Unadvertised Suite Amenities

[PCruzer]

I'm not sure if this has been addressed recently. Could anyone tell me what some of the "unadvertised" suite amenities would be. I already know about what is listed in the brochure. We are sailing on the Veendam this February and it is our first time in a full suite. Just don't want to miss anything!! Thanks!

[doone]

Pcruzr, how are you? I will be in my first full suite myself this March on the Zuiderdam. I'll be interested to know as well, so I don't miss anything.

[TedC]

It's like the secret handshake - we can't reveal it.

[bepsf]

You mean things like the fresh corsages and boutonnières on formal nights? - priority tender passes? - special accommodations on HMC? - the invitation to the Suite Passenger cocktail party? - dedicated Deluxe Suite Passenger check-in desk?

[peaches from georgia]

There is no chance of missing anything. All the information of suite amenities will be in your suite or your concierge will take care of everything as the cruise goes on.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

- special accommodations on HMC? -

 

 

What exactly is the SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS? This is the first I heard of this.

[jaguarstyper]

I rarely see the complimentary laundry, drycleaning and pressing service mentioned. Its a very nice touch for people who are concerned how their clothes look. It also means you can pack fewer changes of clothes, knowing you can get everything cleaned/laundered with a quick turnaround.

 

Another perk that seems to go unmentioned and under utilized is the extensive room service that borders on full service catering. Our last cruise, we had an aft corner suite. The 2 other couples we were with also had suites, but mid-ship with smaller verandas. At each port, we arranged and hosted sailaway parties in our suite and on our giant veranda. The concierge and assistant in the neptune were just fantastic helping us make arrangements for cocktails (for a charge), appetizers, snacks, table settings and a lot of other nice touches. It was just a great service not universally available to all pax.

 

Thanks to Avon in the Neptune, Our sailaway parties became legendary.

 

Tim

[PCruzer]

Do suite passengers have a bottle of champagne in their room upon embarkation? I thought I read that somewhere, but it's not listed in the brochure. What about afternoon tea served in cabin?

 

Hi, Doone! So you are trying the "suite life," too!! That's great!! We are really looking forward to it. (Maybe one of these days we'll meet up again on a HAL cruise!)

[bepsf]

What exactly is the SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS? This is the first I heard of this.

 

Lisa--

 

Am I mistaken? I thought I read that there are special cabanas for suite passengers on HMC...

(I have yet to go to HMC, so I don't know first-hand)

[cactuslady]

There is no chance of missing anything. All the information of suite amenities will be in your suite or your concierge will take care of everything as the cruise goes on.

I beg to differ! I have seen young people interested in dancing miss the supposedly obvious fact that there is a disco on board until almost the end of a cruise. Honest! :eek: Some of the amenities for suite passengers (or available niceties for anyone) are far more subtle than that and are routinely missed by quite a few people:

 

--suites get unlimited free laundry and pressing (not dry cleaning, we asked)

--suites get personalized stationery, even if you got married and changed your name before boarding (they're happy to reprint it)

--suites get the aforementioned corsage and boutonniere

--(apparently on some ships, or maybe used to be, or maybe not--experiences of folks on this board differ), suites get invitations to a Captain's cocktail party, suite dinner and/or suite Indonesian luncheon; and/or the opportunity to eat breakfast and lunch in the Pinnacle Grill

--suites get the Neptune Lounge, DVD library, games, etc.

--suites can get hors d'ouvres and afternoon tea served in their suite

--everybody can get unlimited laundry and pressing for what seems to me a reasonable fee

--everybody can get more blankets or a different pillow if you don't like yours

--everybody can get the steward to store their huge suitcase somewhere else, space and willingness to please permitting

--everybody can buy a liquor and setup package (fifth plus two or three cans of mixer) for consumption in their cabin by calling room service

--you really can get all the shampoo, soap, etc that you want.

--I'm sure there's more

 

Secret Number One to getting all the bennies is to keep a sharp lookout and dutifully read all those pieces of paper that show up in your cabin: daily schedules, flyers, invitations, etc. Many of the perks are mentioned only once in an inconspicuous place on a single piece of paper.

 

Secret Number Two is to ask the concierge or front desk for something you might want but are not sure you can get. Chances are pretty good you can. If not, at least you tried and are not missing anything.

