srmsmg5 Posted June 16, 2010 #1 Share Posted June 16, 2010 To those of you who have multiple cruise line experience in suites... It sure seems like NCL has the most suite benefits. We are trying to plan for our next cruise and NCL would be tough for us. I am willing to work around it because we had such an amazing experience on the Jewel. However, can any of the other lines measure up? I have searched the other boards with marginal success. I would like to hear from those who have first hand experience.:) Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halos Posted June 16, 2010 #2 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I haven't sailed in an NCL suite. The only thing I can tell you is that CCL has no suite perks, so I'd rule that one out. I did sail Celebrity in a Consierge Class cabin and the service was top notch...but from what I hear on these boards, NCL suite perks are pretty hard to beat. I'm interested to hear what everyone says............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jame_g Posted June 16, 2010 #3 Share Posted June 16, 2010 The only perk with Carnival is priority boarding for a suite. Other than that it is just a bigger room. (Although I've seen posts on the Carnival board that certain ships do have a "secret" owner's suite that doesn't show up on their deck plans. Not sure how they sell these suites normally since they don't show up on the plans or on their online booking, or if they do allow people to book them outright, but they occasionally offer to upsell a guest into them. These suites are apparently given some extra service and treats. I suspect they were intended for special corporate guests/executives.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanrobert Posted June 16, 2010 #4 Share Posted June 16, 2010 We just sailed Princess in an owner's suite and have previously sailed NCL in an AB (although they have since changed the name of the category). On Princess we received a bar set up--8 mini bottles of liquor, assorted sodas, and water, free internet, free laundry and dry cleaning service, priorty boarding, upgraded amenities in the cabin, treats each day, a special line at customer service, breakfast in Sabatini's (their specialty restaurant), we were also able to make dinner reservations each day for whatever time we wanted. Princess serves afternoon tea each day and we were able to have it delivered to our cabin. We also had a full room service menu. As long as a dining room was open, we could order whatever was on the menu. It was very nice, room service would come and set everything up with a table cloth. The best perk was being able to order full room service breakfast the morning of disembarkation. We could relax in our cabin until we were ready to leave. There were probably more perks but I can't remember them. We did not have a concierge or butler as we have had on NCL but found that we really didn't need them. Especially the butler as room service took care of everything and was always fast and on time. Sorry for the long winded response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whirled Peas Posted June 17, 2010 #5 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I have had suites on two Celebrity ships, Summit and Millie, both Royal Suites, and two NCL ships, Sun Owner's suite and Pearl Garden Villa. Both of these lines offer concierge and butler service. I have had one excellent butler on each line, and one not so terrific butler on each line. Otherwise, here is my side by side comparison: Bar Set up: NCL yes (3-6 large bottles of booze and unlimited soda/water/mixers all free) Celebrity no (you can pay for bottles of booze and sodas, however) Concierge: NCL concierges do everything "outside the suite." On both cruises they have been very responsive and attention, seeking to please, pro-active, and made a point of developing a personal relationship with suite guests. Celebrity concierges will book your excursions and make dinner reservations, but we dinner reservations were done more promptly through the butler. Not all that pro-active, but if you call them, they will do what they are expected to do. Free Specialty Dinners: NCL gave us one free meal in the specialty restaurant of our choice when we were in the GV. No such offer in the Owner's suite. Celebrity didn't give us any such perk, but they only had one specialty restaurant on the ships we sailed in 2005 and 2007. I understand this has changed and you now get one free specialty restaurant meal with a suite. Afternoon treats, tea, etc. Both lines offer treats in the afternoon and a little something sweet at the end of the evening. Both lines/butlers were responsive to bringing whatever you wanted for an afternoon snack, but NCL will bring you whatever you want whenever you want it. Meal service in suite: Both lines offer this for any meal of the day for suite passengers. I found that the quality of this meal service depended on the quality of the butler. So we had excellent in