Champagne or no for Suites Passengers

[BenP]

I just ordered some wine to be in our suite and asked if they still provided a bottle of champagne for the embarking suite customers and she said they did not. I just saw that they did on a thread somewhere and now I can't find it. Can anyone tell me if they do or don't?

[TedC]

We did get a bottle on the Westerdam in May.

[peaches from georgia]

We got a bottle on the Maasdam in June.

[Candy]

Champagne is for Cat S and PS only, so it depends on your ship. On Zaandam, for instance, there is a category called "Verandah Suite" which is really only a Cat A, B, BB or BC cabin, and doesn't qualify for the Suite goodies.

I just ordered some wine to be in our suite and asked if they still provided a bottle of champagne for the embarking suite customers and she said they did not. I just saw that they did on a thread somewhere and now I can't find it. Can anyone tell me if they do or don't?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We got a bottle of champagne - compliments of the captain and hotel manager - in our suite on the Maasdam in May.

[CruisinNana]

We got a bottle in our S suite on the Oosterdam in Jan and then again on the Maasdam in August.

[merryecho]

What brand champagne was it?

[BenP]

Well we are booked on the Zuiderdam in Oct. in an S suite and she said no. So it must be another cost saving thing with HAL. I really don't think I will be booking another HAL cruise as we booked this one as kind of an upscale experiance, as have been on our last HAL cruises.

[peaches from georgia]

Ben, chances are if you called Ships Services again and asked a different CS rep the same question, you might get a different answer. No pax in an S or PH suite has reported so far they didn't get the champagne in their cabin upon arrival.

[azgymgal]

There was a bottle of champagne in our room. We were in a s suite on the Zuiderdam 9/11 sailing. As for the brand I have no idea.

[gizmo]

Peaches is more than likely right. Some of the CS reps are clueless. :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

We had champagne from the Captain and Hotel Manager on our Rotterdam and Maasdam cruises this year. Let you know if we have it on our upcoming Zuiderdam cruise. I think it very nice they send it.

[SuiteCruising]

We had champagne in our S suite on the 8/21/04 Zuiderdam cruise.

Bob

[Krazy Kruizers]

We used to get Moet'.

But for a couple of years we have been getting Chase-Limogere, Brut.

But who knows what - if anything - will be in the suites.

[Esme]

We have never stayed in a Suite, but we always get a bottle of champagne from the Captain and Hotel Manager.

Ben I am sure you will find a bottle in your Suite. Enjoy it! :D

[Candy]

In May ours was a California Chase-Limogère Brut. We had it exchanged for a non-alcoholic champagne.

What brand champagne was it?

[dakrewser]

We used to get Moet'.

But for a couple of years we have been getting Chase-Limogere, Brut.
Chase-Limogere? Ohmigod. I believe that's from Constellation Brands (who used to be Canandaigua Brands, Inc.) - the people who make Cook's Imperial champagne as well as Richard's Wild Irish Rose. To go from a decent French champagne (say $20/btl) to cheap sparklers (approx. $5/btl) says more than enough about the drastic SOE (Shrinking of Excellence) on HAL that the complaints about the dinig room have merely pointed to.

I'm sticking with my January cruise on the O'dam for now - but that could all change.....

-dave

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see that Candy said she got the same brand as we did.

HAL getting cheap???

[merryecho]

Watch out dakruiser, making a negative comment about drinks in suites on HAL may get you flamed with the same posts I was- about having a poor attitude- as in "Try to make the best of things" etc.

[Peggy Sue]

May 03 .. we received a bottle in our s suite on the zuiderdam. I love champagne .. it wasn't a brand that I recognized. We toasted our crise.... We enjoyed our toast and poured the rest down the drain. I agree that it was on par with Cook's or Andre'. We appreciated the jesture...we really didn't expect to see an expensive bottle ..after all there were 62 suites that received this. Now, if it had been Moet, we would have been more than happy to finish the bottle! Anyone have a favorite? We partial to Pommery these days...

Guess my point is, I don't think HAL recently dropped delivering premium champage to the suites...16 months ago we also received a lesser grade..but it still added to our enjoyment of our "suite experience"!

Peggy Sue

[Cruising Jake]

In our S suite on the Oosterdam in January 2004 we did NOT get a bottle of champagne.

[dakrewser]

Now, if it had been Moet, we would have been more than happy to finish the bottle! Anyone have a favorite? We partial to Pommery these days...
Pommery is good stuff, although I'm more likely to grab a bottle of Bollinger, Cliquot or (my home town favorite) Gloria Ferrer (http://www.gloriaferrer.com/). Especially the Carneros Cuvee (http://www.gloriaferrer.com/carneroscuvee.html).

http://www.gloriaferrer.com/images/cc_side_black.jpg

Yummy, yummy stuff!

Slainte!

[sail7seas]

Occassionally, we treat ourselves to a bottle of Dom. I used to like Moet White Star but have not had it for a while.

[rex523]

Cliquot is hard to beat, but Duval-Leroy is the bomb.

[CINCY40]

We sailed on the Ryndam last Friday in an S suite and there was a bottle of champagne cooling in the room.

[tbroido]

I'll take Bollinger R.D. or Krug Grand Cuvee from Magnums, please. Heck, I'll take anything except the really cheap stuff. Once had Andre and sent a small sample to a lab for analysis. The results came back and said, "Your horse has diabetes."

