Which suite on the Star?

[rhinomike]

We are having trouble making a decision. We are looking into doing a 7 day cruise on the Star over spring break. Leaving LA with ports at Puerto Vallarta, Mazalan and Cabo. It will be me, my wife and 3 boys. Ages 14, 16 and 17. We can't decide which room to get. We are never in our room much so normally we just get two of th cheapest connecting inside rooms they have.

 

2 connecting rooms - $4k

 

Or for $7k we can get a 2 bedroom family suite. 493 square feet. (With balcony - never had a balcony room before)

 

Or for $7k we can get the deluxe owners suite. 732 square feet.

 

Is it worth the extra $3k? The owners suite sounds better to me since it is larger but no balcony. Pros and cons?

 

Someone help us decide. Thanks everyone.

[rhinomike]

Forgot to mention. We have been on the Star about 3 years ago. In Alaska. We had a porthole room.

[pensi9]

We had the DOS last year. 2 of the suites have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms which is great for a family. Also the DOS has free beverages for all in the room and 3 bottles of liquor. So if both suites are the same price I might consider the DOS. We have stayed in the 2 bedroom on other ships and it was great. In Italy we had 6 people in the 2 bedroom and it was great for us. If the balcony is a must stay with the 2 bedroom suite. Most of the other perks are the same in both.

[rhinomike]

Yes. We are looking at the 2 bedroom DOS. I should of clarified that. Although the second bedroom looks pretty small. Like a closet with a fold out couch in it.

[bluesea777]

Go for the SJ family suite, and the whole family get suite perks.

 

No balcony, but one whole side of floor to ceiling windows!

 

There is a murphy bed that sleeps 2, and a couch - it's a long one and an adult can sleep on it without having it pulled out.

 

Bathroom is large - double sinks, and separate bathtub and shower.

 

Lavazza coffee machine.

 

Very large cabin.

 

The prices are good because it's balconyless.

[ohiotek]

Yes. We are looking at the 2 bedroom DOS. I should of clarified that. Although the second bedroom looks pretty small. Like a closet with a fold out couch in it.

 

We have stayed in the 2 BR Suite on 3 cruises. We loved it but there are only 2 of us. The balcony is quite small for 5 people. Friends were in the DOS last year and with the views I don't think you'd miss the balcony. There is a nice open area just above those suites you can go to if you want the breezes.

 

The second bedroom in the 2 br suite is quite small also but with the living room that's not a problem. The 2 bathrooms are a plus.

[rhinomike]

Yeah. I think I have narrowed it down to the DOS or 2 connecting rooms. The other suite only has 1 bathroom. We really like having 2.

 

So is the DOS worth another $3k? What other perks are there?

[mpk218]

Yeah. I think I have narrowed it down to the DOS or 2 connecting rooms. The other suite only has 1 bathroom. We really like having 2.

 

So is the DOS worth another $3k? What other perks are there?

 

Deluxe owner suite 12500 star

 

Check price on the Owner suite ( 2 balcony )

king bed + foldout for 2 + you can have a roll away.. nice suite

 

Quality Perk thread ( C/O WaldoPeppers

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdvmd View Post

WaldosPepper is to thank for creating a comprehensive list since this question is answered so often. Kudos!

Thanks! I appreciate your kind words.

 

And speaking of that list...

 

Here are a few tips to help you sort out the different types/levels of suites on NCL. Perks come with all full suite accommodations. Mini-suites do not fall into that category. Any stateroom category that starts with an "S" is considered a full suite.

 

1.) Some ships are equipped with a Haven, and some are not. Ships that are equipped with a Haven will have two levels of suite: Haven suites and non-Haven suites. Haven Suites are designated by the letter "S" followed by a number. Non-Haven Suites are designated by the letter "S" followed by a letter.

 

2) Haven suites have access to the Haven regardless of where they are situated on the ship. The Haven has its own pool, hot tub, sauna, and sundeck. Some Haven's also have a retractable roof over the central area.

 

3.) The Haven suites on Epic and the new-builds coming soon also have several other private areas as well.

 

4.) All suites have access to a private restaurant for breakfast and lunch.

 

5.) All suites have Butler and Concierge service.

 

6.) All suites receive invitations to a special cocktail reception with the Captain and other Officers.

 

7.) All suites receive priority embarkation and disembarkation, as well as priority tendering.

 

8.) All suites receive one bottle of Sparkling Wine, one large bottle of water, a bowl of fresh fruit (replenished upon consumption) and a fresh flower arrangement in their suite, along with treats delivered daily by the Butler. (Note: Garden Villas, Deluxe Owner's Suites and Owner's Suites receive Champagne instead of Sparkling Wine)

 

9.) Garden Villa's receive 6 bottles of alcohol with unlimited mixers, soda and water, while Deluxe Owner's Suites and Owner's Suites each receive 3 bottles of alcohol with unlimited mixers, soda and water.

 

10.) All suites are provided with a variety of Elemis brand toiletries.

 

11.) All suites are equipped with a Coffee/Cappuccino/Espresso Machine (Most are Lavazza pod-style machines, including Jewel now, however the Sun has Lavazza machines in the Owner’s Suites, but drip-style coffee brewers in all other suites.

 

12.) All suites have access to the Pre-Cruise Concierge service, which helps to coordinate your individual selections on pillow types, coffee and tea preferences, and a variety of special requests.

 

13.) All suites (except the SG and SJ suites on Deck 12 of the Star) have a portable phone which can be used throughout the ship.

 

14.) All suites are equipped with the "Bliss Bed" which truly lives up to its name.

