Is the cost for a PH still worth it ? What has changed?

[Texed]

The Penthouse might be worth it.  But, I bought a Chevy Silverado 4 wheel drive instead. 😁

[Ex-Airbalancer]

36 minutes ago, Texed said:

The Penthouse might be worth it.  But, I bought a Chevy Silverado 4 wheel drive instead. 😁

Good thing you are in Texas you don’t have worry about it rusting out 

LTZ crew cab ? 

Edited February 28 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Texed]

8 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Good thing you are in Texas you don’t have worry about it rusting out 

LTZ crew cab ? 

 

LZ-1 with a 9" lift.  🤠

Edited February 28 by Texed

[BecT]

In a PH now on Eclipse. Booked it because it was 14 days to Antarctica and we wanted to be comfortable during that time since there were so many sea days. It's been awesome especially for picture taking. We set up the inside chairs in front of all the sliding doors to look out at all the beauty and when we wanted to take a picture we quickly opened the doors snapped some pics and went back inside where it was warm. 

 

We're also not fans of the menu change in Luminae so we've been taking advantage of the complimentary dining at Tuscan a lot.  

 

With that being said, I'm not sure we're in any rush to book another one soon. The prices are becoming more outrageous for what you get especially now that gratuities and OBC are no longer included. 

[Liao]

5 hours ago, Texed said:

The Penthouse might be worth it.  But, I bought a Chevy Silverado 4 wheel drive instead. 😁

In Oct/Nov 2022, we did a 14 night TA on the Edge, in the Edge Villa $14.1k all in for two of us.  This "almost" same cruise, 13 nights, Mar. 2025 in Edge Villa is now $30k+, let me think...NO!  We will be in the Sunset Aft Suite, just under $9k for two.  Even then, but prices have gone, well beyond inflation and then more and more and more.  A lot say well I'll wait until the pricing comes back to earth, I don't believe that is going to happen.  Ships are sailing at or over capacity, why would they change the pricing model if we are paying it. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

On 12/23/2023 at 9:27 PM, billc23 said:

PH in October had unlimited laundry for me. It says limited because of prior abuses. I'll cross over to Zenith in March.

I think Celebrity needs to put that limit out there because people have abused the unlimited laundry in the past by sending out theirs plus other family members plus friends.  In my experience of penthouses and royal suites, there have been no limits, but I don't send out much laundry.  I just enjoy the ability to send out one or two items at a time as needed.  Mostly I have things dry cleaned.  No limit on that either.

[billc23]

On 2/28/2024 at 9:40 AM, TommyD3 said:

My family were pricing cabins on the Apex TA in March 2025 for my 70th birthday. Considered the PH and IC because they each have two bedrooms. For the 4 of us (all adults) the PH is just over $45,000 and the IC is just under $80,000. In my mind that is absurd !!! I could buy a brand new car even w/o any trade in for that kind of money !!!

Why not consider a luxury line?

[chemmo]

12 hours ago, BecT said:

In a PH now on Eclipse. Booked it because it was 14 days to Antarctica and we wanted to be comfortable during that time since there were so many sea days. It's been awesome especially for picture taking. We set up the inside chairs in front of all the sliding doors to look out at all the beauty and when we wanted to take a picture we quickly opened the doors snapped some pics and went back inside where it was warm. 

 

We're also not fans of the menu change in Luminae so we've been taking advantage of the complimentary dining at Tuscan a lot.  

 

With that being said, I'm not sure we're in any rush to book another one soon. The prices are becoming more outrageous for what you get especially now that gratuities and OBC are no longer included. 

We booked Eclipse for a Fjords cruise early spring which we knew would be cold and also found the PH was very special. We were lucky that the weather was good but still bitter out of the sun! Like you we rearranged some furniture and we also enjoyed balcony breakfasts sailing into the Fjords, wrapped in blankets…The decadence of light in the S PH really is wonderful!

 

One advantage of the S PH over the M PH is it’s central position…We have been in the M PH on a blustery night and we did feel the motion!

