Did I get a good cabin?

[Time2sail]

Hope your cruise is absolutely perfect:) Your wife is very lucky, too; she will have a wonderful cruise and her husband is very thoughtful.

 

Tell us all about it when you get back. Have the camera ready when she sees the verandah.

[cactuslady]

RevNeal,

I'll have my tux with me for formal nights so I'm good to go for those 2 nights. I'll only miss out on semiformal night(s). Bill

Ahem. Well, technically and traditionally, a tux is semi-formal attire. True "formal" being "A crisply pressed white wing-collar pique formal shirt, a white pique vest and bow tie, classic black trousers with a formal satin side stripe, traditional black tailcoat just covering the vest, and black patent formal shoes." And a top hat if outdoors.

 

If you hate staying in your cabin, why not book the Pinnacle that night, wear your tux and make a lovely evening of it? There is no HAL rule I know of that says you will be barred from public areas for dressing up more than required. If anyone looks askance, you could mention that it's a "special occasion" (i.e., your vacation). :)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Hope your cruise is absolutely perfect:) Your wife is very lucky, too; she will have a wonderful cruise and her husband is very thoughtful.

 

Tell us all about it when you get back. Have the camera ready when she sees the verandah.

 

Thank you. I'll be ready or my son will. One thing that I read that might ruin the surprise. I think I remember that someone said they put some gold badge on you as you enter the ship and escort you to that lounge for suite passengers. Do they do this even before you see your cabin? If so any way around it?

 

CactusLady,

You're making my head spin. :p

 

Bill

[Candy]

No... you check in at a special desk for S and PS pax only. They give you a gold sticker to wear which lets you jump the embarkation line. I did this to my husband last year...

 

(From my review) Embarkation: We handed our luggage over to the dockman where I was able to check the manifest to verify our cabin number (hoping HAL had upgraded us to the Penthouse Suite). Our contract still had the old cabin number on it, but I had the email with the S confirmation on it. Inside, we encountered several lines of about 300 passengers It looked like we'd NEVER get there. Before we got in line, I pulled Jim aside and handed him his Anniversary Card and told him there was something inside he could wear. I had enclosed the priority boarding sticker from our last cruise, and he didn't recognize it, but he stuck it on his shirt anyway. I pointed to the little lady in the check-in booth all by herself. I told him it was OK to go over there and avoid the big lines, but I nearly had to drag him. It took a long time for him to realize we belonged in the Suites Line (We received our IDs and cabin key cards) and it didn't really sink in until we went through the Golden Door. There was the beginning of the embarkation line, complete with photographer. I pulled Jim over there and said, "Watch this!" The attendant held out her arm to nudge the line people (who had been waiting for their numbers for a long time) out of our way and said, "Oh, you are priority passengers... step this way." We had our welcome aboard photo and were on the ship less than 10 minutes after we left the taxi. Jim still can't believe it. We were escorted to the Neptune Lounge where we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and cappuccino.

 

Thank you. I'll be ready or my son will. One thing that I read that might ruin the surprise. I think I remember that someone said they put some gold badge on you as you enter the ship and escort you to that lounge for suite passengers. Do they do this even before you see your cabin? If so any way around it? Bill

[S.S.Oceanlover]

No... you check in at a special desk for S and PS pax only. They give you a gold sticker to wear which lets you jump the embarkation line. I did this to my husband last year...

 

(From my review) Embarkation: We handed our luggage over to the dockman where I was able to check the manifest to verify our cabin number (hoping HAL had upgraded us to the Penthouse Suite). Our contract still had the old cabin number on it, but I had the email with the S confirmation on it. Inside, we encountered several lines of about 300 passengers It looked like we'd NEVER get there. Before we got in line, I pulled Jim aside and handed him his Anniversary Card and told him there was something inside he could wear. I had enclosed the priority boarding sticker from our last cruise, and he didn't recognize it, but he stuck it on his shirt anyway. I pointed to the little lady in the check-in booth all by herself. I told him it was OK to go over there and avoid the big lines, but I nearly had to drag him. It took a long time for him to realize we belonged in the Suites Line (We received our IDs and cabin key cards) and it didn't really sink in until we went through the Golden Door. There was the beginning of the embarkation line, complete with photographer. I pulled Jim over there and said, "Watch this!" The attendant held out her arm to nudge the line people (who had been waiting for their numbers for a long time) out of our way and said, "Oh, you are priority passengers... step this way." We had our welcome aboard photo and were on the ship less than 10 minutes after we left the taxi. Jim still can't believe it. We were escorted to the Neptune Lounge where we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and cappuccino.

