Cabanas and Panama Transit?

[lyndenfa]

I am thankful we had the opportunity to experience the cabana (see earlier posts). I am not unhappy there will not be any cabanas on the new ships. To try to imagine opening them up to all passengers on an important crossing is difficult; the space is divided and sectioned off for each cabana with the lounges and one table for each so lots of moving furniture for staff. The day of the panama crossing there were only three or four cabanas in use and other days only one or two. I have read elsewhere that the cabanas often remained empty. Perhaps just two or three right in the middle or on each end, with the rest of the space for viewing passengers. BTW, we spent time enjoying the views in Horizons everyday; THAT would be a terrible space to loose.

[Benita]

Actually, we stayed away from Oceania for the canal crossing because of the cabanas. I like to stand outside and watch from the front of the ship. There were large areas to do so on our recent Princess cruise. I felt the highlight of a Panama Canal cruise is the Panama Canal crossing and refused a sailing that only let a few people have that privilege. I don't mind cabanas - HAL now has them, as well, but they have not taken away EVERYBODY'S view (except for the few cabins across the front) in order to sell them.

[pvan]

I prefer renting a cabana for one reason--to avoid playing "save the deck chair" game. I do not lay in the sun so the cabana was perfect for me and I did not mind paying for it. Guaranteed shade was worth it.

 

Oh yes, I realize it is not to be done...you can ask staff to move belongings, etc, etc, etc...but in the end it is done and I for one do not want to be put into the position of making waves while on what is supposed to be a relaxing cruise vacation.

 

So I would hope we will see better staff attention given to the deck chair situation on Marina. Or perhaps the ability to rent/book some type of cabana chair on deck. If I had known this I may have booked a different cabin.

[hondorner]

I live in Florida for a reason. I live in the sunshine. I can go to the beach any time I like. I am outside at least half of every day.

 

For that reason, when I go on a cruise, I like to relax inside in the air conditioning, with a movie on the TV, a good book, a cold drink in the fridge and preferably a balcony where I can step outside in my robe if we are passing something of significance.

 

I have spent approximately 1 hour out of 57 days on a deck chair on the pool deck. I have only climbed up to deck 11 to see what's up there; I never went back.

 

The worst thing I could imagine would be to spend time on a deck lounge. There's so much else to do on the ship.

 

I don't get the "looking forward" part. I've seen the Amazon River, Cape Horn, Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage from a side balcony and loved every minute of it. The few times I wanted to step outside for a less obstructed view, I headed for the jogging deck -- great view and always plenty of room.

 

In other words, having only glanced at the cabanas once, I don't think that I'll even realize they aren't there.

 

Isn't it nice that we're not all the same?

[DOJO466]

I live in Florida for a reason. I live in the sunshine. I can go to the beach any time I like. I am outside at least half of every day.

 

For that reason, when I go on a cruise, I like to relax inside in the air conditioning, with a movie on the TV, a good book, a cold drink in the fridge and preferably a balcony where I can step outside in my robe if we are passing something of significance.

 

I have spent approximately 1 hour out of 57 days on a deck chair on the pool deck. I have only climbed up to deck 11 to see what's up there; I never went back.

 

The worst thing I could imagine would be to spend time on a deck lounge. There's so much else to do on the ship.

 

I don't get the "looking forward" part. I've seen the Amazon River, Cape Horn, Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage from a side balcony and loved every minute of it. The few times I wanted to step outside for a less obstructed view, I headed for the jogging deck -- great view and always plenty of room.

 

In other words, having only glanced at the cabanas once, I don't think that I'll even realize they aren't there.

 

Isn't it nice that we're not all the same?

Cheers to you Don, my sentiments exactly:)

[DOJO466]

You know, I don't see why the two ships have to match each other.

 

Why not go ahead and put the cabanas on the Marina as expected and then leave them off the Riviera?

At least you have now accepted the fact that TA's do NOT influence the building of a ship. You should apologize for your recent comments:mad:

[pvan]

Well I guess we won't be competing with hondorner on the Inaugural Cruise ;)...

 

While it is great that many are from Florida, we are from Seattle and when on vacation we like to sit outside in the warm air and since I had melanoma years ago I prefer that to be in the shade.

 

My only complaint on Oceania is the deck chair problem on sea days. Trust me I don't want to sit outside all day, however it is close to impossible to get a deck chair in the shade when you want one. There will be many chairs empty but have been "saved" with belongings. Yes, I realize we can alert the staff and they will move the belongings after a certain amount of time but I do not want to be the chair police. (I also realize this topic has been discussed at length)

 

My point is that the cabana was/is our way of making sure we have a place to enjoy the outside besides our veranda. I'll plug it again--perhaps they can start a cabana chair rental like many beach resorts--for those guests who want to ensure they have a spot.

