Spa Room and Thalassotherapy Pool

[bksunbuddies]

Does Koningsdam Spa room include complimentary use of their Thalassotherapy Pool?

 

We  recently booked an outside spa room on an 11 day Southern Caribbean cruise. We chose this room category because when we have  previously purchased a spa room on Carnival ships (Breeze, Dream, Magic and Splendor) or any Norwegian Cruise Line; unlimited use of the Thalassotherapy Pool is always included with the purchase of a spa room.  

 

Now I am questioning our choice since everything I have read on line indicates that free thermal suite access is NOT included with a spa room on the Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam. If someone can answer this question, we would surely appreciate your responses.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No -- the thermo pool is not included in the cost of your cabin category.

 

ALL cabin categories have to buy a pass to use the thermo pool no matter what HAL ship you are on.

[bksunbuddies]

That is absolutely ridiculous and very misleading on HAL’s part. They should state that the passes are extra. I never would have switched from a balcony to a spa ocean view. Since Carnival includes the passes with the spa room, you would assume HAL, a company of Carnival, would do the same. 

Are you sure that includes the newer ships?

[3rdGenCunarder]

It's true fleet wide. I think the spa rooms started on the smaller ships when they modified some of the forward oceanview cabins to have small balconies. Because they were right abovethe spa, HAL decided to call them "spa cabins" in order to make a small cabin sound attractive. It started on a smaller ship, maybe Veendam or Maasdam? I remember when those cabins became spa cabins, the joke was that the floor space was too small to allow you to use the yoga mat that was in the room.

 

On K'dam (and other ships), the spa cabins aren't smaller than others of the same category, but they're near the spa. The website says they come with "access to spa treatments," but they don't clarify what "access" means. Could mean some included treatments, but I think access means a short walk. 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[bksunbuddies]

That is ridiculous to call the cabins “spa rooms” on both HAL and Carnival. They are both Carnival Corp. yet the Carnival ships include the complimentary spa pass in the price of the spa cabin! NCL also includes free “access”, i.e. complimentary thermal suite access which includes use of the thermal suite. 

Very disappointed and we haven’t even sailed. Maybe we will be able to change our room since we don’t mind walking to the gym. 

[a.madruga]

1 hour ago, bksunbuddies said:

That is absolutely ridiculous and very misleading on HAL’s part. They should state that the passes are extra. I never would have switched from a balcony to a spa ocean view. Since Carnival includes the passes with the spa room, you would assume HAL, a company of Carnival, would do the same. 

Are you sure that includes the newer ships?

your balcony will be smaller also....but hydro pool is awesome

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, bksunbuddies said:

That is ridiculous to call the cabins “spa rooms” on both HAL and Carnival. They are both Carnival Corp. yet the Carnival ships include the complimentary spa pass in the price of the spa cabin! NCL also includes free “access”, i.e. complimentary thermal suite access which includes use of the thermal suite. 

Very disappointed and we haven’t even sailed. Maybe we will be able to change our room since we don’t mind walking to the gym. 

 

Carnival Corp. lets their lines set their own practices, so there isn't standardization across the various lines. Try calling ship services to see what you do get with the spa cabin. Maybe there are some included classes or treatments. 

[ithaca gal]

I would recommend changing rooms if you can.  There is really no added benefit to having a spa room.  Personally, I would not be happy to purchase a thermal suite pass and compete with all spa room occupants for access to the area.  I understand your frustration, however.

[OlsSalt]

5 hours ago, bksunbuddies said:

That is ridiculous to call the cabins “spa rooms” on both HAL and Carnival. They are both Carnival Corp. yet the Carnival ships include the complimentary spa pass in the price of the spa cabin! NCL also includes free “access”, i.e. complimentary thermal suite access which includes use of the thermal suite. 

Very disappointed and we haven’t even sailed. Maybe we will be able to change our room since we don’t mind walking to the gym. 

 

I hope you can still cancel your reservation. This sounds like it will not be a happy experience for you, under the circumstances.

 

We often wish HAL knew what was going on from ship to ship - to assume HAL is in accordance with every other CCL brand would be beyond wishful thinking. Sorry about this misunderstanding, but thank goodness you found out now. Glad you raised this question here ahead of time. 

Edited January 13, 2019 by OlsSalt

[faerievert]

I nearly paid the extra for a spa room thinking the hyrdrospa would be included. Luckily I searched here and found out otherwise first :( 

[bksunbuddies]

I’m happy to know that I was not alone in thinking that a spa cabin included “hydro spa” use free of extra charges.

 

Hopefully this his discussion will help other cruisers find out that the spa cabins on HAL do NOT include complimentary use of spa facilities. 

 

I wonder if any other cruise line names some of its cabins as a “spa cabin” but do not have complimentary spa privileges?? I do know Viking Ocean Cruiseline lets everyone use the spa amenities for no additional cost. Carnival and NCL include the use of the spa in the price you pay for the spa cabin. 

[Despegue]

I was actually also convinced that the Spa cabins included access to the Spa pool and wellness area.

