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Going from suites to Concierge Veranda


cephelapodia
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I am quickly developing a cruise addiction. I've been on two cruises now, both on Oceania, and find that the line suits me well.

 

My first cruise was an Owner's Suite (OS) on Regatta and the second was an Oceania Suite (OC) on Marina. The OS was (obviously) aft. The OC was one of the deck 12 suites, port-side. Don't get me wrong, it was a very nice suite. But I have decided that I strongly prefer aft or possibly forward for the view. (I haven't tried a Vista yet, but am willing to.) I just don't like being on the side of the ship, view-wise. So that means (on the R ships at least) OS, VS, or a handful of Concierge Verandas (CV).

 

For an upcoming cruise on Regatta, I'm considering one of the aft-facing CVs. I'll be going alone this time and the single supplement for the OS or VS is just brutal. Some of the recent amenity boosts for the CVs make them a viable option - a few specific rooms in the right location, at least. I know that there are perks and amenities I'll lose out on compared to the suites, not to mention space, but am willing to give it a try. If there were aft- or forward-facing PH suites, I'd book one of them in a heartbeat, but there aren't.

 

So, for folks who've gone back and forth, a few questions, if I may?

 

I've seen contentious threads about these topics and don't want to open a new can of worms, so I'll try to keep it very narrowly scoped.

 

The dreaded room service breakfast question

I like tea and toast in the room at 6:30 AM. I believe that is still available for everyone - it's only the hot breakfast that is restricted? And is it a card that you put out the night before, or do you have to call for it in the morning?

 

The controversial butler debate

I love having a butler. I suffer from near-crippling social anxiety, and find having a butler something of a relief. There's one person for me to get used to, and everything goes through him (so far always a him).

 

If you like having a butler, how much do you mind not having one?

 

My butler knows that I want lots and lots of ice and what to keep stocked in the fridge. How do you manage this without one? (I sound helpless, I know, but I have no other experience here.)

 

I prefer room service for dinner, but not course by course, and don't much care for the specialty restaurants. With the improved CV amenities, I can get GDR room service for dinner if I want to stay in. (Do you tip room service directly at the time of delivery? In the OS and OC, even regular room service always came through one of the butlers.)

 

The nuclear classism/snobbery issue

I've found the staff on both Regatta and Marina to be wonderful, but the cynical part of me wonders how much of that is due to the suite I booked. On Marina, I had both breakfast and lunch in the GDR almost every day, and the maitre d' was absolutely wonderful. On the other hand, on Regatta, I felt stalked every time I went into the restaurants, particularly Terrace.

 

If you've travelled in both suites and non-suites, leaving aside the specific defined perks, do you find that you are treated differently based on accommodation?

 

Anything else?

Is there anything that you wish you'd known before "downgrading"?

 

Thanks!

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We have been in all levels, suites and non-suites and have never felt treated differently.

Your cabin attendant can accommodate your ice desires, just let him or her know.

Yes, you can got your hot breakfast at 6:30. Put your card out the night before.

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One big change going from PH to a Concierge Balcony on Regatta is the very small size of bathrooms, especially the shower area. It is certainly tight showering against the shower curtain especially if you are even a slightly big person.

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Also the cabin on the A rooms on Regatta are smaller than you been on. Even smaller than those classes on Marina.

Yes -- you can tip the Room Service delivery directly -- IMO.

On a very port intensive journey -- we never missed the suite benefits as we were gone from the ship most of the time.

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You will not be treated any differently but to be honest we do not want to sail on any cruise without a butler. We started in outside cabins. It is now a necessity for us.

 

 

That’s the one very big minus for Seabourn

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. Apologies for not answering earlier, but I've been swamped at work.

 

I ultimately decided against the cruise I was looking at - 18 day Panama Canal - because I just couldn't be away from work for three consecutive weeks. (It's a theme.)

 

I ended up booking a shorter New England cruise with a friend, so it's a deck 12 Vista on Riviera. (My friend snores, so it has to be two rooms separated by a door.)

 

I appreciate all of the information that everyone shares here. It's helped me tremendously in the year or so that I've been following the forum. I think I've seen every picture of the O-class Vistas and rear-facing Oceania suites, largely courtesy of Jim and Stan :), and pored over every word on the subject. If the media room on the deck 11 Oceania had been as large as the one on the deck 12, I'd have taken it. But it will be nice to see the front view at least once.

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