Suites: Separate Dining Room

[RocketMan275]

It appears that the "suite"hearts want the seperate DR, but don't appear (or have not volunteered) to wish to spend additional money for it. I'd imagine that between $50 and $75 pp per day should cover it.

 

My objection is to those who wish HAL to carve out space for this DR and force everyone on board to pay for it.

 

Do you really believe suites passengers are subsidized by the rest?

[RocketMan275]

One concern that I have is how having a separate dining room (presumably with more attentive servers/more staff) would affect the service in other dining areas. A ship can only hold so many crew members. To provide a higher level of service in a Suites Dining Room would require a better steward to passenger ratio than what is in the MDR. So, given the finite # of crew that can be accommodated, where will the increased # of Suite dining stewards come from? The MDR? The Lido? Or will the cabin stewards be reduced again, to accommodate Suite dining stewards?

 

There are already stewards on board for suites passengers. You might need a few extra, but not many. There really aren't that many suites.

[Ray in NH]

Bring your own from home! :D

 

That is what my wife does. :) Works well for me. :D

N Ray H

[dakrewser]

Do you really believe suites passengers are subsidized by the rest?

 

That's not at all what I said. I was merely speculating on where the money for this new DR, and it's "upscale" food would be coming from.

 

How much extra are you willing to spend for it?

[kelleherdl]

That's not at all what I said. I was merely speculating on where the money for this new DR, and it's "upscale" food would be coming from.

 

How much extra are you willing to spend for it?

 

Carnival Corp must already have appropriate pricing models from Cunard. Also PG meals are already a supplement of $29 for dinner and $10 for lunch. We must assume that HAL is not doing these at a significant loss. So somewhere around $50 a day pp? That could assume some limited additional service staff.

 

I would pay that.

 

Dennis

Edited May 28, 2016 by kelleherdl

[RocketMan275]

That's not at all what I said. I was merely speculating on where the money for this new DR, and it's "upscale" food would be coming from.

 

In your own words: "My objection is to those who wish HAL to carve out space for this DR and force everyone on board to pay for it."

 

How much extra are you willing to spend for it?

 

Based upon our only experience (Coastal Kitchens-Oasis of the Seas), probably not a lot.

 

Provide me a set of the menus, a picture of the dining area, and a few reviews of the service and I can provide a more definitive answer.

 

But as a ballpark number, no more than $40 PPPD. Currently, the specialty restaurants are about $30 PP for dinner and $10 PP for lunch. Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill is already included in the current fares so nothing extra for that. Now, that's based upon a very big assumption, that the suites dining would be very comparable to dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. More likely the menus won't be comparable to the Pinnacle so something less than half that, maybe $15 PPPD after adjusting for no lunch on port days.

Edited May 28, 2016 by RocketMan275

[JohnDG]

In order to give the suites passengers the "enhanced" menu, the ship puts them in a separate room. If they didn't, there would be worse envy/resentment from non-suites passengers, when they see filet mignon served at a nearby table when they're getting strip steak. This would put waitstaff in an awkward position. "Sorry, sir, your cabin doesn't get served from that menu."

 

Speculation on the Princess discussion board for the new Suites and selected Mini-Suites Club Class separate dining area is that they will need to carve it out of the MDR, and that short of a dry dock they are going to have to rope it off. The new Princess offering - who is also owned by Carnival Corp - is the reason why I started this thread.

 

Jdg

[JimAOk1945]

This kind of baffles me. The same people complaining about "suite perks" seem to have no problem with the fact that the people in front on their plane are getting food and free drinks (at least I've never seen ranting on the airline boards). They also seem to not care that the "Club Floor" just above them in the hotel has a lovely private lounge with food, drinks, and a Concierge.

 

Anyone can have the perks on a plane, train, ship, restaurant or hotel- just pay the extra cost.

 

It baffles me as well. I am willing and able to pay the extra cost and will continue to enjoy "the suite life" as long as my wife and I are happy with the product.

[SilvertoGold]

Looks to me that HAL is slowly getting out of the Suite business.

 

The Konnigsdam has one PH and fewer suites (SA, SB and SC) than the other ships in the fleet.

 

With this bigger ship HAL could have planned more suites and 2 PHs as the Signature and Vista ships have, but they didn't.

 

Why would that be? Because HAL doesn't make the profit on them? Because they don't sell out, or upsell well?

 

If you look at the new add-on cabins on the Observation decks of the other classes, you see VB and Ks.

 

Adding a DR for suites or butlers doesn't seem to be in the master plan or surely that would have been done on this new, groundbreaking Pinnacle class.

