Zuiderdam aft Neptune suites, decks 5, 6, 7

[winste]

Just got off the Zuiderdam. I had 5190. Unbelievable balcony. The room itself was a little smaller than other Neptune suites, more the size of the a Signature suite.

 

Here are some pics of the balcony and the interior as well as one of a glacier I got from the balcony.

 

These are a long walk from the Neptune lounge. But the great thing about being on decks 4 5 or 6 is it's easy to get to deck 3 and the exterior promenade. That way you can see the other side.

[sonavogel]

Thank you so much, Crew News and Sapper 1! And thank you for the pictures--this is perfect.

 

And I have reserved 5191 for this cruise. I think that is a wraparound balcony, similar to the 6166, but...after spending the afternoon reading post after post on the forum, I now have one question that you can probably help me with:

 

As you can see, 5191 is on the opposite side from 6166. It's on the side that, on deck 9 (four decks away), harbors the Seaview Bar. I'm not allergic to smoke or anything like that, and I'll be fine if there's a smoker next door. That's HAL policy, and it's not a problem.

 

But I was wondering if having the smoking bar on the same side as 5191 will have an effect on a balcony that's four decks down. It's a no-brainer that there will be smokers at the Seaview, likely going on through the day (which is understandable, since it's allowed there). But when I reserved 5191, I was simply not thinking about that aspect of things.

 

May I hope/assume that the Seaview is far enough away not to be an issue of "cumulative, constant" smoking? Should I make an attempt to book the cabin on the other side, or is that not necessary?

 

Thank you for any responses!

 

Regards, Sona

[sonavogel]

Just got off the Zuiderdam. I had 5190. Unbelievable balcony. The room itself was a little smaller than other Neptune suites, more the size of the a Signature suite.

 

Here are some pics of the balcony and the interior as well as one of a glacier I got from the balcony.

 

These are a long walk from the Neptune lounge. But the great thing about being on decks 4 5 or 6 is it's easy to get to deck 3 and the exterior promenade. That way you can see the other side.

 

Winste, your pictures arrived just after my last post. Thank you for them--they are wonderful! The balcony looks as large as the boarding area inside a terminal! :D I can understand why the suite part would have to be a bit smaller, and that doesn't matter to us. It will be large enough.

 

As my previous post explained, it may be that I should have tried for the suite you had, on the other side! Either way, though, it's going to be a wonderful experience, and I'm excited about having the opportunity to sail on a HAL ship.

 

Best, Sona

[jtl513]

But I was wondering if having the smoking bar on the same side as 5191 will have an effect on a balcony that's four decks down.

The "smoker's corner" is not only 4 decks above, it's about 90 feet forward. I doubt you'll have any smoke from there reaching you.

[sonavogel]

The "smoker's corner" is not only 4 decks above, it's about 90 feet forward. I doubt you'll have any smoke from there reaching you.

 

Thank you very much for this, jtl513. It's my ignorance, you see. :rolleyes:

 

I can let this one go now.

 

--S

[Lizzie68]

Winste, your pictures arrived just after my last post. Thank you for them--they are wonderful! The balcony looks as large as the boarding area inside a terminal! :D I can understand why the suite part would have to be a bit smaller, and that doesn't matter to us. It will be large enough.

 

As my previous post explained, it may be that I should have tried for the suite you had, on the other side! Either way, though, it's going to be a wonderful experience, and I'm excited about having the opportunity to sail on a HAL ship.

 

Best, Sona

 

With that balcony I wouldn't worry about which side you are on.:D Very nice.

[IRL_Joanie]

Thank you so much, Crew News and Sapper 1! And thank you for the pictures--this is perfect.

 

And I have reserved 5191 for this cruise. I think that is a wraparound balcony, similar to the 6166, but...after spending the afternoon reading post after post on the forum, I now have one question that you can probably help me with:

 

As you can see, 5191 is on the opposite side from 6166. It's on the side that, on deck 9 (four decks away), harbors the Seaview Bar. I'm not allergic to smoke or anything like that, and I'll be fine if there's a smoker next door. That's HAL policy, and it's not a problem.