 

Secret Number Three (for most cabins on most ships): the light for the bathroom is on the outside next to the door. ;)

[peaches from georgia]

I beg to differ! I have seen young people interested in dancing miss the supposedly obvious fact that there is a disco on board until almost the end of a cruise. Honest! :eek: Some of the amenities for suite passengers (or available niceties for anyone) are far more subtle than that and are routinely missed by quite a few people: .........

 

Secret Number One to getting all the bennies is to keep a sharp lookout and dutifully read all those pieces of paper that show up in your cabin: daily schedules, flyers, invitations, etc. Many of the perks are mentioned only once in an inconspicuous place on a single piece of paper.

 

Secret Number Two is to ask the concierge or front desk for something you might want but are not sure you can get. Chances are pretty good you can. If not, at least you tried and are not missing anything.

 

Secret Number Three (for most cabins on most ships): the light for the bathroom is on the outside next to the door. ;)

 

I suppose it is possible to miss the suite amenities if you don't read the material in your room on the desk when you arrive or the notices you would have to step over as you walk in your suite everyday (or in the case of the Vista ships never take your mail out of your mailbox). Don't know what is so inconspicious or hidden about a notices being placed in the same spot on the one and only desk in the suite everyday. HAL certainly is not hiding any of the benefits and are notifying every suite pax of all of them, but I guess it is too much to expect that a pax read the notifications, invitations, etc. ? Any suite event we went to was always well-attended with no complaints ever heard that people didn't see their invitation.

 

A disco? If a pax is going to be on a ship a week or more and either not look at the deck plans or not walk around to see the various lounges, especially if they like to dance, then I guess they might miss something, but I would call that their fault.

[PrincessMelody]

We had a bottle of champagne waiting for us in our suite on the Zuiderdam...It was Chase-Limoges. We had a different kind on the Maasdam prior to that though...I think it was a better champagne.

 

We too had a nice cocktail party with hot and cold hors'duerves on the balcony. Very nice. One thing we did not like...On the Maasdam we had 10 people, and were served enough hot and cold snacks for all. On the Zuiderdam, we were told that the hot and cold hor'duerves were limited to service for 4. Any extras could be had for $15 additional per couple. We asked why, and were told by the concierge that this is the policy on all Vista ships.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Other suite perks not mentioned:

A big umbrella for rainy days - never used it - like our 2 very small compact ones better - fit into a pack-back easily.

Binoculars - use in your cabin or else where on the ship. We have taken them off the ship in Alaska.

Penthouse & Suite passengers are now issued gold cards when they embark - all others get a blue card. The gold card entitiles you to priority tendering.

There should be a free bottle of champagne in your suite upon arrial - compliments of the captain and hotel manager - if there isn't one there - talk to your concierge.

Sometimes you will get a newspaper - USA Today.

On the last few cruises we have noticed that HAL has changed the rules as to who shall be invited to a special VIP party (or Whose Who - see my review on this). Not all suite passengers are invited anymore.

Most of the ships in the last couple of months have started to charge extra for appetizers whenever you host a party in your cabin - check with your concierge.

To have afternoon tea or appetizers delivered to your suite - most of the time they require you to order before noon - again - order through your concierge.

[heyabbott]

If room service is available 24/7, why is it special to get hors d'oeurves delivered to your cabin? Can't anyone call room service and order it? I'm sure even if it's not on the menu, they wouldn't say 'no'.

 

 

Besides, it's a vacation, not country club, if you want soemthing, ask, for a price everything is available.

[patval]

Other suite perks not mentioned:

 

On the last few cruises we have noticed that HAL has changed the rules as to who shall be invited to a special VIP party (or Whose Who - see my review on this). Not all suite passengers are invited anymore.

 

 

Who is the "Whose Who" VIP Party? So if I was in a S or PS I could not go unless I am a another kind of VIP? Who is the Special VIP?

 

Thank you

 

 

Paul

[Krazy Kruizers]

For many years the extra cocktail party that was held one evening was referred to as the VIP party. Originaly all suite passengers were invited along with others - invited because they belonged to a certain group traveling together, friends of the captain, friends of officers, etc.

There have been times when we attended these parties when there were only 8 of us invited while at other times (old Noordam ) - nearly the entire ship was invited.

But on our last cruise - Westerdam just a couple of weeks ago - we were "corrected" by the enviromental engineer that the extra cocktail party is not refered to as a "Vip" party but is a "Whose Who" party. And very few suite passengers were invited to the party the second week of our cruise - maybe 60 people were there compared to about 150 the first week of our cruise. He informed us that the suite buffet is the "VIP" party. ---- WHATEVER!

