Questions on Lanai cabins on Rotterdam

[ithaca gal]

So glad I read this thread. We Will be in our first Lanai cabin going up the Atlantic coast in late April. I’ll know now to speak to the front desk if the Veendam chairs no longer have reserved signs.

 

I’ve had on my bucket list to try one of these, as I love the Lower Prom staterooms. We’ve always booked one of the rooms closest to a passenger doorway.

 

I travel with a service dog, so access to the promenade deck puts us much closer to her relief station and is convenient for daily exercise walks. (Come to think of it, it might be a shock to another passenger reclining on the lounge just outside our room if a 70 pound Lab suddenly emerges.)

 

We would be delighted to encounter your "assistant"! We know that he/she is working and we can't interact with him/her, but we would love to admire from afar!

[awsum9]

Is smoking allowed on that deck?

[kazu]

Is smoking allowed on that deck?

 

No.

[RuthC]

Is smoking allowed on that deck?

No, it is not a designated smoking area.

That is not to say that you won't find someone smoking out there every once in a while; you may. But they are not supposed to be smoking on Lower Promenade Deck.

[RunnerGirl26.2]

Just off Rotterdam yesterday. Really enjoyed the lanai cabin.

 

There were signs on the reserved lanai chairs. They removed the cushions at night. Blankets were in drawers under the foot of the bed.

 

Our door was really heavy and you had to pull towards you to fully latch it. But that meant you did not get locked out. Keys to doors delivered to cabin in an envelope. It seemed some of the doors were automatic opening-scan the card or press button to open. Ours was not.

 

Door mirrored but could see through at night with lights on inside. Bring a clothespin for the drapes.

 

 

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[KruzPrincess]

I’ve been on two ships with lanai cabins and you could see into the cabins at night on both. I walk outside in the evening weather permitting. I just booked a lanai cabin on the Maasdam for later this year. It’s my first time in a lanai and I’m looking forward to it.

 

 

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[kickboxerca]

We had a lanai cabin on our trip to Alaska - we normally book a veranda cabin - but there weren't any available. No one was able to see in at night - and no one was ever in our chairs. It was BY FAR our favourite cabin. It was great to be able to leave our cabin and not have to walk down the long hallway to the stairs, and the view was incredible. Way better than having a small balcony - and the teak deck chairs are way more comfortable than the small chairs you get on a regular balcony. We also loved the aft balcony we had one year - although it was REALLY far from almost everything.

[TAD2005]

We just got off of the Rotterdam on Sunday, March 25. Lanai cabin 3376. I would not book this cabin again. Because it is directly below the MDR galley, there is a lot of noise of equipment running through the night. This type of noise could affect most even-numbered Lanai cabins from the mid-ship elevators all the way to the aft elevators.

 

We also had some water leaks in the cabin, and a horrible loud noise of steel grinding, cutting and welding on the lifeboat davits one deck above. This deafening noise was during 2 port calls in St. Lucia and Curacao. This maintenance was on both sides of the ship and lasted all day and was so loud that our cabin was unusable. This appeared to be work that could not be completed in the Nov. 2017 drydock, so they decided to do it with passengers onboard. It was so loud that we could not hear our TV, even at full volume, and we could not carry on a conversation in our cabin without yelling at each other. This noise was loud enough to be heard sitting up on the rear Lido deck, near the Seaview bar. Guests arriving back from shore excursions could hear it a block away. When we disembarked on Sunday in Tampa, the steel grinding and cutting started again at 8:00 am and could be heard very loud while we waited for our shuttle out on the street. I felt sorry for the guests who were staying onboard for a 2nd segment. Due to the leaks and noise, compensation was offered.

 

 

No issue with the sliding doors on the Lanai cabins. They are naturally heavy because the glass is very thick. The door is held closed by a magnetic lock. From the inside, you must press a white button next to the door to release the magnet. You have only a few seconds after pressing the button to open the door, or it will lock again. From the outside, there is a proximity sensor below your cabin number, left of the door. You hold the white proximity card they issue to you against the sensor, and a little green light will come on, indicating the magnetic lock has released. Again, you only have a few seconds to slide the door open.

 

 

There are semi-permanent signs on each Lanai chair indicating that the chair is reserved for the Lanai cabin guests. See pix below. Still, some people refuse to read the signs, or, one guy claimed to not be able to read English, even though the book he was reading in our chair was in English. He left.