 

But I was wondering if having the smoking bar on the same side as 5191 will have an effect on a balcony that's four decks down. It's a no-brainer that there will be smokers at the Seaview, likely going on through the day (which is understandable, since it's allowed there). But when I reserved 5191, I was simply not thinking about that aspect of things.

 

May I hope/assume that the Seaview is far enough away not to be an issue of "cumulative, constant" smoking? Should I make an attempt to book the cabin on the other side, or is that not necessary?

 

Thank you for any responses!

 

Regards, Sona

 

You, on Deck 5 will have no problems fromn the Sea View Bar. Deck 5 aft staterooms are 100% covered plus:

 

1. The Sea View Bar is located about 2-3 staterooms forward from them towards the front (hope that makes sense....) IOn other words: No. You will not have any cumulative effect even if the smokers there smoke 24/7.

 

2. Heck, you will not even have to worry about any debris (Cocktail Napkins...) flying down to your verandah.

 

Joanie

Edited May 26, 2014 by IRL_Joanie

[sonavogel]

2. Heck, you will not even have to worry about any debris (Cocktail Napkins...) flying down to your verandah.

 

Joanie

 

Hah! That's great to know.... Thank you, Joanie.

 

DH and I had a lovely aft balcony once (NCL) that was much higher up and closer to the outdoor buffet area. We'd been warned about flying French fries and half-eaten pizza slices and napkins and were on the alert. :D Never happened, although the marimba or Calypso band serenaded us almost every afternoon, it seemed.

 

--Sona

[frankc98376]

Just got off the Zuiderdam. I had 5190. Unbelievable balcony. The room itself was a little smaller than other Neptune suites, more the size of the a Signature suite.

 

Here are some pics of the balcony and the interior as well as one of a glacier I got from the balcony.

 

These are a long walk from the Neptune lounge. But the great thing about being on decks 4 5 or 6 is it's easy to get to deck 3 and the exterior promenade. That way you can see the other side.

 

You must have boarded right behind us- hopefully you got to know Affan- he was the BEST!!

[jtl513]

1. The Sea View Bar is located about 2-3 staterooms forward from them towards the front

2-3 ?? I say the Sea View Bar is above cabin 5151. (Look at the position of each relative to the elevators.) 5151 is 11 cabins forward of 5191 ... 90 to 99 feet. Edited May 27, 2014 by jtl513

[Typhoon1]

Keep in mind, aft cabins are subject to engine noise and vibration.

[sonavogel]

Keep in mind, aft cabins are subject to engine noise and vibration.

Oh, yes, Typhoon1, I became very aware of this yesterday--after reading many posts about the "aft experience" on HAL. (I'm sure the same FYIs are on every line's forum for aft cabins, but I was focused on HAL yesterday.)

 

I know there's a large risk of teeth-rattling vibration (some say only when the ship is getting ready to depart, others say much more often than that) and that it is worse the lower down you are (deck 5 will be much more prone to vibration than, say, deck 7). Others, however, say this is a rarity.

 

I know there's a risk of soot flying around and settling on the verandahs of the aft cabins--I can't remember if posts indicated it was worse on the lower decks or the same on all aft decks.

 

I know there's a lesser risk of deck 5 getting items that are tossed off from the Lido area; the upper decks (7, 8) run a greater risk there.

 

My DH has already pointed out to me that we will likely be much more prone to the up-and-down movement if the seas are rough when we're on a lower deck...and he's probably right, and yes, <sigh> I will take the flak for that if the seas are rough.

 

But we loved the last aft balcony we had, and I also know that a fully covered balcony (with a little exposure up close to the rail) on a cruise where the weather may be very hot or even rainy will serve us very well. There may not be much breeze, as I've read, but it should be cool inside the cabin--perhaps I can leave the balcony door open and receive a bit of cooler air from within.

 

Or perhaps the concierge/butler would be kind and let me have a fan that I can place near the door from within to blow cooler air out to me (or even to blow smoke away from the area if it should come to that).

