Are Neptune suites worth it?

[sapper1]

Oh, yes 4 Stars are suposed to be included in priority boarding.

 

.:D

 

I did not realise that. I thought it was just priority check in. Thanks for setting me straight.

[cruz chic]

On a port-intensive cruise (ex. Baltics on Eurodam), with excursions operating shortly after docking, does the Pinnacle Grill open earlier than usual? We might consider an upsell to a Neptune Suite if the lovely breakfast in the PG is available earlier than we've had in the past.

 

The pinnacle grill usually has the same hours as the MDR. In port I have found it to have an opening time of 7:30.

[cruz chic]

Oh, yes 4 Stars are suposed to be included in priority boarding.

 

 

Not according to Hal's website. It only states priority check in. Agree with Sapper, it usually includes boarding.

[magandab]

Loved playing with your dog. Loved the ball the best!:)

 

You are the first one to notice, or at least comment! 😀

 

As for all the reasons to believe that a Neptune Suite is worth it or not, all that really matters is, "is it worth it to you?" Until you've tried it once you will never know. You might be hooked, as we are (we being my mom and me, I have to work to convince DH that anything over a basic veranda is worth springing for).

 

Try it, you'll love it or you will decide it's not for you.

[sapper1]

You are the first one to notice, or at least comment! 😀

 

As for all the reasons to believe that a Neptune Suite is worth it or not, all that really matters is, "is it worth it to you?" Until you've tried it once you will never know. You might be hooked, as we are (we being my mom and me, I have to work to convince DH that anything over a basic veranda is worth springing for).

 

Try it, you'll love it or you will decide it's not for you.

 

That's a good bit of advice.

In spite of my comments on my earlier post, I might take a "too good to pass up" upsell, but would not pay full price for a Neptune Suite.

[kpgibbs]

You are the first one to notice, or at least comment!

 

As for all the reasons to believe that a Neptune Suite is worth it or not, all that really matters is, "is it worth it to you?" Until you've tried it once you will never know. You might be hooked, as we are (we being my mom and me, I have to work to convince DH that anything over a basic veranda is worth springing for).

 

Try it, you'll love it or you will decide it's not for you.

 

I have to admit, when I first read "loved playing with your dog" I thought maybe you guys were on the same cruise together and you had a service dog. I didn't even notice your signature. It was so much fun to play with him.

[slimknyzer]

Curious........ Did you "hear" this while on a ship? From a presumably reliable source?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

Hello, Sail. I booked the suite amenities package a week ago for an upcoming cruise. I was told by ships services that everyday breakfast in the PG was included. After reading several posts on CC that this was not so, I called back to ship's services. This time I was told breakfast in the PG was ONLY valid for disembarkation day. So...I personally have received conflicting information from HAL. I will not have that expectation in mind when I sail. But, I do like everything else about the package.

[Lizzie68]

Hello, Sail. I booked the suite amenities package a week ago for an upcoming cruise. I was told by ships services that everyday breakfast in the PG was included. After reading several posts on CC that this was not so, I called back to ship's services. This time I was told breakfast in the PG was ONLY valid for disembarkation day. So...I personally have received conflicting information from HAL. I will not have that expectation in mind when I sail. But, I do like everything else about the package.

 

Which just goes to show..... a "presumably reliable source" such as HAL's own departments, is often not so reliable.:rolleyes: I have read that lots of conflicting information is given out by HAL's Head Office. Good thing you re-checked but it seems you will have to wait until you are onboard to find out for sure. Please let us know.

[slimknyzer]

Which just goes to show..... a "presumably reliable source" such as HAL's own departments' date=' is often not so reliable.:rolleyes: I have read that lots of conflicting information is given out by HAL's Head Office. Good thing you re-checked but it seems you will have to wait until you are onboard to find out for sure. Please let us know.[/quote']

 

I will definitely post after I return with the answer to "Is it...or Isn't it". I am disappointed in that bkfst in PG was a top selling point when I purchased the package. Not sure if I would have bough it had "they" not said it was everyday included.

