TWO COUPLES; ONE PENTHOUSE?

[jnik]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had shared an S class penthouse with another couple, and how that worked out for you.  OR has anyone traveled in the penthouse suite while their traveling companions were not in a suite?   The reason I ask is my DH and I have booked the penthouse on Silhouette post edgification, (July 2020) and are traveling with another couple.  The other couple, my BFF and her DH currently have an aqua class cabin on the same deck.  While we had a similar situation (Pinnacle for us, Veranda Cabin for them) when we cruised together on HAL, they did not have any "suite exclusive" areas, other than the Neptune Lounge, and our guests were welcome there any time we went together.  They also included them when issuing invitations to us for certain special events.  I have not sailed Celebrity before, nor really cruised much at all, so I have no idea how either situation might play out.  Thankful in advance for any insights you might be able to share.  

[Cruise a holic]

Just now, jnik said:

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had shared an S class penthouse with another couple, and how that worked out for you.  OR has anyone traveled in the penthouse suite while their traveling companions were not in a suite?   The reason I ask is my DH and I have booked the penthouse on Silhouette post edgification, (July 2020) and are traveling with another couple.  The other couple, my BFF and her DH currently have an aqua class cabin on the same deck.  While we had a similar situation (Pinnacle for us, Veranda Cabin for them) when we cruised together on HAL, they did not have any "suite exclusive" areas, other than the Neptune Lounge, and our guests were welcome there any time we went together.  They also included them when issuing invitations to us for certain special events.  I have not sailed Celebrity before, nor really cruised much at all, so I have no idea how either situation might play out.  Thankful in advance for any insights you might be able to share.  

While I personally haven't experienced this, If you are close with your friend shouldn't be a problem.  However the master bedroom and bathroom are so much nicer then the guest bedroom and sleeper couch.  If they sleep late and you get up early do you think it would disturb them?  If they can swing it- I would suggest they book an s2 which would entitle them to enjoy all of the suite perks and give them and you privacy.

[chemmo]

The M class PH in many ways is far better for two couples as both can come and go as they please without having to pass through a sleeping area. Both couples can also access the butlers pantry (drinks, fridge, snacks) without interrupting the other couple. We have enjoyed this room on several occasions with a third guest and would happily do with close friends.

 

We have cruised S class PH with our adult son in the lounge. The biggest snag was although we could access the balcony without disturbing him if we were up early and wanted to leave the suite we were passing through his sleeping area. Also if he happened to be back in the suite first (never was!) we would need to go through his space to access our room. If the sitting room couple were to want an early night then the other couple would disturb them if they returned later and wanted to get drinks, make a coffee.....Both couples have independent access to the balcony. The second bathroom is a very adequate toilet single sink and spacious shower. Nothing like the main bathroom, however, which is big enough to hold a party in. There is ample storage space for two couples.

 

If your friends are not in a suite you will be able to arrange for them to dine with you in Luminae some evenings but there will be a cost. I am sure the Michael’s concierge would be able to arrange for your friends to visit Michael’s but not on a regular basis, also you cannot expect him/her to arrange for non suite guests to access too many suite perks...I am fairly sure your friends would not be able to access the suite deck area. You could access Blu by request.

 

The extra price for guests 3/4 in the PH is reasonable and offers lots of perks including unlimited speciality dining, premium drinks package, Luminae, Michael’s...You must be prepared as couples, however, to give up some independence/privacy. We would happily do it with close family or one or two very close friends. You must have some clear understanding of the room set up and be prepared to be flexible...

 

Other options available include looking at the Reflection suite to share which does have more space (two bedrooms) or your friends upgrading to a SS2 so they would access all suite perks, could visit you in your room for some meals etc but keep some independence...

