Suite perks, Alaska Cruise Tour

[srlafleur]

Hi,

Not that it matters, but does booking a suite for the cruise portion of a HAL Alaska cruise tour translate into any benefits on the land portion? I thought I saw something addressing that years ago, but can't find hide nor hair of it now that I actually have a suite booked.

[shrimpboat123]

Hi,

Not that it matters, but does booking a suite for the cruise portion of a HAL Alaska cruise tour translate into any benefits on the land portion? I thought I saw something addressing that years ago, but can't find hide nor hair of it now that I actually have a suite booked.

 

You don't get any special treatment on the land portion for being in a suite on the ship. I didn't get any better room in the hotels when we were in a Neptune Suite back in 2013.

 

Hope you have a suite on the port side. Great viewing of the glaciers from the balcony and the Captain seemed to favour the port side for time spent while up close to the glacier.

[srlafleur]

You don't get any special treatment on the land portion for being in a suite on the ship. I didn't get any better room in the hotels when we were in a Neptune Suite back in 2013.

 

Hope you have a suite on the port side. Great viewing of the glaciers from the balcony and the Captain seemed to favour the port side for time spent while up close to the glacier.

 

Thanks, I suspected as much, but wanted verification. I don't know where the suite is located yet, since I booked as a GTY. I'll worry about that when the time comes. It's not my first visit to Alaska, just my first cruise tour.

[lastlook]

You do get double Mariner points for the land days as well as the cruise days if you book a suite.

[srlafleur]

You do get double Mariner points for the land days as well as the cruise days if you book a suite.

 

Thanks! That's something, at least. I had thought I read otherwise, but it may have been old info.

 

Oh, I do have another question! While I have my doubts that the meal package is cost effective, I will have more shipboard credit than I'm likely to use on the 4 cruise days. Does anyone know if OBC could be used to buy the meal package?

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks! That's something, at least. I had thought I read otherwise, but it may have been old info.

 

Oh, I do have another question! While I have my doubts that the meal package is cost effective, I will have more shipboard credit than I'm likely to use on the 4 cruise days. Does anyone know if OBC could be used to buy the meal package?

 

I don't think you can. I believe that the meal package has to be purchased in advance of the cruise or land portion starting. The OBC doesn't come into play until you're onboard the ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ship board credit can only be used on the ship -- not on land.

I do hope that you get a port side cabin.

A agree with shrimpboat123 -- we have found that the majority of the captains do have the port side face the glaciers the longest.

[lastlook]

We decided against the meal plan and I'm glad that we did as it often meant buffets which we avoid. While at Denali, we noticed that people would arrive at the restaurant in the main lodge with meal plan vouchers for breakfast only to find out that they had to go down to Karsten's instead. We much prefer to decide when and where to eat, so were glad that we opted not to take the meal plan.

[Crew News]

I had the meal plan for my Alaska land portion June 2017 and would not recommend it. It does not cover all meals if read the fine print. In order to get the most value from the meal plan, you are committed to eating the decadent desserts at each lunch and dinner.

[JimAOk1945]

You do get double Mariner points for the land days as well as the cruise days if you book a suite.

This is exciting news! I will keep it in mind for our future planning. Alaska is amazing!

 

We have done three Alaska cruises on different cruise lines, but the one my wife and I enjoyed the most was our 14 day cruise on the Maasdam last August round trip out of Seattle. Fantastic!

[alwaysfrantic]

We thought the land portion would be upgraded like the ship portion but learned in advance, and it was true, that it does not translate on land. Disney does, or used to do land parts that way....the ship room determined the level of land accommodation. Same old rooms. And very glad we did not have the meal plan. We were glad to get out of the hotels, for the most part.