Back to Back mid-level suite experience comparison: Edge CS vs Harmony CL

[TeeRick]

Our Details:

Early 60’s couple from PA (USA), Diamond+ and Elite+, have sailed exclusively on RCCL and Celebrity only.  We have just completed our 23^rd cruise.  Mostly suites.

 

The Ships:

RCCL Harmony OTS, May 2016, 227GT, 5479 capacity, STX France $1.3B, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 18), Jan 13-20, 2019

Celebrity Edge, Nov 2018, 131GT, 2918 capacity, STX France $900M, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 25), Jan 20-27, 2019

 

The Suites:

Harmony Crown Loft  Suite, Cabin 1752 (L1), Sky Class, 545sqft + 114 sqft balcony, 2 levels, 1 Br (in open loft), 2 Bath (one per level, first floor with shower, second floor tub/shower). Two flat screen TV’s, one which lowers from ceiling in loft BR. Ample storage.

 

Edge Celebrity Suite, Cabin 12104 (CS), 460 sqft, 51 sqft balcony, one level, 1 BR, 1 Bath (split with inner door, 2 sinks, tub/shower), electronic touchpad control of all features in suite, bluetooth link to Celebrity Ap on phone.  Two flat screen TV’s. Ample storage.

 

My Price:

Harmony CL suite $3600pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Ultimate Bev, $200 OBC

Edge CS suite $3900pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Premium Bev, $300 OBC

Note: Edge CS was booked on the very first day open to CC members so the price has never been lower. The same suite for Jan 2020 same cruise currently starts at $5299pp and much higher on a lot of itineraries.

Note: Harmony CL suite in Jan 2020 (Port Canaveral) currently starts at $5479pp.

 

Suite Perks:

Harmony includes all meals in Coastal Kitchen, Suite Lounge, with limited drink menu, Suite Sundeck, no genie (butler), suite concierges

Edge includes all meals in Luminae, and the Retreat which is a restricted area on forward decks 15-16 with a suite lounge, private pool/hot tub area, sundeck.

 

Some comparisons:

Harmony is no doubt a behemoth made for families, with loads of kid activities (and Kids) like water slides, amusement areas, neighborhoods, aqua show, ice rink, everything Oasis Class. Loud, busy, crowded. Coastal Kitchen is on deck 17 and shares its space with the suite lounge with an artificial dividing line.  It is in the crown of the ship in front of the Crown Loft Suites making it convenient for us to access.  The meals were decent portions but still nicely presented.  Menu was a bit more extensive and varied (than Luminae).  Cuisine was delicious!  I was impressed with the food and service. 

 

Edge is a new class, large but not Harmony sized.  Very much for adults.  High end.  More noise, lights, energy than most other Celebrity ships.  Latest technology everywhere on the ship.  Beautiful interior. The Retreat area on Edge is private access and the Suite Lounge is spacious, open, with great views and high end furniture and finishes.  Just really beautiful.  The Retreat Sundeck is above the Suite Lounge on the front of the ship with great views.  High end seating and comfortable lounge chairs. Pool area with dedicated bar. Extremely well done.

 

Luminae on Edge is on deck 12 just below the Retreat.  It is larger and much more open than other Luminae’s on other ships, so it can be quite loud.  There is a new Luminae menu for Edge which was very limited but was supplemented with every night selections.  No option to order from the MDR menu.  Small portions but nicely presented.  Reservations suggested for dinner.  Pet peeve was that guests had to go to another deck to use a restroom.  I did not get the high service, intimate dining experience that I have enjoyed on other Celebrity ships.

 

The size, spaciousness and finish of the Crown Loft Suite on Harmony is hard to beat for the price.  We liked the large balcony with chairs and loungers.   The proximity to the suite amenities of CK and the SL was a plus.  The Suite sun deck was in another part of the ship and was not really utilized much.  The Suite Lounge concierges and our suite attendant offered excellent service.  No butler (genie).

 

The ultra modern CS on Edge was technologically more advanced.  But some odd things.  The balcony was small.  No lounge chairs possible.  There was a small dining table with two chairs which was nice for breakfast . Also two arm chairs, but no foot rests.  You could not close the hatch tight on the balcony door from the outside so it whistled constantly.  That was annoying.  The bathtub has a half fold out plexi-glass door that leaks.  It was nice to have the only CS on deck 12 across from Luminae.  The butler and the cabin steward offered excellent service.  As did the suite lounge concierges.

