Signature Suites - Are they worth it?

[Hlitner]

Interesting to read the Neptune Suites comments. We do not think these suites are reasonably priced although some do get a pretty good deal though upsells. As to the Neptune Lounge we are surprised that HAL does not offer free unlimited drinks (alcohol) in that venue. And giving up a large suite with large veranda and Ocean View to go into an inside lounge makes little sense to me (but then I have been accused of being weird). My other issue with Neptune Suites is that no matter which accommodations you choose you are still on an HAL ship with HAL entertainment, food, etc. Those in the lowest cost inside cabin get the same food and entertainment. For the price of a Neptune Suite, one can easily cruise on a much higher-end cruise product (such as Crystal, Seabourn, etc). We think of the old axiom about not buying the most expensive home in a lower priced neighborhood which is how we view Neptune Suites. On the other hand, for those that have no interest in money or value it makes sense to go for the largest most luxurious cabin on any ship.

 

Hank

[Sea42]

Resurrecting this thread for an update please.

 

We are considering a guarantee on a Signature Suite on Oosterdam. Does anyone know if there are loungers on the verandah and what does a “no host bar” mean ?

 

Any other info would be appreciated please . Thanks

We loved our Signature Suite on the Noordam an have one booked for our upcoming cruise on the Eurodam.

There were not loungers on the verandah but there were 2 chairs with ottomans and a decent sized table. A no host bar is just a minibar. You pay for anything you drink.

 

What you're paying for is the size. It's just a bit smaller than a Neptune Suite but so much less expensive. There are none of the perks of the Neptune Suites though. It depends on what are your priorities. For us the size and layout of the cabin is very important.

[MajMom96]

We’ve done Signature suites on other ships and they are a great value! More space and a nice veranda with chairs (not loungers) that have reclining backs and footstools. And a small table. We booked a Signature suite on the Oosterdam for a Mediterranean cruise in August. We found it to be a great deal because the Signature Experience (two night hotel stay in Venice, canal cruise and Venetian evening, and all transfers) was included if you booked a suite. Since we were planning on a few extra days in Venice anyway, it made sense for us. Plus suites get some other perks onboard like priority boarding and hosted cocktail parties.

[knittinggirl]

Having done the Neptune and the signature suite, I’d say the signature is a Neptune without benefits. I think the no host bar is the shelf with six glasses of different sizes. I think you’re supposed to spend money in the minibar, and use these glasses to make drinks. Also I haven’t seen them in photos of the lanai.

 

You still get double mariner credit.

 

Personally, we prefer the signature to the Vista Suite, which is like a balcony to me.

 

 

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[madera1]

We have stayed in both signature suites and Neptune suites and I have liked both staterooms. We have a signature suite booked for our next cruise.

 

 

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[british betty]

Thank you so much for the detailed responses.

 

I think we might be jumping ship from Oosterdam to Niew Amsterdam but we’ll certainly stick with the Signature Suite guarantee. We’ve been on ships that have fully stocked free mini bar and left the cruise without touching any of it so unfortunately they won’t be making any money from us on that score !

 

 

We do spend time in our room so I love the extra space and a larger balcony if at all possible to watch the sea from.

 

 

Thanks again

[DaveOKC]

We have stayed in both signature suites and Neptune suites and I have liked both staterooms. We have a signature suite booked for our next cruise.

 

We normally book a Signature Suite (much less expensive) and hope to get an upsell to a Neptune. It works more often than not!

 

Plus, once you get to 4 or 5 star Mariner, you get some of the Neptune perks anyway (like free laundry and VIP boarding/tenders), so the value is not as great for the Neptune.

[Shebba]

I don't think some book these for bragging rights. They book them for the reason that you don't. some do enjoy breakfast in the PG. Some do enjoy the Neptune Lounge. You sail on Vistas. when you get to the smaller ships there are no SY's (other than the Prinsendam).

 

That's why there are 31 flavours on Baskins and Robbins (yes I loved that post). Each to their own.

 

OP -if space doesn't really matter, then it doesn't hold much value = I don't like getting on the bed so DH can pass by - I think you might be surprised by how much you could enjoy this cabin. the longer the cruise - the more it becomes meaningful:D

 

Thank you. We don't book Neptune Suites for any type of bragging rights. Nobody really cares where we're located except us!!

