cabins with a lanai?

[rmmm]

I got the 2010 HAL cruise "catalog" for the Americas. It shows all of the cabin choices for each of the ships and includes a description of the lanai cabins on the Rotterdam and the Veendam. From what I have read these cabins have glass doors that open up onto the lower promenade deck. It seems to me that you would have zero privacy during the day (unless you closed the drapes) and that it would be really noisy with all the people walking on deck. What are the advantages to this category of cabin? Would you (or have you) every chosen a cabin with a lanai?

[mamaofami]

I have one booked, and have no idea if I will like it. It's for my Bermuda cruise in 2010. There is direct access to the deck which is nice. I do think you have privacy during the day. Don't think you can see in except at night. As far as noise, I don't know. Only time will tell. There have been several reports about these cabins. Do a search on the forum and you will find them.

[COLLEYBERRY]

I have one booked, and have no idea if I will like it. It's for my Bermuda cruise in 2010. There is direct access to the deck which is nice. I do think you have privacy during the day. Don't think you can see in except at night. As far as noise, I don't know. Only time will tell. There have been several reports about these cabins. Do a search on the forum and you will find them.

 

I have been thinking about this type of cabin as well. Look forward to your opinion of them.:)

[fann1sh]

In her recent trip to Alaska, editor Erica had one of these cabins. There's a sticky at the top of the main page, and the blog thread itself is on the Alaska board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=995241

 

While her blog speaks for itself, I believe it's fair to summarize she found the cabin cramped, with not a lot of storage, but enjoyed access to the promenade.

[mamaofami]

'

 

Maybe you should bring your own sign :)

 

Also known as brign your own tray. I do believe keeping those chairs for the specific cabins will be a problem. If I were walking on the deck and saw an empty chair, and if I didn't know they were reserved for those cabins(which most people won't know) I would just sit down. Since it won't be so easy to politely ask and expect someone to give up the chair, I hope HAL prints big signs soon.

[Assateague Island Princes]

I personally love the idea! We were going to reserve one for next year's Alaska cruise, but then the new 14 day itinerary on the Amsterdam came out, so we changed out plans. But I would not hesitate to try one - I think we would really enjoy it, and I'm not too concerned about the noise of people walking or the threat of someone possibly taking my chair on an Alaskan cruise, because we'd be on excursions all day with such a port intensive itinerary, and at night? Well, we'd just close the drapes after we got tired of that awesome view off the biggest deck on the ship. Oh yeah...I'd more than make do with a lanai cabin! :pSomeday....

 

I'll be very interested to read mamaofami's impressions of this cabin when she returns - please be sure to post!

[mamaofami]

 

I'll be very interested to read mamaofami's impressions of this cabin when she returns - please be sure to post!

 

 

You'll have to wait over a year for my opinion, but I will be sure to post. I think I'm going to like it. I love an aft veranda cabin but they were very expensive on the Veendam since there aren't many of them. This feels like the next best. Hope I'm right.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Thats okay, I'll wait...got all the time in the world til I can think about booking a lanai cabin!:p

[kryos]

Also known as brign your own tray. I do believe keeping those chairs for the specific cabins will be a problem. If I were walking on the deck and saw an empty chair, and if I didn't know they were reserved for those cabins(which most people won't know) I would just sit down. Since it won't be so easy to politely ask and expect someone to give up the chair, I hope HAL prints big signs soon.

You ever stay in a motel where you have a small sitting area outside of your room? This is what I picture these lanai cabins being similar to. Your lanai is actually going to be a public walking area with people constantly traversing through your "space."

 

Since unlike a motel, people constantly use this lower promenade deck for walking, lounging, etc., I can't see how HAL is gonna be able to restrict the use of the loungers to strictly the occupant of that stateroom ... not unless they somehow cordon off the area containing each lanai. People are used to that area of the deck being public space, so it's going to be difficult to convince them that the rules have now changed.

 

It's getting to the point that HAL is removing more and more of what used to be public space and trying to make it private. Where does the space for additional cabins come from? What was formerly public space, of course! And how about those cabanas around the pool on the Eurodam? The room for them was carved from what used to be public space. Between adding more cabins/people to the ships, and taking away public space to add those cabins, you're gonna eventually be faced with very little outside deck space to go around.

 

And, another thing ... smoking is allowed on one side of the promenade deck. What happens if your lanai cabin is located on that side of the ship, and someone plops down on your lounger to enjoy a smoke? I would imagine that to make this work, all smoking will have to be banned on that deck as well, making one less area smokers can use.

 

Of course, I could be wrong, but personally I don't think these lanai cabins are gonna work. It just sounds like a way HAL came up with to charge a premium on what is in reality just an ocean view cabin.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[MAMAFIX]

We have one of the lanai cabins booked for Bermuda 5/2010 - is smoking allowed on one side of the promenade deck and if so, does anyone know which side?

 

Thanks!

[RuthC]

We have one of the lanai cabins booked for Bermuda 5/2010 - is smoking allowed on one side of the promenade deck and if so, does anyone know which side?

I could be wrong, but I believe smoking is allowed on both sides of Lower Promenade Deck.

I don't recall seeing any "No Smoking" signs, or seeing a notice to that effect in the Daily Program. It is the kind of thing I would notice.

