Back from HAL Med cruise on Oosterdam

[terrydtx]

40 minutes ago, doone said:

And Celebrity costs more than HAL.

Not really when you book the entry level Sky Suites and add in all the Suite Retreat amenities and benefits. Plus, there is an old saying "you get what you are pay for". Our Oosterdam cruise if we were in a Neptune would cost $545pp per night. Our Reflection Sky Suite with all the below is $420pp per night, both are Greek and Italy cruises too.

 

All Celebrity Retreat guests including Sky Suites get all the following that Neptune suites do not have:

 

1)Included Premium Drinks Package

2)Included Premium Streaming WiFi

3)A personal Retreat Host (Butler)

4)All gratuities included

5)OBC of $300pp to $500pp depending on cruise length that can be used pre cruise for booking shore excursions and spa services.

6)A Retreat suites only lounge with full service bar tender and all alcohol and non alcohol drinks, coffees and snacks included open 24/7

7)Private Suites only restaurant, Luminae, with all non MDR menu items cooked mostly to order, open for lunch on sea days and breakfast and dinner all days.

8)Enhanced suites only room service menu for Breakfast that includes drinks like Bloody Mary's and mimosas 

9)Afternoon appetizers delivered to your cabin by your Butler including jumbo shrimp cocktails, crab cakes and gourmet cheese plates

 

When you include all the above Celebrity is not any more expensive than a Neptune suite.  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

41 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Our Oosterdam cruise if we were in a Neptune would cost $545pp per night. Our Reflection Sky Suite with all the below is $420pp per night, both are Greek and Italy cruises too.

In all fairness I made a mistake in the above figures. The Neptune in our Oosterdam cruise is only $463pp per night with All Included promo on Deck 8 and $517pp on the preferred deck 6. Our Reflection Sky Suite is $411 pp per night with all Celebrity Retreat benefits and amenities.  We had considered moving up to a Neptune on the Oosterdam but just didn't see enough added value for the cost, the SS has all the room we need. Our booked SS is costing us $355pp per night.

Edited June 15, 2022 by terrydtx

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, doone said:

And Celebrity costs more than HAL.

That has been my experience too but I will check next time I book something to see if that has changed.  I'm reluctant though because I haven't been impressed with Celebrity up to this point.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Florida_gal_50

[albingirl]

18 hours ago, Lindancer said:

Your criticisms are undoubted valid.  But what I do like about having a Neptune Suite on Konigsdam or Nieuw Statendam, is that Club Orange members have their own private dining room.  We get our favorite table every night and the staff knows our likes.  

You can get Club Orange just by paying a bit more for your cruise.  Better than what 4 and 5* get, honestly.  I don't get to eat in their dining room, even though I feel like I've been on a gazillion HAL cruises.  I think they even get priority tendering over us lowly 4 and 5* people, but I could be mistaken.  Haven't studied this issue thoroughly, probably because it pisses me off.

[Unlvswezel]

4 hours ago, doone said:

And Celebrity costs more than HAL.

Is it? I’ve not found that to be the case. It is hard because how challenging it is to compare , but I’ve found both to be priced competitively with each other. Just my opinion but I find Celeb to be a better value. We only sailed with them because our trip last summer was cancelled, but I’ll be looking to book with Celeb more in the future.

[AncientWanderer]

We've done quite a few Celebrity cruises.  Last was spring of 2019.  We booked their aqua class or some such, with the Blu restaurant.  (We pop in with them from time to time, just to keep abreast of things.)   The restaurant was very bright and the tables were really close together.  We asked for an area at the back of the room, and that took care of that.  The food was good, but to us not memorable.  Service was good. 

Really no big problems at all.  We are just never "grabbed" by Celebrity.  There's a certain slickness to them that feels more like a hotel than a ship.  DH and I like to know we're on a ship.  We prefer HAL.  Others might prefer Celebrity.  

 

We'd have no hesitation to sail with Celebrity if they offer an itinerary not offered by HAL.  But we'd always look at HAL first.

[Lindancer]

15 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

We've done quite a few Celebrity cruises.  Last was spring of 2019.  We booked their aqua class or some such, with the Blu restaurant.  (We pop in with them from time to time, just to keep abreast of things.)   The restaurant was very bright and the tables were really close together.  We asked for an area at the back of the room, and that took care of that.  The food was good, but to us not memorable.  Service was good. 

Really no big problems at all.  We are just never "grabbed" by Celebrity.  There's a certain slickness to them that feels more like a hotel than a ship.  DH and I like to know we're on a ship.  We prefer HAL.  Others might prefer Celebrity.  

