Holland America will have private cabanas on the deck of its next ship, the Eurodam, an unusual amenity for a non-luxury vessel. But in some cases the cabanas will come with a charge. Will you pay extra for a private cabana?
Have you rented a private cabana on Half Moon Cay?
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I don't think I would pay for a private cabana on deck. We did rent the cabana on Half Moon Cay. We were one of the first, and they really out did themselves. We were 2 couples and they served enough food for at least 10 people. We recently inquired about it for a future cruise the cost is through the roof. We wouldn't even consider it now.
We would probably not want one on deck on Eurodam. We are booked to sail her Prelude and Maiden Voyages so will see first hand this summer but I strongly suspect it will not interest me.
Re: Would you pay extra for a private cabana on deck?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trip
Holland America will have private cabanas on the deck of its next ship, the Eurodam, an unusual amenity for a non-luxury vessel. But in some cases the cabanas will come with a charge. Will you pay extra for a private cabana?
Have you rented a private cabana on Half Moon Cay?
No, I wouldn't pay extra, and no, I've never rented a cabana on Half Moon Cay, though I probably would if I were in with a group that wanted to. The cabana there is a nice convenience. Onboard ship, why should I have to rent one? I should be able to get a deck chair if I want and thankfully on HAL the chair hogging is not as bad as it is on some other cruise lines.
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What services would you want included? What would tempt you to reserve and pay for a cabana at the pool on the ship?
I can't imagine what would be tempting to me that isn't already available.
What am I not thinking of?
Thanks.
The reality is that unless you get going early in the morning the prime spots around the pool are taken with people or saved with shoes or towels. I think the cabana idea would solve that problem and if the price were reasonable I would consider it.
The cabana idea could be enhanced by including service to bring you food and beverage.
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Depending on the price ---- I would like a Cabana -- Our family traveled on the Veendam in 2003 with a six year old who enjoyed swimming by the pool. In my experience, some passengers would put down towels on the poolside chairs when they went to breakfast and would not return until afternoon. We used their "reserved" chairs anyway and would politely get up when they showed up in the afternoon. Passengers appeared very miffed that we would dare sit in their chaise. This was our first Holland America cruise and this behavior seemed accepted practice. I would happily like to have a Cabana to avoid the hassle. I think this would also curtail the practice of reseving seats, when I could reply, "the cabana are the only reserved seats!" Ha, that would have been great!!!!
We went on a RCCL last year and never had a problem with the "saving seats" like on Holland America. I think the problem lies in not enough pool area and pool area seating on the Veendam. I think it was the only negative I experienced on Holland America.
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We will be onboard the Eurodam for the October 15th Bahamas cruise. We've considered reserving a cabana on HMC. The service sounds great on their website. We've even thought about reserving the over the water bungalow. It really sounds sweet. I most certainly WILL reserve a poolside cabana. We enjoy the perks that come with this sort of thing. The idea has taken off in Las Vegas, and although expensive it was absolutely worth it. I guess it all depends on how much your willing to spend for extra service. I do think that it's a shame that you have to pay more to get better/more service. We stayed at a Sandals resort and if your weren't staying in a suite then you weren't allowed to eat at their seafood restaurant. It's kind of degrading to the guests in standard rooms.
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Trip we booked the green cabana for our Noordam cruise stop at HMC. On the ship that has the cabana's (Eurodam?) I suspect I'd rent it for one day just to dedicate at least one day for the pool as it would force us to sit longer. Don't know though.
Added ps: We just changed from the green to the yellow cabana when we noted the green one appeared to have no trees around it.
Doesn´t HAL have a policy that they remove things from "reserved" seats?
They may have a policy but that doesn't stop people from putting their stuff on a lounge and then walking away for an hour or so.
They say they will remove things from "reserved" seats, but rarely do unless someone complains to one of the Officers. The deck stewards are reluctant to remove anything because then they get yelled at & belittled by the rude person whose belongings are removed.
Since I don't stay very long at the pool when on a ship, it wouldn't be worth it to pay for a cabana. I'm disappointed that because of the cabanas, there will be even less room for tables to sit at while eating lunch on the Lido deck.
