Suite perks

[ybarber]

What is the difference in the embarkation and disembarkation for suite guests (SC)? This will be our first full suite and I just want to know what to expect. Thanks cruise experts!

[bepsf]

When Embarking, you have priority Deluxe Suite Check-in...

 

...and when Disembarking, you don't have to wait until your color/number is called - You leave when you feel like it (or as the lines at the doors permit)

[ybarber]

When Embarking, you have priority Deluxe Suite Check-in...

 

...and when Disembarking, you don't have to wait until your color/number is called - You leave when you feel like it (or as the lines at the doors permit)

 

Darn, I thought it would mean they would pick up our bags when we left so we wouldn't have to put them out the night before! Oh well......

[Stephani]

Hi ybarber,

 

We sailed the Westerdam 1/14 to 1/21 and having never sailed before did not know what to expect...sailing suite level, I was hoping for the best.

 

On Embarkation, you are provided a tag that shows you are on the suite level and HAL people notice and direct you to the special lines to help expedite getting onboard. One thing that I really was happy to see was after checkin at the port, you go to the second level to get your Embarkation picture taken...we arrived around 2pm and there was quite a line...well, not for us. They open the rope and put us and the very next picture...that was pretty nice but I think we got some stares from everyone that had been waiting :o

 

Once on the ship it was very nice to head straight to the Neptune lounge which was cozy and relaxing. We checked out some snacks and met our concierge Ivy (and Jake)... they were great and remembered us throughout the cruise.

 

Apon Dembarkation, we had the choice to put our luggage out by 6am the day of getting off while everyone else had to have theirs out by 1am the night prior (really only a 5 hour difference but it was nice to go out for a little bit that evening and then come back and worry about packing :)). You are provided a ticket with time frame to disembark and suite level for us was Pink that gave you ANYTIME from 8:30am to 10:30am...it was nice to go and have breakfast one last time and not feel rushed. We got off at 10am and it was not too bad but there were no other perks once we stepped foot off the boat...but in all I would totally want suite level next time as well!

 

Hope that gave a little insight.

[Krazy Kruizers]

At Embarkation there is a separate checkin line in the terminal for the PS, SA, SB and SC passengers. You will also be among the first to embark on the ship -- after wheelchair passengers and the PS passengers.

Once on board you can leave your carryons with the concierges in the Neptune Lounge while you go have lunch or just walk around the ship until your cabin is ready.

Disembarkation -- even though you will fill out a form at the beginning of the cruise indicating your plans for the last day -- you will still get a letter indicating that you can disembark starting after -- usually after 8:30 AM.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Darn, I thought it would mean they would pick up our bags when we left so we wouldn't have to put them out the night before! Oh well......

 

 

On the last full day of your cruise -- you will get a form where you can indicate whether you want to put your luggage out by 1 AM or 6 AM.

The crew are given a list of which cabins will be putting out their luggage at 6 AM. It can't be later than that as it does take time to get it down into the hold and off loaded from the ship -- and in many ports -- sniffed by the dogs.

[bepsf]

Darn, I thought it would mean they would pick up our bags when we left so we wouldn't have to put them out the night before! Oh well......

 

Yes, but who wants to be up at 6am?

[sail7seas]

Darn, I thought it would mean they would pick up our bags when we left so we wouldn't have to put them out the night before! Oh well......

 

 

You do not have to put your bags out the night before. You will receive a note from Concierge asking if you prefer to put them out at 6:00 embarkation morning and they will be collected for you.

 

Your choice. We always have them collected the night before with everyone else's but (almost) every cruise we get a form to check our preference.

[CowPrincess]

Does anyone posting to this thread leave their valuables in their carry-on when you drop it at the Neptune? By the time we are heading to the ship, I've usually transferred my valuables to the carry-on. Just wondering what others do.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not my jewlery.

 

But we do leave the camera in the one -- and we do lock the carryons.

[sail7seas]

We don't leave our carryons. We keep them with us. It is not worth the risk of losing contents. Things are in our carryon because they are either valuable or we really need them or they wouldn't be in those bags.

 

I certainly know the concierges look after them but it is possible they step away for a moment and ...............

[CowPrincess]

Thanks, KK and Sail. It is my jewelry that concerns me most. I'll keep that in my handbag till we get access to our cabin.

[kazu]

Does anyone posting to this thread leave their valuables in their carry-on when you drop it at the Neptune? By the time we are heading to the ship, I've usually transferred my valuables to the carry-on. Just wondering what others do.

 

I'll add a ditto to this. We never leave our carry on's. A couple of times though although the suites weren't ready, we were allowed access to our rooms. So we dumped our carryons, put the stuff in the safe and moved on.

 

Otherwise, I, like the others keep my carry on with me. No distrust, just personal preference :):)

[mcduck]

If I recall there was a sign directing the suite passengers to a seperate check-in line for our Westerdam cruise a few years ago

 

Slightly off topic, but what does the phrase "Exclusive daily breakfast service" refer to in the list of perks? Also, I think I have seen it mentioned on the board that lunch service is available in the Pinnacle Grill. Is this correct and is there a daily menu somewhere?

 

Is coffee available all day in the Neptune lounge and do they have paper take out cups?

 

 

Our Zuiderdam cruise next week will be our first time living "the suite life", so we are not up to speed on all the "hidden" advantages/perks of the SA category other than the list in the brochure.

 

Thanks.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If I recall there was a sign directing the suite passengers to a seperate check-in line for our Westerdam cruise a few years ago Yes -- there is a separate checkin line for the PS, SA, SB and SC passengers.

