Hydro Pool info please!

[frankcoll]

Thanks RuthC for the information.

[djhsolara]

I shared the cruise-long pass with Aloha Pride when we were on the Noordam in January.

 

 

Could you please help me understand what you mean by "shared the cruise-long pass"?

 

Thank you!!

[simplelife]

On the first day of the cruise DH and I did a tour of the Spa and thermal suite and were able to buy an unlimited pass for the entire week for $250 per couple. We definitely got our money's worth, particularly on port days when the facilities were not crowded.

I'm not sure if you had to be sharing a stateroom in order to get the special rate.

On our sailing, they just had a list of people who bought the pass and we just exchanged our room cards for special key cards while using the facilities. After the first day, the personnel recognized us and just made the exchange without checking the list.

I'm sorry to hear about the poster who had bad service in the Greenhouse Spa on their sailing. Ours on the Westerdam was great.

[JerseyJaguar]

I was on the Oosterdam and got this the first day and loved it. It was so relaxing to lie on the thermal loungers and watch the scenery go by. And the hydropool was also wonderful.

 

Neither was ever crowded to the point I couldn't use a lounger or the pool.

 

The steam rooms were also nice.

 

I did the tour the first day but pretty much had planned to sign up beforehand, that just confirmed it.

 

The saunas were available to everyone.

 

I don't think I'll sign up for it on the Veendam. The loungers don't look directly out to sea, there's some sort of deck inbetween so the view isn't as good (from all the pictures and the deck plans I've looked at). Plus the hydropool is very small, nothing like on the Vistas.

[scopewest]

My comment is the stone loungers (Oosterdam) were very uncomfortable for my height (5 feet). I couldn't really enjoy lying on them. I'm sure someone my height will jump in and say it wasn't a problem for them, but it was for me. Obviously since they're stone you can't adjust them!

[RuthC]

Could you please help me understand what you mean by "shared the cruise-long pass"?

Sure. :)

There is a lower per person price when a "couple" purchase the cruise-long spa package. You don't have to be a "couple" in any sense, other than two people. You don't even need to be sharing the same cabin (as simplelife alluded to).

So, Mary (Aloha Pride) and I purchased the spa package together and saved $25 per person for other fun stuff. :D

[djhsolara]

Sure. :)

 

There is a lower per person price when a "couple" purchase the cruise-long spa package. You don't have to be a "couple" in any sense, other than two people. You don't even need to be sharing the same cabin (as simplelife alluded to).

So, Mary (Aloha Pride) and I purchased the spa package together and saved $25 per person for other fun stuff. :D

 

OK...so you're saying you "shared" the "couples-rate" pass. I was thinking that you meant that you shared one pass...and I was wondering how you did that.

 

Thanks for the clarification!! :)

[Susie51]

Dec. 2008 on Oosterdam I purchased the week package for 150. The free hot tubs were small and very crowded. The pool water was cold. The hydro pool was never crowded, lots of towels, and tiled, heated lounges always available when I wanted to use them. On our cruise their were lots of kids, so this might be the reason for the difference in availability. I had a wonderful experience and would do it again.

[seabreezer]

Is access to the Hydro Pool and loungers included with a massage or facial?

[alexma]

There is a free sauna both on Westerdam and Eurodam. It is located just off of the lido pool area as you enter the hall that takes you in to the spa reception area. The steam rooms are part of the Thermal Suite and therefore are a "pay" facility.

 

It's true, that there are two complimentary saunas (male & female) on Eurodam, BUT these two saunas are definitely undersized.

 

If the male sauna is used by two, it is FULL. If there are three people using it at the same time, it is JAMMED.

There is just a tiny drysauna (no steam) plus one shower, that's it. No lockers, no hooks for your robes, no space to put your stuff. NOTHING.

 

 

These two saunas are designed only for one single purpose: to print into the brochures, that complementary saunas are available. POINT!

 

For a five star stip with 2100 passengers, these saunas are quite disappointing.

 

 

Even four star RCCL ships have a large drysauna plus a large steamroom connected to both gym's locker rooms. So I expected at least that on Eurodam too !!!

[maxsmamma]

If you don’t want to pay $50 just to try it for a day. Book a message and use of the hydro pool and thermal thermal suite are included for the day.

 

[08[/font]

 

Really??? I've gotten a massage on every HAL ship I have been on, and plan to again. Do I have to ask? (I guess so) Is this written somewhere?

 

I feel a bit cheated!

[JerseyJaguar]

Is access to the Hydro Pool and loungers included with a massage or facial?

On the Oosterdam they had some specials that included the Hydro Pool and loungers with a massage, but I don't know if that was all the time. It seemed to be an in port thing but it might have just meant at that price since in port prices were cheaper. Since I already had the pass I didn't really look into it too much.

 

Just be careful of the hard sell after any services you may get, they make it clear that your life won't be complete unless you purchase the products they just used on you.

[Loves to dance]

 

I don't think I'll sign up for it on the Veendam. The loungers don't look directly out to sea, there's some sort of deck inbetween so the view isn't as good (from all the pictures and the deck plans I've looked at). Plus the hydropool is very small, nothing like on the Vistas.

 

I will be on the same sailing of the Veendam and have been debating whether to do this or not. We will be doing lots of hiking while in ports, so I thought that it could be useful for sore muscles. However, if we can't watch the scenery from the loungers, I'm less likely to do it.

