Why a Cabana?

[CruiserBruce]

Hadn't heard of these cabanas before. We are going on the Westerdam in two weeks. Are they available on the Westerdam???

 

I was on the Westerdam in April and there were no cabanas. I am sure I recently read here on CC that they are a planned addition during the next dry dock.

 

Westerdam is the Vista class ship that I wasn't sure had them retrofited on yet. Guess it doesn't.

[510picker]

Yea that's what sometimes irritates me. that's why I really appreciate those that simply say why or how they benefit from it (or other things such as explore 4) and that can help me in making a decision as to whether or not I feel that it would suit my needs.

 

In that case, I will be more specific about why we like them. Note that we have only booked cabanas in the Retreat or Cabana Club areas, not the Lido. Neither of us use the pool, so the Lido cabanas have never appealed to us.

 

I am in a wheelchair from a spinal cord injury 21 years ago. We prefer to cruise in the warmth of the Caribbean and accessibility is fair to poor, at best. My wife and I learned a long time ago to enjoy what we can do and not get frustrated with what we can't, so we consider the ship to be our vacation, not the ports. We don't do excursions, so we spend our money on a cabana.

 

For us, the cabanas are a great value for many reasons. We like knowing there is a consistent place to be able to lounge in both the sun and the shade. The cabana attendants have always been so helpful and eager to please. My wife and I are on vacation, so it's nice to feel pampered a little bit. The amenities are too. Bottled water, fruit, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in the afternoon and lunch delivered to the cabana are all nice touches.

 

The cabanas are a nice gathering place with friends too. Twice we've traveled with friends that we've met on previous cruises and we all had cabanas. We leave in a couple of weeks for a cruise with four other family members and we all have cabanas. It makes for a convenient meeting spot. If someone wants to go do something else, they can go roam around and know where to find us.

 

That's my detailed reason why we like the cabanas. We work hard when we are home, so vacations are a time for us to relax and unwind and we find the cabanas offer a perfect place to do just that.

 

[CruiserBruce]

510picker, thank you so much for giving a well explained reason for booking a cabana, as opposed to people who can only trash things they have never done, or can't see any value to anyone, because they can't see beyond their own world.

 

There is NO reason to need one. You can be perfectly fine without paying additional funds for cabanas, or "private" areas.

 

A big thank you to those who refer to the Retreat Cabana area as "tent city" and the cabanas as "nothing more than tents". We appreciate the discouragement so as to make sure one is available when we sail! :)

[cbr663]

The lunch service sounds great. Does anyone know whether HAL also offers a breakfast service? We often have room service breakfast and eat on our balcony. With the new restrictive room service breakfast menu, I am wondering if a retreat cabana could be a great alternative.

 

I know that the cabanas are not available 24 hours a day. What times are the cabanas available and can you get breakfast?

[tatt2ed]

No one "needs" a cabana. No one "needs" a cruise either. Nothing wrong with just wanting something.

I "need" a cruise but i "want" a free one. Can anyone help me out ?

[Tom O.]

Exactly! You can like them, or not. But some seem to think if they don't have any use for them then no one else should either.:rolleyes:

 

I started this thread in an effort to find out why people wanted cabanas. I hope no one thinks I am criticizing them for wanting one. I just didn't understand, since they don't appeal to me. I have a better understanding now.

But I do see one reason why someone might dislike them. They take up space that used to be available to everyone for free. But this doesn't affect us since we spend all our down time on our balcony.

[alwaysfrantic]

The lunch service sounds great. Does anyone know whether HAL also offers a breakfast service? We often have room service breakfast and eat on our balcony. With the new restrictive room service breakfast menu, I am wondering if a retreat cabana could be a great alternative.

 

I know that the cabanas are not available 24 hours a day. What times are the cabanas available and can you get breakfast?

