Cabana Questions regarding new amenities.

[BermudaBound2014]

I've seen this new list of amenities posted for Cabanas on several sites. It comes with a pretty hefty increase in price. I have three specific questions:

 

1) Had the language of the regular cabanas always included 2 children? I know children are allowed in the family cabanas, but I could have sworn that the 2 person cabana was just that~ limited to two persons (regardless of age). Is this a change of policy or has it always been like this?

 

2) On Koningsdam is there a separate bar to belly up to in the retreat area? How many stools? Is there a bartender of the cabana attendants that serve drinks?

 

3) Is 18% gratuity added onto that price? I purchased a cabana on a 2025 cruise. What I'm trying to figure out is if the $1,970.00 price includes 18% specifically for the cabana attendants?

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by BermudaBound2014

[CruiserBruce]

No, there is not a bar in the Retreat area.

 

The "Two children" is a change. There are some added treats...chips and guacamole, ice cream, the Lunch menu, for example.

[OlsSalt]

If you want a retreat cabana for peace and quiet, take a pass.

 

There is no sound proofing between the cabanas, which can make being next to 4-6 person "family" cabana problematic. There was no room for anything more than two persons in the regular retreat cabana (Konigsdam) which  most likely means the extra members now allowed in the two person cabanas will need to "recreate" in the open central spaces impacting everyone else.

 

Interesting official response to the noisy chaos created on our Konigsdam cruise,  when  HAL allowed two adults and six children into a two-person cabana. (8 total)

 

Prior designations were "adults only" even in the family cabana. Stick with the Lido cabanas if you are happy with a lot of noise. But don't book a retreat cabana is you want to get away from the noise.

 

Bad move, HAL. 

[Blackduck59]

We aren't really "Cabana People" but I'm pretty sure that if I reserved a "retreat cabana" thinking there would be few if any children there; only to find out it is now kid's zone with all cabanas allowing children I would be choked beyond belief. Talk about bait and switch. You book space in a place which is supposed to have a limited number of people, and a limited number of kids, suddenly they double capacity of people and kids. I think I could find other ways to spend 2 grand.

[BermudaBound2014]

14 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

No, there is not a bar in the Retreat area.

 

The "Two children" is a change. There are some added treats...chips and guacamole, ice cream, the Lunch menu, for example.

 

 

thanks. You are always very helpful. I got confused when I found this on the HAL site (although it's old) but didn't see any bar in any of the photos or videos I've watched. 

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/recent-articles/activities/luxury-cruising-private-retreat/

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

@OlsSalt I agree that the change now allowing children in any cabana is a bad move on HAL's part. Thanks for confirming I'm not losing my mind. 

[BermudaBound2014]

Anyone else care to chime in with their experiences? Especially my question about gratuity?

[Cruise Suzy]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Especially my question about gratuity?

 

The image you posted says "Including 18% service charge" in the light blue bar

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, Cruise Suzy said:

 

The image you posted says "Including 18% service charge" in the light blue bar

 

Thanks. I'm not being very good explaining what I'm after. Sorry.

 

Is anyone aware that that specific 18% is reserved for JUST the cabana attendants to split? In other words, do only they get to split 18% of all the cabanas sold?

 

 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

6 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Thanks. I'm not being very good explaining what I'm after. Sorry.

 

Is anyone aware that that specific 18% is reserved for JUST the cabana attendants to split? In other words, do only they get to split 18% of all the cabanas sold?

 

 

 

 

The cabana attendants are bar staff. Any purchased drinks or other things assigned the 18% tip, that tip goes into their pool. If you personally give cash, they keep it.

[CruiserBruce]

23 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

We aren't really "Cabana People" but I'm pretty sure that if I reserved a "retreat cabana" thinking there would be few if any children there; only to find out it is now kid's zone with all cabanas allowing children I would be choked beyond belief. Talk about bait and switch. You book space in a place which is supposed to have a limited number of people, and a limited number of kids, suddenly they double capacity of people and kids. I think I could find other ways to spend 2 grand.

Where is the bait and switch if it clearly says in the description children are allowed?

[OlsSalt]

Children allowed in the Lido cabanas are probably a given  since this location already is high-traffic and noise.

 

The irony is the upper "retreat" deck surrounding the pool deck on the Konigsdam had many loungers, that always seemed to be available, which were free. And no kids in this area since the pool activity itself was one deck down.  And only a few steps away from getting your own food on your own timing, rather than waiting forever for it to get "delivered" in the cabana. 

 

Turning the Retreat Cabanas into a Club Hal Annex must have made sense to HAL bean counters and if they are successful, I am happy for them. HAL does have a lot of debt to crawl out from under. And they did want to attract  younger clientele who find a lot of noise more appealing, than just silently watching the sea pass by. 

 

Or it could be that the Retreats overall turned into a white elephant loss for HAL,  and they needed to tweak up a new customer base. 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

10 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

The cabana attendants are bar staff. Any purchased drinks or other things assigned the 18% tip, that tip goes into their pool. If you personally give cash, they keep it.

thanks that’s exactly what I was wondering. The gratuity is split among the entire bar staff and not just among the two or three cabana attendants 

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Children allowed in the Lido cabanas are probably a given  since this location already is high-traffic and noise.

 

The irony is the upper "retreat" deck surrounding the pool deck on the Konigsdam had many loungers, that always seemed to be available, which were free. And no kids in this area since the pool activity itself was one deck down.  And only a few steps away from getting your own food on your own timing, rather than waiting forever for it to get "delivered" in the cabana. 

