How suite it is?

[igraf]

I just can't see being so concerned about such small benefits, such as free use of an umbrella, after paying the premium price for a suite. It is just so easy to bring my own things, and my items will be much better than anything HAL lends out.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

Choices..... :)

 

It's wonderful we can all make choices and decide what we like, how we like it and what we wish to do. What makes sense and works great for you is not necessarily what works best for the next person. I probably use binnoculars once a year at most so it wouldn't make sense for me to own a costly set. I fully appreciate others feel differently.

 

The more choices the better IMO

[TheEmerson]

The troll? LOL :D

 

Yes. "The troll" The number of people trolling the ship going "What? We are not going all the way in?" "My coco has only two marshmallows!" and "Where are the [Fill in with your favorite animal that lives in Alaska]?"

 

So I stayed comfy on the veranda with my own supply of food and Crown.

[peaches from georgia]

I just can't see being so concerned about such small benefits, such as free use of an umbrella, after paying the premium price for a suite. It is just so easy to bring my own things, and my items will be much better than anything HAL lends out.

 

igraf

Does anyone take the "personalized stationary" home? And use it or save it? I may use it if writing a note along with extra tips or to staff that has done a special favor for us, but other than that we don't take it home with us. Then again I don't save the daily schedules, luggage tags, documents, or invitations either.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Peaches

I use the 3 sheets of "personalized" stationary to take notes on. The sheets of paper aren't that large.

We just give a handshake at the end of the cruise to pass crew extra tips.

[cjm66]

Let the other person use the suite binoculars and bring a decent pair for yourself. The ones in the suites are not worth arguing over. The umbrellas are big, and I wouldn't want to carry it around on shore. But, you can bring both on shore with you.

 

Thank you. I now have the justification I needed for packing my travel umbrella and bins. One should never allow some people to read packing lists. They tend to cross reference to the information on the cruise web site about 'inclusions '.

[Bippie]

Having been in suites on both HAL and Princess, I find the experience quite similar. If I had to choose I would give Princess a slight edge. I prefer the layout of the cabins on Princess. Breakfast in Sabatinis was better than breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill - Princess changed the menu daily. I'm in a minority here, but the Neptune Lounge was nothing special. The services from the Concierge were convienent but I didn't find the lounge to be a comfortable place for spending time - probably because there were no windows (on the Eurodam).

 

When I choose, I choose on price because both HAL and Princess provide a pleasant suite experience.

[Spender Nui]

Mistake

[Spender Nui]

My memory may be playing tricks on me but isn't a bottle of sparkling wine waitng in your suite at embarkation?

[sail7seas]

My memory may be playing tricks on me but isn't a bottle of sparkling wine waitng in your suite at embarkation?

 

 

There used to be a Welcome Aboard bottle of sparkling wine delivered to Suites from Captain and Hotel Manager.

 

There is now a glass or it offered to guests when they come into Neptune Lounge.

 

[George C]

My memory may be playing tricks on me but isn't a bottle of sparkling wine waitng in your suite at embarkation?

 

Hal gives you a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of water for suites, Princess also gives bottle for mini-suites

[sail7seas]

Hal gives you a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of water for suites, Princess also gives bottle for mini-suites

 

 

HAL USED to provide a bottle of sparkling wine as gift from Captain and Hotel Manager. They no longer do that all the time on all the ships. We have been on 80+ HAL cruises in "S" or "SA" and our last two or three cruises, we did not receive the usual gift. We were offered a glass of sparkling wine in Neptune Lounge. Fine by us.... we always swapped it toward something else and got a small credit.

We received the complimentary bottle of water.

 

Did you receive it within the last few months on a ship, George? If so, which ship?

[Typhoon1]

You will love the Suite life. A word of caution, once you cruise in a Deluxe Suite, you'll want to enjoy it every time you cruise.

[gigianne]

We just disembarked the Zuiderdam on the 19 October. There was a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of water on the counter when we arrived in our suite.

[Spender Nui]

We just disembarked the Zuiderdam on the 19 October. There was a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of water on the counter when we arrived in our suite.

 

Glad to hear it. We'll be on her next month. How was the rest of the cruise?

[Traveling Bob]

Its a difficult choice. Ordinarily, ports and price would decide it for me but Princess has a southern Carib (Carib Princess) and HAL has a western Carib (Nieuw Amsterdam) both at the same time, both with ports that interest me and at similar prices!

