Is Rotterdam Retreat Adults Only?

Just booked the Rotterdam for Nov. 25, 2018 and wondered if the Retreat is adults only? This is our first time on the Rotterdam.

Just booked the Rotterdam for Nov. 25, 2018 and wondered if the Retreat is adults only? This is our first time on the Rotterdam.

Not sure if they have such a rule, but if so, it has been enforced on our two Rotterdam cruises. The reality is that the kids would rather be at the main pool, since the Retreat is essentially a large bird bath with water about 3 inches deep....assuming the thing even has water.

Hank

It is not just for adults.

Children can use the loungers in that area as well.

Just off the Rotterdam Christmas cruise....Pool is adult only & I saw no children but they were in the table area...

Just off the Rotterdam Christmas cruise....Pool is adult only & I saw no children but they were in the table area...

Just to clear the air...there is no "pool" at the Retreat....unless you consider 3-4 inches of water a pool.

Hank

The first 15 days we were on the Rotterdam in November there were no kids. Then, on Thanksgiving week we had a 7 day cruise and 200 kids showed up. A bunch of them headed to the hot tubs in the Retreat area. They left them alone the first day but the second day they put up an "Adults Only" sign. The permanent sign just says they need adult supervision and that could me anything. Things were fine from day 2 to 7 on the cruise.

there was an "adults only" sign posted on our March-April-May sailing in 2017.

I think I even posted a pic on my LIVE thread as I was LOL.

it still said Sea View Pool. The Retreat pool on the Rotterdam is not a Sea View Pool but a wading pool.

But the rule seemed to apply for our 30 day sailing.

there was an "adults only" sign posted on our March-April-May sailing in 2017.

 

I think I even posted a pic on my LIVE thread as I was LOL.

 

it still said Sea View Pool. The Retreat pool on the Rotterdam is not a Sea View Pool but a wading pool.

 

But the rule seemed to apply for our 30 day sailing.

It might be a "wading pool" for small rodents. But most humans need more than 3-4 inches of water to wade...unless they are just trying to get wet toenails. It was a darn shame when HAL decided to ruin the aft deck in order to cram in a few additional cabins (where the aft pool used to be). On the Voyage of the Vikings Cruise (for the entire month of August) they never put any water in that aft bird bath....and in fact did not even bother to clean the dry pool (it was full of black soot and dirt) until towards the end of the cruise when they finally assigned a couple of crew to clean the place. For a good part of the VOV it would have been too chilly to use that deck area.....but we did have a few nice days....but still no cleaning or water.

Hank

It might be a "wading pool" for small rodents. But most humans need more than 3-4 inches of water to wade...unless they are just trying to get wet toenails. It was a darn shame when HAL decided to ruin the aft deck in order to cram in a few additional cabins (where the aft pool used to be). On the Voyage of the Vikings Cruise (for the entire month of August) they never put any water in that aft bird bath....and in fact did not even bother to clean the dry pool (it was full of black soot and dirt) until towards the end of the cruise when they finally assigned a couple of crew to clean the place. For a good part of the VOV it would have been too chilly to use that deck area.....but we did have a few nice days....but still no cleaning or water.

 

Hank

WOW Hank.

What a shame. Now, I am not one to use those chairs much, but I was at the Retreat on a daily basis.

We had a fantastic server there that brought us special waters, special coffees in the morning (chocolate), etc.

I did my LIVE threads there. It was just so welcoming.

I am an early riser and took note. the water in the bird pool bath was changed daily and always as full as it could be.

We were on in March, April & May, 2017. I wonder if the captain and/or HD changed? I would have thought that the best would have been on for the VOV.

Can't blame you for being disappointed.

Just off a Christmas cruise on the Rotterdam and the Retreat "pool" was marked as "Adults Only". They had one sign out on the starboard side, and I think on day 2 they put another sign up on the port side. It was either well-policed or well-respected, because I only saw a couple of children in the "pool" over the 7 days, and there were a fair number of children and teenagers on the ship (for HAL, anyway).

This was my first cruise on the Rotterdam, but I believe the Retreat pool was changed during the recent drydock. I was told that it used to be some kind of splash pad, and it now consists of a small waterfall and "lazy river" type stream, with a hot tub at either end. It actually looks nice (sorry, no pics) but it's still not very practical. Although one day when no one else was using it, I did lie down in the river to cool myself off :D

Thanks everyone for your comments. I hope the "lazy river" has water in it when we sail just to be able to splash water on myself if I get too warm. I don't like hot tubs, but maybe a quick dip would work if the "lazy river" is waterless.