Veranda, Concierge or Aqua...What's the difference

[dkjretired]

(Thank you to "djkretired" for posting the amenities.... below are my humble opinions)

 

Priority check-in counter (No value - it only takes a few minutes to board anyway)

Complimentary welcome sparkling wine (Yep.... cheap bubbly (nice, but not worth paying extra $$)

Fresh fruit and flowers and nightly deliveries of hors d'oeuvres (I can get fruit & snacks from room service, and I travel with lovely silk flowers... no value here)

Handheld hair dryer (love my mini-hairdryer... no value here)

Hansgrohe® massaging showerhead and plush Frette® bathrobes (can live without both... no real value)

100% Egyptian-cotton oversized bath towels (yes... these were very nice!)

Main and specialty restaurant seating preferences (could be of value, but if you have a nice table in the MDR and don't utilize the specialty restaurants, then.... no value)

Complimentary shoeshine service (???)

Express luggage delivery (seriously, how would you know? I've been on other ships where my luggage has beat ME to the cabin!)

Celebrity tote bag (Solstice was "out of them".... so gee, no value there)

Personalized stationery (nice touch....)

Golf umbrella and complimentary use of high-quality binoculars (I travel with both)

An expanded room-service breakfast menu (nice & worthy touch)

Pillow menu for a perfect night's sleep (a "perfect night's sleep should be available to ALL cabins, dont'cha think? :o)

 

Aqua Class includes everything above plus the following. The biggest amenity of AQ is the use of Blu which is your own dining room and replaces the MDR.

 

Priority seating in Blu, a specialty restaurant that also serves a complimentary and healthy continental breakfast every day (very nice, smaller venue for dining, more personalized service. VALUE!)

Plentiful in-room amenities, including Hansgrohe® shower panels, aromatherapy selections, a pillow menu, complimentary bathroom amenities, and daily deliveries of bottled water and teas (two bottles of water - nice, but hardly worth paying extra)

A Personal Spa Concierge to arrange AquaSpa® treatments (never had any problem arranging my spa appointments).

Plush AquaClass Frette® bathrobes and slippers (just not a "robe&slipper" person)

Enhanced personal care products (I travel with my own, but the lotion was lovely)

Free, unlimited access to the Persian Garden and Relaxation Room (we loved this....VALUE!)

Special programming and wellness classes (Never.... can you say "sales pitch?") :eek:

 

Although I agree with many of the above comments, the water in AQ can be a very nice touch and save quite a bit of money. Wife and I drink loads of water and it was basically an unlimited supply in AQ, probably saved us a couple hundred dollars easily.

 

Found use of Persian Garden and Relaxation room useless. Each to his own I guess.

[julia]

Although I agree with many of the above comments, the water in AQ can be a very nice touch and save quite a bit of money. Wife and I drink loads of water and it was basically an unlimited supply in AQ, probably saved us a couple hundred dollars easily.

 

Found use of Persian Garden and Relaxation room useless. Each to his own I guess.

 

 

I agree on the "to each their own", but I am a bit confused by your statement that the "AQ unlimited water probably saved you hundreds". Didn't you PAY hundreds more for your AQ cabin? If so, then you paid a lot for that water.... :eek:. Just my .02....

[julia]

Did you get something else instead then? Because if they promise something, then they need to provide it also. That is not an excuse that "Sorry, we don't have those at the moment".

 

Nope, nothing, nada ... just a "sorry, we're out of tote bags". :(

[JezzaC]

Nope, nothing, nada ... just a "sorry, we're out of tote bags". :(

 

That sounds really bad customer service. Of course they need to provide what has been promised. Or then provide something else.

[mylove]

I agree on the "to each their own", but I am a bit confused by your statement that the "AQ unlimited water probably saved you hundreds". Didn't you PAY hundreds more for your AQ cabin? If so, then you paid a lot for that water.... :eek:. Just my .02....

 

we received a military discount for our room in AQ so it was less then 200 more for the both of us,it was a no brainer moving to AQ....and i drink mostly water so indeed it will save us a ton of money.

[dkjretired]

I agree on the "to each their own", but I am a bit confused by your statement that the "AQ unlimited water probably saved you hundreds". Didn't you PAY hundreds more for your AQ cabin? If so, then you paid a lot for that water.... :eek:. Just my .02....

 

Nope, both times in AQ, I got great deals. The one time it was a $50.00 upgrade per person from an inside cabin.