 

Bottom Line: We would choose the Crown Loft suite on Harmony over the CS on Edge.  Harmony is not for everybody but the suite life is nice.  We would also likely choose a CS or higher suite on another Celebrity ship over Edge based on our past experiences and Edge pricing.  Particularly after Celebrity completes its Revolution renovations on all ships. 

 

[JFontaine]

Thanks for your review. I hope that Celebrity fixes what they can, and learns from their mistakes.  I agree that those Crown Loft suites are great.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

How would your comparative ratings change with the current prices, where both suites are vastly more expensive and Royal costs more than Edge?

[dodge9]

Thanks for this.  Had a Sky Suite on the Celebrity Eclipse and booked a Celebrity Suite on the Celebrity Solstice next March... I will be in a Crown Loft Suite on the Symphony of the Seas in August... so loved hearing the comparisons.  THANK YOU!

[TeeRick]

On 1/28/2019 at 10:43 PM, dodge9 said:

Thanks for this.  Had a Sky Suite on the Celebrity Eclipse and booked a Celebrity Suite on the Celebrity Solstice next March... I will be in a Crown Loft Suite on the Symphony of the Seas in August... so loved hearing the comparisons.  THANK YOU!

I was in a Celebrity Suite on Solstice for the 16 night AUS and NZ cruise last March.  You will love that CS!  It is not as technologically advanced as the one on Edge but it was more comfortable, had a truly separate bedroom that could be blacked out at night, and a much larger balcony with comfortable loungers, chairs and dining table.  Probably a much lower price than the Edge CS too.  Let me know if you have any questions.

[TeeRick]

On 1/28/2019 at 9:16 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

How would your comparative ratings change with the current prices, where both suites are vastly more expensive and Royal costs more than Edge?

 

Hi Jazz- it was nice to meet you last week on Edge!

Now for your question.  The RCCL CL suite is just a much more spacious and nicer suite overall than the CS on Edge which might better compare in size to the mid-level 1BR Grand Suite on RCCL ships.  But I just cannot get past the inadequate balcony size and underwhelming balcony furniture on Edge so I would not choose it again no matter what price I might get in the future. Not to mention the balcony door that can't be locked from the outside and the annoying wind noise!  I think I might instead choose a sunset veranda on Edge with the bigger balcony (and lower cost) -if I could convince them to give us at least one lounger or a stink'n footrest!  Maybe they could put in a two way locking handle on future ships.  I do not really enjoy the size and noise of RCCL Oasis Class ships but the deck 17 suite area kind of insulates you from the crowds and noise.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks Rick. It was good meeting you too

 

I agree with your assessments of the deficiencies in the balconies on Edge. But since we are already finding Celebrity ships too noisy, it’s hard to imagine sailing on RCL. We will be trying MSC Yacht Club in September in the Med. Their ships are even more crowded than RCL, but the YC ship-within-a-ship and Butler-assisted line cutting seems to solve most of that.  If we like it, they could become our choice for winter Caribbean cruises. 

[dodge9]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I was in a Celebrity Suite on Solstice for the 16 night AUS and NZ cruise last March.  You will love that CS!  It is not as technologically advanced as the one on Edge but it was more comfortable, had a truly separate bedroom that could be blacked out at night, and a much larger balcony with comfortable loungers, chairs and dining table.  Probably a much lower price than the Edge CS too.  Let me know if you have any questions.

I am doing an 12-night Australia-New Zealand cruise on the Solstice next March!  The one thing I didn't like about the Sky Suite was it was one room with no bedroom and I am used to having the separate spaces, which I prefer.  I am going with a friend and not my husband... how is the closet space?  Is there any closet space in the living area or just in the bedroom and where is the safe?  Any Australia-New Zealand tips????  We are taking my kid cousin in the Crown Loft Suite, she's super excited for her own bathroom and two levels!  

