Question for HAL / NCL vets.

[Traveling Bob]

We have been on both HAL & NCL but only in a full suite on HAL. We are looking a 7 day cruise in Feb on NCL that has a very similar price as the same time on HAL. On the Westerdam, its a Delux Veranda (SC) and on the Pearl, its a Penthouse. I searched the NCL site for the Penthouse perks, but could only find those for the Haven Penthouse. Does the Haven Penthouse have the same perks as the non-Haven? Can Non Haven Penthouse guests use the Haven, even though its on a different deck?

On HAL, we would get priorty Boarding, great hor devres, laundry, Dry Cleaning, full diningroom room service and other perks. What about the NCL Penthouse?

Which would you recommend?

[njhorseman]

Only suites designated as "Haven" suites come with access to the Haven. It's not a matter of which deck you're on...some suites not on the same deck as the Haven still get access to it.

 

Any Penthouse suite or higher on NCL will get priority check in, embarkation and disembarkation. All get breakfast and lunch in a private dining venue...on the Pearl that will be in Cagney's Steakhouse. (On the Epic, all suites have access to the Haven and also get dinner in a private venue, the Epic Club, in addition to breakfast and lunch.)

 

You will have the services of a butler and a concierge available. You will get an afternoon snack delivered to your suite. You can have meals from the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants served by your butler in your suite. (You have to pay the normal surcharge for specialty restaurant meals.)

 

Although I've sailed on HAL, it has only been in an ordinary cabin, not a suite. I have sailed in suites on NCL, Celebrity and Carnival. (OK...we shouldn't even count Carnival's as a real suite...it's basically nothing more than a larger cabin.) I found NCL's suite experience to be superior to Celebrity's, and NCL is often considered to have the best overall suite experience of any large ship US market cruise line.

 

I won't knock HAL, but I really like the NCL suite life, and I far prefer the relaxed, non-formal atmosphere on NCL. I don't want to dress up for formal nights...I used to, but it doesn't appeal to me any more. I also find NCL's entertainment offerings to be head and shoulders above HAL's, and I prefer the "Freestyle" dining on NCL to ships with fixed dining times. Even if some dining room space is reserved for open seating on other lines, from my observations it doesn't work as well as the totally open seating on NCL.

[Traveling Bob]

Only suites designated as "Haven" suites come with access to the Haven. It's not a matter of which deck you're on...some suites not on the same deck as the Haven still get access to it.

Any Penthouse suite or higher on NCL will get priority check in, embarkation and disembarkation. All get breakfast and lunch in a private dining venue...on the Pearl that will be in Cagney's Steakhouse. (On the Epic, all suites have access to the Haven and also get dinner in a private venue, the Epic Club, in addition to breakfast and lunch.)

You will have the services of a butler and a concierge available. You will get an afternoon snack delivered to your suite. You can have meals from the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants served by your butler in your suite. (You have to pay the normal surcharge for specialty restaurant meals.) Although I've sailed on HAL, it has only been in an ordinary cabin, not a suite. I have sailed in suites on NCL, Celebrity and Carnival. (OK...we shouldn't even count Carnival's as a real suite...it's basically nothing more than a larger cabin.) I found NCL's suite experience to be superior to Celebrity's, and NCL is often considered to have the best overall suite experience of any large ship US market cruise line.

I won't knock HAL, but I really like the NCL suite life, and I far prefer the relaxed, non-formal atmosphere on NCL. I don't want to dress up for formal nights...I used to, but it doesn't appeal to me any more. I also find NCL's entertainment offerings to be head and shoulders above HAL's, and I prefer the "Freestyle" dining on NCL to ships with fixed dining times. Even if some dining room space is reserved for open seating on other lines, from my observations it doesn't work as well as the totally open seating on NCL.

 

After 98 views, you were the only one with an opinion. Thank you.

[valleyvillage]

You really can't beat the NCL suite perks. HAL has the laundry/dry cleaning perk and that is sweet, not on the NCL list.

 

The Cagney's perk is really nice, I understand that the Pinnacle breakfast perk on HAL is for the same breakfast menu as the MDR, whereas in Cagney's you get and upgraded breakfast and lunch!

 

Also neat is the coffee machine in the suite, which makes espresso, lattes, and tea.

 

Enjoy!