Deluxe Suite Amenities - Zuiderdam - What should we take advantage of?

[dan1618]

We are booked in a deluxe suite on the Zuiderdam. This is our first cruise, let alone our first time in a Deluxe Suite. What should we know about the extras that go with it? What should we make it a point to take advantage of?

[sail7seas]

 

Our favorites have always been Neptune Lounge and concierge, priority embarkation and debarkation, suite welcome aboard party, choice of dining time, breakfast in Pinnacle, included dry cleaning and laundry, large bathroom, dressing room/vanity (I love that) and most especially the large comfortable suite with beautiful verandas.

 

Remember there is no 'free'. All of this is included in the fare but certainly is not free. :D

 

 

This is the list I found very quickly at HAL site:

 

 

Deluxe Suites Include all the Superior Suite amenities, plus:

 

 

•Complimentary laundry, pressing and dry cleaning throughout your cruise

•Complimentary champagne and bottled water provided in suite upon embarkation

•Premium duvet, oversize bath towels and soft, cotton bathrobes and slippers

•Gorgeous corsages and boutonnieres for the first formal night

•Hors d'oeuvres served before dinner each evening on request

•Binoculars and umbrellas for your use on the cruise

•Cocktail party with ship officers

•Priority boarding for tender ports of call

•Special disembarkation service

•Priority dining and seating requests

•Exclusive daily breakfast service for suite guests only

•High tea service in suite on request

•A special Suite guest lunch event on cruises over 7 days in length

•A very special amenity exclusively for guests cruising in a Deluxe Verandah Suite or Penthouse Verandah Suite, the industry-leading Neptune Lounge features a private place to relax, socialize with other suite guests and enjoy the personalized service of a concierge. The fleet-wide lounges provide worktables, large screen television, library, sofas and chairs, refreshments throughout the day and wi-fi for a small charge. One-Touch 24-hour Concierge Service is available when the Neptune Lounge is closed.

[ybarber]

Free, unlimited laundry, pressing, dry cleaning, Neptune Lounge, breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, hot or cold appetizers in your suite every evening if you want them, priority embarkation, dis-embarkation, priority tender, champagne upon embarkation, free water, corsages and boutinier on first formal night, complimentary menu's every day....need I say more?

[Krazy Kruizers]

if you haven't already done so -- they can book your shore excursions for you -- they can make reservations for the pinnacle grill and canaletto (canaletto you can only book once on the ship -- they can make change for you

the neptune lounge is open from 7 am - 8 or 8:15 pm

they have a great coffee machine

continental breakfast in the morning from 7 am - around 11 am -- then they keep changing the sandwiches and cookies and desserts from 11 am until about 5 pm -- that is when they put out cold appetizers and crudites until closing

we like that we can fix a snake and take it to the cabin or verandah they can make appointments if your wife wants to go the salon or you both want to use the spa

you will also have free laundry, free pressing and free dry cleaning services

for a tender port -- if you don't have a ship's excursion -- you just go down to the gangway and get at the end of the line to get the tender to go ashore any time you are ready

check-in at the pier -- you have a special line for that and will be among the first on the ship after the wheelchair people

you will have priority dis-embarkation

[Krazy Kruizers]

if you do not care for the free bottle of sparkling wine that you get from the captain and hotel manager -- take it to the concierge and order something you like -- you will have to pay the difference though

[Randyk47]

 

Our favorites have always been Neptune Lounge and concierge, priority embarkation and debarkation, suite welcome aboard party, choice of dining time, breakfast in Pinnacle, included dry cleaning and laundry, large bathroom, dressing room/vanity (I love that) and most especially the large comfortable suite with beautiful verandas.

 

Remember there is no 'free'. All of this is included in the fare but certainly is not free. :D

 

 

 

Been there, done that.....it just ended yesterday when we got off the Maasdam. Sail7Seas captured the highlights that make a difference to us. :)

[dan1618]

if you haven't already done so -- they can book your shore excursions for you -- they can make reservations for the pinnacle grill and canaletto (canaletto you can only book once on the ship -- they can make change for you

 

the neptune lounge is open from 7 am - 8 or 8:15 pm

 

they have a great coffee machine

 

continental breakfast in the morning from 7 am - around 11 am -- then they keep changing the sandwiches and cookies and desserts from 11 am until about 5 pm -- that is when they put out cold appetizers and crudites until closing

 

we like that we can fix a snake and take it to the cabin or verandah they can make appointments if your wife wants to go the salon or you both want to use the spa

 

you will also have free laundry, free pressing and free dry cleaning services

 

for a tender port -- if you don't have a ship's excursion -- you just go down to the gangway and get at the end of the line to get the tender to go ashore any time you are ready

 

check-in at the pier -- you have a special line for that and will be among the first on the ship after the wheelchair people

 

you will have priority dis-embarkation

 

What is the canaletto?