[Gordoncruickshank]

On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 8:04 PM, TeeRick said:

Our Details:

Early 60’s couple from PA (USA), Diamond+ and Elite+, have sailed exclusively on RCCL and Celebrity only.  We have just completed our 23^rd cruise.  Mostly suites.

 

The Ships:

RCCL Harmony OTS, May 2016, 227GT, 5479 capacity, STX France $1.3B, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 18), Jan 13-20, 2019

Celebrity Edge, Nov 2018, 131GT, 2918 capacity, STX France $900M, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 25), Jan 20-27, 2019

 

The Suites:

Harmony Crown Loft  Suite, Cabin 1752 (L1), Sky Class, 545sqft + 114 sqft balcony, 2 levels, 1 Br (in open loft), 2 Bath (one per level, first floor with shower, second floor tub/shower). Two flat screen TV’s, one which lowers from ceiling in loft BR. Ample storage.

 

Edge Celebrity Suite, Cabin 12104 (CS), 460 sqft, 51 sqft balcony, one level, 1 BR, 1 Bath (split with inner door, 2 sinks, tub/shower), electronic touchpad control of all features in suite, bluetooth link to Celebrity Ap on phone.  Two flat screen TV’s. Ample storage.

 

My Price:

Harmony CL suite $3600pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Ultimate Bev, $200 OBC

Edge CS suite $3900pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Premium Bev, $300 OBC

Note: Edge CS was booked on the very first day open to CC members so the price has never been lower. The same suite for Jan 2020 same cruise currently starts at $5299pp and much higher on a lot of itineraries.

Note: Harmony CL suite in Jan 2020 (Port Canaveral) currently starts at $5479pp.

 

Suite Perks:

Harmony includes all meals in Coastal Kitchen, Suite Lounge, with limited drink menu, Suite Sundeck, no genie (butler), suite concierges

Edge includes all meals in Luminae, and the Retreat which is a restricted area on forward decks 15-16 with a suite lounge, private pool/hot tub area, sundeck.

 

Some comparisons:

Harmony is no doubt a behemoth made for families, with loads of kid activities (and Kids) like water slides, amusement areas, neighborhoods, aqua show, ice rink, everything Oasis Class. Loud, busy, crowded. Coastal Kitchen is on deck 17 and shares its space with the suite lounge with an artificial dividing line.  It is in the crown of the ship in front of the Crown Loft Suites making it convenient for us to access.  The meals were decent portions but still nicely presented.  Menu was a bit more extensive and varied (than Luminae).  Cuisine was delicious!  I was impressed with the food and service. 

 

Edge is a new class, large but not Harmony sized.  Very much for adults.  High end.  More noise, lights, energy than most other Celebrity ships.  Latest technology everywhere on the ship.  Beautiful interior. The Retreat area on Edge is private access and the Suite Lounge is spacious, open, with great views and high end furniture and finishes.  Just really beautiful.  The Retreat Sundeck is above the Suite Lounge on the front of the ship with great views.  High end seating and comfortable lounge chairs. Pool area with dedicated bar. Extremely well done.

 

Luminae on Edge is on deck 12 just below the Retreat.  It is larger and much more open than other Luminae’s on other ships, so it can be quite loud.  There is a new Luminae menu for Edge which was very limited but was supplemented with every night selections.  No option to order from the MDR menu.  Small portions but nicely presented.  Reservations suggested for dinner.  Pet peeve was that guests had to go to another deck to use a restroom.  I did not get the high service, intimate dining experience that I have enjoyed on other Celebrity ships.

 

The size, spaciousness and finish of the Crown Loft Suite on Harmony is hard to beat for the price.  We liked the large balcony with chairs and loungers.   The proximity to the suite amenities of CK and the SL was a plus.  The Suite sun deck was in another part of the ship and was not really utilized much.  The Suite Lounge concierges and our suite attendant offered excellent service.  No butler (genie).

 

The ultra modern CS on Edge was technologically more advanced.  But some odd things.  The balcony was small.  No lounge chairs possible.  There was a small dining table with two chairs which was nice for breakfast . Also two arm chairs, but no foot rests.  You could not close the hatch tight on the balcony door from the outside so it whistled constantly.  That was annoying.  The bathtub has a half fold out plexi-glass door that leaks.  It was nice to have the only CS on deck 12 across from Luminae.  The butler and the cabin steward offered excellent service.  As did the suite lounge concierges.