[Mekka]

I totally agree with the observation that only you can decide if a Neptune Suite is worth the money.

 

However, my experience has been that the suites on Holland America are one of the worst values in cruising. I've spent quite a bit of time on HAL (a few days short of 5 stars at this point) and I've stayed in every kind of room but a penthouse. The suites are nice and give you lots of space, but you are still on HAL and are paying a very high price for a mass market experience.

 

The cost cutting and quality cutbacks on HAL are well documented on this site. The problem with a suite is that as soon as you step outside your cabin, you are basically just like everybody else. Yes, there are some perks, but realistically they are fairly minimal and you are paying a huge premium to get them. If you are lucky enough to snag a cheap upsell, then the value proposition is better, but you can never count on that.

 

Over the last 3 years, we have been moving away from HAL and towards the luxury lines, particularly Silversea and Crystal. If you shop around a bit, you can sail with them for roughly the price of a Neptune Suite and the quality is much, much higher. The little perks of HAL's suites are dwarfed by the consistently superior service, food and atmosphere on the ship. You will have a smaller cabin, but even an entry level cabin on Silversea (which they call a "suite") is about 50% bigger than HAL's basic cabin and is quite comfortable. I suppose that if you spend most of your time in your cabin on HAL, the bigger cabin is nice, but I can't see giving up all the advantages of the luxury lines to get that.

 

I recommend that you try a luxury line if you want to splurge. I'll warn you, it's hard to go back to HAL. When you add up all the things that are included (such as tips and drinks), it might even be cheaper than a Neptune Suite.

 

Only you can decide if a Neptune Suite is worth it. All cruise prices are set by supply and demand, so there are obviously people who are willing to pay the Neptune Suite price. I wonder how many of them have tried something else. It has been hard for us to give up our advanced status in HAL's loyalty program to start over in other cruise lines, but overall, I'd say it has been well worth it. You might be amazed at how much nicer the experience of a luxury line can be.

[frankc98376]

I will definitely post after I return with the answer to "Is it...or Isn't it". I am disappointed in that bkfst in PG was a top selling point when I purchased the package. Not sure if I would have bough it had "they" not said it was everyday included.

 

We saw people turned away last year on Oosterdam that had purchased the package. They were told that Pinnacle Breakfast was for disembark day only- it was the "VIP disembarkation lounge" referred to in the package.

Manager was very nice and explained that if all of the NS guests came down the restaurant would be pretty much full. We never saw more than 5 or 6 tables in there at a time, but didn't eat in there every morning. I suppose NS guests would be upset though if they couldn't get in. We don't tend to spend a lot of time at breakfast- took over an hour in the Pinnacle most mornings.

Edited April 2, 2014 by frankc98376

[igraf]

Someone had asserted that having Neptune concierge services rather than having to go to the main office was by itself worth the extra cost of a Neptune Suite.

 

I like to think that you missed that and that you are not supporting such a ridiculous assertion.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

[.....

Everyone decides for themselves what is worth what to them.

You may think it 'worth it' to have a ski lodge or a cabin on the lake or whatever means something to you while someone else may decide it is 'worth it' to them to enjoy a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite on a ship. Thankfully, we do not all want exactly the same things. How boring would that be? :D

 

The fact of the matter in your particular comment is that the concierges all rotate from front office. One week they may be working at front office and next week it could be their turn to be concierge. ;)

 

Edited April 2, 2014 by igraf

[RJ2002]

We saw people turned away last year on Oosterdam that had purchased the package. They were told that Pinnacle Breakfast was for disembark day only- it was the "VIP disembarkation lounge" referred to in the package.

