Places to Read

[wyplum]

My favorite part of cruising is to read sitting in a quiet shaded area on the ship. I have found the area under the life boats to be a good place to go. This worked on most ships except for the Carnival Spirit and the Celebrity Horizon ships which don’t have deck chairs under the life boats. Having never been on the Oosterdam or Zuiderdam, I was wondering if these ships had such quiet shaded areas

[Sierrachik]

What a good question! Would love to know about the Zuiderdam as well. Thanks!

[sail7seas]

Promenade Deck on HAL ships is glorious. It is gorgeous teak and wraps around the entire ship. Wonderful chairs all around.....You will absolutely love reading there.


Walkers use the deck but no jogging allowed. When I walk around Promenade I always get such a kick out of seeing folks eagerly reading their books on my first lap around; by the second, third, fourth lap, heads are nodding down and half of the readers are sound asleep. It's wonderful!!!

[flime2dc]

When I walk around Promenade I always get such a kick out of seeing folks eagerly reading their books on my first lap around; by the second, third, fourth lap, heads are nodding down and half of the readers are sound asleep. It's wonderful!!!

That would be me!!:D

[RDMOREU]

Sail7Seas.

On the Vista class ships, is the Promenade Deck also 'non-jogging'? Thanks for your information and help!!

[bepsf]

The Promenade Deck on Vista Class ships is non-jogging as far as I recall - and they have the nice traditional deck chairs.

Whenever I couldn't find Joe on the ship I knew he was in one of two places: the casino losing money or out on the Promenade having a nice quiet read.

[sail7seas]

RDMoreau......Promenade Deck is Walking Only on all HAL ships. There are cabins along Promenade Deck and the noise would be very disturbing to people in those cabins. It also would be difficult for the walkers to stay out of the way of the runners. The runners would be annoyed the walkers were blocking their path.
It also would be less pleasant for all the folks who enjoy sitting/reading in the great deck chairs. I think it would disturb their enjoyment of "watching the sea"......


On Vista ships, you can go up to Sports Deck. There is a small jogging track there. Actually on all the HAL ships (except Noordam and maybe Prinsendam?) you can jog on Sports Deck.

[Lois R]

thanks for this information...it is also one of my favorite things to do....reading and nodding off;) ...when you say the Promonade Deck wraps around the whole ship?....can you have a beverage while you are reading too?......not "can you" but...are beverages available?...might be a better way of asking LOL

[RevNeal]

One of my favorite places to hide out, read, drink tea, and nod off is the Explorer's Lounge. :)

I love to walk the Promenade deck -- lap it a bunch of times while listening to music on my head set and enjoying the clear air and the lovely views. I've never really been able to sit and read ... though I've never really tried.

[SharonN]

The Promenade deck is one of my favorite places. I occaisionally read but mostly listen to CDs and watch the views and people walking around. (Ok yes I've been known to nod off a time or two)

[sail7seas]

:) Yes, Lois.

On Rotterdam, I noticed that a bar steward wheeled a "cart" onto Promenade Deck in the afternoon to pour drinks for those who wished. I did not notice it on Maasdam but I did my laps pretty early in the morning.......and I used the gym (treadmill) more on this cruise than on our Rotterdam cruise in March.

You certainly can bring a beverage with you if you wish.

[Lois R]

thanks 7...you are sweet:)...and so, your cruise was for your 35th Anniversary, is that correct? AWESOME:D

[RDMOREU]

Thanks, bepsf & s7s, for the information! The promenade deck sounds so relaxing and a great place to walk.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

On all of HAL's older ships, the Promenade deck is right above cabins - the noise for those passengers if jogging was allowed would be terrible.

On the Vista class ship the Promenade deck is above part of the dining room, lounges, casino, etc. - no cabins below. And while we were eating we did see people jogging by.

:)

[sail7seas]

We sat on the other side of the dining room as we did not want to deal with people walking by outside the dining room on Zuideredam . Isn't Promenade right outside the dining room window, not above?

[Orcrone]

I looked on the deck plans. The Promenade deck is above the lower dining level and outside the upper dining level. You each get 1/2 point.:D There are no staterooms below the Promenade deck.

[cactuslady]

....can you have a beverage while you are reading too?......not "can you" but...are beverages available?...might be a better way of asking LOL
Every day around 3:30, a steward comes by with iced tea for everyone. I nearly had one jump over the rail with surprise when I suddenly woke up and asked for my tea. The brochures say lemonade, too, but I've never noticed it. However, if you are being served iced tea on the Promenade deck, you are usually also missing teatime in the Explorer's Lounge.

I've found that the best bet is to bring along some ice water or iced tea from the Lido, as I get thirsty out there.

[RevNeal]

I looked on the deck plans. The Promenade deck is above the lower dining level and outside the upper dining level. You each get 1/2 point. There are no staterooms below the Promenade deck.

Okay ... the difference is between the names of the decks and the terms used for the area in question.

On S and R class ships the outside promenade is located on the Lower Promenade Deck. There ARE cabins, on Main Deck, right below that outside promenade. When people jog on that promenade one can, sometimes (depending upon the size of the people jogging and the hearing of the people in the cabins), hear a thud-thud-thud sound. In my opinion it wasn't bad.

[cactuslady]

By iced tea on the Promenade deck, I mean the outside promenade where the teak deck chairs good for reading are, which is listed as Lower Promenade Deck on the Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam and Maasdam.

[sail7seas]

Exactly. That is the teak wrap-around deck.