 

Bottom Line: We would choose the Crown Loft suite on Harmony over the CS on Edge.  Harmony is not for everybody but the suite life is nice.  We would also likely choose a CS or higher suite on another Celebrity ship over Edge based on our past experiences and Edge pricing.  Particularly after Celebrity completes its Revolution renovations on all ships. 

 

Can I ask a question regarding the CS on the Edge. Is the balcony only half of the room width which was how it is in the room plans or has it been extended to the full width of the cabin? We looked at the CS for next year but didn't go for it because of the layout. We booked a S1 at the back corner which has a huge balcony.

[chemmo]

Thanks for the review/comparison. We started our ‘cruising career’ on RC when our son was young but then migrated to Celebrity with an odd return to RC.

 

We have not cruised Harmony but have cruised Oasis and Allure In Aqua Suites and Crown Loft Suites. We loved the Aqua Suite but our Crown Loft Suite only had a tiny balcony,  just fitted three chairs. The disappointment for us on our most recent cruise RC cruise (Allure, January 17) was Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge area. We thought the views were fabulous but it just was not comfortable and the  food was so so....Speciality Restaurants not very special either. By 8pm most evenings there were no chairs at all left in the suite lounge. I think it would take a very special itinerary or very cheap deal for us to cruise RC again.

 

Our problem with the Edge is we really think the RS (the room we book most frequently) is not as good as the S class one...Our room and balcony are important to our cruise experience and I just can’t see us paying more for less (I hope that makes sense!). Our next cruise is on the post Revolution Equinox in September...I am sure we will cruise Edge class at some stage but not with the present pricing.

[Cruise a holic]

On 1/28/2019 at 3:04 PM, TeeRick said:

Our Details:

Early 60’s couple from PA (USA), Diamond+ and Elite+, have sailed exclusively on RCCL and Celebrity only.  We have just completed our 23^rd cruise.  Mostly suites.

 

The Ships:

RCCL Harmony OTS, May 2016, 227GT, 5479 capacity, STX France $1.3B, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 18), Jan 13-20, 2019

Celebrity Edge, Nov 2018, 131GT, 2918 capacity, STX France $900M, Western Caribbean, 7 nights, FLL (Term 25), Jan 20-27, 2019

 

The Suites:

Harmony Crown Loft  Suite, Cabin 1752 (L1), Sky Class, 545sqft + 114 sqft balcony, 2 levels, 1 Br (in open loft), 2 Bath (one per level, first floor with shower, second floor tub/shower). Two flat screen TV’s, one which lowers from ceiling in loft BR. Ample storage.

 

Edge Celebrity Suite, Cabin 12104 (CS), 460 sqft, 51 sqft balcony, one level, 1 BR, 1 Bath (split with inner door, 2 sinks, tub/shower), electronic touchpad control of all features in suite, bluetooth link to Celebrity Ap on phone.  Two flat screen TV’s. Ample storage.

 

My Price:

Harmony CL suite $3600pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Ultimate Bev, $200 OBC

Edge CS suite $3900pp with gratuities, unlimited WiFi, Premium Bev, $300 OBC

Note: Edge CS was booked on the very first day open to CC members so the price has never been lower. The same suite for Jan 2020 same cruise currently starts at $5299pp and much higher on a lot of itineraries.

Note: Harmony CL suite in Jan 2020 (Port Canaveral) currently starts at $5479pp.

 

Suite Perks:

Harmony includes all meals in Coastal Kitchen, Suite Lounge, with limited drink menu, Suite Sundeck, no genie (butler), suite concierges

Edge includes all meals in Luminae, and the Retreat which is a restricted area on forward decks 15-16 with a suite lounge, private pool/hot tub area, sundeck.

 

Some comparisons:

Harmony is no doubt a behemoth made for families, with loads of kid activities (and Kids) like water slides, amusement areas, neighborhoods, aqua show, ice rink, everything Oasis Class. Loud, busy, crowded. Coastal Kitchen is on deck 17 and shares its space with the suite lounge with an artificial dividing line.  It is in the crown of the ship in front of the Crown Loft Suites making it convenient for us to access.  The meals were decent portions but still nicely presented.  Menu was a bit more extensive and varied (than Luminae).  Cuisine was delicious!  I was impressed with the food and service. 