Manager was very nice and explained that if all of the NS guests came down the restaurant would be pretty much full. We never saw more than 5 or 6 tables in there at a time, but didn't eat in there every morning. I suppose NS guests would be upset though if they couldn't get in. We don't tend to spend a lot of time at breakfast- took over an hour in the Pinnacle most mornings.

 

To Frank or anyone else with experience:

 

We have booked a PS for our upcoming cruise, and we feel the same about breakfast. We are looking forward to having breakfast in the PG, but don't want it to take forever.

 

Has anyone ever mentioned to the manager, when entering the PG, that you'd like to get "in and out"? I am not talking about McDonald's fast, but (for us) over an hour really is too long to sit at the breakfast table, knowing we have the rest of the day waiting ahead of us.

 

Do you think they will accommodate a request to have a somewhat speedy breakfast in the PG?

[Roz]

I've never had breakfast take that long in the PG. I would mention you're in a hurry, and maybe your waiter can recommend items that he/she can quickly dispatch, like oatmeal and pastries. I know that ordering items like Eggs Benedict takes longer.

 

Roz

[innlady1]

I did not realise that. I thought it was just priority check in. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

That's a pleasant surprise for you, Bobbie. We just became 4 stars after our TA cruise in the fall so took advantage of the priority check in an priority disembark.

 

While in HMC, I felt weird about cutting in line for the priority tender service. So we waited along with everyone else.

[cruz chic]

Which just goes to show..... a "presumably reliable source" such as HAL's own departments' date=' is often not so reliable.:rolleyes: I have read that lots of conflicting information is given out by HAL's Head Office. Good thing you re-checked but it seems you will have to wait until you are onboard to find out for sure. Please let us know.[/quote']

There is a poster on here that ripped me a new one because I dared to say Seattle gives out conflicting info. I've never noticed that poster doing it to anyone else. I can't imagine why that poster gets upset considering how often this is the case.

[cruz chic]

That's a pleasant surprise for you, Bobbie. We just became 4 stars after our TA cruise in the fall so took advantage of the priority check in an priority disembark.

 

While in HMC, I felt weird about cutting in line for the priority tender service. So we waited along with everyone else.

I've found in HMC they use the large tenders and nobody had tickets so it was pretty much a disaster. I would not cut in line for that because I would fear for my life.

[BumperII]

There is a poster on here that ripped me a new one because I dared to say Seattle gives out conflicting info. I've never noticed that poster doing it to anyone else. I can't imagine why that poster gets upset considering how often this is the case.

 

Sorry to hear that you got ripped. We sure hope that won't stop you from sharing your experience. As close as I can figure, the information gained from Cruise Critic posts has saved us enough to pay for a few cruises. Please, keep on posting.:)

[cruz chic]

Sorry to hear that you got ripped. We sure hope that won't stop you from sharing your experience. As close as I can figure, the information gained from Cruise Critic posts has saved us enough to pay for a few cruises. Please, keep on posting.:)

I won't stop sharing although some would probably like me to:D. I thought it a bit much that I got singled out when many people do point out the irregularities. I'm happy that people have replied about the suite amenities package. I was seriously thinking about getting one for my upcoming cruise for the Pinnacle. Won't be doing that now because not much else appeals. Still hoping for a reasonable upsell because the first one was $3500. That's a bit too steep for me. I'll be happy in my SS.

[frankc98376]

There is a poster on here that ripped me a new one because I dared to say Seattle gives out conflicting info. I've never noticed that poster doing it to anyone else. I can't imagine why that poster gets upset considering how often this is the case.

 

Conflicting information from Seattle? :eek:

Maybe they'd be happier if you said "different personal interpretation of the same policies" by each employee in Seattle (AKA tell them what they want to hear and get off the phone) :D

[TeamBozo]

I totally agree with the observation that only you can decide if a Neptune Suite is worth the money.