 

Question on laundry: our kids are going to be with us, but staying in a cabin down the hall. Will they let us include their laundry, or should we pack more extensively for them?

 

I've never had snake before. :) I was kind of scared when I read that till I figured it out. :)

[kazu]

Your laundry goes in a bag. It is technically for your cabin, but I don't think anyone would say anything if you put some of their clothes in your bag. In other words, not to be charged, the laundry has to be in the bag(s) that come from your room.

 

If you like hors d'hoeuvres, you can order from the concierge for delivery (and if the kids like them you can order for four - they know people entertain). Make sure to order in advance though or place a standing order for every day if it's something you will enjoy :)

 

You'll have a great time - what a way to start cruising :D

[scm1848]

We, too, are in a deluxe suite for the first time. We love having a shirimp cocktail or similar, which I used to go pick up from the Lido, around 5, and then we would have dinner around 8:45. What sort of appetizers are offered? Off the dinner menu or ???

 

Thanks.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We just experienced our first Deluxe Veranda Suite on Noordam. The think I didn't realize was that the concierge could do anything for which you would normally go to the front desk plus a lot more, like booking tours, booking cooking classes, arranging for special debarkation needs and who knows what else I'm not aware of. And do it swiftly with a friendliness and charm that might be lacking if you did these things the way everyone else does them. Here's something I didn't expect: we use a wheelchair for my DW. The concierge asked if we needed assistance with disembarkation, scheduled wheelchair assistance at our cabin door for 9:00, and when we were ready early had the wheelchair at our door within 5 minutes of our asking if we could leave early.

[kazu]

We, too, are in a deluxe suite for the first time. We love having a shirimp cocktail or similar, which I used to go pick up from the Lido, around 5, and then we would have dinner around 8:45. What sort of appetizers are offered? Off the dinner menu or ???

 

Thanks.

 

The Neptune Lounge offers munchies - ie. smoked salmon on a cudite, crab, that type of thing.

 

For the hors d'hoeuvre that you order, there are various types of hot and cold - some are quite neat. if you prefer something else, ask the concierge what is available or specify what you would like and see if you can have it. We had no problem two cruises ago when we cruised with our friends and we ordered for 6. The orders were huge - we had to cut it back to an order for four.

 

Lido is open at 5pm as well, if you want to pick something up there and bring it back to your room....and, of course...........there is always room service.:)

[kazu]

What is the canaletto?

 

Question on laundry: our kids are going to be with us, but staying in a cabin down the hall. Will they let us include their laundry, or should we pack more extensively for them?

 

I've never had snake before. :) I was kind of scared when I read that till I figured it out. :)

 

 

sorry, I missed the first part of your question. The Canaletto is an Italian style restaurant off to the side on the Lido deck. Dress there is casual. Reservations are recommended. The concierge can take care of that for you :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

What is the canaletto?

 

Question on laundry: our kids are going to be with us, but staying in a cabin down the hall. Will they let us include their laundry, or should we pack more extensively for them?

 

I've never had snake before. :) I was kind of scared when I read that till I figured it out. :)

 

sorry about the 'snake'

canaletto is an italian menu -- the restaurant is located on the starboard side of the lido as you enter from the mid ships where the glass elevators are -- it is open only for dinner -- and it is the same menu every night

Canaletto Menu - free

 

 

 

ANTIPASTI e ZUPE:

Our chef’s selection of antipasti, cucumber and olives

 

Insalata Canaletto – Seasonal greens and tomato, cucumber and olives

 

Minestrone – A flavorful tomato broth consisting of white beans, pasta shells, fresh vegetables and thyme

 

Zuppe Di Pesce – Assorted seafood simmered with vegetables, tomatoes, flat parsley and saffron

 

PASTA, CARNE, PESCE e POLLO

Penne Alla Vodka – A deliciously light combination of our Pomodoro sauce, cream and vodka

 

Linguini Frutti Di Mare – Linguini pasta and clams, mussels, shrimps and scallops tossed in garlic, onions and cherry tomatoes

 

Baked Meat Lasagna Pomodoro – Baked with meat and tomato sauce and gratinated with four cheese sauce.