 

Trust me, this is not a deal killer for me nor is it a huge problem...it would have been nice to know at the outset when we were selecting our cabin.

[hondorner]

Of course, the inaugural cruise is on Marina. While there may not be any cabanas, the Good News is that the Powers That Be listened, and recognize that lots of people like to sit in the shade on the pool deck. At the same time, there are so many who like to sit in the sun, that those chairs also fill quickly.

 

The solution? Because the ship is wider than the R ships, they were able to make the walking track, above and around the pool deck, a lot wider. That provides a lot more shade down on the pool deck. On the R ships, there was room for only a single row of lounge chairs under the walking track; now there will be room for at least 2 full rows.

 

At the same time. making the walking track wider provided enough room for a row of lounge chairs up there on both sides, out in the sun, and still leaves plenty of room for the walkers.

[LHT28]

The solution? Because the ship is wider than the R ships, they were able to make the walking track, above and around the pool deck, a lot wider. That provides a lot more shade down on the pool deck. On the R ships, there was room for only a single row of lounge chairs under the walking track; now there will be room for at least 2 full rows.

 

Isn't the walking track on deck 15 above Barristas? Or did they change that plan.

Looks the deck (where the walking track is on the R ships ) is now a sun deck.

We try to sit in the patio area on the current ships it is not in the sun

 

Charging for cabana chairs it soo "mass market" :eek:

[MarilynA]

I'm with Pvan on this one. I love the warm air and absolutely hate having to play games and race to try to get a deck chair or decent viewing position. I take a cruise (or any vacation) to relax, not to compete. That's why I didn't mind paying the $750 for the cabana on the Marina. I want the luxury of knowing I had a deck chair whenever I felt like lounging on deck.

[hondorner]

Isn't the walking track on deck 15 above Barristas? Or did they change that plan.

Looks the deck (where the walking track is on the R ships ) is now a sun deck.

I was trying to differentiate between the fitness track above Barristas, suitable for power walking or jogging, from the walking track/sun deck above the pool deck. While it is labeled as a sundeck,and will have lounge chairs when it's not too windy, it will be wide enough to walk comfortably without unduly disturbing sunbathers, and will no doubt be used that way, unless ship's personnel are placed in the embarrassing position of policing the deck.

[caribbeansun]

You say that like it's a bad thing ;)

 

Charging for cabana chairs it soo "mass market" :eek:

 

I am completely in agreement with those saying they have no desire to compete with others for deck chairs or play the "reserve a chair" game - I had my fill of that on a couple of land based vacations where certain creatures would somehow awake before dawn and place their towels under all the palapas in Aruba.

 

We very much enjoyed the cabana for the privacy it afforded, the ability to close or adjust the overhead canvas, the misting fan and of course the on-call service. Don't mind those huge towels for using at home in the hot tub either. We also availed ourselves of the discounts in the spa.

 

Being from Canada we want as much sun as we can get in the winter months, heck hondorner, we've vacationed in Florida for that very reason. Unfortunately, it's not economically viable for us to consider an OC, VS or OS in order to get a large private balcony.

 

Now I don't wish to sound like a sulking, I'm taking my ball and going home, kind of person as I don't really think that fits who I am. I will say that this is a big disappointment for us. The decisions been made, that's not going to change and it has made us reevaluate our options.

 

I'm still very surprised and again disappointed with O's handling of the communication of this or should I say non-communication. Has anyone with cabana reservations heard from them? Thumbs down on that.

[dino2067]

I'm still very surprised and again disappointed with O's handling of the communication of this or should I say non-communication. Has anyone with cabana reservations heard from them? Thumbs down on that.

 

The short answer is...no, we have not been "officially" notified.

 

Kathleen

[pvan]

Since I have never been on a "mass market" line, I cannot speak to that...I can assume that the reason they have such an amenity is the same reason that many fine beach resorts, such as The Grand Wailea on Maui and the Hyatt on Kauai do...because there is a problem with chair saving and it is resulting in unhappy customers.

 

Unfortunately not everyone is a gracious guest and thinking of others...and this happens everywhere, not just on or at anything classified as "mass market". So having the opportunity to reserve a spot so that I don't have to stoop to that ungracious level makes me happy...a little poorer...but happy.

