What is The Retreat?

[Sea42]

My husband and I are really looking forward to a Hawaii & Tahiti cruise in 2013. If HAL is using the Rotterdam for this route we'll probably go with another line. I don't want to spend 15 or so sea days with 1300 other people and one pool. For a cruise to a northern itinerary it would be fine but not a warm weather cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Not being a maritime engineer the thought occured to me that having a sizeable pool in the aft area in a ship location which is now 2-3 decks higher than it was before may present weight considerations affecting the

stability and manuverability of the ship.

 

Just a thought.

 

It would be only one deck higher. I don't think the height is much of an issue, but the extra weight at the back might be. The extra weight of the added deck is supposed to be the reason Veendam can't get into St Georges.

[RuthC]

Anything like a Retreat Area on Zaandam?

No, there isn't. There wasn't any need to remove the pool on that ship as it was originally on Lido Deck anyway.

On the two ships where the aft pool was removed, it was on Navigation Deck. That's where the new cabins are.

[glutenhab]

No, there isn't. There wasn't any need to remove the pool on that ship as it was originally on Lido Deck anyway.

On the two ships where the aft pool was removed, it was on Navigation Deck. That's where the new cabins are.

 

Once again, thanks Ruth.

[SeaBunny]

I'm not sure I see how they come out ahead by making a major renovation like this to add 4 interior cabins.

 

Was there a rear hot tub out back before? Maybe the thinking was people would use a hot tub more than a pool?

 

I just don't see the math working as a revenue booster with just 4 interior cabins.

[jtl513]

I'm not sure I see how they come out ahead by making a major renovation like this to add 4 interior cabins.

There were about 45 cabins added with the first fiasco refit, most of them A cabins. The real pool used to be down on the Navigation deck. Look at the deck plans for Ryndam/Statendam/Veendam for that area.

 

The most recent change to hot tubs was to try to undo some of the first Retreat mistake.

Edited August 18, 2011 by jtl513

[RedmondCruiser]

Not being a maritime engineer the thought occured to me that having a sizeable pool in the aft area in a ship location which is now 2-3 decks higher than it was before may present weight considerations affecting the

stability and manuverability of the ship.

 

Just a thought.

 

The three remaining R class ships all have the Sea View Pool on the Lido deck and they don't seem to have any problems. --- The hot tub menagerie on the Veendam appears to be a quick fix but it only compounded the problem.

[3rdGenCunarder]

The three remaining R class ships all have the Sea View Pool on the Lido deck and they don't seem to have any problems. --- The hot tub menagerie on the Veendam appears to be a quick fix but it only compounded the problem.

 

How did it compound the problem? I haven't heard any stories of leaks and sloshing. Has something else gone wrong back there?

[IRL_Joanie]

Here are several photos of the Retreat on the Veendam last week. Not sure if the Rotterdam has the same set up or not.

 

Hope this gives you some idea of what it's like.

 

Thanks Tom!! I have them now and will get them on the site tomorrow!! You are an angel for the heads up and allowing me to share:)

 

Joanie

Edited August 19, 2011 by IRL_Joanie

[RedmondCruiser]

How did it compound the problem? I haven't heard any stories of leaks and sloshing. Has something else gone wrong back there?

 

If your only concerned about leaks and sloshing, then your right. If you miss the Sea View Pool then its a different story. The whole hot tub menagerie is built up off the deck rather than down into the deck. This is a bandage fix, and for someone at HAL it was a quick way out. To me the hot tub menagerie looks worse than the wading pool.

I still am one of those rare individuals who likes to bask in the 80 to 90 degree Caribbean sun and then jump into a real pool to cool off. I guess there are some who cherish the idea of cooling off in a 102 degree hot tube. Well to each his own.

My biggest contention is that they have eliminated one of the major draws on an HAL cruise ship. (the aft pool). Now all they have is the lido pool, that is overrun with kids. Sorry but thats not my thing.

They need to bite the bullet and install a Sea View pool on the Rotterdam and the Veendam, but don't hold your breath.

Edited August 19, 2011 by RedmondCruiser

[lettienets]

This is the retreat on Rotterdam (July 2011 TA and Baltic cruises) Horrible place, sunbeds are fixed, can't even move them in direction of the sun! They were generally empty. The area around the wading pool is smaller now, no walking space because of the other sunbeds. Who wants a hot tub on a hot day out there? The video screen shows floating fish all day, can't see anything anyway in the sun. The concerts shown at night (eg Tom Jones, Phantom of the opera type music etc were loud and awful, very few people were out there). The Lido mid ship pool and hot tubs were full of kids. It was congested and crowded and there were not enough sunbeds there either for lounging. Also when the Halcats played there too noise was terrible.

