Help from experienced cruisers

[dee2673]

Hi, all..we have booked our third cruise on HAL in neptune suite! Going to Mexico on December. We have only cruised on HAL and only in a NS. We like the pampering and having a bit of room , love getting on early with no waiting and the Neptune Lounge.

 

I am aslo in the early stages of planning a cruise with froends for next year and went to a couple of ther sites, as the itinery at HAL didn't fit. Specifically, Celebrity and Norwegian. In looking for next year, I randomly checked out stuff for this year and noted that they both have a drink package and onboard credit , similiar to Explore 4 for their suite class for later this year and it's a bit less expensive than ours. Hubby is reluctant to jump to another line as we know amd love HAL. We are not that picky where we cruise, we just want to be spoiled..:).

 

So my question, finally, is what is your experience with these other cruise lines? Is their suite as nice as a Neptune Suite? Service? I am about to retire in October of this year and we hope to cruise at least once a year until we can no longer move..lol.

[wrmiles]

Never been in a HAL Neptune suite, but have been in NCL suites and they are hard to beat.

 

There are a wide variety of suites, some with separate and/or multiple bedrooms. Butler service is also included. Other perks include dedicated dining areas for breakfast and lunch on all ships and dinner on some ships, as well as a dedicated sundeck and small pool for haven suites.

 

Check out details on NCL.com.

[kazu]

If the NCL ships you are looking at have the Suites with the Haven, Lisa (LAFFNVEGAS) has written about them on this board and raves about them.

 

I know she was very impressed :).

[travelingirl70]

Just booked our first HAL cruise, in a Neptune Suite to the Med next June. This was after much debate since I really wanted the pampering I am used to on Celebrity.

 

So, while I can't directly compare the two, I will say that hands down, the best cruise experience I have had is Aqua Class on Celebrity. You have your own dining room. Nuf said. The food is all cooked to order and far better than the main dining room. You can still go to specialty restaurants if you want - X has some great ones.

 

What ship are you considering on Celebrity? I've been on 3 ships - Constellation, Summit and Solstice. The ships each have their perks, but I prefer the Solstice class just a bit more. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Celebrity to anyone. For that little something "extra" check out Aqua Class. You won't be disappointed.

[Harry1954]

So my question, finally, is what is your experience with these other cruise lines? Is their suite as nice as a Neptune Suite? Service? I am about to retire in October of this year and we hope to cruise at least once a year until we can no longer move..lol.

We have booked many cruises with HAL always in NS. We also booked two other cruise lines, both 6 star for about 15 cruises .. we find HAL to have the best of both worlds with the NS. Rather than have a butler whom you have to deal with, the concierge service is much more applicable to our needs as they dont bother us unless we need them. And when we need them, they are a team that gets it done always.

As for the cabin, it is larger and better than the other two lines.

We have done three world cruises in NS and we would only do it on HAL.

 

If you are trying to pamper yourselves, you made the right choice - hope this helps,

 

harry

[blizzardboy]

Hi, all..we have booked our third cruise on HAL in neptune suite! Going to Mexico on December. We have only cruised on HAL and only in a NS. We like the pampering and having a bit of room , love getting on early with no waiting and the Neptune Lounge.

 

I am aslo in the early stages of planning a cruise with froends for next year and went to a couple of ther sites, as the itinery at HAL didn't fit. Specifically, Celebrity and Norwegian. In looking for next year, I randomly checked out stuff for this year and noted that they both have a drink package and onboard credit , similiar to Explore 4 for their suite class for later this year and it's a bit less expensive than ours. Hubby is reluctant to jump to another line as we know amd love HAL. We are not that picky where we cruise, we just want to be spoiled..:).

 

So my question, finally, is what is your experience with these other cruise lines? Is their suite as nice as a Neptune Suite? Service? I am about to retire in October of this year and we hope to cruise at least once a year until we can no longer move..lol.