[AD5ZA]

We just got off of the Rotterdam on Sunday, March 25. Lanai cabin 3376. I would not book this cabin again. Because it is directly below the MDR galley, there is a lot of noise of equipment running through the night. This type of noise could affect most even-numbered Lanai cabins from the mid-ship elevators all the way to the aft elevators.

 

There are semi-permanent signs on each Lanai chair indicating that the chair is reserved for the Lanai cabin guests. See pix below. Still, some people refuse to read the signs, or, one guy claimed to not be able to read English, even though the book he was reading in our chair was in English. He left.

[ATTACH]417682[/ATTACH]

 

Tad, thanks for the info. Think I'll try to change cabins.

 

 

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[rapata]

We were in Cabin 3344 in January and had a bit of noise early morning, like trolleys above us, but it was not too loud. None of the other issues. I would book that cabin again. One note, there was a speaker for the public announcements right outside our cabin on the promenade deck and it was very loud, so much that we could. Hear the announcements without opening the door. Luckily there were no announcements at night.

 

 

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[Caribbean Chris]

We would be delighted to encounter your "assistant"! We know that he/she is working and we can't interact with him/her, but we would love to admire from afar!

 

Thanks, Ithaca gal! She is a Hearing Dog. A lot of handlers (if they are not vision-impaired) with mobility assistance dogs or hearing dogs for the deaf enjoy meeting other passengers when we’re sitting in a public area like a lounge. Hearing Dogs, unlike guide dogs for blind people, are on duty 24 hours a day (no scheduled “down time”), and their handlers can see someone approaching and respond. Most ship passengers we’ve met on my dog’s seven cruises have been very nice about asking for permission to say hello, and Raylene enjoys the extra attention.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Caribbean Chris

[Caribbean Chris]

It sounds like the lanai cabin will be perfect for your and your "assistant". :D

 

I think it will be, too. Her relief station will be easy to access, either on that deck all the way forward as it was on Ryndam, or one deck down in a crew area all the way aft as it was on Maasdam. On the bigger new ships, we have to ride an elevator many decks down, multiple times a day, obviously. So any stateroom on the Lower Promenade Deck is ideal.

[Palm Bay Cruise Couple]

We are looking to book on the Rotterdam, in one of their "Lanai" cabins that have a glass door that opens onto the Promenade Deck. Our concern is the visibility of people passing on the Promenade Deck looking into the cabin. Do you have privacy, or do you have to keep your drapes closed all the time ? I would hope that the glass doors are tinted with a reflective coating to prevent people from looking directly into your cabin, especially at night with lights on in the cabin. Also, is there a problem with guests stacking towels and books on the lounge chairs directly outside your cabin door, and blocking them from our use for the entire day. I know that happens near the pools, but does it happen on the Promenade Deck outside the Lanai cabins ? Any hints from previous guests in Lanai cabins would be appreciated.

We have had a Lanai on the Maasdam and thoroughly enjoyed the features, your deck chairs are reserved for your cabin number and you should'nt encounter any issues with any one claiming them for use. The cabin number and chairs are clearly marked. The stateroom number is clearly noted on the wall adjacent to the sliding door.

As far as passerby seeing inside the cabin, during the daylight hours the reflective glass prevents that, but with lights on at night you could be visible, so just close the drapes. There isn't much walking traffic on the Promenade Deck at night.

I personally like the idea of the sliding door from the outside deck for use when coming back from the gym in the morning or walking the Promenade afterwards so I didn't share my gym self with other passengers.

I believe you will totally enjoy the Lanai staterooms.

[summer slope]

We don't have a laminating machine so I'll have to pay to have them done here at the UPS store. I'll also check Front Desk, but this might be good until I can go ask about them.

Clear contact paper works wonderfully. That's what we used before laminating machines were available.

[portofrome]

We have had a Lanai on the Maasdam and thoroughly enjoyed the features, your deck chairs are reserved for your cabin number and you should'nt encounter any issues with any one claiming them for use. The cabin number and chairs are clearly marked. The stateroom number is clearly noted on the wall adjacent to the sliding door.

