The HAL Retreat Cabana casino - pay your money and take your chances

[leerathje]

23 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

That flyer is also no longer available on HAL's site so it shouldn't be relied upon as accurate.

 

This is a second recent thread on the topic of noise and cabanas and it got me interested in searching for up to date information on the cabanas on HAL's site.  There doesn't appear to be any up to date information.  The most recent information was a HAL Blog post from 2017.

 

I have a cruise booked and logged in to see what I could find about the cabanas for my cruise.  I couldn't find anything.  The cabanas aren't even shown on the ship's deck plans.  I don't know how a new cruise passenger would even discover the cabanas if they didn't even already know about them.

 

 

If you look at any ship deck plan, it shows them.  Here's from the Rotterdam:

 

 

[cbr663]

Thank-you so much.  Yes, I see them now.  Once I increased the size of the plan.  Unfortunately I was looking for Cabanas and not The Retreat.

 

I tried searching HAL's website for The Retreat and still cannot get any hits on them.  I find that a little strange.  lol.  

[oaktreerb]

On 1/8/2023 at 1:58 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Unfortunately when cabana stewards are running from pillar to post to get food for people it's going to get cold.  This is one of the many reasons I never ask them to get me food.  Also I can't  sit without moving for very long. These cabanas are not for everyone, nor should people have to explain why they aren't or are.  I've even had people ask why I need both a balcony and cabana.  I can't imagine why anyone would need an answer to that.

A better question might be why do want a balcony and cabana🤔

[oaktreerb]

On 1/8/2023 at 1:04 PM, OlsSalt said:

Two adults and six kids in one two-person "adult cabana" was the problem.  

 

There may have been a babysitter in another cabana - which would still make this 3 adults and six kids in two " two adult" cabanas. Total official occupancy -four. Actual use by nine.

 

The message from Guest Services was the children could not be left alone in their cabin, so they were allowed to free-range in the Retreat Cabana where their parents had rented a two person adult cabana. Some how this explanation was intended to make us understand why this turned out this way.

 

However, one  must still ask why HAL designated in their own promotional material for "adults" ,; and not for "persons".

 

The point is not to quibble over semantics- the point is to know up front what you may run into if their prior descriptions of "adult occupancy limitations" remain confusing to any remaining unwary.  

 

One can get plenty of happy kids playing, running and shouting at each other with piped in music for free at both pool sides - center pool and the aft "adults only" pool. No reason to pay extra for it. Plus get quicker food service standing in line at the Lido, Dive Inn or NY Deli.

 

One can have fun doing the math for the actual daily cost to obtain the value-added of one bottle of mineral water,  two chocolate strawberries and one glass of prosecco. And a reserved lounger.

If the adults have a two person cabana, the children need to be in Club HAL.  The HAL response was beyond belief.  They are saying that the adults pay for the 2 person cabana and the kids (however many) have the whole retreat open area as a playground and the stewards as their “tenders”.  This needs to be clarified by the Food and Beverage Dept at Corporate.  The ships seem to need guidance in this matter.

 

HAL needs  a new brochure to define the actual permitted use of the Retreat.  Cabanas on the Lido Deck are kid friendly.  A Retreat for adults is not a kid friendly area.  

[Florida_gal_50]

44 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

If the adults have a two person cabana, the children need to be in Club HAL.  The HAL response was beyond belief.  They are saying that the adults pay for the 2 person cabana and the kids (however many) have the whole retreat open area as a playground and the stewards as their “tenders”.  This needs to be clarified by the Food and Beverage Dept at Corporate.  The ships seem to need guidance in this matter.

 

HAL needs  a new brochure to define the actual permitted use of the Retreat.  Cabanas on the Lido Deck are kid friendly.  A Retreat for adults is not a kid friendly area.  

I've asked about the capacity for years.  I've been told every extra person is getting charged extra.  I've yet to meet anyone that is.  By the way I didn't understand your last quote.  

[RAS4331]

This is such a failure on the part of Holland America.  The retreat is advertised as tranquil and relaxing.  Children need to run around and play.  Therefore, the retreat is not meant for children.  A simple “adults only” rule would eliminate any question and allow the staff to firmly but politely point to that rule rather than having to be in the middle and trying “to make everyone happy.”

