who do I call at HAL?

[hulamoon]

Yesterday I had decided to purchase the suite amenity package for our cruise. It seemed like an excellent deal after speaking to some of our fellow passengers. But after getting the price it seemed like it would be a break even at best. My fellow passenger is a smart cookie, so when I looked into it further I found out the 28 day cruise suite amenity pkg cost the same as the 18 day cruise. I was told both of us were quoted correctly.

 

It seems to me HAL could be selling a lot more of these packages if passengers knew they were getting free days of the package so to speak. Or it seems to me that they could sell more of them if the pro-rate was equitable. but from my point of view I would like to find out if there is someone I could speak to about this. Ship services told me there is no one else to speak to so I thought as a last resort I would see if someone on the boards knew more than I did.

 

So what is not so good news for me may be very good news for those of you on longer cruises.

 

thank you...

[DutchByAssociation]

Yesterday I had decided to purchase the suite amenity package for our cruise. It seemed like an excellent deal after speaking to some of our fellow passengers. But after getting the price it seemed like it would be a break even at best. My fellow passenger is a smart cookie, so when I looked into it further I found out the 28 day cruise suite amenity pkg cost the same as the 18 day cruise. I was told both of us were quoted correctly.

 

It seems to me HAL could be selling a lot more of these packages if passengers knew they were getting free days of the package so to speak. Or it seems to me that they could sell more of them if the pro-rate was equitable. but from my point of view I would like to find out if there is someone I could speak to about this. Ship services told me there is no one else to speak to so I thought as a last resort I would see if someone on the boards knew more than I did.

 

So what is not so good news for me may be very good news for those of you on longer cruises.

 

thank you...

 

Hi Sharie,

 

If I understand your post correctly, the person you would want to share this feedback with actually is in Ship Services. Her name is Tammie and she is the supervisor. While Ship Services does not directly control the costs of these packages, she can definitely pass along the input to those that do, or direct you in who to email or write a letter to if that is the preferred method.

 

One thing that I know sometimes causes confusion with the Suite Amenity and Suite Elite packages is that the prices DO vary based on length of cruise. Much of this is because of the main variable aspect of the package (Suite Amenity - Laundry, Suite Elite - Thermal Spa) but if it's a longer cruise the dinner in the Pinnacle Grill may be a couple dinners in the Pinnacle Grill and so forth.

[hulamoon]

DBA,

 

Thanks for posting! I will call her Monday.

 

Twice last week Ships Services told me 28 days is the same price as 18 days $677. I can see what a great value all the extra laundry days, video rentals are on the 28 days but I can't quite get the package to break even for the 18 days.

 

Later I got an email that had different information from a 3rd person. But still the package makes sense for those on longer voyages.

 

In my former life I used to price spa menus and packages for my business and every once in a while a package I made up didn't quite add up. (Sometimes after we went to print!)

 

I would love to see this priced per diem so anyone on a cruise can see the value and more would be purchased. But if this isn't the goal then I would suggest they really market this to those on longer voyages because this seems to be a great value for those customers, but not so much for 18 day cruisers.

 

Thanks for reading and checking in!

[Moonlight Beach]

Sharie,

Please post here after you call Ship Services again, or email me. I too, am interested in the Suite Amenities package.

[hulamoon]

I will be having my 5th convesation in the morning, and will let you know. So far for the 18 day cruise the price is $677. But this is also the price for 28 days too. I keep looking at it but can't see how it breaks even.

[Moonlight Beach]

Sharie,

Ask HAL what the cost is for the 10 day portion, May 13-23. Maybe then they'll deduct that from the cost they are quoting. Couldn't hurt. Let me know what they say, maybe we can tag team them.

[hulamoon]

Good Morning,

 

I spoke to Tammie she will reconfirm pricing for the 28 days, 18 days and 10 days for the suite amenity package.

 

10 days is normally $421. 18 days is usually $677. no price on 28 days, but she said no ones price will go up if already charged.

 

She mentioned that the robes would be a one time gift so there was special consideration during long cruises for that, however she mentioned the laundry is $15. a day, as those charges keep going up. I will post as soon as I know more.

 

As DBA said she doesn't make the prices herself but will give feedback to those who do. I am hoping for a win win here, where they can sell more packages and we can buy them and feel like it penciled out for us.

[hulamoon]

I recieved an email today and here is the chart of amenities in the package. Lynne, this is an answer to the question about subtracting the 28 day fee from the 18 day. There is more coffee in this chart and more pinnacle grill dinners than we knew from our phone quotes, so more value than we originally knew about. Also, there is popcorn! For 28 day customers this is very good. I hope this comes through, if not I will try to write it out.

