Concierge vs Executive Lounge

[tropicalkerry2002]

We will be in a PH3, but on deck 9, where the Concierge Lounge is.

Will we be able to get in the Concierge Lounge, conveniently located beside the laundry room? Or can we ONLY use the Executive Lounge?

thanks!

[JimandStan]

We will be in a PH3, but on deck 9, where the Concierge Lounge is.

Will we be able to get in the Concierge Lounge, conveniently located beside the laundry room? Or can we ONLY use the Executive Lounge?

thanks!

 

Only the Executive

[tropicalkerry2002]

there goes THAT great idea!

[ronrick1943]

But really these lounges are nothing to write home about.

[DOJO466]

But really these lounges are nothing to write home about.

 

agree

[caviargal]

I also agree. We were in PH3 on Deck 7 and only went there once.

[Noxequifans]

We found the Executive lounge useful for a snack and coffee during the day. Never was crowded.

[Paulchili]

We found the Executive lounge useful for a snack and coffee during the day. Never was crowded.

 

Also for reading complete copies of newspapers (USA Today, NY Times, WSJ) rather than just brief summaries available in cabins.

[hondorner]

The lounges come in handy for a fast coffee, late night snack, extra soda when the room attendant of butler forgets, etc. We got in the habit of stopping on the way back to our room at the end of the evening. Only problem? The Executive Lounge is on Deck 11; we were in an aft penthouse on Deck 7. We decided that's why they put in elevators...

[Mura]

On our first Marina cruise we were way up front on Deck 10 ... had to take the staircase to the lounge, but it was close to our suite. We mostly used it to set up the Meet & Greet (with the concierge established there) but on one or two occasions did check out some noshes when we'd missed a meal.

 

On our November cruise (BCN-Rio) we were as aft as you can get on the same deck and I did check the Lounge out more, but it was a really long walk. (Much shorter distance from our Deck 10 forward cabin on the earlier cruise). Again, I mostly used it to coordinate with the concierge for setting up the M&G but there were occasions when I hadn't wanted food during real lunch times so the sandwiches, etc., were handy.

 

But I could live without the lounge if I had to.

 

Mura

[RJB]

We found the Executive lounge useful for a snack and coffee during the day. Never was crowded.

Same with us. A quick in and out.

[pacheco18]

On my recent cruise on Riviera, we had a cabin only two doors down from the Concierge Lounge. The proximity to the cabin made it handy for a quick coffee.

 

When I was in a PH on Marina, the Executive Lounge was far away and on a different deck from our cabin so we rarely used it.

 

I do not consider it to be much of a perk other than if you are close by.

 

There are some folks who LIVE in these windowless lounges. LOL There are much nicer spaces on the ship to hang out IMO

[hypercafe]

The ship has such nice places to sit we never used the lounge. Went to see it once, reminded me of a finished basement with a big tv and no windows. As for the snacks, well there is food all over the place.

[warburg]

When we were on Riviera last March, we could only get into the Executive Lounge. Our card didn't work at the Concierge Lounge. Perhaps crowding in either lounge caused the change. In appearance, the lounges are just about identical. Our PH2 is in deck 10. We go to the Executive Lounge to read the occasional Wall Street Journal that turns up there. I tried to get the Journal delivered, but it only arrived once. If the computer service worked well we could read the digital edition online. Oh well, we must bear the burdens of cruising.

[Mura]

We were in an OC on Marina in Nov/Dec and we got the NY Times and WSJ delivered to our room each day. I won't say how legible it was (!) because the reduction in print size makes it difficult reading for older eyes. But at least we had them. I'm guessing that PH occupants don't get the benefit, but maybe I'm wrong. Our butler delivered the papers each day.

 

We also had benefit of the unlimited internet access -- I don't know that I'll have that in the future! But the regular price was discounted to about $21/day and then we got an additional 10% off because we were silver so it seemed worth around $17/day.

 

Once I saw how slow the internet service was even when in port (although our butler had told us they were having particular problems that day), I switched over to unlimited from the 200 minute package and was glad that I did!