[dewhit6959]

We will be using our champagne on the veranda as a sacrifice to the Gods of the Sea to secure blessings, good wind and deliverance from the wickedness of hurricanes, tropical storms and clogged fuel filters.
The first glass will be poured with ceremony into the all powerful Atlantic and the second glass consumed ...................... if the bourbon and vodka have not yet been delivered !

[Krazy Kruizers]

Cruisin Jake

You mentioned that you didn't have a complimentary bottle of champagne in your suite on the Oosterdam this past January. That is strange.

We did back-to-back cruises on her this past Feb/Mar and we had a bottle of champagne both weeks.

Did you mention it to the concierge?

[RuthC]

...The first glass will be poured with ceremony into the all powerful Atlantic and the second glass consumed ...................... if the bourbon and vodka have not yet been delivered !Please be aware that HAL has a "nothing overboard" policy. And they mean it!
Once I wanted to toss a small flower to the sea---totally organic. I was told "no" in no uncertain terms. I was advised that if I did it without being seen there would be no consequences; but if I were caught I would be reported. The possibility that I would become persona non grata on HAL was mentioned.

[Cruising Jake]

I did not know that you were supposed to get a bottle of champagne for being in an S suite. I did know that we were supposed to get a bottle of champagne for using an Amex Platinum card and we did have to ask for that - it took 3 days to get it. Is it correct that we should have gotten 2 bottles - 1 for an S suite and 1 for the Amex?

[dewhit6959]

Dear Ruth;

Thank you for the advice. I have been advised accordingly !

[gizmo]

I did not know that you were supposed to get a bottle of champagne for being in an S suite. I did know that we were supposed to get a bottle of champagne for using an Amex Platinum card and we did have to ask for that - it took 3 days to get it. Is it correct that we should have gotten 2 bottles - 1 for an S suite and 1 for the Amex?
Yes, you should have received 2 bottles of champagne.

[merryecho]

First prize, a bottle of Andre quality champagne. Second prize, two bottles.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Cruisin Jake

I assume that the Oosterdam was your first "suite" cruise.

So sorry that you didn't know about the bottle you should have gotten from the captain and Hotel manager in addition to the Am Ex Plat gift bottle.

[flgirl]

Wow, I'm going to get some champagne because I used AMEX Plat? On top of my shipboard credit of $300 they gave me? That would be awesome!

[kent4489]

We just returned yesterday from the Amsterdam. We did have a bottle of "sparkling wine" awaiting us in our suite. It was Willamette Valley Argyle - Oregon Sparkling Wine. Never heard of it and we didn't open it, so not sure of how it tasted. We also received a gift-wrapped picture frame. Is this normal?

[dakrewser]

We just returned yesterday from the Amsterdam. We did have a bottle of "sparkling wine" awaiting us in our suite. It was Willamette Valley Argyle - Oregon Sparkling Wine. Never heard of it and we didn't open it, so not sure of how it tasted. We also received a gift-wrapped picture frame. Is this normal?
From their website (http://www.winesnw.com/argylewinery.htm) this appears to be quite a step up from the "Andre-clone" other people reported.....

-dave

[kent4489]

Thanks for the link...the sparkling wine is the 1998 Brut listed on their website...$21.50 bottle. I brought it home, so will try it out soon.

So, is it normal to recieve the gift-wrapped picture frame? Just wondering as we had never been in a full suite before...really enjoyed it, by the way. It was a nice surprise at check-in to find that we had been upgraded.

[Krazy Kruizers]

kent 4489

Did you or your TA order a honeymoon or anniversary package?

We have been in suites for years and have never received a gift-wrapped picture frame from HAL. We did get one from our TA once.

Lucky you to get a different bottle of champagne.

Maybe HAL will be changing it on all the ships???

Wishful thinking!

[Leslieswiger]

For myself, I enjoy Brut Champagne Cuvee Dom Perignon and Grande Dame also by Moet. :p A good afternoon one is Laurent Perrier with strawberries. Napa Valley (Calif.) has a nice white wine I enjoy called Caymus which is a Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 91. Enjoy and happy sailing:D Leslie

[kent4489]

kent 4489

Did you or your TA order a honeymoon or anniversary package?

We have been in suites for years and have never received a gift-wrapped picture frame from HAL. We did get one from our TA once.

Lucky you to get a different bottle of champagne.

Maybe HAL will be changing it on all the ships???

Wishful thinking!

Thanks for the reply. I don't know if my TA ordered anything or not. The frame did not have a gift card attached. Now what should I do...I certainly want to thank the TA if she sent something, but I hate to thank her for something she didn't send. (I have never met her personally and only dealt with her on the phone.) The sparkling wine did have a card attached. The wine was on the bar and the frame was on the desk.

[Sailure]

May 03 .. we received a bottle in our s suite on the zuiderdam. I love champagne .. it wasn't a brand that I recognized. We toasted our crise.... We enjoyed our toast and poured the rest down the drain. I agree that it was on par with Cook's or Andre'.

Peggy Sue
I've had $100 bottles of champagne and $7 bottles...and I've not noticed the difference in the taste. I've also been on cruises where they had contests for people who THOUGHT they were real champagne conissuers (spelling) and there were cheap wines and expensive ones poured into the glasses...and very few of those people could tell the difference either....the champagnes being of the same type of course.

Lots of people are very easily fooled:D

[jima53]

not being alcoholic beverage drinkers we contacted HAL and they were happy to change our Bottle to a Sparkling cider. I know they save money on us but they were happy to accomodate us.

Zaandam in 17 days.

Jim