Retreat cabin sold out from under me!

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, cecilyf said:

I think they just only have the names on the list they got from the home office, and have no idea that overbooking has happened until people start showing up who aren’t on their list. I feel sorry for the cabana attendants, who inevitably get caught in the middle…

 

You're right that it isn't the fault of the cabana attendants, and you are being very gracious to recognize that. It's now more than a day since you first posted. You're a better person than I am because by now, I would have moved on from "disgruntled" to irate. 

[auggiemom]

Oh no....we reserved one for the first time in March.  I have a confirmation email, but no one was cc'd on ours.  Now I'm panicking....

 

Guess I'll put this on my list on Monday to give them a call to confirm.....

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I agree with the suggestion that an upgraded cabin is in order, if the ship isn't fully booked. Ask for it, just in case they don't offer it as a remedy.

[TiogaCruiser]

I’m remembering 2 almost simultaneous slip ups like this in close succession, I think they were early last year?? @OlsSalt mentioned one. And in the approximate time, someone who was “special” was  reported as dominating the cabana area with his music.

[Don Kehote]

Not for nothin', but our cabana experience on the Nieuw Amsterdam (December '22), was so incredibly bad that I actively dissuade my clients from booking it, with an explanation of how poorly the whole debacle went.  I had high hopes that my Daughter's cruise (with retreat cabana) would go better, but THEY had problems too.

 

It's bad.  Bad-bad.  I do not trust their ability, or even desire, to properly administer the cabanas.  Premium price should equate to premium service, and ours was just...no.  Never again.

[fox02554]

12 hours ago, POA1 said:

Our cabana receipt from April 2023 - for our December trip, had no CC. The receipt from September 2023 for the April 2024 sailing had a CC. The latter had a different format.

just checked ours for Oct.'24 , I have e-mail receipt and conformation from Mac " contractor " ( who i had talked to on phone )  and a SECOND e-mail receipt and conformation from someone in "Coordinator, Ship and Shore Experiences"  I'll still  call mid-summer and double check 😄

 

[Real NHDOC]

I will echo what someone else reported here. The management of the retreat cabana area is the responsibility of the beverage manager. I have found that the quality of service (ie training) of the attendants is a direct result of how good the BM is. The best BM we have had was Csaba and the absolute worst was Ivan. When Csaba is in charge the retreat is run like a swiss watch and he comes up a few times a day to check. Ivan is lazy and doesn’t do anything or care if the retreat is being well tended to. If you are unsatisfied with your experience on the retreat go first to the food and beverage manager and then to the hotel manager and tell them the BM isn’t doing his job. 

Edited January 7 by Real NHDOC

[BruhnSisters]

12 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I’m remembering 2 almost simultaneous slip ups like this in close succession, I think they were early last year?? @OlsSalt mentioned one. And in the approximate time, someone who was “special” was  reported as dominating the cabana area with his music.

I rented a cabana, for a day, the same week that OleSalt was onboard.  I experienced the same issues with  many kids and their parents sharing a two person cabana.   I adore kids (I am a grandma and work at a charter school), but these kids were demanding and running around.   Also had a loud boom box playing from a neighboring cabana.  So my "retreat" time was not as peaceful as I would have hoped.  The cabana attendants should be given the authority or have higher ups enforce basic standards.  

 

On a previous cruise there were none of these issues and I had a lovelier time.  

[kirkc]

Our cabana experience on the Rotterdam in late November was wonderful. A quiet retreat and excellent staff willing to do whatever was needed. No lookyloos and no boomboxes. A very well run operation. I’ve booked the same cabana for this November’s cruise.

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, BruhnSisters said:

I rented a cabana, for a day, the same week that OleSalt was onboard.  I experienced the same issues with  many kids and their parents sharing a two person cabana.   I adore kids (I am a grandma and work at a charter school), but these kids were demanding and running around.   Also had a loud boom box playing from a neighboring cabana.  So my "retreat" time was not as peaceful as I would have hoped.  The cabana attendants should be given the authority or have higher ups enforce basic standards.  

 

On a previous cruise there were none of these issues and I had a lovelier time.  

 

I wonder if you were the very sympathetic person in the forward facing cabana next to the corner family cabana that rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement when I was registering my early complaints to the beleaguered cabana steward.

