Alcoves/Lounge Chairs

[Doupa22]

How much does it cost to rent a cabana???

 

 

~ Shari

 

Hi Shari :) Click this: http://www.creative.rccl.com/e-lite/CEL/CE_Incentive_Meeting_Charters_eSales_Kit/New_Resources/Alcoves_and_Picnic_Basket_Rates_Flyer.pdf

[skoeper]

Hi Shari :) Click this: http://www.creative.rccl.com/e-lite/CEL/CE_Incentive_Meeting_Charters_eSales_Kit/New_Resources/Alcoves_and_Picnic_Basket_Rates_Flyer.pdf

 

Thank you, Doupa22! I checked that out and discovered the Solstice doesn't have the cabanas :( Ah well, that leaves something for another cruise!

 

~ Shari

[hansolosmom]

I am looking forward to renting one. I wish you could open 1/2 the roof, that would make our party happier, half in the sun & half out :)

 

 

On the iPads - I get that they are loaded with movies, but if you want to use the wi-if do you have to have to package or is that included?

[packyourpixiedust]

Pecan I have the number please to call and reserve the alcoves. Thank you.

[Doupa22]

Pecan I have the number please to call and reserve the alcoves. Thank you.

 

1-800-647-2251 (Celebrity customer service) You will have to give them your reservation number. If you booked through a Travel Agent they might tell you to have to use your travel agent to arrange this. Good luck! :D

[redjetz]

I am looking forward to renting one. I wish you could open 1/2 the roof, that would make our party happier, half in the sun & half out :)

 

 

On the iPads - I get that they are loaded with movies, but if you want to use the wi-if do you have to have to package or is that included?

 

Hi --you can have them roll back the cover to not some sun.

 

You use your own wifi package -- assuming they even offer you the iPad. That didn't happen the day we rented one on Reflection. We had our own, so didn't care.

[monicajay]

Which ships have these?

[packyourpixiedust]

1-800-647-2251 (Celebrity customer service) You will have to give them your reservation number. If you booked through a Travel Agent they might tell you to have to use your travel agent to arrange this. Good luck! :D

 

Thank you!!

[hansolosmom]

Hi --you can have them roll back the cover to not some sun.

 

You use your own wifi package -- assuming they even offer you the iPad. That didn't happen the day we rented one on Reflection. We had our own, so didn't care.

 

Thanks.

[slp123]

I was on the March 16th sailing of Reflection and rented an Alcove for days 2, 3 and 5 (day 1 being embarkation day). I absolutely loved them because the seating was extra comfortable, they were reserved for you for the day (no need to scramble to find a desirable part of the deck and then hope to keep it for the day) the extra service from the cabana steward was delightful ( drinks, fruit platter, ipad with music and fresh towels) and most importantly because I love sitting in an area that is mostly protected from the sun.

 

The Alcoves are only on Reflection and Silhouette. While they might keep some people away from the lawn, if that was happening it wasn't because the ship was restricting use. There were plenty of people who stopped by to sit on the lawn for short periods, play Boccie Ball in passenger/officer tournaments or listen to the music offerings in the early evening before dinner. I neither felt gawked at nor blocking others who used the lawn and hammocks. You just have to remember these are not the same has HAL's private cabanas which are tent like structures that can be closed completely for privacy or open only on the sea facing side. Nor is there a private deck area surrounding the alcoves such is provided to HAL's cabana occupants for their exclusive use.

 

We had originally rented an alcove for the entire cruise, but turned back 3 days as we wished to mingle with other at times and not be just off by ourselves.

[waterbug123]

There are 2 forms of opinion on these if you look at other threads. It seems the people that use these cabana's usually enjoy them. HOWEVER there are others who would like to see the ships dry docked and ceremoniously use a wrecking ball on these Alcoves :rolleyes: some others even have enough venom to want to scuttle the entire ship in the middle of the ocean ;). I for one will enjoy ours on sea days and let the haters hate. :cool:

 

Agreed. People tend to feel very strongly one way or the other. Personally, we loved them. It was a great way to spend the day outside without worrying about sunburn. Or alternatively, to have the canopy top rolled back and enjoy the sun, without trying to search in vain for a group of empty chairs around the pool. We came and went throughout the day and used them to nap, read books, enjoy drinks with friends, etc.

 

Is the central grass area open on ships with alcoves? The only ship I've been on with the alcoves has been the Silhouette and the central grass area was roped off the entire cruise. The two side grass areas (aft of the alcoves) were open during the day for lawn games and evening music concerts.