 

 

[peanut head]

In the past 6 months we have sailed in the PH on Constellation, Equinox and Silhouette.  We followed Chemmo's advice and gave a printed note to the butler, on the 1st day, of what our preferences were.  The same note was emailed to the on-shore concierge, but that doesn't always pan out.  Each time we handed the note over we were thanked profusely and told "now I don't have to wonder what you will need.  Thank  you for making my job easier."

 

Laundry was complimentary the few times we used it.  We had asked for dinner in the room 2x--one was an Indian dinner.  We told the butler to work with the chef and devise any menu they liked as we would be open to anything.  It was incredible!  The 2nd dinner, we ordered different items from different restaurants with  no issues.  In fact, we asked our butler and stateroom attendant to join us--they did!  What a wonderful experience!  Our butler even sang to us!  He was a former Bollywood actor.

 

The large suite/balcony was perfect for our introverted personalities.  We are private people who try to avoid crowds and crowded areas.  (I am also immunocompromised.)  This is our comfort zone.   The service is impeccable, but I tend to believe that it is regardless of stateroom category.  There is no label printed on me that designates what stateroom/suite I am in.

 

In summary, is it worth it?  To us, YES.  Is it perfect--no, there are always issues but we don't let the hiccups get us down.  Perhaps someone isn't having a great day, we don't walk in his/her shoes, and neither do they walk in ours.  What we do know is that Celebrity is right for us for now and we will continue sailing with her in this fashion.

 

Happy sailing everyone!!

[Whinenowine]

On 2/28/2024 at 12:09 PM, Texed said:

The Penthouse might be worth it.  But, I bought a Chevy Silverado 4 wheel drive instead. 😁

Did it come with a butler...????!!!😇

[billc23]

On 3/1/2024 at 5:35 AM, peanut head said:

 

The large suite/balcony was perfect for our introverted personalities.  We are private people who try to avoid crowds and crowded areas.  (I am also immunocompromised.)  This is our comfort zone.   The service is impeccable, but I tend to believe that it is regardless of stateroom category.  There is no label printed on me that designates what stateroom/suite I am in.

 

If you are in one of the top suites there is a picture of you distributed to the staff and also posted on the staff side of doors leading to passenger areas - all over the ship. Yes, in the retreat lounge and on the retreat sundeck the staff will all know who is in an upper suite. The difference is most notable on Edge class ships where the Retreat has many passengers.

[Whinenowine]

9 hours ago, billc23 said:

If you are in one of the top suites there is a picture of you distributed to the staff and also posted on the staff side of doors leading to passenger areas - all over the ship. Yes, in the retreat lounge and on the retreat sundeck the staff will all know who is in an upper suite. The difference is most notable on Edge class ships where the Retreat has many passengers.

Ironically, though, the last time we were in a PH we were still charged for gelato every time.  There is a silly IT disconnect that meant we had to point out we were in a PH when they tried to charge us. The glitch is pretty minor in the grander scheme of things, but still got to be annoying a few days into the cruise (we're big gelato people!). 😇

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

we're big gelato people!). 😇

 

And you getting gelato on the ship 😱

[chemmo]

2 hours ago, Whinenowine said:

Ironically, though, the last time we were in a PH we were still charged for gelato every time.  There is a silly IT disconnect that meant we had to point out we were in a PH when they tried to charge us. The glitch is pretty minor in the grander scheme of things, but still got to be annoying a few days into the cruise (we're big gelato people!). 😇

 

In our experience there are always occasional hiccups. We remember having a conversation with the gelato staff on Equinox some years ago…We had enjoyed a gelato a few days into our cruise and had needed to ask the concierge to cancel off the charges for it we spotted on our TV. Next visit, as we ordered, we mentioned that we shouldn’t be charged and the server was clueless as to what we were talking about. I guess that in such a venue (not real dining) training is limited…

[Texed]

On 3/1/2024 at 12:21 PM, Whinenowine said:

Did it come with a butler...????!!!😇

 

No butler.   But it does have a chauffeur, me.  😁