Little Extras to Ask for?

[wolfman-jack]

Just wondering about a few things, if anyone could help me out. Have not been on a cruise in about 20 years. Much younger and didn't pay attention to alot of things. Leaving Sunday to land/cruise on the Statendam to Alaska. Was wondering about Room Service. Can you have food brought to your room say for breakfast and is there a charge for this? Also have read where some have carried travel mugs and went up to coffee bar and had these filled, is there a charge for that? Any ideas you could give as to little niceties that we may not know we are entitled to would be greatly appreciated. I have been on 3 cruises in the distant past and this will be the first for my Husband. We have totally prepared our minds and spirit for rain and fully intend to make the best of it no matter what. We have upper dining at 8:00. We have booked extra excursions of a fixed flight in Denali, jeep rental, helicopter/glacier landing, and a grizzly bear search. Included is the Tundra Wilderness and also Chena River, and Mckinley Explorer.

[jhannah]

It sounds like you're well on your way to having a wonderful cruise!

Room service is available most any time. The regular menu offerings are available during published meal times, and lots of other things are "always available" for delivery to your room. There is no extra charge for this. It's always nice, though, to tip the steward who delivers your meal.

You can take travel mugs to the Lido and get coffee any time at no charge. If you want a specialty coffee from the Explorations Cafe, there is a charge for that. If you happen to be in an S or the PH suite, you may go to the Neptune Lounge and get specialty coffees at no extra charge.

Good luck, and enjoy the lovely Statendam.

[missygirl]

Here are a couple things not to forget:
1) Tea in the afternoon in the dining room is nice and they serve little pick-ups.
2) Free pop-corn in the movie theater
3) At night after dinner in one piano bar that also plays strings, they usually have tucked away a dessert table with the best chocolates. We enjoy the music and love the chocolate.
4) As for room service on sea days my hubby likes to go to the cabin to catch a game on TV. He usually calls and orders a couple desserts, drinks and a plate of potato chips to munch on. The point I'm making is that you do not just have to order a meal they will bring whatever you want.

Have a great time...Missygirl:)

[michmike]

the other important thing to know about room service, particularly at bfast (on Holland America anyway) is that you have a preprinted menu card that you hang out on your door knob the night before. You can write things on there that are not on the preprined form and you will get them as long as it's something the kitchen carries. In our case, my wife wants oatmeal and that isn't on the card, but we write it in and get it.

It is appropriate to tip the steward who brings room service to you as it will not be your cabin steward or your dining room steward who delivers the tray. We generally give them $2-3.

[wolfman-jack]

Thanks so much for the info. I am sure we will probably use the room service maybe a few times, just to be pampered.. will be glad to tip the server, glad you told me they are not included in the $10.00 a day per person bit. Think I will take our travel mugs, be nice to have on deck. Four more days til Alaska....:)

[wowzo]

According to all the discussions over the months/years since they started with the automatic tips on HAL, the room service waiters ARE included in the $10 pp, pd charge.

M.A.

[the2ofus]

Welcome to the HAL board.

Another hint about room service: When you order, be sure to include the condiments and how many of them you want. Just because you order coffee, they don't automatically include cream and sugar, etc. Same with butter, jelly, catsup, etc.

Also, your embarkation packet should include a nice map of the ship. Occasionally these are left out. If you don't get one or if you want an extra so you both have one, ask at the front office.

HAL provides nice canvas shopping bags the evening before your first port day. These are yours to take home.

On Alaska cruises there will be hot pea soup and hot chocolate free of charge available on the lower promenade deck and maybe on the Lido as well, I think on glacier-viewing days. (It's been ten years since we did an Alaska cruise.)

If any of your long-ago cruises were on HAL, be sure to let the front office know early in the cruise. They will qualify you as a Mariner. That means you will get an invite to the Mariner's reception and you'll get your Mariner's tiles.

Enjoy every day of anticipation and every day of your cruise!

[kryos]

3) At night after dinner in one piano bar that also plays strings, they usually have tucked away a dessert table with the best chocolates. We enjoy the music and love the chocolate.

The Explorers Lounge is the one I think you are talking about. I discovered that little "treats" table on the Amsterdam this past January, and I got into the habit of stopping by there each evening on my way to the dining room to help myself to a piece or two of that delicious white chocolate. Ummmmm, I can taste it now. :) Will October 17th ever come? :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

[the2ofus]

Other goodies: In the evenings, you will find the Yum-Yum man dispensing candied ginger, dates and after-dinner mints at the dining room doorway as you leave.

[LolaWiz]

I was happy to find FRESH squeezed OJ in the lido. THat is in addition to the stuff in the machines.

[karen2cruz]

Just got back and had excellent room service. For breakfast I never had to ask for the extra's & always there (margerine, salt pepper, jam). They didnt have apple juice on card but wrote it in and always got it. Wanted eggs over medium,wrote it in and got it.

They would call me about 15 minutes after each delivery and make sure everything was OK. Maybe it was the tips I gave them.

I know technically room service is included in the $10per day but it's alot of extra work for these guys and they really appreciated the $$. They also appreciated the constant "thank you's" from us and commented towards the end of the cruise about it. In fact, the bar steward at dinner never punched our soda cards for this very reason.

[missygirl]

The Explorers Lounge is the one I think you are talking about. I discovered that little "treats" table on the Amsterdam this past January, and I got into the habit of stopping by there each evening on my way to the dining room to help myself to a piece or two of that delicious white chocolate. Ummmmm, I can taste it now. :) Will October 17th ever come? :)

.

--rita

Your waiting for October, November 11 here to Carb. can't wait for the chocolate covered peanut clusters, yum.

Missygirl:)

[Sunshine91]

The Explorers Lounge is the one I think you are talking about. I discovered that little "treats" table on the Amsterdam this past January, and I got into the habit of stopping by there each evening on my way to the dining room to help myself to a piece or two of that delicious white chocolate. Ummmmm, I can taste it now. :) Will October 17th ever come? :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

Oh Rita, do you KNOW what you just did to me?! First, I had NO idea about the little treat table in the Ex Lounge after dinner. Will definitely make stops in there now. Then, you tell me it's WHITE chocolate. Now, I love chocolate as much as the next girl. (OK, not as much as RuthC. I wouldn't be stupid enough to take it out of her hand ;) :D ) Second, I gotta limit it for a couple of reasons. The white stuff is the next best.

THANK YOU THANK YOU. :)

[DD]

Just got back and had excellent room service. For breakfast I never had to ask for the extra's & always there (margerine, salt pepper, jam). They didnt have apple juice on card but wrote it in and always got it. Wanted eggs over medium,wrote it in and got it.

They would call me about 15 minutes after each delivery and make sure everything was OK. Maybe it was the tips I gave them.

I know technically room service is included in the $10per day but it's alot of extra work for these guys and they really appreciated the $$. They also appreciated the constant "thank you's" from us and commented towards the end of the cruise about it. In fact, the bar steward at dinner never punched our soda cards for this very reason.


This is a really nice post, Karen. I feel the same way about tipping the room service team and the extra thank you's.