HAL Pinnacle Suite vs Celebrity Summit Penthouse Suite

Several months ago I posted that I would do a comparison. I tried to find that thread which provided my cruising background. I cannot find it now.

I am sailing a week from today on the Summit in a Penthouse suite. My last cruise in February was on the Eurodam in a Pinnacle Suite. I believe that I mentioned in my last thread that the Penthouse Suite was about $300pp more then the Eurodam Pinnacle Suite. But, this included unlimited specialty dining, unlimited premium liquor package, unlimited internet and prepaid tips.

Celebrity, unlike HAL has Michaels club which is their version of the Neptune Lounge. This includes complimentary liquor. As well, the suite includes a full refrigerator stocked with all of your favorite beer, soda, water, vitamin water and whatever else you Request. The Suite also provides two complimentary bottles of liquor of your choice.

We were contacted twice by the pre cruise concierge to ensure that our arrival time was noted, our entire room and beverage requests were noted as well as the offer to book any spa or specialty dining requests. Unlike HAL, Celebrity offers the Luminae restaurant for the top suites for all three meals.

The menu changes daily and they will also bring you any food that you want from the dining room or the specialty restaurants.

So far, as as very loyal HAL cruiser, this pre cruise experience has been wonderful. It was also lovely to have luggage tags shipped to us.

I will try to update as this devoted HAL cruiser is now going on Celebrity next Sunday.

Nice info so far. Thanks.

Staying tuned for onboard review. Thank you for posting!

The day has finally arrived! All packed with driver set to pick us up at 10:00am for about a 30 minute drive to Bayonne. It is so nice to drive to the port as opposed to flying!

Stay tuned for an update on embarkation!

Can you tell me the name of the car service you used? Thanks!

Good morning! Easiest embarkation in 31 cruises! We pulled up to the curb and were boarding the ship within 15 minutes. The check in was warm and the Michael's club concierge came over right away and escorted us and a few couples on the ship and to the Michael's Club.The second we stepped on the ship we were given hand sanitizer before our card was even scanned. Once scanned we were then presented with a glass of champagne. The Michael's club waiter just came over, introduced himself and offered food or any complimentary drink. We opted for more champagne.

The rooms and suites on Celebrity are not open until 1:00 so you are welcome to explore the ship or hang at Michael's Club until Luminaie opens for lunch. That is the dedicated restaurant for top suites. The hotel director just came over and introduced herself to us. Thus far I am extremely impressed! The head concierge also just came over and introduced herself to us. Everyone is so warm and welcoming.

Stay tuned.

Luminae is the assigned dining for all suites on Celebrity, not just the "top" ones. Just to clarify. We have sailed in Sky Suites ("low" suites ;) ), and we enjoyed Luminae and Michael's Club a lot.

We were on Constellation years ago, a sister ship to Summit IIRC, on a 14 night Caribbean cruise. One of our CC Roll Call members was in the Penthouse Suite and they hosted 2 afternoon parties for the roll call. It was a magnificent suite! Unbelievably huge wrap-around deck (not really a balcony, more a deck!) with it's own hot tub outside (plus a bay-window soaking jetted bathtub inside). There was a baby grand piano opposite the large dining room table, and a full time butler with his own butler pantry also.

The couple staying in it said they only book Penthouse Suites on that class ship because they are soooo big and beautiful. It had an octagonal foyer with a beautiful patterned tiled floor (as you enter from the aft end of the hallway); the furnishing were a lovely, rich dark wood. The occupants on that cruise were very gracious hosts and I will remember those 2 parties in that magnificent suite forever!

May you enjoy your special suite experience before Celebrity sells off that class of ship completely. m--

As opposed to posting a daily comparison I believe it would be better time spent to ask those of you that are interested in the comparison to post your questions, please. I do not wish to offend anyone or engage in anything that seems boastful. My only objective here is to be helpful to those that are truly interested in the objective comparison. Thus, feel free to ask away but in the interest of enjoying my vacation without offending anyone or getting flamed I will now only post to answer questions.

