Concierge vs aqua vs std balcony

[milokama]

I'm busily investigating our next possible cruise. We've sailed once in an Aft FV on Infinity. Loved it. Thinking of a different experience as I'm hoping to leave the kids at home... !!!

 

I apologize if this has come up on other threads, I haven't mastered the search function and I'm wondering if those who have cruised all three classes could give me the pros and cons. I'm open to all opinions.

 

Thanks!

[kitty9]

On the S class ships, the cabins in all three classes are basically the same size---190sq ft. The difference is that the in cabin amenities for a standard cabin and Concierge are different, with Concierge getting things like a pillow menu, fresh flowers, snacks in the afternoon and different bathroom amenities. Aqua Class is very different in that your dining room is Blu, you have access to a private spa area, an upgraded shower, bottled water and fruit.

 

Concierge class cabins on M class are larger than a standard cabin.

[CathyCruises]

After having sailed in just about every class of cabin on both S class and M class ships, we really think that the standard balcony is perfect for our needs and the value was unbeatable. A lot of the amenities just aren't worth anything to us and we are not big fans of Blu because we really enjoy having dinner at a large table with new friends.

 

Unless you need the extra credit toward attaining elite status, the balcony cabins are a great way to go. As mentioned, they are exactly the same size as the AQ and CC cabins

[TorontoSailor]

After having sailed in just about every class of cabin on both S class and M class ships, we really think that the standard balcony is perfect for our needs and the value was unbeatable. A lot of the amenities just aren't worth anything to us and we are not big fans of Blu because we really enjoy having dinner at a large table with new friends.

 

Unless you need the extra credit toward attaining elite status, the balcony cabins are a great way to go. As mentioned, they are exactly the same size as the AQ and CC cabins

 

Agree entirely with this.

 

On our upcoming cruise we are in CC, but only because, for some strange reason, it was the very same price as standard verandah on the day our TA booked it for us.

 

Having been on CC and standard, I, too, agree that standard is just fine for me, and often significantly less money. Have never done CC on a M-class ship, only on an S class…and honestly don't think the differences justify for the additional costs….unless there is a real deal on, like when we booked.

 

Have never tried Aqua Class for two reasons. The first is the one you stated here: Like being in the MDR; it's part of the excitement of cruising. Also, we have our favourite spots on the ship, and AQ is not where we like to be.

 

We know people who have tried AQ and really enjoyed. Maybe one day. But to date, I've been really happy with standard verandah, usually 1A.

[Miaminice]

We always liked the MDR! Had Aqua-Class in December (Connie) and absulutely fell in love with BLU...

 

First I didn´t even want to go there but gave it a try - went to BLU every night after...and even for breakfast. Great personal service, no noise, no rush and great food.

 

Booked two more cruises with Celebrity - both in AQ.

[dwhe]

You can still use the MD if you are Aqua class, Blu is not compulsory.

[wallie5446]

As mentioned, all 3 are the same, here is a look, http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kp4Ur9gvHuI, We sailed in a C2 on deck 9 last yr on the Reflection because we wanted the additional Capt Club points. We have a 1A on deck 8 for our up coming trip. The additional perks are worth different things to each of us, but the is no diff in the cabin. Now :eek: we do try and get one on the angle of the hump because the balcony is bigger there.

[galavant3]

We always liked the MDR! Had Aqua-Class in December (Connie) and absulutely fell in love with BLU...

 

First I didn´t even want to go there but gave it a try - went to BLU every night after...and even for breakfast. Great personal service, no noise, no rush and great food.

 

Booked two more cruises with Celebrity - both in AQ.

 

Same here, we are hooked. I'm not sure I could cruise Celebrity if I wasn't able to book Aqua Class. It would bother me all week knowing Blu was there and not being able to dine there.

[barrymx5]

It really is personal choice at end of day. We have only sailed S ships but in all 3 classes. And led and participated in cabin crawls.

Concierge just does not seem value for money on most cruises. Advantages over standard verandah do not warrant. In the right verandah cabin the value can be great. But like others here we are sold on Aqua. Blu is great. But you also get select dining in MDR. So if you want new company ask for an 8 on MDR.

Some Aqua cabins are below the gym so if that troubles you avoid. But the secret staircase is great.

In conclusion Aqua if you like full flexibility and can afford to pay for it. Verandah if you can get the right cabin and Concierge if you can get it at Verandah price!

[rjrpar]

We think it fits our needs better to book standard balconies and go to the Specialty restaurants 3-4 times/cruise. The food in these restaurants is much better than Blu and we can still enjoy the MDR atmosphere.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Depending on the price and if you need points, CC may work

[attilamom1217]

Not sure if CC and AQ are worth alot more money than the standard verandah. However, we have been in both and never paid more than $100/person for the additional amenities.

 

We just got back from our first S-Class cruise and were in AQ (also a first). My husband was a little concerned about being 'locked' into BLU before he tried it. I assured him that we can move to the MDR if we didn't like BLU but we had to try it. WE LOVED IT!!!! Blu is a restaurant - not a dining room. Seats approximately 120 people at a time. After the first couple of nights, the Matre D' and the Hostess know you by name and the Sommelier knows your drink package :D.

 

We loved the shower in AQ and plan on upgrading the shower in our new home to something similar! We also enjoyed having the foot stools on the balcony.

 

With AQ you also get free bottled water in your cabin (16.9 oz size - one per person every day or whenever you run out of water). Since we had the drink package, the bottled water was not a consideration this time.

 

On the M-Class ships, CC and AQ have larger cabins and balconies than the standard verandah. This has value to me - but not necessarily to others.

