Alcohol in the Neptune Lounge

[John Cruise]

Just got off the Niewe Amsterdam and this was new to me.

The Neptune Lounge now has a full bar ( liquor, beer & wine)

available after breakfast and all day on the honour system.

JC😊

[alwaysfrantic]

Nice! Thank you for the update.

[Sheltieluv]

How does the honor system work? Does one tell the concierge what was selected and then give your suite number?

[sail7seas]

Ni Nice. They should havde done that

[Nieuwuser]

How does the honor system work? Does one tell the concierge what was selected and then give your suite number?

This service is also on the Maasdam.

The Concierge does not have to be involved.

There is a check off sheet at the bar and you mark what you had and add your room number.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- we had the Honor Bar in the Neptune Lounge on our recent 21 day Westerdam cruise.

Prices are the same as in the bar/lounges.

Originally it was in the back of the lounge as seen in this picture but they had to move it up near the Concierges desk:

 

Besides not being able to use your Signature Beverage Cards, you could not use the regular Beverage Cards.

 

 

Form to fill out:

 

 

[Sheltieluv]

Sounds convenient , but I don't get the 15 percent service charge, since you're serving yourself. I know the bar needs to be replenished and so on

, but it seems a bit much......

Anyway, thanks for the info!

[81Zoomie]

Yes -- we had the Honor Bar in the Neptune Lounge on our recent 21 day Westerdam cruise.

Prices are the same as in the bar/lounges.

Originally it was in the back of the lounge as seen in this picture but they had to move it up near the Concierges desk:

 

 

 

Besides not being able to use your Signature Beverage Cards, you could not use the regular Beverage Cards.

 

 

Form to fill out:

 

 

 

It's a nice addition, however, HAL should take note that Celebrity offers free premium drinks in Michaels (all levels of suites), RCL has a free happy hour in their lounge, and Princess gives you one free mini bar for suite passengers. So other than being able to mix a strong drink, this is no real benefit. Just thinking out loud :confused:

[kelleherdl]

We are just off the Oosterdam. The sentence on the menu posted above about the Signature Package could not be used was not there. In fact, when I asked the Concierge about this she stated that the charges would be applied and credited just as if the purchase was made at a bar. We personally did not use the honor bar as we like going to the bar, but it was possible.

 

Dennis

[PhoenixCruiser]

It's a nice addition, however, HAL should take note that Celebrity offers free premium drinks in Michaels (all levels of suites), RCL has a free happy hour in their lounge, and Princess gives you one free mini bar for suite passengers. So other than being able to mix a strong drink, this is no real benefit. Just thinking out loud :confused:

 

Royal Caribbean offers free beverages for about 3 hours. If HAL wants to compete they should offer the same for suite guests.

 

With that said not being able to use the packages in the lounge stinks!

 

###

[iceman93]

Sounds convenient , but I don't get the 15 percent service charge, since you're serving yourself. I know the bar needs to be replenished and so on, but it seems a bit much......

 

That was my first thought as well. In fact, replenishing the Neptune Lounge honor bar seems like the kind of thing that should be easily covered by the higher prices suite passengers already pay.

 

Then my next thought was similar to some previous posters--we pay enough for Neptune Lounge access that some degree of complimentary alcoholic beverages could (should) easily be included.

 

I guess it comes down to whether HAL considers themselves the seafaring equivalent of Marriott (where there is an honor bar in the concierge lounges) or Ritz-Carlton (where complimentary alcohol is part of the club level experience). We have our answer, I suppose.

[0bnxshs]

We are just off the Oosterdam. The sentence on the menu posted above about the Signature Package could not be used was not there. In fact, when I asked the Concierge about this she stated that the charges would be applied and credited just as if the purchase was made at a bar. We personally did not use the honor bar as we like going to the bar, but it was possible.

 

Dennis

 

That's what I was thinking might be the case. When we've had the SBP and watched our account carefully, charges for drinks for the first few days of a cruise post and disappear in about a day's time. Beyond that we've not seen charges even posted. No reason the same thing can't be done here.

 

Agreed, HAL really should consider matching other lines' offerings for suite guests.

[sail7seas]

Royal Caribbean offers free beverages for about 3 hours. If HAL wants to compete they should offer the same for suite guests.

 

With that said not being able to use the packages in the lounge stinks!

 

###

 

A re we never satisfied? iS IT NEVer ENOUGH? I DON'Tsee rrci as DIRECT competition toHAL.

Edited May 4, 2016 by sail7seas

[Lis2065]

Same on the Noordam in January.

 

I only used it once for a soft drink - which was not properly chilled.

[Cindy]

It's a nice addition, however, HAL should take note that Celebrity offers free premium drinks in Michaels (all levels of suites), RCL has a free happy hour in their lounge, and Princess gives you one free mini bar for suite passengers. So other than being able to mix a strong drink, this is no real benefit. Just thinking out loud :confused:

 

If HAL was just trying to provide a convenience for suite guests, many of whom have cabins near the lounge, then I would say they have achieved their goal with this change. If their objective was to provide this as a suite perk, then I think it misses the mark.