 

Edge is a new class, large but not Harmony sized.  Very much for adults.  High end.  More noise, lights, energy than most other Celebrity ships.  Latest technology everywhere on the ship.  Beautiful interior. The Retreat area on Edge is private access and the Suite Lounge is spacious, open, with great views and high end furniture and finishes.  Just really beautiful.  The Retreat Sundeck is above the Suite Lounge on the front of the ship with great views.  High end seating and comfortable lounge chairs. Pool area with dedicated bar. Extremely well done.

 

Luminae on Edge is on deck 12 just below the Retreat.  It is larger and much more open than other Luminae’s on other ships, so it can be quite loud.  There is a new Luminae menu for Edge which was very limited but was supplemented with every night selections.  No option to order from the MDR menu.  Small portions but nicely presented.  Reservations suggested for dinner.  Pet peeve was that guests had to go to another deck to use a restroom.  I did not get the high service, intimate dining experience that I have enjoyed on other Celebrity ships.

 

The size, spaciousness and finish of the Crown Loft Suite on Harmony is hard to beat for the price.  We liked the large balcony with chairs and loungers.   The proximity to the suite amenities of CK and the SL was a plus.  The Suite sun deck was in another part of the ship and was not really utilized much.  The Suite Lounge concierges and our suite attendant offered excellent service.  No butler (genie).

 

The ultra modern CS on Edge was technologically more advanced.  But some odd things.  The balcony was small.  No lounge chairs possible.  There was a small dining table with two chairs which was nice for breakfast . Also two arm chairs, but no foot rests.  You could not close the hatch tight on the balcony door from the outside so it whistled constantly.  That was annoying.  The bathtub has a half fold out plexi-glass door that leaks.  It was nice to have the only CS on deck 12 across from Luminae.  The butler and the cabin steward offered excellent service.  As did the suite lounge concierges.

 

Bottom Line: We would choose the Crown Loft suite on Harmony over the CS on Edge.  Harmony is not for everybody but the suite life is nice.  We would also likely choose a CS or higher suite on another Celebrity ship over Edge based on our past experiences and Edge pricing.  Particularly after Celebrity completes its Revolution renovations on all ships. 

 

We also just did a "modified" back to back with the first week in an S1 on the Edge and second week in a crown loft suite on the Harmony.  While the edge was new- and we enjoyed the suite deck- the Crown loft suite on the HOS  was wonderful.  Especially loved two bathrooms in the Crown loft suite.  I agree  in comparison, the Crown loft suite on the HOS was a bargain.  Service on both excellent- but the Harmony wins in my opinion also.

 

 One major problem with the Edge suite is the lack of a nice table to have breakfast or any meal in your stateroom or on the balcony.  They have a rocking chair dead center in the room which is a waste of space-given that the suite is small. Celebrity should remove the the chairs and replace with a coffee table.  While we had a fabulous butler on the Edge- the suite lounge concierges and stateroom attendants on the HOS were great.  The suite deck on the Edge was also better then the HOS.

 

However, we have future cruises booked on both.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Cruise a holic

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Thanks Rick. It was good meeting you too

 

I agree with your assessments of the deficiencies in the balconies on Edge. But since we are already finding Celebrity ships too noisy, it’s hard to imagine sailing on RCL. We will be trying MSC Yacht Club in September in the Med. Their ships are even more crowded than RCL, but the YC ship-within-a-ship and Butler-assisted line cutting seems to solve most of that.  If we like it, they could become our choice for winter Caribbean cruises. 

Yes the MSC option might work for us too.  Personally I am hoping for the best with the Revolution on M-Class and S-Class.  My favorite suite is the CS on M-Class and I hope that it gets updated without changing its overall size and character.

[TeeRick]

12 hours ago, dodge9 said:

I am doing an 12-night Australia-New Zealand cruise on the Solstice next March!  The one thing I didn't like about the Sky Suite was it was one room with no bedroom and I am used to having the separate spaces, which I prefer.  I am going with a friend and not my husband... how is the closet space?  Is there any closet space in the living area or just in the bedroom and where is the safe?  Any Australia-New Zealand tips????  We are taking my kid cousin in the Crown Loft Suite, she's super excited for her own bathroom and two levels!  

