Covered or Uncovered Solarium

[Ericknow32]

Which would you prefer, a covered solarium pool (like the Radiance or Vision class ships) or an uncovered solarium (like Voyager class ships).

[emcemt]

Is it really a Solarium if it doesn't have a cover? Heres how Websters defines it....Main Entry: so·lar·i·um

Pronunciation: sO-'lar-E-&m, s&-, -'ler-

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural so·lar·ia /-E-&/; also -ums

Etymology: Latin, porch exposed to the sun, from sol

: a glass-enclosed porch or room; also : a room (as in a hospital) used especially for sunbathing or therapeutic exposure to light

I dont see tthe purpose of an open air solarium. My personal pick would be a retractable roof. Open when it's nice out and closed when it's not...best of both worlds!

[Ericknow32]

Is it really a Solarium if it doesn't have a cover? Heres how Websters defines it....Main Entry: so·lar·i·um

Pronunciation: sO-'lar-E-&m, s&-, -'ler-

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural so·lar·ia /-E-&/; also -ums

Etymology: Latin, porch exposed to the sun, from sol

: a glass-enclosed porch or room; also : a room (as in a hospital) used especially for sunbathing or therapeutic exposure to light

I dont see tthe purpose of an open air solarium. My personal pick would be a retractable roof. Open when it's nice out and closed when it's not...best of both worlds!

That's what I thought until I saw the solarium on the Voyager of the Seas.

 

The Radiance class solariums are some of the best pools at sea. I don't get why RCCL didn't incorporate them into the later Voyager class ships or the new Freedom of the Seas.

 

This is why I started this poll

[Host Jacquelyn]

Which would you prefer, a covered solarium pool (like the Radiance or Vision class ships) or an uncovered solarium (like Voyager class ships).

 

Is the solarium roof retractable on Radiance class vessels? When we were on Brilliance, the roof was closed the entire time, and I know people who sailed on Radiance that reported the same thing. Does it ever open? On Grandeur (pseudo-Vision class) the solarium roof was retractable. Unfortunately you do not have a choice for retractable roofs, but that would be my pick.

[FlyingPhotog]

They should make them with retractable roofs, like the stadiums in Houston. :D That way people can still lay out by the pool and be out of the sun. Or they at least would be able to close it in the rain. :cool:

[Sascol]

I prefer they stay covered...even on sunny days. This allows us to then choose between a warm (in the regular pool area) or air conditioned climate.

[Bonnie Voyager]

I would have voted for "retractable". I like the pool area itself to be open to the sun, but enjoy the shade for lounging around near the pool. I like the solarium's on the Voyager-class ships because I can relax in the shade with a good book but still enjoy the quiet of the solarium and take a dip in the pool when I want to...in the sun. I generally don't like the "public" pool area as it is too active and noisy for my taste. I do enjoy watching some of the pool activities on occasion though, but prefer the quiet pool area around the solarium. Retractable would be nice if they only close it when it is raining. I would not like it if the sun was out but the pool was covered though.

[CAT GIRL]

Doesn't really matter as long as I can still take my naps back there.

[LBB]

The open Solarium on the Voyager was great for a quieter spot, while sailing in the Caribbean. If I was going someplace cooler, I would prefer it to be closed, so I'd still have a pool to use.

[CruiserTK]

My vote is definitely for the covered solarium. You are really limited in case of inclement weather while on the Voyager or Freedom class ships. I personally feel that leaving the solarium uncovered on the Voyager and Freedom classes is the major design flaw of these ships. I wonder if they could ever add in the roof? Just a thought.

[caviargal]

Is the solarium roof retractable on Radiance class vessels? When we were on Brilliance, the roof was closed the entire time, and I know people who sailed on Radiance that reported the same thing. Does it ever open? On Grandeur (pseudo-Vision class) the solarium roof was retractable. Unfortunately you do not have a choice for retractable roofs, but that would be my pick.

 

It was retractable on Serenade. I hung out there all the time. Total peace and quiet!

[tammie brooke]

are kids aloud at those pools. ages 10 and 13

[caviargal]

No, and this is a good deal of the attraction. RCI does have some adults only areas aboard and this is one of them. It is a huge draw for me as many ships do not offer this.