We DO love the extra space (especially on longer cruises) as we do spend a fair amount of time in our cabin on sea days. We enjoy the quiet! We use the Neptune Lounge almost daily and are VERY fond of the concierge service available in there. They have solved some interesting problems for us (with a smile!) And, we especially enjoy having breakfast in the PG. It's a nice, peaceful way to start the days.

 

To each his own. Everyone has different tastes, needs, and things they enjoy. If you can afford it, go for whatever makes your cruise more enjoyable.

Edited June 3, 2018 by Shebba
typo

[MajMom96]

Thank you. We don't book Neptune Suites for any type of bragging rights. Nobody really cares where we're located except us!!

We DO love the extra space (especially on longer cruises) as we do spend a fair amount of time in our cabin on sea days. We enjoy the quiet! We use the Neptune Lounge almost daily and are VERY fond of the concierge service available in there. They have solved some interesting problems for us (with a smile!) And, we especially enjoy having breakfast in the PG. It's a nice, peaceful way to start the days.

 

To each his own. Everyone has different tastes, needs, and things they enjoy. If you can afford it, go for whatever makes your cruise more enjoyable.

 

 

 

We agree! Breakfast in the PG is definitely one of the nicest perks of having a Neptune Suite! And having nice canapés, snacks, and a cappuccino machine close at hand in the Neptune Lounge are things we enjoy. We usually stop by there to make up a plate to take back to our cabin when we change for dinner. I know you can get snacks on the Lido, but it’s nice to have them right down the hall. And now they have coffee machines in the Neptune Suite cabins! Sweet!

[The Penguina]

MajMom & other posters.....

Thanks for the Neptune Suite info. Not meaning to sound like a coffee snob but by chance do you recall the type of machine (K-cup, drip, espresso, whatnot) & the brand of coffees available?

Sorry for askin' but living in Seattle some things never leave you.

Thanks!

[MajMom96]

MajMom & other posters.....

Thanks for the Neptune Suite info. Not meaning to sound like a coffee snob but by chance do you recall the type of machine (K-cup, drip, espresso, whatnot) & the brand of coffees available?

Sorry for askin' but living in Seattle some things never leave you.

Thanks!

 

 

 

No worries, and I don’t think you’re a coffee snob for asking. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I have this correct, but I’ll do my best. The coffee machine was like a Keurig, with the pods, but I think it was a Dutch brand that uses the sam pod technology. And the coffee pods (regular) was arabica (?). It was actually quite good, it was strong coffee, which I like. The machine had an option for preparing the coffee as espresso or regular. On the first day, we asked the cabin steward to provide extra pods, and that was no issue. He left us extra pods every day so we could enjoy two cups of coffee each morning before we left the cabin. I don’t know the brand of coffee they use in the Neptune Lounge for cappuccino or espresso. But we enjoyed it!

[The Penguina]

Excellent!!! Thanks MajMom just the info I needed.....I'm confident I'll survive the morning now.

[MajMom96]

Excellent!!! Thanks MajMom just the info I needed.....I'm confident I'll survive the morning now.

 

 

 

I’m sure you will! It was quite a nice perk, and you’ll have a nice balcony to enjoy your coffee on!

[Joken35]

Do you get a beverage package with a signature suite or just the 2 half bottles of liquor and 2 bottles of wine

[CherryG]

We've had a Signature Suite once, Neptune twice, and just yesterday booked a Signature Suite for November We LOVE the Neptune Suite, but the Signature Suite is just fine. It's the extra room we love, and the two sinks! Depends what is important to you. For us, comfort makes the vacation. Hoping to get an up sell to a Neptune, but the Signature was a deal we couldn't pass up.

[kazu]

Do you get a beverage package with a signature suite or just the 2 half bottles of liquor and 2 bottles of wine

 

Sorry, I am confused. What 2 1/2 bottles of liquor and 2 bottles of wine?

 

I've never seen that included with a signature suite.

[Sea42]

Do you get a beverage package with a signature suite or just the 2 half bottles of liquor and 2 bottles of wine

Neither.

 

Edited to add: unless there is a certain promotion offering it

[Sea42]

If you are on either side of the ship while it is in motion, you will experience 20-knot winds unless you are on an aft-cabin verandah.

We did not experience this on any of our cruises. It's not like sitting out on an upper open deck. You have shelter on three sides.

[knittinggirl]

Signature suites are great! They have almost as much square footage as the Neptunes, w/o the hefty price tag.