The CS on Solstice has a large closet near the entrance and a large walk in closet in the bedroom (which also has the safe).  Great closet and storage space overall.  March is a nice time to do this cruise.  We did it from Perth and ended up in Sydney after NZ.  We stayed another 4 nights in Sydney.  If you want to post a question or two on the AUS & NZ board I would be happy to answer.

[TeeRick]

7 hours ago, Gordoncruickshank said:

Can I ask a question regarding the CS on the Edge. Is the balcony only half of the room width which was how it is in the room plans or has it been extended to the full width of the cabin? We looked at the CS for next year but didn't go for it because of the layout. We booked a S1 at the back corner which has a huge balcony.

The balcony is the full width of the room unlike the initial plans.  But it is fairly narrow so it has two arm chairs which were fairly comfortable but no foot rests.  It also has a dining table with two chairs for ordering room service.  IMO the S1 aft with large balcony is the better option!

[TeeRick]

6 hours ago, chemmo said:

Thanks for the review/comparison. We started our ‘cruising career’ on RC when our son was young but then migrated to Celebrity with an odd return to RC.

 

We have not cruised Harmony but have cruised Oasis and Allure In Aqua Suites and Crown Loft Suites. We loved the Aqua Suite but our Crown Loft Suite only had a tiny balcony,  just fitted three chairs. The disappointment for us on our most recent cruise RC cruise (Allure, January 17) was Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge area. We thought the views were fabulous but it just was not comfortable and the  food was so so....Speciality Restaurants not very special either. By 8pm most evenings there were no chairs at all left in the suite lounge. I think it would take a very special itinerary or very cheap deal for us to cruise RC again.

 

Our problem with the Edge is we really think the RS (the room we book most frequently) is not as good as the S class one...Our room and balcony are important to our cruise experience and I just can’t see us paying more for less (I hope that makes sense!). Our next cruise is on the post Revolution Equinox in September...I am sure we will cruise Edge class at some stage but not with the present pricing.

We were on Edge Deck 12 and had the only CS on that deck with RS's on each side of us.  The balconies were not really any better than our CS balcony.  They are all narrow.

[Gordoncruickshank]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

The balcony is the full width of the room unlike the initial plans.  But it is fairly narrow so it has two arm chairs which were fairly comfortable but no foot rests.  It also has a dining table with two chairs for ordering room service.  IMO the S1 aft with large balcony is the better option!

Thanks for the reply. So it is not the same size as the S Class CS balconies. I like to get an extra lounger out there so that I have somewhere to lie on while my wife commandeers the Chaise. 

[TeeRick]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

We also just did a "modified" back to back with the first week in an S1 on the Edge and second week in a crown loft suite on the Harmony.  While the edge was new- and we enjoyed the suite deck- the Crown loft suite on the HOS  was wonderful.  Especially loved two bathrooms in the Crown loft suite.  I agree  in comparison, the Crown loft suite on the HOS was a bargain.  Service on both excellent- but the Harmony wins in my opinion also.

 

 One major problem with the Edge suite is the lack of a nice table to have breakfast or any meal in your stateroom or on the balcony.  They have a rocking chair dead center in the room which is a waste of space-given that the suite is small. Celebrity should remove the the chairs and replace with a coffee table.  While we had a fabulous butler on the Edge- the suite lounge concierges and stateroom attendants on the HOS were great.  The suite deck on the Edge was also better then the HOS.

 

However, we have future cruises booked on both.

I completely agree with all of your comments!

[Cruise a holic]

I hope that the "powers that be" at Celebrity read the Edge comments and reviews and perhaps not to late to modify the other new ships.  The Edge should be a beta test- and the next ship(s) improved.

[Muushka]

OP, I have a question.  Did you find the level of service at CK and the SL as good as X?  We did not find it nearly as good.  We sailed in a S2 on X and a GS on Oasis about 3 months apart.  On X in Luminae they knew our names (welcomed by name when coming in and leaving).  At CK they never knew our names.  At the SL the service was poor.  Many times there wasn't even anyone to serve drinks.  Someone would eventually show up, but we did wait a few times.  No comparison to Michael's club.

