sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #151 Share Posted February 18, 2018 I suspect the pondering has more to do with HAL's rationale, and less to do with HAL's authority. It is an interesting question. My guess is it has t o do with $$ as with most every cruise line decision that does not relate directly to safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted February 18, 2018 #152 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Maybe it was seen as an incentive to keep people from going to the Pinnacle Grille for breakfast, and have it in their cabin instead. ;) Could be. I wonder if the Pinnacle staff had something to say about it. Given the poor level of service there on our recent cruise, I don't think they like having to serve breakfast. Room service breakfast on the last morning has been a tradition of ours since before the mimosas. And we use room service if we have an early tour. I'd probably use it more (and get the mimosas), but DH prefers to go to the Pinnacle. I love room service, whether it's a hotel or on a ship. Probably read the Eloise books too much when I was a kid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAOk1945 Posted February 18, 2018 #153 Share Posted February 18, 2018 We enjoy room service breakfast on every cruise whether it's on HAL or other lines. I've noticed the HAL room service seems to be a tad better than the other lines in quick, friendly, and efficient service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAOk1945 Posted February 18, 2018 #154 Share Posted February 18, 2018 One suggestion that comes to mind is a better location for the Neptune Lounge. It would be nice to have a sea view! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #155 Share Posted February 18, 2018 One suggestion that comes to mind is a better location for the Neptune Lounge. It would be nice to have a sea view! That would take space that is now sold as Neptune Suite on most of the ship.s Prinsendam has sea view Neptune Lounge. I would rather they keep the number of suites and not use that space for a lounge. We have great vernadahs for sea views. :) JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruzaholic41 Posted February 18, 2018 #156 Share Posted February 18, 2018 The suites lounges on other lines have great sea views and are often panoramic. And no, they don’t take the space of what would normally be another suite - as if that even matters. I agree that HAL’s lounge would be MUCH better with sea views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie68 Posted February 18, 2018 #157 Share Posted February 18, 2018 One suggestion that comes to mind is a better location for the Neptune Lounge. It would be nice to have a sea view!Yes, this! I find the Neptune Lounge quite dark and uninviting. No one stays in there for long. I think windows would make a huge difference. Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 18, 2018 #158 Share Posted February 18, 2018 The suites lounges on other lines have great sea views and are often panoramic. And no, they don’t take the space of what would normally be another suite - as if that even matters. I agree that HAL’s lounge would be MUCH better with sea views. The P'dam has technically sacrificed a Neptune I guess (or two) for the Neptune Lounge. But, it is a beautiful Neptune Lounge and the verandah is great. You are right next to where the Captain and bridge crew are out on the "wing" and can watch easily. Fascinating. And, I guess another Neptune Lounge was "sacrificed" for the Captain's day quarters - which, are the largest in the fleet IIRC. Neptunes on the P'dam do sell quite well despite the price so perhaps the lovely lounge with sea views and verandah has something to do with it? They are few and pricey but the nicest in the fleet IMO as is the lounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #159 Share Posted February 18, 2018 The P'dam has technically sacrificed a Neptune I guess (or two) for the Neptune Lounge. But, it is a beautiful Neptune Lounge and the verandah is great. You are right next to where the Captain and bridge crew are out on the "wing" and can watch easily. Fascinating. And, I guess another Neptune Lounge was "sacrificed" for the Captain's day quarters - which, are the largest in the fleet IIRC. Neptunes on the P'dam do sell quite well despite the price so perhaps the lovely lounge with sea views and verandah has something to do with it? They are few and pricey but the nicest in the fleet IMO as is the lounge. Seeing HAL did not build Prinsendam, we don' t know how many 'suites ' they may or may not have given up, we can only guess. Neptunes often sell out on Veendam and Maasdam because there are so few. And they are priced very high on certain cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 18, 2018 #160 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Seeing HAL did not build Prinsendam, we don' t know how many 'suites ' they may or may not have given up, we can only guess. Neptunes