 

When it comes right down to it, I'm taking a chance no matter which cabin I book--since we're not familiar with HAL, we cannot know whether we've made the decision that is most comfortable for us until we're on the ship a few days, at least.

 

I believe that the cabin will be lovely. Yes, there may very well be vibration, and I may wake up to some soot out on the balcony (at which point I will call the steward or butler or concierge and see if I can get help to keep the area clean). I will have to find a way to enjoy the vibration.

 

And if the captain tells us we're heading into rough waters, I'll take lots of

Bonine, stare at the horizon out my huge, clean, vibrating balcony, and consider myself terribly lucky. :D And when it's time to go to sleep, I'll try to use the vibration to soothe me, and put on my white noise so I won't hear the engine noise too much, and dream of cruising. I love it so.

 

 

Best, Sona

[RuthC]

Oh, yes, Typhoon1, I became very aware of this yesterday--after reading There may not be much breeze, as I've read, but it should be cool inside the cabin--perhaps I can leave the balcony door open and receive a bit of cooler air from within.

 

Or perhaps the concierge/butler would be kind and let me have a fan that I can place near the door from within to blow cooler air out to me ....

There's a sign on your balcony door asking that the door be kept closed unless you are going in/out. That's because when you have the door open the HVAC is shut down in every other cabin on the same line.

Those HVAC lines run up/down, as well as several cabins nearby. Some of those cabins that will have no HVAC are outsides and insides down several decks, and will have no ventilation.

 

I'm sure you weren't aware, but now that you know, please don't consider leaving your balcony door open to draw cooler air out to your balcony.

Thanks.

[DaveOKC]

Sona,

 

I do not know if anyone has mentioned it, but sometimes the cabin stewards on decks 4-6 are not familiar with all of the Neptune cabin "perks", since they only have 2 on these decks. We did not experience this ourselves, but others have mentioned it, so be advised.

 

This is more likely to come into play for things like VIP party invites, where it is easier to get forgotten. Just do a bit more homework and know what to expect and get with your Neptune suite before you sail.

 

DaveOKC

[frankc98376]

Oh, yes, Typhoon1, I became very aware of this yesterday--after reading many posts about the "aft experience" on HAL. (I'm sure the same FYIs are on every line's forum for aft cabins, but I was focused on HAL yesterday.)

 

I know there's a large risk of teeth-rattling vibration (some say only when the ship is getting ready to depart, others say much more often than that) and that it is worse the lower down you are (deck 5 will be much more prone to vibration than, say, deck 7). Others, however, say this is a rarity.

 

I know there's a risk of soot flying around and settling on the verandahs of the aft cabins--I can't remember if posts indicated it was worse on the lower decks or the same on all aft decks.

 

I know there's a lesser risk of deck 5 getting items that are tossed off from the Lido area; the upper decks (7, 8) run a greater risk there.

 

My DH has already pointed out to me that we will likely be much more prone to the up-and-down movement if the seas are rough when we're on a lower deck...and he's probably right, and yes, <sigh> I will take the flak for that if the seas are rough.

 

But we loved the last aft balcony we had, and I also know that a fully covered balcony (with a little exposure up close to the rail) on a cruise where the weather may be very hot or even rainy will serve us very well. There may not be much breeze, as I've read, but it should be cool inside the cabin--perhaps I can leave the balcony door open and receive a bit of cooler air from within.

 

Or perhaps the concierge/butler would be kind and let me have a fan that I can place near the door from within to blow cooler air out to me (or even to blow smoke away from the area if it should come to that).

 

When it comes right down to it, I'm taking a chance no matter which cabin I book--since we're not familiar with HAL, we cannot know whether we've made the decision that is most comfortable for us until we're on the ship a few days, at least.

 

I believe that the cabin will be lovely. Yes, there may very well be vibration, and I may wake up to some soot out on the balcony (at which point I will call the steward or butler or concierge and see if I can get help to keep the area clean). I will have to find a way to enjoy the vibration.

