RenaeInCA

I'm going to chime in on our recent experience. We booked our NS about 2 months before our Oosterdam voyage from 3/31 to 4/7 directly through HAL. I had read a review about someone taking an upsell from NS to PS, so about a month out I started watching my email closely. On the 23rd day before sailing, I got an email offering us the PS (Pinnacle Suite) for roughly $1600 extra (I can't recall the exact amount and since we had trip insurance it raised that cost, too). When I called, a few hours after the email went out, both PS were stil available and we got to choose the one we wanted. I would assume that when you called to inquire about the upsell, you'd be given your choice of available suites.

We have had 5190 before and while it is mostly covered, we still got plenty of light in our suite. The balcony is VERY private, even from the upper decks. We were going to take 5190 again on our last cruise, but we decided to take an upsell to the PS. We've also had 7142 which was great because you're close to the Neptune Lounge. I wouldn't choose the 8th deck because of noise from the desk chairs being moved around and the lack of privacy from the Lido above.

We have had an aft Neptune Suite on the Westerdam twice, in 7142 and 5190. I do not recall there being any distinct noises or vibration when we pulled into port. We have had swaying and creaking when the waters were rough or it was windy. But, we have also had that in mid-ship suites as well.

Just an FYI on the Signature Beverage Package, the limit is now up to $9 per drink. It must be newly effective, as I purchased the package just a few days before our cruise (Oosterdam 3/31 to 4/7 voyage) and the limit was lower. When we got onboard the flyers all said it included drinks up to $9 (before gratuities).

We will be onboard

Thanks, everyone. We got our assignment last night for our March 25 sailing.

We were a guarantee Neptune Suite on the Eurodam and very surprisingly got a good location on deck 7 near the lounge.

Nice news, don't know joe we ended up in such a good spot.

OT, Jacqueline, but I see in your sig line that you are going on my dream cruise next year on Paul Gauguin!

New Pic of SB suite attached. Hope this works

Thanks for the review and other comments on the cruise! We head out on the Oosterdam on a similar itinerary (Key West instead of Cozumel) on 3/31. You are the second recent poster commenting on the quality of the by-the-glass wine selections :-( The OP essentially said the same thing. That's my drink of choice so I am mulling whether it will be worth it to get the beverage package. Our last cruise was on Celebrity (Silhouette) with the elite beverage package. The few times I went over the $ limit for a glass of wine I only had to pay the difference. We are quite excited about the cruise - we were able to do a paid upgrade from NS to PS - even though we are only going ashore in Key West and Costa Maya.

I don't know if this will help you to decide if the drink package is worth it but on the Princess board someone developed a spreadsheet that's sort of neat. Drink pricing is fairly similar to HAL

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2456349&highlight=beverage+calculator

 

Princess Beverage Package Evaluator rev3 posted 02-11-2017.xls

 

Be well & enjoy!

Bob:)

Thank you for posting that!! I'm going to check it out.

We set sail on the 31st, and I haven't purchased the beverage pkg yet because I am still mulling over if we'll get one, and if so which level. Our first few cruises you could take plenty of wine onboard with HAL. We did not spend a lot on alcohol because we had wine in our room. So we ordered buckets of beer and drinks of the day. On our last cruise (Celebrity) we got a free basic beverage package as a perk but upgraded (for the wine selection) for a pretty low fee. We also go to all-inclusive resorts, so we are pretty used to the "free" drinks idea.

DH is much more of a day drinker than I. I might have an occasional drink here and there during the day. What I found when I had the package was that I drank a lot more Perrier/Pellegrino, bottled still water, mocktails, and an occasional soda or special coffee. My drink of choice is wine and I would have a glass or two with dinner, maybe one for the show. I wish I could get the Signature for DH and the Elite for me (for the better wine selection) but I understand why we can't.

So, I am going to figure out the cost of what I think DH and myself might drink to compare it with just paying for his drinks and bringing onboard some water and paying an additional corkage for a few bottles of wine above our "free" two. That will help me decide if we are going to get the package and if so, which one. I don't know if this helps you?

Sigh...I love seeing the high-end watches, jewelry, and handbags onboard. I still love my Tag Heuer watch that I first saw on a cruise and received from my DH the following month for Valentines Day. And an EFFE ring that I got onboard on another cruise. I was hoping to get a new purse duty free this time, but I guess I shouldn't count on that.

Can anyone tell me about the shops/brands they saw on the Oosterdam recently? I really enjoy perusing the shops and I have been wondering if anyone recalls any specific brands you remember from them. After our first cruise, DH bought be a beautiful watch that I'd seen in the shop on the Westerdam.

TIA!

So, I was getting ready to purchase the beverage package for our upcoming cruise and then I wondered if by purchasing the beverage package before the cruise I was missing out on the cruise day credits for it. I believe it is cheaper to buy the package before the cruise (I don't recall the difference). How about if you book your excursions online pre-cruise, do you still get cruise day credits for them?

It was nice to receive our courage and boutonniere for our formal nights. They came for the first formal night, and I just kept them in the cooler for the next one.

