Do Any Other Cruise Lines Have a Neptune-Type Lounge?

[Roz]

For those of you who have sailed in suites on other lines, do any cruise lines have something similar to the Neptune Lounge on HAL? If not, what line offers the best suite perks, and what exactly are they?

Roz

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) We are not big NCL fans, but due to various circumstances we booked a Garden Villa on the Norwegian Gem Dec 11 to 18. It was a wonderful way to travel. Beautiful suiote with a LR/Dining room With a Big screen TV, bar and a balcony. A bedroom w/tv and a huge bathroom double sinks huge shower a bathtub with a tv and toilet with a phone. Bottle of champaigne ubon arrival. fresh flowers coffee and expresso machine. Suite included the use of a private couryard solarium with a heated swim against the tide pool, hot tub couple of exercize machines, sauna lounge chairs, tables for dining at. A steward on duty all day providing coffee, tea and juices morning pastries, cookies nuts and candies all day. a stairway led up to deck 15 and a private sun deck. Each evening hors dourves were provided in the room. A butler and concierge were at your disposal 24/7. The best per , however was being able to eat bkfst and lunch at Cagney's a premium restaurant similar to the Pinnacle. The meals were fabulous such as steak (fillet Mignon) and eggs Eggs benedict traditional or made with crab cakes and many other bkfst items. For lunch they had several sandwich tye dishes as well as sedveral full course meals and real nice soups and desserts. Shrimp coctails gave only 3 shrimp but the were about 6" long. Priority boarding and disembarkation was also included.

[J Alex's Mom]

Just off the Oasis - less suite perks overall than some, but a gorgeous 2 story Concierge Lounge with a terrific view from the wall of windows overlooking the open aft area. One of our favorite spots on the ship. Made to order breakfast, lunch and evening hors d'ouerves with free drinks from 5:00 till 8:30

[kyriecat]

Royal Caribbean suite amenities:

-Priority check-in
-Personalized attention throughout the cruise with complimentary Concierge Club service on select ships
-Reserved prime seating in the main theater for entertainment shows, where available
-Priority tender tickets on select cruises. (Tender service is provided when smaller vessels are necessary to reach shore in locations without docking ports large enough for cruise ships.)
-VIP pool deck seating, where available
-Full breakfast, lunch and dinner dining room menus available for in-room dining
-Private breakfast and lunch seating in specialty restaurants on our Voyager and Freedom Class ships
-Mattel® board games available to order for in-room entertainment for the kids
-Complimentary luggage valet service
-Luxury spa bathrobes for use onboard
-Complimentary pressing service on formal night
-Priority departure with exclusive suite* departure lounge featuring continental breakfast

They also have complimentary snacks and drinks (beer, wine, mixed, sodas) in the Concierge Club from 5:00 until 8:30 each evening (all Radiance, Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class ships and select Vision class ships have a Concierge Club available for suite guests).

[erewhon]

kyriecat,

Is the Concierge Club a separate room similar to the Neptune Lounge on HAL ships? Does it a have a great coffee machine like the Neptune for self serve hot drinks?

[erewhon]

FRANKIEDNYC,

You stated a bottle of champaigne on arrival. Was it champagne or a sparkling wine?

[kyriecat]

On the RC ships, the Concierge Club is a room for the exclusive use of suite guests. It has couches and chairs, usually a few card tables, and a some desks. I haven't been on any of the newer ships, but reports are the area is nicer and larger than on older ships. It has WIFI internet access (standard rates apply, currently $.55/minute or various fixed minute packages available). Coffee was only available in the mornings during the continental breakfast. If I am remembering correctly, the coffee wasn't any different than what they serve in the dining room (which isn't very good). It's been almost 3 years since I was in a suite on an RC ship so there might be some changes.

[J Alex's Mom]

The CL on the Oasis class is a two level venue with floor to ceiling windows facing aft. The coffee/tea machine is there all day.

[brucory]

On our RCL cruise this year, we got a lot of use out of the Concierge club! We went there for drinks and nibbles every night before dinner. There was a barman as well as the regular concierge. It was not only for suite guests, but also for their most regular frequent cruisers - diamond plus members. It was a great perk, though if they did not have the evening drinks, we would probably not have used it that much!

:D:D:D

[parrotfeathers]

What about on the Celebrity line?