 

And if the captain tells us we're heading into rough waters, I'll take lots of

Bonine, stare at the horizon out my huge, clean, vibrating balcony, and consider myself terribly lucky. :D And when it's time to go to sleep, I'll try to use the vibration to soothe me, and put on my white noise so I won't hear the engine noise too much, and dream of cruising. I love it so.

 

 

Best, Sona

 

We had some very rough seas heading north from San Diego and our aft on deck 5 was fine- a bit bumpy one night but we slept just fine. We didn't feel heavy vibration at all and were on board for 11 nights. We felt a side to side shaking one morning while docking- that was it. The overhang on the deck 5 aft wrap verandas goes all of the way to the back so nothing can be dropped in from above. Never saw any soot on the furniture- again the balcony is 100% covered.

[sonavogel]

There's a sign on your balcony door asking that the door be kept closed unless you are going in/out. That's because when you have the door open the HVAC is shut down in every other cabin on the same line.

Those HVAC lines run up/down, as well as several cabins nearby. Some of those cabins that will have no HVAC are outsides and insides down several decks, and will have no ventilation.

 

I'm sure you weren't aware, but now that you know, please don't consider leaving your balcony door open to draw cooler air out to your balcony.

Thanks.

 

No, you're right, Ruth--I didn't know. Had no idea. I won't leave the door open, then, of course. Can you tell me what HVAC means? "AC" must be for air-conditioning, but what's the HV?

 

Thanks,

Sona

[sonavogel]

Sona,

 

I do not know if anyone has mentioned it, but sometimes the cabin stewards on decks 4-6 are not familiar with all of the Neptune cabin "perks", since they only have 2 on these decks. We did not experience this ourselves, but others have mentioned it, so be advised.

 

This is more likely to come into play for things like VIP party invites, where it is easier to get forgotten. Just do a bit more homework and know what to expect and get with your Neptune suite before you sail.

 

DaveOKC

 

:D This is very good advice, DaveOKC. I will be haunting this forum for quite a while, going back into older posts too.

DH and I don't generally look to tax the stewards and butlers/concierges; they work pretty hard as it is. But if I read of a perk that appeals, I will take advantage of it.

 

Also, since I have never sailed on HAL before, just as there will be certain perks I may not know about (and should research before the cruise), so will there be certain things I shouldn't be doing that I must learn about.

 

Ruth just explained one to me, about not leaving the balcony door open. On NCL, there's no sign on the suite balcony door about not leaving it open; DH and I have done that on several occasions (to hear the ocean, to smell the tropical air). On HAL, since Ruth was kind enough to let me know this was not allowed--and since there will be a sign on the door, which I think is a smart thing HAL does--I will not leave the balcony door open (unless I'm going out or in).

 

It's not a casual thing, sailing with a new line. You can't go barging in and do whatever you feel like doing.

 

We chose HAL this time for the itinerary (Princess had a similar itinerary, but I'd rather try one of their "small girls" the first time I sail with them), and I think it will be a lovely experience. A learning experience, too.

 

Best, Sona

[sonavogel]

We had some very rough seas heading north from San Diego and our aft on deck 5 was fine- a bit bumpy one night but we slept just fine. We didn't feel heavy vibration at all and were on board for 11 nights. We felt a side to side shaking one morning while docking- that was it. The overhang on the deck 5 aft wrap verandas goes all of the way to the back so nothing can be dropped in from above. Never saw any soot on the furniture- again the balcony is 100% covered.

 

Frankc98376, this post made me very happy. Thank you! I realize that each cruise is different, but it's wonderful to know that the kind of cruise you had can be had. Maybe I'll be lucky, too; one never knows. :D

--Sona

[EagleRocker]

Sona: I am very happy for you that you were able to book 5191. We had 5190 (its twin) last May on the Zuiderdam and LOVED it. We didn't experience any issue with vibration or engine noise, found the cabin extremely comfortable and quiet. The balcony is just so great; it spoils you for future cabins/balconies. The balcony is huge and the cover is really handy for rain, sun, etc. While the cabin is a bit of a hike from the Neptune Lounge, it makes for an opportunity to get a wee bit of exercise in. Like others suggested, I used an insulated mug (brought from home) when I went there and filled it with double cappuccinos and the like when I wanted to have a coffee in my cabin. Very easy. I also was known to carry a plate or two of Neptune Lounge snacks back to the cabin ;)

[RuthC]

Can you tell me what HVAC means?

