Family Cabana Nieuw Amsterdam Question

Hi! We’re a family of 5 sailing to Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August. We’re considering a family cabana, but are wondering if we’ll be able to use it. I know it’s for 4 people, but I am wondering how closely policed that is? I don’t anticipate 5 of us being in there often, but if the kids want to come hang out for lunch a couple days, or whatever, do we need to actually book TWO cabanas? The family cabana and another one? Or should we be fine with just the family cabana?

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They will police it. Also the number of children is also monitored. How old are your children?

I ask this because on our last cruise, a family with two young (3-5 years) children had a standard cabana. The two kids made the Retreat a track...constantly running around and jumping on the lounges. Finally, supervisors told them either the children had to behave, or they couldn't be there. The kids quieted down about 20%. 2 days after that, they were asked to permanently exit the Retreat.

A different cruise, a large, multi-generational family had a family and a standard cabana. One sea day they had about 15 for a large lunch. They run the rear ends off the Retreat attendants..crazy high maintenance. They were not allowed back after that day.

They will police it. Also the number of children is also monitored. How old are your children?

 

 

 

I ask this because on our last cruise, a family with two young (3-5 years) children had a standard cabana. The two kids made the Retreat a track...constantly running around and jumping on the lounges. Finally, supervisors told them either the children had to behave, or they couldn't be there. The kids quieted down about 20%. 2 days after that, they were asked to permanently exit the Retreat.

 

 

 

A different cruise, a large, multi-generational family had a family and a standard cabana. One sea day they had about 15 for a large lunch. They run the rear ends off the Retreat attendants..crazy high maintenance. They were not allowed back after that day.

Mine are 17, 15, and 13. Most likely scenario is that the 13 yo will curl up with a book and the 15/17 will stop by strictly for meals or to ask if they can buy smoothies. Not young kids and not wild, and not likely to bother anyone at all. However, if they’re not allowed up there, we’ll have to get an additional cabana I guess.

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They will police it. Also the number of children is also monitored. How old are your children?

 

 

 

I ask this because on our last cruise, a family with two young (3-5 years) children had a standard cabana. The two kids made the Retreat a track...constantly running around and jumping on the lounges. Finally, supervisors told them either the children had to behave, or they couldn't be there. The kids quieted down about 20%. 2 days after that, they were asked to permanently exit the Retreat.

 

 

 

A different cruise, a large, multi-generational family had a family and a standard cabana. One sea day they had about 15 for a large lunch. They run the rear ends off the Retreat attendants..crazy high maintenance. They were not allowed back after that day.

Wait? Is the deck around the cabanas open to all? I don’t have a good sense of where the cabanas are or how accessible the area is. I was looking to set up an outside viewing place for us to use as a sort of hub. But I don’t get the set up?

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The Retreat is not technically open to the public, but the attendants are very careful about shoo-ing people away. If they have an issue, usually a supervisor is called.

Conversely, a huge number of people just feel it their right to walk right past the signs that say "Reserved for Retreat Guests".

We had a cabana on the lido deck on the Eurodam over Christmas last year. They are for 2 I think, but we had a total of 6 in and out and nobody ever said anything. It was me, dh, and we had two kids 13 and 9 along with my in laws. We had our towards the end near the public tables and used those as well. Sometimes the 4 of us were there, but they never bothered us. We loved the cabana.

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Wait? Is the deck around the cabanas open to all? I don’t have a good sense of where the cabanas are or how accessible the area is. I was looking to set up an outside viewing place for us to use as a sort of hub. But I don’t get the set up?

 

 

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The semi-ring of cabanas and the center area (where it says THE RETREAT) that they enclose are for renters only. The narrow area to the right, between THE RETREAT and the elevators, is open to all who want to go up the stairs to the top of the Crow's Nest. At each end of the narrow section are the gates that say "Retreat Guests Only"

 

Thanks. That helps. I guess I did not realize how small the area was. I think we’ll book the family cabana and play it by ear. If we’re looking like we’re more than 4 in there at a time, I will just rent the regular cabana or tell the kids to scram.

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Thanks. That helps. I guess I did not realize how small the area was. I think we’ll book the family cabana and play it by ear. If we’re looking like we’re more than 4 in there at a time, I will just rent the regular cabana or tell the kids to scram.

 

 

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Here is a link to the retreat cabanas on the Nieuw Amsterdam so you can see what is available.

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/on-board-images/nggallery/page/3

Here is a link to the retreat cabanas on the Nieuw Amsterdam so you can see what is available.

 

 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/on-board-images/nggallery/page/3

When I see how huge that is, and how much seating it has, I guess I really don’t “get” why having all three kids in there is such a problem, but we’re rule followers so....

