Koningsdam Retreat Cabanas

[maxie99]

I'm not complaining. I'm just saying I won't cruise on the K-dam because I like to cruise on ships with acceptable cabanas. The photos are pretty clear; no table, no armchairs and canvas sides. That is not an acceptable cabana to me. YMMV.

 

:cool:-so true

[OVgirl]

I am thinking you are not aware of what "bait and switch" really is. It doesn't preclude changes in style or technology. "Bait and switch" is advertising a product, then suddenly that product is not available, and you can only get a higher priced item. For example, a small, 4 pax fuel efficient car is offered for a great price. When you get there, only a higher priced car is available. In the Kdam case, you are getting a cabana, with the food, champagne, lounge chairs etc. The price has not changed. Show me where HAL has promised an square footage, or hard sides? I am not sure HAL has promised a table and two chairs, but I could be wrong. The price has not changed.

 

It also appears to me we are basing all these allegations and complaints on a couple of pictures. No one has actually booked and used the cabanas, and is here complaining. (We have one booked for March.)

 

Hyperbole is not a strong argument for a cause.

 

I think we are all looking forward to more pictures taken by passengers on this ship. They will be able to tell us exactly how all these new venues are working.

[pauly]

We vote with our wallets. HAL will get the picture after a while. ;)

[CruiserBruce]

Just got off the KDAM. Had a Retreat cabana for 21 days.

 

Didn't find the missing table and chair an issue- there are several tables and chairs in the shady areas of the Retreat for sitting at.

 

I was disappointed in the Family Cabanas...they were much smaller. Only two can lounge, while 2 have to sit. Might work for you, might not.

 

Otherwise, a great operation. As there are 22 cabanas, staffing on sea days is 3 minimum attendants, 4 commonly. Great crew working there- made it a wonderful 3 week stay. Some occupants were VERY high maintenance.

 

The side wall issue. Every other wall is hard, the others soft. Soft walls can be removed so that you can be side by side with family/friends. This was important, as 3 different standard cabana renters showed up with 4 people for a standard cabana. Including a family with a 2 year old, who was generally not happy to be confined to a cabana. Officers had to be called to educate the 3 renters about cabana policies. One group made a very large stink about it, and put their issues on the attendants. In the end, a couple of soft walls were removed to help mitigate issues.

[ithaca gal]

We took an eleven day cruise on the Koningsdam in March. We were traveling with our son and his wife and booked a Family Retreat Cabana as we have on the NA and Eurodam several times. We were very surprised (unhappily) to see the scaled down version of the K'dam Family Retreat Cabana!

 

The literature advertising this cabana states: FOUR loungers. However, there is no way that four loungers can fit into this space. There are TWO loungers and two arm chairs. There is no room for a table and chairs for playing cards, having lunch, etc.

 

We paid $749 for a cabana that only two of us could comfortably use at a time. Our son and his wife came up and visited once or twice but did not spend much time there as they had in the cabanas on the NA and Eurodam. To say that we started out with a damper on our family time together is an understatement.

 

We went to the Front Desk to let them know about our disappointment and a gentlemen from the F&B department came up and told us that, yes, many people booking the Family Retreat Cabana had been very disappointed. He offered to have our son and his wife use a single cabana FOR A DAY. Really? Out of 11 days?

 

When we filled out the survey, we stressed what a disappointment the small version of the cabana was for us. We have heard nothing. After two weeks, I sent in an email to Guest Relations. That was two weeks ago. We have heard nothing.

 

Side note: Because there are 22 cabanas earning potential revenue to HAL, they do have four stewards/attendants staffing the area. However, since all four of them would go get our lunches or bring us ice, cold water, fruit, etc, we then "had" to tip all four. No, no one forced us to do this -- it was just the right thing to do. However, it would be nice if two attendants could be assigned to half of the cabanas and two to the other half. HAL gets more income by having more cabanas, but then there are more people to tip (again, we didn't HAVE to tip, but all four of them were delightful and wanted to make our cruise great, especially after seeing how disappointed we were in the space we booked).

 

Due to this and other issues unique to the K'dam, we will definitely stick to the NA and Eurodam in future.