 

 

I call them a Neptune w/o benefits.

[knittinggirl]

Sorry, I am confused. What 2 1/2 bottles of liquor and 2 bottles of wine?

 

I've never seen that included with a signature suite.

I think we're mistaking the Signature Suite (stateroom Category) with the Suite Amenities Package which includes two bottles of wine and two bottles of liquor.

 

We got the suite amenities package on our Voyage of the Vikings cruise, and I think we can do just as well purchasing all separately.

[Hlitner]

If you are on either side of the ship while it is in motion, you will experience 20-knot winds unless you are on an aft-cabin verandah.

 

That has not usually been the case on our 1000+ cruise days...mostly in balcony cabins on the side of various ships. Yes, there are times when the wind across the ship can cause problems, but many more times when the design of balconies mitigates most wine problems. As to aft cabins, they can be really nice or they can suffer from vibration and shimmy issues related to the props. And on some of the older HAL vessels they can also get their share of ashes which play havoc with any clothes that they happen to contact.

 

Hank

[roses313]

In our opinion, Signature Suites are now preferred over a regular balcony cabin. We like the extra space, especially the vanity by the window. Two sinks in the bathroom and a walk in shower are now a "must have".

 

We have been in regular cabins, so have some basis for comparison. The Signature suites make a long cruise more pleasant, and isn't that what cruising is all about? We have a Signature booked for the upcoming Oosterdam transatlantic. The Signature experience is a nice bonus. I agree no one really cares what kind of accommodation you have. In all the years of cruising it has never been a subject of conversation with other cruisers.

 

Not interested, at this point in trying a Neptune, but who knows.

[Hlitner]

In our opinion, Signature Suites are now preferred over a regular balcony cabin. We like the extra space, especially the vanity by the window. Two sinks in the bathroom and a walk in shower are now a "must have".

 

We have been in regular cabins, so have some basis for comparison. The Signature suites make a long cruise more pleasant, and isn't that what cruising is all about? We have a Signature booked for the upcoming Oosterdam transatlantic. The Signature experience is a nice bonus. I agree no one really cares what kind of accommodation you have. In all the years of cruising it has never been a subject of conversation with other cruisers.

 

Not interested, at this point in trying a Neptune, but who knows.

 

Have to agree with your comment about the snob "status" of accommodations. In our forty plus years of extensive cruising it is rare when anyone even talks about their cabin categories. Last year on the VOV cruise we spent over a month of evenings in the piano bar chatting with a delightful couple who shared our love of piano bars and enjoyed Barry from Boston. It was only near the end of the cruise that we discovered that the other couple was in the largest suite on the ship. To us, they were simply another couple at the Piano Bar which is exactly what they wanted. Once we found out about their cabin we joked that they never invited us to their large suite for cocktails. They pointed out that they never had cocktails in their suite because they were always at the piano bar :).

 

DW and I do count our pennies are do not generally book the really large suites. To be honest, when we want to spend that kind of money we prefer booking with Crystal or another higher end cruise line. But we do agree that on a longer cruise the extra space is nice and we are more and more being sold on HAL Signature Suites.

 

Hank

[kevingastreich]

In our opinion, Signature Suites are now preferred over a regular balcony cabin. We like the extra space, especially the vanity by the window. Two sinks in the bathroom and a walk in shower are now a "must have".

 

We have been in regular cabins, so have some basis for comparison. The Signature suites make a long cruise more pleasant, and isn't that what cruising is all about? We have a Signature booked for the upcoming Oosterdam transatlantic. The Signature experience is a nice bonus. I agree no one really cares what kind of accommodation you have. In all the years of cruising it has never been a subject of conversation with other cruisers.

 

Not interested, at this point in trying a Neptune, but who knows.

On our very first cruise, we were upsold from a veranda cabin to a Signature Suite. We loved it and have booked them on every cruise since. We always get upsell offers to Neptune Suites but have never felt the need to make the move..

[Pair of Hikers]

First time cruiser. We are on a Alaska Yukon trip with only 4 days on the ship. I just received an offer to upgrade to a Signature Suite for $189pp or a Neptune for $289 from a VD Verandah. I will call HAL shortly. Not sure about the price for only 4 days. Do we get anything upgraded besides the room? Better liquor package (which we have not ordered yet?) Any suggestions for someone who knows nothing are welcome