Considering a retreat cabana on Rotterdam

[Astromaid]

 

We are considering getting an inside cabin and a retreat cabana going to the ABC Islands. Are there pillows available to use with the loungers? I prefer to sit up more. Is a cabana always shaded? Is there an elevator to this deck or do you need to use a flight of stairs? Will there be airflow with the cabanas on the side (with the better view) or better airflow with the forward facing ones?

[wdw1972]

No pillows.  You could use a rolled up towel, but the backs of the chaise lounges are adjustable so I don't see the need. Cabanas are definitely NOT always shaded - it depends entirely on where the sun is at the time.  If directly overhead, yes you have shade. When it's off to one side or another the sun will shine into those cabanas.  Example, heading south you have the afternoon sun (hot) on the starboard side.  Heading north it's on the port side.  Going to ABC from Florida, you'll have some days going south and others going north, so there's no way to ensure shade every day in any of the cabanas.  Airflow is fine on the sides (from my experience).The same walls that exist on the sides also exist on the cabanas facing aft (none face forward) so the air flow is good in all of them - assuming there is a breeze that day.  Keep in mind if the ship is traveling south at 16 knots and the wind is blowing south at 16 knots you won't have any breeze at all.  If the wind is blowing north at 16 knots while you're going south, you'll have very gusty wind! Unfortunately I've had a couple days over the years where that bad combination rendered the cabanas and Retreat basically unusable - cushions blowing off the loungers, etc.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[crbonfiber]

LOL Tent City? Dont waste your money.

[kirkc]

We have found the cabanas on Rotterdam to be well worth the expense. Excellent service and a quiet retreat.we prefer a rear facing one.

[sailingdutchy]

We are also giving the cabanas a shot , we have booked an inside cabin for a week because we almost always only sleep in it and watch very little TV so than for a lower cost of a Veranda Cabin we hope to have a much quieter surroundings and more private space than around the Lido pool where all these people lay books on the loungers at 5 or 6 in the morning , which is such a bad thing that people do . Hope that HAL is starting to clamp down on that .

 

So we are trying this on one of the Pinnacle Class ships to see how we like it . 

 

 

[POA1]

The Pinnacle Class ships, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam, have cabanas that are quite a bit smaller than the ones on the Signature and Vista Class ships.

 

That has not stopped us from getting one on the Rotterdam for our sailing over Easter, but I do like the ones on the older ships better.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

They are nice.