 

We'd have no hesitation to sail with Celebrity if they offer an itinerary not offered by HAL.  But we'd always look at HAL first.

I'm with you.  Celebrity never "grabbed" me either.  HAL just has more panache or something, although I do miss the little guy handing out the after dinner mints outside the MDR.  And on my last cruise on Princess, EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, they sat us under a spotlight in the dining room and I had to be asked to be moved.

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, albingirl said:

You can get Club Orange just by paying a bit more for your cruise.  Better than what 4 and 5* get, honestly.  I don't get to eat in their dining room, even though I feel like I've been on a gazillion HAL cruises.  I think they even get priority tendering over us lowly 4 and 5* people, but I could be mistaken.  Haven't studied this issue thoroughly, probably because it pisses me off.

Club Orange does not give you free laundry service.  The tendering is on a par with 4 and 5* mariners.

The special event has been nonexistent.  The dining room is smaller but you might get a better view and service with fixed dining in the MDR.  The tote bag is different but how many bags do you need?  The main benefit of CO is getting to pay for the cheapest guarantee stateroom in your category and choosing a higher rated stateroom at the top of your category.  Priority boarding is not even an actual benefit these days.

 

Why do I never see my typo’s until after I hit “reply”. We are 4 * and have done CO on a Pinnacle Class ship because we wanted the smaller dining room because of Covid.    You can not reserve a time or table in CO and some of the tables were bar height which I found very uncomfortable.

Edited June 15, 2022 by oaktreerb

[albingirl]

2 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Club Orange does not give you free laundry service.  The tendering is on a par with 4 and 5* mariners.

The special event has beeb nonexistent.  The dining room is smaller but you might get a better view and service with fixed dining in the MDR.  The tote bag is different but how many bags do you need?  The main benefit of CO is getting to pay for the cheapest guarantee stateroom in your category and choosing a higher rated stateroom at the top of your category.  Priority boarding is not even an actual benefit these days.

Ok, I have enough tote bags to sink a ship, so to speak.  Laundry service, I expect  that after a million cruises.  It's another example of HAL doing a cash grab in my opinion.  Nothing more. And offensive to high star passengers if they are excluded from the "special Club Orange dining experience".  

[Florida_gal_50]

30 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Ok, I have enough tote bags to sink a ship, so to speak.  Laundry service, I expect  that after a million cruises.  It's another example of HAL doing a cash grab in my opinion.  Nothing more. And offensive to high star passengers if they are excluded from the "special Club Orange dining experience".  

It doesn’t bother me as a 5 star and I also partake of it.  I pay plenty for my cruises and if I can buy the cheapest obstructed balcony and get a push up from club orange it’s worth it.  I see hal giving away cruises to people that haven’t cruised in a while.  That far more annoying that someone getting club orange.

[albingirl]

13 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

It doesn’t bother me as a 5 star and I also partake of it.  I pay plenty for my cruises and if I can buy the cheapest obstructed balcony and get a push up from club orange it’s worth it.  I see hal giving away cruises to people that haven’t cruised in a while.  That far more annoying that someone getting club orange.

Agree with you for the most part.  The plus is the push to a better cabin.  Half the stuff I read on here, about free cruises to people who havent cruises in awhile, I can take with a grain of salt.  In other words, they are casino cruises and nothing else.  Total bs to tell you otherwise.  

[Florida_gal_50]

10 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Agree with you for the most part.  The plus is the push to a better cabin.  Half the stuff I read on here, about free cruises to people who havent cruises in awhile, I can take with a grain of salt.  In other words, they are casino cruises and nothing else.  Total bs to tell you otherwise.  

That seems right but looking at the posted paperwork it doesn’t appear to be from the casino.

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That seems right but looking at the posted paperwork it doesn’t appear to be from the casino.

 

The emails might come from HAL or appear to - but they are casino offers and funded by the casino group (Ocean Players Club or something like that).

 

 

[Lindancer]

15 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

Club Orange does not give you free laundry service.  The tendering is on a par with 4 and 5* mariners.

The special event has been nonexistent.  The dining room is smaller but you might get a better view and service with fixed dining in the MDR.  The tote bag is different but how many bags do you need?  The main benefit of CO is getting to pay for the cheapest guarantee stateroom in your category and choosing a higher rated stateroom at the top of your category.  Priority boarding is not even an actual benefit these days.

 

Why do I never see my typo’s until after I hit “reply”. We are 4 * and have done CO on a Pinnacle Class ship because we wanted the smaller dining room because of Covid.    You can not reserve a time or table in CO and some of the tables were bar height which I found very uncomfortable.