 

I think they "open" at 9 am. You could get your lido breakfast and take it up there to each in your lovely private space. There are table and loungers on the deck area as well. I don't recall the gentlemen there offering to run to get breakfast for me though I feel sure if I'd I had asked they would have happily complied.

 

We were so happy to tip the men well at the end. They did a great job in making the cruise feel special for us.

[jasperkerri]

Oh yes. Forgot about that. First off the few photos I took are on that factual site I cannot link to. But they are there in the Sports Deck area. For the time frame you are looking, you will nearly be the only ones to use it. Overall they are not used by many people than Glacier Bay. I expected cold, wind and rain so I got what I was expecting when it comes to the weather. The Cabanas took a major beating while in Australia. Tears to the fabric, one of the family units was a total loss. The head of Food and Beverage came to me directly to apologize for the state, I never once complained about the appearance as ship happens.

While in port I would come up and relax for an hour or two around lunch. Dive-In, drinks and ice cream were brought up to me each day I was there.

 

Overall was it truly worth it for the whole trip in Alaska, no. But knowing I have the space reserved, having a place for my family to have the best views on the ship for Glacier Bay, having full service offering for the day was totally worth it. So if anything book one for that day.

 

I think I am posting this correctly. Thank you very much for the info, I appreciate it!!

[serendipity1499]

I booked one for my upcoming cruise. I like to be by the pool but not out in the sun. I would like to have a private shady area where I can have all my stuff, eat lunch and still be where the action is. I can let you know when I get back whether I thought it was worth it. I have a verandah but certainly do not want to spend all my time there. Plus, I don't think they have 2 loungers on them.

I guess everyone needs to choose for themselves what they want to spend their money on.

 

I bolded you sentence re loungers on the balcony..

 

We just got off the Zuiderdam this past Sunday & travelled with Friends.. Both cabins had two loungers on our Balcony's.. I used the lounger to read in the early morning, then when DH was awake we went for breakfast.. Our Friends had breakfast in their cabin & then we all went out in the shade on Promenade deck until going for a late lunch in the Lido.. I actually don't remember seeing cabana's on the Zuiderdam, but we didn't use the pool at all, since we both have pools at home..

 

Here's why I did the Retreat Cabana. They're 18 & 16 on this sailing. Best $449 we've ever spent.

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1385416_542701025817403_437810814_n.jpg?oh=e5b2558c52f55a714633367458602e6f&oe=58D22C6B

 

And this is four people in a HAL balcony room. Way too small.

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1383848_542703585817147_561072156_n.jpg?oh=1d0c7acb661d086776cd629cc4b63658&oe=5892AF25

 

The same four of us but older doing the OV in the Eurodam again. That Retreat Cabana will be well used. Basically four people in one of those little rooms is a bit like camping in luxury. But we make it work and we keep the room pretty neat.

 

WOW! Loved your pictures.. You deserve a lot of credit sharing a cabin with your teens..:eek: I don't think we could ever do that.. It makes sense for you to book a family cabana..:D

[3rdGenCunarder]

I bolded you sentence re loungers on the balcony..

 

We just got off the Zuiderdam this past Sunday & travelled with Friends.. Both cabins had two loungers on our Balcony's.. I used the lounger to read in the early morning, then when DH was awake we went for breakfast.. Our Friends had breakfast in their cabin & then we all went out in the shade on Promenade deck until going for a late lunch in the Lido.. I actually don't remember seeing cabana's on the Zuiderdam, but we didn't use the pool at all, since we both have pools at home..

 

 

 

WOW! Loved your pictures.. You deserve a lot of credit sharing a cabin with your teens..:eek: I don't think we could ever do that.. It makes sense for you to book a family cabana..:D

 

Zuiderdam doesn't have the pool cabanas, just the ones on the higher deck. (above the spa). So you don't really notice them unless you go looking for them.

[Boytjie]

Westerdam is the Vista class ship that I wasn't sure had them retrofited on yet. Guess it doesn't.

 

Deck plans for April 2017 onward show Retreat cabanas on the Westerdam. I guess people like them since they keep adding them. ;)

[CruiserBruce]

Deck plans for April 2017 onward show Retreat cabanas on the Westerdam. I guess people like them since they keep adding them. ;)

 

As I understand it, the drydock at the end of the Caribbean season will see the cabanas added.

[serendipity1499]

Zuiderdam doesn't have the pool cabanas, just the ones on the higher deck. (above the spa). So you don't really notice them unless you go looking for them.

 

Ah ha..Thanks.. Couldn't believe I missed them..:confused: Was ready to ask our Friends if they saw them in the pool area..

[CruiserBruce]

Ah ha..Thanks.. Couldn't believe I missed them..:confused: Was ready to ask our Friends if they saw them in the pool area..

 

None of the Vistas have Lido cabanas, just Retreat cabanas. Only the Eurodam, N. Amsterdam got Lido cabanas. Koningsdam didn't.

[Rinderoo]

Here are the Cabana PDFs from HAL with 2016 pricing.

Cabana 1.pdf

HAL_2016_Cabanas_AP17598.pdf

Cabana 3.pdf

Edited November 5, 2016 by Rinderoo

[137-Carrie]

Here are the Cabana PDFs from HAL with 2016 pricing.

 

Wonderful information. Thank you.

 

I find it funny to see on this thread how posters that previously had nothing good to say about the cabanas now saying they are wonderful. I wonder what changed.

[kazu]

Wonderful information. Thank you.

 

I find it funny to see on this thread how posters that previously had nothing good to say about the cabanas now saying they are wonderful. I wonder what changed.

 

 

I'm impressed with your knowledge of prior threads. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[Lizzie68]

I'm impressed with your knowledge of prior threads. Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Transparent isn't it. However the poster has forgotten the previous discussion she was involved in revolved around the lido cabanas only.

 

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Edited November 5, 2016 by Lizzie68

[VennDiagram]

What you say is true and it also saves the running back and forth to communicate if we both had separate cabanas. We had connecting balconies with the partition open on our last cruise and that worked well too.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes there is an advantage to not having to run back and forth!

 

(Off topic, but you had connecting balconies with the partition open? :eek: Those must be some incredibly good friends, I don't think I could do that! :) )

[VennDiagram]

510picker, thank you VERY much for your very clear description of the reasons you book cabanas. Much appreciated.

[sapper1]

Thanks for the reply. Yes there is an advantage to not having to run back and forth!

 

(Off topic, but you had connecting balconies with the partition open? :eek: Those must be some incredibly good friends, I don't think I could do that! :) )

 

Yes, they were/are incredibly good friends and it worked well because we each did our own thing. We generally only use the balcony for sailaways and maybe early in the morning a bit---oh and of course going through the canal.

[Lizzie68]

Thanks for the reply. Yes there is an advantage to not having to run back and forth!

 

(Off topic, but you had connecting balconies with the partition open? :eek: Those must be some incredibly good friends, I don't think I could do that! :) )

 

True friends are at all times respectful of each others' privacy, so your intimation is a complete non-issue.

[travelinjones]

We've enjoyed having retreat cabanas when sailing in the Caribbean on both the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Zuiderdam.

 

We find the cabana a great spot to relax and enjoy the outdoors and sea views with the choice of shade or sun nearby.

 

This link has detailed photos about the retreat cabana club on the Nieuw Amsterdam: http://www.travelingwiththejones.com/2015/03/09/the-cabana-club-on-holland-americas-nieuw-amsterdam/

 

Note: we would not enjoy a lido cabana, as they don't offer the quiet 'retreat' atmosphere.

[djhsolara]

I had heard that the Cabanas on Koningsdam were smaller and the map of them that was shared on here confirms that. That is disappointing. I have yet to see good photos of them.

 

 

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[1of4]

Thanks for this thread. The information and photos have been very useful.