 

Plus being supportive when I was also asked " is it possible to turn the music down"? It was very annoying hip hop type music and pretty loud - like much of the rest of the ship. The volume was decreased. But we had to live with the kids, and their impacts on getting any timely food service.

 

I appreciated getting the moral support from whomever that nodding woman was that day, also agreeing  this was a hugely disappointing cabana experience. For others reading this for the first time, these concerns did get escalated to guest services but they offered no resolution nor refund. Poor stewards got caught in the middle.  (Konigsdam - Christmas 2022)

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, BruhnSisters said:

I rented a cabana, for a day, the same week that OleSalt was onboard.  I experienced the same issues with  many kids and their parents sharing a two person cabana.   I adore kids (I am a grandma and work at a charter school), but these kids were demanding and running around.   Also had a loud boom box playing from a neighboring cabana.  So my "retreat" time was not as peaceful as I would have hoped.  The cabana attendants should be given the authority or have higher ups enforce basic standards.  

 

On a previous cruise there were none of these issues and I had a lovelier time.  

 

I've never rented a cabana because I always get a balcony. Does the single day booking have to be done on board? And how much is it? I have HIA and somehow got a lot of OBC I need to use. That might be a way to do it.

[wdw1972]

6 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I've never rented a cabana because I always get a balcony. Does the single day booking have to be done on board? And how much is it? I have HIA and somehow got a lot of OBC I need to use. That might be a way to do it.

Yes, single day rentals have to be done onboard.  Price varies depending on whether it's a port day or sea day (plus family vs regular cabana). My recollection is approximately $150 on sea days, closer to $100 on port days, but I can't swear to it.  I book the entire cruise and therefore don't know the exact daily prices.

[ABSing]

This is an interesting thread that I am following.  We have rented cabanas for an upcoming cruise.  We are traveling with family members and want a designated spot to rest, relax, and recharge.  We know that getting 4 chairs together will be close to impossible because of chair hogs.  Another reason for the retreat is DH loves the sun and I enjoy very small doses.    The cabanas will give me a rest from the sun--whenever I want!  On previous cruises, DH and I would have to wander around looking for available chairs.  We finally would go to the promenade deck.  We decided that it would be worth it to try the retreat cabanas.  We are going in with an open mind--we might love it, we might hate it.  That said, if it wasn't available after we had booked and paid for it, I would be irritated.  JMHO.  

 

  

[BruhnSisters]

Hello!  I've booked single day cabanas on three separate cruises.  First two were great!  Port days were very reasonable in price . .  but I've read that has increased now.

 

On my second cabana, the stewards forgot to come and get my lunch order, but it was not on purpose, so I didn't mention it.   I just went to the lido and brought my own food there.  Still enjoyed my peaceful day there.

 

The issue I had with my third cabana experience was specifically the noisy kids and the noisy music with no resolve.

 

I've read many positive cabana reviews since here online . . . so wishing future cabana folks peaceful and relaxing luxury.  

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

@cecilyf, I'm almost afraid to ask. How did this turn out? 

[cecilyf]

Well, the refund did go through before the weekend was out - it was credited to my account as refundable OBC and the amount remaining post-cruise was credited back to my card fairly promptly. I decided not to spend any of my vacation hunting down additional recompense, though. (I’m a lawyer, and negotiating consumer compensation remedies is the very essence of a busman’s holiday in my book!) Plus, I did find a nice little Deck 9 corner by the shuffleboard where I could enjoy a quiet deck chair in the shade - the only hardship was having to go around the corner to get my own beverages!

 

All in all, though, I don’t think I’ll be in a tearing hurry to get back on a HAL ship - instead, I’ll be saving my vacation pennies for more of my dearly-beloved QM2 transatlantics. (Now THERE’S a deck chair worth waiting for!)

[Petronillus]

How sad! HAL had a golden opportunity to forge a solid relationship with a relative newcomer -- this was only OP's 2nd HAL cruise -- and to gain some good publicity on this board to boot, and they squandered it utterly. In Stephen Covey terms, it was a huge withdrawal from the emotional bank account with major repercussions in OP's circle of influence.  As a CCL shareholder, it disturbs me.

[3rdGenCunarder]

@cecilyf, thanks for reporting back. I'm disappointed that HAL didn't do more to make it up to you, but I understand letting it go. I do love a good argument, but not to the point that it would overshadow my vacation. Maybe I'll see you on QM2 someday!