Retreat cabana request

[caggfamily]

Can you request specific Retreat cabanas on the Eurodam? We tried to book a family cabana for our New Year's cruise but they were sold out, so we booked two regular ones instead - one for us, and one for the teen daughters. Obviously I would like them to next to each other. In addition, my sister just booked a cabana for this cruise too, so how can I request 3 together overlooking the pool? The representative from HAL said they assign them once you board, but he wasn't sure who actually is in charge of that. If I can't figure this out ahead of time, where can I go as soon as I board to take care of this?

[mkl55]

I was traveling with 2 other couples. When I called ship services to book the cabanas I requested that they be side by side. They said they couldn't guarantee it but would note the request. Our request was honored on board. Our reservations were linked. I had everyone's booking number. You may want to see if you can get all the booking numbers just in case.

 

Honestly, it really isn't a big deal to be side by side as all of our socializing happened in the center with the umbrellas and loungers. People went into the cabana to eat or rest and read peacefully. If it works, great. If it doesn't you'll still have plenty of together time.

[CruiserBruce]

I was traveling with 2 other couples. When I called ship services to book the cabanas I requested that they be side by side. They said they couldn't guarantee it but would note the request. Our request was honored on board. Our reservations were linked. I had everyone's booking number. You may want to see if you can get all the booking numbers just in case.

 

Honestly, it really isn't a big deal to be side by side as all of our socializing happened in the center with the umbrellas and loungers. People went into the cabana to eat or rest and read peacefully. If it works, great. If it doesn't you'll still have plenty of together time.

 

Eurodam allows requests and you get acknowledgment. Call Seattle, and ask to talk to the Coordinator for Eurodam. Ask for an e mail to confirm assignment. (Note, unless recently changed, the other two ships with cabanas, N. Amsterdam and Noordam, don't acknowledge requests and confirm assignments in advance. It is at the discretion of the Bar Manager on board.

[lastlook]

Can you request specific Retreat cabanas on the Eurodam? We tried to book a family cabana for our New Year's cruise but they were sold out, so we booked two regular ones instead - one for us, and one for the teen daughters. Obviously I would like them to next to each other. In addition, my sister just booked a cabana for this cruise too, so how can I request 3 together overlooking the pool? The representative from HAL said they assign them once you board, but he wasn't sure who actually is in charge of that. If I can't figure this out ahead of time, where can I go as soon as I board to take care of this?

 

I would call Ship Services again. If they cannot confirm your request by e-mail, I would go directly to the Retreat Cabanas after boarding the ship to make your request. I believe the Beverage Manager is in charge but he/she might be impossible to find on embarkation day (that has been our experience.) However, you could speak with the Cabana Stewards and ask them to pass along your request to the person in charge of assigning the cabanas. You might also stop at the Front Desk to make the same request through them.

 

If you have any e-mail confirmations, please be sure to print them out and have them in hand when you speak with the Front Desk and/or anyone in the Retreat Cabana area. In fact, I would bring extra copies as they will want to see the details and it will save you from having to ask them to make their own copy or have them walk off with your one and only copy.

 

I think it would help if all three cruise booking numbers are linked, so I would do that first and then call Ship Services afterward to make your request.

 

Good luck - we love the Retreat Cabanas but the booking process and requests for specific cabanas do not seem to translate well between Seattle and the ships. We've had to spend too much time straightening things out on our last two HAL cruises and I would have been at an even worse disadvantage had I not had copies of my reservations/confirmations in hand.

 

In one case, I had booked and paid for two RC's and requested that they be next to each other. However, once we were aboard the ship, we found that they only showed that I had booked/paid for one. I then showed them my e-mail confirmations from Ship Services, proving that I had indeed paid for two RC's. They took my paper confirmations to get it straightened out and a little while later we were allowed to choose two RC's next to each other.

 

The next cruise (two months later, on a different HAL ship), I had an e-mail confirmation from Ship Services for a specific port side Retreat Cabana but after boarding the ship, we found that we had been assigned an aft facing one, which we did not want. When we booked/paid for that RC with Ship Services, we had requested ANY port or starboard facing cabana, and I had an e-mail reply from Ship Services CONFIRMING a SPECIFIC port facing cabana. Yet after boarding the ship, we found that we had been assigned an aft facing RC. That time, it took several days to get it straightened out and I made mention of these problems with the RC's when I received HAL's post cruise online survey.

 

We prefer a quiet space with less wind, so that is why we wanted either a port or starboard facing cabana since we'd had one previously and knew the difference between those and the aft facing ones.

[caggfamily]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will at least call and make sure the bookings are linked. I think I read the suggestion about requesting confirmation email on this forum before, so I insisted on (and received) a confirmation. I at least have that. I cannot figure out why they wouldn't automatically send some sort of confirmation for the retreat cabanas.

[lastlook]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will at least call and make sure the bookings are linked. I think I read the suggestion about requesting confirmation email on this forum before, so I insisted on (and received) a confirmation. I at least have that. I cannot figure out why they wouldn't automatically send some sort of confirmation for the retreat cabanas.

 

Hopefully they've worked out the kinks by now, but to be sure, I would visit the Retreat Cabanas soon after boarding to make sure you are all set. Wishing you smooth sailing.