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When I see how huge that is, and how much seating it has, I guess I really don’t “get” why having all three kids in there is such a problem, but we’re rule followers so....

 

 

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I think it is not so much as to how much room there is, but that the rules state that the Family Cabanas are for four and the standard cabanas are for two. This could be because more people "CAN" translate into more work (running back and forth) for the attendants ........ taking time away from other people who have rented cabanas.

We are rule followers, too, but I would speculate that the attendants will not be overly concerned with your teens dropping by off and on, having a meal with you, etc. I, too, would play it by ear ........ yes, it's meant for four but it's not like you are having three couples share it, etc. Just my opinion. (That and $4 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks!)

I think it is not so much as to how much room there is, but that the rules state that the Family Cabanas are for four and the standard cabanas are for two. This could be because more people "CAN" translate into more work (running back and forth) for the attendants ........ taking time away from other people who have rented cabanas.

 

 

 

We are rule followers, too, but I would speculate that the attendants will not be overly concerned with your teens dropping by off and on, having a meal with you, etc. I, too, would play it by ear ........ yes, it's meant for four but it's not like you are having three couples share it, etc. Just my opinion. (That and $4 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks!)

$6.35 for my drink at Starbucks! Thanks, that is my speculation too. I really prefer to not spend $$ on something we really won’t use, not to mention preventing someone else from using it. I would actually feel bad if we tied up a cabana for the week (especially the glacier bay day) and never set foot in it because the teens were hanging in ours only. We’re renting the family one and will play it by ear. There’s no danger of us being thrown out of the area, we’d never be disruptive or disrespectful. Holland should give the option of buying additional space in the family cabana, as has been the case with every other cabana we have ever rented. Usually it’s like, comes with 4, can buy additional up to 6 or 8 for $XX each.

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Our group of 5 (DH and 3 adult children) thoroughly enjoyed our cabana experience on the Eurodam this April. The family cabanas were unavailable so I booked a Lido and a Retreat. Best choice ever since we never suffered from "too much togetherness". The cabana staff were very aware of our happy group and were fine when all 5 of us showed up at one cabana for short periods. We tipped them generously for making the cruise so delightful!

Our group of 5 (DH and 3 adult children) thoroughly enjoyed our cabana experience on the Eurodam this April. The family cabanas were unavailable so I booked a Lido and a Retreat. Best choice ever since we never suffered from "too much togetherness". The cabana staff were very aware of our happy group and were fine when all 5 of us showed up at one cabana for short periods. We tipped them generously for making the cruise so delightful!

Super! So, you at times, had 5 in a cabana for 2? We should be fine then. Actually, if I had to rent a 2nd, I would almost prefer a lido one for a different view!

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Our group of 5 (DH and 3 adult children) thoroughly enjoyed our cabana experience on the Eurodam this April. The family cabanas were unavailable so I booked a Lido and a Retreat. Best choice ever since we never suffered from "too much togetherness". The cabana staff were very aware of our happy group and were fine when all 5 of us showed up at one cabana for short periods. We tipped them generously for making the cruise so delightful!

We did the same thing for our February (school vacation week) cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam, since the 2 Family Retreat Cabanas were already booked when I tried to reserve one the August prior to the cruise. We were hosting our son, his wife and two teen daughters so this arrangement (booking both a Retreat Cabana for us and a LIdo Cabana for them) worked out well since they had a dedicated place to connect and we had our own place to relax. During the week, the Cabana Stewards mentioned several times that our family was welcome to come up to visit us, but we didn't take them up on that offer. So I think the rules are not set in stone and you'll be fine with your one Family Retreat Cabana. The main thing to keep in mind is that the area is supposed to be a "retreat" and many (like me) like to read, snooze, have lunch and quiet conversation, etc. Based on your posts, I think your family of 5 will be fine with what you've booked.

I will be honest and say that I am glad they do not allow the option to add more people because there are some people who will run the attendants ragged with food orders and drink orders etc. Then when other people want to get a drink they have to wait unnecessarily.

I have seen supervisors come up and tell people that they have too many people in their cabana so I think it depends on complaints from other users, again I’m speculating, and what the attendants themselves can see being a problem.

I’m not trying to be snarky, I swear! I’m just curious why you would have a cabana on a trip to AK? Cabanas are outside by a pool correct?

We’ll be sailing to AK in mid-July and it sounds like it will be quite chilly on deck most days. Are the cabanas heated?

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On N. Amsterdam, the Retreat is outside. But Lido cabanas are more inside, besides the Lido (midship) pool. The midship pool has a roof than can be closed.

The cabanas are not heated.

I’m not trying to be snarky, I swear! I’m just curious why you would have a cabana on a trip to AK? Cabanas are outside by a pool correct?