 

Turning the Retreat Cabanas into a Club Hal Annex must have made sense to HAL bean counters and if they are successful, I am happy for them. HAL does have a lot of debt to crawl out from under. And they did want to attract  younger clientele who find a lot of noise more appealing, than just silently watching the sea pass by. 

 

Or it could be that the Retreats overall turned into a white elephant loss for HAL,  and they needed to tweak up a new customer base. 

 

I would propose a third scenario. HAL just made a mistake on the new advertising. 

[OlsSalt]

9 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Where is the bait and switch if it clearly says in the description children are allowed?

 

This is now a switch; but no longer the bait and switch that it was in the past. Glad they set the terms out with more specificity.

 

Caveat emptor for anyone still expecting a "retreat" private cabana to mean quiet adults only zone. 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

This is now a switch; but no longer the bait and switch that it was in the past. Glad they set the terms out with more specificity.

 

Caveat emptor for anyone still expecting a "retreat" private cabana to mean quiet adults only zone. 

 

 

Somehow, "retreat" sounds more peaceful than what it's going to be now. I've often read that people book inside or OV cabins and then a cabana for outside space because it's expensive than a balcony cabin. People may be rethinking this strategy. 

[Blackduck59]

10 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Where is the bait and switch if it clearly says in the description children are allowed?

If for instance you booked your Cabana in say 2022 for a cruise in 2024, the rules say 2 person cabanas are for 2 people (adults or children up to 16 years old). Never the less 2 people. Suddenly the 2 person Cabana is a 4 person Cabana, 2 of which are kids. So now they have doubled capacity but not square footage. So you are expecting a certain amount of people in the "Retreat" but suddenly that number is doubled and all of the extra bodies are kids.

[cbr663]

HAL has been actively promoting its "Kids Sail Free" and I believe that HAL is targeting a different demographic for its ships.  That the Cabanas now include kids isn't really a surprise.  If you are sailing on HAL, you should be prepared to encounter more kids.

 

Now the Seafood Boil for lunch is a bit of a surprise.  If that is the same Seafood Boil advertised in the Lido, iirc, there's an uncharge for that in the lido and I don't believe it is available every day.

[Windsailer]

Years ago we decided to do an experiment on our FLL to Seattle cruise. Normally we book balconies, but we booked an inside cabin and a Retreat Cabana.for thousands less than just a balcony would have been. It was great, especially going through the Panama Canal.  No children, very low key and service was exceptional. With HALs recent change (and some CCers recent experiences) no way would I do that again. 

Edited January 9 by Windsailer

[BermudaBound2014]

18 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

HAL has been actively promoting its "Kids Sail Free" and I believe that HAL is targeting a different demographic for its ships.  That the Cabanas now include kids isn't really a surprise.  If you are sailing on HAL, you should be prepared to encounter more kids.

 

Now the Seafood Boil for lunch is a bit of a surprise.  If that is the same Seafood Boil advertised in the Lido, iirc, there's an uncharge for that in the lido and I don't believe it is available every day.

Regardless whether or not HAL is promoting children on board, the absence of an adult only area (whether paid or free), is a marketing error in my opinion. Carnival offers the complementary adult only serenity, rcl offers the adult only solarium, ncl has vibe, etc..

 

There are enough boomers, and retired Gen Xers sailing HAL that want an area free of children, no matter how much we love them.

[cbr663]

4 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Regardless whether or not HAL is promoting children on board, the absence of an adult only area (whether paid or free), is a marketing error in my opinion. Carnival offers the complementary adult only serenity, rcl offers the adult only solarium, ncl has vibe, etc..

 

There are enough boomers, and retired Gen Xers sailing HAL that want an area free of children, no matter how much we love them.

 

I agree.  

[iceman93]

I sail with children, and often defend children against some of the old grumps on this board, but even I think the "retreat" should be an adults-only area.

[Sebbiesgrammy]

11 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Regardless whether or not HAL is promoting children on board, the absence of an adult only area (whether paid or free), is a marketing error in my opinion. Carnival offers the complementary adult only serenity, rcl offers the adult only solarium, ncl has vibe, etc..

 

There are enough boomers, and retired Gen Xers sailing HAL that want an area free of children, no matter how much we love them.

Agree completely. Isn't the Sea View pool adults only anymore?  Agree that the Lido pool can be noisy even when there aren't many kids since that is where poolside activities are normally held but the smaller Sea View on most, if not all ship classes in the HAL fleet, is usually quieter.

[WriterOnDeck]

We just had a retreat cabana on the holiday 12-day Zuiderdam cruise. It was wonderful. The ship wasn't crazy with children, although there were a couple of hundred at least. All were well behaved for children imho. I didn't see any in the cabana area, which frequently was very quiet. The cabanas easily held 4 people -- 2 lounges and 2 chairs at a table (with a power plug!). We had 5 adults (incuding 2 adult "kids") in our group and figured we would just go up in pairs, but as the area was very quiet, no one seemed to care if we had one or two more, including our wonderful steward.

 

We tipped him well, and I understand that my younger nephew went up with an additional generous tip, as he was that good.

 

Not sure I would splurge in the future, especially given the price increase. But I'm used to long cruises where deck chairs are always available, and on the full holiday cruise that wasn't the case.

[Real NHDOC]

The retreat cabanas on the Zuiderdam are larger than on the Pinnacle class ships. There isn’t space for 4 people inside a standard Pinnacle cabana, just two lounge chairs. The idea that they are now encouraging families to take them is laughable. I am glad to have enjoyed the experience before this new policy was enacted since we won’t be getting a cabana again if they are turning it into a family friendly venue.