 

So again...I hope with the demise of the cabanas on the Marina, Oceania puts into place some sort of cabana chair rental for those of us who wish to keep our vacation time gracious and noncompetitive.

 

FYI...I learned about the cabana removal from this forum. Shortly thereafter, received a new invoice from my TA...

[orchestrapal]

So again...I hope with the demise of the cabanas on the Marina, Oceania puts into place some sort of cabana chair rental for those of us who wish to keep our vacation time gracious and noncompetitive.

 

FYI...I learned about the cabana removal from this forum. Shortly thereafter, received a new invoice from my TA...

 

If you want your vacation " gracious and noncompetitive" there are wonderful Owners and Vista suites with large enough inside and outside space for almost anyone.;)

[JimandStan]

If you want your vacation " gracious and noncompetitive" there are wonderful Owners and Vista suites with large enough inside and outside space for almost anyone.;)

 

 

The outside space for those suites is lavish, but even when we sail in one, we try to book a Cabana also.

 

We enjoy the social aspect of the Cabana deck, as well as those MARVELOUS misting fans!

 

Although I believe that it is a mistake to dedicate an entire deck to sports on a cruise line with Oceania's' demographic, I've resigned myself to the Cabanas being banished from their deck 16 airie on the Marina,

 

I do wonder, however, why they could not be re-located to deck 14, instead of being eliminated? On the R ships, that solution would have disrupted the joggers, but on the Marina that area that circles the pool is simply another sun deck.

[Rickey 88]

The outside space for those suites is lavish, but even when we sail in one, we try to book a Cabana also.

 

We enjoy the social aspect of the Cabana deck, as well as those MARVELOUS misting fans!

 

Although I believe that it is a mistake to dedicate an entire deck to sports on a cruise line with Oceania's' demographic, I've resigned myself to the Cabanas being banished from their deck 16 airie on the Marina,

 

I do wonder, however, why they could not be re-located to deck 14, instead of being eliminated? On the R ships, that solution would have disrupted the joggers, but on the Marina that area that circles the pool is simply another sun deck.

 

Interesting thought - but I feel that no matter what other solution is suggested, someone's nose is going to be bent out of shape.

 

From reviewing these previous posts, one draws a conclusion that the Cabanas were attracting too many negative remarks. It had become a case of those who "Have Not" against those who "Have".

 

I realize that Management has yet to speak of its reasoning, but it certainly recalls incidents where certain passengers were offended as others had a Room Card in a different color than theirs. They were assuming that a different color afforded different "amenities" than they had!

[caribbeansun]

Very good point, and yes, I've resigned myself to that fact as well.

 

Although I believe that it is a mistake to dedicate an entire deck to sports on a cruise line with Oceania's' demographic, I've resigned myself to the Cabanas being banished from their deck 16 airie on the Marina,

 

Isn't that pool and deck for the exclusive use of spa customers (at an extra fee perhaps)? - hmmm, may address the other comments re. "reserved" lounges...:confused:

 

I do wonder, however, why they could not be re-located to deck 14, instead of being eliminated? On the R ships, that solution would have disrupted the joggers, but on the Marina that area that circles the pool is simply another sun deck.

[Leonid]

If you want your vacation " gracious and noncompetitive" there are wonderful Owners and Vista suites with large enough inside and outside space for almost anyone.;)

 

Somehow I knew that you would ultimately weigh in on the issue.;)

 

Len

[Leonid]

Interesting thought - but I feel that no matter what other solution is suggested, someone's nose is going to be bent out of shape.

 

From reviewing these previous posts, one draws a conclusion that the Cabanas were attracting too many negative remarks. It had become a case of those who "Have Not" against those who "Have".

 

I realize that Management has yet to speak of its reasoning, but it certainly recalls incidents where certain passengers were offended as others had a Room Card in a different color than theirs. They were assuming that a different color afforded different "amenities" than they had!

 

1. If O ever tried to please all the pax., then, rest assure, someone would feel offended or be unhappy. It's human nature. Some people need to get over the fact that there are those who "have" and those who "have not". That's why the different classes of cabins.

2. Never knew that O issued different colored cards until I read about here on CC. Still don't understand their purpose.

[Oceans&Rivers]

I am completely in agreement with those saying they have no desire to compete with others for deck chairs or play the "reserve a chair" game - I had my fill of that on a couple of land based vacations where certain creatures would somehow awake before dawn and place their towels under all the palapas in Aruba.

 

We very much enjoyed the cabana for the privacy it afforded, the ability to close or adjust the overhead canvas, the misting fan and of course the on-call service. Don't mind those huge towels for using at home in the hot tub either. We also availed ourselves of the discounts in the spa.

