Best Ship within a Ship/Suites

[Carolinabanker]

My wife and I have really enjoyed Norwegian’s Haven, but we aren’t wedded to it. We love cruising in a suite, enjoy the shows/dining options/activities on the “resort-style” ship. We like the ship within a ship and not having to compete for a lounger or space in the pool, having a separate restaurant and bar and priority access/tendering. We are in our early thirties, so much of luxury cruising seems geared towards much older cruisers. How do the other options like MSC Yacht Club, Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suites, Celebrity: The Retreat and Cunard Queen’s Grill stack up? We would be looking to cruise either Western or Southern Caribbean or Alaska next year. 

[cathaana]

I have only tried Celebrity and RCCL's version and found neither to be very good. Certainly not luxury. But obviously still better than being in a normal cabin.

[vistaman]

The Queens Grill ( and Princess ) is only a premium dining venue together with a lounge .

I am just back from the Retreat on Celebrity Beyond  - I cannot qualify it as luxury :

the room was spacious as was the bathroom however dispensers for amenities  

i had an Aqua sky suite - the butler was great  -  free mini bar  beer and soft drinks 

drinks free up to 15 $   - i had once a 18 $ martini so i had to pay 3 $ + 60 c gratuity 

for the Champagne lovers basic  brand Cattier was 15 $ 

the Retreat lounge  bar  was very good , friendly staff  as was the sundeck 

I found the menu in the Luminae not so great but service was very good - I was one of the few ordering a special bottle 

wine list not so great 

speciality restaurants are expensive indeed :  from 30 $ (lunch at the Bistro ) up to 75 $    - + 20% service   - i did not go to the "carpet"  

maybe we must qualify it as "value for money "   

I will not go back  , as I am a cruise passenger on luxury ships however sometimes i do a one week on a lower rated level

[Hlitner]

An interesting topic.  We have cruised both ship within a ship and luxury cruise lines.  They are different.  While a ship within a ship can give you some luxury and related amenities, it is not quite the same as being on a line like Seabourn, Silverseas, Regent, etc.  If luxury is your main criteria than it is probably best to stick with a luxury cruise line.  However, if you are looking for a good compromise where you get some luxury and also have the advantages of being on a large ship with lots of options, than a ship within a ship concept might be for you.  DW and I have become big fans of MSC's Yacht Club for just that reason.  But make no mistake that the cuisine in the Yacht Club does not rise to the level found on most luxury lines.

 

By the way, it is interesting that MSC is now in the process of starting-up a new Luxury line called Explora Journeys.  When MSC first announced they were creating that line (they have 4 ships on order and two more optioned) many MSC Yacht Club fans thought it would just be an extension of the Yacht Club concept to a full ship.  But, based on info from Explora Journeys, this seems like a true luxury line with its own somewhat unique concept.  No large theater, no large MDR, etc.  We are talking about 900 passenger luxury vessels that will use many smaller lounge and dining venues.   MSC has always shown their willingness to do things their own way, and Explora Journeys seems to fit that mold. 

 

Hank

[jleslie48]

If I want a luxury cruise I would pay for one.  If I'm on a more tight budget, being on a ship that has a "first class" section and puts me in a lower class is insulting and I won't go... at least a second time.   This idea is a lose lose scenario.  It only appeals to people who want to show off and put other folks down.  

[Hlitner]

On 11/28/2023 at 3:04 PM, jleslie48 said:

If I want a luxury cruise I would pay for one.  If I'm on a more tight budget, being on a ship that has a "first class" section and puts me in a lower class is insulting and I won't go... at least a second time.   This idea is a lose lose scenario.  It only appeals to people who want to show off and put other folks down.  

Ridiculous.  When we cruise in MSCs Yacht Club, those not in the YC would not even know who is or isn’t in the YC.  Wanting the nicer suites, butler service, uncrowned pool deck with its own buffet and good service, and the nice private lounge is worth the extra dollars.  
 

Have no clue what you mean by showing off or putting folks down.  Our YC venue is private, out of view, and those outside the YC would not even be aware of the YC unless they have some reason to care.

 

It is the same on ships like the Queen Mary 2 or NCLs Haven Suites.  Most outside of the higher priced venues have no idea or could care less.  
 

