Optima or Cameo

[dazedandconfused]

OK - I think I have narrowed it down b/n these 2.  I looked at the Vista and Grandee.  The moto felt like someone running up and down my spine - not too comfortable.  Also, what is the purpose of the waterfalls??  Any benefit besides visual/sound.

Anyway, back to the O or C.  One has a lounger (C) and one does not (O).  The lounger does not fit my wife - she is too small.  But it does feel good on me.

Besides the lounger, does anyone know the diff's?  As far as price, most dealers quote the same price for both.  

[Brewman]

They are very similar.  The major difference is the lounger, and the impact to the spa by adding the lounger.  
Seating and jet count is different, water capacity is a bit different.
They both have the same pumps, controls, options, etc...
I own the Optima, but the Cameo would be just as good.  

[ndabunka]

Your wife's dislike of the lounger in the Cameo is little surprise. Few women like it but many do like the lounger in the next smaller sized Altimar

[Tubber]

The Optima and Cameo are the same size and same MSRP.
The differences being the Lounger in the Cameo, 5 whirlpool Jets as to 2 in the optima. The lounger in the Altimar is designed for a shorter person . A booster seat might help her longing in the Cameo. All three are great choices it just boils down to personal preference.

[brian_tr]

I like the foot massage in the lounger on the Cameo.  It has the rotating jets on them.  I have not tried the Optima so I can not say anything about it.  Foot massage is what started me looking at hot tubs to begin with as my feet are sore at the end of my 13hr work day.   I also can get my shoulders on the lounger while doing my feet.  

[Brewman]

My Optima does not have rotating foot jets.  Our tub is a 2003 model.  Unless they changed that for the 2004 models.........
Brewman

[ebirrane]

A friend of mine owns a cameo.  He swears by the lounger, but my wife and I cannot stand it.  Most people, women especially, float in any lounger.  You can actually purchase "weights" that hold you down!

If the tub will be primarily used by you and your wife then the lounger might be an option as you can use it instead of your wife.  If you entertain alot you may want the extra space that the optima gives you.  

The bucket seating on the optima and the foot wells give you an *almost* lounger feeling, especially if you aren't super tall.

On a slightly tangent topic, I was trying to decide between the optima and the grandee and went with the grandee based on wet testing. When I first sat in the moto-massage chair I *hated* it. The "run up and down spine", from me, was a verbatim criticism from the Sundance dealer on the Hot Springs and I walked into the wet test watching for it and found it.  

What I noticed on subsequent wet tests (I wet tested each 4-5 times) and especially on "long" wet tests (try and stay in their for the full 15-20 minutes) was that all jets on all tubs, to me and my wife, got annoying after a while when they hit just one spot and all required repositioning.  This happened sooner on the Sundance models because the jets were so violent. When we first turned on the Sundance, the diverter and jet control were on full blast on the jets right behind my wife and they actually *hurt* her.  Talk about an unfortunate first impression!!

The optima's bucket seats made adjusting harder to do for us and over time the moto-massage relaxed us (we slept well after all wet tests!  ) with less itching and red spots and less frequent repositioning. The open seating in the Grandee also favored repositioning. You may want to sit in one one more time (or you may not!) but I felt exactly the same way as you did after a first wet test and wanted to pass along my experience and change of heart.

As for the waterfalls I think it's all visual and sound, which is just like the air blower on the Sundance. The air blower, if left on for any appreciable amount of time, cools the water by sucking in colder air (at some point, I hear after just a few minutes, all warm air in the spa base is used up, kinda like taking a too-long hot shower). The Sundance dealer just shrugged and said "some people like bubbles, I never turn mine on". So on the grandee you pay extra for the shell molding and optic lights and on the optimas you pay more for the air blower and controls and air holes. My friend with the cameo feels that aromatherapy works just fine regardless of whether the air blower is on or not.

Anyway, sorry for pulling this off topic a little bit.    My friend with the cameo loves his tub and loves his lounger and he is a pretty short guy! I would guess that it all boils down to whether you want more space or the ability to lie down.

-Ed

[poopsy]

i have wet tested both...and found the cameo lounger awkward for smaller people-5 foot- 5 fot 11 and of smaller frames....

I liked the optima except i found that 3-4 of the seats useless and a waste of jets or no jets....silly for an 8,000.00 tub

I feel that the altamar by sundance was a better value however....the 2 foot jets in the lounger were rather weak....otherwise the altamar was set up compact and cosey.....the optima was bigger forsure but as i said i feel that some of the seats were wasted w/o jetting....sure they are cooldown seats in a way but just taking up space in a way..in my opinion.....i wished the cameo was designed a bit different with a more compact lounger and better jetting.

[Brewman]

Exactly why you should continue wet testing.  Even though you may be getting weary of it, it's telling you what you like and don't like in the various spas you are testing.  Stay the course, and you will not regret your choice of spa.
Brewman

[Julie]

We choose the Cameo because we wanted the lounger and didn't need the extra space, but our first wet test was in the Optima (only model filled up at that time), and it almost changed our mind!  Very nice spa.  That being said, I'm a 5'4 women, and I don't float in the lounger.  Sure, the foot jets are a little far off my feet, but if I really want to feel them, instead of putting my buttocks at the bottom of the lounge, I just really lay flat, and I get a very good feet massage, plus a good wrist massage.  In the Optima, there was one corner seat we didn't like: not deep enough for us.  But if one of us didn't fit in the louger, we would have gone for the Optima in no time.  Both of you should feel great in the 3 most importants seats, otherwise you might regret it.