Superior suite vs. verandah?

[MillieOK]

We've decided on the Oosterdam for our first cruise. We found some decent deals from our online ta and it looks like it would only be about 200pp more to upgrade from a verandah to a superior suite.

 

Is it worth it? The room looks a lot bigger, and we would likely spend a fair amount of time in our room/on the balcony. (DH needs to rest frequently, and my idea of a great vacation is sitting in the sun and reading as much as possible.) I read about the perks on the website but am not sure whether they are worth it. Here are some questions I have.

 

- HAL suite page mentions a mini bar- is there a mini bar or fridge in the verandah rooms as well?

-the website shows chairs and not lounges on the balcony for the superior suites (lounges in the deluxe and regular suites, in the pictures). Is this correct?

- are there dvd players in all the rooms or just the suites? I've seen conflicting information.

- is the bedding different/ better?

- what about the concierge service? Is that something that most of you find useful?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Verandah cabin - 249 sq feet; superior suite - 389 sq ft -- yes the superior is larger.

Only PS, SA, SB and SC Delux Verandah Suites have use of the Neptune Lounge and concierge.

But the Superior Verandahs - SS, SY and SZ have a telephone concierge.

No lounge chairs on any verandahs -- all have chairs and ottomans.

Haven't been on the Oosterdam in a a few years so can't answer about the DVD's.

Since we book only SA's can't answer your question about the bedding - don't know if the Superior Suites have the same bedding as the Delux Suites.

[jhannah]

All staterooms are equipped with the HAL Dream Beds. And they ARE dreamy! I would upgrade for $200 per person. The Superior Verandah staterooms (I can't call them suites because they're NOT) are quite spacious. Their bathrooms are worth the extra, IMO. Much bigger, two sinks, separate shower stall.

[Desdemona01]

I agree with Jim. We've had both and, especially if you plan on spending much time in your room, it's definitely worth it. In the verandah staterooms there isn't enough room for two people to pass at the foot of the bed. The SS/SY's are much more spacious and you never feel cramped. They also have a table and chairs on the verandah, which is where we have our breakfast every morning. The lounge chairs and ottomans are also very comfortable. The bathrooms are wonderful! Separate shower stall along with jacuzzi tub/shower combo. Dual sinks, dual medicine cabinets. We feel they are definitely worth the extra cost.

[cruisinjudy]

Yes! Do the upgrade!

[Northshorecruisers]

For our upcoming cruise we upgraded to an SY. Although the verandah worked fine for us before, we're planning a more relaxed cruise this time with probably more meals on our verandah and more time in the cabin. Also, the jacuzzi tub was a draw for after horseback riding:D

I have a feeling though that after sailing in an SY we won't be able to go down a catagory.

[luv2cruz4fun]

I would take the upgrade for $200.00pp. I had the opportunity to enjoy an SY suite last year on the Noordam and enjoyed having the extra room to move about and larger bathroom. We are back on the Noordam in a few more weeks and I will miss my SY as it was not in the budget this year.

[EastCoast]

Just in case you need one extra push, go for the upgrade. You will not be sorry. I had a superior suite last year on the Noordam and this year the basic verandah. Needless to say, my next two cruises are both in superior suites (Oosterdam Mexican Riveria and Zuiderdam Transatlantic) Happy Cruising!:)

[MillieOK]

Thanks for the responses. Guess my mind is made up- upgrade it is!

[SueOverend]

Looking at an SY Guarantee on the Eurodam - does anybody know whether the SY's at the front of the ship have balconies. The description of the category states a balcony, but when I look on the deck plan it doesn't look like there are any. We're contemplating upgrading from a V Balcony and although our cruise is a chilly one (Canada & Eastern US in October), we love having some fresh air. Thanks.

[Moriah]

ALL SYs have balconies!! They are the "mini-suite" catagory and not only have a balcony but quite a large one.

[Crusing Bob]

you need to be aware they are handicap rooms so you should try to get one of the very few around midship.

[dorothyl]

We are going on our 2nd HAL cruise this November. Again on the Noordam. At first we had an aft balcony, but were offered an upsell to an SA and scooped it up. It was awesome, but set a very high standard for us that is hard to keep up to. This time we are in an SY and hoping for an upgrade or upsell again.

Take the SY, we had friends in it on our last HAL cruise and it was a good size bigger thann a balcony and well worht it.

[twinkletoes4445]

I don't know about the bedding, but the beds in a Deluxe Suite are kings, where the Superior are Queens. We were surprised how much we used the NL and concierge service. Priority embarkation and debarkation is nice, as is the priority tendering. Although I have read conflicting stories here, with the Deluxe you should be able to get the dining you prefer (we did on our two cruises). And the cabins are very spacious. :)

 

Enjoy! The only problem is for your next cruise, it will be hard to go down a category...however, any cruise is better than no cruise. :)