Neptune Suite - How perky are the perks?

My wife & I really enjoyed the Neptune perks the one and only time we booked that level cabin. Breakfast at the Pinnacle was my favorite, but my wife favored the ability to get snacks in the lounge as her stomach operates on a different clock than my military trained stomach.

 

However, for an Alaskan cruise I believe you'll regret not bringing two pairs of good quality compact binos. The best part of an Alaskan cruise, IMO, are the sights you'll see as you slowly cruise the inside passage and visit the glaciers. The HAL binos are large & heavy, and sharing is not fun.

This will be our 13th HAL cruise but our first in a Neptune Suite. From what I gather the Pinnacle breakfast is no charge. Am I correct?

This will be our 13th HAL cruise but our first in a Neptune Suite. From what I gather the Pinnacle breakfast is no charge. Am I correct?

Yes, you are absolutely correct.

We always trade in the bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine) from the room for soft drink cans.

:eek:

We always trade in the bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine) from the room for soft drink cans.

Sailed in a Eurodam Neptune Suite in April, 2017, and we also attempted to trade our champagne for Diet Coke.

Rommy was the concierge in the Neptune Lounge and he was absolutely useless; he could not have cared less about us or our request, which he claimed he would follow-up on, but never did.

After a few days, I went back, with the bottle, and he RELUCTANTLY traded us the bottle of champagne for TWO WHOLE CANS of Diet Coke. He was adamant that he was not ABLE to offer us more than two cans and acted like we had asked him to arrange a private meeting with the Captain.

He was one of the worst parts of our cruise on the Eurodam.

:eek:

 

Sailed in a Eurodam Neptune Suite in April, 2017, and we also attempted to trade our champagne for Diet Coke.

 

Rommy was the concierge in the Neptune Lounge and he was absolutely useless; he could not have cared less about us or our request, which he claimed he would follow-up on, but never did.

 

After a few days, I went back, with the bottle, and he RELUCTANTLY traded us the bottle of champagne for TWO WHOLE CANS of Diet Coke. He was adamant that he was not ABLE to offer us more than two cans and acted like we had asked him to arrange a private meeting with the Captain.

 

He was one of the worst parts of our cruise on the Eurodam.

I have NEVER asked the concierge to exchange our wine.

I ask our wine steward if it can be done.

Never had a problem yet if we want to do it.

Concierges are good for a lot of things but exchanging the bottle for something else is usually more in the domain of the wine steward IMO.

Concierges are good for a lot of things but exchanging the bottle for something else is usually more in the domain of the wine steward IMO.

Ahhhhh! I wish I had read reviews that had mentioned this, before we went, Kazu!

The reviews I read, by members who had done this before, said they had requested this from either the Neptune Suite concierge or the Room Steward.

We requested it from both of them, but it never happened, until I actually carried it to the Lounge myself.

I will definitely remember to use the wine steward, in the future!

Thanks!

We traded 2 bottles of the "stuff" in the NS for a bottle of wine that we drank at dinner - did this 3 times on the cruise - it helps to have friends in a NS who also did not like the "stuff". We got the beveridge manager's okay!

A couple of times when we have stayed in a Neptune Suite, we tried to trade the cheap sparkling wine for something better offering to pay the difference -- concierges told us -- beverage manager said "no".

So it may not always work.

We always ask the wine steward to exchange the sparkling wine for us.

They have always been very obliging.

I think that bottle of bubbles has a street value of around $5 so two can of Coke sound about right. As much as folks pay for these suites, you would think they could be a little more generous in what they offer and even give folks some options.

It's about the suite, not the freebies.

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Ahhhhh! I wish I had read reviews that had mentioned this, before we went, Kazu!

 

The reviews I read, by members who had done this before, said they had requested this from either the Neptune Suite concierge or the Room Steward.

 

We requested it from both of them, but it never happened, until I actually carried it to the Lounge myself.

 

I will definitely remember to use the wine steward, in the future!

 

Thanks!

I could be going about this the wrong way but I have hit the odd concierge that just looked at me with their mouth open and "huh"?.

That night I asked my wine steward and he told me he would take care of us. So, it's a pattern I have followed when we get a bottle of the sparkly whatever that we prefer not to have.

I've never had a problem, ever. But, the wine steward and we are "best friends". He/she knows we want their services every night ;)

It's about the suite, not the freebies.

 

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Umm, actually while the space is the main thing, for those that are not 4*, the free laudnry and pressing (and for all of us) free drycleaning is a plus. The PG breakfast is a plus as well as the concierge and the Neptune Lounge.

I have been given 8 bottles of water on one cruise, extra bottles of water on other. It all adds up.

Yes, the space is nice but the amenities should count if HAl wishes to remain competitive with other cruise lines.

Umm, actually while the space is the main thing, for those that are not 4*, the free laudnry and pressing (and for all of us) free drycleaning is a plus. The PG breakfast is a plus as well as the concierge and the Neptune Lounge.

 

 

 

We love all of those! We really got a lot of use out of the laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing on our last cruise. We also really enjoy being able to eat breakfast in the PG.

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Umm, actually while the space is the main thing, for those that are not 4*, the free laudnry and pressing (and for all of us) free drycleaning is a plus. The PG breakfast is a plus as well as the concierge and the Neptune Lounge.

 

I have been given 8 bottles of water on one cruise, extra bottles of water on other. It all adds up.

 

Yes, the space is nice but the amenities should count if HAl wishes to remain competitive with other cruise lines.

Exactly, it's the whole experience.