 

Veal Milanese – Breaded veal scaloppini with porcini mushrooms, spaghetti and vegetables

 

Chicken Marsala Scaloppini – Tender Scallops of chicken breast glazed with Marsala wine. Served with linguini pasta tossed with tomato and roasted garlic

 

Cod Putanesca – Marinated in lemon, oregano and olive oil, quickly sautéed and coated with a flavorful herbed tomato concassee with kalamata olives, capers and chopped parsley, served with grilled cheese polenta and balsamic glace

 

Spaghetti with Meatballs – The classic way to eat spaghetti; home made meatballs braised in a tomato and meat sauce served over olive oil tossed spaghetti

 

DOLCI

Trio of Tiramisu – Italy’s most famous dessert: presented in three flavored variations, espresso, lemon and Amaretto

 

Limoncello Crème – Refreshing crème topped with Tuscan lemon liqueur

 

Mille-Feuille of Madagascar Chocolate – With walnut praline and ice-cream

 

Gelato – A refreshing and full-flavored selection: strawberry, mango, vanilla and lemon (different Gelato on the Nieuw Amsterdam - strawberry, pistachio, vanilla bean, Gianduia)

 

 

Suggested Cocktails:

 

Limoncello Cocktails -- $6.50

Limoncello Martini (Vodka & Limoncello)

Limoncello Cosmopolitan (Vodka, cranberry juice & Limoncello)

Limoncello Bellini (Peach Nector, sparkling wine & Limoncello)

Venetia (Liomoncello & Vodka & tonic water)

Limoncello Sunrise (limoncello & orange juice & granadine)

Limoncello Drop (Limoncello & Vodka & Midori)

Limoncello Cooler (Limoncello & cranberry juice

 

Wines listed below can be bought by the bottle ($22) or by the glass ($5) -- THESE PRICES AND CHOICES MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME!!

 

Pinot Grigio Dalle Venezie IGT

Muller Thurgan Trentino DOC

Salentto Rose IGT

Primitivo Puglia IGY

Pinot Noir Pavia IGT

Nero D'Avola Merlot di Sicilia IGT

Montepulcian D'Abruzzo DOC

[dan1618]

Is the Canaletto an extra charge, like Pinnacle -- or did the "free" next to the menu mean it is in fact "free"? :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We, too, are in a deluxe suite for the first time. We love having a shirimp cocktail or similar, which I used to go pick up from the Lido, around 5, and then we would have dinner around 8:45. What sort of appetizers are offered? Off the dinner menu or ???

 

Thanks.

 

no they are not from the dinner menu

we haven't gotten them in several years -- but there items like fried shrimp, calamarie, chicken tenders, won tons -- don't even know if they still offer these or have different ones

but when we did order them -- we got 3 items and enough for 4 people to have a ton of food

the concierges have a list of what is offered each day

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is the Canaletto an extra charge, like Pinnacle -- or did the "free" next to the menu mean it is in fact "free"? :)

 

the dinner is FREE

some people tip at the end of the meal -- some don't as they feel that the servers are already taken care through the $11 hotel service charge per person per day that is added onto your shipboard account

[sail7seas]

What is the canaletto?

 

Question on laundry: our kids are going to be with us, but staying in a cabin down the hall. Will they let us include their laundry, or should we pack more extensively for them?

 

I've never had snake before. :) I was kind of scared when I read that till I figured it out. :)

 

I would not send out laundry for family staying in a cabin that does not have that amenity but that's just me. It's included in the price for those staying in the suite.

 

Of course, you will make your own choice what to do but give the staff a little credit. ;) They know how much laundry two adults generate. They do this week after week, year after year.

