Hydro pool and Thermal Suite

[happy5]

I know I have read about this before, but now that my cruise is fast approaching---but not fast enough---I wonder of anyone can tell me about this. There are 5 in our family. Do you recommend buying 5 weekly passes? Is it worth it? Is it too crowed to enjoy? My 3 kids are 24, 21 and 19, and they love massages, etc. So just wondering if there will be enough time to feel like we got our money's worth.

Westerdam Alaska 7 day cruise.

I cant find the cost without calling the 800 number, but want others input before calling.

Thanks so much!

[ProMod05]

I know I have read about this before, but now that my cruise is fast approaching---but not fast enough---I wonder of anyone can tell me about this. There are 5 in our family. Do you recommend buying 5 weekly passes? Is it worth it? Is it too crowed to enjoy? My 3 kids are 24, 21 and 19, and they love massages, etc. So just wondering if there will be enough time to feel like we got our money's worth.

Westerdam Alaska 7 day cruise.

I cant find the cost without calling the 800 number, but want others input before calling.

Thanks so much!

 

 

Happy5

 

I always book weekly or cruise passes. Never have I seen it crowed. Is it worth the money??? only if you use it daily.

 

Ken

ProMod05:D

[happy5]

Guess I am not totally clear on the spa and pool area. My understanding is that there are 5 or 6 lounge chairs near the pool spa which are great for looking outside. My concern is that they will always be full. Do you find that to be the case? I have heard that the cost is about $250 per couple for the week...correct? So if you go everyday, would you say it is beneficial? Also does anyone know if they give a family discount?

Thanks

[sk8teacher]

The cost varies with the cruise. Typically the daily cost is $20 per person. If you book for the cruise, the total cost is approximately 50% off (or 2 for 1:p ).

 

Once inside the thermal area, there are two steam rooms, two "rain forest" showers, a small mineral whirlpool, and six ceramic loungers that face the floor to ceiling windows. There is also a private deck right outside that is only accessed from there. Enough room for maybe six people comfortably.

 

We have booked the thermal spa on every HAL cruise, and have never seen more than five people counting us in there. Most of the time it's just us or sometimes one or two others.

 

Highly recommend it but you have to use it to be cost effective. We typically would come back from a port a little early and go up to the spa before dinner. Great way to relax after a tiring day on an excursion or walking around a town. On sea days we usually will start the day there right after breakfast.

 

Cheers,

[K'Arthur]

I was reading one of the reviews on the site and it said that some people were falling asleep in the loungers and ignoring staff requests to limit their time to 20 minutes.

 

I also am curious about this and the hydro pool since I am a spa nut...

 

Has anyone else had a poor experience or is it possible that reviewer just had a few selfish apples on their cruise?

[Bj2615]

Guess I am not totally clear on the spa and pool area. My understanding is that there are 5 or 6 lounge chairs near the pool spa which are great for looking outside. My concern is that they will always be full. Do you find that to be the case? I have heard that the cost is about $250 per couple for the week...correct? So if you go everyday, would you say it is beneficial? Also does anyone know if they give a family discount?

Thanks

 

We paid $250 for both of us for the week on Oosterdam in May. That was a discounted rate for buying the first day. Never seem crowded, there is a sign that asks to limit your time to 20 minutes if someone is waiting. Well worth the $$ if you use it. We were able to use both the hydro pool and lounges nearly every day. There were 6 lounges I believe.

 

Bryan & Candi

 

 

 

[lsuwest]

We (my wife and I - late 30's) just got off the Westerdam yesterday (first cruise). I had read about the Hydro Pool and Thermal Suite on these boards, but didn't give them much thought. On our first day aboard (June 8), the spa and pools were open to tours. The selling point for us was that the hydro-pool was more private than the main pool and the thermal suite chairs are REALLY comfortable. They also said that they were only selling 80 couples passes. After that, there would be limited access to people trying to get in. We signed up right away. Not sure if they ever sell out, and it wasn't a pressure sales pitch, but we figured why not.

