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Once in a suite, always in a suite......NOT! What was your experience?


Planmaam
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I found it to be true, once we tried a suite, every booking after that was in a suite; until the most recent booking. Because of the increase in suite prices, we have booked a balcony for our next cruise, and though we are Platinum, know we will miss those suite perks! :( Though we have never been on a ship large enough to have a separate Haven restaurant, we always enjoy breakfast and lunch in the suite venue, as well as the larger bathrooms and cabins.

If you have done this, what was your experience? Did you really miss all those suite perks? Did you manage fairly well in an "other than suite" room? Just want to know others' experiences.

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Last time I sailed I was in an aft penthouse on Jewel. This time next week we'll be in a balcony. To be honest, except for free breakfast and lunch at Cagney's, it wasn't worth it.

Terrible Butler who gave us a hard time about dining in suite during rough seas to a concierge who you could never get ahold of when needed, it was a waste of money.

Would only do a suite again if the price was right.

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What happened with the butler giving you a hard time about in suite dining?

To me that would (will) be a huge perk of a suite.

I remember when even down on the lowly 2nd floor (or whatever floor.... LOW) ocean views you could order an entire 5 course meal from the MDR. (RCCL 2002.)

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My DD booked a balcony cabin for she, my DGD and myself on POA. I don't feel I will miss the suite life as POA is small and there is no Haven. The platinum perks give you everything except as you said the breakfast/lunch, room service, and the assortment of snacks in the afternoon. My DH recently discussed this same thing about booking either a balcony or a mini-suite (the latter for more room) and not a suite. The ships with Havens prices have gone to the "way pricey" higher end and I am thinking it may not be worth it to us. The Epic cruise next Sunday will be in the Haven so we can really judge which perks we will miss or not miss. I am interested in other opinions as well.

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I'm also interested! My next sailing will be in the Haven....but the prices are climbing so quickly, it will most likely be our last suite. I'd like to continue with NCL because I'm so close to Platinum-Plus....but every time I attempt to book a balcony - I end up changing it to a suite. I've recently begun liking at other lines as I think it may be easer to sail in a balcony.....because I know there won't be a Haven to miss!

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We did not miss it on port intensive cruises. We ate in the specialty restaurants, went to the shows, gambled a little, then off to bed so much of the Haven was lost on us. The time we did have during the day was spent in the spa. The private restaurant was nice for breakfast.

 

We think a spa balcony works fine for us ... we don't spend much time in our cabin. Additionally, the thought of eating in the cabin doesn't really appeal to us. Further, we can replicate many of the concierge services with advance planning.

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My only two cruises so far with NCL, were in Owner's Suites on Dawn, thanks to the Upsell Dept! (may she rest in peace. :loudcry: )

 

I have a cruise booked in Dec and am currently in a mid-ship Balcony, so I'm hoping for a chance for the upgrade bidding, but we'll see.

 

I will admit.... If we don't upgrade, it will really be hard going back to just a balcony room. No butler, no LARGE bed and big bathrooms, free liquor, water, and soft drinks, etc... Just typing that, I got teary eyed. :o

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We have gone from full suite, even in Haven on Pearl to regular balcony. We missed the large room, living, fantastic bath. But, we were still on a cruise and things went great. What we missed the MOST was breakfast and lunch at Cagneys. Once upon a time, it was included if you were a Casino VIP guest. It was the difference in us sailing more, or eventually - less.

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My DH and I were upgraded from a mini-suite to a suite on another line on our first cruise. We have always stayed in suites (not always the Haven) except for our last cruise. It was a spur-of-the-moment cruise, and there weren't any suites available. We stayed in a room with a balcony. We missed the afternoon snacks and the extra room, but what we really missed was the bathtub. My DH is a diver, and he rinses off his equipment and lets in the dry in the tub after each dive. Our next cruise, which isn't until next year, is in a suite on the Jade.

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I had sailed three times in a row in a suite, and then was in a balcony on my last cruise on the Escape.

 

I did miss my butler, but I didn't miss my butler snacks as much as I thought I would because almost every day we sailed we had something delivered compliments of some ship's officer. Chocolate covered strawberries...at least three plates, and a plate of different chocolates. It wasn't that we ever needed the food, it was just fun to come back to the room and see a little gift.

 

The best perk for me and for my mother was the suite dining. We never sailed Haven, but the breakfast in Cagney's or Moderno was a must have, especially for my mom. However, on the Escape, we found that the breakfast in Taste/Savor was almost as good as the breakfast at Cagney's. We didn't have the cold buffet, but the would bring us a basket of pastries, and the menu was almost as good. Most importantly, it is a nice, quiet, civilized way to start your day: not fighting for your life in the buffet or in a room of a thousand tables like in the main dining room.

 

I was impressed enough with the balcony sailing experience that I have booked again on the Escape, not in a suite. We booked two adjoining mini-suites on deck 8 with the large balcony. If my mom, husband and kids like it as much as I think they will...we may never pay the premium to sail suites again.