 

Other lines are raising the bar on the top-level suites; HAL is going with the profit from lots of low cost and medium cost balconies, if the Koningsdam is an example of the direction HAL is taking.

Edited May 29, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[Florida_gal_50]

Looks to me that HAL is slowly getting out of the Suite business.

 

The Konnigsdam has one PH and fewer suites (SA, SB and SC) than the other ships in the fleet.

 

With this bigger ship HAL could have planned more suites and 2 PHs as the Signature and Vista ships have, but they didn't.

 

Why would that be? Because HAL doesn't make the profit on them? Because they don't sell out, or upsell well?

 

Adding a DR for suites or butlers doesn't seem to be in the master plan or surely that would have been done on this new, groundbreaking Pinnacle class.

 

Other lines are raising the bar on the top-level suites,: HAL is going with the profit from lots of low cost and medium cost balconies, if the Koningsdam is an example of the direction HAL is taking.

 

Thank you for that information. I had no idea that the koningsdam had less suites. That is interesting.

[SilvertoGold]

Thank you for that information. I had no idea that the koningsdam had less suites. That is interesting.

 

It is very interesting to see what has been changed on the Koningsdam. I Have been pouring over the plans and was quite surprised actually!

[Bouillon123]

On our holidays with HAL, we travel in suites. It is not cheap and we take the perks that come with it. Would we be happy with a separate dining room for suite guests? Yes.

We ate in the MDR and did not particularly like the food as we found it underseasoned and service was quite often slow. If a separate dining room means better food, brilliant.

We ate quite often in the Pinnacle Grill and obviously had to pay the extra. So we just consider this as the "separate dining room". :D

I am actually quite shocked to read some peoples opinion about suite guests. I would never give such a statement about anyone. Get to know the people first and judge them based on their character, not if they are staying in a suite or not.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

HAL would need serve drastically improved food in a Special Reserved Suite Dining Area to even attempt to compete with Celebrity or NCL, I honestly do not see them doing that. That cannot even offer a better menu for Breakfast in the Pinnacle. Which their competition has been doing for a very long time. Just my opinion HAL does not understand how to treat or what to offer Suite Guests, so I doubt they will even attempt. I agree that I think HAL is getting out of the Suite business.

The competition is doing it and doing it quite well. Princess is just jumping on to the band wagon, until it actually gets starts we will see if they can truly offer what they are saying.

[Lis2065]

Separate dining area for suite guests - no thanks.

 

I travel in a suite because I like the extra space and comfort.

 

We book a table for two in the MDR and book a couple of dinners in the Pinnacle Grill per cruise. We have used the Neptune lounge for coffee and nibbles, but not excessively. The concierge fixed our room cards when they didn't work and changed a Pinnacle Grill booking for us - which was very much appreciated.

 

It wouldn't make any difference to us unless the food was different, but I would definitely not like it if it meant we had to gussy up every evening.....

[RocketMan275]

Looks to me that HAL is slowly getting out of the Suite business.

 

The Konnigsdam has one PH and fewer suites (SA, SB and SC) than the other ships in the fleet.

 

With this bigger ship HAL could have planned more suites and 2 PHs as the Signature and Vista ships have, but they didn't.

 

Why would that be? Because HAL doesn't make the profit on them? Because they don't sell out, or upsell well?

 

Actually, this might imply that HAL is upgrading the suites experience. Fewer suites would facilitate the suites dining area since it would take less room, fewer servers, etc.

[RocketMan275]

 

It wouldn't make any difference to us unless the food was different, but I would definitely not like it if it meant we had to gussy up every evening.....

 

On those lines who have implemented suites dining, the dress code has been relaxed. Evidently, those who pay more for their cabins don't want to dress for dinner.

[Ray in NH]

On those lines who have implemented suites dining, the dress code has been relaxed. Evidently, those who pay more for their cabins don't want to dress for dinner.

 

Cannot speak to this matter concerning NCL (haven't cruised with them the last few years), but on Celebrity the dress code is the same ship-wide. No different dress code for Luminae, on any evening.

N Ray H

[cruisemom42]

Looks to me that HAL is slowly getting out of the Suite business.

 

The Konnigsdam has one PH and fewer suites (SA, SB and SC) than the other ships in the fleet.

 

With this bigger ship HAL could have planned more suites and 2 PHs as the Signature and Vista ships have, but they didn't.

 

Why would that be? Because HAL doesn't make the profit on them? Because they don't sell out, or upsell well?

 

If you look at the new add-on cabins on the Observation decks of the other classes, you see VB and Ks.