So I guess in future reports (as I did on in my reviews) - I will refer to these extra cocktail parties as "VIP - Whose Who - Or Whatever" parties.

[debsea]

Cactus Lady:

 

Suite passengers most certainly get unlimited drycleaning.

 

Peaches:

 

How right you are. You only have to read the literature in the suite and the steady flow of invitations under the door to be fully apprised of all of the luxuries, treats, and amenities that you have paid the exta $$$ to enjoy.

 

We have always been fortunate enough to cruise in a suite, and the little extras truly make for a wonderful holiday experience.

[peaches from georgia]

Who is the "Whose Who" VIP Party? So if I was in a S or PS I could not go unless I am a another kind of VIP? Who is the Special VIP?

Thank you

Paul

Not necessarily. I have no idea what % of S and PS pax are invited to the VIP Party or how they are selected, but you certainly don't have to be a Special VIP of any kind. We have always been invited and other S pax we have met on ships have always been invited, too, so I think a lot of suite pax are. We spent one party talking with a young couple from an inside Main Deck cabin- she was a TA. So all kinds of pax get invited for all kinds of unknown reasons, I guess, or maybe for no reason at all.

 

Debsea- - Thanks for backing me up. I don't understand the worry that suite amenities are hidden and you have to have secret detective ability to find them. Nor do you have to know them all before sailing. You won't miss them and some things will be a nice surprise. And yes, there is no charge dry cleaning. ;)

[bepsf]

Who is the "Whose Who" VIP Party? So if I was in a S or PS I could not go unless I am a another kind of VIP? Who is the Special VIP?

 

Thank you

 

 

Paul

 

The Captain's VIP Reception is a completely separate thing from the Suite Passengers Cocktail party.

The VIP guestlist is pretty much at the discretion of the Social Hostess with input from HAL in Seattle. Folks who are invited might include any guests of some fame or notable achievement, family of crew-members, certain Mariners who have a large number of days on HAL and anyone else that the Social Hostess feels might be of interest to the Captain. These are the same folks who might also be invited to dine at the Captain's Table.

Just because one can afford the Penthouse Suite doesn't necessarily guarantee an invite to the VIP reception...

[sail7seas]

HAL no longer has Social Hostesses aboard their ships. They stopped having those lovely ladies about 2 1/2 - 3 ? years ago.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

When we were on the Ryndam we were invited to the VIP Party that was held on the Informal Night. Almost everyone we talked to were NOT suite passenger, but we did meet some nice people. It was kind of hard to attend because of timing. We had early lower seating and the party was almost over when we arrived after dinner.

[Peggy Sue]

Last November on the Volendam we were invited to the VIP cocktail party. We didn't stay long, it was in the atrium, very crowded and HOT. There had to have been over 300 people there. We saw other suite passengers and many, many more that occupied other types of staterooms. A bar was set up and wait staff were circulating with hot/cold apps. We enjoyed the suite coctail party the first evening in the Neptune lounge. Provided a great opportunity to meet the various officers on the ship..we also had a delightful chat with the ships doctor and his wife. We did not attend the suite brunch .. it was held in the Explorers Lounge, but we had other plans that afternoon.

 

Peggy Sue

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are right sail7seas - the social hostesses have been gone for the better part of 3 years.

[jaguarstyper]

Secret Number Two is to ask the concierge or front desk for something you might want but are not sure you can get. Chances are pretty good you can. If not, at least you tried and are not missing anything.

This is probably the best Advice I have heard yet. The concierges in the Neptune Lounge will bend over backwards to help you anyway they can. They are far less busy than the folks at the "Front Desk" and have more time to handle special requests or needs from the more or lesss then 150 suite pax. On the Zuiderdam, they were just great. We've been on Carnival and Celebrity and they have nothing that even compares to the service and attention you get at the Neptune. I doubt we'll ever cruise on anything other than a "S" on HAL. Well, maybe a "PS" on a special occaision some day :D Perhaps for 25th anniversary.

 

Tim

[bepsf]

You are right sail7seas - the social hostesses have been gone for the better part of 3 years.

 

I guess I meant the young lady on the cruise staff who introduces the captain in receiving lines and arranges these things - whatever her title is now...