 

A single day pass cost $40 per person. A single's trip pass was $150. A couple's trip pass was $250. Definately worth it if you will be using it every day. We mainly got it for the privacy. The main covered Lido pool and hot tubs was always crowded, loud and full of kids. It wasn't terrible, but not our style. The aft adult pool was always empty, but that was probably because it was 50 degrees outside.

 

We wanted something a bit more private and relaxing. The hydro pool never had more than 4-5 people in it (including us). There were a few times that all the thermal chairs were full, but we would go into the sauna, steam room or back to the pool until they opened up. Not much of a problem.

 

Thermal Suite: 2 steam rooms (about 4 people could fit in one comfortably), 1 dry sauna (same size), a few aroma-therapy cooling mist showers to cool off, and best of all, 6 reclining heated tile chairs looking out the window. Extremely comfortable and relaxing. Relaxing "spa" type music and a little fountain with running water sounds.

 

Hydropool: Large (+- 14' x 14' ?) hot tub style pool with a metal pipe bench that you can relax on with bubbles coming up from below. Metal bench can hold about 6 people. In the middle of the pool is a small enclosure with a lot of bubbles and jets. Middle can hold 2-3. Rest of pool has no jets, but still relaxing. 2 showers come out of the middle and spray water off to the side of the pool. Lots and lots of deck chairs and recliners around it. Room had windows overlooking the Lido pool, but they were always covered for privacy. Also had a covered skylight above.

 

Other Info: You check in at the Spa desk and give them your room key. They give you a locker key and card to access the pool and suite. Nice locker / changing rooms with showers so you could also use the lockers while working out if you wanted to. Pool and suite stayed open until 10pm every night except formal nights when they closed at 6pm.

 

Overall, while expensive, we enjoyed them. If you just want a hot tub, you can use the ones in the Lido pool. If you want a quieter, more relaxing time, consider a pass, but make sure you use it a lot to make it worthwhile (don't forget to consider the time you will be ashore or the early closing time on formal nights). Have fun.

[JerseyJaguar]

I was reading one of the reviews on the site and it said that some people were falling asleep in the loungers and ignoring staff requests to limit their time to 20 minutes.

 

I also am curious about this and the hydro pool since I am a spa nut...

 

Has anyone else had a poor experience or is it possible that reviewer just had a few selfish apples on their cruise?

The week I was on the Osterdam, May 17-24, the loungers were never all full so I never saw anyone being told to leave since there was no reason for them to leave.

 

The hydropool got a bit more crowded, but it's very big so a few people can be on the bars that you lie on that shoot jets of water at you and a couple could be in the jacuzzi like area.

 

The steam rooms were in the thermal suite, with two showers by each.

 

I went for the tour the first day, and started using it that day. After that I went every morning that we hadn't docked yet or were at Sea, and when I got back on the two days I was off the ship early.

 

I definitely felt like I got my monies worth.

[traveler1980]

Sounds like your family might really enjoy the quiet experience if they enjoy spa time. The pool that is available for all guests is right outside of the whirlpool that is included with the spa pass, but the biggest difference as someone else posted is that with the pass you have a much larger whirlpool type area that is secluded, we rarely saw anyone else there, only had to share the pool once. There were always people at the pool available for all guests. I enjoyed having the seclusion. Also, the room (a seperate room from the whirlpool area) with the ceramic lounge chairs is so nice and relaxing to sit and read and enjoy the warmth of the ceramic chairs. I wasn't big on the saunas or steam showers, but the exclusive use of a huge whirlpool area and the cermaic lounge chairs was great. I went every day! I would wait till you get on the ship and then have the family all tour on the first day and decide if they think they will use the pass.

[airlink diva]

I purchased the Thermal Spa package last April when I was on the Maasdam. With the exception of the very first day on the ship, I used the thermal spa everyday.