 

However, my experience has been that the suites on Holland America are one of the worst values in cruising. I've spent quite a bit of time on HAL (a few days short of 5 stars at this point) and I've stayed in every kind of room but a penthouse. The suites are nice and give you lots of space, but you are still on HAL and are paying a very high price for a mass market experience.

 

The cost cutting and quality cutbacks on HAL are well documented on this site. The problem with a suite is that as soon as you step outside your cabin, you are basically just like everybody else. Yes, there are some perks, but realistically they are fairly minimal and you are paying a huge premium to get them. If you are lucky enough to snag a cheap upsell, then the value proposition is better, but you can never count on that.

 

Over the last 3 years, we have been moving away from HAL and towards the luxury lines, particularly Silversea and Crystal. If you shop around a bit, you can sail with them for roughly the price of a Neptune Suite and the quality is much, much higher. The little perks of HAL's suites are dwarfed by the consistently superior service, food and atmosphere on the ship. You will have a smaller cabin, but even an entry level cabin on Silversea (which they call a "suite") is about 50% bigger than HAL's basic cabin and is quite comfortable. I suppose that if you spend most of your time in your cabin on HAL, the bigger cabin is nice, but I can't see giving up all the advantages of the luxury lines to get that.

 

I recommend that you try a luxury line if you want to splurge. I'll warn you, it's hard to go back to HAL. When you add up all the things that are included (such as tips and drinks), it might even be cheaper than a Neptune Suite.

 

Only you can decide if a Neptune Suite is worth it. All cruise prices are set by supply and demand, so there are obviously people who are willing to pay the Neptune Suite price. I wonder how many of them have tried something else. It has been hard for us to give up our advanced status in HAL's loyalty program to start over in other cruise lines, but overall, I'd say it has been well worth it. You might be amazed at how much nicer the experience of a luxury line can be.

 

I have to totally agree

[magandab]

Someone had asserted that having Neptune concierge services rather than having to go to the main office was by itself worth the extra cost of a Neptune Suite.

 

I like to think that you missed that and that you are not supporting such a ridiculous assertion.

 

igraf

 

I would think that the original statement was a bit of hyperbole.

 

However, I can't quite describe my feeling of relief a couple of cruises back, after I'd taken care of a problem with my bill in the NL, in about three minutes. I then made my way to meet up with my mom in the Explorer's Lounge, and looked down from a deck above at the front desk, and saw the line of people winding away. NOT how I want to spend my last evening on board. It's bad enough having to waste all that time packing! :D

[cruz chic]

Conflicting information from Seattle? :eek:

Maybe they'd be happier if you said "different personal interpretation of the same policies" by each employee in Seattle (AKA tell them what they want to hear and get off the phone) :D

No kidding:D.

[cruz chic]

I would think that the original statement was a bit of hyperbole.

 

However, I can't quite describe my feeling of relief a couple of cruises back, after I'd taken care of a problem with my bill in the NL, in about three minutes. I then made my way to meet up with my mom in the Explorer's Lounge, and looked down from a deck above at the front desk, and saw the line of people winding away. NOT how I want to spend my last evening on board. It's bad enough having to waste all that time packing! :D

Generally you don't see that except for the cheapies on the last night removing the HSC. Pretty sure someone will dispute my comment, likely someone that was doing it:D;).

[hrhdhd]

However, I can't quite describe my feeling of relief a couple of cruises back, after I'd taken care of a problem with my bill in the NL, in about three minutes. I then made my way to meet up with my mom in the Explorer's Lounge, and looked down from a deck above at the front desk, and saw the line of people winding away. NOT how I want to spend my last evening on board. It's bad enough having to waste all that time packing! :D

 

Of course, if someone hadn't made a mistake on your bill in the first place, you wouldn't have had to wait in line anywhere. ;)

 

We had two bill mistakes on our last cruise, and after the concierges in the NL proved inept at handling the first one, I solved the second one at the Front Desk. I was the only one in line--and I've seen a line in the NL, so it's not like you might not have to wait in line there, too.