We had a Cabana Club on Nieuw Amsterdam! For about 30 minutes. 12/11/22

[Don Kehote]

I will start out with this: we loved the space. The view was lovely, and the loungers were super comfortable. 

 

But...the downside was far too much to put up with. As we sat there, shortly before departure enjoying the peace and quiet, some guy starts dragging a large speaker out into the common area, blasting what I THINK was the techno part of "Wake me when its over".  Not sure on that. Anyway, we made it VERY clear to Alex, one of our attendants, that this was just NOT cool. A short time later we were approached by the self-appointed DJ, he was in the next cabana over. It was made clear to him as well that 1: I was at this point angry and wanted nothing to do with him and that 2: we didn't pay $400 to listen to his music for a week. He left.

 

Shortly after that, the music started back up.  Alex came back and told us that the guy was some kind of VIP or something, and he would be allowed to keep the music going.

 

So the refund was processed quickly as OBC when we went down to guest services immediately after that.  We have a meeting request in with the food and beverage manager tomorrow afternoon to discuss our problems with this, as its not just about getting that money back, it was a significant part of our vacation/birthday/renewal/first time on HAL cruise. We really wanted to have a quiet place where we could relax and enjoy some peace and quiet out in the open, and we feel like it was essentially yoinked from us.

 

Aside from that debacle, most everyone else has been incredible. Canaletto was incredible (booked again for tomorrow night's osso bucco), the BB King All-Stars were over the top good. I just hope they can fix this. If not for us then for others. 

 

Rant over, carry on please. 

[ski ww]

Why do these people think we all want to listen to their music played that loud, HAL kept him happy but you're now a not very happy cruiser.

[puppycanducruise]

I think it's terrible that he was allowed to play his music and you could not enjoy a quiet space.

[disneyochem]

Wow, I have not yet booked time on this space on a cruise but now I don’t think I ever will!  Yikes!  I have no desire to listen to loud music!

[CruiserBruce]

I would think its too soon to call this "over". And I would definitely take it "up the chain". Good luck.

 

We have had cabanas 10 times, on 8 different ships, and love them. I agree it is totally inappropriate. I would be very curious to find out who this "VIP" is.

[Mary229]

7 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I would think its too soon to call this "over". And I would definitely take it "up the chain". Good luck.

 

We have had cabanas 10 times, on 8 different ships, and love them. I agree it is totally inappropriate. I would be very curious to find out who this "VIP" is.

Absolutely agree,  You aren’t a VIP if you can’t follow the rules and decorum.    Somebody needs to address this.  Besides shipboard write the executive offices.  

[Don Kehote]

30 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I would think its too soon to call this "over". And I would definitely take it "up the chain". Good luck.

 

We have had cabanas 10 times, on 8 different ships, and love them. I agree it is totally inappropriate. I would be very curious to find out who this "VIP" is.

I believe he has been aboard for three legs, if I understood the cabana attendant correctly. My impression as to his vip status is: someone who tipped well and is being given a pass. 

 

As it stands,, I can't recommend this to my clients in all honesty. 

[ski ww]

This guy is making a name for himself. There are a lot of negative comments about this guy on FB. Rude, crude, and ignorant.  

[mightycruisequeen]

We've never booked a cabana club on HAL.  That said, after reading about your experience, I'd say the odds that we'd be looking to book a cabana club on any future HAL cruise just fell to pretty much zero percent.  Mr. VIP sounds like a total tool, and the fact that he's getting away with his boorish behavior is probably most concerning.  What if he decides he wants to smoke up there?  Is that gonna be okay too, since he's a VIP?

 

[twodjs]

Terrible management decision! The rude behavior of one - don't care how much he tips - is totally wrong. He shoulld be denied access to the cabanas. PERIOD! The Captain has the power. He needs to use it!

Edited December 12, 2022 by twodjs

[Mary229]

27 minutes ago, ski ww said:

This guy is making a name for himself. There are a lot of negative comments about this guy on FB. Rude, crude, and ignorant.  

Wow.   Maybe you can forward his rude comments to HAL’s Facebook page.  I don’t know how Facebook works or if that is possible. 

[highscar]

When on HAL the crew makes me feel like a VIP.   I would never take advantage of it.  