I normally went later afternoon around 4 p.m. and stayed until 6 p.m. The only time it was a "crowd" was one day when it was 5 people in there. Three were in the sauna, two on the loungers and one in the hot tub. There was never a wait for the loungers and it was a few days where I was the only person in the thermal spa area.

It's very relaxing and I really like coming from shore and going there. I had my best days on sea days when I was on one of the loungers and my only thoughts were how many clouds were in the sky? :D I also like the fact that near the room was a small area with water,juice and tea. You could access a small area of the deck and it was relaxing drinking tea and watching the sea!

I recommend the thermal spa package for anyone sailing on HAL, the first thing that I'm going to do after getting on the ship is to purchase my pass and look forward to "Tamara time" everyday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

[happy5]

Thank you to everyone for the GREAT information.. I really appreciate it

CC is great!

Can't wait for July

[GramaFran]

Just off the Oosterdam and the spa had a deal on our Port day in Sitka.

2hrs of pampering - mini massages, facial, exfoliation and it inclued 1 hr at the Hydro Pool and thermo spa - We were the only ones in pool and on the loungers. Used the sauna and steam too. Cost $99 pp - It was a good deal and I loved the massage and facial.

 

Francine

[bucsfan100]

We were on the Westerdam June 1-8. I loved the whole area and the loungers were wonderful!! We did, however, find it always crowded. Several times people were asleep in the loungers and others were waiting to use them. I only got to use them twice on our trip so I didn't feel I got my $$ worth, but it is a REALLY relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

[gphelps99]

We were on the Westerdam May 25 - June 1. My two daughters ages 23 & 29 and I used the hydro pool and loungers daily. They loved going to work out and then going to the steam rooms, etc. For the three of us the charge was $250 for the couple rate and then $125 for each additional. It was a little pricey but I'm glad we did it.:)

[Au48]

Can you access the steam rooms without a thermal suite pass? I know on other lines, the steam rooms and saunas are in the locker rooms for the gym. Is this the case with HAL (Oosterdam in particular)?

[KCalla]

There is a sauna in the hallway between the hydrotherapy pool room and the thermal suite (lounges and steam rooms). It appeared that you could use the sauna without purchasing the thermal suite pass (or having a massage treatment that allowed associated access) because the 2-3 person hallway sauna did not have a keycard lock on the door (the hydrotherapy pool and thermal suite rooms required a keycard to open their doors)

[Tarheel72]

On the HAL website it gives an 800 number to call for "price information and availability" for the cruise pass for the hydro pool and thermal suite. But when I called the 800 number the HAL customer service agent was clueless. First she had no info. Then after putting me on hold she came back and gave me a rate of $199 for two for a seven day cruise. When I told her I needed to book it a 12 day cruise she put me on hold and came back and told me she had no info and that I had to wait till I got on the ship and go to the spa to get it. She said the price varied by ship.

 

Is this correct? Can you book this in advance or do you have to wait till you board the ship? I did not have a lot of confidence in her knowledge. If she can't book it then why does the website have you call the 800 number? Should I call again and try for a different CS agent?

[jaxsonpup]

Last time we were on the Zuiderdam, we were given lovely terry and silk robes for use in the hydro and thermal area. Is this still the practice?:)

[hulamoon]

I was on the Zuiderdam in May and the spa robes could be found in your locker. It was the same type that is in your room. A few times i traded mine out.

 

I love this too, and plan on getting it again. I will say I think the ceramic loungers are not so comfortable, maybe because I am short. Other people spent many hours in them daily. One of the saunas was not operational but there were too more.

[Tarheel72]

so, any more comments on securing the package? Do you have to wait until boarding or can you do it in advance as the HAL website suggest?

[takemewithyou]

This must be new because you never could book a pass to the thermal spa until you got on the ship.

 

The fact that it is new would explain why the person on the phone didn't know the answer. Why don't you call again and let us know what you find out?

[hulamoon]

In May we had to book when we boarded, my attempts to do so ahead of time did not work. Has it changed?