benefits of booking a suite?

[Jeff&Mel]

Question:

We have never booked a suite before. Trying to decide if we want to splurge and book a suite for next summer's New England cruise.

 

Is booking a suite worth it?

What are some of the benefits and perks of booking a suite?

 

Thanks for your feedback :)

[wolfganghowell]

Depending on what you find important - lot of things, big and small.

 

Grand Suite things that we like: Big bathroom, 2 sinks, bathtub. Concierge Lounge. Full breakfast menu in Chops. Priority getting on and off the ship. More storage space than you can possibly deal with. That'll get you started! :)

[Ourusualbeach]

From the website,

 

Excludes Junior Suites

 

Priority check-in

Personalized attention throughout the cruise with complimentary Concierge Club service on select ships

Reserved prime seating in the main theater for entertainment shows, where available

Priority tender tickets on select cruises. (Tender service is provided when smaller vessels are necessary to reach shore in locations without docking ports large enough for cruise ships.)

VIP pool deck seating, where available

Full breakfast, lunch and dinner dining room menus available for in-room dining

Private breakfast and lunch seating in specialty restaurants on our Voyager and Freedom Class ships

Complimentary luggage valet service

Luxury spa bathrobes for use onboard

Complimentary pressing service on formal night

Priority departure with exclusive suite* departure lounge featuring continental breakfast

[Alohaaloha]

We just returned from our first stay in a GS and we are hooked! Loved the space, the large bathroom, MDR dining as room service, private area on the pool deck, Chops Grill for breakfast- and as for the Concierge Lounge- well we had such a great time in there and met some wonderful fellow guests. I'd say do it!

 

 

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[cruiselife4me]

First GS coming up for our cruise in the southern Caribbean. Woohoo!

[Truluv]

Any real benefit to a Junior Suite, aside from a little extra space? My TA suggested I use the money I saved by not booking a Junior Suite and spending it on-board. I still have time to upgrade, if it's worth doing though.

[Clarea]

Any real benefit to a Junior Suite, aside from a little extra space? My TA suggested I use the money I saved by not booking a Junior Suite and spending it on-board. I still have time to upgrade, if it's worth doing though.

JS perks:

 

Bathtub, walk-in closet (all but Majesty and Vision class), priority check-in and boarding, tea kettle, coffee maker, bathroom amenities, robes, double C&A points, and a silver Seapass card.

[wolfganghowell]

We always booked JrS until we got hooked on GS. I think Jr's are the best bang for your buck on a cruise. The closets are fantastic - I like them better than the GS. The bathtub is great. Mr Wolf is 6'5 so we will always need real estate - I don't think he could fit in a bathroom smaller than a JS! :eek:

[alfaeric]

Depending on the ship- the suite balconies are migger to massively bigger. We had a JS in the aft corner of the Rhapsody- big, wraparound balcony. Great for Alaska, and I think it would have been nice in New England.

 

If the ship is a Radience class- JS 1100 would be pretty nice to see New England go by with.

[Truluv]

Thanks - I asked my TA to check cost of upgrading. And Mrs. Wolf - I get it! My sons are 6'6" and 6'7", and have struggled in cruiseship bathrooms :-).

[cruisenfever]

Depending on what you find important - lot of things, big and small.

 

Grand Suite things that we like: Big bathroom, 2 sinks, bathtub. Concierge Lounge. Full breakfast menu in Chops. Priority getting on and off the ship. More storage space than you can possibly deal with. That'll get you started! :)

This is not consistent throughout the fleet as on some ships there is no special area/dining room for breakfast for Gold Card Holders.

 

On Legend, the Breakfast for Gold Card Holders was held on Deck 5 of the MDR. On Jewel and Brilliance it was in Chops.

[jules815]

We always booked JrS until we got hooked on GS. I think Jr's are the best bang for your buck on a cruise. The closets are fantastic - I like them better than the GS. The bathtub is great. Mr Wolf is 6'5 so we will always need real estate - I don't think he could fit in a bathroom smaller than a JS! :eek:

 

Agree! Wish the larger suites had a closet like they have in a JS. A JS also has a larger balcony than a regular balcony room with a lounger, 2 chairs and a small table.

 

I also think the chair/foot rest combo in the JS is more comfortable than the chairs in the GS, just sayin'. I'm a tea drinker and really enjoy that kettle.

Edited May 29, 2015 by jules815

[George C]

Main problem with a GS is once you booked one you do not want to go to anything smaller, concierge also can be very handy getting a reservation etc etc. Loved by passing lines for the ice show and reserved seating by the pool. We have now done 2 GS and have 2 more booked, if I hit the lottery we will go for the Royal suite complete with the baby grand piano in the living room ( we were given a tour of one last month by some very nice tablemates)

[wolfganghowell]

Yep, I would be fine with JS as well but Mr Wolf is addicted to the nice quick breakfast for his eggs benedict and that bathroom is hard to beat. Our last cruise I had us booked in a JS but upgraded about 6 weeks out when the GS price dropped to only an additional $300. That was totally worth it.

[cb at sea]

A JS gives you more than "a little" extra space...it's more the size of a hotel room. If the other "perks" aren't worth the extra money, a JS is a great way to have a very comfortable cruise!

[Jeff&Mel]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

We are cruising June 2016- to New England and Canada on the Grandeur of the Seas. We have not sailed her before.

 

We will be sailing her in December 2015 to the Caribbean and Mexico in a extra large ocean view room.

 

We are looking at booking an Owners Suite....

[jules815]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

We are cruising June 2016- to New England and Canada on the Grandeur of the Seas. We have not sailed her before.

 

We will be sailing her in December 2015 to the Caribbean and Mexico in a extra large ocean view room.

 

We are looking at booking an Owners Suite....

 

Owner's suites are very nice! Once you book a full suite, it's hard to go back!

[Colorado Babe]

Agreed, suites are awesome. We've done GS, RFS and OS. Once you do a suite it's hard to go back!

[jules815]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

We are cruising June 2016- to New England and Canada on the Grandeur of the Seas. We have not sailed her before.

 

We will be sailing her in December 2015 to the Caribbean and Mexico in a extra large ocean view room.

 

We are looking at booking an Owners Suite....

 

If your itinerary includes Labadee, suite guests get use of Barefoot Beach which is just lovely.

[cruisevv]

Do JS's get the full room service menu as well or the normal one?

[ARCruisinNana]

Do JS's get the full room service menu as well or the normal one?

 

 

No full room service in a JS. Just the regular one.

[MichaelCMTX]

if I hit the lottery we will go for the Royal suite complete with the baby grand piano in the living room ( we were given a tour of one last month by some very nice tablemates)

 

Our rule is no RS until I learn to play the piano. We were table mates with the couple in the RS on Radiance and together with the 3rd couple at the table had an awesome time on that trip. Got there tour and it was something else.

 

Our other rule has been GS each time, mainly because we really only have the time for one cruise a year so why not invest in making it count. Yes, we make some pretty serious use on the CL Happy Hour when coupled with late seating dining, but there are the perks not listed, we've never really thought in advance to do any Specialty Dining but if we get the urge, the Concierge has always been able to get us in without a problem. The CL Bartender routinely picks up a day shift elsewhere and frequently still serves you as though you were still in the CL. Finally, last trip we got a call a week before asking if we wanted to upgrade to an OS for a ridiculously low sum I can't at the moment recall. Lastly, Double Points for suites and careful planning now haves us Diamond 5 cruises into our "Career" on RCL - even though a lot of "Diamond" perks newly earned already came with the GS.

 

If the numbers work for you, go for it; but be prepared to have to book forevermore in nothing less. ;)

[Kricktor]

We cruised on freedom back in November and booked the presidential family suite. The suite life is the great life. It'll be hrs to go back to a standard balcony room.