Veendam Retreat area

[CaroleSS]

I know some of you will be offended by my post, but I'll say it anyway.

We just got off the Veendam to Bermuda. The retreat was a nice place to go to relax - it had 4 pool-ish areas, two were hot and two were lukewarm. I REALLY would have been nice for he two 'hot' tubs to have been designated as 'adults only' areas. Children who want to sit in a hot tub could use the ones that are associated with the pool in the center of the Lido.

I found the Retreat hot tubs to be less than relaxing as kids would get in and out relatively frequently, splash about and/or try to swim (thus bumping into people). We tried to go to the hot tubs several times, at differing hours and found children there most of the time.

Just above the Retreat is a 'teens only' area. Club HAL has a place for children only. Why couldn't just ONE of the hot tubs be designated as 'adults only'?

Please don't take this as anything negative about children - we have two of our own and love children dearly - we just thought it would be nice to have 'somewhere' that the adults could go for a little respite.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I know some of you will be offended by my post, but I'll say it anyway.

 

We just got off the Veendam to Bermuda. The retreat was a nice place to go to relax - it had 4 pool-ish areas, two were hot and two were lukewarm. I REALLY would have been nice for he two 'hot' tubs to have been designated as 'adults only' areas. Children who want to sit in a hot tub could use the ones that are associated with the pool in the center of the Lido.

 

I found the Retreat hot tubs to be less than relaxing as kids would get in and out relatively frequently, splash about and/or try to swim (thus bumping into people). We tried to go to the hot tubs several times, at differing hours and found children there most of the time.

 

Just above the Retreat is a 'teens only' area. Club HAL has a place for children only. Why couldn't just ONE of the hot tubs be designated as 'adults only'?

 

Please don't take this as anything negative about children - we have two of our own and love children dearly - we just thought it would be nice to have 'somewhere' that the adults could go for a little respite.

 

A hot tub is not a "kiddie pool." I've often seen signs at hotel hot tubs that say kids under a certain age should not use the hot tub. It isn't good for little kids to be in that hot water. They don't regulate body temperature as well as adults do, and can easily become overheated. And some parents are so inattentive that I wonder if anyone is paying attention to how long they're in the hot tub.

 

Since kids do seem to congregate in the Lido Pool, it seems perfectly reasonable to me that the Retreat tubs be for adults only. How much of a "retreat" is it if kids are splashing around in the tubs?

[catl331]

Someone reported that about 125 people didn't make your sailing. Can you confirm that? Were the ship and excursions noticeably less busy?

[CaroleSS]

Our sailing did not leave until Monday at 2pm. I can't honestly say how many didn't make the sailing, but it appeared that the ship was still quite full.

 

We were allowed to board on Sunday, but there were a good number of people that stayed aboard from the previous cruise as the airport and transportation were all closed. We expected there to be open rooms so we asked to be placed on an upgrade list, but were never notified that one was available.

 

Sunday and Monday things were pretty chaotic as everything was disorganized and HAL was very informative to the passengers. I spoke with a good number of travellers on Sunday (those trying to disembark) who had been told conflicting stories. I will say that we got conflicting information from HAL beforehand (especially with regards to our airport transfers!)

 

We docked directly in Hamilton and received a transportation day pass. The first night (Monday) we received a free glass of wine with dinner to compensate for the lost day in St George. We also left Hamilton on Friday an hour earlier than scheduled (1pm instead of 2pm). No explanation as to why.

 

The cruise was a nice one (minus the Irene confusion and the very rainy day on Wednesday), as best given the circumstances. I would just have expected more from HAL as hurricane season comes every year and I'm sure that this is not the first hurricane that HAL has seen!

[DiploTraveler]

I was about to ask if infants can splash in the retreat area since they're not allowed in the pools. Now I'm afraid to ask... wait, I guess I just did. :p

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree -- children should be allowed to use ALL the hot tubs.

 

Even though we never use them -- all too often on many HAL ships we have seen aduts disgusted with the children using the hot tubs as wading pools.

[RuthC]

I was about to ask if infants can splash in the retreat area since they're not allowed in the pools. Now I'm afraid to ask... wait, I guess I just did. :p

The only place for infants to splash on the Veendam Retreat is in one of the hot tubs. Infants do not belong in those, not only for the difficulty they have in regulating body temperature, but because of the diapers.

Diapered children are not allowed in HAL pools or hot tubs.

[CaroleSS]

Just to insert something else.....I am not opposed to children swimming/wading in the two shallow 'pools' in the retreat. They are lukewarm and would be great for smaller children who cannot (do not wish to) swim in the Lido pool. The 'hot' tubs were hot - I'd guess around 102 - 104. Even if just ONE were to be designated as adutls only would suffice. Is that really too much to ask???

 

 

DBA are you out there???? Can you put in a request????

[Megsie1000]

I was under the impression that the retreat areas (pools) on the HAL ships *were* adults-only. They're not? We always hang at the Lido only. I wouldn't bring my kids to the retreat area.

[DiploTraveler]

The only place for infants to splash on the Veendam Retreat is in one of the hot tubs. Infants do not belong in those, not only for the difficulty they have in regulating body temperature, but because of the diapers.

 

Diapered children are not allowed in HAL pools or hot tubs.

 

 

Just to insert something else.....I am not opposed to children swimming/wading in the two shallow 'pools' in the retreat. They are lukewarm and would be great for smaller children who cannot (do not wish to) swim in the Lido pool.

 

This is what I meant about infants splashing... the shallow wading area. It's not a "pool", so I don't see how the diaper would come into play there. I wouldn't think of putting a baby in a hot tub. :eek:

[CaroleSS]

I was under the impression that the retreat areas (pools) on the HAL ships *were* adults-only. They're not? We always hang at the Lido only. I wouldn't bring my kids to the retreat area.

 

This was my impression as well, but either it was not enforced, or isn't the case. There were no signs indicating it as adults only.

 

We have been on ships that have a specified adults only area, but apparently the Veendam isn't one of them.

[MERIDIAN]

We docked directly in Hamilton and received a transportation day pass. The first night (Monday) we received a free glass of wine with dinner to compensate for the lost day.

 

Free glass of wine, LOL.

Being on the Veendam for the 8/24 cruise, we found that the lido pool was ill maintained. There was a toenail and a waterbug in there so I asked an officer for a skimmer and volunteered to take care of it but he said they didn't have a skimmer only a rescue hook.

The thing that bothers me is the fact that the ship is down to one pool and they're not even on top of it. I know it was not drained the week we sailed. Making fresh water on Veendam is tougher than on the Vista's I understand. Why not just go saltwater?

The magradome roof worked well though and it was used all the time to keep everyone happy. I have a kid yet agree that the should be an adult only pool Jacuzzi. I watch my kid, if he disturbs others-He's outta there! Some do not.

[CaroleSS]

"I watch my kid, if he disturbs others-He's outta there! Some do not. "

 

Meridian, I had to chuckle when I read your post. On our last day at sea there was a couple with two children, I'd guess aged 4 - 6-ish. Not only were the children running amok in the retreat (and splashing around in the hot tub), but the parents videotaped the hole thing!!! "Some do not." HAHAHA:p

[lvz2cruz]

When we were on Veendam in June it left Hamilton at 1. I think they have changed it to then even though schedules still show 2.

[GeriatricNurse]

I know some of you will be offended by my post, but I'll say it anyway.

 

We just got off the Veendam to Bermuda. The retreat was a nice place to go to relax - it had 4 pool-ish areas, two were hot and two were lukewarm. I REALLY would have been nice for he two 'hot' tubs to have been designated as 'adults only' areas. Children who want to sit in a hot tub could use the ones that are associated with the pool in the center of the Lido.

 

I found the Retreat hot tubs to be less than relaxing as kids would get in and out relatively frequently, splash about and/or try to swim (thus bumping into people). We tried to go to the hot tubs several times, at differing hours and found children there most of the time.

 

Just above the Retreat is a 'teens only' area. Club HAL has a place for children only. Why couldn't just ONE of the hot tubs be designated as 'adults only'?

 

Please don't take this as anything negative about children - we have two of our own and love children dearly - we just thought it would be nice to have 'somewhere' that the adults could go for a little respite.

 

 

In my view, hot tubs are not a place for children, who mostly use them, from my prior observations on HAL cruises, as a "splash 'n play"! :mad:

[RuthC]

This is what I meant about infants splashing... the shallow wading area. It's not a "pool", so I don't see how the diaper would come into play there. I wouldn't think of putting a baby in a hot tub. :eek:

Maybe I'm not picturing the new revised Retreat correctly. I remember it when it was the shallow trough as Retreat 1.0, but the pictures I've seen for Retreat 2.0 show four hot tubs. I don't recall a shallow wading area.

In any case, diapered babies don't belong in water that others will be using.

[pms4104]

This is what I meant about infants splashing... the shallow wading area. It's not a "pool", so I don't see how the diaper would come into play there. I wouldn't think of putting a baby in a hot tub. :eek:

Sorry, there is no shallow wading area in the Veendam Retreat, or anywhere on the ship for that matter. HAL pulled out the real Lido pool a couple of years ago and installed the poolette ... which currently is still on HAL's website for the Veendam. Well, then HAL had to pull out the poolette because it didn't work out !

[pms4104]

Maybe I'm not picturing the new revised Retreat correctly. I remember it when it was the shallow trough as Retreat 1.0, but the pictures I've seen for Retreat 2.0 show four hot tubs. I don't recall a shallow wading area.

In any case, diapered babies don't belong in water that others will be using.

Perhaps the problem is that HAL has yet to update the website to reflect the hot tub menagerie ... so newer members may not be fully aware of the devolution of that deck/pool area.

[RuthC]

Well, that explains it, Camp. I haven't had a need to look at the pictures on the HAL website; I saw them here.

Thanks for clearing that up.