suite meal service on one NCL cruise and very indifferent service on the other NCL cruise. Same with our two Celebrity experiences. Specialty restaurant for suite guests NCL has Cagneys or some other specialty restaurant which is designated as a free "specialty" restaurant for suite guests for breakfast and lunch. This is often cited as the "best" suite perk offered by NCL. Celebrity, at least when I last cruised them, did not offer a comparable breakfast and lunch specialty restaurant for suite guests. Priority embarkation/debarkation/tenders: Both lines offer this service, but NCL wins by a nose in this category, as the concierge will personally escort you to the front of the tender line, and off the ship at debarkation, while Celebrity only gave us a "priorty ticket" or "priority color" for tendering and debarkation. Priority embarkation for both lines was very good and comparable. Theatre reservations NCL has a special section for suite guests in its large theatres, although they definitely are not the bests seats in the house. Celebrity did not, to my knowledge, have a special suite section, but we never had a problem getting a good seat at any show. Overall, at this point, I prefer the NCL suite experience because the personal service from the concierge, in my limited experience, has been consistently excellent, and the overall perk package is more comprehensive. Also, when comparing prices, I pay less for the NCL suite than for a comparable suite on Celebrity. I also like being able to have a relaxed, non-stuffy "freestyle" cruise experience, while also enjoying the luxury of a suite. Celebrity was, when I sailed them, a bit more formal and sedate than NCL. However, Celebrity did have more interesting enrichment lectures and activities (cooking classes, educational lectures, etc.) than I have experienced so far on NCL. My two cents, for what it's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine nana Posted June 17, 2010 #6 Share Posted June 17, 2010 You didn't ask about Holland, but there is a long thread on their site about taking away the suite breakfasts in their small restaurant for the first 2-3 days of each cruise. For us the breakfasts and lunches in Cagnyes was the main reason for our getting the suite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srmsmg5 Posted June 17, 2010 Author #7 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Wow...thanks for the great responses! Keep them coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigCrusier Posted June 17, 2010 #8 Share Posted June 17, 2010 NCL has the best overall suite benefits I have experieinced when compared to HAL, RCCL, CARNIVAL and PRINCESS. No one has previously commented on RCCL, but I would rate them 2nd to NCL. I have only been on HAL once in a suite and found the suite and perks disapoining. The two suite benefits I wished NCL offered would be complimentary laundry and Internet access which are both offered by Princess. The Courtyard on the New Epic is what has intised me to book an Epic Voyage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themorsefamily Posted April 30, 2011 #9 Share Posted April 30, 2011 hello, we have 2 mini suites on our upcoming July cruise on Norwegian Jewel. Does this allow us the 'Perks' bigger suite guests get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negn Posted April 30, 2011 #10 Share Posted April 30, 2011 No perks for mini suites. Do have a bath tub and larger balcony as well as curtain that can divide the bed from sofa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homecomforts Posted April 30, 2011 #11 Share Posted April 30, 2011 hello,we have 2 mini suites on our upcoming July cruise on Norwegian Jewel. Does this allow us the 'Perks' bigger suite guests get? Our first cruise we were in a mini suite. The only advantages to the mini suite compared to a normal balcony is: the room is a bit bigger (actually room between the bed and the couch, and an actual bathtub. Although, when we were boarding, the "Suite" line was empty, so an employee went through the main line looking for "mini suite" guests to go to that line, for quicker boarding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishbait17 Posted April 30, 2011 #12 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Just keep in mind when comparing that on NCL, perks such as free bar setup, theater seating, and free specialty dinners are limited to the highest level suites. We sailed Celebrity years ago in a suite, and perks weren't very good then, but I hear they are much better now. Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruz35 Posted April 30, 2011 #13 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I would gladly trade the Butler and Concierge for our upcoming NCL Dawn category SC 2 bedroom suite for the free mini bar AND laundry/cleaning perks we received on the Grand Princess in a VS Vista Suite!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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