[jnik]

Thank you, Cruise a holic and Chemmo.  We had considered the difficulties you both mentioned, (and I have the spread sheet to prove it).   Unfortunately, there are not any intro level suites available on our sailing, and the difference between the lowest suite available and the aqua class is over $2000 per person.  Price is a consideration for our dear friends, and adding them to the PH would be a big cost saver for them, as so much is included for all four guests.  I did not see a 2 bedroom suite on the Silhouette, I do not know what the plans will be post revolution, we are playing wait and see until after the Equinox has completed her renovation later this year. If they add a 2 bedroom suite, assuming the price is not completely outrageous, this becomes a non-issue.  We would easily share a 2 bedroom suite with our friends.  What we are really interested in is real life experiences of couples traveling together for either of the scenarios that I mentioned.

[chemmo]

Phone Celebrity direct and say you may be interested in booking the Reflection suite and ask them if it is available....We have been told that they will be on the S ships post Revolution even though they are not showing on deck plans or for booking as yet. If that is true then it is just if it is available and if it is at what price...If you look up the Reflection suite on the Reflection ship (next to Sky Lounge) It  will show you the layout expected post Revolution on the other S class ships. If you also do a couple of mock bookings of the PH suite and Reflection suite on Reflection it should give you some idea of the extra cost. 

 

I wouldn’t dismiss the PH for the four of you...A bit of a loss of privacy but the cost of guests 3 and 4 really is a bargain when you think they will have the included premium drinks package, unlimited speciality, Michael’s access, Luminae and invitations to other events the same as you...

[miched]

I don’t know why you would want to share a cabin.  I think the other couple could probably book a Sky Suite cheaper than  it would be for them to be in the same cabin with you.  They would get the same benefits and could join you in  your suite whenever you wished.  

 

The overall cost of the Penthouse Suite if it were split evenly would benefit you more than them, if that is your intention.  

 

Just my opinion and thoughts.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[First family]

I traveled in a suite with my other family members/friends in different categories. Spending time with them on the ship was a priority for me. I bought them all a 6 night dining package as a gift so we could all dine together in the specialty restaurants and/or Luminae. I was able to join them in the main dining room for the rest of the meals. They were allowed to join me in Michaels Club with permission of the conceirge when it wasn’t busy. For cocktail hour they all joined me in the suite where I had two bottles of alcohol, mixers, juice, beer and soda. The Michaels Club conceirge extended the helipad invitation to include them but not the ships inside access tour because it was full. My butler included them in the escorted walk to the theater on evening chic night and always brought a large tray of appetizers before dinner so they could share. We had to go to separate areas for boarding but once on the ship we met up at Luminae for our first meal that I had arranged. We were all able to disembark together. You have the same worry I do. My family and friends save hard for the cruise and they come in from all over the country so it’s the time with them that’s important to me. Your penthouse will be plenty big for them to visit and enjoy a drink, watch a movie, relax on the patio, have private sailaways. You could also ask your Butler to set up a en-suite dinner to include them. I hope this helps. 

[Straughn]

This seems a good place to ask my question. In SS and CS categories, the bed can be separated into two twins.  Is this an option for RS and PS or are they true queen or king beds? My BFF and I travel together periodically. We look for cabins where we both have a separate bed, but not the sleep sofa in the main living area. Sharing the bedroom is not an issue; separate beds are. Generally, we pick a CS, but have been discussing getting an RS or PS and I would like to have the answer the next time the cruising topic comes up.

[Covepointcruiser]

In the Royal Suite on the Reflection,the bed could not be separated.  It was a wonderful  electronic bed with all sorts of options for either side..   My favorite was the Zero gravity mode.   On the Silhouette, we had a regular dumb bed and we were disappointed.   It was an odd side and also could not be separated.   No rounded corners on either bed.

[gcorgain]

Although the RS beds can't be separated, they will make it up with separate top sheets and blankets. I had a similar situation, and although I was a little nervous going in, it worked out fine.