 

If the price is right, I would say go for AQ or CC. If they are several hundred dollars more than a standard verandah - then consider if the amenities are worth it to you. If not, then go with the standard balcony.

 

Debbi

[scubamommy!]

As mentioned, all 3 are the same, here is a look, http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kp4Ur9gvHuI, We sailed in a C2 on deck 9 last yr on the Reflection because we wanted the additional Capt Club points. We have a 1A on deck 8 for our up coming trip. The additional perks are worth different things to each of us, but the is no diff in the cabin. Now :eek: we do try and get one on the angle of the hump because the balcony is bigger there.

 

Wallie, I loved your video! Thanks for that. I am going to go get those bins at Target for sure! GREAT IDEA! Thanks!

Edited January 31, 2014 by scubamommy!

[wallie5446]

Wallie, I loved your video! Thanks for that. I am going to go get those bins at Target for sure! GREAT IDEA! Thanks!

 

I can not take credit for the video:D JW is a friend we have sailed with that did the video! We got our storage bins at the $ store.

[vermonter16]

We like Aqua for access to the Persian Garden and room location. I like Blu but I also like the MDR as well. It's personal preference for sure and I'd be more than happy to book a standard balcony....DH prefers Aqua...he loves his steam room.

[Duanerice1]

Great responses. Can only speak from experience as we have been in CC on the M class and AQ on the S class, never in a regular verandah on Celebrity. As said, on the M class ships CC and AQ are a little bigger but on the S class they are the same size.

 

We started in CC on the M class back when it was just one deck. Of course once they saw they could get more money they expanded it. Back when they only had CC we would get it due to the size of the room. We also made sure to get one of the extended balconies. For that, it was worth a few $$ more. It was actually something special back then too as there were so few CC cabins. Now, everyone has some sort of priority boarding or similar but back then very few did so it was worth something.

 

On the S class the only difference to a regular verandah is that in CC we get foot stools on the balcony and the expanded room service menu. I spend a lot of time on the balcony so this actually means a lot to me. My wife loves to hang and have breakfast in bed so this part is worth a little more to her. I've heard others say you could write in what you wanted but it never worked for us. I bet she makes buffet breakfast maybe once in 10 nights :) The other stuff we can do without.

 

As for AQ, I'd book every time if the price was right. We get the foot stools and expanded menu but most of all we get BLU and we get cabins around us that only hold 2 people. Just need to be careful what cabins you pick. But BLU is the big seller for us. And not that it is the best restaurant around but that it is a restaurant and not a banquet hall. We are not fans of the MDR. Way too much noise and too many people. I can get that at the pool if I want. Same reason we don't care for the breakfast buffet.

 

I just booked a 10 night on the Equinox and ended up with a C2 at a C3 price due to the upgrade. I really wanted Aqua but i'ts currently about $500 more and we were already stretching going for 10 nights. Not worth it yet. I'll see what happens with prices and we may get there but I'm not paying that much more. The C2 was just $100 more than the 1A.

 

Have to mention, our first AQ experience cost less than a C1 did. This was the 2nd sailing of the Solstice. It's like drugs, they lure you in with a cheap price then get you hooked :) Lord forbid if I ever stayed in a suite.....

enjoy,

Duane

[milokama]

Thank you for all the opinions! This definitely helps.

[phoenix_dream]

I have sailed all three, and here are my thoughts. On an M class ship, I would be willing to pay a small amount more for CC due to the bigger room size. On S class, I would only pick CC if the location was significantly better, the balcony much bigger, or the price was comparable to a regular balcony. I honestly see little value in most of the other 'perks' that come with CC - they are definitely either "nice to haves", or "I couldn't care less" - not worth much extra $$ to us. On our upcoming cruise we picked CC because our TA was offering an upgrade from the classic alcohol package to the premium for CC and above cabins. The price difference was minimal, so we felt the value was there.

 

As for Aqua Class, I would pay a small upcharge over a regular balcony but not a lot more. We liked dining in Blu, especially for the breakfasts. We got very little use of the Persian Gardens - there are so many AQ cabins these days that area can get pretty crowded which more or less defeats the purpose. I am not one to drag myself there at 6:00 am just to secure one of the few beds looking out over the ocean. We have only stayed in AQ once, so that is all my experience is based on. The ship was so crowded that we could not even get into BLU during peak dining hours in the evening without a minimum of a 30 minute wait. Was not happy about that. Service was so-so; sometimes good and sometimes horrible. I liked the food and loved the breakfasts and since so many rave about it, I would try it again for the right price.

[riclop]

I'm busily investigating our next possible cruise. We've sailed once in an Aft FV on Infinity. Loved it. Thinking of a different experience as I'm hoping to leave the kids at home... !!!

 

I apologize if this has come up on other threads, I haven't mastered the search function and I'm wondering if those who have cruised all three classes could give me the pros and cons. I'm open to all opinions.

 

Thanks!

Its all up to your budget.

[br.carlos]

I got a Std Balcony on Silhouette last April (7 nights Western Caribbean Cruise) and I'm booked on a Std Balcony for my 11 nights Mediterranean Cruise next September.

 

To be honest with you, i didn't enjoy the MDR food. I think it was just "basic" food. Actually, i can't understand all the rave about MDR food on this forum, but that's what taste is about. ;)

 

So, for my next cruise, instead of paying $200/pp more to upgrade from regular balcony to AQ, i decided to use the money towards speciality restaurants. For $400 we were able to buy the speciality restaurant package and i think this is a better value. Regarding CC, if i recall, i think it was $10 more per day, per person, and i didn't think it was worth it.