Room service in suites

[calikak]

We are taking a 2-night cruise on Norwegian Pearl in May with our son, who will be almost a year old actual age/9 months corrected age (he was born 3 months premature), along with my parents (Dad's turning 60 on the cruise) and some friends. In addition, we are tentatively planning a cruise on Norwegian Sun in October, when our son will be 16 months actual age/13 months corrected age. We expect there will be times when he won't be able to sit still for a full meal in a dining room (at least, not without much loudness and annoying of our fellow passengers), so on both sailings we're booking a suite, expecting that we can order from the extended room service menu if dinner in a dining room doesn't work out for us. (We also figured we could put his blow-up bathtub on the balcony for a mini splash pool, so as to avoid his icky poop getting in the public swimming pools, but still giving him a place to splash around.)

 

So, I have some questions about room service for suites on the Pearl and on the Sun. What is on the extended room service menu for suites? Is it different on different ships? Can you order from the dining room menu or the specialty restaurant menus? What about kid/baby-friendly food? I'm wondering if we'll need to bring our own baby food or not (not that that's a problem, just want to know what to bring). Also, how will Freestyle 2.0 affect any of this, since the second cruise would be in October, when it will have been implemented? Thanks for your input!

[smeyer418]

If you have butler service you can get anything on the menus. From the specialty restaurants you are supposed to be changed the cover charge for entrees but hey most of the time don't charge that either.

 

I don't think they supply baby food but many of the foods are kid friendly any way but you should call special services and ask.

 

Freestyle 2.0 seems to mean an expanded menu in the regular rooms. We just were off the Gem and besides the Champagne at embarkation I didn't see a room service change.

 

Sometimes we were able to get off the menu items(in a regular room) and sometimes we weren't.....

[BeachBumMama]

There is also the buffet option. I know the Dawn has the kid only buffet area, I would imagine this is on the newer ships such as the Pearl also? Someone else may be able to comment, and you might find more info on the family boards also. If 'kid food' you mean chicken nuggets and the like, I'm sure there won't be a problem. I know on the regular room service menu there's at least peanut butter and jelly. You could always get his dinner from the buffet and take back to your room, ordering meals from room service for yourself. Or if you are in a full suite, I imagine your butler would be able to provide you with most anything you should want.

 

As for bringing your own food, I'd only suggest this if they are still eating baby food, as I don't think there is anything like that available. But there should be plenty to choose from that is 'kid friendly'.:)

[Spriteshadow]

My two were born at 28 weeks, and will be 19 mos corrected when we go on the Gem March 8, 2 months shy "chronologically" of being able to join the kids program. I wonder what their policy is if they find out that a 2 year old is physically 21 months... and I wonder if we can adjusted ate to get them on the ship for the under 2 years old price until they're 27 months old. ;) Kidding!

 

If you still have questions in early March, let me know and I'll find out what I can for you on board. Preemie parents unite :p

 

spriteshadow@yahoo.com

[sjmoss]

We are taking a 2-night cruise on Norwegian Pearl in May with our son, who will be almost a year old actual age/9 months corrected age (he was born 3 months premature), along with my parents (Dad's turning 60 on the cruise) and some friends. In addition, we are tentatively planning a cruise on Norwegian Sun in October, when our son will be 16 months actual age/13 months corrected age. We expect there will be times when he won't be able to sit still for a full meal in a dining room (at least, not without much loudness and annoying of our fellow passengers), so on both sailings we're booking a suite, expecting that we can order from the extended room service menu if dinner in a dining room doesn't work out for us. (We also figured we could put his blow-up bathtub on the balcony for a mini splash pool, so as to avoid his icky poop getting in the public swimming pools, but still giving him a place to splash around.)

 

So, I have some questions about room service for suites on the Pearl and on the Sun. What is on the extended room service menu for suites? Is it different on different ships? Can you order from the dining room menu or the specialty restaurant menus? What about kid/baby-friendly food? I'm wondering if we'll need to bring our own baby food or not (not that that's a problem, just want to know what to bring). Also, how will Freestyle 2.0 affect any of this, since the second cruise would be in October, when it will have been implemented? Thanks for your input!

 

Sorry to disappoint you, but I have recently taken a one day and two day cruises in high level suites and NCL discontinued room service for the short cruises. The menus are removed from the cabin and there is a card that states room service is not available. When I asked the butler he said you do not get the same service on a shorter cruise. He refused my request to have a meal delivered to the cabin. Needless to say no tip for him.