[jnik]

2 hours ago, First family said:

I traveled in a suite with my other family members/friends in different categories. Spending time with them on the ship was a priority for me. I bought them all a 6 night dining package as a gift so we could all dine together in the specialty restaurants and/or Luminae. I was able to join them in the main dining room for the rest of the meals. They were allowed to join me in Michaels Club with permission of the conceirge when it wasn’t busy. For cocktail hour they all joined me in the suite where I had two bottles of alcohol, mixers, juice, beer and soda. The Michaels Club conceirge extended the helipad invitation to include them but not the ships inside access tour because it was full. My butler included them in the escorted walk to the theater on evening chic night and always brought a large tray of appetizers before dinner so they could share. We had to go to separate areas for boarding but once on the ship we met up at Luminae for our first meal that I had arranged. We were all able to disembark together. You have the same worry I do. My family and friends save hard for the cruise and they come in from all over the country so it’s the time with them that’s important to me. Your penthouse will be plenty big for them to visit and enjoy a drink, watch a movie, relax on the patio, have private sailaways. You could also ask your Butler to set up a en-suite dinner to include them. I hope this helps. 

First Family, Thank you!  This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.  Dining was our biggest concern, I did not know there was even such a thing as a dining package.  This would solve our dining dilemma rather nicely.  It is awkward (for all of us) to offer to pay for each specialty meal for as we go, but gifting them a dining package is a wonderful solution. I am sure this comes up quite frequently on Celebrity, and was hoping that they would be understanding.  We are comfortable with going on our own for events that do not have space for "guests".  This sounds similar to the treatment we received on HAL, guests included when possible, but not for everything.  

[jnik]

9 hours ago, miched said:

I don’t know why you would want to share a cabin.  I think the other couple could probably book a Sky Suite cheaper than  it would be for them to be in the same cabin with you.  They would get the same benefits and could join you in  your suite whenever you wished.  

 

The overall cost of the Penthouse Suite if it were split evenly would benefit you more than them, if that is your intention.  

 

Just my opinion and thoughts.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Miched, Thank you for your response. 

 

We don't really want to share a cabin, but neither did we want to cause our friends to spend more than they were comfortable with just to have dinner together.  I know we could have all just moved to the main dining room together, but I also did not want to give up the all inclusive premium dining that goes with the PH.  I know, I know, I want it all.  But we really are just trying to decide what is actually possible, and then make the best choice.  So I needed more information.  I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to respond.  

 

We were not planning on splitting the PH evenly, but rather, each taking a portion of the overall savings when we added together how much we were currently spending for the two separate cabins vs. the total for four people in the PH.  This saved each couple some money in return for the loss of privacy.  

 

Happy Cruising to you as well. 

[jnik]

17 hours ago, chemmo said:

Phone Celebrity direct and say you may be interested in booking the Reflection suite and ask them if it is available....We have been told that they will be on the S ships post Revolution even though they are not showing on deck plans or for booking as yet. If that is true then it is just if it is available and if it is at what price...If you look up the Reflection suite on the Reflection ship (next to Sky Lounge) It  will show you the layout expected post Revolution on the other S class ships. If you also do a couple of mock bookings of the PH suite and Reflection suite on Reflection it should give you some idea of the extra cost. 

 

I wouldn’t dismiss the PH for the four of you...A bit of a loss of privacy but the cost of guests 3 and 4 really is a bargain when you think they will have the included premium drinks package, unlimited speciality, Michael’s access, Luminae and invitations to other events the same as you...

 

[jnik]

Just now, jnik said:

 

I obviously do not have the hang of this yet, since I just hit quote, and then did not reply, but my reply to CHEMMO is Thank you.  I have taken your suggestion, but have not yet found a reflection suite available for booking near the same time as our planned sailing.  It seems they go fast.  I will call and see if Celebrity can give me an idea of the cost of the 2 bedroom suite on Silhouette post renovation.  I did look it up, and though we are not as happy with the location, it might still be the best option for the four of us. 