[Konagold]

The Voyager's do not have a fully covered solarium because they were designed to sail in the caribbean where the weather is generally good. The Radiance class ships tend to sail alaska and european itineries in the summer therefore the need for a fully enclosed pool area. Princess did the same thing with the Caribbean Princess which does not have an enclosed pool unlike the rest of the Grand class.

[Travelgrrl]

I love the covered solariums on the Radiance class ships. Was shocked by the Navigator's solarium, not nearly as nice in my view, even not as nice as some of the smaller ships such as the Grandeur and Rhapsody.

[zuscruiserz]

The Vision has a retractable Solarium which I saw both open and closed during our cruise to the Mexican Riviera in May. It was great because on the last windy & cool sea day, the Solarium was nice and warm (but not TOO warm!).

 

Retractable is my pick too!

[Firefighterhoop]

My question is what time of the year and where are you departing from? IF it is in the summer for the caribbean, it makes no difference for me. If it is for alaska, covered all the way..burrr!

 

If it is for a winter sailing to the caribbean from lets say miami, I would like a covered, because it can be chilly the first and last day, but from let's say Puerto Rico where it is usually warm, again, covered isn't a big deal..

 

Just my thoughts, Scott

[bcc99]

LOVED the "pharaoh's tomb" solarium pool on Rhapsody OTS. It was nice to be in a climate-controlled quiet space on hot afternoons in the Western Caribbean...great place to read, or to pretend to read while napping. It wasn't too crowded, and even the trippy new-age music grew on me as the week progressed. The room was well-used but never crowded. It did strike me strange that they never opened the dome on that cruise.

 

I was rather disappointed when I first realized that the Voyager-class solariums ("solaria"? :rolleyes: ) had no cover--seems like it defeats the point of having a quieter pool space if people can peer over the railings from the next deck up.

[lephysteria]

I thought the Vision's solarium was a great place to relax, nap and just take in a moment's peace :D

[wrp96]

I found out one advantage to the uncovered Solarium on the Voyager on my last cruise in January. It was really windy (but still really warm) on our 1st sea day so the solarium was pretty empty. No chair hogs.:D

[mrg0433]

We were frustrated because on our Hawaii cruise the retractable roof was never opened. I guess some people like Airconditioning, but when you only have two pools, I like going to the least crowded pool away from the noise. Don't like airconditioned pools with closed roofs. I could see closing the roof when the air temps get cool, but not in Hawaii.

[dobie]

We did not enjoy the Solarium on the Adventure, too humid and hot. Will not go on a Voyager class ship again because of it. Love the Solarium on Vision, Grandeur, Splendour. Prefer it to be closed and cool inside, and shady. I've had a melanoma, avoid the sun. Love the kid free atmosphere, quiet, shade, and climate control.

[Dave85]

IMO this is one thing the Carnival Destiny/Conquest/Spirit classes of ship do better than the Voyager class. While I happened to like the open solarium on the Voyager, part of that was the weather being nice the whole week. I've appreciated the retractable roofs on the Carnival ships in the past when the weather has suddenly turned sour and you can still hang around there and swim.

 

The fact that there is still a significant amount of shade in the Voyager solarium, and if memory serves me the hot tubs were in the shade, mitigates that problem to an extent.

[Tweedy]

We were frustrated because on our Hawaii cruise the retractable roof was never opened. I guess some people like Airconditioning, but when you only have two pools, I like going to the least crowded pool away from the noise. Don't like airconditioned pools with closed roofs. I could see closing the roof when the air temps get cool, but not in Hawaii.

 

My thoughts are the same. We asked if they ever open it and were told no and I thought that odd. It would have been nice to have had it open while cruising the hawaiian islands. We chose to hang out in the kiddie pool area since there didn't seem to be alot of kids on the cruise and the water was warm and lots of places to sit.

[maryevelyn]

Love the solarium! The only problem I found was that I couldn't get any reading done...I kept falling asleep! It was the most relaxing place and I loved the fact that there were kids splashing around and staff reminded the parents that there was a no kids policy. Yeaah! No more "marco polo" screams just as I'm nodding off.;)