 

15 All suites have an expanded Room Service menu.

__________________

 

 

Ya , its worth it .. ;)

[rhinomike]

Thanks for all of the info.....

 

Other than price. Is there any cons to the suite?

[dexddd]

Thanks for all of the info.....

 

Other than price. Is there any cons to the suite?

 

For the DOS movement could be a problem if you are sensitive. On some ships the reserved seating is only for the GV/DOS/OS but some don't like those seats.

[WaldosPepper]

Yeah. I think I have narrowed it down to the DOS or 2 connecting rooms. The other suite only has 1 bathroom. We really like having 2.

 

So is the DOS worth another $3k? What other perks are there?

 

I must agree with my friend mpk218 - yes, it is worth it. Why? Well, in addition to all the "listed" perks, those staying in OS/DOS/GV accommodations experience another whole layer of "unspoken" services. It's hard to quantify, and may not be noticed if you hadn't previously stayed in another level of suite. Simply put, it's pretty amazing.

 

If it's within your budget to do it - just do it. You will not regret it.

;)

[WaldosPepper]

Thanks for all of the info.....

 

Other than price. Is there any cons to the suite?

 

Truly the only con I can come up with is that it can get a little hot with that wall of windows, so you'll need to keep the shades drawn if the sun it directly on them. It's only for a few hours, so it's really a tiny con. :D

[Love my butler]

Best bang for your buck are definitely the SJ suites. Sleep up to 6, comfortably, come with full suite perks and an awesome wall of windows and great location on deck 12. For a little bit more money the SG suites are very similar to the SJ but they do come with a nice sized balcony. There are only 4 available on the Star and I am not sure if they sleep more than 4 persons. Again, they are priced very well if those extra thousands of dollars matter to you.

[rhinomike]

Best bang for your buck are definitely the SJ suites. Sleep up to 6, comfortably, come with full suite perks and an awesome wall of windows and great location on deck 12. For a little bit more money the SG suites are very similar to the SJ but they do come with a nice sized balcony. There are only 4 available on the Star and I am not sure if they sleep more than 4 persons. Again, they are priced very well if those extra thousands of dollars matter to you.

 

Yes that makes sense. But the SJ only has 1 bathroom.... Correct? Kind of hard for 5 of us.

[WaldosPepper]

Yes that makes sense. But the SJ only has 1 bathroom.... Correct? Kind of hard for 5 of us.

 

Yes, only one bathroom, and an awkward one at that. The closets line the hallway to the bath, and if one person is in the closet area with a closet door open, the person in the bath cannot exit until the closet doors are closed. Hubby and I found ourselves tripping over each other frequently when we stayed in an SJ. Thank heavens it was only the two of us that trip!

 

If two baths are important (and they are to me when I travel with the family) definitely go with either the 2-Bedroom, or one of the center DOSs with 2 bedrooms. ;)

[rhinomike]

Yes, only one bathroom, and an awkward one at that. The closets line the hallway to the bath, and if one person is in the closet area with a closet door open, the person in the bath cannot exit until the closet doors are closed. Hubby and I found ourselves tripping over each other frequently when we stayed in an SJ. Thank heavens it was only the two of us that trip!

 

If two baths are important (and they are to me when I travel with the family) definitely go with either the 2-Bedroom, or one of the center DOSs with 2 bedrooms. ;)

 

Thank you. Yes that is what I have narrowed it down to. Now it s just a money issue. Should I pay the extra $3k for the 2 bedroom 2 bathroom family suite....

[rhinomike]

Truly the only con I can come up with is that it can get a little hot with that wall of windows, so you'll need to keep the shades drawn if the sun it directly on them. It's only for a few hours, so it's really a tiny con. :D

 

 

This might be a deal breaker for me. One of the things I love about cruising is making the room cold. Like 70 degrees. Then crawling into the cold bed in the afternoon for a nap. Love it.

 

I have been reading on here and there are several complaints about the room being hot. Some of them were up to a year old. I wonder if they have fixed the issue yet if it is possible to fix.

 

Even with the shades closed I bet it won't get as cold as I like it. Maybe if we were going to Alaska it would be ok. But the Carribean at the end of March... Should be lots of sun and pretty warm.

 

Anyone have any recent experience with this? Thanks again.

[Fishbait17]

For me, the lack of balcony and heat from the windows in the DOS would be a deal breaker. I do like my Owner's Suites, but for four, we would choose the Two Bedroom suite simply because of the balcony (and I like a COLD room). For five it would be tight but doable. I have done the Two Bedroom (on other ships) several times, with one adult or two teens in the extra bedroom a few times. The two teens were 17 year old girls, one 5'5" and the other 5'8", and they were fine in there. They first chose to have two beds set up (upper and lower) but later decided to just share the lower bed. I think the best setup for four would be the two beds, with the lower made up as a single instead of a double, and there would be room to get around in there even if you left the beds set up at all times (the steward can also put the beds away during the daytime and set them up each night if you wish). Its not ideal for five (with teenagers) but it would work. If two of your boys don't want to share the lower bed, one can sleep in the living room.

 

The two bedroom is a nice setup for a family, because there is plenty of room in the living room for socializing, dining, etc, the balcony is great for port arrivals and departures or just relaxing, and the bedrooms are comfortable.

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

 

Robin

[rhinomike]

Well I just wasn't sold on the Suite for $3k more. We are always happy with our regular rooms. So I just booked 2 connecting ocean view rooms with a port hole. I actually wanted an inside cabin but there were no connecting available.... Thank You for all of the help. We are going to book our Alaska Cruise for this summer next... Probably the Pearl. We will do a suite on that cruise for sure. Probably with the Haven.....