Feel free to berate me for these newbie questions

[CruisinShips]

I've been searching the forum, but not doing a great job I guess.  I'm an experienced cruiser, but only once on HAL.  Will be cruising on Nieuw Statendam (departs from Quebec City) later this year, staying in a Neptune suite.  A few questions please...

 

is there a suites only dining room? I know about the Neptune Lounge, and  I have also read about Club Orange and how it offers perks to non-suite guests, but does that mean suite guests can use the dining room as well?

 

I know the signature drink package is for drinks up to $11, but is there a price list anywhere?

 

Does HAL offer specialty dining packages (where you can buy several for a slight discount like Royal does), or is it just individual?  And typically how far in advance does the online dining booking open up typically?

 

Lastly...if anyone has been on the Canada/NE cruise out of Quebec City, it gives an overnight window for departure, which is a little confusing.  Does that mean you may or may not stay overnight depending on tides?  Can you leave the ship to explore the area once you board?

 

Thanks for indulging me!

 

[NextOne]

Welcome! I can't answer most of the questions, but I'm also on the NS later this year, doing Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale. Boarding day is an overnight, so you can use the ship as your hotel room. The ship will depart at 4 pm the next day. If you are on the October 8 sailing, please come over to our roll call and join us. Lots of planning going on!

[Cruising-along]

10 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

I've been searching the forum, but not doing a great job I guess.  I'm an experienced cruiser, but only once on HAL.  Will be cruising on Nieuw Statendam (departs from Quebec City) later this year, staying in a Neptune suite.  A few questions please...

We also will be on that cruise and have done it a few times.  Welcome! 

is there a suites only dining room? I know about the Neptune Lounge, and  I have also read about Club Orange and how it offers perks to non-suite guests, but does that mean suite guests can use the dining room as well?

No suites only dining room.  Yes, dining room is open to all guests, suite or not. 

I know the signature drink package is for drinks up to $11, but is there a price list anywhere?

 

Does HAL offer specialty dining packages (where you can buy several for a slight discount like Royal does), or is it just individual?  And typically how far in advance does the online dining booking open up typically?

I expect dining to open up for this cruise in the next month, about 6 months out. 🤞  No dining package.  If you booked with the Have it All promotion it comes with a couple free specialty dinners.

Lastly...if anyone has been on the Canada/NE cruise out of Quebec City, it gives an overnight window for departure, which is a little confusing.  Does that mean you may or may not stay overnight depending on tides?  Can you leave the ship to explore the area once you board?

As Next One has said, you're free to come and go once you board.

Thanks for indulging me!

 

 

[KroozNut]

50 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

I've been searching the forum, but not doing a great job I guess.  I'm an experienced cruiser, but only once on HAL.  Will be cruising on Nieuw Statendam (departs from Quebec City) later this year, staying in a Neptune suite.  A few questions please...

 

I know the signature drink package is for drinks up to $11, but is there a price list anywhere?

 

 

https://rogerjett-photography.com/

 

 

[Crew News]

Feel free to ask lots of questions to help in your planning.

 

The separate Club Orange Dining room is for those who purchased the Club Orange option and also for both Neptune and Pinnacle Suites.  It is not open to any other suites guests.  Neptune Suite guests may also choose to eat in the Main Dining Room.

 

There are Specialty Restaurant dining packages available on the HAL website for your cruise.  Here is the beverage menu available at all bars (some bars have additional specialty drinks):  HAL Beverage Menu

[hvbaskey]

8 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Feel free to ask lots of questions to help in your planning.

 

The separate Club Orange Dining room is for those who purchased the Club Orange option and also for both Neptune and Pinnacle Suites.  It is not open to any other suites guests.  Neptune Suite guests may also choose to eat in the Main Dining Room.

 

There are Specialty Restaurant dining packages available on the HAL website for your cruise.  Here is the beverage menu available at all bars (some bars have additional specialty drinks):  HAL Beverage Menu

I’m like the OP, cannot find “packages” on the web site.   That is, 3-night, 4-night, 7-night package deals.

 

I’ve only seen where you can book one night at a time 😳

Going back to see if I can find them!

Appreciate this reply, as I gave up a while ago thinking there were none to be found.

[Crew News]

10 minutes ago, hvbaskey said:

I’m like the OP, cannot find “packages” on the web site.   That is, 3-night, 4-night, 7-night package deals.