often sell out on Veendam and Maasdam because there are so few. And they are priced very high on certain cruises. Actually we do know Sail. Captain Gundersen was with that ship from the time it was built until his retirement a few years ago and has actually returned once to his beloved ship. He oversaw the original building of the ship and the day room was installed from day one. The Neptune Lounge was installed when HAL got the P'dam so, yes they gave up a Neptune or two ;). There is no guessing. That is a fact. https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/albert/holland-line-ships-past-and-present/my-future-ship-the-ms-prinsendam/ If you think Neptunes are few on the Veendam and Maasdam, they are far fewer on the P'dam - 18 of them. So, they certainly gave up something when they installed that beautiful Neptune Lounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquahound Posted February 18, 2018 #161 Share Posted February 18, 2018 This is a typical suites lounge on RCI. I know RCI is a much different line from HAL, but they do suites far better than HAL does. There are free drinks every night from 5-8:30 and there is a free 24/7 self-serve cappuccino machine....not to mention the great view! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #162 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Hal has a wonderful complimentary, self-serve espresso, cappuccino machine in every Neptune Lounge. Many of us think it very, very good. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted February 18, 2018 #163 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Actually we do know Sail. Captain Gundersen was with that ship from the time it was built until his retirement a few years ago and has actually returned once to his beloved ship. He oversaw the original building of the ship and the day room was installed from day one. The Neptune Lounge was installed when HAL got the P'dam so, yes they gave up a Neptune or two ;). There is no guessing. That is a fact. https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/albert/holland-line-ships-past-and-present/my-future-ship-the-ms-prinsendam/ If you think Neptunes are few on the Veendam and Maasdam, they are far fewer on the P'dam - 18 of them. So, they certainly gave up something when they installed that beautiful Neptune Lounge. FYI, when Royal Viking Sun came out in 1988, she had five suites (PH 10/12/14/16 and 18) on her port side, and five (PH 11/15/17/19 and 21) on her starboard side of what was then known as the Bridge Deck (note PH 13 was skipped by those superstitious Scandinavians!) Kloster/Royal Viking line gave those suites very cool names like Vasco da Gama suite (PH 10), Bougainville suite (PH 11), Amerigo Vespucci suite (PH 19), Bering Suite PH 16) Vancouver Suite (PH 18), all named after famous and not so famous explorers Those same ten suites are still there on Prinsendam as we speak; SA 10 through 18 on port side and SA 11 through 21 on starboard side of what HAL calls Lido Deck/Deck 11 What became (and still is) the Neptune Lounge on port side forward after dry-dock in Charleston, NC in 2002, was actually part of the port side Officers' accommodations on Royal Viking Sun and Seabourn Sun. Make a long story shorter, officer cabins, and not Neptune suites, were sacrificed to obtain that awesome Neptune Lounge. Along the same line, no Neptune suite was sacrificed for the captain's day quarters! That room was/is also part of that same officer's accommodation but on starboard side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 18, 2018 #164 Share Posted February 18, 2018 FYI, when Royal Viking Sun came out in 1988, she had five suites (PH 10/12/14/16 and 18) on her port side, and five (PH 11/15/17/19 and 21) on her starboard side of what was then known as the Bridge Deck (note PH 13 was skipped by those superstitious Scandinavians!) Kloster/Royal Viking line gave those suites very cool names like Vasco da Gama suite (PH 10), Bougainville suite (PH 11), Amerigo Vespucci suite (PH 19), Bering Suite PH 16) Vancouver Suite (PH 18), all named after famous and not so famous explorersThose same ten suites are still there on Prinsendam as we speak; SA 10 through 18 on port side and SA 11 through 21 on starboard side of what HAL calls Lido Deck/Deck 11 What became (and still is) the Neptune Lounge on port side forward after dry-dock in Charleston, NC in 2002, was actually part of the port side Officers' accommodations on Royal Viking Sun and Seabourn Sun. Make a long story shorter, officer cabins, and not Neptune suites, were sacrificed to obtain that awesome Neptune Lounge. Along the same line, no Neptune suite was sacrificed for the captain's day quarters! That room was/is also part of that same officer's accommodation but on starboard side Thanks Copper :). I knew the Captain's day quarters were there from day one and that no Neptune Suites were sacrificed for that. It's a beautiful day room too, by the way :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampaskier Posted February 18, 2018 #165 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Or you could bring your own binoculars.... Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VennDiagram Posted February 18, 2018 #166 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Okay, gang, you have convinced me to not waste any more of my retireement stash on Neptunes. They are no long er worth p;aying 200% for me............. I am surprising myself but thhink some of the comments here 'rang a bell' for me. I will not sail without a veranda but I don't have to have a Neptune in order to have a veran da. Over 100 times in a Neptune (or Penthouses, as they used to be called) is quite enough for me, at this time. I sincerely doubt HAL had a more loyal Neptune cruisers than me but they have pushed me away. I say No More. @! ' I am pushing back. They no longer prov ide enough value for my money. and I am unwilling to cottinue in t those suittes wirhout some m ajor changes which I do not see on the horizon. Their product is quite wdifferent than the HAL to which my late DH and I were so loyal. i think this was a GREAT thread, for ME< hopefully, for others as well. That would take space that is now sold as Neptune Suite on most of the ship.s Prinsendam has sea view Neptune Lounge. I would rather they keep the number of suites and not use that space for a lounge. We have great vernadahs for sea views. :) JMO Since you have decided against sailing in a Neptune Suite going forward, I'm unsure why it matters to you how or if space(s) in that area might be repurposed. I think moving down to a verandah cabin is a very good solution for you in light of your many recent posts about your displeasure on the cost of sailing solo in a Neptune, and your perception that the overall product has been downgraded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #167 Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) You do, do you? Well then, :) Edited February 18, 2018 by sail7seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 18, 2018 Author #168 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Thanks, you setttled the matter for me. I will not be moving down to a verandah, despite you thhinking it a good solution........ No, I shall exercise my right to change my mind. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innlady1 Posted February 18, 2018 #169 Share Posted February 18, 2018 He he! [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted February 19, 2018 Author #170 Share Posted February 19, 2018 :) Isn't it a woman's perogative to change her mind? I m changing mine............ he,he, he,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted February 19, 2018 #171 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Welcome back Ruth! Thank you *Miss G*. I've been out of commission too long. Nice of you to notice I was MIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted February 19, 2018 #172 Share Posted February 19, 2018 What I so know is there are a lot of roll call members that I have had to joy to meet. I don't care if they are in insides, outsides, verandahs or suites. Mingling, connecting is very nice. Being ostracised? Not so sure. Very well said indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancal Posted February 19, 2018 #173 Share Posted February 19, 2018 (edited) That suite picture above is very similar to the two different RCI Diamond longes that we have frequented. You don't have to be in a suite, insides are fine. It is based on your combined cruising history with Celebrity, RCI, and I would assume Azamarra. We are elite on Celebrity so that made us Diamond on RCI. There is a consierge on duty, specialty coffee available all day gratis, continental breakfast, lunch, and appetizers in the evening. Open bar from 5-8. You can use those bar privileges at any bar/lounge on the ship since they are also loaded on to your room key. We would have breakfast here I very day. Nice and quiet. fresh squeezed juices in the AM. And oh, if you book a balcony, as we usually do, there is a $200 discount on the cabin. Plus wonderful views. The two that we have frequented were forward,high up, floor to ceiling glass walls, and a small patio. Edited February 19, 2018 by iancal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie68 Posted February 19, 2018 #174 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Thank you *Miss G*. I've been out of commission too long. Nice of you to notice I was MIA. Indeed, you were sorely missed, Ruth. The steady voice of reason and accurate information. Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ithaca gal Posted February 19, 2018 #175 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Indeed, you were sorely missed, Ruth. The steady voice of reason and accurate information. Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app I second that emotion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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