[bob brown]

In addition to the above mentioned perks for top suite guests on NCL, their newest ship the Epic, has that plus a private restaurant for their exclusive use. Other passengers cannot even pay a surcharge to enter.
The complex is like a 'ship within a ship' sort of like the exclusive tower luxury section of some top hotels.

Cunard also has an exclusive Queens Grill Lounge only for those whose suites assign them to the Queens or Princess Grill restaurants.

I cannot say just what is offered in these venues, as I have never experienced them.

[Richie2pies]

For the price, nothing beats the suite perks on NCL. The only problem is their booze policy. You pay $15 for every bottle of wine you bring on whether you bring it to the dining room or drink it in your room. I would cruise NCL more if not for their booze policy. I appreciate HAL and Princess wine policy and still have a large booze bill but NCL turns me off and when I cruise NCL i abstain from booze just on GP's.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

FRANKIEDNYC,

You stated a bottle of champaigne on arrival. Was it champagne or a sparkling wine?

When we were in the Garden Villa it was Moet & Chandon Imperial. When I wanted another bottle...no problem.

[Jade13]

You can book an Aqua class stateroom (not a Suite) on the Celebrity Solstice class ships and get amenities that seem better than some Suites including priority embark, disembark, sparkling wine from France upon arrival, included use of the Spa heated loungers and Relaxation room, afternoon appetizers and specialty teas, specialty in-room breakfast menu with included smoothies, private "Blu" dining room for breakfast and lunch. Blu is also the private breakfast dining room for Suite Guests.

Suite Guests on Celebrity also get some included specialty dining depending on the length of the cruise and sometimes invited to Michael's club for breakfast and free happy hour, which is the venue for Elite Celebrity members. Suites have a butler.

[Roz]

Thank you for all your responses - there's a lot to check out and research, and you've pointed me in the right direction.

For those of you who've experienced suite perks on other lines, how do they compare price-wise with HAL?

Roz

[kyriecat]

As with all things, price will depends on itinerary, ship, time of year, etc.

In my case, I am sailing on Zuiderdam, 10-night partial Panama Canal in April. I booked an SC suite. When I originally booked (10/09), RC was about 25% higher than HAL for a similar cabin but RC's cruise doesn't go into the canal. I also looked at Princess. I decided on HAL because 1) Zuiderdam actually goes partway through the canal and 2) I liked the itinerary better than Princess. The cruise price or suite amenities weren't really deciding factors, although HAL and RC both have had price drops since I booked but Princess has gone up. I had a spreadsheet with the prices listed from when I booked, but I'm not sure what I did with it.

Today (12/29/2010) prices are:

Royal Caribbean - Jewel of the Seas, sailing 4/08 from Fort Lauderdale, 10-night sailing with stops in Haiti; Cartegna, Columbia; no Canal; Colon, Panama; Costa Rica; Grand Cayman

Grand Suite (358 sq. ft) - $4644 for two, this is the lowest category suite
Owners Suite (512 sq. ft) - $6582.94 for two, included because size most closely matches SC on HAL

Holland America - Zuiderdam, sailing 4/02 from Fort Lauderdale, 10-night sailing with stops in Half Moon Cay; Aruba; Curacao; partial Canal; Colon, Panama; Costa Rica

SC (510 sq. ft) - $5820.64 for two, this is the lowest category suite

Princess - Coral Princess, sailing 4/04 from Fort Lauderdale, 10-night sailing with stops in Aruba; Cartegna, Columbia; partial Canal; Colon, Panama; Costa Rica; Jamaica

VS (470 sq. Ft) - $7665.26 for two

I've only sailed on RC's Radiance class ships (same class as Jewel) previously so really cannot compare ship amenities among the above.

[Roz]

Kyriecat, thanks for the price comparisons; looks like HAL is kind of mid-range for suites. I agree with you about the Panama Canal itineraries. I've compared Princess to HAL, and HAL definitely has the more interesting ports.

