Considering Prinsendam for a TA

[Hambagahle]

I am looking for some help! My husband and I have cruised several times on Regent - Mariner and Voyager. We are booked to cruise FLL to Monte Carlo on Navigator on May 1. However there have been a lot of posts on the Regent boards lately about problems on the Navigator - electrical outages etc. - so we are considering other options.
Can those of you who know the Prinsendam please give me some answers? For which, many thanks!!

1. We are considering a Deluxe Veranda Suite. Does this come with a butler, and a pre-stocked bar?
2. How are the meals in the main restaurant? Is there a set menu for dinner or can you choose from an à la carte menu? (or both?)
3. About how much does wine cost per bottle for an "average" wine...and a cocktail? And do you have to pay for every soft drink/coffee/tea or are these included?
4. What is the charge for the Pinnacle Grill, per person?
5. How stable is the ship? On a Trans Atlantic crossing one might encounter heavy seas...does she roll and pitch a lot?
6. Finally, any comments on the quality of lectures etc? We will be on board for 20 days and this is very important too!!

Many thanks again for any insights!

[RuthC]

HAL does not have butlers; there is the Neptune Lounge for those in a Deluxe Veranda Suite. The concierges can help book appointments and shore excursions, arrange parties, cash Traveler's Checks, etc.
Every cabin on the Prinsendam has a mini-fridge, but the drinks will cost you.

I liked the dinners on the Prinsendam as well or better than the other HAL ships I've been on in recent years. YMMV. There is a set menu, and some "always available" items. I like to choose a meat from one, a potato from another, and a vegetable from a third grouping. The chef's must hate me. :rolleyes:

I don't know the cost of wine. My cocktails cost $5.45' others cost more. Soda is (was?) $1.95/can. Coffee and tea are included in the fare. I don't know if the Prinsendam has started charging for specialty coffees in the Explorations Cafe. That had been the only ship left where they were included in the fare.

Pinnacle Grill is currently $20 per person.

I thought the ship was very stable, but I didn't ride it in very rough seas. It was built for world cruising, however.

I have found the lecture series on the other ships to be excellent when I was on trans-At's, and other long cruises.

The Prinsendam is a beautiful ship, and I would be pleased to sail her again, especially on a trans-At.

Good luck in your planning.

[jjeffjb]

The greatest difference between Regent and HAL is the food. Regent is far superior. Then again, HAL is much cheaper. We find the mark up on HAL wines to be higher than any other cruise line we've cruised (Princess, Oceania, NCL). We purchase a bottle of wine most nights in the dining room on every line but HAL. We bring our own wine and pay the $15. corkage on HAL. Don't expect a Regent type experience on a mass market line. We love Regent but we also enjoy HAL. You get what you pay for.

[jcrandle]

HAL does not have butlers; there is the Neptune Lounge for those in a Deluxe Veranda Suite. The concierges can help book appointments and shore excursions, arrange parties, cash Traveler's Checks, etc.
Every cabin on the Prinsendam has a mini-fridge, but the drinks will cost you.

I liked the dinners on the Prinsendam as well or better than the other HAL ships I've been on in recent years. YMMV. There is a set menu, and some "always available" items. I like to choose a meat from one, a potato from another, and a vegetable from a third grouping. The chef's must hate me. :rolleyes:

I don't know the cost of wine. My cocktails cost $5.45' others cost more. Soda is (was?) $1.95/can. Coffee and tea are included in the fare. I don't know if the Prinsendam has started charging for specialty coffees in the Explorations Cafe. That had been the only ship left where they were included in the fare.

Pinnacle Grill is currently $20 per person.

I thought the ship was very stable, but I didn't ride it in very rough seas. It was built for world cruising, however.

I have found the lecture series on the other ships to be excellent when I was on trans-At's, and other long cruises.

The Prinsendam is a beautiful ship, and I would be pleased to sail her again, especially on a trans-At.

Good luck in your planning.

Ruth, My DW empathizes with your tendency to "create your own" with the menu choices. If the chef decided that mashed potatoes go with roast beef, I have the mashed potatoes. DW, however, scours the menu to find other veggies that she prefers, and asks the waiter to substitute them. I am always amazed that our waiters accept the request smilingly, and deliver as ordered. Isn't it wonderful!

I also echo your praise of the Prinsendam. It is a special ship, and the crew is tireless in delivering wonderful service.

[Pettifogger]

I must dissent from the description above of HAL as a mass market line. I've sailed mass market lines and our transatlantic cruise on the Prinsendam was definitely a premium one. I've never experienced a luxury cruise so I can't compare that except to say that, as a middle class passenger, a butler would be a negative for me. If you were fortunate enough to inherit wealth and are accustomed to having a butler, you might be dissatisfied on the Prinsendam.
The same thing is true of the food, it was comparable to the other premium line we previously sailed: that is, decidedly better than the mass market lines we have sailed. On the other hand, I assume that on luxury lines the food is as good as in the great restaurants my wife and I have visited in our travels, so if you are accustomed to that, you might be dissatisfied on HAL. Perhaps that partly explains the wide variance of opinion expressed about the same cruise by different passengers.
On our transatlantic, one of the last two days of our crossing, my wife felt a little queasy for about a half hour in the afternoon, but recovered quickly when we moved back to armchairs in the atrium amidships. Even on that occasion, we didn't feel any exceptional motion of the ship and it took us a few minutes to decide her discomfort must have been minimal seasickness.

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

I would just add that we have found the concierge service in the Neptune Lounge to be very comprehensive and well-run. They take care of nearly any arrangement or problem you might encounter. They helped us replace a poorly-sized tux jacket at the last minute, settled our bill, arranged for in-suite parties, and on and on. Just totally exceptional service. A wonderful perk that we very much enjoyed. Always just a phone call away and so very friendly and professional.

We are jealous of your coming TA journey and hope you have a wonderful cruise!

Pete:)

[Hambagahle]

thank you all for your input! We - my husband and I - have read all your posts carefully and are grateful for the information provided.:)