 

Of course there will be someone who will complain and say that their child is perfectly well-behaved in the retreat and just quietly reads and listens to music on her headphones, so how dare you ban her?  I leave it to the hospitality professionals to sort that one out, but overall I think an enforced adults only policy would serve the greatest number of people.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, RAS4331 said:

This is such a failure on the part of Holland America.  The retreat is advertised as tranquil and relaxing.  Children need to run around and play.  Therefore, the retreat is not meant for children.  A simple “adults only” rule would eliminate any question and allow the staff to firmly but politely point to that rule rather than having to be in the middle and trying “to make everyone happy.”

 

Of course there will be someone who will complain and say that their child is perfectly well-behaved in the retreat and just quietly reads and listens to music on her headphones, so how dare you ban her?  I leave it to the hospitality professionals to sort that one out, but overall I think an enforced adults only policy would serve the greatest number of people.

I agree.  I just don’t know what young kids would do there.  It’s not like there are toys, games or a pool by.  When I was a kid we certainly couldn’t afford a cruise.  We went to the next province over and camped at a lake.  We lived in the water while the parents sat around yakking and having some drinks.  I would have been bored to death if I had to sit with them all day.

[Copper10-8]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:10 AM, cbr663 said:

......................The cabanas aren't even shown on the ship's deck plans.  I don't know how a new cruise passenger would even discover the cabanas if they didn't even already know about them.

 

 

The cabanas on Sun Deck belong to "The Retreat" which is listed on the deck plans. This is K-dam with tiny drawings of those infamous cabanas 😉 Yes, one has to do a bit of research to learn more bout the topic "cabanas" and the common sense (if present) side rules of "blaring music"   

 

 

Plus Lido deck, port side; more tiny lines 😉 

[iceman93]

6 hours ago, RAS4331 said:

A simple “adults only” rule would eliminate any question and allow the staff to firmly but politely point to that rule rather than having to be in the middle and trying “to make everyone happy.”

As an adult who travels with my children on HAL cruises, I actually agree with you--I think the Retreat should be one of the few adults-only areas on the ship.  This is one area where Disney excels, as their adults-only areas are both clearly marked and firmly enforced.

 

But I will point out that one of the recent controversies regarding retreat cabanas, the main offender was an adult (at least by age) who was blasting music that disturbed other guests, so even an adults-only designation will not eliminate problems or HAL's need (apparently unfulfilled) to enforce the rules.

[HALcruiser2001]

On 1/9/2023 at 3:14 PM, oaktreerb said:

A better question might be why do want a balcony and cabana🤔

 

Because it is not your room, it's definitely more open air, it's on an upper deck, you can ask for a meal or drink any time, your wife gets to say she had a Cabana Boy.   I book a cruise to be extravagant.   Neptune Suite, Cabana, all of the above please.   Wish I could have booked a PS, but they seem to be booked way in advance.

 

[HALcruiser2001]

8 hours ago, RAS4331 said:

This is such a failure on the part of Holland America.  The retreat is advertised as tranquil and relaxing.  Children need to run around and play.  Therefore, the retreat is not meant for children.  A simple “adults only” rule would eliminate any question and allow the staff to firmly but politely point to that rule rather than having to be in the middle and trying “to make everyone happy.”

 

Of course there will be someone who will complain and say that their child is perfectly well-behaved in the retreat and just quietly reads and listens to music on her headphones, so how dare you ban her?  I leave it to the hospitality professionals to sort that one out, but overall I think an enforced adults only policy would serve the greatest number of people.

More importantly, kids need to know where and when they run and play.  I learned this at birth.   Not so much these days.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, bdd123 said:

 

Because it is not your room, it's definitely more open air, it's on an upper deck, you can ask for a meal or drink any time, your wife gets to say she had a Cabana Boy.   I book a cruise to be extravagant.   Neptune Suite, Cabana, all of the above please.   Wish I could have booked a PS, but they seem to be booked way in advance.

 

One of my favorite things is sitting on the balcony very early in the morning when the ship I quiet and the sun is about to come up.  The cabanas don’t open until 9 am so you can’t do that.

[HALcruiser2001]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

One of my favorite things is sitting on the balcony very early in the morning when the ship I quiet and the sun is about to come up.  The cabanas don’t open until 9 am so you can’t do that.

That's why I have a Neptune Suite and Cabana on my next cruise.  One of the many reasons. We have only cruised 2 times in the past, this will be our first cabana.  I hope it is not the disaster that a few people have mentioned.
 

Most likely sunrise will be in the fitness center for me. 

When do they kick you out of the Cabanas?

[mwj]

6 minutes ago, bdd123 said:

That's why I have a Neptune Suite and Cabana on my next cruise.  One of the many reasons. We have only cruised 2 times in the past, this will be our first cabana.  I hope it is not the disaster that a few people have mentioned.
 