 

 

 

 

Candy,

Pretty cool! I wonder how long until she figures it out. Maybe I can convince her that it is for SS mini suites too. She really doesn't pay attention to any of this stuff like we do on CruiseCritic. She probably doesn't even remember the cruiseline or name of the ship. It'll be fun until she finds out. My son will be lauhing his butt off during the whole escapade I'm sure.

Thanks

Bill

[RevNeal]

Candy,

 

What a WONDERFUL surprise for your husband ... and a wonderful gift! I'll have to remember that one!

[ekerr19]

No... you check in at a special desk for S and PS pax only. They give you a gold sticker to wear which lets you jump the embarkation line. I did this to my husband last year...

 

Candy -

 

Sorry but, huh?? You "jump the embarkation line"???? - please, explain!

 

You only receive the gold sticker at check-in, you get to go to the Suites check-in line, which is not normally very crowded, but the sole purpose of the gold sticker is so the Concierge can identify you as belonging in the Neptune Lounge once you embark the ship, especially if cabins aren't ready.

 

I've never heard of it being used to "jump" any line and I am very confused. We don't even bother to wear the sticker.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Candy -

 

Sorry but, huh?? You "jump the embarkation line"???? - please, explain!

 

You only receive the gold sticker at check-in, you get to go to the Suites check-in line, which is not normally very crowded, but the sole purpose of the gold sticker is so the Concierge can identify you as belonging in the Neptune Lounge once you embark the ship, especially if cabins aren't ready.

 

I've never heard of it being used to "jump" any line and I am very confused. We don't even bother to wear the sticker.

 

I took it to mean that you didn't have to wait in the long lines with the regular cabin pax. You could just go to the suite pax line which is shorter.

I hope I interpreted it correctly.

 

Bill

[KAKcruiser]

Please don't worry about the jacket. As someone previously posted, not everyone in the dining room wears them. Some men just wear a long sleeved shirt. And certainly after dinner I have seen many people change. I think you are getting the wrong idea about how strict things are.

[Candy]

After you finish at the Suites check-in line (usually not more than a very few people) you go into another section where all the other pax are lined up waiting to board. When the host sees your gold sticker she will part the line at the point where the photographer is and let you through ahead of the 100 or so pax in line. If you don't wear the sticker, you don't get the priority embarkation.

 

Candy -

Sorry but, huh?? You "jump the embarkation line"???? - please, explain!

You only receive the gold sticker at check-in, you get to go to the Suites check-in line, which is not normally very crowded, but the sole purpose of the gold sticker is so the Concierge can identify you as belonging in the Neptune Lounge once you embark the ship, especially if cabins aren't ready.

 

I've never heard of it being used to "jump" any line and I am very confused. We don't even bother to wear the sticker.

[ekerr19]

After you finish at the Suites check-in line (usually not more than a very few people) you go into another section where all the other pax are lined up waiting to board. When the host sees your gold sticker she will part the line at the point where the photographer is and let you through ahead of the 100 or so pax in line. If you don't wear the sticker, you don't get the priority embarkation.

 

Oh, ok I get it now.. we always plan to get there later, so once we check in, we just walk onboard. We did the waiting thing once, in San Diego - ever since then, we try to plan to get to the pier after embarkation has commenced.

 

Thanks for explaining. :)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

After you finish at the Suites check-in line (usually not more than a very few people) you go into another section where all the other pax are lined up waiting to board. When the host sees your gold sticker she will part the line at the point where the photographer is and let you through ahead of the 100 or so pax in line. If you don't wear the sticker, you don't get the priority embarkation.

 

Candy,

Knowing my wife, and after reading your post I think I can still pull this off. :)

 

Bill

[sail7seas]

Every "S" and "PS" passenger may check in at the "Suite Only"check-on line. Once you have processed your papers, all pax wearing the gold sticker have this priority boarding. Any "S" pax who is in line ahead of you, will board ahead of you. You will then board ahead of others who are not in "S". It is simply another amenity purchased as part of the fare. Another thing an "S" or "PS" passenger has bought and paid for.

[Bridges300]

Having just come off the Zuiderdam. I wanted to make two points. My kids and I hung out on the aft lido deck because of the pool and they liked to play with the life size chess set at the aft of the ship. Rarely if ever did anybody hang out looking over the aft balcony onto the balconies below. There are too many deck chairs set up to get their comfortably just to spy.

