Suite amenity changes?

[gizmo]

I sailed just this past April on the Rotterdam, it was a 13 day cruise. There was no lunch or dinner for suite pax.

[localady]

I just received the Europe 2005 cruise brochure that has the entire European itinerary. I noticed that some of the suite perks are missing from that list including: Afternoon Tea:eek: , or any luncheon or suite dinner :( (though there is a VIP Reception with the Captain listed).:rolleyes:

I am hoping we are still offering the tea this December as it would be great friends to invite the friends we are travelling with to enjoy it with us as it was quite a lovely presentation last December.

I think you can look at the 2005 brochures to hopefully determine what Suite benefits will remain. Laundry services is definately one of them!

[mariner]

So what if one booked in 2004. Then the new rules should apply, especially when the brochures they send drone on about all the perks?

[JohnSax]

The included (thank you, S7S!) perks are the reason I love HAL's S Category Suites. In addition to the laundry and dry cleaning service, I loved being able to have Breakfast and Lunch in the Kings/Queens Room and now (especially) the Pinnacle. It was SO nice to be able to have these meals in a peaceful, private setting with such excellent service. I also Loved the Suite Dinner and cocktail party with the officers and as well very much enjoyed the Indonesian sit down lunch. Funny, we had all of these things on the Statendam 10 day Mexico last December, and the Suite Dinner was not held in the Pinnacle but in a conference room just aft of the Java Cafe. It was a wonderful venue for this and certainly didn't take away from the revenue generated at the Pinnacle. I realize some of the newer ships may not have this set-up but why not continue to utilize it for this purpose on those ships that do? Also, let's face it--lovely as they are, there ARE more luxurious and beautiful suites in the market (Celebrity's Millenium class and RCCL's Radiance class, for example) and RCCL's Concierge Lounge on the Radiance Class ships does everything the Neptune does and also includes Premium Liquor and French Champagne in the evening as well. For me, what kept me coming back year after year to HAL was all the "extra's" which made sailing "S" class so special with them. I'm sorry to see it's come to this. I have a S suite booked on the Veendam for a 14 day Caribbean next year, I hope HAL will not disappoint on this one as they haven't yet.

[gizmo]

John,

We had the same set up on the Statendam last Oct. I am not happy about Hal dropping the suite lunch and dinner.

Which Veendam cruise are you on next year?

[JohnSax]

Gizmo--Am booked for November 26 2005--14 day Caribbean out of Tampa. Are you also? It was a phenomenal deal!

[superstein61]

[quote name='KAKcruiser']A HAL representative told me that suite passengers would no longer have a separate dining room for breakfast and lunch. I also was disappointed.[/QUOTE]

GASP . . . No separate dining rooms. WHat are the Hoi Poloi to do now but mix with the commoners - ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) Suite perks

We loved it when we had the suite dinners in either the Marco Polo or the Odyssey before they became Pinnacle Grills. On the Ryndam and that class of ship we had the suite dinner in the Half Moon Room which is very handy to the kitchen. Now that the Ryndam, etc., have the Pinnacle Grills, there still isn't a reason why they can't have the dinner in the Half Moon Room because it would not be taking the Pinnacle Grill away from the other passengers.

On Ships like the Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Zaandam, etc., the suite dinner could be held in the King's Room seeing as it isn't being used for anything else.

We were told on the Maasdam that we were the last suite passengers to be able to have breakfast and lunch in the Queen's Room. We were told that not enough suite passengers were using the room. I do have to admit that a couple of times we did eat by ourselves.

We didn't get any newspapers delivered to the cabin. But there was 1 paper in the Neptune Lounge whenever the ship was able to get papers in port.

When we were on the Oosterdam in Feb/Mar, we didn't have a choice of appetizers for our suite. Our concierge had a list of what was available for a particular day. The appetizers offered were the same ones that were offered in the lounges during cocktail hour.

;)

[localady]

John-

Looks like we will be Suite neighbors on the 11/26/05 Veendam cruise!:)
We will have to compare notes then! I believe Many of the Suites were boked by CC'ers for that cruise, it should be a hoot to meet you all!:cool:

[mdobbins]

Gizmo--Am booked for November 26 2005--14 day Caribbean out of Tampa. Are you also? It was a phenomenal deal!

JohnSax -

It will be nice to have you aboard the Veendam as a neighbor in the suites. It was too bad that you had to cancel the December 5, 2004 sailing of the Infinity, but we'll get a chance to meet on HAL.

Please drop by the Roll call thread and say Hi :D ....

 

Veendam Nov 26, 2005

[KAKcruiser]

I think that HAL just uses the low numbers of suite people who eat in the Kings/Queens room for breakfast and lunch to justify taking this perk away. The tables were always full when we used them on the Zaandam, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Maasdam may not have been as full because they do not have as many suites. HAL told me that they don't need this now because they have Neptune Lounges on all the ships. Well, the Neptune Lounge is nice. You can get a quick snack. But it doesn't compare to a sit down meal in the dining room. I think all the new perk problems go back to the vista class ships. There are many more suites on these ships. I guess they figure all these people should generate revenue rather than cost the line money. You can see that happening with the cafe that charges for coffee on the vista ships and the rumors that the Java Cafe will disappear from the other ships.

[sail7seas]

While admittedly we rarely went to Queen/King's Room or Pinnacle for breakfast or lunch, the few times we have, there were barely a few others there wth us.
I do have to agree from our limited experience with the alternative venues, it didn't seem to us that many folks go there. Perhaps, out of all of our cruises, that is one of the reasons we rarely went back?? It was too empty.

[gizmo]

[quote name='KAKcruiser']I think that HAL just uses the low numbers of suite people who eat in the Kings/Queens room for breakfast and lunch to justify taking this perk away. The tables were always full when we used them on the Zaandam, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Maasdam may not have been as full because they do not have as many suites. [/quote]
We seldom used the Kings/Queen or Pinnacle. The few times we did, service was not the best so we always went to the dining room for breakfast. I do know many enjoyed it.

[quote]HAL told me that they don't need this now because they have Neptune Lounges on all the ships. Well, the Neptune Lounge is nice. You can get a quick snack. But it doesn't compare to a sit down meal in the dining room. I think all the new perk problems go back to the vista class ships. There are many more suites on these ships. [/quote]
Sounds like Hal is giving you a lot of crap. There is no way the Neptune can take the place of Kings/Queen or Pinnacle. I agree the perk problems go back to the Vista Class ships.

[gizmo]

John Sax,

No, I am not booked on that cruise. I would like to be but it is a bad time for me with work. It is too close to that good old end of quarter!

There are many people on this board are is booked. Maybe one of these days I will run into you.

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]MDobbins- Looking forward to meeting you and yours also:) [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]We think it will be a great trip, so many CCer's involved.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple]After scrutinizing the Hal Europe 2005 large brochure, HAL no long lists afternoon tea or the Indonesian Rijstaffel lunch for Suite passengers. In it's place are luxurious duvet/upgraded bed and extra large towels. :rolleyes: Guess the Suite guests get a duvet but lose a private dining room, and a Suite lunch, as well as afternoon silver tea......so much for progress:)[/color][/size][/font]

[RevNeal]

I'll be on that November 26, 2005 14 day cruise of the Caribbean out of Tampa, but as of right now I'm not going to be in a Suite. :) Sorry if that doesn't make me a "member of the club." Will you still speak to me in the halls? :D ;)

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=royalblue]RevNeal-[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=royalblue]Please know that you always have a standing invitation to use our balcony!!!!! I did't mean to sound elitist, I meant there are alot of CC'ers in [color=purple]All [/color]categories that I look forward to meeting, you especially. I will recognize you I have no doubt and look forward to a nice drink with you, be it on our balcony or in the Crow's nest or whereever!:cool: [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#4169e1][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#4169e1]P.S. Maybe you and Chris could join Bob and I for a breakfast on the balcony, that is the best part of the big room is having breakfast out there:):cool: [/color][/size][/font]

[sail7seas]

Wish we had booked that one but we opted for the 12 day Tampa to Tampa. The timing is better for us and we wanted HMC, San Juan and St. Thomas. They are both great itineraries, I think. I also like that they are longer than 10 days.

I'll be eager to hear from all of you about your cruise and what your opinions of Veendam are.

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]S7S-[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]I will miss the HMC stop. Part of me was kinda hoping they elect not to do one of the other stops due to the hightened security requirements the US is imposing as of 7/1/04. I will miss HMC as it truly is my favorite day on any Caribe itinerary;) [/color][/size][/font]

[dexter]

We just booked cat. S on Zuiderdam for 8/28. After having been on 8 cruises in the past 4 years, this will be the first suite for me and my wife. I'll be honest...even if there are no perks, the price we paid for this huge cabin will be well worth it. We were lucky to get an aft suite and the balcony is quite large. If we only get free laundry and dry cleaning that will suffice. We are really looking forward to our first HAL cruise.

[gizmo]

Rev,

Not everyone on this board who books a suite is a "member of the club". Like LocalLady, many are more interested in meeting others, regardless of what cabin they may be in. Not everyone's goal in life is to socialize with the officers. I have stayed in many different types of cabins from the lowest outside to a suite. If we are ever on the same cruise, I would love to meet you regardless of what type of cabin either one of us may have. If I had a suite I would invite you to have a drink on our balcony also.

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]Dexter-[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]I know you will love it:D We are usually not in a suite, usually a mini-suite as we love the private balcony. Occasionally when the price is right, we will grab a balcony, as we did for our Honeymoon. It was lovely, and although we don't always have one, it's really a hoot when we do:) We love the huge balcony and I know you will too! The coffee machine in the Neptune isn't bad either!!!;) [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=purple]Gizmo- Very well said!! It will be a pleasure to meet all CCer's, feel like I know so many of you a bit already:)[/color][/size][/font]

[RevNeal]

[QUOTE]Please know that you always have a standing invitation to use our balcony!!!!! I did't mean to sound elitist, I meant there are alot of CC'ers in All categories that I look forward to meeting, you especially.[/QUOTE]

Oh, thank you! I appreciate that ... truly I do. However, we MAY be in an outside Balcony (B Category) if things work out; it all depends upon a couple of factors ... most importantly, the question of if our parents are going to be onboard. If so, we'll be down in the Js, where we've already booked, near them. If not ... well, we'll see. We can afford the quoted prices for upgrading to a B Category outside cabin, and I would love to have a balcony for that 14 day trip ... from past experience, I know that the caribbean is a great place for a balcony.

And ... OF COURSE I knew you weren't being elitist! You didn't even sound that way! I was just having a little fun ... as the ;) was intended to indicate! :) :D

[RevNeal]

Now now, Gizmo ... you know what ;) means! I was just having a little fun with the suite-ites!!!! :)

As for the drinks ... I'll gladly take you up on them! Even if I do have to stagger from balcony to balcony! :eek: :cool:

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=seagreen]RevNeal-[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=seagreen]I had hoped it was in jest, but around this board I try to walk softly and be as politically correct as possible. :) Even with that, some tend to take it out of context :eek: "Walk softly, carry big stick, and us the edit button whenever necessary;)" that is my motto...... [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#2e8b57][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#2e8b57]Gizmo- You are always welcome on our balcony, sounds like it is gonna be quite a party:D [/color][/size][/font]