[First family]

15 hours ago, First family said:

I traveled in a suite with my other family members/friends in different categories. Spending time with them on the ship was a priority for me. I bought them all a 6 night dining package as a gift so we could all dine together in the specialty restaurants and/or Luminae. I was able to join them in the main dining room for the rest of the meals. They were allowed to join me in Michaels Club with permission of the conceirge when it wasn’t busy. For cocktail hour they all joined me in the suite where I had two bottles of alcohol, mixers, juice, beer and soda. The Michaels Club conceirge extended the helipad invitation to include them but not the ships inside access tour because it was full. My butler included them in the escorted walk to the theater on evening chic night and always brought a large tray of appetizers before dinner so they could share. We had to go to separate areas for boarding but once on the ship we met up at Luminae for our first meal that I had arranged. We were all able to disembark together. You have the same worry I do. My family and friends save hard for the cruise and they come in from all over the country so it’s the time with them that’s important to me. Your penthouse will be plenty big for them to visit and enjoy a drink, watch a movie, relax on the patio, have private sailaways. You could also ask your Butler to set up a en-suite dinner to include them. I hope this helps. 

First step is to let your shore side conceirge know this is most important to you. You can tie their reservation to yours ahead of time through them. Let your Butler and the Michaels club conceirge know it’s important to you. They will then try to include them with your invitations as often as they can. The dining packages are purchased through shoreside. It gets cheaper for the number of days you purchase. You can do that with the alcohol package too but I found no need for that expense as they weren’t drinkers, and alcohol/juice/sodas are provided in your room. They are in a suite so they most likely have some sort of package. We did one en-suite dinner together (7 night cruise with a 6 night gifted dining package), that worked out.  One of my family members celebrated anniversary onboard and the Butler made us all a special appetizer that day along with a special cake. By going out of their way to include them just pleased me to no end, and that’s what I personally think Celebrity is famous for. 

[Canuker]

Recipe for disaster.
To misquote Bogart, "Louie, I think this is the end of a beautiful friendship."

[chemmo]

40 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Recipe for disaster.
To misquote Bogart, "Louie, I think this is the end of a beautiful friendship."

 

I totally understand your sentiment in terms of there are close friends and a point at which the stresses take over.....

 

Have you actually experienced the PH as a couple, or with friends? If you have please expand your experience as this is exactly the information the OP is looking for.

 

I have offered some advice to this OP based on personal experience but gave the background we were only three in the suite compared to the two couples they are asking advice for...

 

The PH is a very unique space compared to sharing other rooms/suites.  Canuker, I hope you don’t think I am being ‘picky’ but I do think the OP needs more information about your experiences. 

 

Whilst several of us have listed the difficulties of sharing space the fact remains that a large suite (with all its perks) has many advantages over two more standard rooms. From experience, as our son reached 18 the RS or PH were clear financial and social ‘winners’ over a smaller suite and an inside cabin, for example...When you do the maths of what you get to the cost of guests 3/4 in a higher suite there are advantages to compare to the loss of privacy of ‘two rooms’...

 

 

 

 

[jnik]

On 2/3/2019 at 8:35 AM, Canuker said:

Recipe for disaster.
To misquote Bogart, "Louie, I think this is the end of a beautiful friendship."

Canuker,

This is my fear.  Although, truthfully, I believe our friendship would survive, but our enjoyment of our vacations (for all four of us)  might be severely compromised.  That is why I was seeking information from people who had done either of the two options we are looking at trying.  Thankfully, there appears to be a third option, and that would be a 2 bedroom suite should Celebrity add that during the renovation.  Happy Cruising to you and thanks for taking time to respond.

 

[miched]

In reply to sharing we hav had adjoining cabins a few times with friends.   We no longer do that as there is never any chance for privacy.   You cannot carry on a conversation about anything personal as you do not know if they may be able to hear you ot talk about anything that you want in private.   

 

Having the partition open was a problem as we were never able to really go out and relax and enjoy a lttile of our own private time.

