Neptune Suite Amenities questions

[3rdGenCunarder]

Question - where was your cabin located (on the same deck as the Neptune Lounge or another deck)? I have found that the cabin stewards on the other decks not always being "up to speed" on the Neptune amenities and sometimes communications are not always handled well. I suspect this is because they have Neptune and non-Neptune cabins, but this is just my guess.

 

We've had several corner afts, and this last time on K'dam was the first time we had sub-par cabin stewards. We were their only Neptune, so things like replenishing the coffee pods didn't happen right away. A lot of little details missed, no big "ruined my cruise." But I did see the difference.

[tv24]

Thanks for your suggestions, Old as Dirt Mom! I will remember them.

 

Our Neptune Suite on the Nieu Amsterdam was located on the same deck as the Neptune Lounge. I think our steward had only Neptunes to work in. Oh well.

[DaveOKC]

We've had several corner afts, and this last time on K'dam was the first time we had sub-par cabin stewards. We were their only Neptune, so things like replenishing the coffee pods didn't happen right away. A lot of little details missed, no big "ruined my cruise." But I did see the difference.

 

I have haad the same experience with the corner aft Neptunes. Service not as good and missing announcements/invitations from the Neptune Lounge. Funny that we also had problems getting the coffee pods replaced - especially since we tend to use them alot more when we are so far away from the Neptune Lounge!

[knittinggirl]

How many coffee pods do we get each day, and are there any different flavors?

[Number34]

On the topic of coffee, how good are the machines in the Neptune lounge?

Also can I ask the steward or concierge for an electric kettle? (Need boiling water for tea as from UK!)

[Bretty]

On the topic of coffee, how good are the machines in the Neptune lounge?

Also can I ask the steward or concierge for an electric kettle? (Need boiling water for tea as from UK!)

That’s a good point, also from UK and my other half drinks tea, tea, and then more tea. Preferably Japanese or Chinese green tea, but gallons of the stuff. Coffee makers generally don’t make decent tea, the disasters we’ve had with nespresso machines trying to get just hot water, hot enough for tea.

[3rdGenCunarder]

You can probably get as many pods as you need, just ask the concierge or your steward. There are 3 types: regular coffee, decaf, and espresso, and the usual stock is 2 of each.

 

The coffee machine in the NL is good. You can set it for all kinds of coffees. It also has a hot water dispenser that will make a decent cup of tea. (I'm not from the UK, but I'm serious about tea) And they have good tea. Harneys and usually also PG Tips. No electric kettles are allowed.

 

Edited to add: Forget about room service for tea. They typically give you a carafe of hot water and tea bags, not a proper pot of tea.

[kazu]

On the topic of coffee, how good are the machines in the Neptune lounge?

Also can I ask the steward or concierge for an electric kettle? (Need boiling water for tea as from UK!)

 

no electric kettles in the cabins are permitted. I agree with bobalink's post on the coffee in the NL. That might also be your best bet for hot water for your tea. Neptune Lounge usually has PG tips too. If you don't see them, just ask.

[bUU]

So now I know...If you need anything, a laundry bag, replenishment of the coffee supplies, more soap, dinner reservation, always, always, always call the Neptune Lounge and insist that they help you. We are back in a Neptune in July and will be fully prepared.

I have haad the same experience with the corner aft Neptunes. Service not as good and missing announcements/invitations from the Neptune Lounge. Funny that we also had problems getting the coffee pods replaced - especially since we tend to use them alot more when we are so far away from the Neptune Lounge!

So being insistent perhaps is the right way to go in such cases. Thanks for the insights.

[knittinggirl]

no electric kettles in the cabins are permitted.

 

Weird, they have electric tea pots in the JS and up on Royal Caribbean.

 

The tea kettles are auto shut off.

[sail7seas]

Weird, they have electric tea pots in the JS and up on Royal Caribbean.

 

The tea kettles are auto shut off.

 

Not weird at all IMO

 

We have choices. I, for one do NOT want all cruise lines/ ships to be the same. They all have varying features. We are so fortunate, we can choose the features we want and book the cruise line/ship that have the feature s we want. IF they all were t he sam e, there would be less choice I would guess HAL has some features other lines do not have and guset s really like them . IF what you wan t is on RCI, great. easy choice, Book RCI . BUt please don't encourage all lines to be the same. I have no interest in a tea kettle but know that lots of people do. Seeing I don't care, I therefore would not book RCI in order to have a tea kettle. HAL has great room servi c e with little to no extra charge for most of it . (and that is way better to me thann a tea kettle. I don't have anything against a kettle b ut don't care about it :)

 

SO, not weird at all. IMO

Edited April 15, 2018 by sail7seas

[scamper]

Weird, they have electric tea pots in the JS and up on Royal Caribbean.

 

The tea kettles are auto shut off.

As much as I thoroughly enjoy Holland, they are often behind the other lines as far as amenities go for high-end rooms. Maybe because of their demographic. Since the average age is 104, there isn't as much demand for anything under the "last word" category in anything.

 

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[VennDiagram]

Do the Neptune Suites still get a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine?

[OlsSalt]

Weird, they have electric tea pots in the JS and up on Royal Caribbean.

 

The tea kettles are auto shut off.

 

Weird? What are your expectations. That all ships are exactly the same down to the smallest amenity or the largest feature?

[OlsSalt]

As much as I thoroughly enjoy Holland, they are often behind the other lines as far as amenities go for high-end rooms. Maybe because of their demographic. Since the average age is 104, there isn't as much demand for anything under the "last word" category in anything.

 

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Thank you for letting me know I have 29 more years sailing on HAL ships before they have to put me in the galley cold storage. You err thinking HAL needs to be or should be exactly like every other mass market cruise line. Accept HAL is not a good choice for you, but park the personal slurs.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Do the Neptune Suites still get a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine?

 

Yes.

[VennDiagram]

Yes.

 

Thanks (y) :) I'm not a huge fan of it, but when it is really REALLY chilled I find it okay. And after the second glass, I don't really notice the taste :eek: :D

[sail7seas]

As much as I thoroughly enjoy Holland, they are often behind the other lines as far as amenities go for high-end rooms. Maybe because of their demographic. Since the average age is 104, there isn't as much demand for anything under the "last word" category in anything.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Thus how great we have choices

 

We get to select which cruise line we like best or least and make our bookings accordingly

 

 

This nagging a bout old age on HAL is starting to 'get old'.

 

. If BEING AROUND 'OLD' PEOPLE' bothers someone, there are choices for more 'young u n's.

 

 

I you don't want to be with 104 year olds, as you put it, then don't be . Choose something, some place you like better. :)

B uT WE 104 year olds are still breathing and cruising. ;d

 

 

 

IF all the young 'uns' of today are really lucky, they will be old one day. Each day we sake up, we are one day older and those days accumulate quickly. Getting old beats the alternative. Either one grows old or they do not. NOt everryone is so lucky t hey get to grow old.

Edited April 15, 2018 by sail7seas

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thanks (y) :) I'm not a huge fan of it, but when it is really REALLY chilled I find it okay. And after the second glass, I don't really notice the taste :eek: :D

 

LOL. It's really not that bad:p You can ask the Neptune concierge if you can exchange it for a bottle of HAL's house red or white wine.

[bUU]

As much as I thoroughly enjoy Holland, they are often behind the other lines as far as amenities go for high-end rooms. Maybe because of their demographic. Since the average age is 104, there isn't as much demand for anything under the "last word" category in anything.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

However there are clear signs that the cruise line is not satisfied with how that limits their ability to grow long-term shareholder value. While they may not be as quick to appeal to the younger set as Carnival Cruise Lines or Royal Caribbean, they are slowly but surely changing their service specifications to appeal to something closer to the prime demographic. They are doing it with a very soft touch because they have a customer base that is prone to over-reaction to significant change. While they clearly want to change the demographics of their customer base, they are conscious of the fact that such over-reaction could result in bad publicity, justly or unjustly, and therefore compromise their path towards their eventual goal.

