That doesn't make any diiference to me. They'd have to pay me to take a lido cabana. It would be too hot and noisy for me.

I was wondering if you would see this and suspected you might feel this way ;)! We like to people watch, so this is a good spot to do that. We saw a fist-fight break out, lots of people wandering around looking for chairs, watched the staff replace the old loungers with new ones a bunch at a time (during peak pool hours), and answered lots of questions about cabanas!! It was great fun but I could see where it might not be for everyone. It was convenient though.

Not sure we would do it again (any cabana) but maybe.

ML

The cabanas are great, I have had the cabana closest to the dive-in, it isn't any more congested than the others. You don't have to worry about getting a lounge chair, no worries about the sun beating down on you, close to the pool, no waiting in line for lunch. The cabana steward will take your order for lunch and serve you there. Fruit basket everyday, champagne and frozen strawberries everyday in the afternoon (that is a great perk).

I have had skin cancer so being out of the sun is a great benefit for me ( the roof over the pool is normally open unless it is raining)

The people that eat at the dive in are the same people that dine with you at dinner, sit next to you at the shows. I don't understand calling people who like hamburgers names. He has another entire thread that is all about the lido cabanas and how it inconveniences him to not have lounge chairs there. It just seems like jealousy to me

Thank you Sunconure. You provided the information that I was looking for. I was hoping to hear from someone who had actually had that cabana. We had a lido cabana on the Eurodam. It was closest to the seaview bar. It wasn't a problem and I never noticed people hanging around the bar. I am prepared for people around the pool I just don't want be in the middle of a constant group of people waiting for their food.