 

Adding a DR for suites or butlers doesn't seem to be in the master plan or surely that would have been done on this new, groundbreaking Pinnacle class.

 

Other lines are raising the bar on the top-level suites; HAL is going with the profit from lots of low cost and medium cost balconies, if the Koningsdam is an example of the direction HAL is taking.

 

If HAL is indeed moving in a different direction from the rest of the mass market lines, I applaud them. Too often, all the lines rush to do exactly the same thing, whether or not it makes sense for that particular line....

 

In pondering the lesser number of suites, I would imagine that it's not that they are unprofitable when booked at regular prices. But I'm guessing there are a lot of times when they are not sold at those prices. How many times have I read on here about folks getting great upsale offers as the cruise date nears?

[blizzardboy]

Looks to me that HAL is slowly getting out of the Suite business.

 

The Konnigsdam has one PH and fewer suites (SA, SB and SC) than the other ships in the fleet.

 

With this bigger ship HAL could have planned more suites and 2 PHs as the Signature and Vista ships have, but they didn't.

 

Why would that be? Because HAL doesn't make the profit on them? Because they don't sell out, or upsell well?

 

If you look at the new add-on cabins on the Observation decks of the other classes, you see VB and Ks.

 

Adding a DR for suites or butlers doesn't seem to be in the master plan or surely that would have been done on this new, groundbreaking Pinnacle class.

 

Other lines are raising the bar on the top-level suites; HAL is going with the profit from lots of low cost and medium cost balconies, if the Koningsdam is an example of the direction HAL is taking.

If you watch Neptune Suite prices, they often sell out on "in demand" itineraries, and often climb in price until they do. I think HAL's suite business probably offers a pretty good return on their investment.

[RocketMan275]

Cannot speak to this matter concerning NCL (haven't cruised with them the last few years), but on Celebrity the dress code is the same ship-wide. No different dress code for Luminae, on any evening.

N Ray H

 

Of course it is the same. But that's after Celebrity implemented the new Chic dress code. Prior to that, there were formal nights all over the ship except in Luminae.

[SilvertoGold]

If you watch Neptune Suite prices, they often sell out on "in demand" itineraries, and often climb in price until they do. I think HAL's suite business probably offers a pretty good return on their investment.

 

You are likely right about pricing being pretty profitable for many cruises, but of the number of cabins on these ships the Suites count for so few, so overall the suites are certainly not floating the ships.

 

I do not understand why HAL has cut the number of suites (SA, SB, SC, SQ) on the Koningsdam. I count 45 on the Kdam. 62 on the N. Amsterdam and 56 on the Westerdam.

 

Not only suites but the SS, SY and SZ categories are down on the Koningsdam: 14, with 112 on the N. Amsterdam and 98 on the Westerdam.

 

The new A, B categories on the Koningsdam certainly make up some of the slack, but they start at 260 square feet, whereas the Vista appear to start at 372.

 

It seems that until builds the monster ships, it can't compete with the other lines that do have monster ships with the extra room for suites, suite DRs, suite lounges, suite pools.

 

Maybe HAL is going in a different direction. Possibly the numbers don't add up for this. If you look at the huge number of cabins in the V-category, that looks like where the profit is.

Edited May 29, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[Bailey & Sophie]

Please post photos of the dogs :D

I don't know how...

[frankc98376]

I just looked at the info for the the new "Club Class" for mini suites and suites on Princess.

 

Sure looks like CCL is working toward pushing suite business toward Princess. Perhaps HAL will end up being the landing spot for the Carnival crowd as they age out of the "fun ship" mentality and just want lots of bars and restaurants but no water slides and disco music in the hallways.

[qsuzi]

I just looked at the info for the the new "Club Class" for mini suites and suites on Princess.

 

Sure looks like CCL is working toward pushing suite business toward Princess. Perhaps HAL will end up being the landing spot for the Carnival crowd as they age out of the "fun ship" mentality and just want lots of bars and restaurants but no water slides and disco music in the hallways.

 

Just want to clarify that most Princess Mini-suites categories ARE NOT eligible for "Club Class".

Edited May 29, 2016 by qsuzi

[sammiedawg]

I just looked at the info for the the new "Club Class" for mini suites and suites on Princess.

 

Sure looks like CCL is working toward pushing suite business toward Princess. Perhaps HAL will end up being the landing spot for the Carnival crowd as they age out of the "fun ship" mentality and just want lots of bars and restaurants but no water slides and disco music in the hallways.

 

My travel agent friend has long been saying CCL devalued Holland America. They love Princess, apparently TPTB see more profit and long term potential there.