Penthouse Worth It?

[dchang]

Congratulations Teacher_MD. Hope you enjoy your cruise in the suite you choose. After reading about all the suite perks on NCL, I keep hoping for October to come quicker. We are booked in an aft penthouse suite on the Spirit in October. The more I read about the perks of being in a suite, the sooner I want our cruise to begin. Enjoy your honeymoon!

[reefgirl]

Thanks for the continued congratulations! I have that 10th floor SF booked but now I am looking at the SE penthouses in the front. They look much better. I kind of prefer the look of the glass door on the SF and people say the balcony is too windy in the front of the SE. It's only a little more expensive and you get a lot more room - but only floors 8 and 9 are available. My partner was a little underwhelmed when he saw the picture of the SF because he was thinking of the Celebrity Millennium's Penthouse Owner's Suite which is more like the top of the line villas on NCL. So it's not like he didn't like it, just an expectations thing. Thoughts?

 

I believe those two cabins are about the same size, but the one at the front of the ship has a much bigger balcony and they count that in the square footage of the room. I was in an AD and the balcony was plenty spacious enough. I am sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, we had the best cruise and loved that room.

[Fishbait17]

Thanks for the continued congratulations! I have that 10th floor SF booked but now I am looking at the SE penthouses in the front. They look much better. I kind of prefer the look of the glass door on the SF and people say the balcony is too windy in the front of the SE. It's only a little more expensive and you get a lot more room - but only floors 8 and 9 are available. My partner was a little underwhelmed when he saw the picture of the SF because he was thinking of the Celebrity Millennium's Penthouse Owner's Suite which is more like the top of the line villas on NCL. So it's not like he didn't like it, just an expectations thing. Thoughts?

 

I believe those two cabins are about the same size, but the one at the front of the ship has a much bigger balcony and they count that in the square footage of the room. I was in an AD and the balcony was plenty spacious enough. I am sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, we had the best cruise and loved that room.

 

I am pretty sure you are correct. We have sailed in both cabins and never noticed any difference between them except the balcony (same cabins AC, AD, AE) EXCEPT the AC's with the bump outs - but it isn't that much of a change. To get a cabin that's significantly bigger, you will need to go up to the AB (don't remember the new designation). The AB is gorgeous, but usually a steep price difference.

 

Robin

[teacher_md]

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to touch base with all of you who gave us advice on the Pearl aft penthouse. We booked the 10th floor SF cabin on the Pearl but then started having 2nd thoughts (color scheme scared my fiance off). Also, we have been on the Pearl and we kind of wanted to try something new for our honeymoon. We ended up switching to the NCL Star and chose a room in the area that had the Spinnaker Lounge before. We are in an SG (formerly AD) on the Star. The room looks new, nice and large. Soooo excited to try the Suite Life of NCL! I will definitely try to get an aft balcony sometime in the future based on what you all have said.

 

Thanks again for all of the advice, AJ

[scrapbags]

Yes! I think this is actually a very good deal. Is this through NCL? I thought the current OBC was 300$...also did you ask about latitudes...may be better than union.

 

Paid about 3600$ plus 300$ obc for an AD Pearl next month (booked about a year ago) and about 2900$ plus same OBC for a AE cabin for my husband's mother and aunt on same sailing (western itin again). Also booked Jewel for June in an AD for 3200$ plus 300 OBC...prices are now 600$ higher and no more ADs available.

 

Definitely go for the ones on deck 10...balcony is huge! You can always cancel or rebook to a balcony before final payment if you realize that it is too much.

 

I totally agree with everything that Fishbait just said too...you will be completely spoiled. I always seem to agree with Fishbait though...I think we are both drinking the NCL suite Kool-Aid :D. Cagney's in suite or in the restaurant for lunch and dinner is worth a lot. Butler and concierge take all of the hassle out of cruising (just make sure you do a little homework beforehand so you know what to expect and how it all works...plenty of threads here). Not to mention getting on and off the ship is a total piece of cake. I think for your honeymoon you will be so happy you saved up for the suite. Let me warn you again though, my first cruise with NCL I was doing to same debate (balcony vs suite). I listened to the suite cruisers and there is no going back!