 

We’ll be sailing to AK in mid-July and it sounds like it will be quite chilly on deck most days. Are the cabanas heated?

 

 

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We’re booking the family cabana up on the deck that’s uncovered....mostly because the kids have an inside cabin and I figured we’d want to be up on the deck together over crowded onto our balcony. We’ll be super happy to have a place to sit and hang, where the teenagers can find us and us find them. My mother in law is considering the trip as well, and since she would be a single cruiser in an inside cabin, I thought maybe she would use it too. I guess I am a true Floridian, because it never even dawned on me that it would be too chilly to use it.

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I will be honest and say that I am glad they do not allow the option to add more people because there are some people who will run the attendants ragged with food orders and drink orders etc. Then when other people want to get a drink they have to wait unnecessarily.

 

 

 

I have seen supervisors come up and tell people that they have too many people in their cabana so I think it depends on complaints from other users, again I’m speculating, and what the attendants themselves can see being a problem.

I think they could still limit it. There’s easily room for 6-8 in there, and they could do a 4 included $30 extra per person type of thing. I guess it would be a bigger deal on warm cruises?

I am 100% sure we would not run anyone ragged OR garner any complaints from other cruisers. The teens are quiet and will likely be listening to their headphones or reading a book. They may have 0 interest in coming up there regardless. We’ll adjust our usage and expectations according to how it goes the first day or so.

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We did the same thing for our February (school vacation week) cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam, since the 2 Family Retreat Cabanas were already booked when I tried to reserve one the August prior to the cruise. We were hosting our son, his wife and two teen daughters so this arrangement (booking both a Retreat Cabana for us and a LIdo Cabana for them) worked out well since they had a dedicated place to connect and we had our own place to relax. During the week, the Cabana Stewards mentioned several times that our family was welcome to come up to visit us, but we didn't take them up on that offer. So I think the rules are not set in stone and you'll be fine with your one Family Retreat Cabana. The main thing to keep in mind is that the area is supposed to be a "retreat" and many (like me) like to read, snooze, have lunch and quiet conversation, etc. Based on your posts, I think your family of 5 will be fine with what you've booked.

Thanks for the real-world feedback. Since there really hasn’t been anyone saying the area is very strict, and I know we will behave (and tip!) I do think we’ll be fine. And if it is not fine, either we’ll get another adjacent cabana or we won’t allow more than 4 at a time to use it.

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I think they could still limit it. There’s easily room for 6-8 in there, and they could do a 4 included $30 extra per person type of thing. I guess it would be a bigger deal on warm cruises?

 

I am 100% sure we would not run anyone ragged OR garner any complaints from other cruisers. The teens are quiet and will likely be listening to their headphones or reading a book. They may have 0 interest in coming up there regardless. We’ll adjust our usage and expectations according to how it goes the first day or so.

 

 

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I do think you’ll be fine but we were on the Eurodam and the people in the cabana next to us complained a a couple that had another couple hanging out with them in a standard cabana.

The attendants Explained to the complainers that they could have their friends drop in to visit but, after a while, when it became clear that the visitors had no plans to leave, the attendants politely asked the visitors to leave. We felt that the people weren’t making noise, etc. but we think the attendants felt pressure from the other cabana residents (the one couple who complained) so they had to enforce the rules.

I do think you’ll be fine but we were on the Eurodam and the people in the cabana next to us complained a a couple that had another couple hanging out with them in a standard cabana.

 

 

 

The attendants Explained to the complainers that they could have their friends drop in to visit but, after a while, when it became clear that the visitors had no plans to leave, the attendants politely asked the visitors to leave. We felt that the people weren’t making noise, etc. but we think the attendants felt pressure from the other cabana residents (the one couple who complained) so they had to enforce the rules.

I do think there is a difference between hosting another couple in a cabana the whole time and having our kids visit us in ours. If it becomes a problem, we’ll kick them out OR rent another for the remaining days - I just don’t see any of us sitting in a different cabana than the family one, so I’d rather use the $$ for other things. Hopefully, there won’t be anyone complaining or counting. Equally as hopefully, the teen club will be interesting enough for the kids that it’s not an issue.

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We rented a family cabana for our August Alaska cruise as well. We are a family of 3, traveling with my in-laws. I think the chances of us all being there together are slim but we will also play it by ear. As for the weather - who knows? We're used to the cold and wind after this winter in NYC!

We rented a family cabana for our August Alaska cruise as well. We are a family of 3, traveling with my in-laws. I think the chances of us all being there together are slim but we will also play it by ear. As for the weather - who knows? We're used to the cold and wind after this winter in NYC!

Indeed! Almost any type of weather will eel great now!