Michaels Club vs. Neptune Lounge - A brief review

[andnosyd]

We recently returned from a Celebrity cruise and had the pleasure of being able to use Michaels Club onboard the Constellation. Here is what I observed in the differences...

 

Room:

Michaels Club was dark and mostly empty the entire cruise. It is a very nice room with wood paneling, nice seating options, and a few exterior windows to the non-wrap around promenade deck.

 

Neptune Lounge is smaller and has no exterior windows. It also feels decidedly more crowded as more people have access to it than Michaels club. It's more brightly lit as well.

 

Food:

Michaels Club had some nice food options, but the items were limited. There is a small table set up that has coffee and the snacks change throughout the day.

 

Neptune Lounge certainly has more food options for breakfast and I think overall there is just more food and snacks available. It was designed to have food where you walk in while Michaels Club just put a table out near the back of the room.

 

Drink:

In my mind Michaels Club wins this hands down. They have a full open bar available from 6 AM to 10 PM. The bartender will make drinks, pour you some decent (house, but still very drinkable) wine, and there are a variety of beers, soda and bottled water available.

 

The Neptune Lounge has the coffee machine as well as some other non-bottled drinks available. They also offer some not-so-great sparking wine on embarkation day.

 

Concierge:

I can't make a fair comparison as I didn't really use the concierge on any of our cruises. I will note that Bogdan (on Celebrity) was excellent, and was very interactive with our daughter. I found the same to be true with HAL

 

Overall:

Michaels Club is a much better experience if you like to have a drink. The atmosphere is quieter, although that is mostly because no other passengers were really in there. It was nice being able to get a few bottles of water to bring back to your room and not getting asked for your key card.

 

One note; Michaels Club does not have a key card access like the Neptune Lounge. They know who you are as there is a printout of your picture (from embarkation) that they use to identify you.

[CruiserBruce]

Who gets to use Michael's Club? The top suites?

 

Were the drinks free? If the Neptune were pouring free booze for all the Neptune eligible people on a Signature class ship all day, that would be one heck of a lot of free booze.

[cbr663]

From the Celebrity website:

 

A private lounge for those in Celebrity, Signature, Royal, Penthouse and Reflection Suites, as well as for Captain’s Club Zenith members. This luxurious club features a large-screen TV, reading areas stocked with magazines, newspapers, and books, plus a premium continental breakfast. Complimentary pre-dinner drinks and tapas are served 5–8 PM daily. Its dedicated Concierge can help arrange your specialty dining, shore excursions, even handle inquiries about various ports of call. Desk hours vary by itinerary. Michael’s Club is available 24 hours a day.

 

So, passengers in 5 suite categories and Zenith passengers have completed 100+ cruise credits and/or 3000 club points. This is in addition to the Elite parties that are held that also offer complimentary drinks and alcohol.

[RJ2002]

Thanks for sharing your comparison. I think I'd agree that the expanded drink options are a nice feature. I also like the concept of windows to the outside.

[boards]

I don't think the Michael's Club (Infinity) is the same thing as the Neptune Lounge on a Hal ship. We meet there for the Life boat drill and then for shows on the Infinity. You couldn't do that in the Neptune Lounge.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your comparisons.

[PathfinderEss]

I remember when Michael's Club was use as a bar/lounge where there was entertainment. Certainly it was not located any where around the suites. We were also on the Infinity, so OP need to know more. Where it is located etc.?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for explaining the differences between Michael's Club and the Neptune Lounge.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank for explaining who on celebrity can use Michael's Club.

[andnosyd]

I remember when Michael's Club was use as a bar/lounge where there was entertainment. Certainly it was not located any where around the suites. We were also on the Infinity, so OP need to know more. Where it is located etc.?

 

Michaels Club is located between the casino and show lounge on the Constellation, I believe on deck 4. You are correct that it is a ways from most suites, unlike the Neptune lounge.

[Typhoon1]

Free alcohol. Just another reason Celebrity prices are significantly higher than HALs.

[kazu]

Interesting and many thanks.

 

Some things I noticed though - you mentioned a key card - that's only on HAL's larger ships - on the smaller ones you just walk in, the concierges know who you are.

 

While most HAL ships have a Neptune Lounge in the inside of the ship, this is not true on the Prinsendam. It is on the starboard side looking upon the ocean with a verandah there to use. It also has the stained glass that you see in the HAL brochures.

 

Thanks again:D

[sail7seas]

I remember when Michael's Club was use as a bar/lounge where there was entertainment. Certainly it was not located any where around the suites. We were also on the Infinity, so OP need to know more. Where it is located etc.?

 

 

 

That is what I remember, also.

 

I was scratching my head a bit reading the review as I knew it couldn't be near the suites that would have guests using it. Not very convenient, I wouldn't think? It seems to have a very different purpose/comfort/convenience than Neptune Lounges.

 

Thank you, OP. Very helpful comparison review. I found it interesting. :)

 

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the comparison!

[cruz chic]

Free alcohol. Just another reason Celebrity prices are significantly higher than HALs.

 

I haven't found that to be the case at all.

[Lizzie68]

Free alcohol. Just another reason Celebrity prices are significantly higher than HALs.

 

Not from my recent cruise searches. I have a future cruise deposit with Celebrity that I am trying to use and prices have been very comparable. I have to admit, however, that my searches have not gone beyond Concierge cabins.

[tangerinebunny]

Many, but not all, of the NL functions are handled by the suite butlers. Michaels is more a gathering/resting place.

 

Both systems work.

 

I find current prices comparable, but with Celebrity offering a private suite-only dining room beginning next spring, I wonder if their prices will increase accordingly?

Edited August 14, 2014 by tangerinebunny

[PathfinderEss]

Michaels Club is located between the casino and show lounge on the Constellation, I believe on deck 4. You are correct that it is a ways from most suites, unlike the Neptune lounge.

 

Thanks, that what I thought. I was on the Infinity 3 times and a friend was entertaining in Michaels. Seems rather inconvenient to me, as we were staying in a suite. The butler service we recieved was nice but it was no more then delivering snacks to us during the day. It must have improved alot.:confused:

[erewhon]

Thank you for the comparison.