If you like a king bed, read the suite descriptions carefully. We had to jump up big-time in price on Celebrity as only their top two suites, Royal and Penthouse, offer what we take for granted in a Neptune. Itinerary is the only thing that made us look elsewhere. Celebrity also plays some games by classifying cruises as repositioning, that HAL doesn't, exempting them from advertised promo perks. Edited July 31, 2016 by blizzardboy

[dakrewser]

WE've enjoyed the NS on HAL better than similar accommodation on Princess or Celebrity (really, really, disliked the butler - we needed to be on his schedule, not the way I envisioned it!).

 

But the differences are small - and it's good to get lots of different experiences. Especially if your cruising for a specific itinerary, don't worry about those small differences.

[lcand1923]

I've never had a suite on any ship, but do like a balcony.

 

I, too , can recommend the Aqua Class on Celebrity. The cabin was very nice and I really liked the Aqua Class Dining Room. (I can't remember the name, but the food was very, very good. The service was exceptional.)

 

The cruise I took gave you the drink package for free. It was a decent drink package and you could purchase an upgrade if you wanted better beers, wines, etc. (I don't remember the price for the upgrade.)

 

If you like HAL, you will probably like Celebrity.

 

I've never cruised on NCL, so can't comment on that line.

[cb at sea]

NCL has the BEST "suite perks" at sea....hands down. If you are a suite traveler, then you will LOVE NCL!

[l_n_m]

We've been in Neptune Suites on HAL and in all the Suite classes of Celebrity. We enjoy cruising on both lines. Some of the bigger differences between the two cruiselines occur when you are in the two top suites on Celebrity. Their Royal Suites and Penthouse Suites automatically include their Premium Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet, Unlimited Specialty Dining, two 1 litre bottles of liquer, and unlimited beer and soda from your in suite refrigerator.

 

All of the suites on Celebrity include dining in their Suite only dining room, Luminae, and use of their suite only lounge, Michaels Club, which includes a concierge and complimentary beverages.

[blizzardboy]

We've been in Neptune Suites on HAL and in all the Suite classes of Celebrity. We enjoy cruising on both lines. Some of the bigger differences between the two cruiselines occur when you are in the two top suites on Celebrity. Their Royal Suites and Penthouse Suites automatically include their Premium Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet, Unlimited Specialty Dining, two 1 litre bottles of liquer, and unlimited beer and soda from your in suite refrigerator.

 

All of the suites on Celebrity include dining in their Suite only dining room, Luminae, and use of their suite only lounge, Michaels Club, which includes a concierge and complimentary beverages.

We've been several cruises in a row in Neptunes totalling 95 days. We've booked a Celebrity cruise in Jan, 2018 in a Royal Suite, Abu Dhabi to Singapore. Had to book a Royal to get a king bed. It's costing us about what a Pinnacle Suite would on HAL. More stuff may be included as standard in X's Royal Suite, but you're paying for everything, believe me.

Edited August 30, 2016 by blizzardboy

[Krazy Kruizers]

We've been in Neptune Suites on HAL and in all the Suite classes of Celebrity. We enjoy cruising on both lines. Some of the bigger differences between the two cruiselines occur when you are in the two top suites on Celebrity. Their Royal Suites and Penthouse Suites automatically include their Premium Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet, Unlimited Specialty Dining, two 1 litre bottles of liquer, and unlimited beer and soda from your in suite refrigerator.

 

All of the suites on Celebrity include dining in their Suite only dining room, Luminae, and use of their suite only lounge, Michaels Club, which includes a concierge and complimentary beverages.

 

 

Thank you for this information.

Sounds great. We always book PS or NA and don't get all those perks.

[l_n_m]

Thank you for this information.

 

Sounds great. We always book PS or NA and don't get all those perks.

 

You're welcome!

[ExpatBride]

If you're used to HAL, I wouldn't touch Norwegian with a barge pole. After 2 cruises on NCL, DH and I were unhappy with the experience and decided to give HAL a try and we're glad we did.

 

NCL just felt cheap, mass market, and missing elegance. I get that HAL is also mass market, but it's a step above NCL in every way. We also preferred the HAL clientele to NCL, even though we're a bit younger than the average HAL pax.