[whale-watcher]

That's too bad...expanded room service is one of the best suite perks!

[calikak]

Wow, I thought they were supposed to deliver Cagney's breakfast and lunch to the courtyard if we requested it...I have to say, we'll be pretty upset if that's the case. DH is planning not to leave the suite/courtyard if at all possible (I'm dragging him to my dad's birthday dinner, though!). Will report after we get back...

 

I guess for baby food I was thinking would they puree some carrots or peas for us, that sort of thing. Food that's probably onboard already, just not in baby format, so it would be a "special request" for him? But it's not a problem to bring our own if we need to.

[bplazo]

Sorry to disappoint you, but I have recently taken a one day and two day cruises in high level suites and NCL discontinued room service for the short cruises. The menus are removed from the cabin and there is a card that states room service is not available. When I asked the butler he said you do not get the same service on a shorter cruise. He refused my request to have a meal delivered to the cabin. Needless to say no tip for him.

 

Why would you "stiff" the butler because there is no room service on short cruises. I am sure that he did not make the rules but only abides by them.

[calikak]

My two were born at 28 weeks, and will be 19 mos corrected when we go on the Gem March 8, 2 months shy "chronologically" of being able to join the kids program. I wonder what their policy is if they find out that a 2 year old is physically 21 months... and I wonder if we can adjusted ate to get them on the ship for the under 2 years old price until they're 27 months old. ;) Kidding!

 

If you still have questions in early March, let me know and I'll find out what I can for you on board. Preemie parents unite :p

 

spriteshadow@yahoo.com

 

Thanks! Always fun to bump into another preemie parent--sounds like your twins are doing well! I hope you enjoy your cruise with them!

[watchdiva]

When you booked your 2-day, did you ask either your TA or your cruise consultant with NCL whether room service would be available on your 2-day cruise? If I were booking a suite on a cruise, whether 2-7-9 or more days, you can bet I'd be asking questions about anything/everything before I paid my deposit!

 

IF the expanded room service menu will be available on your cruise - you certainly won't go hungry. Suite pax can order from any/all restaurants for in-suite dining (or for delivery to the courtyard if you're in a courtyard villa). We had requested our butler to bring us menus from every restaurant on the Pearl and he did so - we ordered from those restaurants on those nights we weren't in the mood to get dressed and go to a restaurant.

[jimswims]

We were in an AB suite on the Dawn in August and had great butler service.

 

When were were in the same suite, different butler on our 2 day in October (only 2 months later) the butler informed us that there would be no room service from any of the restaurants during the 2-day cruise. He was very clear that this included breakfast.

 

I told him that we were dissappointed by this since wehad such wonderful service on the ship and that we were only looking for a hot breakfast in the morning. He came back to us less than 30 minutes later with suite breakfast menus and said that he would be happy to provide breakfast in the morning if we would fill it out and leave it on the table for him to come by and pick up. He did not want us to leave it on the door.

 

We enjoyed our breakfast the next morning. We also tipped him nicely for his service.

[jimswims]

Why would you "stiff" the butler because there is no room service on short cruises. I am sure that he did not make the rules but only abides by them.

 

The butler did not do anything.

I am not sure I would tip a butler if he did not do anything :confused:

 

On our 2 day we tipped him because he brought us a nice breakfast. Otherwise he was clear that he would not be providing any services to us for the cruise.

[calikak]

It never occurred to me that room service wouldn't be available, despite the length of the cruise. This thread is the first I've heard of that happening to someone--guess I should have done my research earlier. It's not a huge deal, but would be a disappointment.

[sjmoss]

When you booked your 2-day, did you ask either your TA or your cruise consultant with NCL whether room service would be available on your 2-day cruise? If I were booking a suite on a cruise, whether 2-7-9 or more days, you can bet I'd be asking questions about anything/everything before I paid my deposit!

 

IF the expanded room service menu will be available on your cruise - you certainly won't go hungry. Suite pax can order from any/all restaurants for in-suite dining (or for delivery to the courtyard if you're in a courtyard villa). We had requested our butler to bring us menus from every restaurant on the Pearl and he did so - we ordered from those restaurants on those nights we weren't in the mood to get dressed and go to a restaurant.

 

I did not ask this question on my 2 day cruise. My experience is that even if I did I would not have received the correct answer.

[cruise4kicks]

I did not ask this question on my 2 day cruise. My experience is that even if I did I would not have received the correct answer.