Cindy
Good point Cindy. I hadn't thought of that. Hopefully, being HAL's newest ship is also their largest, they would've thought of this too, and made room for more lunch tables. Sometimes the designers don't consider these things. I still can't tell if it's worth the money or not, because I still don't know the price. Anyone?
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Ahhh! I finally have a price. Via the site administrator Paul Motter, who is on Eurodam as we speak. He said he checked for me and they are going for $30 per day. We are only taking a three day Bahamas cruise, so I would be willing to pay $60 for our two days at sea. This sounds very reasonable to me, considering you pay around $250-$300 in Vegas for something very similar. If I'm reading Pauls post right it comes with champagne and chocolate covered strawberry's. Nice bonus. Anyone else with thoughts on this? http://cruisemates.com/forum/viewtop...670033#3670033
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OK so it is $30 per day, but is that per person or a flat cost? I would think that is per person if other services are indeed included. In any case I also think I read somewhere that there are perks like afternoon champagne and chocolate covered strawberries but I am not certain. In any case the cost seems good to me. It will be interesting to read the first reports when someone uses one.
Sorry to have to do this, but I soon learned (the day after I wrote it) that the price I had was incorrect (so I fixed it). Here are the true prices for Cabanas on board:
Eurodam offers private cabanas holding lush Balinese lounge chairs big enough for two people in two different areas of the ship. The "Lido Cabanas" are in the deck area of the main pool inside the magrodome. The other area is "The Retreat," high atop deck 11 forward, but facing astern. The Lido cabanas can be leased for $30 on port days and $50 on sea days. Retreat cabanas are $45 (port days) and $75 (sea days). Both come with flavored mineral waters, chilled fruit, Evian spritzes and champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries served in the late afternoon. A masseuse can be summoned for a private massage for the same fee as in the Spa.
poolside: $30 port days $50 sea days
retreat: $45 port days, $75 sea days
Personally, I am not one to sit out by the pool even for free, so I wouldn't reserve these. However, they are especially nice on the Eurodam, this being a poolside one:
These are cheaper, and although they may be noisier, they have a better view and access to bars & food. of course, the "retreat" has wwaiter service.
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I think it is a flat rate for the cabana, not a per person charge. of course there may be rules limiting the number of people you can have. If I had a family of 8 onboard I might rent one for the day - that would be a relative bargain. They should add in free soda, though.
As far as privacy goes, you can completely close off the curtains and they are opague, but there wouldn't be anything to stop, say, a curious five-year-old from coming up and untying it or just walking through the closed curtains.
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So there is no seating in the Lido area any longer,,it's just cabanas wall to wall ?
No it's not cabanas wall to wall. They are just on the starboard side (think that's the correct side) where the tables and chairs are on the other ships. The lounges are still there by the the pool.
Re: Would you pay extra for a private cabana on deck?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trip
Holland America will have private cabanas on the deck of its next ship, the Eurodam, an unusual amenity for a non-luxury vessel. But in some cases the cabanas will come with a charge. Will you pay extra for a private cabana?
Have you rented a private cabana on Half Moon Cay?
Never rented a private cabana at Half Moon Cay only because I've never felt I needed one.
Would never rent a private cabana onboard ship ... at least not in those areas where the cabanas take away from space that should be public. I hear the cabanas on the Lido deck infringe on what used to be public space. Now there are not enough tables and chairs to go around, not as many loungers, not as much room to walk, etc. That's not fair, in my opinion. People should be entitled to certain public areas when they pay their fares, and now they are losing one of them.
On Half Moon Cay the canbanas don't take away from any "public space." You can forego renting one and you still have plenty of beach access, etc. No one is cheated out of what they paid for because someone else chose to rent a cabana. So I have no problem with them. But on the ship ... in a crowded area like the Lido deck where space is at a premium ... to put these things up and then charge for their use ... well, I think that just stinks. Frankly, I don't think they're going to last there. Maybe up on the observation deck they may be a hit, but I have a feeling they're going to be nothing but trouble on the Lido deck.
