chill6x6

Of course we are the same! I've read hundreds of negative reviews that completely did not apply to us. Like everyone, I've had GREAT cruises and some good cruises but never one I'd call less than good.

Wow....All these comments certainly does give one pause for up coming cruises.It's not JUST the OP but the post after post in pretty much full agreement with the assessment. I have my longest cruise ever, a 10 day on Enchanted booked for 2024 which is my first Princess cruise since 2012. Princess had the itinerary and the price so I booked an S3. I know exactly what I'm getting with Royal, Celebrity, and HA. The "Carnival of the Premium Cruise Lines" comment above kinda hits home! LOL.

You are exactly correct! Really, I can't imagine only cruising with one or two cruise lines. I'm pretty much itinerary driven for the most part and I do like a change up periodically.

One clear difference and one that really matters to me.....Princess offers refundable deposits. I now have two Princess cruises booked that I probably would have never booked. And I fully intend on going on these cruises!

From the pictures/videos I've seen it looks as if the aft-corner Neptune suites have a much smaller sofa-ette rather than the normal sofa that is in the deck 7 mid-ship NS. Is that true?

I think you kind of hit the nail on the head. I appreciate the comment!

Gotcha. I can see that. It's hard to have it all isn't it? That's what I try to do all the time! OK. Maybe I best just reply on loungers on out suites balcony. Really looking at two cruises which are very similar....one is on Celebrity Eclipse and the other on HAL Rotterdam both to the ABCs.

We made that work with the CS.....staff brought us down a lounger to go with the standard single fabric louger on the balconies. Was on a stant so balcony was large enough, We don't necessarily have to be in the sun all the time...sometimes shade. We might can make it work regardless....

Yes that's true! The problem is we now enjoy the Royal suite sun deck and the Haven sundeck. Not having to hunt down loungers and deal with chair hogs sure is nice!

Hi, So I haven't been on a Celebrity ship in a while. The last time I was on one was in a CS on Silhouette before Revolution even began I think(2018). I have since been on several cruises on Royal(Star and Sky class) and in the NCL Haven. I'm looking at 9-day ABC cruise on Eclipse, probably again in a CS or maybe a RS. I really like this itinerary. My only real concern is it is my understanding there is no Retreat sundeck on Eclipse? We enjoy the Royal suite sundeck and Haven sundeck. I'm kinda concerned What do you think of cruising in a suite on non-Retreat ships?

I guess I'm done tipping extra. Most would get WAY more if they would just let me handle it....

We've never stayed IN the Haven, We ALWAYS stay in a deck 9 aft facing penthouse. It WOULD be nice to be close to the Haven area, we'd probably take more advantage of it. But the huge balcony and the two bathrooms are worth every step it takes to get to the Haven.

Yes....American Diner. We really liked it!

Coastal Kitchen is very good! I'll eat in CK when I could go anywhere. You will enjoy lunch in CK on embarkation day. I will say that night CK tends to be very busy.

Their concierge will probably be Dillip. He is one of the best I've ever had. Very conscious and wants to help you any way he can. BTW our butler on Escape was Renson...did an excellent job!

Thanks for doing this post! I've got a 10-day booked Panama Canal-ish cruise on the Miracle and I enjoy reading and seeing pictures about it!

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have cruises that visits those. Celebrity has a great itinerary out of San Juan. Royal has a couple of 8-day cruises that hit St Kitts(Love St Kitts, BTW). Royal now has an itinerary out of San Juan that goes to Trinidad and Tobago which are new for me and I'm going coming up in March. Royal also has a 9-day that hits some great ports but I can't go when it is offered. Check Celebrity and Royal out.

The only time I have TRULY walked off the ship having paid no more than the cruise fare was with Celebrity in a suite. They used to include gratuities, OBC, premium beverage, and premium internet. OBC covered speciality dining and excursions.

