Westerdams public Sauna vs Pay Sauna.

[HvySeezFcstr]

Looking forward to a 17 day Cruise on the Westerdam from Vancouver to Hawaii and back. By the last week I will probably looking forward to a Sauna after walking round the Promenade deck. How do I find the public Sauna, how crowded is it and how does it compare to the Pay Sauna?

[0bnxshs]

Looking forward to a 17 day Cruise on the Westerdam from Vancouver to Hawaii and back. By the last week I will probably looking forward to a Sauna after walking round the Promenade deck. How do I find the public Sauna, how crowded is it and how does it compare to the Pay Sauna?

 

When you say "sauna", do you mean the dry heated room? Maybe with a pail of water and ladle to dump it on heated rocks over the heater? To my knowledge, there is only 1 of these "saunas" on the ship (per gender) and it is free. I've used them frequently on several ships including Westerdam and it's very often vacant although occasionally there will be 1 or 2 others there. The showers are free too but be sure to bring something like the bag offered on ships to store your belongings in as the lockers are often all claimed.

[aotmc]

Looking forward to a 17 day Cruise on the Westerdam from Vancouver to Hawaii and back. By the last week I will probably looking forward to a Sauna after walking round the Promenade deck. How do I find the public Sauna, how crowded is it and how does it compare to the Pay Sauna?

 

The public sauna is near the doorway/hallway from the open air lido deck to the inside spa area, it's door is outside. It is small and if I recall correctly, a wood style.

 

The "pay saunas" are a totally different ball game. As far as I know, the only way to access is through the purchase of a thermal suite pass (limited, sold by week or if available, by the day pro rated). It includes unlimited access to the hydropool (a large jetted spa, shared, mineral water), the heated tile loungers, and three or four aroma therapy style wet saunas. They also have a couple showers with scrub in the sauna/loungers room, and that room features huge wide windows to watch the sea go by.

 

I was on the Westerdam and had a pass for a week. We paid $249 for two people for the week. On the first day they were doing tours of the facility.

[OldBoot]

When you say "sauna", do you mean the dry heated room? Maybe with a pail of water and ladle to dump it on heated rocks over the heater? To my knowledge, there is only 1 of these "saunas" on the ship (per gender) and it is free. I've used them frequently on several ships including Westerdam and it's very often vacant although occasionally there will be 1 or 2 others there. The showers are free too but be sure to bring something like the bag offered on ships to store your belongings in as the lockers are often all claimed.

There is always something new to learn about HAL ships. Soon we'll be sailing the Zaandam. I wonder if it has a sauna like this?

 

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[HvySeezFcstr]

Thanks everyone for exactly what I was looking for. If other Cruisers have additional info for the Westerdam or any other ship please chime on.

[rkacruiser]

There is always something new to learn about HAL ships. Soon we'll be sailing the Zaandam. I wonder if it has a sauna like this?

 

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If my memory is correct, there is a no-charge sauna available. I did not use it, so I don't recall its location.

 

The Zaandam does have a Greenhouse Spa Thermal Suite area, but it is not like what the Vista, Signature, or Pinnacle Class ships have. There is a hot tub, nothing more than warm water that holds 4 people at the maximum, thermal beds, and a sauna as well; maybe a wet and a dry one. During embarkation, the Spa Staff will offer tours of the facility and I'd suggest you take one (it won't last long) and see if the facility is worth its cost for you.

[OldBoot]

If my memory is correct, there is a no-charge sauna available. I did not use it, so I don't recall its location.

 

The Zaandam does have a Greenhouse Spa Thermal Suite area, but it is not like what the Vista, Signature, or Pinnacle Class ships have. There is a hot tub, nothing more than warm water that holds 4 people at the maximum, thermal beds, and a sauna as well; maybe a wet and a dry one. During embarkation, the Spa Staff will offer tours of the facility and I'd suggest you take one (it won't last long) and see if the facility is worth its cost for you.

Thank you for your post rkacruiser!

 

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[jhsocal]

The Veendam had a small sauna in men's locker room area. Believe have read on C.C. that Vista Class ships do not have one there.

[rkacruiser]

The Veendam had a small sauna in men's locker room area. Believe have read on C.C. that Vista Class ships do not have one there.

 

That is correct. The saunas are part of the Thermal Suite amenity on the Vista and Signature Class ships.

[twodjs]

Thought I'd clarify the availability of saunas on HAL ships. On older ships there are free single sex saunas in or across from the men's and women's locker rooms. In Vista style ships, the free men's or women's only saunas are on the port side along the hallway from the pool area to the check-in counter for the spa area.These are open to all and not exclusive to Thermal Suite guests. The Koningsdam also has free single sex saunas down the hall between the locker rooms and the spa area. These are the nicest with windows to the ocean, a cold bucket "challange" and multiple showers. In every case, these free saunas are never promoted during the spa tour because there is no cost, but these have always been available on every HAL ship.

[0bnxshs]

Thought I'd clarify the availability of saunas on HAL ships. On older ships there are free single sex saunas in or across from the men's and women's locker rooms. In Vista style ships, the free men's or women's only saunas are on the port side along the hallway from the pool area to the check-in counter for the spa area.These are open to all and not exclusive to Thermal Suite guests. The Koningsdam also has free single sex saunas down the hall between the locker rooms and the spa area. These are the nicest with windows to the ocean, a cold bucket "challange" and multiple showers. In every case, these free saunas are never promoted during the spa tour because there is no cost, but these have always been available on every HAL ship.

 

You are quite correct about locations of the free saunas on the Vista and Signature class ships and Koningsdam and that they are not generally promoted. If you stop at the desk for the spas, they will direct you to the saunas if you can't find them.

[ComputerTravelGuy]

On 10/31/2017 at 7:26 AM, 0bnxshs said:

 

You are quite correct about locations of the free saunas on the Vista and Signature class ships and Koningsdam and that they are not generally promoted. If you stop at the desk for the spas, they will direct you to the saunas if you can't find them.

Thank You! My wife & I have recently started exercising using the elliptical machine, weights, spending 20-minutes in the sauna, and then showering - versus going back to our cabin sweaty.
BTW, There are cardiovascular health benefits with 20-minutes or more in the sauna taken 4x a week according to physician research studies in Finland.  We wanted to keep making progress during the cruise. 🙂 

Fair Winds & Following Seas, Russ