Cabana Retreat - Hours + Food Questions

[forevercruising1]

Hello!

 

We have a family cabana rented for a week on the Nieuw Amsterdam and have a few questions:

 

1.  What are the hours of The Retreat?

 

2.  What food items are offered and when?

 

3.  Is there anything else first-time Retreat Dwellers need to know?

 

Thanks!  🙂

[CruiserBruce]

A little search would find many threads on the Retreat, with pictures and tons of info.

 

The hours are 9-5 for attendant service. Sometimes you can get in earlier and stay later, depending on cleaning and other events, but you won't get any service.

 

The menu available varies by ship. But pretty much the attendants will get you just about anything reasonable, if you ask.

[forevercruising1]

Thanks, CruiserBruce!  I appreciate the time confirmation!

 

In my previous searches, I have found pricing information and many pictures, but I have not found very specific information regarding the food options, other than frozen grapes in the afternoon and the Dive In options.

 

I was wondering if there are any other options, such as breakfast items in the morning, etc.

 

Any additional information regarding the specific food options offered throughout the day would be appreciated!  (I apologize if I missed them, but my search results were not very specific.)

 

Thanks!!

Edited March 10, 2019 by forevercruising1

[BethID]

As stated above, the hours the area is manned are from 9-5.  My husband usually went up early, around 7am, to relax.  We sometimes stayed until 6 or so.

 

As far as food, you are offered a menu of food from the lido area as well as Dive In.  The cabana staff will bring you a menu and you can order with them.  They will bring it to you.  They will also bring you whatever drinks you want.  

 

We absolutely loved the retreat cabana last year on Nieuw Amsterdam.  It was the highlight of our trip.  We love to have a quiet, shaded area to hang out in. We played games, read, and I took a nap everyday.  It was nice to just sit and watch the ocean go by.  We have another family cabana on our Oosterdam cruise in 2 weeks.  We all can't wait!

[lastlook]

[forevercruising1]

Thank you for the additional information, BethID!  It sounds like we will enjoy the NA as much as you and your husband did! 

lastlook -- THANK YOU for uploading the menus!  That was exactly what I was looking for!  I appreciate your help!  🙂

[sevenseasnomad]

1 hour ago, forevercruising1 said:

Thank you for the additional information, BethID!  It sounds like we will enjoy the NA as much as you and your husband did! 

lastlook -- THANK YOU for uploading the menus!  That was exactly what I was looking for!  I appreciate your help!  🙂

Yes, thank you for the menus.  We'll be on the O in 19 days.  We have a family cabana too.

[Ryten]

If you like the family cabana on the N Amsterdam, you will be amazed by the one on the Oosterdam. We were lucky to have it for a Med cruise shortly after it dry docked two years ago. It is more than just a larger cabana. It has a table for 6, a long L-shaped couch/love seat and also two lounges. Air flow was superior as well. Enjoy it!

[Caribensun]

BethID, please report back we have family #5 next month on Oosterdam.     

Thank you for posting everyone,  can’t Wait!

sandipalms

[ottahand7]

We had a small cabana on the Oosterdam last March on a Panama Canal crossing and loved it.  Here are a few pictures of the cabana area and the view coming into Costa Rica from a family cabana.   For the most part it appeared there were only 3 of the cabanas booked for the entire cruise although there were a few day users.  It was wonderful and our attendant brought us just about anything you want from Lido, you just have to know what they are serving that day.  We found we had to order well before we were hungry as it took time. 

 

 

[POA1]

You'll also be able to choose from the Lido lunch menu each day. You will also be able to choose from the full full Dive-In menu, not just the abbreviated one on Cabana menu. Since you are on the Nieuw Amsterdam, you can also choose from the New York Pizza menu. I usually walk to the Dive-In and NY Pizza and photograph the menus with my phone. That way, I can refer to them when ordering.

 

You can order from the full bar drink menu from the Crow's Nest and the Explorations Cafe menu if you want coffees or other beverages that they serve.

 

DW and I love the cabanas. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

[lastlook]

18 hours ago, forevercruising1 said:

Thank you for the additional information, BethID!  It sounds like we will enjoy the NA as much as you and your husband did! 

lastlook -- THANK YOU for uploading the menus!  That was exactly what I was looking for!  I appreciate your help!  🙂

You're most welcome.  Those photos were taken on the Oosterdam in January, so are very recent.  The Lido menu changes somewhat each day.  Have a great cruise!

 

[lastlook]

17 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Yes, thank you for the menus.  We'll be on the O in 19 days.  We have a family cabana too.

You're most welcome - I took those photos just in case anyone asked for that type of information - glad to help.  Have a great cruise!

 

[Windsailer]

You can also walk over to the Explorations cafe and get some of those yummy sandwiches in the afternoon. Hopefully they are still free.

[lastlook]

On 3/10/2019 at 8:59 PM, sevenseasnomad said:

Yes, thank you for the menus.  We'll be on the O in 19 days.  We have a family cabana too.

Just remembered something about the breakfast time frame on the menu that I posted.  Although it shows 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for the Cabanas, we learned that it is actually only until 10:00 a.m.  Has to do with the Lido closing down to prepare for lunch and so the Cabana Stewards have to adhere to that closing time.  Not sure why HAL hasn't printed new menus with the correct time frame.  We found this out one morning when we slept later and arrived at our Cabana for breakfast at 9:50 a.m.  We were able to order a simple breakfast but just barely in time for the Stewards to be able to hurry down to get it.

[cruzin4us]

We were on NA and the stewards would get us ANYTHING we wanted virtually from anywhere.   They were practically begging us to get something to eat/drink.   A couple of times, I asked them to surprise me with something from the Lido.....I just said I didn't want any walnuts but anything else would be fun to try.   It was fun eating what they brought back.  They would tell me which items were their favorites.   I got a kick out of what they would bring.   I looked forward to the variety.    Booked another Cabana for 4/7 Mexican Riviera.....unfortunately the family cabanas were both spoken for.   I'm a cabana lover 

[Texasgrillchef]

Anyone have any decent pics of the family corner cabana on the Westerdam? Find plenty of pics for other Holland America ships. But very few for the Westerdam, and even less that really show several of the corner family cabanas.

 

thanks

Edited April 30, 2020 by Texasgrillchef
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