[Taters]

I'm not sure I understand the draw of having a cabana on board. The photos look like a gussied up version of a verandah. Why not spend time there? You can have anything delivered by room service, plus you have the convenience of nearby air conditioning when it's too warm. I've booked a vista suite on my upcoming K'dam cruise and am very much looking forward to spending time on the lovely balcony that is included with my cabin.

 

If there were a private swimming pool and hot tub, I would at least be curious about renting a cabana, but just to have a covered lounge chair to sit on does not intrigue me in the least. There are plenty of loungers around the ship that are included in the fare, places to get snacks and drinks... Can someone please enlighten me?

[debsjc]

I'm not sure I understand the draw of having a cabana on board. The photos look like a gussied up version of a verandah. Why not spend time there? You can have anything delivered by room service, plus you have the convenience of nearby air conditioning when it's too warm. I've booked a vista suite on my upcoming K'dam cruise and am very much looking forward to spending time on the lovely balcony that is included with my cabin.

 

If there were a private swimming pool and hot tub, I would at least be curious about renting a cabana, but just to have a covered lounge chair to sit on does not intrigue me in the least. There are plenty of loungers around the ship that are included in the fare, places to get snacks and drinks... Can someone please enlighten me?

 

We have had a cabana twice, alongside a verandah cabin. For us it's quiet outside space, where you can comfortably fit a sun lounger, with guaranteed shade. It's a little oasis away from the hustle & bustle of the Lido area, with no loud music, and no one sitting 3 inches away from you. They also have great views when scenic cruising, better than just seeing 1 side on your balcony. My mum has back problems and can't sit in the balcony chairs for long, plus you never know if your verandah will be in sun or shade.

On the cruise we had a Neptune Suite, with a huge verandah on the aft corner, then we did not need a cabana.

[dfish]

debsjc, are you getting a cabana for Norway? I'm thinking about it, but wonder if the weather would be conducive to using it.

[ithaca gal]

I'm not sure I understand the draw of having a cabana on board. The photos look like a gussied up version of a verandah. Why not spend time there? You can have anything delivered by room service, plus you have the convenience of nearby air conditioning when it's too warm. I've booked a vista suite on my upcoming K'dam cruise and am very much looking forward to spending time on the lovely balcony that is included with my cabin.

 

If there were a private swimming pool and hot tub, I would at least be curious about renting a cabana, but just to have a covered lounge chair to sit on does not intrigue me in the least. There are plenty of loungers around the ship that are included in the fare, places to get snacks and drinks... Can someone please enlighten me?

 

I would tell you why we absolutely, positively will not sail without having a retreat cabana (even though we always book a Verandah) but then everyone would want one and our chances of getting one would decrease. Sorry!

[POA1]

I would tell you why we absolutely, positively will not sail without having a retreat cabana (even though we always book a Verandah) but then everyone would want one and our chances of getting one would decrease. Sorry!

Shush!

[Taters]

We have had a cabana twice, alongside a verandah cabin. For us it's quiet outside space, where you can comfortably fit a sun lounger, with guaranteed shade. It's a little oasis away from the hustle & bustle of the Lido area, with no loud music, and no one sitting 3 inches away from you. They also have great views when scenic cruising, better than just seeing 1 side on your balcony. My mum has back problems and can't sit in the balcony chairs for long, plus you never know if your verandah will be in sun or shade.

On the cruise we had a Neptune Suite, with a huge verandah on the aft corner, then we did not need a cabana.

 

Thanks so much for your thoughtful answer. :)

[debsjc]

debsjc, are you getting a cabana for Norway? I'm thinking about it, but wonder if the weather would be conducive to using it.

 

I don't think so, we are thinking it will be too cool to get much use from. We had one on our Northern Transatlantic (Iceland, Greenland, Nova Scotia etc) which was in August, and we were wrapped up in blankets up there some days.

 

We are trying to decide between a thermal spa pass or a cabana, but we won't do both. I think for this trip we may get more use from the spa. We are going to look round both areas when we get on board, and decide then.

[dfish]

I don't think so, we are thinking it will be too cool to get much use from. We had one on our Northern Transatlantic (Iceland, Greenland, Nova Scotia etc) which was in August, and we were wrapped up in blankets up there some days.