Most likely sunrise will be in the fitness center for me. 

When do they kick you out of the Cabanas?

We have never been kicked out of the Retreat.

The attendants are there from ~9-5, plus setup and cleanup time (~8-6).

We have gone up later in the evening without any problem.

[HALcruiser2001]

40 minutes ago, mwj said:

We have never been kicked out of the Retreat.

The attendants are there from ~9-5, plus setup and cleanup time (~8-6).

We have gone up later in the evening without any problem.

Does it take your room key to enter?

[mwj]

6 minutes ago, bdd123 said:

Does it take your room key to enter?

No, you simply walk in ...

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, bdd123 said:

Does it take your room key to enter?

I wish it did.  While I don't find it as prevalent on the Pinnacle ships there have been a lot of squatters in the area on the non pinnacle.  There is a stairway on a lot of the ships and a lot of people use it to cut through.  Before I purchased a cabana I would not step foot in something I never paid for.

[HALcruiser2001]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I wish it did.  While I don't find it as prevalent on the Pinnacle ships there have been a lot of squatters in the area on the non pinnacle.  There is a stairway on a lot of the ships and a lot of people use it to cut through.  Before I purchased a cabana I would not step foot in something I never paid for.

The Retreat should require a key card.   I will have some fun if there are any squatters.

[*Miss G*]

6 minutes ago, bdd123 said:

The Retreat should require a key card.   I will have some fun if there are any squatters.

 

There won’t be.  The attendants are pretty quick to spot them and have a chat.

[Florida_gal_50]

Unfortunately there are sqatters but they make short work of them.  On one cruise one of the family cabanas was open.  They had to kick this group of dudes out several times a day.  There is something wrong with people like that. I've also seen people say they'd leave in a while.

[Wakepatrol]

22 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I agree.  I just don’t know what young kids would do there.  It’s not like there are toys, games or a pool by.  When I was a kid we certainly couldn’t afford a cruise.  We went to the next province over and camped at a lake.  We lived in the water while the parents sat around yakking and having some drinks.  I would have been bored to death if I had to sit with them all day.

Did you ever hear “No Swimming For Fifteen Minutes After You’ve Eaten.

You’ll Get A Cramp”

Or was it just my strange upbringing?

[Florida_gal_50]

45 minutes ago, Wakepatrol said:

Did you ever hear “No Swimming For Fifteen Minutes After You’ve Eaten.

You’ll Get A Cramp”

Or was it just my strange upbringing?

I thought it was an hour or so 😛.  Maybe it’s just my age 🤪.

[leerathje]

17 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

One of my favorite things is sitting on the balcony very early in the morning when the ship I quiet and the sun is about to come up.  The cabanas don’t open until 9 am so you can’t do that.

 

We love ordering coffee from room service, and then sitting on our verandah as we come into port early in the morning.

 

L.

 

[Boatdrill]

On 1/8/2023 at 9:45 AM, OlsSalt said:

Guest Services complaints by myself and other Retreat Cabana occupants were ignored, and we were told there was nothing they would do about this, let alone assure us we could cancel and get our money back. So we hung in there and tried to work around it. We finally stopped going. So did another adjacent occupant who shared in the complaints. We were told we had to accommodate to them, instead of asking this large family unit to accommodate to our clear expectations about the use of this reserved space. Cabana steward told us after our first complaints, they wanted to make "everyone happy" - yet they only made the large family happy; not the other impacted cabana occupants.

 

 

I've booked the Retreat Cabanas a few times, and always found the area to be as advertised...quiet with attentive service. So I'm sorry to hear that ship's staff were unresponsive to your, and other's, complaints, and your time in the Retreat was not what you signed up for. 

I wonder if a direct conversation with the parents would have settled things down ?  How do you think they would have reacted ?  

 

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Boatdrill

[HALcruiser2001]

7 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

I've booked the Retreat Cabanas a few times, and always found the area to be as advertised...quiet with attentive service. So I'm sorry to hear that ship's staff were unresponsive to your, and other's, complaints, and your time in the Retreat was not what you signed up for. 

I wonder if a direct conversation with the parents would have settled things down ?  How do you think they would have reacted ?  

 

 

I think a direct conversation is appropriate, if you are prepared to deal with the consequences.  Direct approach could result in a lot of outcomes.  The desired outcome is that the person gets their act together and the retreat is returned to peace and quiet.  Second most desirable is that the person gets defensive, abusive and kicked out.  Lots of outcome in between.  I would take the risk, I hope my Cabana Experience is uneventful.