The beautiful seaview pool was a wonderful adult retreat area.

Now, it is wasted space. My last cruise on Rotterdam. Also, they consider the changes on Veendam an improvement since 3 hot tubs were added after the wading pool fiasco. Maybe more hot tubs will be coming to Rotterdam...If so keep Rotterdam and Veendam in cold climates.

Edited August 19, 2011 by lettienets

[3rdGenCunarder]

If your only concerned about leaks and sloshing, then your right. If you miss the Sea View Pool then its a different story. The whole hot tub menagerie is built up off the deck rather than down into the deck. This is a bandage fix, and for someone at HAL it was a quick way out. To me the hot tub menagerie looks worse than the wading pool.

 

I still am one of those rare individuals who likes to bask in the 80 to 90 degree Caribbean sun and then jump into a real pool to cool off. I guess there are some who cherish the idea of cooling off in a 102 degree hot tube. Well to each his own.

 

My biggest contention is that they have eliminated one of the major draws on an HAL cruise ship. (the aft pool). Now all they have is the lido pool, that is overrun with kids. Sorry but thats not my thing.

They need to bite the bullet and install a Sea View pool on the Rotterdam and the Veendam, but don't hold your breath.

 

I haven't seen the "hot tub menagerie" (good name!), so I can't comment on it. When you said "compounded the problem," I thought new woes were introduced. But it comes down to the original problem, which is the removal of the aft pool, and I agree that it was a bad move. And no, I'm not holding my breath until they put in a new aft pool. Too expensive, they won't do it, unfortunately.

[HamOp]

Here is a picture of the waterfall in the teen only area of the Veendam. Perhaps if something like this had been added to a section of the Retreat it would have made it better. Nice and cool.....

 

[lettienets]

 

If you look behind the red part of the wading pool you will see a little "waterfall". (on Rotterdam) :rolleyes: That raised bit is a stage at this end. The one hot tub is at the other end. No matter how you cut it, Rotterdam and Veendam are not appealing to people who enjoy pools.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Here is a picture of the waterfall in the teen only area of the Veendam. Perhaps if something like this had been added to a section of the Retreat it would have made it better. Nice and cool.....

 

 

Yes! I've thought that would be a nice idea. When I saw that (and the hammocks) up in the teen area on Veendam, I wished I could pass for a teen, just to sit up there.

[SeaBunny]

[quote name='lettienets'][IMG]http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/lettienets/HalRotterdamTAandBaltic007-2.jpg[/IMG]

If you look behind the red part of the wading pool you will see a little "waterfall". (on Rotterdam) :rolleyes: That raised bit is a stage at this end. The one hot tub is at the other end. No matter how you cut it, Rotterdam and Veendam are not appealing to people who enjoy pools.[/QUOTE]

Is that shallow water all around those fixed sun beds? Is the water in that "gully" a touch deeper?

[soccerpapi]

I was on the ms ROTTERDAM transatlantic crossing in July and the Retreat was one of my favorite places on the ship. It was nice to have an area that did not have a lot of children and loud music playing.

I like and used the shallow water pool area, it was nice to lay on the loungers and stay cool when it was warm outside. Since the Rotterdam cruises throughout the world and therefore through all kinds of weather, I like the Retreat area well enough. I did not see the need for another swimming pool on the ship since it not always in warm weather destinations.

Even when it was cooler outside, the Retreat provided an area to relax, have a drink, eat some pizza, and enjoy the view. The bar staff and servers were excellent in the Retreat area, they were a bunch of really good guys.

soccer

[John Cruise]

Hopefully HAL has retreated from the stupid Retreat idea.
:D:D

[VTcruisenut]

The Veendam was the first of HAL ships we cruised on and so has a special place in my heart. However, the aft pool is our favorite place as the Lido is always full and you can't find a lounge chair or get near the pool! Sadly, if the aft pool is no longer on the Veendam, then we won't choose to sail on her again.........We prefer HAL because of the lower number of kids on the cruise. It is disappointing to be on vacaiton and not be able to even get in the pools. Just us getting old I guess!