Giving folks, willing to pay, nicer suites and venues is simply the way of the world.  Folks simply make their own choices.  No biggie

 

Hank

[jleslie48]

I haven't made myself clear.  I have no issue with the suites, butler, and those amenities nor do I have any problem with the guests. I get you want/get a better room.   My issue is with the amount of public space given to YC on MSC.  The YC pool restaurant and buffet take up 30% of the public areas for 10% of the guests.  I wouldn't even mind this if the remaining 70% of the public areas were not overflowing with people.  Put simply: the ship is too crowded for the amount of square footage attributed to the number of guests.  When I am wall-to-wall with people on a sun bathing deck and I can see an empty sun bathing deck and I'm not allowed to use it, that is just adding insult to injury.  

My favorite ship is the Norwegian Gem, a jewel class.  It does have a "haven" which is identical to the YC.  I couldn't care less about it because: 1) its not in my face, and most importantly: 2) the rest of the ship easily accommodates us other passengers.   I've never had to wait for dinner, wait for lounge chair, been shut out of a show, couldn't get a drink, ... on the NG.  On the bigger ships that is not true. 

The worst was the Norwegian breakaway.  I measured the actual square footage of the public area.  The ship has 40% more public area than the Norwegian Gem, but 70% more people.  That's already too crowded.  What made it unacceptable was that 20% of that public area was for 1st class and I was denied access.   Basically I was on the same ship at the Gem but with twice the number of people. You had to literally wait for groups ahead of you for elevators.   It felt like a subway.   MSC was the same thing: 33% of the elevators are for 10% of the passengers, while the other 66% is stuck waiting on elevators while 1/3 of the elevators are sitting idle.  

Edited December 7, 2023 by jleslie48

[Texas Tillie]

Why is there a discussion about NCL on a board that is supposed to be devoted to luxury cruising? I don't see how the whole idea of a ship within a ship on a mass market line can be considered luxury.

[Carolinabanker]

13 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

Why is there a discussion about NCL on a board that is supposed to be devoted to luxury cruising? I don't see how the whole idea of a ship within a ship on a mass market line can be considered luxury.

What defines luxury to you? Ship within a ship offers suites, butlers, high levels of service. I don’t have much interest in the traditional luxury lines because I don’t want to be four decades younger than the average cruise and most of the “usual suspects” seem to have an average age hovering somewhere in the seventies.

[vistaman]

On 12/7/2023 at 10:48 PM, Carolinabanker said:

What defines luxury to you? Ship within a ship offers suites, butlers, high levels of service. I don’t have much interest in the traditional luxury lines because I don’t want to be four decades younger than the average cruise and most of the “usual suspects” seem to have an average age hovering somewhere in the seventies.

I started to cruise on luxury ships when I was 34...as a single 

I simply liked it .

 

[Hlitner]

On 12/7/2023 at 4:33 PM, Texas Tillie said:

Why is there a discussion about NCL on a board that is supposed to be devoted to luxury cruising? I don't see how the whole idea of a ship within a ship on a mass market line can be considered luxury.

We cruise on luxury lines ( Seabourn and Explora Journeys in the last 5 months) and also mass market as well as MSCs Yacht Club.  Within the Yacht Club it is a luxury cruise experience although I do think the restaurant could be improved.  
 

We have previously posted that the Yacht Club, and Haven Suites offer the best or two worlds that being a luxury cruise experience as well as the pros of being on a large mass market ship with its many amenities.  Keep in mind that the small luxury ships do have limited entertainment and other amenities and is not for everyone

 

Hank

[Texas Tillie]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 Keep in mind that the small luxury ships do have limited entertainment and other amenities and is not for everyone

 

Hank

 

I've found that the entertainment and enrichment on Crystal is better than anything I have experienced on mass market ships. YMMV

[Hlitner]

Just now, Texas Tillie said:

 

I've found that the entertainment and enrichment on Crystal is better than anything I have experienced on mass market ships. YMMV

Is that before or after their bankruptcy?  Also consider that a suite in the YC generally costs less than $400 per person/day.

 

That being said, we also have enjoyed Crystal but have not tried the “new” Crystal

[Texas Tillie]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Is that before or after their bankruptcy?  Also consider that a suite in the YC generally costs less than $400 per person/day.

 

That being said, we also have enjoyed Crystal but have not tried the “new” Crystal

 

I've done one cruise on the new Crystal (for those who aren't aware, is now owned by the former owner of Silversea who took a "boat load" of money from Royal Caribbean for the line) and everything was as good as before and some things better - food, especially, and it was the best before. Entertainment and enrichment was as good as before. I'll be back in mid-January for the first segment of the world cruise.

I would never consider a ship within a ship as a solo cruiser. Not interested in being "next door" to 3000 to 6000 of my "nearest and dearest".