Thanks for the review! We are on the Oosterdam on the 31st.

I was a little disappointed to hear about the wine...DH wants the regular beverage package, so I will be getting it as well. I usually drink wine, but mostly club soda, sparking water, and sodas during the day. So, I think I will just bring a few extra bottles of wine and pay the corkage rather than upgrade both of us to the elite beverage package.

Since DH was so sick at Christmas and we had to cancel that cruise, we didn't hesitate to take advantage of the sale. We are so excited. Yes, I know that any cruise after this one will be a let-down in accommodations, but I will have to keep telling myself, "At least you're on the ship." How many people would give anything just to take a cruise, much less to be in a NS? We feel so fortunate. Thanks to all who've posted. Like the OP, we're anticipating the luxury and perks with mounting excitement.

Your post reminded me how fortunate we are to go on such fun cruises! I am excited about our upcoming cruise (we are on the same cruise :D). You're going to love being in your suite. DH and I do spend a lot of time on our balcony, especially in the evenings.

The perks of the NS are really nice, especially the complimentary laundry. When we were on the Rotterdam deck we went to the Neptune Lounge a lot more than when we were on the Upper Verandah (5th?) deck. It was nice having one place to go to for almost any assistance you needed on board. The ladies there were always really helpful.

We haven't been on a cruise for almost 4 years now, and our last one was on Celebrity Silhouette, so it will be interesting to see the "change" in entertainment on HAL. I would never recommend HAL to anyone who was big on entertainment, especially in the evening. We love the quiet atmosphere of HAL, though, especially during Spring Break cruises. Our Celebrity cruise was during Spring Break and we would never do it again during that time. It was too chaotic and noisy for us.

SquierJosh, have your symptoms gone away? I have had what I believe is Mal de debarquement (MdDS) after each of our cruises. I started a thread asking for tips on dealing with it since we are going on a cruise later this month. The first time I thought it was a fluke. Mine usually lasts about 2 weeks, though even a month later I have had minor dizziness on occasion.

Thanks for the tips, Martincath. I read that doing a vigorous workout the day before you dock is supposed to be helpful. On our last cruise, I did do some of the strange exercises recommended. It did help but then a day later we did a water taxi around FLL and it set me back to square one. Lesson learned!

Unfortunately for me, our cabin location hasn't made a difference. I didn't notice a difference between our first cruise down the Pacific to Mexico or our Caribbean cruises, either.

A few years ago, I bought Retin-A over the counter at the Wal-Mart in Cabo San Lucas when we stayed there. I thought it might be less likely to be counterfeit there - but who knows? I am tempted to get some again (when we are in port for our next cruise) as I think I paid $234 for my last tube of Renova. My husband's doctor actually recommended checking with a Canadian pharmacy for a medication not covered by our insurance.

We are in the same situation (as you can see below in my signature line, our cruises during are spring break). My tips are from advice I've received and our own trial and error.

Choose cabins/suites that aren't next to adjoining cabins, are on "prime" decks or spa cabins, and where you'll get the least amount of traffic. Make sure that your balcony isn't the end of the row or has a metal wall on one end of it (the sound echos terribly). Also, check to see what is above and below the cabin. Lastly, if there is a noise issue, let someone know ASAP. On Celebrity, we were next to an adjoining cabin where they had kids in one cabin and the parents in the other. We should have addressed it right away instead of thinking it would get better. They could have switched cabins.

32 days!

I had the same question, since our passports expire in September and we are going on a cruise, 3/31 to 4/7. I was a little concerned when I read the six-month recommendation. Have you called your cruise line? I did and they said that is a suggestion and that since we aren't going to Costa Rica we should be just fine. I was worried about sending in our passports and not getting them back in time or having to pay the expedited fees (plus overnight service to and from).

Hi Cruisers,

We are coming up on our 5th cruise and each time before I've experienced what I had called post-cruise vertigo which I now understand is called Mal de debarquement syndrome (or MdDS). I experience it for 2-4 weeks after the cruise :eek:. There is also Land Sickness that one can experience after being at sea, but it lasts less than a week. After reading info about it online, I'm going to see my doctor about it before our cruise, but I thought I would turn to my trusty CCs for their tips on it, too. (BTW, I am totally fine during the cruise, this is strictly post-cruise).

If you have experienced this (lasting at least one week post-cruise) do you have any tips that you could share that have helped you? Have you ever been to the doctor pre-cruise for this malady? Did they seem even remotely knowledgable about it?

Apparently since this is more common in women, ages 40-50, they believe that there may be a hormonal connection :confused: but then I read that there's a belief that your brain gets used to the movement and has to rebalance itself. Anyway, now that I am 51, and no longer dealing with hormone issues, I am hopeful that I might escape it this time. I sure hope so. It really puts a damper on the post-cruise relaxation.

TIA for your help! Renae

Can't wait to hear more of your review. We are going on the Oosterdam from Tampa on 3/31. Spending a few days in Tampa beforehand, and one night on the return.