Category S Question

[SANDY BEACH]

S7S, Sorry, I was the one who said they could do away with the flowers. I was only thinking about it from my veiw point. I have read so many threads which talk about Holland doing away with amenities that IMO if they have to cut another one, the flowers would be my choice. I hated to see the waiste of time and money with them providing me with flowers and they not being used. The fruit in the room is in the same category. I enjoy some of it but definitely do not need a fresh bowl everyday. We informed our cabin steward of this on our last cruise and he only brought us what we requested. I'm sure others enjoy all their fruit and love this amenity. Didn't mean to encourage Holland to make another cut or imply that I was just one way. Sorry, for the miscommunication.

[viennacruiser]

Stever and Brandis,

I am doing the same thing with my DH...he thinks we have an outside and I am going to surprise him with a S on the Zuiderdam on our March cruise...My daughter is going to pay the final payment on her credit card so he does not see it when the bill comes in. I of course will give her the cash!! I am thinking of also surprising him with a Cabana.

The check in does have me a little worried that the surprise will be ruined. I want to have him open the door and realize we have a suite..of course he may think we are in the wrong cabin and try to leave!!!

When are you cruises? we can share with each oher how the surprise went!

Nancy

[sail7seas]

No problem, Sandy Beach. You certainly are entitled to your opinion. I guess that is what gets 'sticky' about HAL making cutbacks in "S" amenities. Which ones to eliminate that will disappoint the fewest pax? Or, do they simply want to cut where they will save the most money?

[Candy]

I am doing the same thing with my DH...he thinks we have an outside and I am going to surprise him with a S on the Zuiderdam on our March cruise...

From my review:

 

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 couple of hours) 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.

[Brandis]

Nancy,

 

our transatlantic on Prinsendam will be on Nov. 9, leaving from Lisbon.

 

For the check in, I will try the paper thing, saying that the suite is a surprise. Hope it works. As for using the shorter line, I will just tell him that it is ok to use it as I have cruised with HAL before. He might buy it as we could use those lines with RCL before.

 

Marc

[viennacruiser]

Marc,

Sounds like you have a good plan...you will have to tell me how it goes!! It is difficult keeping the secret, as I would love to talk about all the great perks...how did you handle the payment? My DH pays our credit card bills so I think I am going to have my daughter charge the final payment for me.

Nancy

[Brandis]

Nancy,

 

We have separate bank accounts, so he won't see my payments.

 

Yesterday, he was looking at the deckplans and asked me where our cabin is. So I had to check the old confirmation of our TA to see what cabin we originally were booked in. That way I can make sure that my information will stay consistent in case he asks again later. If I would just have made up a cabin number, I might find out... :-)

 

Marc

[viennacruiser]

Marc,

Good plan about the fake cabin number!! We also have a cruise booked for Aug so I guess I could say I mixed up the two if he gets suspicious!! What are you going to do with the luggage tags mine have always had a spot for the cabin #??

Nancy

[Spot]

Thats what white out is for.

You could always leave it blank and tell him that you have requested a different cabin and they thought it might be possible so you will find out for sure at check in.

 

Y'all will have a terrific time, stop worrying :)

[Brandis]

I haven't thought about the luggage tags yet, but as our cabin number will be 001, I could just say that it has no meaning, it doesn't really look like the cabin numbers we are used to... :-)

 

Marc

[Cruising Jake]

DH wears his bouttonniere and I wear some of my flowers in my hair or on my evening purse.

[localady]

Marc- I think 001 is the Penthouse, you lucky devil:):cool:

[Brandis]

Unfortunately (well, I quite like the cabin we got) 001 is just a regular deluxe verandah suite. It's the most forward on the right (next to the Crow's Nest).

 

Don't know about the other ships, but on Prinsendam, the PH is 008 (there is only one PH).

 

Marc

[CrazyforCruisin]

Krazy,

Thank you for the list. I had no idea. We sailed on the Volendam last summer to Alaska and had an A Verandah cabin. We are on the Oosterdam in Feb to Mexico and my husband decided to upgrade to an S suite. I just thought it would be a bigger cabin. I was excited before but now I cannot wait! Any other advice or info for this novice cruiser would be appreciated!

[SANDY BEACH]

CrazyforCruising, Watch out, it's tough to go back. You will love the S. A special trip awaits you. Enjoy!

[CrazyforCruisin]

Ok another question/ What does DH mean? New to the boards so still trying to learn the lingo. I bet it will be hard to go back to a reg verandah cabin.

[Peggy Sue]

our first suite last May 03 .. we did not use the flowers... didn't go with my dress and I don't carry an evening bag..put what I need in my husband's pocket. Hubby didn't want to wear his either. We left them in the cabin, funny, the cabin attendant chased us down the hall when he noticed we weren't wearing them, he wanted to know why and if he could help us pin them on. So sweet, but we offered our explaination and he was fine. We did enjoy the flowers for a few more days, as we left them out on the counter. I think it's a nice gesture, and we did notice that there were quite a few folks wearing them.

 

Although the corsages are a nice "perk" it doesn't even make the list for reasons why we booked a suite again for our upcoming cruise. We just loved the cabin space and that wonderful verandah. The nepture lounge and that great coffee machine. All the other little extras are great..but it really was the space that brought us back to the suite life again!

 

Peggy Sue

[sail7seas]

Ok another question/ What does DH mean? New to the boards so still trying to learn the lingo. I bet it will be hard to go back to a reg verandah cabin.

Welcome, Crazyforcruisin......

 

We all had to learn at one time or another. Don't hesitate to ask for info about anything.

 

 

:) DH = dear husband

DW = dear wife

DD = dear daughter

 

etc

[CrazyforCruisin]

Sail,

Thanks for the info. And thanks for being so nice. Have a good day!

[ekerr19]

I like the flowers, we always have worn them - once they were delivered to us in an outside quad the first formal night - card said compliments of HAL.

 

Maybe there are others that this has happened to - so if it may be you feel conspicuous because it identifies you in a Suite, think of this - there may be others out there who received flowers like us, who weren't.. ;)

 

I had to laugh at this - some of you not wanting to be identified that way - and on our Zui cruise, we ran into a woman in the Concierge Lounge who insisted on having more gold star stickers (received at Embarkation to identify Suite pax) so she could wear them during the cruise - she wanted EVERYONE to know she was in a Suite! It was pretty funny. :D