We always get free laundry service and priority tendering.  Is that a perk of the Neptune Suite and not Club Orange?  If by special event, you mean to honor their Mariners, last year on the Eurodam, it was just champagne and snacks in one of the smaller venues.  Not even a choice of a cocktail anymore.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, Lindancer said:

We always get free laundry service and priority tendering.  Is that a perk of the Neptune Suite and not Club Orange?  If by special event, you mean to honor their Mariners, last year on the Eurodam, it was just champagne and snacks in one of the smaller venues.  Not even a choice of a cocktail anymore.

Club orange doesn't get free laundry.  One of the perks of club orange was supposed to be a special "event".  IIRC when they used to have them it was that behind the scenes ship tour but I might be incorrect on that.  Right now these is no special event.

[Boatdrill]

On 6/14/2022 at 4:27 PM, Hlitner said:

 

 Take a look at what Celebrity does for their suites that are part of the "Retreat" concept.  Or look at MSC and their amazing Yacht Club where folks get an entire section of the ship (including lounge, restaurant, pool deck, buffet area, etc.).  What do you get on HAL for paying the big bucks for a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite?  A nice suite!  Oh...and I guess you can get breakfast in a special venue with the same eggs you can get in the MDR.  Speaking of MSC's Yacht Club, their private restaurant is opened for lunch every day...even when in port!  And I guess we could talk about NCLs Haven Suites, Cunard's Grill Suites, etc. etc.  HAL is in a class of their own with no class when it comes to suite amenities.

 

 

The cruise lines you mention have brought back First Class from the golden days of travelling by ship, and call it something else.  The nice amenities you receive in First Class aren't free.  HAL has resisted the class distinctions, and has only put a toe in the water with Club Orange. Even then, Club Orange is a tough sell to many HAL cruisers; they believe the value of the amenities isn't worth the asking price, and instead  choose to use that money for something else on the cruise, that has more value to them.

 

Thankfully there are different ships and amenities for everyone to choose from. I prefer HAL"s class-less cruise experience and don't require member-only areas to have a great cruise.  I've done the multi-class cruise experience on the old liners, and more recently Cunard. On Cunard it's a grand tradition. On the newer lines, it's a marketing tool.  Some want it, others don't.        

[highscar]

I enjoy every meal on Hal.  I don’t have to prepare it, cook it or do the dishes.  

[Hlitner]

19 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

The cruise lines you mention have brought back First Class from the golden days of travelling by ship, and call it something else.  The nice amenities you receive in First Class aren't free.  HAL has resisted the class distinctions, and has only put a toe in the water with Club Orange. Even then, Club Orange is a tough sell to many HAL cruisers; they believe the value of the amenities isn't worth the asking price, and instead  choose to use that money for something else on the cruise, that has more value to them.

 

Thankfully there are different ships and amenities for everyone to choose from. I prefer HAL"s class-less cruise experience and don't require member-only areas to have a great cruise.  I've done the multi-class cruise experience on the old liners, and more recently Cunard. On Cunard it's a grand tradition. On the newer lines, it's a marketing tool.  Some want it, others don't.        

I am sure you speak from personal experience.  We have also experienced HAL (5* Mariners) and some ship in ship situations.  On MSC that "awful" experience started as soon as we arrived at the port and walked into the white tent (outside the terminal).  We were checked-in and escorted through all the security lines to a nice lounge (in the terminal) where we enjoyed champagne, cookies, and some snacks.  Eventually a butler came along and escorted us onto the ship where we entered a reserved elevator and ascended to the Yacht Club enclave.  While in that key card protected section of the ship we did not need to show our cruise cards.  Just ask for a drink and it appeared.  Want food and we had our own buffet, restaurant, etc.  Want a deck chair and we had our own private pool deck.  When it was time for the main show in the evening our butler escorted us to a reserved section in the theater.  Yep, life was not good.  The best part was that this all cost far less than a Neptune suite.  

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I am sure you speak from personal experience.  We have also experienced HAL (5* Mariners) and some ship in ship situations.  On MSC that "awful" experience started as soon as we arrived at the port and walked into the white tent (outside the terminal).  We were checked-in and escorted through all the security lines to a nice lounge (in the terminal) where we enjoyed champagne, cookies, and some snacks.  Eventually a butler came along and escorted us onto the ship where we entered a reserved elevator and ascended to the Yacht Club enclave.  While in that key card protected section of the ship we did not need to show our cruise cards.  Just ask for a drink and it appeared.  Want food and we had our own buffet, restaurant, etc.  Want a deck chair and we had our own private pool deck.  When it was time for the main show in the evening our butler escorted us to a reserved section in the theater.  Yep, life was not good.  The best part was that this all cost far less than a Neptune suite.  

