The Suite Life as a surprise?

[meglet]

Anyone ever surprised family or spouse/partner with a suite? I seem to remember there was someone last summer talking about this. How did it work out? At what point was the gig up? When you were taken into the suite check in area? In hindsight, would it have been better to give the family or SO the amazing experience to look forward to every day leading up to your vacation?

 

I'm surprising my wonderful SO in July, but I'm second guessing myself because I'm enjoying every day lurking on the boards, reading the posts, seeing if anything new has been written about our cabin, and daydreaming.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Sam The Cat]

I have surprized my traveling companion with an up grade to a suite one time with the ownerssuite on the Spirit and our next trip I am surprizing her with a suite in the Haven. She was suppose to retire and this was my gift to her however she is not retiring as she got a promotion.

 

Just a word of caution once you have a suite you will not go back

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I booked a haven penthouse suite for DH and me it's kind of a surprise because he has never cruised before has no clue about anything on the breakaway doesn't even know cruise critic or any message boards exists heck Im not even sure he knows the name of this ship at this point lol. We will see how overwhelmed he is come November 16th.

[EmergencyPA]

Taking daughter and son-in-law on cruise in June. Booked 2 bedroom suite initally (5 people) and with fares drops have now kept suite (wife, son and I) and have booked them a balcony(they have no idea) and have all paperwork and cruise related stuff coming to me. Plan to tell them at the pier(this is their 1st cruise) when we have to go to different check in.

[triptolemus]

For us, I held the secret all the way until the curb at the port. Once we walked up to the "Haven Check-In" sign, I could no longer contain it.

 

Watch out -- the MAIL will blow your secret and so will e-mail. They will send a postcard thanking you for booking a suite and wishing you enjoyment...same with e-mail.

[Planmaam]

We planned a cruise and asked DD, DSIL and DGD to come along. We paid for their balcony cabin, but when NCL had a promotion, DD decided to upgrade to a suite to surprise her DH.

 

All was well and good, and she enjoyed reveling in the surprise her DH would get until her DH, active military, found out his unit was scheduled for a month-long "roughing it" thingy during the same time of the cruise in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan. So he did not only not get to be surprised with a suite, he was in the cold, wet January weather in Louisiana roughing it while she and her DD enjoyed the cruise in a suite in the warm Caribbean.

 

What can you say...............life's not fair!

Edited May 1, 2014 by planma'am

[Fishbait17]

I kept the Garden Villa secret from my daughters until they had actually finished "touring" it after boarding a few years ago.. It was great fun. They knew we were sailing in suites, and thought they had a forward penthouse attached to hubby's and my owners suite. I spoke to the concierge at check-in, and she spoke to the butler who played along with the story - our suites weren't "ready" and so we were able to "tour" the GV while waiting. It wasnt until I started eating a chocolate strawberry off the table (my girls were aghast) and I started opening the envelopes and had them read one, welcoming us to the suite. It was so much fun! But then again, I had hubby to share the secret and help me with the planning, etc. I'm not sure i could or would keep it secret from hubby - the planning and dreaming is half the fun!

 

Robin

[Safeandsound]

This is a bit different perhaps but I surprised my wife last year with the suite life. We were cruising Jewel out of NY to FL/Bahamas and she actually did know we were in a suite so she wasn't really that surprised when we entered the suite check in area. We were a bit late getting to the port so the suite cruiser group had already boarded the ship.

 

She was just a tad suprised when the Concierge met us and escorted us up to the Garden Villa. She was estatic (so was I) and we had the best week at sea. I would do it again if I could. It was tough to keep the surprise all those months before cruising, so I know how you feel.

 

Have fun,

 

S&S

[PIPER50]

My husband and I surprised our teenage daughter with a suite. We managed to keep it a surprise right until we got to the suite itself! She thought we were in the wrong area whilst waiting to board the ship but I just said there must have been a mistake and she worried the whole time of boarding that we were going to 'be found out' lol. Her face was priceless when she saw the suite and realised we had a butler :D

[meglet]

I'm listed as the lead passenger on the reservation and we have different addresses and email addresses. I got the thank you card this week. I don't think he got anything. He hasn't mentioned it.

 

We've been in a balcony cabin and a mini suite on Dawn before and last year before disembarking, we walked around and looked at all the different cabins. I don't know if I'd appreciate the suite as much if I hadn't been in smaller cabins before.

 

Thanks for your great stories!

[SuiteCruiser]

I just booked the Sky for 3 days as a "retreat" and more of a "treat" for my staff. It's been a very busy year and they've been amazing. I told them we are in 2 balcony cabins, but I actually booked the Owners Suite (with the hot tub) and the adjoining Penthouse suite. We're 4 women and it's going to be great fun, we're all friends as well as co-workers. None of them have cruised NCL, and they only have my email address, so all is well on the surprise front. They know I cruise a lot and will just think we're VIPs because of that :)

[triptolemus]

I got the thank you card this week.

 

CAUTION: There can be more than one thank you card. Also watch out for letters from the pre-concierge and other seemingly random correspondence. You've really got to be the one to check the mail each day.

 

It's a fun game, though...

[bguppies]

I'm listed as the lead passenger on the reservation and we have different addresses and email addresses. I got the thank you card this week. I don't think he got anything. He hasn't mentioned it.

 

We've been in a balcony cabin and a mini suite on Dawn before and last year before disembarking, we walked around and looked at all the different cabins. I don't know if I'd appreciate the suite as much if I hadn't been in smaller cabins before.

 

Thanks for your great stories!

 

Sounds like you've got it covered.

 

Most of the stories about the surprise being ruined are because of a phone call, snail mail or e-mail, that the person being surprised, inadvertantly intercepted.

 

Hope everything goes perfectly and your surprise goes smoothly.

[Zimomiller]

I gave my wife a cruise surprise for Christmas in 2003 and we were sailing 10 days later.

I was able to keep that a secret for 7 months!

 

I worked out the time off with her employer, bought her a new wardrobe for the cruise (as Xmas gifts), set up a hair appt, flew her Mother in to baby sit, etc so she was all set to go.

 

What I neglected to tell her was that we were given an upsell from an aft facing balcony to an aft facing Penthouse on the NCL Sky sailing from San Juan.($500)

 

She had no idea anything was up until we were entering the suite and she noticed the suite name and doorbell.

 

First taste of the suite life with a huge balcony and copious amounts of lving space. 2 butlers and a concierge.

 

It was the most relaxing, fun cruise.

[gys]

A few years ago, I told my wife that in order for our family of five to sail in the coveted aft balcony cabins on the Star, we had to book one balcony cabin for our three adult kids and one balcony cabin for us. I was able to keep the ruse up almost all of the way through checkin at the pier. The surprise came when the checkin agent said that he found the card keys for our kids, but couldn't find the card keys for my wife and me. He then asked us to follow him over to another counter. Well, that counter was for suite checkins and my wife was certainly surprised! ("Unfortunately," we got hooked on the suite life...)

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I gave my wife a cruise surprise for Christmas in 2003 and we were sailing 10 days later.

I was able to keep that a secret for 7 months!

 

I worked out the time off with her employer, bought her a new wardrobe for the cruise (as Xmas gifts), set up a hair appt, flew her Mother in to baby sit, etc so she was all set to go.

 

What I neglected to tell her was that we were given an upsell from an aft facing balcony to an aft facing Penthouse on the NCL Sky sailing from San Juan.($500)

 

She had no idea anything was up until we were entering the suite and she noticed the suite name and doorbell.

 

First taste of the suite life with a huge balcony and copious amounts of lving space. 2 butlers and a concierge.

 

 

It was the most relaxing, fun cruise.

 

 

Will you marry me in Our next life? Lol

[sverigecruiser]

Taking daughter and son-in-law on cruise in June. Booked 2 bedroom suite initally (5 people) and with fares drops have now kept suite (wife, son and I) and have booked them a balcony(they have no idea) and have all paperwork and cruise related stuff coming to me. Plan to tell them at the pier(this is their 1st cruise) when we have to go to different check in.

 

I guess that your daughter and son-in-law will be happy to get their own cabin. Hopefully they won't be disappointed that some of you have a suite and they don't!

[sverigecruiser]

I booked a suite for me and my girlfriend without telling her when we should cruise on the Jade. She found out when we went to the suite-checkin. We got engaged on the cruise and I thought that a suite was a must then!

 

I saved one surprise for the airport on the way home. I had booked businessclass tickets so instead of having lunch at Starbucks we went to the lounge.

[European_CruiseGirl]

Taking daughter and son-in-law on cruise in June. Booked 2 bedroom suite initally (5 people) and with fares drops have now kept suite (wife, son and I) and have booked them a balcony(they have no idea) and have all paperwork and cruise related stuff coming to me. Plan to tell them at the pier(this is their 1st cruise) when we have to go to different check in.

 

I guess that your daughter and son-in-law will be happy to get their own cabin. Hopefully they won't be disappointed that some of you have a suite and they don't!