Are we sure that this is NOT the case? It does not make sense at all, and I am certain that HAL, if true, is inondated with complaints regarding this.

 

[RuthC]

9 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Are we sure that this is NOT the case?

We're sure.

[avian777]

On 1/13/2019 at 11:47 PM, faerievert said:

I nearly paid the extra for a spa room thinking the hyrdrospa would be included. Luckily I searched here and found out otherwise first 😞

 

... I'm thinking a call to HAL (or your TA) would have produced the same information/result.  JMO - YMMV

Edited January 15, 2019 by avian777

[JRG]

We stayed in these Spa cabins this summer in the Med while on the K.   

 

The Hydro Pool was not included.   It's not that big anyway and the way the faucet splashes peoples backsplash into other people's faces doesn't appeal to me.  

 

What is really nice about those Spa rooms on Deck 11 is the proximity to the best features of the ship.  NY Deli, Dive-In, Tamarind are all right there as you step out and overlook the pool from your hall.     You also get to the Gym and Explorations  Cafe really fast and you bypass alot of stairs and elevators during the course of the cruise.   Thats great for early morning risers.

 

Its a good spot to have a cabin if you are active.

Edited January 15, 2019 by JRG

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, JRG said:

We stayed in these Spa cabins this summer in the Med while on the K.   

 

The Hydro Pool was not included.   It's not that big anyway and the way the faucet splashes peoples backsplash into other people's faces doesn't appeal to me.  

 

What is really nice about those Spa rooms on Deck 11 is the proximity to the best features of the ship.  NY Deli, Dive-In, Tamarind are all right there as you step out and overlook the pool from your hall.     You also get to the Gym and Explorations  Cafe really fast and you bypass alot of stairs and elevators during the course of the cruise.   Thats great for early morning risers.

 

Its a good spot to have a cabin if you are active.

 

The size of the hydropool is OK, but that center faucet/shower is obnoxious. It really does spash everyone. The center shower in hydropools on the Vistas aren't as splashy.

 

[faerievert]

2 hours ago, JRG said:

good spot to have a cabin if you are active.

I’m hoping I might score one as an upgrade. Just wasn’t willing to spend an extra $250/person for the location. Any forward is my preference for proximity, but  if we end up in the middle or aft, I’ll be glad to finally try a different location (I won’t know my foreword preference is justified until I try elsewhere 😂)

[bksunbuddies]

On 1/15/2019 at 1:30 PM, faerievert said:

I’m hoping I might score one as an upgrade. Just wasn’t willing to spend an extra $250/person for the location. Any forward is my preference for proximity, but  if we end up in the middle or aft, I’ll be glad to finally try a different location (I won’t know my foreword preference is justified until I try elsewhere 😂)

If we would have known that spa facilities were not included in the extra cost, we also would not have chosen a spa cabin. Why spend extra for the room and another $200+  Per person to use the spa facilities??  Very misleading!  I know that the purchase of “spa catagory stateroom” on some ships;  including Carnival, NCL, and Celebrity (Aquaclass staterooms),  also  includes the use of the spa pool and facilities since one pays extra for a spa cabin. 

 

The location is good and it is too late to change cabins. It was my mistake for assuming that HAL represented spa rooms like other cruise lines that specify a spa stateroom catagory.  I do hope my posting will make others aware that spa privledges are not included and it is going to cost you more. At least we will get to use the spa one day as a perk for achieving  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on HAL.

[BarbarianPaul]

On 1/20/2019 at 10:11 PM, bksunbuddies said:

If we would have known that spa facilities were not included in the extra cost, we also would not have chosen a spa cabin. Why spend extra for the room and another $200+  Per person to use the spa facilities??  Very misleading!  I know that the purchase of “spa catagory stateroom” on some ships;  including Carnival, NCL, and Celebrity (Aquaclass staterooms),  also  includes the use of the spa pool and facilities since one pays extra for a spa cabin. 

 

The location is good and it is too late to change cabins. It was my mistake for assuming that HAL represented spa rooms like other cruise lines that specify a spa stateroom catagory.  I do hope my posting will make others aware that spa privledges are not included and it is going to cost you more. At least we will get to use the spa one day as a perk for achieving  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on HAL.

The thing is, Carnival, NCL and Celebrity do not have spa facilities anywhere near as good as what you’ll find on the Koningsdam, so the perk isn’t the same. That said, we almost made the same mistake as well, and I’m sure we’re not the only ones. 

 

If you booked through a “personal cruise consultant” on HA, might be worth calling them to see if you can at least get an extra discount for the thermal suite. If you used a TA, it’s their fault and they should fix it. Your five star Mariner status should help. On a separate front, the one day spa pass seems like a pretty meager perk for giving them so much business.

[martylouie]

Just stayed in a Veranda spa cabin on K'dam as the result of a guarantee upgrade.  Never went int the spa, but for us the location was great except for when we went to the aft pool. It was a bit of  problem because the fastest route there was through the World Market and it was a great temptation to graze.  Lucky for me, most items are not self serve or I'd have gained even more weight.