 

We had one booked for the full transit, too, and are also very unhappy about the change. I do hope that the folks who are glad that the cabanas will be gone will spend a lot of time up on the top deck every day, not just during the canal transit, so that it will free up some loungers on the pool deck.

 

I am concerned that the pool deck on these fully booked Marina sailings is going to be very crowded.

 

I hope that some solution can be found to relocate the cabanas elsewhere on the ship, and in fact, although I would have loved the forward view during the transit, if another location, preferably on the pool deck or just above it (but not where soot or diesel odor could be a problem) can be found where we can have a cabana/lounger that we can depend on to be ours throughout the voyage, with all the amenities previously state provided, we would be very happy.

[marilynfaye]

O.K. I have to weigh in here.

 

I was one of the lucky 11 who had a cabana booked on the MIA-SFO cruise. We've never had one before and we were looking forward to it, but it's absense is not going to ruin our vacation nor alter our plans.

 

From my view, the bottom line is the bottom line. The cabanas don't make a lot of economic sense for Oceania except for the Panama Canal itineraries and maybe a couple of others, but none come to mind at the moment. They are just not rented very often.

 

The Panama Canal Cruise will be our 8th Oceania cruise besides cruises taken on other lines, so I don't consider us novice cruisers. We have taken 3 Trans Atlantic cruises and never found any problem getting chaise lounges in the shade and without much to look at, never considered renting a cabana even with all the sea days on a T/A.

 

It was an experiment. This is a business decision. I'm sure Oceania evaluated the tangible and intangible results and came to the conclusion that the revenue didn't warrent the expense.

 

So, although those misting fans sure did sound nice, let's switch gears and talk about Drug Cartels in Columbia and shopping in Acapulco.

 

Marilyn

[MarilynA]

The time to have made a decision not to have cabanas on the Marina was earlier, BEFORE brochures were drawn up and reservations and deposits were taken. You can't tell me the bottom line wasn't known before now. As far as pleasing people goes, nobody would have been disappointed, and all of this would have been a non-issue, if this decision would have been made earlier in the planning. It's really strange the cabanas got yanked at this late date, and to do so is costing some money. I promise you, materials etc. have been ordered and possibly delivered. I, too, received a revised invoice today from Oceania with my cabana removed.

 

Question: What's the deal about the "colored cards"? I'm fairly new to Cruise Critic and don't know what that's all about. Is it what it sounds like, an ID card color coded by cabin class? How finely broken down is it, e.g., are the A's broken down in shades of blue (or whatever color the A's are)? Seems unnecessary imo, but some people still seem to get off on that kind of thing.

[JimandStan]

The time to have made a decision not to have cabanas on the Marina was earlier, BEFORE brochures were drawn up and reservations and deposits were taken. You can't tell me the bottom line wasn't known before now. As far as pleasing people goes, nobody would have been disappointed, and all of this would have been a non-issue, if this decision would have been made earlier in the planning. It's really strange the cabanas got yanked at this late date, and to do so is costing some money. I promise you, materials etc. have been ordered and possibly delivered. I, too, received a revised invoice today from Oceania with my cabana removed.

 

Question: What's the deal about the "colored cards"? I'm fairly new to Cruise Critic and don't know what that's all about. Is it what it sounds like, an ID card color coded by cabin class? How finely broken down is it, e.g., are the A's broken down in shades of blue (or whatever color the A's are)? Seems unnecessary imo, but some people still seem to get off on that kind of thing.

 

The different color key cards stem from the "priorirtytendering" that the Suite and concierge passengers are promised.

[hondorner]

They are your "World Cards", used for everything on board. They are your ID cards when you leave or enter the ship. They are your key cards that open your stateroom door. They are your charge card for all on-board purchases, including drinks, boutiques, spa, etc. Everyone has one.

 

There are at least two colors, white and silver. There is maybe a gold for OS and VS pax, but I've never seen one. The silver card is for concierge (category A) and above; the while card is for category B and below.

 

Except for location, category A cabins are identical to category B cabins, yet category A costs a significant amount more. Suites, of course, cost yet more. In order to provide partial justification for those extra costs, the more expensive cabins are provided with certain perks that are not available in the lower cost cabins. The different color cards simply help the staff identify those who are eligible. There is no other status granted or implied, but they do serve a useful purpose.

 

I have had both white and silver cards, and was not treated any differently by either the staff or fellow passengers. I don't believe anyone "gets off" on having one color or the other. :cool: