Suite Perks and what is the Neptune Lounge?

[Odd Ball]

Embarkation

The special line for S and PS is a nice perk.

The only time I have not seen lines is when I boarded at 3:30. I am talking about San Diego, Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale.

Tenders

If tenders are required, there are always lines unless you wait around for an hour or two, then you can go right down to the tender.

This is a nice perk since you do not have to get a tender ticket and wait for your number to be called..

Neptune

The only time the Neptune is dark is when it is closed. I think it opens around 7:00 AM. I don't recall what time it closes since I always have late seating and it is not open when I return for dinner.

The Neptune does not get mobbed with people but I have seldom entered when there was no one there. Sometimes people are sitting where you cannot see them, if just passing by.

 

People come and go through out the day. People might not hang around in there for hours but they come and go and it is heavily used.

[twinkletoes4445]

Odd Ball...

 

Our observations were the same as yours. :)

 

We found we used the NL more than we thought we would. We especially loved the fact that we could handle all sorts of things in the NL and never had to go to the front desk. I don't recall a single time that the lounge was crowded (and that was nice). It was easy to slip in and out...once we grabbed a snack or took care of business.

 

IMO, the cost of the suite was worth the money.

[bookworm0911]

We were in a forward VA on deck 7 (Westerdam) and had to walk by the NL to get anywhere including the stairs or elevator. We never saw any adult walk in or out in 10 days. This included being up at 6:00am, going to the gym and coming back and getting ready to go on a shore excursion, coming back to our cabin after an excursion before going anywhere else and going back to our cabin before and after dinner (before going to a show). I honestly think it may be used less in a port intensive Mediterranean cruise. I am just reporting what I saw on MY cruise.

 

We never had a line for embarkation (walked right on), or at any time getting on and off the ship. Again, this may be specific to this cruise (although we never had any line in Alaska either).

 

You may be confusing me with another poster who may have been a bit sarcastic about the umbrellas. And then again, I posted my opinion that even if given a big umbrella, I would not carry one that size off a ship. I also stated that I thought the advantage of a Suite was the actual size of the stateroom and the balcony (since on HAL - unlike other lines like Celebrity - all guests get robes, Elemis bath products, a tote bag, and room service breakfast) and that it my opinion.

I've sailed on a Vista and I'm confused as to why you would be not be using the forward stairs or elevators at least to go to the gym which is forward on the Lido deck above your forward VA. Why walk towards the back of the ship past the Neptune and then forward again to the gym?

[Jade13]

I've sailed on a Vista and I'm confused as to why you would be not be using the forward stairs or elevators at least to go to the gym which is forward on the Lido deck above your forward VA. Why walk towards the back of the ship past the Neptune and then forward again to the gym?

 

I used the middle stairs the most and especially liked the glass elevators once I found them. I always went to/from the Lido pool & buffet to the Gym. The mid ship section was used before/after excursions, to/from dinner and after dinner to the cabin before going to the Lounge.

[Jade13]

I found this thread on Celebrity. I hope I posted the right link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=611299

 

It is interesting because apparently Celebrity believes passengers pay for a Suite in order to get more space (which is the reason I said I would book a Suite - as almost all the amenities are the same for all passengers, at least on HAL).

 

However, and I agree with the Celebrity posters, they give the CC passengers (Concierge Class, and note on the Century these cabins are the same size as the standard balcony cabins) more amenities than a Suite passenger. I think someone posted they were in a Royal Suite or Sky Suite and received plastic flowers while the CC class cabins received fresh flowers. The CC cabins also receive a more extensive breakfast menu.

 

In any event the cruise line (Celebrity) looks at "Real Estate vs Amenities".

 

So, it's possible that someone in a 170 square foot balcony stateroom in CC Class on Century would get more amenities than someone in a 500 square foot Suite on the same ship, for which they paid a lot more. I thought this would be of interest to those reading this thread.

[Odd Ball]

I am lost.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I am lost.

 

If you tell me which ship you're on, I'll send you a deck plan:D :)

 

Karin

[Jade13]

If you tell me which ship you're on, I'll send you a deck plan:D :)

 

Karin

 

Karin, you are too funny:D :)

[kryos]

Could your TA have sent them? Or maybe you got some from HAL and I just never did? :confused:

Trust me, these flowers looked like someone took them from a table in the Lido. They were nothing fancy at all. But, no ... I doubt my TA sent them. She sent the bottles of cheap wine. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

If tenders are required, there are always lines unless you wait around for an hour or two, then you can go right down to the tender.

That, to me, is the major benefit of being in a suite. The problem with not having that tender privilege is when you decide to do your own tour thing in a tender port. You could get screwed, especially if you need to meet a private tour operator on the dock. For the folks doing ship's shore excursions, it won't matter a hoot that they don't have priority tendering. The shore excursions staff will make sure that they are tendered over to the dock in plenty of time to meet their tours. But if you are going independent, you've got a problem. The priority is on getting the shore excursion folks off the boat. Therefore, they generally won't even open the Queen's Lounge to start handing out tender tickets to the independent folks until AFTER all the HAL shore excursions have been ferried over. That could leave you waiting for a good hour or more once tendering begins. The folks in the suites don't need tender tickets. They just show their room key and can get right on a tender. But if someone is not on a HAL tour and not staying in a suite, they can't get on a tender without having a tender ticket. If the Queen's Lounge isn't open yet to hand them out, well ... plain and simple, you're SOL. If you have a set time where you are supposed to meet your independent tour guide, well ... in short, you'd better either schedule him for later on in the morning ... or if you scheduled your meet-up early, you'd better hope he waits for you ... because you could easily be an hour or more behind the HAL shore excursion people and the suite folks in getting over to the dock.

 

Not fair, but that's just the way it is. That's why if I'm gonna do an independent tour, I try to do it in a port where the ship ties up right at the dock.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[TwinFriend]

Ruth C, most charity events people go to allow you to take the flowers after dinner, so then you will have flowers in your room the rest of the cruise after you have designated your table in honor of your favorite charity.:) :) :) It might work.

[RuthC]

Ruth C, most charity events people go to allow you to take the flowers after dinner, so then you will have flowers in your room the rest of the cruise after you have designated your table in honor of your favorite charity.:) :) :) It might work.

LOL!

As they say---"Charity begins at home". My cabin is my "home" for the cruise! :D