:p ROFL!!! :p

[foofus1973]

(We also figured we could put his blow-up bathtub on the balcony for a mini splash pool, so as to avoid his icky poop getting in the public swimming pools, but still giving him a place to splash around.)

 

Since I'm also going to be on the Pearl for the May two day I want to thank you for keeping the icky poop out of the pool! :rolleyes:

 

Scott

[bplazo]

The butler did not do anything.

I am not sure I would tip a butler if he did not do anything :confused:

 

On our 2 day we tipped him because he brought us a nice breakfast. Otherwise he was clear that he would not be providing any services to us for the cruise.

 

 

Is the room steward different from a butler? I just assumed that the butler has other duties as well.

[Baitman19]

Is the room steward different from a butler? I just assumed that the butler has other duties as well.

 

The room steward cleans the cabin and brings ice.

 

The butler takes care of your food needs and in cabin dining.

 

Happy Cruising

[JerseyMom]

My two were born at 28 weeks, and will be 19 mos corrected when we go on the Gem March 8, 2 months shy "chronologically" of being able to join the kids program. I wonder what their policy is if they find out that a 2 year old is physically 21 months...

spriteshadow@yahoo.com

 

NCL will go by the date on the birth certificate to determine if and where they go into the Kids Club. We were originally going to do an April 19 cruise. DS, who turns 13 in May, was due April 19. He was hoping that NCL would let him go to the teen club since he should be 2 weeks older than what his birth certificate shows. No way! Turns out we switched to a March 23 - gives him one less thing to sulk about.

 

BTW - I thought I read somewhere that preemies catch up to their peers fairly quickly. So, would your twins really be 21 months physically?

[jimswims]

Is the room steward different from a butler? I just assumed that the butler has other duties as well.

 

Yes, the room steward is different from the butler.

[sally r]

I just booked this two day cruise yesterday. Did the AB-AF combo as I am bringing family. I did expect that certain things would be different on the 2 day but no butler service?!? Breakfast is all I care about, that's why I wanted (and paid dearly for) a dining room table in the cabin! Oh, well, we'll have fun.

 

There is a roll call going.

[calikak]

BTW - I thought I read somewhere that preemies catch up to their peers fairly quickly. So, would your twins really be 21 months physically?

 

It's less that they "catch up" and more that the developmental milestones happen farther apart, so the range of normal gets bigger. For example, a 3 month old is very different developmentally from a 6 month old, but a 4 year old is pretty much the same as a 4 year 3 month old.

 

foofus, you're welcome. I don't want to swim in his poop either. :D Be sure to come over and join our roll call! There's a link in my signature.

[greywillow]

I told him that we were dissappointed by this since wehad such wonderful service on the ship and that we were only looking for a hot breakfast in the morning. He came back to us less than 30 minutes later with suite breakfast menus and said that he would be happy to provide breakfast in the morning if we would fill it out and leave it on the table for him to come by and pick up. He did not want us to leave it on the door.

 

We enjoyed our breakfast the next morning. We also tipped him nicely for his service.

I suspect it's all in the classy way you chose to handle it with the butler. Nice.

[jimswims]

I suspect it's all in the classy way you chose to handle it with the butler. Nice.

 

We were surprised when he came back with the suite breakfast menus. I am glad that he was able to do this for us. We still would have had a great time if this was not possible. We really appreciated him for doing this for us.

 

I should also add that the butler told us that there was no complimentary sparkling wine offered to suite passengers on the 1 and 2 day cruises. This was also delivered to our cabin and just as we left the NYC pier. The person who delivered this said that he was bringing this to all the suites, a gift from NCL.

 

The concierge was great and got us the dinner reservations that we wanted. However, he did not know that Cagney's, Bamboo and Teppanaki had lunch seating on a reservation and first come first serve basis for all passengers. We were able to walk in to Bamboo for lunch but would have preferred to go to Teppanaki.

 

It was a fun weekend away. We are on the Dream 2-day in May out of Boston. We did not spend the extra $$$ for an owner's suite since the perks are really limited.

 

I think that there really is some confusion with the ship staff about these 1 and 2 day cruises. It seems as though NCL has one plan and the ship staff has another.

[Markandrews]

On the 1 & 2 day cruises there is very little time for the crew members to do anything but get passengers on and off the ship.

 

I am not suprised that a poster DID receive room service breakfast on a short cruise. Every NCL butler I have ever met did any and everything we requested. Just treat these people with respect and they will stop the world for you. A little $$$ is always appreciated as well.