Thus far, it has been a wonderful experience!

Your experience sounds wonderful. When you were choosing a cruise did you compare costs of Celebrity vs HAL in the same category, or did you choose because of itinerary. Possibly your reference to the 300pp more than the Eurodam Pinnacle Suite was for this cruise. So far it sounds like a good choice. I have been in suites on HAL and Celebrity, and I have to say that the suite on Celebrity came with a lot more perks and pampering. Love both cruise lines though. Looking forward to your continuing updates. Cherie

Celebrity, unlike HAL has Michaels club which is their version of the Neptune Lounge. This includes complimentary liquor.

This is an amenity that I really wish HAL would add to the Neptune Lounge, if not all day, at least for two or three hours in the late afternoon / early evening.

goldsmip115, enjoy your cruise! Thanks for sharing your comments.

Does your Celebrity Penthouse suite include laundry on hangers (not just folded) and dry cleaning, both at no charge?

Good morning! Easiest embarkation in 31 cruises! We pulled up to the curb and were boarding the ship within 15 minutes. The check in was warm and the Michael's club concierge came over right away and escorted us and a few couples on the ship and to the Michael's Club.The second we stepped on the ship we were given hand sanitizer before our card was even scanned. Once scanned we were then presented with a glass of champagne. The Michael's club waiter just came over, introduced himself and offered food or any complimentary drink. We opted for more champagne.

 

The rooms and suites on Celebrity are not open until 1:00 so you are welcome to explore the ship or hang at Michael's Club until Luminaie opens for lunch. That is the dedicated restaurant for top suites. The hotel director just came over and introduced herself to us. Thus far I am extremely impressed! The head concierge also just came over and introduced herself to us. Everyone is so warm and welcoming.

 

Stay tuned.

Enjoy your cruise! We were in the penthouse suite on the Summit a few weeks ago and it was amazing! You mentioned the "head concierge", can you tell me who that is? I know that's a new position and I'm hoping it's Maja. Again, enjoy your cruise!

I don't have any questions, but I would enjoy reading your thoughts on this cruise.

Enjoying your reports.

I have no questions either except maybe will you post photos of your suite when you get home?!

I love hearing about experiences of anyone in a Penthouse and don't find it boastful at all but I guess some might find it so. Shame we have to be so careful not to offend.

It seems the perks on HAL are not as good as other cruise lines. We hope maybe next year to branch out and try other cruise lines.

Enjoy your cruise and I like reading about the comparisons.

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As opposed to posting a daily comparison I believe it would be better time spent to ask those of you that are interested in the comparison to post your questions, please. I do not wish to offend anyone or engage in anything that seems boastful. My only objective here is to be helpful to those that are truly interested in the objective comparison. Thus, feel free to ask away but in the interest of enjoying my vacation without offending anyone or getting flamed I will now only post to answer questions.

 

Thus far, it has been a wonderful experience!

What!?? Noooooo. :loudcry: I was enjoying your reviews and posts and didn't find it the least bit boastful! I have no questions. I just want to know what it's like. :(

No questions but would like to hear your thoughts about Luminae, the suite restaurant on Celebrity. We've been in suites on our last three X cruises and just love Luminae. So much so that we didn't bother with any of the specialty restaurants on our last cruise.

We enjoyed our Neptune suite on HAL this past June and have another booked for next year but the suite experience on Celebrity is far superior to HAL's in our opinion, interested to hear what you think after a few days.

We've never been lucky enough to have a Penthouse suite on X but have attended a party in one once....it is an amazing suite, and the balcony just huge!!! Enjoy it!:D

Add to all this, the PH's on Summit were completely refurbished last year.

The addition of Sky Suites to include Michael's and all the "perks" is relatively new, and has driven the price of those suites up considerably.