Yes.

It is important to note though that that is no longer listed in the materials that they give us who Neptune Suites. While it may be something that we get it's now more of a bonus than something that we have been explicitly promised. The explicit promise now is for an embarkation drink available at the Neptune Suite itself.

 

This post may have been entered by voice recognition. Please excuse any typographical errors.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

....

It is important to note though that that is no longer listed in the materials that they give us who Neptune Suites. While it may be something that we get it's now more of a bonus than something that we have been explicitly promised. The explicit promise now is for an embarkation drink available at the Neptune Suite itself.

 

This post may have been entered by voice recognition. Please excuse any typographical errors.

 

By golly, you are right about that sparkling bottle of wine. It's been almost a year since our last HAL cruise (boo hoo), and the changes have come so fast and furiously since then that I'm all out of date:( Darn. Well, I'll have to do a lot of research on our upcoming HAL cruise later this year;)

[VennDiagram]

LOL. It's really not that bad:p You can ask the Neptune concierge if you can exchange it for a bottle of HAL's house red or white wine.

 

Oh it is drinkable imho -- under the right conditions ;)

 

 

By golly, you are right about that sparkling bottle of wine. It's been almost a year since our last HAL cruise (boo hoo), and the changes have come so fast and furiously since then that I'm all out of date:( Darn. Well, I'll have to do a lot of research on our upcoming HAL cruise later this year;)

 

If I remember, I'll report back.

[sail7seas]

However there are clear signs that the cruise line is not satisfied with how that limits their ability to grow long-term shareholder value. While they may not be as quick to appeal to the younger set as Carnival Cruise Lines or Royal Caribbean, they are slowly but surely changing their service specifications to appeal to something closer to the prime demographic. They are doing it with a very soft touch because they have a customer base that is prone to over-reaction to significant change. While they clearly want to change the demographics of their customer base, they are conscious of the fact that such over-reaction could result in bad publicity, justly or unjustly, and therefore compromise their path towards their eventual goal.

It is important to note though that that is no longer listed in the materials that they give us who Neptune Suites. While it may be something that we get it's now more of a bonus than something that we have been explicitly promised. The explicit promise now is for an embarkation drink available at the Neptune Suite itself.

 

This post may have been entered by voice recognition. Please excuse any typographical errors.

 

 

 

 

HAL has tried moving in that direction for at least the last 40+ years. Surely those who ha ve cruised HAL a lot have noticed.

 

HaVE you not noticed on your HAL cruises?

[DaveOKC]

You can probably get as many pods as you need, just ask the concierge or your steward. There are 3 types: regular coffee, decaf, and espresso, and the usual stock is 2 of each.

 

The coffee machine in the NL is good. You can set it for all kinds of coffees. It also has a hot water dispenser that will make a decent cup of tea. (I'm not from the UK, but I'm serious about tea) And they have good tea. Harneys and usually also PG Tips. No electric kettles are allowed.

 

On our Dec cruise on the Oosterdam, we were in an aft-wrap on deck five. We did not have the Regular pods (cabin steward said that they were out of them, even though our friends in a deck 4 aft-wrap had extra ones given to them????). After about 7 days on the 18 day cruise we finally got them from the cabin steward. Not very good service IMO.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thank you for letting me know I have 29 more years sailing on HAL ships before they have to put me in the galley cold storage. You err thinking HAL needs to be or should be exactly like every other mass market cruise line. Accept HAL is not a good choice for you, but park the personal slurs.

 

Actually, they don't use the galley cold storage. That would probably be a health violation. :eek: They use the cold storage lockers that the flowers are kept in. (According to what were were told on the behind-the-scenes tour)