Verandah vs Vista Suite on Niew Statendam

[MadManOfBethesda]

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question or one that has been discussed previously. My wife and I have been cruising for 40+ years, but haven't been on a HAL cruise since 2009, so I am unfamiliar with the current ships and their cabin categories. We just yesterday for the first time started looking at cruises for July since we didn't have anything booked this summer, and we came across a 10-day HAL cruise from Reykjavik to Amsterdam on Niew Statendam that is very appealing. The price is also appealing at $1,049/pp for a verandah cabin. The next category up is a Vista "suite" at &1,699/pp, but a cursory review of the deck plan and the associated cabin categories has led me to believe that there really isn't much difference between the two, save for a little extra space (32sq.ft.) and perhaps a better midship location.  Is that correct? Are there really no added benefits for this so-called "suite" even though it is roughly 60% more expensive? Not counting taxes, port charges, etc., a veranda cabin is $2,098 and a Vista suite is $3,398. Would I really not be getting anything else for the additional $1,300 other than 32sq.ft. of cabin space?

[oakridger]

You get double Mariner points in a Vista.  For me personally, I wouldn't book a Vista. If I want more space and can pay more, I would get a Signature or Neptune.

 

[*Miss G*]

Yes, @MadManOfBethesda, you are correct. The price differential for a Vista is definitely not worth it. I would get the verandah and then watch my emails for a paid upgrade offer (to a Neptune Suite) closer to the sailing date. If you book through a HAL PCC they will make sure you receive the offers. If you book through a TA you may not get them. 

[MadManOfBethesda]

Thank you both very much for your responses. That's very helpful.

[POA1]

We've had both the Vista Suite and the regular verandah on Pinnacle Class ships. The extra space is nice, and the midship location is super convenient. I don't think it's worth a 60%+ premium though.

 

Unless the verandah is a VH, which is obstructed. Do you have the category of the verandah room? A lot of times the "come on" price for a verandah is a lifeboat view.

 

If you are comparing a VB, VA or V category verandah, it's a valid comparison. A VH? Not so much.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Generally the premium is nowhere near the percentage you are seeing, which is artificial given your voyage choice and the likely inventory remaining in the two categories. We have found Vistas for $20 pppd over veranda. A veranda guarantee can easily yield an obstructed view while it would not for a Vista. The layout of the Vista we find much more appealing on Pinnacles than the Veranda (arrangement of sitting and desk closer to entry door rather than bed). More storage too. The extra space, although small, feels large in context. Plus the benefits of location noted above. 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

5 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

Yes, @MadManOfBethesda, you are correct. The price differential for a Vista is definitely not worth it. I would get the verandah and then watch my emails for a paid upgrade offer (to a Neptune Suite) closer to the sailing date. If you book through a HAL PCC they will make sure you receive the offers. If you book through a TA you may not get them. 

You can call your TA after final payment to ask about a paid upsell. At the time I did that, the price for the Vista was actually less than what we'd gotten the verandah for, but the trick was asking for a paid upsell rather than just an upgrade.

[julia]

Frankly, I would not book a Vista at any price... I do NOT prefer the bed near the balcony, with the sitting area enclosed from the ocean view. No. Nope. Not for me.

Edited May 21 by julia

[MadManOfBethesda]

10 hours ago, POA1 said:

We've had both the Vista Suite and the regular verandah on Pinnacle Class ships. The extra space is nice, and the midship location is super convenient. I don't think it's worth a 60%+ premium though.

 

Unless the verandah is a VH, which is obstructed. Do you have the category of the verandah room? A lot of times the "come on" price for a verandah is a lifeboat view.

 

If you are comparing a VB, VA or V category verandah, it's a valid comparison. A VH? Not so much.

The $1,049 "come on" price was indeed for a guarantee; but for an additional $50pp, I was able to book a specific cabin. We chose a cabin on the Navigation deck, so that should obviate any obstruction issue. As for the specific category, there is a bit of a discrepancy. Our TA's system shows the specific cabin as a VF, but the deck plan on HAL's website shows at as a VE.

 

hal-na-deckplan-01222024.pdf (hollandamerica.com)

[MadManOfBethesda]

9 hours ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

You can call your TA after final payment to ask about a paid upsell. At the time I did that, the price for the Vista was actually less than what we'd gotten the verandah for, but the trick was asking for a paid upsell rather than just an upgrade.

Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure to do so.

[POA1]

35 minutes ago, MadManOfBethesda said:

The $1,049 "come on" price was indeed for a guarantee; but for an additional $50pp, I was able to book a specific cabin. We chose a cabin on the Navigation deck, so that should obviate any obstruction issue. As for the specific category, there is a bit of a discrepancy. Our TA's system shows the specific cabin as a VF, but the deck plan on HAL's website shows at as a VE.

 

hal-na-deckplan-01222024.pdf (hollandamerica.com)

Some VFs have full steel railings and not clear ones. Those are on deck 4 forward. VH is usually the verandah guarantee category, and they're all fully obstructed. (Stunning lifeboat views!) However, the guarantee category can extend to the VF or VE in some cases.

[WisRiver]

Some of the aft verandas are classified as Vista Suites.  We like aft verandas and a deck 4 Vista Suite was the only aft veranda available for our November repositioning.  I think the aft verandas classified as Vista Suites are on decks 4 and 7.

[Mandalay1903]

15 hours ago, julia said:

Frankly, I would not book a Vista at any price... I do NOT prefer the bed near the balcony, with the sitting area enclosed from the ocean view. No. Nope. Not for me.

Agreed. The floor plan is the main reason we opted to book a VC rather than a Vista for our upcoming NS cruise.

[FlaMariner]

OP, you are on target....

 

We upgraded to a Vista suite once and we will never pay for that again.....For us, absolutely no advantage for the $$$$.

 

We were underwhelmed once we opened the cabin door.....It was a great balcony cabin but for us, not that much more room and was not worth the upgrade price.....We will gladly travel in a vista if it is a "free upgrade' but not paying for/doing that again.

 

Enjoy the cruise.......The Nieuw Statendam (and any HAL ship for that matter) is a great ship!

[SeaMatesNYC]

On 5/21/2024 at 4:29 AM, julia said:

Frankly, I would not book a Vista at any price... I do NOT prefer the bed near the balcony, with the sitting area enclosed from the ocean view. No. Nope. Not for me.

Of course it is a matter of personal preference. For us, the early or late sleeper is less disturbed by the other moving about from desk to bathroom, closet and exit door. When we want to watch the ocean, we move onto the veranda or pull the chair over in front of the glass door if the temps or wind are too much. It’s great that there is variety to meet lots of needs/wants. 

[crystalspin]

On 5/20/2024 at 9:29 PM, julia said:

Frankly, I would not book a Vista at any price... I do NOT prefer the bed near the balcony, with the sitting area enclosed from the ocean view. No. Nope. Not for me.

We quite liked our Vista Suite on the K'dam B2B (that also got us to 4*), but THANK YOU for reminding me that I always said I would want to have seating near the balcony if adjoining friends or family! I switched us and my DB/SIL to connecting Verandahs on Deck 5 Rotterdam from Vistas on Deck 4. Both mid-ship, and saved some money, too!