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning

[sonavogel]

Sona: I am very happy for you that you were able to book 5191. We had 5190 (its twin) last May on the Zuiderdam and LOVED it. We didn't experience any issue with vibration or engine noise, found the cabin extremely comfortable and quiet. The balcony is just so great; it spoils you for future cabins/balconies. The balcony is huge and the cover is really handy for rain, sun, etc. While the cabin is a bit of a hike from the Neptune Lounge, it makes for an opportunity to get a wee bit of exercise in. Like others suggested, I used an insulated mug (brought from home) when I went there and filled it with double cappuccinos and the like when I wanted to have a coffee in my cabin. Very easy. I also was known to carry a plate or two of Neptune Lounge snacks back to the cabin ;)

 

Thank you, EagleRocker! I'm pretty happy about having been able to reserve the cabin, too. And you're the second person to tell me personally (rather than posts I've read) that we may not experience vibration or noise. (Yes!)

 

I would of course prefer not to have vibration, noise, soot, or flying objects (the latter, as has been pointed out to me, is unlikely given the fact that the balcony is fully covered)--but I'll take whatever comes and enjoy myself.

 

By the way, I think a thermos is a great idea--but unless I can buy one in Ft. Lauderdale and carry it on, I'm not sure it will make it, given my packing goal. (For this cruise, I want to try to manage with a 20-inch roller and a shoulder carry-on. DH can't stop laughing at me.) But I'll try!

 

 

Ruth, thank you for HV explanation. I feel silly; I should have been able to figure it out myself, or tried Google. :rolleyes:

 

Best, Sona

[DaveOKC]

Thank you, EagleRocker! I'm pretty happy about having been able to reserve the cabin, too. And you're the second person to tell me personally (rather than posts I've read) that we may not experience vibration or noise. (Yes!)

 

I would of course prefer not to have vibration, noise, soot, or flying objects (the latter, as has been pointed out to me, is unlikely given the fact that the balcony is fully covered)--but I'll take whatever comes and enjoy myself.

 

By the way, I think a thermos is a great idea--but unless I can buy one in Ft. Lauderdale and carry it on, I'm not sure it will make it, given my packing goal. (For this cruise, I want to try to manage with a 20-inch roller and a shoulder carry-on. DH can't stop laughing at me.) But I'll try!

 

Best, Sona

 

we have done a cruise with just a 20 inch roller and a shoulder carrybag. The trick is to take advantage of the free laundry in the Neptune suites and go to a warm weather port.

 

DaveOKC

[sonavogel]

we have done a cruise with just a 20 inch roller and a shoulder carrybag. The trick is to take advantage of the free laundry in the Neptune suites and go to a warm weather port.

 

DaveOKC

 

The free laundry perk is the perfect motivation to get me to pack less clothing! Thank you for mentioning it, DaveOKC. :)

 

I'll be asking lots of questions in the months to come, I know. With any luck, by the time February rolls around, I'll be prepared to make the most of our Neptune Suite experience. :D

 

Best, Sona

[ChekdBob]

Been in both corner suites on the Zuiderdam and the Oosterdam...... Before and after updates..... Always stay on level 4 because the balconies did not change on that level and are big enough to play a 3 on 3 basketball game! The wrap around balconies are super ...... Especially during the canal transit!

[DaveOKC]

Been in both corner suites on the Zuiderdam and the Oosterdam...... Before and after updates..... Always stay on level 4 because the balconies did not change on that level and are big enough to play a 3 on 3 basketball game! The wrap around balconies are super ...... Especially during the canal transit!

 

You should check out the deck 5 aft wraps (corner suites). They are even larger than the deck 4 ones plus are covered.