[mamaofami]

Interesting about the smoking on the promenade deck. To the best of my recollection, I've never seen anyone smoke there, and have never had anyone sit down next to me with a cigarette. I spend a lot of time on that deck and would not have been happy to sit next to a smoker.

Sheila, I won't have any trouble reserving my dedicated lounge chair either.

[MAMAFIX]

We won't feel bad about leaving something on the chairs designated for our cabin either!:D

[RuthC]

Sheila, I won't have any trouble reserving my dedicated lounge chair either.

Have me sit in it until you want it. That way no one will think it's available. I won't even charge you! (well, maybe a pillow chocolate. ;))

[mamadot]

We were in a Lanai cabin in Alaska in May! I went out side and I could see nothing in the cabin. We even saw people stand at our window and check their makeup or scratch their face so I am sure they were not aware it was a window.

It was lovely for views but we found it quite small because of the new arrangement. We had an OV on our next cruise and found it much more spacious!

We never had any problem with people using our deck chairs and each one has your number on it!

[mamaofami]

Have me sit in it until you want it. That way no one will think it's available. I won't even charge you! (well, maybe a pillow chocolate. ;))

 

You have a deal.:D

[COLLEYBERRY]

Interesting about the smoking on the promenade deck. To the best of my recollection, I've never seen anyone smoke there, and have never had anyone sit down next to me with a cigarette. I spend a lot of time on that deck and would not have been happy to sit next to a smoker.

 

Sheila, I won't have any trouble reserving my dedicated lounge chair either.

 

 

Now that I think about it I don't think I have seen anyone smoking on the promenade deck either.

Nor was the promenade ever very busy for that matter. I often walked the deck two maybe three times a day ,never had an issue with crowds:)

Of course I have only been on two cruises:D

[ScottishMaid]

What 'crew offices' were used to make the lanai cabins?

 

Is it really only two laps around the deck for a mile? (why did I think it was 4 times around? .... and I still gained weight!)

 

Four times round makes one mile

 

Any idea what time in the morning the chairs are put up? and are the cushions put on them or must you go get them? (I recall that they hose/wash/spray the decks at the crack of dawn)

 

The chairs and cushions were there all night in mid May and the deck and the lower part of our door were hosed down early, before 6am maybe different now

 

Are there photos of the non-handicap lanai cabin that's smaller than the one in the photo? .... how many inches between the bottom of the bed and the wall?

 

Bottom of bed to wall is approx 23 inches. The narrowest part is the gap between the bottom corner of the bed and the corner of the closet. It is 18 inches. This is where you walk round the corner of the bed to get to the bathroom. I'm not sure if this is less than in a verandah suite.

The room doesn't have much length for the setup so the sofa is really small, about 29 inch wide seating with the side cushions in place or 40 inches if you remove them. So really snug for two. The color scheme is nice.

 

 

We're excited about trying one, but would love to have more updates of others experience!

 

Pat

 

It's a different experience. Enjoy it.

[Catladyesq]

We had a similar cabin on our Mississippi riverboat cruise 4/08 with doors opening directly onto the deck; and it was the deck where folks would do laps for exercise. We had no problem with someone usurping our chairs nor a problem w/daytime privacy. We actuall enjoyed the comraderie that materialized over time. Do have to admit our cabin was rather small.

[kryos]

I could be wrong, but I believe smoking is allowed on both sides of Lower Promenade Deck.

I don't recall seeing any "No Smoking" signs, or seeing a notice to that effect in the Daily Program. It is the kind of thing I would notice.

I know there is one deck ... promenade, lower promenade ... I'm not sure ... where there are metal ashtrays attached to the railing on one side of the ship. There is smoking allowed there. Is that the same deck these lanai cabins will be on?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Roz]

I've very much enjoyed the cabins I've had over the years on the Lower Promenade deck, and when a cruise I'm interested in is available on a ship with the lanai cabins, I'm going to give one of them a try. Mentally I'm thinking of them as faux balcony cabins. :D

 

I generally sail solo, so the cabin space probably won't be an issue.

 

Roz

[Copper10-8]

I seem to recall that when Veendam first came out with the Lanai cabins not too long ago, that they (HAL) placed "reserved for" name plates on the deck chairs that "belong" to those particular cabins. Wonder if anyone who has been on Veendam recently can advise how that is working

[JerseyJaguar]

I was on the Veendam in June and all the chairs outside the lanai cabins had little plaques on them saying they were reserved for the lanai cabins.

 

Yes, there are ashtrays attached to the railing and yes people do smoke, but since no one here has ever noticed them it shouldn't be a problem.

 

The people I spoke to who were in those rooms were very happy with them because of the access.

[Copper10-8]

Pic of the Lanai 'sliders' during construction

[Hutch&Pat]

Thanks .....I'll be ready to enjoy those passing by using our door as a mirror and fixing their hair and make-up!

 

I recall the metal ashtrays on the railings on the even number side/starboard where we have stayed on the Lower Promenade where the lanai cabins have been located (mid ship). Can't recall if the ash trays were on both sides.

The new layout does look tight to get around the bed ..... when I read that HAL removed some crew offices to do the lanai's I was hoping they somehow added more space, but that would have involved moving walls and bathrooms and the sq ft is still the same.

 

We're excited about trying them as we really do enjoy sitting out on that deck ...... much more so than in the sun or around the pool.

Pat

 

PS Still can believe that it's a 1/2 mile around the LP deck as the bulletin for the TA's mentioned!