 

We are trying to decide between a thermal spa pass or a cabana, but we won't do both. I think for this trip we may get more use from the spa. We are going to look round both areas when we get on board, and decide then.

That is the same question I am grappling with. I was leaning towards the spa and then thought I could achieve the same warmth and well being with an Irish coffee.

[debsjc]

That is the same question I am grappling with. I was leaning towards the spa and then thought I could achieve the same warmth and well being with an Irish coffee.

 

LOL! I don't drink coffee, so I might need a hot chocolate with rum :D

 

We have never had a spa pass on HAL, but we loved the spa on the NCL epic last year and thought we might enjoy it on the Koningsdam.

We wouldn't have time to get good use out of a cabana and the spa, with all the ports as well.

[dfish]

LOL! I don't drink coffee, so I might need a hot chocolate with rum :D

 

We have never had a spa pass on HAL, but we loved the spa on the NCL epic last year and thought we might enjoy it on the Koningsdam.

We wouldn't have time to get good use out of a cabana and the spa, with all the ports as well.

I've done the spa pass on some of the smaller ships. The ceramic loungers are great. The larger pool draws my attention as well, but I'm just not sure I'd get my money's worth. I don't want to feel like I have to use it since I've paid for it. The same with a cabana.

 

Hot chocolate and rum sounds good as well!

[POA1]

Are the cabanas on the Koningsdam a lot smaller? The Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam have a table and two chairs in addition to the loungers.

[CruiserBruce]

Are the cabanas on the Koningsdam a lot smaller? The Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam have a table and two chairs in addition to the loungers.

 

They are 2 or 3 feet shorter- the space the table/chairs would have fit in. The width is the same as other ships.

[POA1]

They are 2 or 3 feet shorter- the space the table/chairs would have fit in. The width is the same as other ships.

That's a shame. We love our little lunch table. I also use it for work, placing my computer there. It's the remote office for my shipboard virtual office.

[debsjc]

I don't think not having the table would be a big deal for us, but I'm not keen on the fact that some of the dividers are curtains rather than solid screens.

[jhsocal]

Are you concerned about noise or privacy? Would think the curtains would not be shear.

[debsjc]

Are you concerned about noise or privacy? Would think the curtains would not be shear.

 

You're right, more about noise.

[CruiserBruce]

Are you concerned about noise or privacy? Would think the curtains would not be shear.

 

The curtains are not shear, they are canvas. They might let a little more noise through...but as the cabanas are open at both ends, they don't offer a huge amount of privacy.

[CruiserBruce]

That's a shame. We love our little lunch table. I also use it for work, placing my computer there. It's the remote office for my shipboard virtual office.

 

There was a pax on our cruise that used one of the tables in the shady areas a lot with his laptop.

[TrolleyGirl]

They are 2 or 3 feet shorter- the space the table/chairs would have fit in. The width is the same as other ships.

 

What I find very interesting is that HAL is willing to charge more for the cabanas on the Osterdam because the are a bit larger than the Signature ship cabanas. For example 7 days in a family cabana on the O is $549, and on the NA, E, N and Z the family cabana is $449.

 

However on the K, which has been reported by several individuals that both the family and single cabanas are smaller than the same cabana on the Signature and Vista ships the prices are not reduced to compensate for the smaller real estate.

[POA1]

What I find very interesting is that HAL is willing to charge more for the cabanas on the Osterdam because the are a bit larger than the Signature ship cabanas. For example 7 days in a family cabana on the O is $549, and on the NA, E, N and Z the family cabana is $449.

 

However on the K, which has been reported by several individuals that both the family and single cabanas are smaller than the same cabana on the Signature and Vista ships the prices are not reduced to compensate for the smaller real estate.

I agree with you 100%. If you take away "my" table and chairs, the experience is worth less to us. My wife really doesn't use the table much, but I do. However, she's in the cabanas much more than I am, so we have to do a complex value calculation.

 

Does anyone have pictures of the common area of the Koningsdam retreat cabanas? Maybe there's something there that makes up for the missing space, tables, and chairs?