As far as passerby seeing inside the cabin, during the daylight hours the reflective glass prevents that, but with lights on at night you could be visible, so just close the drapes. There isn't much walking traffic on the Promenade Deck at night.

I personally like the idea of the sliding door from the outside deck for use when coming back from the gym in the morning or walking the Promenade afterwards so I didn't share my gym self with other passengers.

I believe you will totally enjoy the Lanai staterooms.

 

Just moved from an inside to my first lanai cabin ever on the rotterdam. Thanks for your comments.

[ithaca gal]

Clear contact paper works wonderfully. That's what we used before laminating machines were available.

 

Well, of course! Why didn’t I think of that?! HAL’s signs appear to be a little on the amateur side so I think I’ll take mine, just in case.

[albingirl]

Just be very careful to watch where you are choosing a cabin. If there is white space above, beware, that's the galley and noise galore. Also, across from the self service laundry is a bad idea; too many people talking rather loudly above the machine noise and a slamming door. Otherwise, I love a lanai...a great place to sit on a cloudy cool day and watch the world go by while you are inside your room and reading a good book.

[ithaca gal]

Just be very careful to watch where you are choosing a cabin. If there is white space above, beware, that's the galley and noise galore. Also, across from the self service laundry is a bad idea; too many people talking rather loudly above the machine noise and a slamming door. Otherwise, I love a lanai...a great place to sit on a cloudy cool day and watch the world go by while you are inside your room and reading a good book.

 

We are on the Veendam next month. Only a handful of lanai cabins were available when we booked. We definitely avoided the self serve laundry!

[portofrome]

My cabin is the 3361, six cabins away from the laundry and below a white space clise to the Wajang theatre. I presume it should be fine..?

[RuthC]

My cabin is the 3361, six cabins away from the laundry and below a white space clise to the Wajang theatre. I presume it should be fine..?

You're fine there. You are below the Front Desk/Shore Excursion Office area, well forward of the galley. You are forward of the mid-ship door to the outside.

For years I have taken an inside on that area of the passageway.

[Homosassa]

The Rotterdam no longer has self service laundries.

[FrankieSue]

Just be very careful to watch where you are choosing a cabin. If there is white space above, beware, that's the galley and noise galore. Also, across from the self service laundry is a bad idea; too many people talking rather loudly above the machine noise and a slamming door. Otherwise, I love a lanai...a great place to sit on a cloudy cool day and watch the world go by while you are inside your room and reading a good book.

Just to update, there is no longer any self service laundry on the Rotterdam. They were removed last November during their refurbishment...

[portofrome]

You're fine there. You are below the Front Desk/Shore Excursion Office area, well forward of the galley. You are forward of the mid-ship door to the outside.

For years I have taken an inside on that area of the passageway.

Thanks Ruth! Your feedback is very appreciared:):)

 

Ciao, Fabio.

[HokiePoq]

The loungers are generally positioned against the solid part of the walls (or bulkheads) so towels would not be an issue. But when we were last on the Rotterdam (September), HAL had removed all the small "Reserved" plaques which added to problems for the Lanai folks. If somebody is in the lounger outside your cabin you may be out of luck unless you want to be firm and hope the person cooperates. But the truth is that when I would walk around that deck during the day, most of the loungers were empty. I guess it just depends on the weather and the passengers on that particular cruise. During cocktails one evening some cruisers were telling us that they hated some Princess ships because they did not have a promanade that wrapped around the ship. But when I asked these same folks do they ever walk on the Promanade the lady laughed and said they had not gone out there once (and it was about 4 weeks into the cruise).

 

As to the coating on the windows, it does give you privacy when its light outside. But once it begins to get dark, a person outside can often see in...if you have the interior lights turned on. To be honest, we know that some HAL cruisers love those Lanai cabins, but we would not pay extra for those cabins (over a decent outside cabin). If they give us one on an upgrade....that is fine. But we would not even accept an upsell to the Lanai (many others disagree).

 

Hank

 

Agree with you. Would rather have my privacy...and $$$ in an inside cabin before I'd book a lanai. They are a brilliant marketing move using obstructed OV cabins with an added door.

[Palm Bay Cruise Couple]

Just moved from an inside to my first lanai cabin ever on the rotterdam. Thanks for your comments.

You are welcome!

Enjoy the Lanai Stateroom advantage.