However, all of HAL's lowest price full suites are already taken and they are offering a guarantee at the low price, so I figure that it is possible to get an upgrade to SB or SA. Princess only has support beam obstructed balconies available at the VS price. So, its going to be HAL for Valintine's Day; can't pass up a delux verandah for $2,175.

Thanks for your input.

[igraf]

Our reaction was the opposite. We cruised in a superior verandah stateroom and decided that the extra floor space was not worth the extra cost, even though we can easily afford to pay. I think the difference depends on how much time one spends in the stateroom. I suspect that we are out and about the ship more so than most other passengers, and we never spend a port day on the ship.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

You will love the Suite life. A word of caution, once you cruise in a Deluxe Suite, you'll want to enjoy it every time you cruise.

[George C]

HAL USED to provide a bottle of sparkling wine as gift from Captain and Hotel Manager. They no longer do that all the time on all the ships. We have been on 80+ HAL cruises in "S" or "SA" and our last two or three cruises, we did not receive the usual gift. We were offered a glass of sparkling wine in Neptune Lounge. Fine by us.... we always swapped it toward something else and got a small credit.

We received the complimentary bottle of water.

 

Did you receive it within the last few months on a ship, George? If so, which ship?

 

We had it on last cruise we had a S booked on Veendam this May, bot a big deal one way or the other - we also won a bottle playing trivia

[gigianne]

Glad to hear it. We'll be on her next month. How was the rest of the cruise?

The whole cruise was awesome - I must say that the staff on the Zuiderdam are the friendliest we have ever cruised with - starting at the top with the Captain (Chris Turner).

[tangerinebunny]

We've always ordered room service by phone. Do most of you order through the Neptune Lounge concierge?

[kazu]

We've always ordered room service by phone. Do most of you order through the Neptune Lounge concierge?

 

For plain old room service (club house sandwich, whatever) - we just call the regular number. If we want hors d'hoeuvres as we are having guests - then I use the concierge for that.

 

For ordering dinner (from the MDR menu), I have used both the concierge and just dialed the regular number. If I am going on a tour and won't be back in time to call I will ask the concierge to arrange it.

[clanlabcooker]

Plus I would never trust that the order would be correct. Too many times years ago we ordered breakfast for the cabin -- came too late or not at all (even with the concierge calling to see where it was); usually cold and order not correct.

 

Not to disagree with your experience, but ours was quite the opposite. On the Westerdam in Alaska (9/11), we had a couple of excursions that required very quick and early departures. We ordered breakfast in our suite since the MDR/Lido would not be available for a convenient breakfast. The food was as ordered, HOT and on the dot for requested time. We would use the service again without hesitation.

[sail7seas]

We've always ordered room service by phone. Do most of you order through the Neptune Lounge concierge?

 

 

If we order Room Service breakfast, we do it by way of the door hangtag.

 

If we order a sandwich or snack during the day, we call.

We never have dinner en suite.

 

I don't recall us ever asking Neptune Concierge to place a Room Service order for us. We might have once or twice but I have no memory of it.

 

[tangerinebunny]

Thanks. I feel slightly less dense.

 

I assume that room service knows which numbers belong to the deluxe suites. We order afternoon tea by phone and sometimes get the little chocolates from the Pinnacle.

 

Now that's afternoon tea.

[JORAY]

HAL USED to provide a bottle of sparkling wine as gift from Captain and Hotel Manager. They no longer do that all the time on all the ships. We have been on 80+ HAL cruises in "S" or "SA" and our last two or three cruises, we did not receive the usual gift. We were offered a glass of sparkling wine in Neptune Lounge. Fine by us.... we always swapped it toward something else and got a small credit.

We received the complimentary bottle of water.

 

Did you receive it within the last few months on a ship, George? If so, which ship?

 

We are not George, But we were on the Maasdam 15 day Atlantic Coast cruise 4/27/2012 to 5/12/2012 in a "S"and recieved the bottle of sparkling wine as gift from Captain and Hotel Manager. (which we exchanged for wine)

 

It could be a ship thing and could vary by ship. I think many people exchange the "sparkling Wine"-- anyway don't like the sparkling water so it is not a big deal for us.

 

Ray

[TheEmerson]

On our May Oosterdamm Alaska cruise, there was no bottle in the suite but there was the glasses of sparkling wine in the Neptune Lounge. As this was the first cruise of the season, I suspect they changed the offering then. I did let the concierge in the NL know there was no bottle. I was told they did get a complete shipment in SEA and will send one to our room in the next few days. Two days latter she knocked on the cabin door and handed me a bottle. With the usual apologies for the inconvenience.