 

We found better to  have some separation and not be joined at the hip for every minute of the cruise. 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited February 5, 2019 by miched

[Cruise a holic]

I find it hard to believe that  the cost of two s2’s will come near the cost of a penthouse?  Surely a reflection suite for four adults will be extremely expensive 

[jnik]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

I find it hard to believe that  the cost of two s2’s will come near the cost of a penthouse?  Surely a reflection suite for four adults will be extremely expensive 

Cruise a holic, Two S2 cabins was not really one of the considered options.  We will either remain as we are currently booked (Penthouse for me and DH, aqua class cabin for BFFs) or we will all share the PH.  The third option of the reflection style suite was only brought to my attention through the helpful replies of the CC members.  We have not yet priced that out, but our hope is that is not much more than the total we are currently committed to paying separately.  Since we have each separately decided what we are willing to spend on the chosen cruise, if a Reflection style suite does become available and the cost is acceptable to all, we will then have that option.    (PS- I had to look up what an S2 cabin was; I am really new to all of this).  I am so thankful that so many have taken the time to pass their knowledge on.

[jnik]

4 hours ago, miched said:

In reply to sharing we hav had adjoining cabins a few times with friends.   We no longer do that as there is never any chance for privacy.   You cannot carry on a conversation about anything personal as you do not know if they may be able to hear you ot talk about anything that you want in private.   

 

Having the partition open was a problem as we were never able to really go out and relax and enjoy a lttile of our own private time.

 

We found better to  have some separation and not be joined at the hip for every minute of the cruise

Thank you Miched, This is the kind of feedback I was looking for.  We did enjoy our "private" time during our previous shared cruise; and that was one of the reasons we were concerned about sharing a cabin (even if it is the PH).  My DH and I do not vacation often, and so when we do, my goal is to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.  Hence the 18 months out reservations and the angst over what is the best solution to our current dilemma.   I am currently leaning towards leaving our reservations as they are and purchasing a dining package as a gift for our friends.  

[cruisewmn]

We’ve been lucky enough to stay in a PH on the S Class ships three times. My DH and I travel with our college age son. You couldn’t pay me to travel with another couple in the PH. It’s one thing to have my son on the sleeper sofa, but it’s completely different to have non-family members there. Your friends would have zero privacy. Just the normal things of getting ready in the morning, showering or changing clothes for dinner, blow drying hair and putting on makeup (no outlet or countertop in guest bathroom), would be difficult or done in the living room area. The closet barely fits the small amount of clothes my son brings on the cruise. If they stored things in the master closet, they would have to come in and out of your bedroom to access it. Plus, the sleeper sofa isn’t very comfortable (my son complains, but I tell him to suck it up for a vacation paid for by mom and dad). Your friends would not find it comfy for two people (or romantic). Obviously, it’s only my opinion, but I’d keep the rooms separate. 

[jnik]

3 hours ago, cruisewmn said:

We’ve been lucky enough to stay in a PH on the S Class ships three times. My DH and I travel with our college age son. You couldn’t pay me to travel with another couple in the PH. It’s one thing to have my son on the sleeper sofa, but it’s completely different to have non-family members there. Your friends would have zero privacy. Just the normal things of getting ready in the morning, showering or changing clothes for dinner, blow drying hair and putting on makeup (no outlet or countertop in guest bathroom), would be difficult or done in the living room area. The closet barely fits the small amount of clothes my son brings on the cruise. If they stored things in the master closet, they would have to come in and out of your bedroom to access it. Plus, the sleeper sofa isn’t very comfortable (my son complains, but I tell him to suck it up for a vacation paid for by mom and dad). Your friends would not find it comfy for two people (or romantic). Obviously, it’s only my opinion, but I’d keep the rooms separate. 

Thank you cruisewmn,  This is the kind of the information we need in order to make a decision.  I was hoping for people who had more than two in the Penthouse to share their experiences.  

[Cruise a holic]

11 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

I find it hard to believe that  the cost of two s2’s will come near the cost of a penthouse?  Surely a reflection suite for four adults will be extremely expensive 

Sorry no other options  .  Be prepared for sticker shock!   However the reflection suite, if available is gorgeous as is the penthouse!  Good luck!