I've had one deluxe suite, and that was on the Amsterdam. As I recall, the Amsterdam only has SA and SB deluxe suite, and they're all on the same deck as the Neptune Lounge. As I was researching and comparing, I noticed that the Vista and newer ships have an SC deluxe category which you mentioned in your post. I also noticed that the SCs and some of the SBs are on decks other than the one with the Neptune. Hmmm...don't know if I would like that and if I would use the Neptune as much. It was really convenient on the Amsterdam to just walk down the hall and grab an expresso and a pastry or tea sandwich and take it back to the suite and maybe sit on the balcony. Don't know if I would like to be carrying things up and down stairs or in the elevator.

If anyone reading this has stayed in one of the suites I'm talking about, what was your experience?

Roz

[erewhon]

rickechambers1,

Thank you for your reply.

[bepsf]

MSC Fantasia Class ships have the Yacht Club Lounge and private decks/jacuzzi/pool.
Cunard has the Grills Lounge and private decks aboard their ships for Princess and Queen's Grill passengers - and QM2's Grills Deck includes a private jacuzzi.
Royal Caribbean ships have Concierge Club Lounges, but it's not just for concierge level passengers but for Diamond-level passengers as well.
Celebrity does not have a dedicated Concierge Lounge despite having Concierge Class staterooms - tho some concierge-level events are held in Michael's Club.
NCL has a Concierge Lounge aboard Epic - None of the other NCL ships have one.
Oceania has Concierge Lounges aboard their upcoming Marina Class vessels, but not aboard the original 3 ships.
Princess and Disney also have Concierge Class staterooms, but no dedicated lounges.
I don't believe Costa or Carnival have concierge level staterooms or lounges - tho I could be wrong.

[kyriecat]

bepsf,

Diamond C&A members on Royal Caribbean do not have access to the Concierge Lounge anymore. They changed that in 2009. On Freedom and Oasis class ships, diamond members have their own lounge that is separate from the concierge lounge. On the other ships, RC reserves a lounge from 5 to 8:30 for diamond members to have a social time with snacks and discounted drinks.

[bepsf]

bepsf,

Diamond C&A members on Royal Caribbean do not have access to the Concierge Lounge anymore. They changed that in 2009.

Really?
For some reason I was under the impression that RCCL reniged on that due to the uproar from guests...

Thanks for the clarification.

[kyriecat]

They did get an uproar! However, they didn't decide to allow diamond members in the CL again. Reserving a lounge in the evenings for a diamond member "happy hour" was instituted as a compromise.

RC said the lounge was being overrun by diamond C&A members and the suite guests were complaining. I never had a problem with the lounge being overrun, but I haven't been on any of their ships larger than Radiance class. There have been several times in the afternoons or evenings after dinner when I was the only one in the lounge.

[FRANKIEDNYC]

EREWHON, On the Gem we recieved both a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine. I think the wine was given to us because the ship's departure was delayed for several hours. As far as something like the Neptune lounge, I'd say that the couryard was about the same, as the concierge and or butler could be found there all day, as well as coffee tea, snacks etc. No internet or tv like in Neptune lounge though. I believe it was open 24/7 But staffed from early morning until about dinnertime.

[bob brown]

The first time I was on the NCL Dawn, in 2007, The Star Bar, adjacent to the Cagneys Steakhouse, had a sign indicating it was reserved for suite guests one evening I ventured up there.
It may have been just a one-time event, but I don't know, as I didn't venture up there again. The concierge had a desk set up in there.

[Roz]

Thanks for all the additional info; you've given me some directions to go in with my research.

Roz

[peaches from georgia]

Interesting that the larger the ships get on the mass market lines the more there is a class system aboard, which so many object to on Cunard.

[Willem Ruys]

Besides the Queens Grill Lounge the Queen Mary 2 has a Concierge Lounge for Princess and Queens Grill passengers. An inside room on Deck 9 it has a concierge and a desk occasionally staffed by a Shore Ex employee, making it a popular venue for Grill passengers to book tours and end of voyage onward transportation, and much crowding the place. The Concierge Lounge has a small assortment of snacks, and a tray of cookies along with offerings of water, juice, and I THINK they offer tea and coffee, but we recall no espresso nor cappuccino (except if you ask them to get it for you from Sir Samuel's.) They have a small selection of magazines and some newspapers - usually by newspapers received onboard by satellite. A dark space it does not strike us as nearly as evolved as a Neptune Lounge in a HAL ship.

[erewhon]

FRANKIEDNYC,

Thank you for the additional information.

We have lots of research to do!!:)