Deluxe Verandah on Eurodam

[goldengatecruisers]

Hello HAL Mariners. We sailed on the lovely Westerdam several years ago and we are looking forward to our return on a HAL vessel. We are contemplating booking a cruise on Eurodam for the first part of 2011. We will book a deluxe verandah suite and would like to ask what special benefits or features come with this level of accommodation other than what is listed on the website. I know that sometimes you have to be a regular cruiser to really know what you are entitled to. What I know so far is that we have access to the industry-leading Neptune Lounge which will be very convenient for coffee/pastries and access to the concierge. In the Neptune Lounge is there complimentary internet or do we have to purchase a package. I heard somewhere that the Pinnacle Grill is a special breakfast restaurant for suite guests - is this correct?

Do guests in the deluxe verandah suite get a complimentary bar set-up, i.e. bottles of wine or liquor, upon embarkation or any other 'perks' in the cabin. Do we pay for soda/bottled water consumed in our cabin in this category. The marketing information lists complimentary laundry/dry-cleaning etc. but is there also a self service laundry if we prefer to wash some items ourselves? Do suite guests pay the service charge in the speciality restaurants and will we have priority reservation opportunities through the concierge at the specialty restaurants?

Sorry to bombard you with questions but I look forward to your answers and any other tips you wish to share to greatly enhance my experience on board.

Many thanks.

Ashley.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hello HAL Mariners. We sailed on the lovely Westerdam several years ago and we are looking forward to our return on a HAL vessel. We are contemplating booking a cruise on Eurodam for the first part of 2011. We will book a deluxe verandah suite and would like to ask what special benefits or features come with this level of accommodation other than what is listed on the website. I know that sometimes you have to be a regular cruiser to really know what you are entitled to. What I know so far is that we have access to the industry-leading Neptune Lounge which will be very convenient for coffee/pastries and access to the concierge. In the Neptune Lounge is there complimentary internet or do we have to purchase a package. No free internet for anyone -- not even for the Deluxe Suite passengers in the Neptune Lolunge. I heard somewhere that the Pinnacle Grill is a special breakfast restaurant for suite guests - is this correct? Yes -- the Pinnacle Grill is available for all Deluxe Suite passengers for free for breakfast. The dining times are the same as the main dining time so you can check the daily program for the breakfast times. The menu is the same as the main dining room.

Do guests in the deluxe verandah suite get a complimentary bar set-up, i.e. bottles of wine or liquor, upon embarkation or any other 'perks' in the cabin. No free bottles of alcohol -- no complimentary bar set-up -- you pay for everything. You will get a cheap bottle of champagne compliments of the captain and hotel manager. We turn ours in and pay the difference for something we like. Do we pay for soda/bottled water consumed in our cabin in this category. Yes you have to pay for soda and bottled water -- nothing is free. The marketing information lists complimentary laundry/dry-cleaning etc. but is there also a self service laundry if we prefer to wash some items ourselves? There are no self-service laundries on the Vista or Signature class ships. We do use the free laundry and dry cleaning service. Do suite guests pay the service charge in the speciality restaurants and will we have priority reservation opportunities through the concierge at the specialty restaurants? Yes you still have to pay to dine at the speciality restaurants. Pinnacle Grill is $10 per person for lunch and $20 per person for dinner. Tamarind is free for lunch and $15 for dinner. Canaletto is only open for dinner and is free. You do not priority reservations for any of the speciality restaurants just because you are in a Deluxe Suite.

Sorry to bombard you with questions but I look forward to your answers and any other tips you wish to share to greatly enhance my experience on board.

Many thanks.

Ashley.

 

If you know what nights you wish to dine at the speciality restaurants -- make your reservations as soon as possible, You can not prebook the Tamarind for lunch or the Canaletto for dinner as they are free.

As a rule we always prebook the speciality restaurants and one time we were so busy with things at home that we forgot. And when we got on the Eurodam the Pinnacle was completely booked out the one week before the ship even sailed. Even the concierges could not help us.

[sail7seas]

We just returned from our fifth Eurodam cruise in Deluxe Veranda Suite and had another wonderful cruise. My DH really likes the decorating and colors used in the "SA" suites on Eurodam. We like the decorating throughout.

 

KK has answered your questions and I will add that though we have sailed a great many times on HAL ships, it doesn't hurt to make reservations in advance. If you know what and when you want to go, book it. No reservations needed for breakfast as that is only for "SA, SB, SC and PS" guests. Reservations needed (most of the time) for lunch and dinner.

 

Internet packages are available for everyone on the ship.

100 minutes for $55 plus $3.95 start up charge or

250 minutes for $100 plus same start up or

Pay 75 cents per minute

 

No bar set ups but you will be provided with a bottle of water. Replacements have a charge.

[goldengatecruisers]

Thank you both for your thorough responses. I also spent some time late last night going through old threads to try and find information about Eurodam and found some of the answers. So my apologies for not having done the full research first and repeating questions asked by previous CC members. In any case your answers have definitely given me a better idea of what to expect. I appreciate the tips on booking the PG and Tamarind ahead of time just to secure the nights we wish to dine at those two venues. I too really like the look of the new subtle decor on Eurodam and the suite looks lovely. I figured as much about soda and water but wanted to clarify so thank you for doing so. We were thinking of purchasing bottled water at each port of call but were unsure as to whether HAL permits you to bring them back on the ship. We are not too bothered about bringing on hard liquor or wine as we are quite happy to pay for it onboard but we do drink a lot of water so knowing we could pick it up at a store on land would be great. Now that the wrap-around suites have had their balconies shortened with the newer ship design our preference would be mid-ship and wondered whether there were any differences in Cat SB and Cat SA other than deck location. We recognize the SA suites have immediate and convenient access to the Neptune Lounge but wondered whether there were any other differences to the SB grade of accommodations. Thank you again for your help and taking the time to assist me with my upcoming voyage. As soon as we are booked we will be sure to add our names to the roll calls and register for Meet and Mingle gatherings. On the other lines I usually travel on there is a hosted Meet and Mingle party for cruise critic members. Does something similar take place on board the HAL vessels?

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Ashley.

[sail7seas]

You can bring on all the bottled water you wish either at embarkation or in ports.

 

The M&G gatherines on HAL are not 'hosted' per se but it is very common for Officers to attend. Many report Captain or Hotel Manager, Guest Relations Manager, CD and others have attended their gatherings. But other times, no, that doesn't happen depending upon what other things are happening on the ship at the same time.

 

[goldengatecruisers]

Sail7seas - thats all good news. Thanks for answering me.

 

Ashley.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You didn't mention which sailing of the Eurodam you will be on but you can check out the Roll Calls here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=446

I haven't bothered with the Roll Calls in a couple of years -- don't even bother reading them anymore. Had a couple of great Meet & Greets -- no officers attended. Most Meet 7 Greets -- boring -- so I stopped looking at the Roll Calls.

[goldengatecruisers]

Krazy - sorry I should have mentioned that earlier. My bad. We booked the Jan 02 and Jan 08 sailings on Eurodam. The timing was perfect for us and we will be on a lovely ship in the sun. What more could we ask for. We have sailed only once on HAL and that was on the Westerdam on a wonderful transatlantic. This will be a different experience and we are looking forward to seeing Eurodam as we hear it is a wonderful ship.

Thanks to those of you who answered my questions.

 

Ashley