Questions about the "suite" life onboard

[Colo Cruiser]

You are really not going to be happy until you get that perk removed from suite benefits, are you?

 

It has been stated many times from people with first hand experience what the policy is and you don't believe it. Why bother with Cruise Critic?

 

I would say that if you called Santa Clarita 3 times you would get 3 different answers but that has been reported ad nauseum.

 

And while on the topic of suite benefits, the afternoon tea is for occupants of the suite and not intended for the suite passengers to entertain a roll call at their expense. Although we have never used that perk I can see it disappearing in the future.

 

Mike:)

 

 

Yes , different answers everytime one calls.

Ours was free too. Have never had an issue.

Real life experience onboard trumps a call to Princess. :cool:

[pablo222]

* I have previously seen in some reviews Sabatini’s is a must for. breakfast.

 

Can someone tell me what the hours are for this breakfast?

I am especially interested in Emerald Princess.

[Bogie Man]

I have a full suite booked for an upcoming 15 day cruise. Right now we are confirmed for anytime dining. Seeing as we do have a full suite, would it be possible to change this to traditional dining and get a guarantied table for 2 ? I know this cant be done if you're not in a suite, but wondering if it can be for suite passengers??

[sunshine nana]

We met a couple on our Baltic cruise that asked for and got a guaranteed 6 pm window table for 2 for the whole cruise because by the time they booked their suite, all the traditional 6 pm window table for 2 were taken. We were anytime, but ate a 6 every night and sat next to or near them because we asked for the same great wait staff. Can't hurt to ask. BTW, they had been on 30 Princesses cruises.

[bhopal21]

Can someone tell me what the hours are for this breakfast?

I am especially interested in Emerald Princess.

 

0730-0930 port days

 

0730-1000 sea days.

 

Been the same on all the ships we have sailed.

 

Mike:)

[bhopal21]

I have a full suite booked for an upcoming 15 day cruise. Right now we are confirmed for anytime dining. Seeing as we do have a full suite, would it be possible to change this to traditional dining and get a guarantied table for 2 ? I know this cant be done if you're not in a suite, but wondering if it can be for suite passengers??

 

You will need to approach the Maitre d on embarkation day to see if this is possible.

 

Mike:)

[pablo222]

0730-0930 port days

 

0730-1000 sea days.

 

Been the same on all the ships we have sailed.

 

 

Thank you so much.

[Bogie Man]

You will need to approach the Maitre d on embarkation day to see if this is possible.

 

Mike:)

 

Thanks Mike. I've never sailed with Princess, so where would I find the Maitre D for traditional dining when we board? Would he/she be at the traditional dining room at that time? I'll be sailing on the Grand, and I understand there are 3 MDR's.

[bhopal21]

Thanks Mike. I've never sailed with Princess, so where would I find the Maitre D for traditional dining when we board? Would he/she be at the traditional dining room at that time? I'll be sailing on the Grand, and I understand there are 3 MDR's.

 

I would stop at the entrance to Sabatini's first and check since a lot of the time he is present during the specialty restaurant signup on embarkation day. If he is not there someone will direct you to him.

 

Mike:)

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks Mike. I've never sailed with Princess, so where would I find the Maitre D for traditional dining when we board? Would he/she be at the traditional dining room at that time? I'll be sailing on the Grand, and I understand there are 3 MDR's.

 

 

Listed in the Patter (daily newsletter) there will be a time/place listed for one of the dining rooms to meet with the MD to iron out any issues with your dining arrangements. Its is usually between 2p and 3p. ;)

[critterchick]

0730-0930 port days

 

0730-1000 sea days.

 

Been the same on all the ships we have sailed.

 

Mike:)

 

It was 10:30 (sea days) on Crown when we sailed her in December and last weekend.:D

[bhopal21]

It was 10:30 (sea days) on Crown when we sailed her in December and last weekend.:D

 

We haven't been on the Crown so obviously they keep later hours.:D

 

I can't remember when we were not waiting for Sabatini's to open at 0730.

 

Mike:)

[Husky61]

I have a full suite booked for an upcoming 15 day cruise. Right now we are confirmed for anytime dining. Seeing as we do have a full suite, would it be possible to change this to traditional dining and get a guarantied table for 2 ? I know this cant be done if you're not in a suite, but wondering if it can be for suite passengers??

 

We have always sailed in a full suite, with anytime dining. The first night we request and always get a table for two at the time we request. If we like the table we simply ask the head waiter to reserve that table for us every night. Has never been a problem. We never once have had to ask the MD.:)

[bhopal21]

We have always sailed in a full suite, with anytime dining. The first night we request and always get a table for two at the time we request. If we like the table we simply ask the head waiter to reserve that table for us every night. Has never been a problem. We never once have had to ask the MD.:)

 

Bogie Man is wanting to change from anytime to traditional, not reserve a table in anytime dining.

 

Mike:)

[Husky61]

Bogie Man is wanting to change from anytime to traditional, not reserve a table in anytime dining.

 

Mike:)

 

I assume that the way we do it is tantamount to changing to traditional dining. He can ask for a time that coincides with traditional, and after he gets his table, just make the request for the same time each evening. Not sure why it matters if it is anytime or traditional, the end result is the same.:)

[Bogie Man]

I assume that the way we do it is tantamount to changing to traditional dining. He can ask for a time that coincides with traditional, and after he gets his table, just make the request for the same time each evening. Not sure why it matters if it is anytime or traditional, the end result is the same.:)

 

The reason I am considering traditional over anytime is based on reviews I've seen regarding service. Apparently in traditional the service is more consistent and runs smoother, versus anytime where you have different wait staff every night, and service can be brutally slow between courses.

 

Having never sailed on Princess, I wouldnt know if this is true or not.

[pablo222]

versus anytime where you have different wait staff every night, and service can be brutally slow between courses.

 

 

Had the same problem in traditional. We were just two,

and there was also a table for 8 in the station. The people

at the 8-top ordered absolutely every course.

 

Until we alerted the waiter that that we wanted to proceed

faster, we were going at the speed of the 8-top.

 

Mrs. Pablo hated that waiter, as she took the coffee card for

desert, and then lost it.

 

She said she must have put it down on the tray, and the junior

cleared the tray to the galley.

 

That was enough traditional for a while...

[Woobstr112G]

I assume that the way we do it is tantamount to changing to traditional dining. He can ask for a time that coincides with traditional, and after he gets his table, just make the request for the same time each evening. Not sure why it matters if it is anytime or traditional, the end result is the same.:)

 

Defeats the purpose of ATD and IMHO is one of the reasons ATD has the problems it does.....

 

Bob

Edited February 4, 2015 by Woobstr112G

[Husky61]

Defeats the purpose of ATD and IMHO is one of the reasons ATD has the problems it does.....

 

Bob

 

I was unaware that ATD had a problem. Nor do I see where it defeats the purpose of ATD for suites.:)

[Husky61]

The reason I am considering traditional over anytime is based on reviews I've seen regarding service. Apparently in traditional the service is more consistent and runs smoother, versus anytime where you have different wait staff every night, and service can be brutally slow between courses.

 

Having never sailed on Princess, I wouldnt know if this is true or not.

 

We have never had a problem with slow service with either ATD or TD.:)

[RocketMan275]

Was on Regal in early march. Loved the suite. Heads up. There were two small bottles of 'champagne' in the fridge. Would have been nice for sail away but didn't see them till later.

[bhopal21]

Was on Regal in early march. Loved the suite. Heads up. There were two small bottles of 'champagne' in the fridge. Would have been nice for sail away but didn't see them till later.

 

Yes, that is one of the suite perks. Two individual bottles of Korbel and two flutes for sailaway.

 

Mike:)

[NavyVeteran]

Yes, that is one of the suite perks. Two individual bottles of Korbel and two flutes for sailaway.

 

Mike:)

 

This is actually one of the very few perks you get with a mini-suite as well as with a full suite.

[bhopal21]

This is actually one of the very few perks you get with a mini-suite as well as with a full suite.

 

Usually one gets a glass of "champagne" with a mini instead of a bottle.

 

Which ship was giving out individual bottles?

 

Mike:)

[mamaboss]

Hello everyone! I am the OP and thought I would answer my own questions with my opinion as I have now experienced "The Suite Life":

 

* I have previously seen in some reviews Sabatini’s is a must for breakfast, can anyone tell me why? **For us this was one of the best perks we enjoyed. Hot, fresh food delivered to the table with wonderful smiles! Food always cooked exactly as you ask. Loved it!

 

* Our suite is R408 on CB, anyone experience lots of noise from above lido deck? **Unfortunately there is noise from above. Good news is it was rare. Did not bother me.

 

* Does booking a suite get you a better embarking process or irrelevant if your platinum? **This was hilarious! We were ushered upstairs to the platinum area. Soon as we stepped out of the elevator a Princess rep hurried to us and ask if we were part of the wedding. I said no we are platinum. She says I am sorry but this area is reserved for a wedding we have on board. I nicely say to her, come on it is not easy pushing this wheelchair with all our carry-on ' s, I wish they had told us instead of ushering us around for nothing. She says sternly, I am so sorry ma'am. All the sudden I realize I am in a suite so I show her the card and say, well is there another place up here for suite guest's? She almost fell over! Oh I am so sorry! Please follow me, why didn't you tell me you were in a suite? I told her we were perfectly happy in the platinum area till she would not let us. I know I'm terrible for laughing at her but later we all had a good laugh. She was just doing what she was told.

 

* Does the suite have more receptacles for electronics since it's bigger? **Yes it sure does

 

* Anyone having had experience with laundry on a 5 day, does it take more than 24 hours usually? **We only had a suit jacket cleaned but they did a great job in 24 hours.

 

* If you don't want the little liquor bottles for minibar set up what can you exchange it for? We exchanged the fancy waters for plain water and all the liquors for gin. Fast and accurate.

 

Our final thoughts were that although we loved the perks, we would not pay full price for a suite, definitely not the one we had. The noise could have been worse if there was more going on, balcony was very narrow. Long but much to narrow for all the furniture they have on it. I understand the suites in front and back have much better balconies. We were very happy with what we paid for and would do an upsell again no problem!