 

Let me provide the breakdown of what is included. I cannot book just a partial package, i.e. 18 day rate for the 28 day. In this case you would need to purchase the individual items onboard.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Suite Amenitites Package (all categories other than Deluxe Verandah Suites):

Double Rate

10 Day- Double Occupancy $ 421.00

Complimentary Laundry and Pressing for length of cruise for two

Monogrammed Bathrobes for two

Either High Tea or Cold Canapes for length of cruise

DVD selection from video library, with popcorn for length of cruise

Fresh flowers (small colonial)

Special Disembarkation (morning luggage pick up, disembark at leisure)

Special Disembarkation Lounge (available with continental breakfast set-up)

Pillows a la carte

Stateroom Beverage set-up (initial set-up of 4 bottles; 2 bottles of wine, 2 liquor)

Explorations Café coffee Card two cards

1 Pinnacle Grill, dinner for two

Per Couple Charge

$ 421

 

Up to 20 days DOUBLE

$ 677.00 Double Occupancy

Suite Amenities Package (all categories other than Deluxe Verandah Suites):

Complimentary Laundry and Pressing for length of cruise for two

Monogrammed Bathrobes for two

Either High Tea or Cold Canapes for length of cruise

DVD selection from video library, with popcorn for length of cruise

Fresh flowers (small colonial) 1 per week

Special Disembarkation (morning luggage pick up, disembark at leisure)

Special Disembarkation Lounge (available with continental breakfast set-up)

Pillows a la carte

Stateroom Beverage set-up (initial set-up of 4 bottles; 2 bottles of wine, 2 liquor)

Explorations Café coffee Card two cards

3 Pinnacle Grill, dinner for two

Per Couple Charge

$ 677

 

28 days DOUBLE

Suite Amenities Package (all categories other than Deluxe Verandah Suites):

Complimentary Laundry and Pressing for length of cruise for two

Monogrammed Bathrobes for two

Either High Tea or Cold Canapes for length of cruise

DVD selection from video library, with popcorn for length of cruise

Fresh flowers (small colonial) 1 per week

Special Disembarkation (morning luggage pick up, disembark at leisure)

Special Disembarkation Lounge (available with continental breakfast set-up)

Pillows a la carte

Stateroom Beverage set-up (initial set-up of 4 bottles; 2 bottles of wine, 2 liquor)

Explorations Café coffee Card two cards

4 Pinnacle Grill, dinner for two

Per Couple Charge

 

Tammie Hering-Montes

Supervisor- Ship Services

Holland America Line

300 Elliott Ave. West, Seattle, WA 98119

1 800 541 1576 ext 68625

[Moonlight Beach]

Thanks for the information, Sharie.

[hulamoon]

I just noticed the price for the suite amenities package was left off of the 28 days cruise....it is $743.

[cruisinjudy]

One thing I notice is if you are in the deluxe suite it also includes free dry cleaning which I used a lot for my clothes rather than the laundry. The suite amenities package does not include the dry cleaning.

[hulamoon]

This is true, just laundry and pressing. Dry cleaning would be a nice addition. Next week I will ask about it if you don't ask first. :)

[Jade13]

DBA,

 

I would love to see this priced per diem so anyone on a cruise can see the value and more would be purchased. But if this isn't the goal then I would suggest they really market this to those on longer voyages because this seems to be a great value for those customers, but not so much for 18 day cruisers.

 

Thanks for reading and checking in!

 

I don't think they can do this per diem because the package may include a bathrobe, one time bar set-up etc., one coffee (or soda) card.

 

The prices only broke even for my cruise last year (the add-in would have been the afternoon tea or canapes delivered to the stateroom) so I didn't bother and also my DH did not want the robe. Btw, Guest Services messed up the price for the laundry and pressing package and people on my roll call had diff prices. If I had not looked at the list when I got to my stateroom, I would not know that I was overcharged. If you saw the amount of emails I had to Guest Services asking why 3 or 4 people were given a different prices you would know why I got irritated.

[Jade13]

Good Morning,

 

 

She mentioned that the robes would be a one time gift so there was special consideration during long cruises for that, however she mentioned the laundry is $15. a day, as those charges keep going up. I will post as soon as I know more.

.

 

We paid $70.00 for laundry for two people for 10 nights last year. The pressing was $30.00, so $100.00 total. We bought that package and would do it again for that price.

[hulamoon]

I understand. There were a few different quotes for our cruise this is why I asked for claification from Tammie.

 

I hope we do not have problems with billing. Clearly the package is a good deal for long cruises, but 18 days it doesn't quite break even on the items we care about. We are trying it though because you can never underestimate what may be necessary in a small verandah room crossing the ocean.