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I've recently been sailing in non-suites after years of sailing in suites both with and without the haven. I am even going to try a studio on my next cruise. The Suite prices are just too high these days. I am platinum, so I still get some perks, which made the move to a regular cabin a little easier. I won't lie... I miss the space, the afternoon treats and the overall treatment around the ship that suite guests receive. I still have a great vacation though.

 

 

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My last 3 cruises have been in suite. I loved them all. I do prefer non Haven on the Dawn to Haven on the Breakaway, but I would still sail in an inside stateroom with no regrets or problems if it was all I could afford. Cruises are what you make of them. The ship to me is the destination. If I were to book an inside, I would spend more time in the public areas or in the Spa.

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Last cruise we were in the Haven and enjoyed the many perks. Daily snacks, Free movies, SDP, UBP, priority check in, priority tendering and pool side food and drink service, Haven restaurant were all good for us. However, on our next cruise were sailing in an inside cabin which was included from a Land Casino offer. As long as were cruising I'm good!

 

We wanted to return to the Haven next year but also noticed how much it has gone up. I have the memories and were out priced on staying there again.

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What happened with the butler giving you a hard time about in suite dining?

To me that would (will) be a huge perk of a suite. (RCCL 2002.)

We asked for simple sandwiches and soup. We have 30+ foot seas. He gave us a hard time about it and suggested we go to the buffet. Eventually he relented and brought us some mediocre sandwiches and Luke warm soup, all after more that an hour wait.

 

Let's just say he did not get a tip from me.

 

I will say my cabin steward was wonderful. He was so nice and hooked us up with some extra things. He got the extra tip that was planned for the butler.

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We asked for simple sandwiches and soup. We have 30+ foot seas. He gave us a hard time about it and suggested we go to the buffet. Eventually he relented and brought us some mediocre sandwiches and Luke warm soup, all after more that an hour wait.

 

Let's just say he did not get a tip from me.

 

I will say my cabin steward was wonderful. He was so nice and hooked us up with some extra things. He got the extra tip that was planned for the butler.

I wasn't there but my first thought was that he was not refusing because he was lazy or didn't feel like it, but more for your safety. A rocky ship is not a good time to be carrying and or eating hot soup....which might be why it wasn't very hot when he finally brought it.
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I've done suites and Haven on the Jewel class ships and while I miss the big bathroom of the Haven suites, I still prefer the aft suites. I know I would miss the VIP check in and disimbarkation the most. Even before suite life I avoided the buffet and went to the restaurant for breakfast and the occasional lunch. I'll keep doing the aft suites on Jewel class until they price me out of them.

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I've recently been sailing in non-suites after years of sailing in suites both with and without the haven. I am even going to try a studio on my next cruise. The Suite prices are just too high these days. I am platinum, so I still get some perks, which made the move to a regular cabin a little easier. I won't lie... I miss the space, the afternoon treats and the overall treatment around the ship that suite guests receive. I still have a great vacation though.

 

 

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Just to clarify...Even though you are a platinum member, they treat you differently vs if you were living in a suite?

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We asked for simple sandwiches and soup. We have 30+ foot seas. He gave us a hard time about it and suggested we go to the buffet. Eventually he relented and brought us some mediocre sandwiches and Luke warm soup, all after more that an hour wait.

 

Let's just say he did not get a tip from me.

 

I will say my cabin steward was wonderful. He was so nice and hooked us up with some extra things. He got the extra tip that was planned for the butler.

 

 

 

Really? Thirty plus foot seas and you got annoyed because your butler hesitated about bringing you piping hot soup and then you refused to give him a tip at the end of the cruise? All I can say is wow [emoji15] SMH

 

 

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For $3k+ pp, he ought not hesitate.

 

 

 

What does the price of the cruise have to do with expecting a butler to bring you piping hot soup with those weather conditions? Common sense should come into play at some point!

 

 

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Just finished our 26th NCL cruise. We have been in one Haven, a Spa Haven on the Getaway. Absolutely loved the Haven Restaurant and Bar! Could never find a place by the Haven hot tub/small pool area as there were lots of kids that were in the Haven.

As for the butler, didn't meet him until 3rd day but did have some M&Ms, etc. I guess he had a lot of cabins or something. We did OK without him. The concierge made a reservation or two for us.

 

We have since gone back to our balconies and we would MUCH rather sail more often. And, as noted by others, we get plenty of 'treats' from different officers and the casino. (Make sure to go to your Meet & Greet and get your name on that list!)

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We have since gone back to our balconies and we would MUCH rather sail more often. And, as noted by others, we get plenty of 'treats' from different officers and the casino. (Make sure to go to your Meet & Greet and get your name on that list!)

Meet and greet? you mean the latitudes appreciation meeting where the officers come out and you get free drinks?

 

What list are you talking about again?

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