Shellbelle28

On a number of aft suites I've been in, all we could smell was the ship's bakery! Much nicer than exhaust.

The smaller acts (comedians, magicians, singers, etc.) sometimes entertain for a short time (a few months) but the production shows requiring large sets, extended rehearsals and larger casts are multi-year commitments. It has changed a lot from when I first cruised though! Then the typical entertainment was the small acts as mentioned above, plus a production company of singers and dancers that performed most nights and were entertaining but not anything you'd worry about missing!

We sailed in 12906 (HB). An aft penthouse suite with large balcony. The room was great and the balcony was incredible. My husband made a video, I can try to share it if you're interested.

Yeah, I was scared to Google it...

The easiest way to tell what to expect is to look at the category designation, if it starts with "S" it's part of the suite group that has butler, etc.

"Alkaline water with electrolytes and minerals"... wonder what it tastes like.

You're right, I'm mistaken. When I was booked on the Pearl, Jewel, and Sun we were in aft penthouse suites, which do not have Haven space access but do have all other amenities, including butler and concierge. Our room category was SF.

For personal use I have a spreadsheet with day by day listings of restaurant reservations, excursions, get togethers, etc. printed out. I *think* our butlers have noticed that sitting on the desk and taken note of our plans.

I think that there has been some creep in NCL's use of the term "suite" making that word a bad one to use to determine the included amenities. The best way to tell is that the room category will start with "H." Taking a look at the room categories on the Bliss anyway, I don't see any rooms that had butler and concierge that don't now.

Yes. We have a high deductible plan so in "healthy" years we don't even reach the point of insurance paying.

We've had the same experience on both the Pearl and the Jewel sailing in Aft Penthouse suites. In the Fjiorlands in NZ, we were escorted to the Haven sun deck to watch the scenery, and in Alaska, during the Glacier Bay visit. Also, the concierge visits guests while they are dining in Moderno at breakfast and lunch and has a small desk there, rather than the in-Haven concierge desk.

You are essentially going to a private clinic when you use medical services aboard a ship so national medical plans are out the window. Yes, it's your only choice when you are on the ship, but that's how it is viewed, unfortunately. The services are a for-profit ,third party contractor for the cruise line so prices are high. Though in the US, an emergency room visit with the services you describe might even cost more than you were charged onthe ship!

I've never handed a butler a letter on arriving in my suite, BUT what I have done is corresponded with the "pre-concierge" staff via email regarding preferences and needs. Often, it's been helpful but sometimes it's been useless, so YMMV. Like someone earlier in the thread, I try not to overplan, usually a phone call or a face to face "oh, can you....?" gets you what you need quickly and easily. I love "real" cream from a pitcher instead of those stupid plastic cup things for my morning coffee in the room and I ask to have some in the fridge, that's pretty much my biggest ask. Five out of five butlers, and four out of five concierges on the cruises I've taken in a suite have been beyond outstanding. They've checked in with us, they've spoiled us, they've been funny, kind, concerned, diligent and worked their butts off. I do try not to overburden the butlers with a multitude of requests. It's their job to take care of Haven guests but I feel as though that doesn't mean I should rack my brain for as many things as possible to ask for. I've seen thread titles on Cruise Critic like "what can I make my butler do for me?" that give me an uncomfortable feeling.

It's random. Hopefully you're asking for your own consumption or those in your cabin with the same package. Some bartenders will be relaxed about requests to leave a can or bottle sealed, others less so. Best bet is to pick a bar as your regular spot and get to know the servers. Being friendly and a repeat customer usually makes a difference when you ask for something outside the norm. If I were you, I'd plan to pay for your daughter's beverages not covered by her package.

Thank you! We've never been on the Sun, but our first two cruises ever were on the Sky. I originally booked this one to bring my elderly parents on their first cruise, I thought the smaller ship would be easier for them. But after the trip getting canceled in '20 and '21, they're no longer mobile enough to travel. We love the Jewel Class ships, and would choose them over the bigger ones. We'll be in an aft penthouse suite with large balcony on the Sun, the balcony looks big but the room layout is kind of different! We were on the Bliss last fall for her first trip of the restart and really missed the smiles of the crew members because of masks. I will definitely look to see if Katerina is in Cagney's. We had a great one in Cagney's on the Jewel in 2020 called Kamesh. And on the Bliss, Roxanne. Cagney's is our favorite specialty venue. I've got it booked for all 7 nights, though sometimes we swap some once aboard. I can't tell from the photos, is there any booth seating? Are there windows with water views?

@Yo Adrianne Thank you, that's very helpful information. I booked our dining reservations for 6:00, so hopefully we're in a sweet spot for catching evening activities. We are on the last Alaska sailing of the season on the Sun this fall. We've done last of the season cruises before, they're usually fine. Now that they've canceled all her Asia cruises after Alaska, I hope we'll still have all the crew, entertainment and provisions as mid-season. I know excursions tend to get fewer and port shopping shuts down. We mostly go to relax and enjoy the scenery and be indulged.

Information on the Sun is pretty scarce and I'm hoping someone with experience on this season's sailings of the Sun in Alaska knows what the show times are for the Stardust Theater? I think I read that at one point there was only one nightly show? Is that still the case? I want to make some dining reservations and don't want to book a time that conflicts with the shows. I know the Sun doesn't have the big productions like some other ships, but we still enjoy going to the nightly entertainment.

Maybe get in touch with your fishing excursion provider for suggestions on ways to enjoy your catch before going back to the ship?

It seems as though more and more requirements are being eased for cruise travel in the US, but I haven't seen any speculation at all on pre-cruise COVID tests being dropped. Not looking for discussion about if it should or should not be lifted, but just wondered if anyone had seen any information on a timeline?

I visited the room on a 2020 cabin crawl, but unfortunately don't remember much detail. I do remember a very large accessible bathroom, roll in shower, hand rails, etc. Main room felt very spacious and easy to navigate. It didn't have the narrow hallway into the room and bathroom that a lot of NCL aft rooms have. It was definitely different from a regular room.

Essentially, they use the Cagney's space but serve a limited "Haven" breakfast and lunch menu. It's usually peaceful and the staff get to know you and your preferences. Also, the concierge typically has a work space in the waiting area of the restaurant and walks the restaurant checking on passengers, helping with any needs or concerns. I actually prefer it to the big Havens.

A friend of mine was telling me today that she's got a cruise booked in an aft penthouse and she's seeing that "select cabins" in her category have butler/concierge service (I think on the Jewel.). She hasn't been getting any response back from NCL to find out if her cabin is one of the select or not. I know this is a recent change for NCL. Does anybody know why they would have a category of cabins with such significant differences? And how do you make sure you pick the one that has the butler/concierge?