Isn't it amazing how more and more "amenities" are added to a ship where the passengers can be charged extra? I am fairly new to cruising,,first was in 2004, but things keep getting added and prices keep going up (prices would be expected, its the "extras"). Fuel surcharges,,more restaurants where you pay (and pay more then 4 years ago) and now private cabanas for those that are worthy of such amenities,,and the heck with those to us that don't want to pay extra.
I guess I am must venting in order to agree with the post above this one. I don't do pools, I don't care about cabanas, but I do like sitting in the Lido area and have a burger and watch the world go by outside. Guess in 2 weeks I'll have to learn to go somewhere else because I am not ever going to rent a cabana.
Are these cabanas always there or do they get put up when people ask for them? My last cruise had a great sendoff, drinking party by the Lido and the place was jammed. Guess that would not be able to happen now since there seems to be no more room there.
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Are these cabanas always there or do they get put up when people ask for them?
They are permanently there, and are sold on a per cruise or per day basis. Apparently there are staff to make sure that people don't park it in other's cabanas.
The problem with these things is that if you've read any of the "live from the Eurodam" posts, you will have definitely read that there is now not enough sitting area on the Lido deck. In fact, I believe the tables and loungers have been entirely removed from one side to make way for the cabanas. This means that it's gonna be a true competition to get a table there, and some people onboard these past couple of weeks have reported not being able to find a spot (either indoors or outdoors) to eat their Lido breakfast. The one guy, he posts as RevNeal, talked about walking around the Lido three times one morning, with his breakfast tray in hand ... getting cold ... looking for a place to sit and eat. He finally parked himself in one of the empty cabanas and ate it there. A HAL staffer approached him and told him that he could not eat his breakfast in an empty cabana that was rented to someone else. He told the staffer to find him a place to eat and he would be more than happy to move. The staffer walked away and returned with an officer who also told him he would have to move. Luckily by then the good Reverand was finished eating, so he got up, handed his dirty tray to the officer, and walked off.
But that's what I mean ... these cabanas are taking up necessary space and that's not fair. Put them on a deck where they won't infringe on the space other passengers should be entitled to use.
The other problem I have with these cabanas is that with loungers only located on one side of the pool now, what's going to happen when mom wants to keep an eye on her little ones while they swim? Her odds of being able to get a lounger are not going to be good, so she has no choice now but to rent a cabana in order to be assured of having a spot near the main pool. Well, what's going to happen if she really can't afford that ... or doesn't want to part with a couple of hundred dollars to rent a cabana for the week. She has a choice. She can either stand and roast in the sun watching her kids swim, or she can simply tell them "sorry, no swimming on this cruise." Her other option, and certainly the one I would choose, will be to take the kids back to the aft pool where there may be more loungers and let them swim there. If anybody says anything to her about kids not being allowed in that pool, she can smile sweetly and flip them the bird.
I say get these cabanas off the Lido deck and throw them all overboard.
I appreciate your perspective as a fairly new cruiser. You are right that we have seen a fair number of added amenities lately - and fuel surcharges, too.
Princess has started charging for many little things; pizza delivery to your cabin $1, breakfast or dinner on your balcony, etc. We now have ice cream and coffee bars onboard.
Those of us who have cruised forever probably still cruise they same way we always did, we don't usually pay for a lot of extras.
What surprises me is that there must be a lot more people with a lot of money than I ever realized. I think $75/day is expensive just to have a poolside seat. It is a NICE seat I will admit, like a double bed with canopy and extra standing space etc. But NCL has such loungers on their pool deck open to anyone who wants one - no extra charge
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Maybe they should remove the large seats from the Lido deck so people will have a place to eat. These are the lower priced ones so they wouldn't lose too much revenue. The ones in the retreat do seem overpriced @ $75 on sea days. I think it's a good idea with poor planning. If they would lower the price for the retreat and replace the poolside cabanas with tables and chairs it might be better. But this probably belongs in the "suggestions" board. Sorry.
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Would you pay extra for a private cabana on deck?
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