Absolutely! We had one of those that didn't know we were even there on Getaway. It actually reflected in the concierges whole staff. Then we had Dillip and the difference was night and day. And their gratuity was night and day.

Two things I really enjoyed... one is a member of the Concierges staff outside holding the "Haven" sign for priority when getting back on the ship at ports. Two...almost without fail the concierge finds us at whatever specialty restaurant we happen to be eating to check on us and make sure everything is going good. Several times the concierge has noticed what we were eating and had a different entree or appetizer sent to us because it was their "best item." I think I'm talking myself into booking another cruise in the Haven!

I'm never available when Bliss is so I've never been on it so I had no comment on it. The Encore/Escape and Getaway/Breakaway seem to always find me and have served me well.

I'm a chicken when it comes to a TA. My first cruise on the Carnival Holiday was with a TA. I didn't like the way it was handled at all. That was in 2007. If I knew of a good TA I might give it a shot again. I do know there are a lot of benefits. I'd say just be courteous and ask if uncertain before further commentary. Usually I don't post at all when I have a hard time posting something positive/nice/constructive. I'd also assume a person with a long history of cruising wouldn't post about a "good deal" unless they really thought it was. When I made the post I knew what I was trying covey and as I mentioned before I should have said "for 2" which was my fault. I bet there are some that understood that. I can't do last minute cruises because I still work and am a small business(3) owner. I have about a 2 week timeframe twice a year that I can have a vacation. I tend to book a good ways out(the above cruise is 2025)to get the cabin I want at hopefully the best price. BTW...I'd be happy to entertain any thoughts for a 7 day Mexican riviera cruise with a "more inclusive premium line" during March 2025. Absolutely! One day maybe I'll get to price those 28 day cruises! My longest so far is 9 days with work responsibilities. I do have a 12 day Panama Canal partial transit in an S6 aboard Emerald planned. Unfortunately price per day for 2 passengers is about the same at my cruise above. Just for fun(it's raining and cold out) I checked out prices for comparable cruises/cabins/amenities for similar timeframe during March 2025. Prices are for TWO and include 2 nights speciality dining/grats/unlimited internet/drink package/insurance. Princess- Discovery Princess S3 Premier pkg- $6946 Carnival- Panorama Grand Suite- $7279 NCL- Bliss HC(aft-facing penthouse)- $12,500. Royal- Navigator GS- $10,715

I cruise Royal and NCL pretty close to equally. Slightly more to Royal. My last cruise was on Escape and the one before that was Harmony. No doubt in my mind the Oasis class ships manage crowds better. Some of NCL best shows are held in some of their smaller venues. Food quality/service- about equal. Both were good. I actually like the Garden Cafe(buffet) better than the Windjammer. Speciality restaurants about equal which is very good. Noise? No difference. Smell?? I notice zero smell on either. Probably your best bet for NCL would be Escape/Encore. I'd give a slight edge to an Oasis-class cruise but I'd go on an Escape/Encore and Breakaway/Getaway cruise in a second. I usually make the decision based on price/itinerary.

No...that's for two. I should have said that but thought it was understood. I can't find anything close to that price and really it's pretty all inclusive. On Royal Caribbean...much older ship Grand suite(minimal suite)...no internet, no specialty dining, no beverage package, no insurance, and no grats- $8701 for two.

I haven't cruised with Princess in eleven years. But with recent price increases I have been looking around. So I absolutely stumbled on a good deal. I've been considering heading back to the Mexican riviera for a seven day cruise. I generally like to cruise in suites. I looked at the cruise lines I normally book(NCL and Royal) and the prices were out of sight, especially Royal. Carnival looked like the way to go, A Havana suite on Panorama for $5989. Before booking it came to be to check Princess. I clicked "cruise deals" at the top of the page. The EXACT date I needed was one of the ones on sale. So Discovery Princess S3, Princess Premier, and even including insurance....$6945. I think that was a heck of a deal!