 

Has anyone reading this actually used the suites on the S class ships? If so, what did you think?

[M.Gardener]

Anyone know the details about the Greenhouse Spa on the Ryndam? It sounds like the spas aren't all that great and people haven't had the best experiences. When I was on Princess a few years ago, I bought a week pass and it was absolutely wonderful. I've always though Holland America would be a step above - but maybe not?

[hulamoon]

I am not sure you can count on free time in the hydro pool and thermal suite with a massage. It may be a new promotion but we couldn't get it in May on the zuiderdam. Therefore we bought the package, i liked it a lot but not so much when it was full. it was difficult to find a ceramic lounger empty and when I did I decided I may have been too short to have it work for me. Everyone else was raving about them, sitting in them for hours at a time. So they must have loved them.

 

I know it seems that this is not a good package for port intensive cruises but we found when we walked all day in Europe I would be very happy to have a soak/steam when we returned to the ship.

 

I do hope they are open at least until 10 because I am sure they closed earlier last May. Maybe my comment card worked!:D lol

[geoherb]

My DH won a day pass to the hydrotherapy pool and thermal suite in the spa raffle. They let us use the $40 as a credit against the cost of the weekly pass for the two of us.

 

They put stickers on our cruise cards, but most of the people at the spa desk knew us by name after the first day. You exchange your cruise card for a key card when you're ready to use the areas. You can also get a locker key for one of the changing rooms if you want.

 

The areas weren't really open the first day--just as a stop on the spa and gym tour. It may have been possible to have used it right before our 8 p.m. dinnertime. And then the ship had Code Red for the norovirus and we missed out on our last two days--which were sea days.

 

We ended up getting an inadequate credit for the amount we paid. I've written HAL and haven't heard back yet.

 

But we did enjoy the four days we were able to use the pool and thermal suite.

[gr8.guy]

I would recommend that you purchase your pass early in your cruise. We always get a week long pass. On our last cruise, we we telling table mates about the wonderful spa and when they tried to go get a day pass, they were told that the limit for the day had been met.

 

The pass is either a $40 day pass or the more economical weekly pass at $150 for one person/$250 per couple. Since the spa limits the number of passes sold, you always have peace and privacy. A pass to the Thermal Suite includes access to two areas: the thalassotherapy pool on the inside of the ship and the heated ceramic lounge chair area on the outside of the ship, with fabulous views. The thalassotherapy area includes a sea water pool heated to body temperature, with water jets at varying heights. The heated lounge chair area has a large picture window, a soothing fountain, an aromatherapy shower, a dry sauna, and a steam room. Try each of the ceramic chairs in this area, as the temperature differs from chair to chair. One may roast you, while another is just right. Have an at-sea day on an Alaskan cruise? Your ideal day should involve a work out in the fitness center, followed by a sauna and a soak in the Thermal suite, followed by reading time in the ceramic lounge chairs. When other passengers are waiting, it'd be rude to fall asleep in them, so make a pact with your travel companion to give each other a shove before you inevitably take an hour-long snooze. You can always grab a glass of water, juice, tea or a piece of fruit in the in relaxation area, which has comfy, padded, non-heated lounge chairs.

 

"Happy Sails to you"

[AZjohn]

We are going on a 12 night cruise on the Oosterdam this summer (Med cruise). Does anyone know what a couple price would be for that?

And, are there towels/soap/shampoo in the shower area there to use?

Thanks,

John

[RuthC]

And, are there towels/soap/shampoo in the shower area there to use?

Yes, at least on the towels; I didn't notice on the soap/shampoo.

There's plenty of towels both in the pool area, and more in the ceramic loungers area.

[AZjohn]

Yes, at least on the towels; I didn't notice on the soap/shampoo.

There's plenty of towels both in the pool area, and more in the ceramic loungers area.

 

Thanks Ruth;)

[mamadot]

Love the big spa pool on Celebrity! Open to everyone with no additional charge when we were on there. Enough reason to cruise on the Summit!

[gordons4]

Yes, John, there is soap & shampoo in the shower area. (I can't remember about conditioner.) We used the spa showers pretty much every night, after we finished lounging on the warm ceramic loungers. :D I think we only used our cabin showers once.

 

Sheri

[AZjohn]

Yes, John, there is soap & shampoo in the shower area. (I can't remember about conditioner.) We used the spa showers pretty much every night, after we finished lounging on the warm ceramic loungers. :D I think we only used our cabin showers once.

 

Sheri

 

Hi Sheri,

That is exactly what I was thinking my wife and I would do at night. Going on a very port extensive cruise and will only have evenings to enjoy the T-pool and chairs.

Does anyone remember the cost of with a 12 night cruise?

Thanks,

John

[Koshlong]

AZJohn, I think it varies. The cruise RuthC (and I) was/were on cost $250 for two for 10 days; I've heard the same price quoted for 7 day cruises. If you call HAL and ask for a price it will probably be wrong; their quote for our cruise was $100 higher than the actual price of the spa onboard.:confused:

[AZjohn]

If you call HAL and ask for a price it will probably be wrong; their quote for our cruise was $100 higher than the actual price of the spa onboard.:confused:

 

Exactly Koshlong, that is why I'm asking here:)

Thanks,

John