 

Also, I know a panama canal cruise was also in the running for you, but like you, I just loved the Pearl. It might take some of the pressure off (let's face it, weddings, families, and all that planning, while fun, can be stressful!) and be more relaxing to return to a ship that you already love and are comfortable with IMO...

 

Let us know what you pick and let me know if you have any more questions!

Coffeecat

We just booked a cruise on the Jewel aft balcony penthouse on deck 10! So excited. Can you tell me if you get sun back there? I love the sun and hope to lay out on our deck and my DH is not much of a sun lover so he would be happy in the shade. I am hoping there is a mix of both sun AND shade??

[ghulett]

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to touch base with all of you who gave us advice on the Pearl aft penthouse. We booked the 10th floor SF cabin on the Pearl but then started having 2nd thoughts (color scheme scared my fiance off). Also, we have been on the Pearl and we kind of wanted to try something new for our honeymoon. We ended up switching to the NCL Star and chose a room in the area that had the Spinnaker Lounge before. We are in an SG (formerly AD) on the Star. The room looks new, nice and large. Soooo excited to try the Suite Life of NCL! I will definitely try to get an aft balcony sometime in the future based on what you all have said.

 

Thanks again for all of the advice, AJ

Thank you for the update. What a total switch-a-roo! I read this complete post just to see what you were going to do; hoping you would stick with the aft penthouse, rather than switching to a windy forward penthouse. Then I read that you completely changed ships!

 

Funny thing is we are going to be sailing on the Pearl in May and the Star in September. As I understand it, you reserved a "Penthouse Suite with Balcony" SG (which was formerly AH). We are going to be in one, 12012, on our September cruise. They look great.

 

Have a fun honeymoon!

[halos]

Coffeecat,

Penthouse price with my union discount is $3080 plus $250 in OBC (for two passengers, including taxes and port charges) in a 10th floor SF. Reasonable?

- AJ

I think that's a good price :)

Congratulations to you. :)

[Why Knot Me]

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to touch base with all of you who gave us advice on the Pearl aft penthouse. We booked the 10th floor SF cabin on the Pearl but then started having 2nd thoughts (color scheme scared my fiance off). Also, we have been on the Pearl and we kind of wanted to try something new for our honeymoon. We ended up switching to the NCL Star and chose a room in the area that had the Spinnaker Lounge before. We are in an SG (formerly AD) on the Star. The room looks new, nice and large. Soooo excited to try the Suite Life of NCL! I will definitely try to get an aft balcony sometime in the future based on what you all have said.

 

Thanks again for all of the advice, AJ

 

Anybody else confused by the red highlighted area?

[wittyfellow]

I think the poster was referring to the 4 new NCL STAR SG (Penthouse with Balcony) cabins on deck 12. This was part of the new cabins added when they moved the Spinnaker Lounge to deck 7.

 

I could be wrong.

[KandJCruising]

That's correct. And it looks like the Dawn will have 10 of them added. You'll love the SG suite.

To answer the Epic question, the same suite/mini-suite rules apply. An added bonus on the Epic is the spa and aft PH suites also have access to the Courtyard area, just aren't located there. We loved the layout of the spa suite, and will get to experience the aft PH during the May TA.

[teacher_md]

Thanks for clarifying the stateroom for me. After looking at the amazing bathroom in that Penthouse Suite, the extra space and the modern decor, we opted for that one. I will miss the aft balcony though... maybe for our 25 year anniversary!

 

Thanks for the congrats :)

-aj

[Why Knot Me]

I think the poster was referring to the 4 new NCL STAR SG (Penthouse with Balcony) cabins on deck 12. This was part of the new cabins added when they moved the Spinnaker Lounge to deck 7.

 

I could be wrong.

 

chose a room in the area that had the Spinnaker Lounge before. We are in an SG (formerly AD) on the Star.

 

Yes, but AD's are in the AFT. SG is a new penthouse after Spinnaker was moved. An SG could not "formerly be an AD". What am I missing? We've booked a back to back on the Star and I've been re-thinking our cabin.

[ghulett]

chose a room in the area that had the Spinnaker Lounge before. We are in an SG (formerly AD) on the Star.

 

Yes, but AD's are in the AFT. SG is a new penthouse after Spinnaker was moved. An SG could not "formerly be an AD". What am I missing? We've booked a back to back on the Star and I've been re-thinking our cabin.

 

She meant AH.