Thank you to everyone for assuring me that you are interested and I am not being perceived as boastful, but rather helpful and informative. We are docked in Bermuda and I have to say that thus far, this has been my best ever cruise in 34 cruises. Why? It is a combination of the best suite ever, the best butler ever and also the best food hands down!

To answer the laundry question our butler told us to leave laundry whenever we like and he will take care of it. It comes back on hangers neatly pressed and beautifully done.

The suite restaurant Luminae is the finest restaurant I have ever experienced at sea. That includes any specialty restaurant! The finest servers and best sommelier I have ever met. Of course there is no comparison between the Pinnacle Suite and this Penthouse suite. Over 1,400 sq feet inside and 1,100 sq ft verandah. Oh, the butler! No need for the Neptune Lounge, but Michaels Club is more elegant and includes top shelf liquor. And 2 bottles of liquor in suite and anything you want in the full size refrigerator in the lovely pantry. It was stocked with everything I asked for on day one.

Yes, this cruise was $300 more pp than the Pinnacle Suite that I sailed in February. But, that fare includes free unlimited internet, free specialty dining, free premium beverage package, all gratuities paid and a $300 OBC. Thus, a far better value for the money.

That is all for now. Lovely, lovely experience. It is hard to imagine going back to HAL right now.

Tell us more about the cabin.

Like 1 and 1/2 bathrooms? Separate shower?

Where is the living room located? Is there a dining room in the suite?

Will you post pictures of the cabin and verandah?

We have sailed in HAL's Pinnacle Suite quite a few times on various ships.

 

To answer the laundry question our butler told us to leave laundry whenever we like and he will take care of it. It comes back on hangers neatly pressed and beautifully done./quote]

 

Thanks for answering my question about laundry. I assume they also did dry cleaning if the item required it?

We did not ask for anything to be drycleaned but it is an option.

Just as an FYI, tonight I did not find an entree that I liked on the Luminae menu. They were happy to bring me an entree from Tuscan Grill menu.

There are two full bathrooms in the suite. There is a dining room that seats eight very comfortably. There is a large round table with six chairs on the 1,100 sq foot verandah.

What else have I missed?

Sounds wonderful. Good for you. Savour the experience and have a wonderful cruise.

Someone has to be in this suite so it may as well be you! Unless we get a fabulous upgrade at some point I will have to satisfy myself vicariously.

I'm so glad I came across your post since I am currently researching the Pinnacle Suite on Koningsdam for a cruise next year and I am very surprised at the "lack" of perks included with the suite. The reason I am surprised is because my family and I recently returned from an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Millennium and stayed in the amazing Penthouse Suite you are referring to in your thread. The perks were outstanding; absolutely everything was included and then some. FYI, if there is an a la carte restaurant on the Summit, that is included too (Millennium had Sushi on Five). Also, when you finish your two complimentary bottles of liquor they will replace them with anything you want. All laundry, including dry cleaning is also included. Luminae was our favorite; service was out of this world, but the other specialty restaurants were really good too.

I prefer the itinerary and timeframe on the Koningsdam vs. Celebrity Reflection but I'm concerned with being "nickled & dimed" on HAL. What are your thoughts on that now that you've experienced Celebrity? I called HAL customer service today to ask some questions regarding "what's included" and how drinks, specialty restaurants, internet, etc. work and everything seems to have an additional charge, i.e. $37.00 for 12 1-liter bottles of water, $100 for 250 minutes of internet, $$$ drink packages, $$ specialty dining. I'm a cruise newbie and there is not a lot of info on their website. Do you recommend getting a drink package or do you usually pay per drink? We are not big drinkers and it will be just the two of us on this upcoming cruise. Is the food in the regular restaurants decent or do you mostly eat at the specialty ones? The food in Celebrity's regular restaurants was just ok with the exception of Aquaspa Cafe. Anyone have any comments on internet, i.e. how many minutes to buy, does it work? Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated!