Suite value?

[DevonianCruiser]

I'm curious as to what people's views are on the 'value' of booking a suite over a balcony cabin (not a JS). My question isn't about affordability it's just is it worth paying extra for what you get. The reason I ask is that (UK prices) the difference seems huge and I'd like to know whether previous suite cruisers felt they got what they paid for.

 

I had a penthouse on a two week NCL cruise last summer and I felt the perks were great and well worth it - eating breakfast and lunch in a private restaurant, daily treats to the cabin and the concierge service especially with getting off the ship early at all the ports (Greek Islands this was a real benefit). However I had a Junior Suite on the Explorer and thought that that priority boarding, larger cabin, bath and bathrobes were just a complete waste of money for the price it cost us.

 

Any thoughts? :)

[George C]

I'm curious as to what people's views are on the 'value' of booking a suite over a balcony cabin (not a JS). My question isn't about affordability it's just is it worth paying extra for what you get. The reason I ask is that (UK prices) the difference seems huge and I'd like to know whether previous suite cruisers felt they got what they paid for.

 

I had a penthouse on a two week NCL cruise last summer and I felt the perks were great and well worth it - eating breakfast and lunch in a private restaurant, daily treats to the cabin and the concierge service especially with getting off the ship early at all the ports (Greek Islands this was a real benefit). However I had a Junior Suite on the Explorer and thought that that priority boarding, larger cabin, bath and bathrobes were just a complete waste of money for the price it cost us.

 

Any thoughts? :)

 

RCCL perks really start at GS not JS, besides the much nicer and larger cabin, Some of the perks depends on what ship you sail on, I was on Navigator and we had breakfast in private restaurant, also could have lunch in same private restaurant on sea days, there was a concierge with free drinks for about 3 hours a day, priority seating for shows and a pool area that was for suite quest. I really enjoyed the perks and have another booked in 10 days.

[joepeka]

We've only sailed once previously on RCI (another one next month), both in GS cabins. I will say that the suite perks on Royal are definitely far better than what we've ever gotten, for example, on Carnival but then again, Carnival really has no suite perks. However, did I think those RCI suite perks were worth the additional cost? Probably not (especially the condition of the CL in the evenings) but we chose suites more for the additional space than any freebies anyway. We're trying a different ship next month to see if the experience is better/worse/same as our previous sailing and if not, we likely won't be back to Royal.

[cb at sea]

NCL has the best "suite perks" at sea. Carnival's is the worst. RCI fall's somewhere in between!

[spookwife]

I'm curious as to what people's views are on the 'value' of booking a suite over a balcony cabin (not a JS). My question isn't about affordability it's just is it worth paying extra for what you get. The reason I ask is that (UK prices) the difference seems huge and I'd like to know whether previous suite cruisers felt they got what they paid for.

 

I had a penthouse on a two week NCL cruise last summer and I felt the perks were great and well worth it - eating breakfast and lunch in a private restaurant, daily treats to the cabin and the concierge service especially with getting off the ship early at all the ports (Greek Islands this was a real benefit). However I had a Junior Suite on the Explorer and thought that that priority boarding, larger cabin, bath and bathrobes were just a complete waste of money for the price it cost us.

 

Any thoughts? :)

 

For us it is more about whjat I am willing to pay. currently, that means we can afford suites and to date have never sailed in any thing less on Royal. the balconies we sailed on Carnival and Disney were Okay and pretty damn nice, respectively.

 

for what we pay, I feel the value of the amenities are an acceptable return on the investment. I am hoping the new suite amenties being rolled out soon do not diminish that while jacking up the price out of my range

[JimAOk1945]

We enjoy cruising in full suites and enjoy all that goes with it.

Edited April 16, 2015 by JimAOk1945

[cruiselife4me]

NCL has the best "suite perks" at sea. Carnival's is the worst. RCI fall's somewhere in between!

 

Agreed, then I'd list Celebrity next. Our Penthouse on the NCL Jewel was such a blast and the suite perks were so awesome. Heck the cappuccino machine itself was worth it. ;)

 

Royal's changing theirs which will be for the better. Fingers crossed!

Mary

[marcoigna]

Agreed, then I'd list Celebrity next. Our Penthouse on the NCL Jewel was such a blast and the suite perks were so awesome. Heck the cappuccino machine itself was worth it. ;)

 

 

 

Royal's changing theirs which will be for the better. Fingers crossed!

 

Mary

 

 

I would rate MSC Yacht Club even better than NCL - if we are only talking about main- stream cruises!!!

[njm5378]

To me it depends on how much the difference is. In my opinion it is worth it if the difference is 25 maybe 50% more. In the current days of double or triple the cost, absolutely not.

[Cigar King]

To me it's not a question of value at all.

 

It's a question of comfort. The JS is significantly more comfortable. (IMO) I want to be comfortable during my vacation. I'm willing to pay for that.

 

It's the same reason I stay at a nicer hotel, or upgrade the airfare, etc.

 

Just another way of looking at the issue.

[LilBlackDress]

We normally book a balcony, I never really looked at a JS/GS until I was booking our 2/2015. We were going to get a JS but I noticed the GS was very reasonable...We thought it would be a one and done upgrade. People warned me that we wouldn't want to switch back to a balcony and I kinda laughed it off...

 

Now my DH doesn't want anything below a GS... he loved the extra space in the room, I loved the tub vs the tube shower. Even tho the tub was a tad high for me to get in & out of, I made it work...

 

He loved CL in the evenings. We had a late seating so we normally went to the CL around 7, never crowded, good conversations and some appetizers that were both good and bad...

 

The Concierge service was great! She made our spa appts (which I could have done myself no biggy). What was nice was, we wanted an excursion that was sold out so we settled for a similar excursion with less activities. The night before the excursion she called us and said she had the tickets for us but she wanted to know if we were still interested in the other excursion because it had become available again and she had 6 spots saved for us if we wanted them!! We gladly switched, however the others in our party had other plans.

 

We didn't use the 'goldcard' area at the pool deck, due to the port intensive cruise.

 

The seating for the Ice Show was nice...

 

The morning calls from the concierge was OK

 

The main dining room menu for room service was nice (We only used it once during breakfast on our only sea day)

 

The priority check-in didn't save us/cost us time, again this was due to San Juan's port.

 

I did ask my DH if he would be interested in staying in the 'B&J Sweet' on Indy and he was on the fence... I was looking at a b2b and it was available both legs, however I wasn't sure I would want a PR for that many days when we have never stayed in one before...

 

Anxiously awaiting the new perks to roll out as we have an OS scheduled for 1/2016

[JimAOk1945]

To me it's not a question of value at all.

 

It's a question of comfort. The JS is significantly more comfortable. (IMO) I want to be comfortable during my vacation. I'm willing to pay for that.

 

It's the same reason I stay at a nicer hotel, or upgrade the airfare, etc.

 

Just another way of looking at the issue.

 

I agree. Well said!

[sauvichick]

I've cruised a number of times, but my 1st time in a suite (grand) was last summer. Since I go on one big vacation a year I don't look at it as whether I'm getting my money's worth, but how much I'm going to enjoy it. It was still very expensive and double what we had paid on a balcony, but it was terrific. The room, bathroom and balcony were double the size of a standard balcony room. We never ordered meals from the dining room menu, but ordered room service (with no surcharge). We loved the original location (11th floor) of the concierge lounge right near our cabin. The room was large with windows and had a great view. We were able to have made to order breakfast and lunch in the CL with wine at lunch. We never dealt with overcrowding, had great service and dinner reservations were made with ease. Unfortunately this has all changed with the CL now moved! The suite sundeck was quiet with cushioned loungers, towels and had an attendant available. Using the gold card seating at the headliner was nice. We loved the entire suite experience and now have another GS on the Liberty. However the suite experience will not be the same as it was on the Allure. We booked a GS because the space is very large and I want that experience again.

Edited April 17, 2015 by sauvichick

[Bigtex1622]

On our next 12 day cruise, we got a Owner's suite for the 4 of us.

It would cost us MORE if we got 2 balcony rooms. ( 2 in each room )

Mom, 2 sisters, and myself must have room !!:D

This has been the case with most of our cruises.

 

Except for this last Carnival's cruise.

The largest room ( Owner's suite ) would not sleep 4.

So we had to get an inside cabin as well.

 

Now I have taken 2 cruises with one sister,

the inside and Balcony rooms where roomy enough!

 

:rolleyes:

.

[LoisGriffin1]

The benefits are not going to be as good as NCL's unfortunately.

 

I was really tempted by the Greek Islands cruise for next year and may have picked NCL for the better suite benefits. We decided instead to travel out of Southampton so Royal won. The cost from a JS to GS was not too huge so we decided to go for GS. For a long cruise the extra space is worth it to us.

 

I did 2 weeks in a JS a couple of years ago and felt that with the amount of sea days a GS would have been worth it. One massive advantage will be having a reserved area in the Windjammer. I always found it hard to find a seat and witnessed some very poor behaviour between passengers over the seating.

[JimAOk1945]

One massive advantage will be having a reserved area in the Windjammer.

 

I've never heard of this and we cruise in full suites. I wonder now whether this option is available on all RC ships?

[Cigar King]

I've not seen reserved seating IN the Windjammer, but, I have seen suite guests taking food from the Windjammer into Chops (or another specialty restaurant) for breakfast. Those are open to suite guests at that time.

[jules815]

I've not seen reserved seating IN the Windjammer, but, I have seen suite guests taking food from the Windjammer into Chops (or another specialty restaurant) for breakfast. Those are open to suite guests at that time.

 

On Brilliance they had a separate area of the Windjammer for suites, Pinnacles and I believe D+ was included, we didn't use Chops for WJ seating.

[jules815]

To me it's not a question of value at all.

 

It's a question of comfort. The JS is significantly more comfortable. (IMO) I want to be comfortable during my vacation. I'm willing to pay for that.

 

It's the same reason I stay at a nicer hotel, or upgrade the airfare, etc.

 

Just another way of looking at the issue.

 

Somewhat agree. We find that being able to sail now during non-peak times is a value because fares are lower. Now that we're empty nesters, we no longer have to sail in June or July, and we're not paying for a second room for our daughters anymore. I still check for price drops at least twice each day. :) And suites are very nice, and for that we're willing to pay more.

 

Our preferred cruise time is September/October.