We may have to look into the MSC Yacht Club as we absolutely love the Retreat Suites on Celebrity which has almost as many amenities and great service as you described above with MSC. We can also book a Sky Suite for less than a Neptune on HAL. If you look at my signature you will see after our upcoming Oosterdam cruise we are booked exclusively with Celebrity in Suites for our Ocean cruising.

[Florida_gal_50]

20 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I am sure you speak from personal experience.  We have also experienced HAL (5* Mariners) and some ship in ship situations.  On MSC that "awful" experience started as soon as we arrived at the port and walked into the white tent (outside the terminal).  We were checked-in and escorted through all the security lines to a nice lounge (in the terminal) where we enjoyed champagne, cookies, and some snacks.  Eventually a butler came along and escorted us onto the ship where we entered a reserved elevator and ascended to the Yacht Club enclave.  While in that key card protected section of the ship we did not need to show our cruise cards.  Just ask for a drink and it appeared.  Want food and we had our own buffet, restaurant, etc.  Want a deck chair and we had our own private pool deck.  When it was time for the main show in the evening our butler escorted us to a reserved section in the theater.  Yep, life was not good.  The best part was that this all cost far less than a Neptune suite.  

Sounds like a perfect fit for you.  Why mix with the unwashed on hal?  It seems there is very little you like.  That’s the way I feel about celebrity so I just don’t spend money there.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, Hlitner said:

ROFL.  Even when in MSC's Yacht Club one does adventure out into the real jungle (called the "rest of the ship") from time to time for all the entertainment venues.  But no fear because one can keep their nose pointed up to the sky, wear a cardboard sign around their neck that says "I be staying in the Yacht Club,"  etc. etc.  Kind of like those Club Orange folks who wear little orange stickers or those who slink off into the upper class calm of Club Neptune.

 

Hank

Orange stickers?

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Orange stickers?

Don't worry, they are coming soon after the special Club Orange key cards :).  Perhaps the best compromise is to simply cruise on Seabourn (part of the HAL Group) where everyone is treated first-class, there is no such thing as an upcharge, no photographers, no art auctions, no tables with "sale" items of inches of gold cramming public spaces, etc.

 

But in all serious we have often cruised while staying in "steerage,"  been on some of the true budget cruise lines, been on most of the mass market lines, and also been on a few of the very high-end luxury lines, and also done a few ship within a ship cruises.  They were all wonderful, because we are always happy as clams when on a ship.  But it would also be accurate to say, I have experienced what some might call first class cruising and it is very nice.  Going back to the masses is fine, but i will admit that it is nice to ask for a double serving of caviar and a glass of French Champagne and not get an extra charge.

 

Hank

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Don't worry, they are coming soon after the special Club Orange key cards :).  Perhaps the best compromise is to simply cruise on Seabourn (part of the HAL Group) where everyone is treated first-class, there is no such thing as an upcharge, no photographers, no art auctions, no tables with "sale" items of inches of gold cramming public spaces, etc.

 

But in all serious we have often cruised while staying in "steerage,"  been on some of the true budget cruise lines, been on most of the mass market lines, and also been on a few of the very high-end luxury lines, and also done a few ship within a ship cruises.  They were all wonderful, because we are always happy as clams when on a ship.  But it would also be accurate to say, I have experienced what some might call first class cruising and it is very nice.  Going back to the masses is fine, but i will admit that it is nice to ask for a double serving of caviar and a glass of French Champagne and not get an extra charge.

 

Hank

Champagne and caviar are very overrated and yes I’ve tried both.  You pay more  to sail on a luxury line, plain and simple no matter how many times and ways you say you don’t.  While I’m willing to pay for some things, I’m not interested in paying for others that have zero value to me. If you don’t want to sail on hal in a Neptune suite don’t.  It’s not for me either.  It’s just gets a little old after the hundredth time no matter who says it.

[Moosers Mom]

Not sure if this was addressed previously:
Sailing Oosterdam August 21 - September 4, 2022

Can someone who has sailed this itinerary tell which nights are gala/dressy?

I can guess at them but wanted to see if anyone had the definite answer

[VMax1700]

8 hours ago, Moosers Mom said:

Not sure if this was addressed previously:
Sailing Oosterdam August 21 - September 4, 2022

Can someone who has sailed this itinerary tell which nights are gala/dressy?

I can guess at them but wanted to see if anyone had the definite answer

I believe that is a new itinerary with 2 x 7 day cruises back to back.  until now Oosterdam has been doing 12 day cruises and only one 7 day cruise, so it there will be no definitive answer however I would put money on August 24th and September 1st.

How many dressy nights are listed?  It is mentioned on your boarding pass, which you probably can't get yet! 🙄