 

I was wondering about that too. EmergencyPA: just to clarify. If your daughter and son-in-law are not listed in your suite but in their own balcony cabin they cannot use for example the VIP check-in, have suite breakfast and lunch at Cagney's, have VIP tendering, use of butler and consierge etc. They will have just the standard amenities while the rest of you will have all suite amenities and services abailable. This might (or might not) create some bad feelings for them. I know I would rather be at the small second bedroom with DH than a balcony cabin. I really think it could be wise to discuss which one they would want to be in if you are not 100% about their preference. The suite life is soooo good that I would not want to miss out on it.

Edited May 2, 2014 by European_CruiseGirl

[themnms]

Anyone ever surprised family or spouse/partner with a suite? I seem to remember there was someone last summer talking about this. How did it work out? At what point was the gig up? When you were taken into the suite check in area? In hindsight, would it have been better to give the family or SO the amazing experience to look forward to every day leading up to your vacation?

 

I'm surprising my wonderful SO in July, but I'm second guessing myself because I'm enjoying every day lurking on the boards, reading the posts, seeing if anything new has been written about our cabin, and daydreaming.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

Yes I did one time and it was FANTASTIC to see her face as we walked in and she saw the birthday banners ..AMAZING

[Sparkylok6]

CAUTION: There can be more than one thank you card. Also watch out for letters from the pre-concierge and other seemingly random correspondence. You've really got to be the one to check the mail each day.

 

It's a fun game, though...

 

Yes watch your mailbox if you are trying to surprise someone. I booked on the Gem for the Fall and convinced my boss to book as well for him and his family in a 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom suite. His wife and kids were trying to get him to book when they knew i booked and all he would tell them was that he would think about it. I was begging him to tell them so that we could talk about it and he wouldn't. The other day a thank you card came in the mail and his wife got it! He was so caught. We got a good laugh out of it.

 

Sent from my SM-T210R using Forums mobile app

[dexddd]

I'm listed as the lead passenger on the reservation and we have different addresses and email addresses. I got the thank you card this week. I don't think he got anything. He hasn't mentioned it.

 

We've been in a balcony cabin and a mini suite on Dawn before and last year before disembarking, we walked around and looked at all the different cabins. I don't know if I'd appreciate the suite as much if I hadn't been in smaller cabins before.

 

Thanks for your great stories!

 

As others have said, the mail could be the problem. I am always the lead on the reservation but all correspondence NCL sends is to my DW.

 

There is usually a thank you note after you book and then the letter before you sail that gives you some basic info and directs you to their website that has additional info. Those all came addressed to DW.

[Babyeddiedog]

Does the 'mail thing' only happen when you book directly with NCL? I've upgraded to an aft penthouse on the Sun as a suprise for my wonderful DH, and after all the planning (and working to pay it off myself) I'd hate it to be spoiled.

[cadien]

I guess that your daughter and son-in-law will be happy to get their own cabin. Hopefully they won't be disappointed that some of you have a suite and they don't!

 

I was wondering about that too. EmergencyPA: just to clarify. If your daughter and son-in-law are not listed in your suite but in their own balcony cabin they cannot use for example the VIP check-in, have suite breakfast and lunch at Cagney's, have VIP tendering, use of butler and concierge etc. They will have just the standard amenities while the rest of you will have all suite amenities and services available. This might (or might not) create some bad feelings for them. I know I would rather be at the small second bedroom with DH than a balcony cabin. I really think it could be wise to discuss which one they would want to be in if you are not 100% about their preference. The suite life is soooo good that I would not want to miss out on it.

 

EmergencyPA seems to be paying for their cruise. It would be kind of horrifying for them to object to "only" getting treated to a balcony.

 

The logistics of the different dining rooms, tendering, etc are good to be aware of, however.

[LrgPizza]

Taking daughter and son-in-law on cruise in June. Booked 2 bedroom suite initally (5 people) and with fares drops have now kept suite (wife, son and I) and have booked them a balcony(they have no idea) and have all paperwork and cruise related stuff coming to me. Plan to tell them at the pier(this is their 1st cruise) when we have to go to different check in.

 

I was wondering about that too. EmergencyPA: just to clarify. If your daughter and son-in-law are not listed in your suite but in their own balcony cabin they cannot use for example the VIP check-in, have suite breakfast and lunch at Cagney's, have VIP tendering, use of butler and consierge etc. They will have just the standard amenities while the rest of you will have all suite amenities and services abailable. This might (or might not) create some bad feelings for them. I know I would rather be at the small second bedroom with DH than a balcony cabin. I really think it could be wise to discuss which one they would want to be in if you are not 100% about their preference. The suite life is soooo good that I would not want to miss out on it.

Yeah, "Surprise! Weve booted you guys down to steerage!" (Just kidding.) Personally, I'd MUCH MUCH prefer having my own private cabin, regardless of location, than to share with mom/dad/inlaws. I'd think many couples would agree. I think it's a wonderful surprise.