 

Also, we were on a TA and so I was pretty sure that service would be slow while in the middle of the ocean. On a port intensive cruise I'd probably opt for the 200 minute option.

 

Mura

[JimandStan]

When we were on Riviera last March, we could only get into the Executive Lounge. Our card didn't work at the Concierge Lounge. Perhaps crowding in either lounge caused the change. In appearance, the lounges are just about identical. Our PH2 is in deck 10. We go to the Executive Lounge to read the occasional Wall Street Journal that turns up there. I tried to get the Journal delivered, but it only arrived once. If the computer service worked well we could read the digital edition online. Oh well, we must bear the burdens of cruising.

 

If you're staying in a Suite, you're only supposed to have access to the Executive Lounge (see my post #2 in this thread) not both Lounges.

What "change" do you refer to?

[Mura]

My guess - which could be completely off-base -- is going back to the early days when you really didn't need a key to enter either lounge. My recollection is that in October 2011 we didn't need a key to go into the Executive Lounge but by this November we did. (Again, my memory could be "off".)

 

So I'm also guessing that people who weren't "supposed" to have access were using the lounges, and therefore the system was switched to requiring your room key for entry. I do think I recall some posts to this effect.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Mura

[JimandStan]

My guess - which could be completely off-base -- is going back to the early days when you really didn't need a key to enter either lounge. My recollection is that in October 2011 we didn't need a key to go into the Executive Lounge but by this November we did. (Again, my memory could be "off".)

 

So I'm also guessing that people who weren't "supposed" to have access were using the lounges, and therefore the system was switched to requiring your room key for entry. I do think I recall some posts to this effect.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Mura

 

Exactly! The same thing has happened with access to the Canyon Ranch Spa Deck, and frankly, now that the key card system has thinned the milling herds a bit, the Canyon Ranch folks had better "improve the service" up there, again.

[Pearl64]

My husband used the executive lounge daily to read his newspaper. On several days the paper was missing as someone decided that he/she needed the paper more than the rest of us. On other days someone ripped out the section they wanted. My husband was most annoyed. This is not an Oceania problem but an inconsiderate passenger problem. I used the concierge when we learned we needed to skip Monaco due to storms. I needed to contact our private guide. The concierge called our guide on the phone and we cancelled our tour. We were very glad we were able to do this.

 

Pearl

[ORV]

There are some folks who LIVE in these windowless lounges. LOL There are much nicer spaces on the ship to hang out IMO

 

No kidding, what's up with that? On our recent TA both lounges seemed to be full of people most of the time. Seems some people think it's a card room. I can't think of a less fun place to hang out on a cruise, well maybe the smoking area in Horizons, but that's another story. I prefer a view.

[turnip eater]

Is it me, or does the air in these lounges seem to be stale:eek: Can't understand how anyone would spend any length of time in there. We pop in to read the newspaper....On another cruise line, early risers would go into the 'lounge', read their 'newspaper of choice', then 'hide' it behind the curtains for their friends to read later:D

[Lola911]

We upgraded to Deck 9 Concierge and chose a stateroom close by to the lounge. My husband enjoyed the full newspapers as others have said. There were several mornings on the trans Atlantic the weather was so nice that I would fetch our coffee and we would enjoy on our verandah. Can't beat that. I admit, if further away I would not have been volunteering to do the coffee run. Our concierge, Michelle, was very nice and did some photocopying for me as well as booking extra restaurants. It is not the be all to end all though as others commented. I doubt we would book Concierge again just for the lounge.

[pinotlover]

We were on the Marina this past summer and used the Concierge Lounge. My wife needed to check back with work, on line, and found the internet service far faster and more efficient in the Lounge than in our room, or elsewhere on ship. So she used the Lounge far more than I.

 

It was nice to be able to read the entire paper in the louge likewise. We had one partially rough day a sea, and many flocked to the Lounge that day because not being able to see all the tossing and turning ( in that "closed in basement") seemed to make it feel smoother! :D