 

I’ve only seen where you can book one night at a time 😳

Going back to see if I can find them!

Appreciate this reply, as I gave up a while ago thinking there were none to be found.

Not all cruises have Specialty Dining packages so keep checking as you get closer to your cruise date.

[hvbaskey]

5 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Not all cruises have Specialty Dining packages so keep checking as you get closer to your cruise date.

 

Thank you very kindly. 

[GeorgesGal]

Just made my reservation yesterday for Alaska 14 nite cruise with a fare that didn't include the drinks package, wifi, etc.  When I asked the reservations gal about drink packages, she told me 15 per day including soft drinks, water, specialty coffees.  So I asked her if one ordered a drink above the $11.oo limit did the consumer pay just the difference and she said no,  would be billed the full amount.

Is this correct?  I know other lines - Oceania being one - only charge the up-charge, not the full price.

Any help will be appreciated.

Donna

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, GeorgesGal said:

Just made my reservation yesterday for Alaska 14 nite cruise with a fare that didn't include the drinks package, wifi, etc.  When I asked the reservations gal about drink packages, she told me 15 per day including soft drinks, water, specialty coffees.  So I asked her if one ordered a drink above the $11.oo limit did the consumer pay just the difference and she said no,  would be billed the full amount.

Is this correct?  I know other lines - Oceania being one - only charge the up-charge, not the full price.

Any help will be appreciated.

Donna

That is correct.  Full price + 18% grat.

[GeorgesGal]

Just now, VMax1700 said:

That is correct.  Full price + 18% grat.

Thanks for the confirmation, VMax!  Kind of a rip off IMO.  I'll just have to watch what I order, or fall back to my usual - no drinks pkg, pay as I go.

[Live4cruises]

Yikes!  I do hope this board doesn’t have a reputation for berating!  Most of us love cruising so much that we’re happy to help.  I’m on that 10/8 sailing as well, hope to see you on the roll call!

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

Not all cruises have Specialty Dining packages so keep checking as you get closer to your cruise date.

Interesting, I've never seen this offered with HAL, at least not like Celebrity and RCCL has.  

[CruisinShips]

38 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

Yikes!  I do hope this board doesn’t have a reputation for berating!  Most of us love cruising so much that we’re happy to help.  I’m on that 10/8 sailing as well, hope to see you on the roll call!

No...not at all!  I am a Diamond on RCCL and sometimes that board can get a little "chippy". 😉  But what I have seen here has been terrific.  As have the responses to my post in this thread.  Thanks to all who replied.

 

The drink menu looks very reasonable...as long as it's current, even top end vodkas like Belvedere and Grey Goose are below $11, as are most wines.

 

So to dine in Club Orange (as a Neptune suite person) do you make reservations?

 

Thanks again.

[Crew News]

2 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

No...not at all!  I am a Diamond on RCCL and sometimes that board can get a little "chippy". 😉  But what I have seen here has been terrific.  As have the responses to my post in this thread.  Thanks to all who replied.

 

The drink menu looks very reasonable...as long as it's current, even top end vodkas like Belvedere and Grey Goose are below $11, as are most wines.

 

So to dine in Club Orange (as a Neptune suite person) do you make reservations?

 

Thanks again.

HAL beverage menus tend to be stable for a few years.

 

No reservations required for Club Orange but tables are limited during peak dinner hours from my personal observation (6:30 - 7:15 PM).  They do give you a beeper to call you when a table is available.  Again, I have not seen anyone wait more than 15 minutes during the peak hours.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Crew News

[dfish]

1 hour ago, Cruising-along said:

Interesting, I've never seen this offered with HAL, at least not like Celebrity and RCCL has.  

I have seen Signature Dining Packages offered.  Generally, it is a package that includes a dinner at the Pinnacle and Canaletto on most ships.   On the ships with the Tamarind, for a little more you get that restaurant as well.  Pop up Sel de Mer is not included.  When I was on the Koningsdam we ended up with the dining package that was Pinnacle, Canaletto, Tamarind and Sel de Mer, but that was in 2017 and I am sure it has changed since then.   

 

I don't know if you can pick your dining dates and times in advance with the package or if you have to wait until you are on the ship.  I like to book ahead to make sure I get the date and time I want.