[Krazy Kruizers]

as a deluxe suite guest you can also have breakfast in the pinnacle grill -- the times are the same times as those listed in the explorer daily program for the main dining room -- usually 7:30 for port days and 8 for sea days

the menu for breakfast is the same one as for the main dining room

[sail7seas]

Been there, done that.....it just ended yesterday when we got off the Maasdam. Sail7Seas captured the highlights that make a difference to us. :)

 

 

Sounds like you had a good time, Randy. :) Hope so.

 

Maybe you'll post some comments about your Suite experience on Maasdam? Was it fabulous as always? ;)

[kazu]

how long is your cruise for? you could take advantage of one of HAL's packages for the kids for laundry. They have a deal where you can pay for it by the week, or by the bag or by piece. The bag is a pretty good deal. I believe it is still $20 and for that price you stuff as much as you can in the bag. The price for the cruise length is not bad either.

 

Just another thought - no need to pack too much stuff if you don't have to;)

[Randyk47]

Sounds like you had a good time, Randy. :) Hope so.

 

Maybe you'll post some comments about your Suite experience on Maasdam? Was it fabulous as always? ;)

 

We had a great time and I'll be doing a review in the next few days. Our concierge was Rei who was good without being pushy, our room stewards were Manul and Khalida, our MDR table waiters were Widi and Yodi, and our wine steward was Emilio. Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill with Padli and Rose was a treat every morning. Food on the whole was excellent, maybe close to the best we've had on HAL. The ship, considering they were taking her into dry dock the day we got off, was in great condition. Yep, a couple of places where we saw worn carpet or upholstery but nothing significant. Funny thing was that the Crow's Nest was not up to standard in our minds. We could get over the color scheme which was not pleasant to us but the service was borderline horrible. I had to go get our drinks or find a waiter probably 70% of the time. All in all I'd say this was our second favorite cruise next to the Volendam. :)

[sail7seas]

That's great, Randy. Happy to hear how well (almost) everything went.

 

Crows Nest on Maasdam used to be a favorite of ours way back before they removed the fabulous bar they used to have and built the new one. I never could figure out the hot pink couches and those crazy white sheer curtains. :rolleyes: What were they thinking? We rarely go to Crows Nest these days but used to love it every night.

 

[scopewest]

After 15 years of cruising, we finally tried an SA last year. This year we're in an SC so we can see what the aft cabins are like. I figure walking the extra distance to the Neptune Lounge will (supposedly) burn off a few more calories. Oh, the NL. How I miss it :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

you might consider a laundry package for the children:

The laundry and pressing package will be offered to all guests the day after the first formal night, not on embarkation day. PACKAGES DO NOT INCLUDE DRY CLEANING.

 

UNLIMITED LAUNDRY:

 

Pricing for unlimited Laundry is:

- 7-day itinerary $45.00 with no limit

- 10-day itinerary $70.00 with no limit

- 14-16 day itinerary $95.00 with no limit

- 17-21 day itinerary $120.00 with no limit

 

HOLIDAY SAILING LAUNDRY PACKAGE:

 

Pricing during Holiday sailings only:

- 7-day itinerary, $50.00 with a limit of 75 items.

- 10-day itinerary, $75.00 with a limit of 100 items

- 14-16 day itinerary $99.00 with no limit

- 17-21 day itinerary $125.00 with no limit

 

PRESSING:

 

Unlimited "Pressing Only" is $30.00 for any itinerary except cruises longer than 21 days. For cruises longer than 21 days, add $5 for every additional week beyond 21 days.

 

Laundry by the Bag:

For a flat fee of $20.00, guest can launder as many items as they can fit inside one Holland America laundry bag. This offer does not include dry cleaning. Requires 48 hours for the processing and the return. This offer is valid until 2 days before the end of the cruise

[Randyk47]

That's great, Randy. Happy to hear how well (almost) everything went.

 

Crows Nest on Maasdam used to be a favorite of ours way back before they removed the fabulous bar they used to have and built the new one. I never could figure out the hot pink couches and those crazy white sheer curtains. :rolleyes: What were they thinking? We rarely go to Crows Nest these days but used to love it every night.

 

 

I think they might be redoing part if not all of the Crow's Nest. Around 7 PM Thursday, the last full cruise day, they started taking the stand-up tables near the bar apart. Hopefully they'll ditch that glaring white bar too. We spent a whole lot less time in the Crow's Nest than on any previous cruise.