 

We were torn about doing a L1 or the GS.  Maybe we will give it another try, in an L1.  Those suites fascinated us.

 

Thanks for the comparison!

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Yes the MSC option might work for us too.  Personally I am hoping for the best with the Revolution on M-Class and S-Class.  My favorite suite is the CS on M-Class and I hope that it gets updated without changing its overall size and character.

 

I agree completely, but we should keep this quiet because there are only 8 such suites on each ship and four of them face forward.  That means you and I are competing for just 4 suites!  

[Freestyle Cruiser]

 

Teerick

 

Your comparison review of the RCI CL is appealing, with the balcony loungers. Can  you order a drink to be delivered to the  RCI  CL cabin or order a bottle of scotch for the cabin?  My DH likes to have a scotch (single malt) on his balcony. On Celebrity and NCL, we can get a bottle of scotch. Sad to say but this is an important cruise selection decision for us. Loungers and scotch.  😂😂

[TeeRick]

19 hours ago, Muushka said:

OP, I have a question.  Did you find the level of service at CK and the SL as good as X?  We did not find it nearly as good.  We sailed in a S2 on X and a GS on Oasis about 3 months apart.  On X in Luminae they knew our names (welcomed by name when coming in and leaving).  At CK they never knew our names.  At the SL the service was poor.  Many times there wasn't even anyone to serve drinks.  Someone would eventually show up, but we did wait a few times.  No comparison to Michael's club.

 

We were torn about doing a L1 or the GS.  Maybe we will give it another try, in an L1.  Those suites fascinated us.

 

Thanks for the comparison!

On Harmony the service level in CK was mostly up to Luminae standards.  The food definitely was on par. In CK they knew our names and what we preferred right away.  But it is not the same team approach in CK as in Luminae.  In CK you get one waiter who handles everything. You can request the same waiter every night for consistency.  So he/she might get a bit busy with other tables.  In Luminae there are multiple servers that attend to you and yes remember you.  The Luminae Maitre'd usually knows you pretty quickly too.  In the Harmony Suite Lounge which is joined to CK, the cocktail service was spotty.  On many occasions I just went to the bar and ordered.  In Michael's Club (soon Retreat Lounge) you can just about order anything.  In the Suite Lounge on Harmony selections are more limited.  Overall I prefer the Celebrity suite experience but the CL suite itself on Harmony was very nice!

[TeeRick]

19 hours ago, Freestyle Cruiser said:

 

Teerick

 

Your comparison review of the RCI CL is appealing, with the balcony loungers. Can  you order a drink to be delivered to the  RCI  CL cabin or order a bottle of scotch for the cabin?  My DH likes to have a scotch (single malt) on his balcony. On Celebrity and NCL, we can get a bottle of scotch. Sad to say but this is an important cruise selection decision for us. Loungers and scotch.  😂😂

Yes you can use room service.  Not like having a butler doing this for you on Celebrity.

[Muushka]

6 hours ago, TeeRick said:

On Harmony the service level in CK was mostly up to Luminae standards.  The food definitely was on par. In CK they knew our names and what we preferred right away.  But it is not the same team approach in CK as in Luminae.  In CK you get one waiter who handles everything. You can request the same waiter every night for consistency.  So he/she might get a bit busy with other tables.  In Luminae there are multiple servers that attend to you and yes remember you.  The Luminae Maitre'd usually knows you pretty quickly too.  In the Harmony Suite Lounge which is joined to CK, the cocktail service was spotty.  On many occasions I just went to the bar and ordered.  In Michael's Club (soon Retreat Lounge) you can just about order anything.  In the Suite Lounge on Harmony selections are more limited.  Overall I prefer the Celebrity suite experience but the CL suite itself on Harmony was very nice!

 

OK, sounds like you had about the same experience as we did.  Maybe some day I'll snag an L1 deal to experience the cabin, but I won't have high expectations for the "suite life" on RCI.

[Freestyle Cruiser]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:10 AM, TeeRick said:

Yes you can use room service.  Not like having a butler doing this for you on Celebrity.

 

Thank you, we may have to try RCI again and try that lovely L1 cabin. 😎😎