 

Also, nobody will look at you twice if you do not have a jacket on a non formal night. In that sense HAL is becoming like Carnival and RCL. Many, many people are dressed but enough are not that it doesn't elicit even a second glance. Enjoy, enjoy. And don't forget the Neptune lounge. The food there is better than others have said. Great chocolate covered strawberries. Great roastbeef and turkey tea sandwiches. I love the cucomber sandwiches. Good cheese. etc

[RevNeal]

Bridges300,

 

From what I understand, your advice is accurate for the average Caribbean cruise on the Zuiderdam. It would not be accurate to assume that this is the case for the entire HAL fleet, however ... and particularly not for longer cruises.

 

I've been on 14, 15, and 21 day cruises where lacking a jacket for the requisite evenings has caused one to stand out like a sore thumb ... and where trying to eat dinner in the main dining room has resulted in one without a jacket being asked to return to their cabin to obtain one. Sadly, enforcing the code is hit-and-miss on HAL ships, even on the longer cruises.

 

So, for cruising on the Zuiderdam your advice is (probably, though regrettably) sound and, given that S.S.Oceanlover will be on the Zuiderdam, it applies. However, I wouldn't use it as a guide on how to dress on other HAL ships and/or on longer HAL itineraries.

[Bridges300]

Right you are Rev Neal. Now that I reread it, the poster doesn't say he is on he Zui, but the responders were showing him pictures of the Zui aft balcony so I just assumed that this what he is on. I know nothing of the other Hals exceptfrom the Prisendam world tour thread. But for the Zui, even on formal days there were entire families on formal night that were casually dressed, and the dining room is so big and busy, nobody gave them much thought. Sort of like Las Vegas, in the evening you might see people in tuxes next to folks in cutoffs. Anyway, not that anybody asked me on this thread but I thought Hal was heads and shoulders above RCL and Carnival (the other two cruises we were on in the last 12 months

[RevNeal]

Now that I reread it, the poster doesn't say he is on he Zui, but the responders were showing him pictures of the Zui aft balcony so I just assumed that this what he is on.

 

Actually, in his signature he has a link indicating that his cruise will be aboard the Zuiderdam ... July 23, 2005 ... so, as I said, your advice applies to his situation. I posted what I did because you, essentially, generalized your remarks, applying your experience on the Zuiderdam to all of HAL. :) It's no big deal, I just thought I'd toss in a qualification.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Bill,

I vote for the party on your verandah idea. We'll be there. I think it is very "sweet" that you are surprising your wife with the "suite". I thought I was the Spouse of the Year because I am surprising my hubby with an SS! You win!

Olivia

 

Zuiderdam 7/23

????days

[Gardendog]

Just to confuse things even more--When we were on the Westerdam Western Caribbean sailing of 3/27, there was no informal night. 2 formal and 5 casual.

 

In addition to all this, as soon as dinner was over on the formal nights, lots of people changed into casual, very casual clothes, and DH and I sort of stuck out in our formal evening clothes. Oh well.

[ekerr19]

Sometimes, at the discretion of the Captain, the number of casual nights will change.

 

Sorry you felt you "stuck out" in your formal attire - sadly, I guess I'm in the minority who prefer to be overdressed.

 

The shorter Caribbean cruises seem to be a lot less formal - but on our 10-day Volendam cruise in March, Main seating had (by far) the more formal dressers, by the time we got out of the dining room, we passed the casino and sports bar observing men and women in tank tops, shorts and flip-flops.

 

We stayed dressed for the entire evening as we usually do, I mean, what's the point of changing twice??? I think that if formal clothes are "uncomfortable" they are not fitting properly - and women, yes - you can get away without pantyhose in the evening, I don't know why anyone would wear them, especially with strappy sandals... just my two cents. :)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Greta, On our Westerdam cruise we also did not have an informal night but we went to the Pinnacle on two of the casual nights and dressed up. One of the nights we were extremely dressed up. I like ekerr do mind dressing up. I think because the over all feel of the ship is so elegant I just feel I need to dress up. Plus I think that is part of the fun:p

 

Our first formal night we were walking down to have pictures taken and do the meet and greet with the Captain and we were actaully getting quite concerned. There were no Photo areas set up the in normal areas and everyone was wearing shorts:eek: I felt like the movie Ground Hogs Day for a moment that it was still the day before. But finally we saw people dressed up close to the show room. Our first Formal night there were definitely less people dressed up but by the second Formal night everyone read the memo on tonight's dress:D

[Candy]

Jim changes into something more comfortable (like on casual night), but for me...

 

There's nothin' like playin' craps in an evening gown!

 

The shorter Caribbean cruises seem to be a lot less formal - but on our 10-day Volendam cruise in March, Main seating had (by far) the more formal dressers, by the time we got out of the dining room, we passed the casino and sports bar observing men and women in tank tops, shorts and flip-flops. We stayed dressed for the entire evening as we usually do... snip ... :)