[Destiny0315]

This is not the 1960's and 70's anymore when everybody on the beaches had their transistor radios all tuned to that same one or two local stations that played the top 40 tunes of the day that everybody wanted to hear. With all the audio tech out there today he certainly has better ways to listen to it and not put on a show. This is like the person who drives up next to you at a stop light and loves the reactions they get when their sound system has your windows vibrating.

[iluvthe-c]

This guy would be a better fit on Carnival.

 

[cbr663]

I understand your frustration and your experience is the primary reason why we will never book a cabana.  It is a public area with passengers separated by a piece of cloth.  HAL does not advertise it as a peaceful or quiet area of a ship.  We fully expect that the area will be shared with loud talkers, music and as there are family cabanas, children running and coming and going.

 

 

[julia]

@Don Kehote  Two very major problems with this scenario:

 

1.  By the attendant telling you that this guy was a VIP, he inferred that you weren't.  Ouch.

 

2.  Refund in OBC??  Why?! The cabana cost you $$ and you should have been refunded $$ to your credit card.  HAL essentially kept your money.

[richwmn]

15 minutes ago, julia said:

  Refund in OBC??  Why?! The cabana cost you $$ and you should have been refunded $$ to your credit card.  HAL essentially kept your money.

Nothing aboard the ship is refunded directly to a credit / debit card. At the end of the cruise any remaining OBC will be refunded either in cash or to the credit / debit card on file.

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, richwmn said:

Nothing aboard the ship is refunded directly to a credit / debit card. At the end of the cruise any remaining OBC will be refunded either in cash or to the credit / debit card on file.

Agree, and as this OBC money was the OP's, it will be the last used, and refunded if not used.

[Don Kehote]

30 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

HAL does not advertise it as a peaceful or quiet area of a ship.

I strenuously disagree with this statement. I am currently in my cabin reading this, verbatim, from the TV, "Relax in your own private cabana located high above the lower decks. LUXURIOUS TRANQUILITY and superb service await (Emphasis mine), including refreshments, sparkling wine, plush robes and towels."

 

Luxurious tranquility, in every possible way of looking at it, indicates peace and quiet. It most certainly does not offer the promise of Miley Cyrus at levels higher than the music at the Seaview bar.  

[Daniel A]

@Don Kehote - Your 'rant' is entirely justified.  Don't give up on this.  There has to be a reasonable accommodation for the quiet enjoyment of a day at sea.  If you can, I would send an e-mail to Jan Swartz complaining about the special treatment of one passenger over another.  @julia was correct, he's no more of a VIP than you are.  They probably think that because they refunded your fees that the matter is settled.

 

So what 'superb service' did you recieve???

Edited December 12, 2022 by Daniel A

[C&K2Cruise]

38 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

I understand your frustration and your experience is the primary reason why we will never book a cabana.  It is a public area with passengers separated by a piece of cloth.  HAL does not advertise it as a peaceful or quiet area of a ship.  We fully expect that the area will be shared with loud talkers, music and as there are family cabanas, children running and coming and going.

 

 

We have done a cabana on two past cruises and have one for an upcoming January cruise.  We get a cabana for the "retreat" aspect.  The area has always been peaceful and quiet ... no kids running around and no one blasting music or partying loudly.  I would be beyond angry if this situation occurred.  

[VMax1700]

Jetsam comes to mind. 😉

[cbr663]

5 hours ago, C&K2Cruise said:

We have done a cabana on two past cruises and have one for an upcoming January cruise.  We get a cabana for the "retreat" aspect.  The area has always been peaceful and quiet ... no kids running around and no one blasting music or partying loudly.  I would be beyond angry if this situation occurred.  

I don't think I wrote that he shouldn't be disappointed or angry.  I would be also if I experienced that.  My point though, which seems to be overlooked, is that it is a public space that will be occupied by other passengers.  Passengers who may or may not have the good sense to use their inside voice or even respect the fact that there are other people around them and that is why we would never rent it.

[REOVA]

5 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Agree, and as this OBC money was the OP's, it will be the last used, and refunded if not used.

Maybe. OP needs to look at their statement and make sure HAL credited to the refundable side. (Which they should but may not) Otherwise HAL will keep it. Better to check now than trying to get it back on credit card later by disputing it to credit company. 

[Florida_gal_50]

22 minutes ago, REOVA said:

Maybe. OP needs to look at their statement and make sure HAL credited to the refundable side. (Which they should but may not) Otherwise HAL will keep it. Better to check now than trying to get it back on credit card later by disputing it to credit company. 

That was my thought as well.