Edited March 2, 2022 by dfish

[Cruising-along]

12 minutes ago, dfish said:

I have seen Signature Dining Packages offered.  Generally, it is a package that includes a dinner at the Pinnacle and Canaletto on most ships.   On the ships with the Tamarind, for a little more you get that restaurant as well.  Pop up Sel de Mer is not included.  When I was on the Koningsdam we ended up with the dining package that was Pinnacle, Canaletto, Tamarind and Sel de Mer, but that was in 2017 and I am sure it has changed since then.   

 

I don't know if you can pick your dining dates and times in advance with the package or if you have to wait until you are on the ship.  I like to book ahead to make sure I get the date and time I want.

Thanks Debbie.  You're right, I've seen those too.  Celebrity (and Royal, like the OP mentioned) has the 3-night, 5-night, etc. packages so a little different than how HAL does it.

[jkrislc]

Like @dfish, we had a dining package when we previously sailed on the Koningsdam in 2018. Unfortunately, it's not being offered on our Koningsdam cruise this month. However, with our Mariner discount, I'm not sure there'd be much of a savings anyways. However, I do tend to purchase the dining packages offered by the other lines.

[Crew News]

4 hours ago, CruisinShips said:

So to dine in Club Orange (as a Neptune suite person) do you make reservations?

 

Thanks again.

Club Orange is walk-up only for those with the Club Orange option as well as both Neptune and Pinnacle Suites occupants.

[DaveOKC]

The OP has gotten some great information so far, but I wanted to add my two cents worth.

 

The Specialty dining package (if it is even offered) is not worth it to me.  You do save a bit, but its not that much.  Plus, you may not want to try all the dining venues listed, so why restrict yourself.  For me, I would skip the Canaletto - its not bad but nowhere near as nice as the Tamarind or Pinnacle.

 

[Cruise Suzy]

4 hours ago, dfish said:

I don't know if you can pick your dining dates and times in advance with the package or if you have to wait until you are on the ship.

 

For our November 2021, February 2022 and July 2022 7-day cruises, we had Pinnacle and Canaletto dinners included in our promo fares plus the same from our TA. All dinners were included in the Complimentary Dining credits. Thus. were able to pre-book all of them - 4 per cruise - plus the MDR for any nights we wanted.

 

Since HAL is selling so many fares under the Have It All option, the TA is now giving OBS instead of "free" dinners. But it's enough that we can still book any two additional Specialty Dinners per 7-day cruise.

 

 

[CruisinShips]

Another question about Club Orange (on the Nieuw Statendam specifically if possible) please…do they have their own menu, or is it like the main dining menu, but only in a more intimate venue?

Edited March 3, 2022 by CruisinShips

[Crew News]

33 minutes ago, CruisinShips said:

Another question about Club Orange (on the Nieuw Statendam specifically if possible) please…do they have their own menu, or is it like the main dining menu, but only in a more intimate venue?

Same menu with one additional entree. Yes, more intimate  venue.   Menu with Club Orange Additional Entree

 

With the exception of the Club Orange extra entree and breakfast, where the Club Orange chef does all of the preparation, the dinner food is prepared in the MDR kitchen and the Club Orange chef just adds enhancements (bread, sauces, salad dressings, etc).

 

Nieuw Statendam Club Orange

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Crew News

[RedIguana]

9 hours ago, GeorgesGal said:

When I asked the reservations gal about drink packages, she told me 15 per day including soft drinks, water, specialty coffees.  So I asked her if one ordered a drink above the $11.oo limit did the consumer pay just the difference and she said no,  would be billed the full amount.

That is the Signature BP. The Elite is something like $5 a day more, should be unlimited non-alcoholic and 15 alcoholic, up to $15. Think it is showing $59 and change (plus 18%).

[dfish]

10 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

For our November 2021, February 2022 and July 2022 7-day cruises, we had Pinnacle and Canaletto dinners included in our promo fares plus the same from our TA. All dinners were included in the Complimentary Dining credits. Thus. were able to pre-book all of them - 4 per cruise - plus the MDR for any nights we wanted.

 

Since HAL is selling so many fares under the Have It All option, the TA is now giving OBS instead of "free" dinners. But it's enough that we can still book any two additional Specialty Dinners per 7-day cruise.

 

Yes, you can book the dinners included in the HIA promotion ahead of time.  That is different from the dinners in the dining package.   

 

I'm not seeing the dining package for our July cruise, so perhaps that is a thing of the past.