Couple questions

[flyer79]

Greetings.  We are planning an Alaska trip on the Westerdam and I have a couple questions.

 

The current promo includes a Signature Beverage package.  We've never done this as we don't usually drink enough to make it worth our while.   We do usually buy a bottle of wine with dinner though.  How does this work with the package?   Would we have to just order by the glass during dinner?   Is that even possible?   

 

Secondly we are thinking of getting a Neptune suite.  Most of the Neptunes are on Deck 7 midships.  There are a couple in the far Aft corner of each deck though that are relatively less expensive.  Does anyone have any experience with these?  Any issue with views, noise, movement , etc. that anyone has experienced?

 

Third - any opinions on the Land portion?  Should we consider doing the cruise only with Holland and make our own arrangements for Denali and whatever else?   Or does Holland do a good job/reasonable value with the Land side?

 

 

Thanks as always!

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

If the Signature beverage package is in your promo and you don't drink enough for it to be "worth it," ask your travel agent or HAL about a price without the promo. Often, there is a lower no-promo price.  My complaint about the beverage package is that you can't use it to buy a bottle of wine, not even if you "trade" several drinks to pay for the bottle. And the wines by the glass that are under the per-drink price limit aren't very good IMO. However, the package does cover specialty coffees, soft drinks, and bottled water. Even so, I've not found it worth the price for me. 

 

The corner afts are a pro/con thing. For me, its PRO. I love, love, love those corner afts! The balcony is large (varies from deck to deck, but they're all large) and you've got a view from the back AND the side. The con is that the cabin itself is smaller than the other Neptunes (but still plenty big) and they're not close to the Neptune Lounge. But for Alaska, I'd definitely go for the corner aft. Huge balcony, and you've got aft and side views for looking at scenery. I loved being able to see so much, then duck into the cabin to get warm for a bit during the glacier view days. 

 

I haven't done the land portion, so I can't help you there. 

 

[rkacruiser]

I agree with 3rdGenCunarder's opinion.  The signature beverage packages don't work for me and my travel agent has been able to obtain a significant price reduction on cruises by rejecting some of these so-called "deals".  The only Neptune Suite I had was on the Westerdam at the stern.  It was not one of the corner suites.  I enjoyed my suite.  I had soot issues.  Depending upon wave direction hitting the ship, for a couple of days, there was a "different from what I have experienced" cork-screw type motion affecting the stateroom.  Not unpleasant, but surely was different.  As to location, I have yet to read any review that did not have high praise for those corner Neptune Suites.  (But, remember, those guests on the upper decks have a good view of you when you are dining/sunning on the part of the veranda beyond the overhang of the upper decks.)

[catl331]

47 minutes ago, flyer79 said:

Third - any opinions on the Land portion?  Should we consider doing the cruise only with Holland and make our own arrangements for Denali and whatever else?   Or does Holland do a good job/reasonable value with the Land side?

We were happy with the hotel rooms we were given in Fairbanks and Denali, so I wouldn't go to the trouble of trying to book rooms or transportation separately from a HAL C-T package.

[renee00]

I did the Denali tour with HAL a couple years ago and thought the whole thing was excellent. Nice hotel that was conveniently located, a number of interesting food options around, and the Denali tour that was included was amazing.

Edited April 13, 2019 by renee00

[Marigold252]

1 hour ago, flyer79 said:

 

We did the land tour after our Vancouver to Seward cruise with HAL last September. It was very well done and I highly recommend it. We have toured Alaska on our own as well, but chose to "be taken care of" on this trip. 

[ottahand7]

Aft Neptune would be great for Alaska.   It allowed a much better perspective in Glacier Bay, Inside Passage and looking for wildlife.  In Alaska with the wind and cooler weather I think that you will have less of the only negative which we had on the Oosterdam going through the Panama  Canal was a great deal of soot on the balcony but the wrap around deck still was wonderful.  It is a bit of a hike if you like to use all the benefits of the Neptune Lounge and sometimes the daily menu and Neptune suite bath products are less forthcoming.  

[flyer79]

Thank you all very much!  We’ll go with the corner aft and talk to our TA about alternatives to the beverage package.  Appreciate the insights.

[3littlepigs]

I love the Corner aft for the size of the balcony. I once read a description of the movement of the ship there as “a dog wagging its tail” it does move a bit differently but, in my opinion, is WAY better than a forward cabin. We usually book a Neptune GTY but have never lucked out and been allocated a Corner aft on a GTY booking, I think they are just too popular!

[Roz]

I had a corner aft Neptune one time that I got by booking a gty, and I loved it.  They are great cabins, IMO.  

 

Roz

[ScottC4746]

15 hours ago, flyer79 said:

 

Secondly we are thinking of getting a Neptune suite.  Most of the Neptunes are on Deck 7 midships.  There are a couple in the far Aft corner of each deck though that are relatively less expensive.  Does anyone have any experience with these?  Any issue with views, noise, movement , etc. that anyone has experienced?

 

 

 

 

Thanks as always!

 

 

Having just gotten off of Eurodam 6175 Neptune Aft corner I can tell you the ride is a little bouncier back there, there was a constant vibration and the wrap around deck means a slightly smaller interior.  With all of this we would do the corner again.  On the Eurodam the Neptune Lounge is on deck 7.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, ScottC4746 said:

Having just gotten off of Eurodam 6175 Neptune Aft corner I can tell you the ride is a little bouncier back there, there was a constant vibration and the wrap around deck means a slightly smaller interior.  With all of this we would do the corner again.  On the Eurodam the Neptune Lounge is on deck 7.

 

I've never been on Eurodam, but I've been in corner afts several times on Vistas and never had bouncing. K'dam, OTOH, shimmies and bounces/slaps the water so much that I would never go aft on that ship again. Perhaps Eurodam is more like K'dam than a Vista in that sense?

 

Any ship will "corkscrew" when wind and water made it pitch and roll and the same time. The up-and-down combined with side-to-side produces a circular motion. Corkscrewing leaves a zig-zag pattern in the wake. I have experienced that once in a Vista aft cabin, and it was annoying.