 

Slightly off topic, but what does the phrase "Exclusive daily breakfast service" refer to in the list of perks? Also, I think I have seen it mentioned on the board that lunch service is available in the Pinnacle Grill. Is this correct and is there a daily menu somewhere? All PS, SA, SB and SC passengers can have breakfast in the Pinnacle -- same times and menu as the main dining room. Lunch in the Pinnacle is for all passengers -- not free - $10 per person.

 

Is coffee available all day in the Neptune lounge and do they have paper take out cups? The Neptune Lounge is open from 7 AM until about 8 - 8:15 PM. There is a coffee machine where you can get regular coffee, decaf coffee, lattes, expressos.

 

 

Our Zuiderdam cruise next week will be our first time living "the suite life", so we are not up to speed on all the "hidden" advantages/perks of the SA category other than the list in the brochure.

 

Thanks.

 

You will never want to book any other category cabin after experiencing the Suite life.

Pinnacle Lunch Menu

Menu - $10 per person.

Starters:

1)Grilled Prawn Bruschetta with a primavera salsa - aged asiago cheese and balsamic fusion

2)Mediterranean antipasto plate - pesto virgin olive oil

3)Scallops creme brulee - caramelized parmesean wafer

4)Northwest five onion soup - tomato shallot soubise

5)Chilled carrot and ginger soup - creme faiche and fried sage

6)Chiffanade of greens and tomato tower salad - Italian vinaigritte

Entrees:

1)Pacific rim beef salad - mesclun leaves, mangoes and lotus fruit

2)Alaskan halibut fillet sandwich - sour dough bread, cilantro relish and cucumber potato salad

3)Crab and shrimp cake - exotic fruit chutney, lime Thai curry sauce and orange rice with pine nuts

4)The Pinnacle burger - apple smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and bistro style shoestring potatoes. This dish can be served with a low carb bun and without the potatoes.

5)Sterling silver beef tenderloin with Oregon blue cheese crust - grilled asparagus and scalloped potatoes

6)Penne with grilled chicken breast, lemon basil sauce, sun dried tomatoes and arugula

7)Vegetarian couscous - grilled vegetables and fried mint leaves and harissa

Desserts:

1)Fresh strawberries with raspberry sorbet - sugar dough gaufrette

2)Chocolate brownie decadence - an explosion of chocolate

3)Orange and lime panna cotta

4)Ice creams and sorbets - ask for the day's selections

5)Fruit plate

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'll add a ditto to this. We never leave our carry on's. A couple of times though although the suites weren't ready, we were allowed access to our rooms. So we dumped our carryons, put the stuff in the safe and moved on.

 

Otherwise, I, like the others keep my carry on with me. No distrust, just personal preference :):)

 

We have never been able to leave anything in our cabin until the official announcement was made -- only exception was when we have stayed in the PS.

As a rule the cabins are still unlocked until the announcement is made.

[kazu]

We have never been able to leave anything in our cabin until the official announcement was made -- only exception was when we have stayed in the PS.

 

As a rule the cabins are still unlocked until the announcement is made.

 

That probably explains it - If I recall correctly, it was when we were in PS too. (only because of the upsell fairy - I'm crossing my fingers for our November cruise);)

[sail7seas]

Is coffee available all day in the Neptune lounge and do they have paper take out cups?

 

 

 

 

 

They do not provide paper cups in Neptune Lounge but feel free to take the china cup back to your cabin with you if you wish. The steward will take away any dirty dishes/cups.

 

You also can take any snacks from Neptune to your cabin to enjoy.

 

[kathy_bc]

You will never want to book any other category cabin after experiencing the Suite life.

 

You can say that again. We tried our first SC suite, and to be honest now I'm checking out other cruises in that category. We just LOVED it.

[kathy_bc]

Is coffee available all day in the Neptune lounge and do they have paper take out cups?

 

I don't remember paper cups. Here's a pic of the coffee layout on the Oosterdam.

[Randyk47]

You will never want to book any other category cabin after experiencing the Suite life.

 

That's for sure. I got a momentary case of the cheaps on our Veendam cruise and booked a B category after several cruises in an S category. Big mistake! It was OK but not quite the same. Mrs. K is such a love she never really said a word but just the other day she hugged me and said "I'm glad we're back in a deluxe....". :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Only once did we see paper cups in the Neptune Lounge -- Westerdam -- 2009 -- repositioning cruise -- think they were running an experiment. Saw very few people use the paper cups -- not even those who took coffee to their cabins.

[sail7seas]

I'm glad the 'experiment' was successful in demonstrating most of us prefer a lovely china cup and saucer.

 

[bepsf]

I'm glad the 'experiment' was successful in demonstrating most of us prefer a lovely china cup and saucer.

 

 

Indeed - Paper cups are utterly pointless when there are innumberable stewards to retrieve the china from wherever you put it down...

...paper is just more wasteful garbage for the incinerators.

(I'm also the guy in the office who is forever reminding people to bring their own coffee/tea mugs rather than using paper out of the coffee room)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm glad the 'experiment' was successful in demonstrating most of us prefer a lovely china cup and saucer.

 

 

Indeed - Paper cups are utterly pointless when there are innumberable stewards to retrieve the china from wherever you put it down...

...paper is just more wasteful garbage for the incinerators.

 

(I'm also the guy in the office who is forever reminding people to bring their own coffee/tea mugs rather than using paper out of the coffee room)

 

When I first saw them in the Neptune Lounge on that cruise -- I thought that they looked tacky for such a nice atmosphere.