More Info on Holland America, Please!!

[CARGAL99]

My husband and I wll set sail on the Amsterdam for Gems of the Baltic next week-end and we are really excited. We have not been on Holland America in a while and we need a little help. We have a Suite and are wondering about the perks. What is the Pinnacle Grill and the Neptune Lounge?? Please reply so that we know what we are doing! Thanks to all!

[NorthernNeighbour]

My husband and I wll set sail on the Amsterdam for Gems of the Baltic next week-end and we are really excited. We have not been on Holland America in a while and we need a little help. We have a Suite and are wondering about the perks. What is the Pinnacle Grill and the Neptune Lounge?? Please reply so that we know what we are doing! Thanks to all!

 

Well, the Pinnacle Grill is not a perk. It is the reservations-only restaurant (they charge a supplement to dine there) and anyone onboard can dine there regardless of your cabin assignment. Worth a try for one night -- we did and found the food excellent, the service OK.

 

If you can manage to see the Maitre d'Hotel about the table assignment in the main restaurant on the first day, ask him if you can be assigned a table where Mr. DOLLY is the table steward. His tables are near the windows so they are in a good location. You will not regret it -- he tastes ALL of the items on the menu before the diners arrives and he can tell what is good and what is not. He gives very good advice on this -- you just have to ask him. Also the wine steward at his table (I forget her name) is very good.

 

We found the food in the main dining room got better towards the end of the cruise, so if you go to alternative dining (the Pinnacle Grill) try to do this earlier on in the cruise.

 

We just sailed on the AMSTERDAM and loved it. Great service and good to excellent cuisine. After the cruise, please do revert and post a reponse here to let us know how you found the cruise. If you meet the waiter Mr. DOLLY, tell him the Canadians on the recent transatlantic voyage send their regards and recommended him to you.

[twinkletoes4445]

I thought I'd read that the Pinnacle Grill offers breakfast as a perk for the top two catagories. For lunch and dinner, it's open to anyone who makes a reservation.

 

Here's what mama d wrote when I asked about the perks....

 

With the Deluxe veranda suite (S cat.) you will have a separte line to do the pre-board routine (paperwork, seacard).

 

You will have the oportunity for early disembarkation unless you have transfers via the cruise line to the airport ---in this caes they will call you when it is time for you to leave.

 

In port you can show your seacard and get on the next available seat for a tender when leaving the ship. i never noticed them being used for priority seating to get back on board (at least we never used it that way).

 

There are certainly perks that make this cat. suite desirable:

hot/cold hors d's served daily - request on board laundry/dry cleaning included

 

breakfast/lunch in the Pinnacle

 

use of Neptune Lounge (NOT A BAR)

snacks, non-alcoholic drinks (juice, tea, coffee)

breakfast (continental), chocolate, cookies, hors d's

specialty coffee

consierge services - this is wonderful

all paperwork and excursions booked, accounts paid,

 

check out a video/dvd -

 

play a game at the big table

 

read a book

 

A balcony to enjoy a room service breakfast, lunch or dinner or

just your hot&colds

 

Great service --- which you will receive no matter what cabin you

choose.

 

And here's what Grannynurse wrote...

 

The Pinnacle Grill is HAL's alternative restaurant. Dinner is by reservation only and has a surcharge of $20 pp. The cuisine is Northwest US/ It's a small menu but the food is exquisite, especially the beef. The concierge will make the reservation for you.

 

On most HAL ships the Pinnacle can be used by suite passengers for breakfast and lunch. The menu is the same that is found in the regular dining room (no charge). They will ask for your cabin number to verify that you are in a suite. Some HAL ships use the king's room for suite pax. You don't have to use these extra venues but they are available. I would suggest that you try it at least once. Your regular dining assignment is for dinner in the dining room.

 

There are some days on some HAL ships where the Pinnacle is open to all guests for a $10 surcharge. This menu is different.

 

Suite pax are also invited to the suite cocktail party and suite luncheon. You will find many private invitations to suite functions and services in your cabin.

 

You will also get a "welcome" bottle of champagne from the Captain and Hotel Manager.

 

The dining room menu is delivered to suite pax at noon. You may keep it for a souvenir. We take one to the dining room for our waiters to autograph on the last night. HAL's menus are so graphic they are funny at times. On one of our recent cruises our adult daughters gave a dramatic menu-reading every afternoon (with inflections), it provided an afternoon giggle.

 

Don't bother to take a tote for shopping. HAL gives logo totes to all pax. They appear in your cabin the day before the first port stop.

I'll keep adding as I remember bits of trivial info.

GN

 

It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? I can't wait.... :)

[OldCodger73]

Cargal, Holland America uses the term "suite" a little loosely, calling all verandah rooms that on R and S class ships. On the Amsterdam only passangers booked in PS, SA and SB suites get the perks listed in this thread. If you're in A, B, BB or BC no perks.

[twinkletoes4445]

Cargal, Holland America uses the term "suite" a little loosely, calling all verandah rooms that on R and S class ships. On the Amsterdam only passangers booked in PS, SA and SB suites get the perks listed in this thread. If you're in A, B, BB or BC no perks.

 

I also found it a bit confusing. I know it's spelled out in the front of the new brochure, but it's still confusing....at least it was to me.

[CARGAL99]

We are in a S suite so hopefully that will get us a few extras. If anyone can think of anything, please let us know!! Thanks for all the info

[grannynurse]

Free laundry and drycleaning, corsages and boutonnaires on first formal night. priority tendering, suite priority check-in at embakation. Choice to keep luggage in room until 6am on morning of debarkation. Use of suite (Neptune) lounge and concierge services. Tea and /or hors d'ouerves every afternoon (by request), in-room cocktail parties for your on-board friends at no charge except for alcohol. Concierge will even send invitations to your guests. There is a limit, however, on the number of non-suite guests. I think it's 6-8 if they are not also in a suite. They will set up, provide food and food service and clean up. You arrange the menu with the concierge.

Friends of ours on our 2003 transatlantic had been upgraded to the penthouse and had a sit-down dinner for 8 of us at no extra charge to them. The PS on R class ships has a dining room table that seats 8.

I'm sure I've forgotten a few things, maybe some one else will add to this list.

GN

[Krazy Kruizers]

Dolly Foroji - best waiter around. Have known him for years. The waitstaff is moved around the dining after every 2 weeks or 20 days depending on length of cruise.

 

You will also get personalized stationary, use of binoculars, a big umbrella. The Amsterdam's Neptune Lounge has it's own small library.

[twinkletoes4445]

We are in a S suite so hopefully that will get us a few extras. If anyone can think of anything, please let us know!! Thanks for all the info

 

Being in an "S" suite on the Amsterdam would give you access to all the perks. If I am looking at it right...PS, SB or SA would have the perks. :)