 

Just wondering if this was a one-off because of grass maintenance or is it the standard on ships with alcoves...

 

We noticed that frequently yes, there were ropes restricting access. BUT, there was always someplace from which you could access the lawn. It seems that as the grass at an access point begins to show wear, they rope it off to let the grass recover. If you walk around you can almost always find a place to access the lawn. The lawn itself is public, and while we didn't see a lot of people on it on towels, we did see a few. The lawn is large enough that if you want to spread a towel out, you can go toward the middle and you won't be right in front of someone's cabana, so I wouldn't worry about feeling awkward about that as someone feared.

 

As to other questions...

$99/day on port days, $149/day on sea days

When you book one, it is yours from 9am-9pm; you can come and go as you like throughout the day.

You can bring food in.

There's a phone in the cabana to call the cabana attendant for drinks. Service was a little slow at times, but we had no problems having one of our favorite Sunset Bar servers check on us regularly to bring drinks.

Call to book in advance.

They sold out on our cruise.

As to facing inward, they are by no means 100% private but by facing inward you do get a little more privacy from passersby then if they faced outward. While some people would certainly prefer to face the sea, I think Celebrity's thinking when designing them was to make them more of a "private (semi-private) retreat," hence, the decision to have them face inward.

[Negrilgirl]

I was on the March 16th sailing of Reflection and rented an Alcove for days 2, 3 and 5 (day 1 being embarkation day). I absolutely loved them because the seating was extra comfortable, they were reserved for you for the day (no need to scramble to find a desirable part of the deck and then hope to keep it for the day) the extra service from the cabana steward was delightful ( drinks, fruit platter, ipad with music and fresh towels) and most importantly because I love sitting in an area that is mostly protected from the sun.

 

The Alcoves are only on Reflection and Silhouette. While they might keep some people away from the lawn, if that was happening it wasn't because the ship was restricting use. There were plenty of people who stopped by to sit on the lawn for short periods, play Boccie Ball in passenger/officer tournaments or listen to the music offerings in the early evening before dinner. I neither felt gawked at nor blocking others who used the lawn and hammocks. You just have to remember these are not the same has HAL's private cabanas which are tent like structures that can be closed completely for privacy or open only on the sea facing side. Nor is there a private deck area surrounding the alcoves such is provided to HAL's cabana occupants for their exclusive use.

 

We had originally rented an alcove for the entire cruise, but turned back 3 days as we wished to mingle with other at times and not be just off by ourselves.

I read on a few posts that on sea days the canopy top has to stay open due to the wind. Was this your experience as well? I booked one for a sea day and now wondering if I should cancel. Do not want to be in the hot sun all day.

[slp123]

I read on a few posts that on sea days the canopy top has to stay open due to the wind. Was this your experience as well? I booked one for a sea day and now wondering if I should cancel. Do not want to be in the hot sun all day.

 

We booked the Alcove on day 2,3 and 5 of the cruise. Days 2 and 5 were sea days. Day 3 was the day we were scheduled to dock in San Juan PR at 3 pm and I had no plans to disembark, having been there more than 2 dozen times (as a port of call, as a vacation spot, for conventions, and for weeks at a time both as an attorney as a child as my father's entertainment while his CPA firm spent weeks on end completing audits Goya foods and in the days before computers.

 

I digress. There were no issues regarding the Alcove tops on the two sea days. On the day we were headed to PR there was a very sharp almost horizontal cross wind from starboard to port for about three hours before coming into San Juan harbor. During that period the tops were tied down and when the sun became too much for me (30-45 mins max for me) I took a couple of towels and lay in the shade on the grass which is about 30-40% covered by permanent tenting on the top deck. So it wasn't really an issue and the tops went up as soon as we docked.

 

However I might add there really is no way to predict that your day will be a low wind day and there is really nothing they can do about keeping the tops p if the winds are too high. And if you want to cancel and get a refund, you must do so 24 hours in advance. Another couple I met were having their second cruise on Reflection and though they did not rent an Alcove on my cruise, they had done so on their first cruise and received a complete refund without asking when their reserved day turned out to be windy,mostly cloudy, cool and a few intermittent showers. I don't think that is going to happen just because of wind. If you are concerned, I would wait until you are on-board and get a clear policy statement regarding when you are entitled to cancel and get a refund. And if you are willing to "risk it" I know you will have a fabulous day on the top deck, with the sea surrounding you and the greenest of grass gazing back at you cool and ever inviting.