[CruiserBruce]

A re we never satisfied? iS IT NEVer ENOUGH? I DON'Tsee rrci as DIRECT competition toHAL.

 

Agree. If HAL wants to compete with RCI, building HUGE ships is the playing field, and I don't see that happening.

[blizzardboy]

Yes -- we had the Honor Bar in the Neptune Lounge on our recent 21 day Westerdam cruise.

Prices are the same as in the bar/lounges.

Originally it was in the back of the lounge as seen in this picture but they had to move it up near the Concierges desk:

 

Besides not being able to use your Signature Beverage Cards, you could not use the regular Beverage Cards.

 

 

Form to fill out:

 

 

 

Where's the blender?

[blizzardboy]

We had an honor bar in the NL on the Oo'dam in January, but I don't think it came out until late afternoon. I think how hard the concierge wants to work, combined with how many people ask why it's not out, may determine availability. That being said, I got hooked a couple cruises ago on the HAL Tanqueray 10 Signature Martini. Give me a good bartender and a SBP! :)

[ksmaxey]

Has anyone on the Eurodam experienced the honor bar? We will be on her in less than a month and the upsell fairy has us in a Neptune.

[joepeka]

Royal Caribbean offers free beverages for about 3 hours. If HAL wants to compete they should offer the same for suite guests.

 

With that said not being able to use the packages in the lounge stinks!

 

###

 

I think HAL targets a different demographic than RCI so the competition angle probably doesn't work but I get your point about the Neptune lounge and the lack of complimentary drinks (or in this case, the inability to use the SBP or beverage cards for the honor bar). We truly enjoyed the Concierge Lounge on RCI and could be found there every evening prior to dinner. ;)

Edited May 4, 2016 by joepeka

[Krazy Kruizers]

Where's the blender?

 

Guess they expect you to shake it yourself.

[qsuzi]

Having alcohol in the lounge can create a different environment and experience. IMHO if HAL decides to keep the alcohol it should be via a bartender with service and the ability to use SBP, etc. But is the Neptune Lounge really big enough with enough sitting areas for evening cocktails with snacks?

Edited May 5, 2016 by qsuzi

[Krazy Kruizers]

Having alcohol in the lounge can create a different environment and experience. IMHO if HAL decides to keep the alcohol it should be via a bartender with service and the ability to use SBP, etc. But is the Neptune Lounge really big enough with enough sitting areas for evening cocktails with snacks?

 

 

 

No -- especially on the S and R class ships -- it is really small.

The Vista class and Signature class ships have a larger Neptune Lounge -- but still can't handle a large crowd. I am remember when they used to try and have the Suite Welcome Aboard Party in there -- mob scene. They finally moved it to the Crow's Nest on these ships.

For the S and R class ships, they moved that party to the MIX.

[Caribbean Chris]

A re we never satisfied? iS IT NEVer ENOUGH? I DON'Tsee rrci as DIRECT competition toHAL.

 

I don't either, but I do see Celebrity as a direct competitor. We've traveled in "entry-level" suites on both lines (Sky Suite and Signature Suite). We are 3-star Mariners and "Elite" category with Celebrity.

 

Celebrity offers major incentives for passengers to move up to the suite experience and we love all the extra perks (given even at that entry level) so we continue to book their suites. On HAL, the only benefit was a bit more space, so we did not bother to book a suite for our next cruise.

 

HAL is charging its high-end suite passengers who qualify for the Neptune Lounge for a drink at an honor bar? I was so surprised to read that today.

[Chelsea1]

I don't either, but I do see Celebrity as a direct competitor. We've traveled in "entry-level" suites on both lines (Sky Suite and Signature Suite). We are 3-star Mariners and "Elite" category with Celebrity.

 

Celebrity offers major incentives for passengers to move up to the suite experience and we love all the extra perks (given even at that entry level) so we continue to book their suites. On HAL, the only benefit was a bit more space, so we did not bother to book a suite for our next cruise.

 

HAL is charging its high-end suite passengers who qualify for the Neptune Lounge for a drink at an honor bar? I was so surprised to read that today.

 

We are in the process of booking our first HAL cruise and researching the Neptune suite benefits, compared to other cruise lines, so I am pleased to have found this thread. I am also suprised to read about the honor bar lounge drinks list - the only time I have seen a manual list like this in a Marriott is in a mid-class hotel in suburban Florida where the Exec lounge cost c$10/night to upgrade! In Europe and Asia all Marriotts, never mind Ritz Carltons, offer compimentary evening drinks / cocktail hour in the lounges. The manual list does seem extremely outdated and quite bizarre, considering the cost of a full suite on HAL. Anyway, it helped with my decision - a vista suite will be fine.