Rotterdam Lido retreat/pool

[chill6x6]

Hi,

When did the lido aft pool get converted to "The Retreat?"  I'm looking at some pictures and at times it's hard for me to follow what is actually there NOW.  It is basically just deck chairs sitting in shallow water with what looks to be a wooden curvy bench seating area?  What I'm seeing is kinda hard to put into words...  

 

THANKS!

[Homosassa]

I don't remember exactly when the rear pool was removed. It was during a dry dock where aft cabins were put in under what used to be the rear pool.

 

At that time, the pool was converted into a shallow area that had tables and chairs in it . The water wasn't always in it as some genius who did the design didn't figure out that eating in a pool was bound to cause cleaning problems.

 

At the next drydock (late 2017), the shallow pool was redesigned to what you see and with the addition of a hot tub.

 

There is a poster on this forum who refers to the redesign of the aft pool as "the birdbath."

 

 

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

When did the lido aft pool get converted to "The Retreat?"

Fall, 2009. I was on the last voyage prior to the drydock that removed the pool, converted some cabins to lanai, and added all those cabins to the stern.

[onthelake]

We were on the Rotterdam from Dec. 16-23.  The area is fairly useless overall but  there are two hot tubs, a bar and the pizzeria.  This also has the only outdoor smoking area I am aware of as we are not smokers.   I guess for me, there is too much assigned to this area for the small space.

[Hlitner]

We call that aft "wet" area a human birdbath...except most birdbaths are deeper.  This is just one reason (out of several) while the Rotterdam is our least favorite HAL vessel.

 

Hank

[Surfwench]

On the Rotterdam 16 -23 December.  There is no aft pool, but hot tubs with an unusual waterfall and ankle deep wading area between them. I too saw the pictures of loungers and tables sitting in shallow water before our cruise, but that is not the case presently. The hot tubs were nicely heated and the bartenders very good, so no complaints. Because of the low passenger count the Lido pool was never crowded. We didn't have 20 kids on our cruise and only 1 or 2 of them swam. 

[KirkNC]

55 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We call that aft "wet" area a human birdbath...except most birdbaths are deeper.  This is just one reason (out of several) while the Rotterdam is our least favorite HAL vessel.

 

Hank

 

Too funny but sadly true!

[OlsSalt]

23 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

Hi,

When did the lido aft pool get converted to "The Retreat?"  I'm looking at some pictures and at times it's hard for me to follow what is actually there NOW.  It is basically just deck chairs sitting in shallow water with what looks to be a wooden curvy bench seating area?  What I'm seeing is kinda hard to put into words...  

 

THANKS!

 

You described it perfectly.  What you saw is what you get. it is still a nice place for sitting and dining in the open air - felt like there was more shaded space for dining than some of  other  smaller ships.

Edited January 5, 2019 by OlsSalt

[PeetNL]

My picture of the Retreat in 2017, July (sunny Sint Petersburg, Russia) and 2nd picture kindly contributed (halfacts) by Cruise Critic member ‘kazu’. (taken in April 2017). We enjoyed this area of the lidodeck.

[chill6x6]

Thanks all for the info and the pictures!  

 

That's really an unusual-looking area.  I've been on fourteen ships and never seen anything quite like it!

[mcrcruiser]

Yes very different from other HAL vessels  ;but ,looks relaxing  .We will be on rotterdam in April & will have a better perspective of this stern area then 

[Hlitner]

On ‎1‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 7:39 PM, chill6x6 said:

Thanks all for the info and the pictures!  

 

That's really an unusual-looking area.  I've been on fourteen ships and never seen anything quite like it!

Once upon a time, some folks high-up in the HAL hierarchy came up with a "brilliant" way to generate more income.  They tore out the aft pools on the Rotterdam (and another ship in the same class) and substituted a human-bath (like a bird bath).  The area in the deck underneath, that used to be the pool was torn out and replaced by extra cabins!  It was a huge mistake and they did stop after modifying two ships.   The reason you have never seen anything like it is because other cruise lines were not as stupid as the HAL executives who made that idiotic decision.

 

Why is it a big deal?  They can cram over 1400 souls on those ships.  If cruising in a hot climate there is only a single pool available for all those people.  Put a few playful kids/teens into that single pool and the older folks are all complaining about being splashed, the noise, etc.  The original design had an aft pool that could be designated as "adults only" or at least provide another option.

 

Hank