The Suite life - not really our "thing"

[3kidsncats]

I'm kinda loving that "5%" is the new 1%. Even economic inequality is subject to inflation.

 

I do cruise in suites when I cruise, because I don't have any one to look after me in my real life. I'm the working woman with people (and pets) at home I must care for after a long day - no complaints; I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but when I am on vacation I like having someone like a butler to check in on me in the afternoon and see if I want anything tasty with my cappuccino.

 

I love it!! I can sooooo relate. (We have managed to acquire 3 extra dogs -- two strays and my dad's, plus a three-legged cat). Yes, that was extra in addition to the ones we chose to get. Add in some kids, and a husband who travels a lot for work, and I'm good and ready for a taste of the high life!

[tarps14]

Generally I agree with you and wouldn't tip for any service I don't use -- but I view a cruise a little differently, especially given that I'm in a suite with dedicated staff. By booking this cabin, I'm agreeing to this level of service. The butler doesn't get assigned an alternate cabin just because I don't need him/her. They work or are on call very long hours, week after week, and I'm pretty sure they only get paid if I (and their other assigned guests) tip them. I see it, in this situation, as an obligation to provide some form of tip......

 

^^^^^ This! It might be the most intelligent rebuttal I've personally ever read regarding this issue.

[3kidsncats]

^^^^^ This! It might be the most intelligent rebuttal I've personally ever read regarding this issue.

 

Well thank you!

[ndabunka]

Generally I agree with you and wouldn't tip for any service I don't use -- but I view a cruise a little differently, especially given that I'm in a suite with dedicated staff. By booking this cabin, I'm agreeing to this level of service. The butler doesn't get assigned an alternate cabin just because I don't need him/her. They work or are on call very long hours, week after week, and I'm pretty sure they only get paid if I (and their other assigned guests) tip them. I see it, in this situation, as an obligation to provide some form of tip....

 

Agreed and that was why we also left a tip based on the guidelines here. I used to work in restaurant and my wife used to be a waitress (different times in our lives in different places prior to us meeting). In order to determine what a "reasonable" tip for not actually using the services might be, I read on here that the lowest level suite tips people leave were around $100 for the butler and $50 for the concierge. The more people you have in a suite, the larger the tips should logically be. Search on here to see what others tip based on the size of the group in the suite.

 

Enjoy your cruise and enjoy the pampering that comes along with your suite and tip accordingly

Edited August 7, 2015 by ndabunka

[sverigecruiser]

We also seemed to receive good and fast service when we ate in MDR and elsewhere (contrary to many reviews complaining of lengthy MDR service), and if that was because we were presenting platinum color (suite) keycards, that would be an unspoken perk. (In other words, it's certainly not a listed perk, but might still be something NCL does?)

 

 

The European NCL brochure mention the keycard under "EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS" :

 

"Distinctive platinum keycard"

 

I guess that means that it is a listed perk. Is it worth anything, I don't really know? We have once been given better service in one of the included restaurants after showing our keycard but I'm not sure if the staff are instructed to do that or if some do it anyway. (We didn't showed our card to be treated better but for paying for drinks!)

[cadien]

[quote name='sverigecruiser']The European NCL brochure mention the keycard under "EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS" :

"Distinctive platinum keycard"

I guess that means that it is a listed perk. Is it worth anything, I don't really know? We have once been given better service in one of the included restaurants after showing our keycard but I'm not sure if the staff are instructed to do that or if some do it anyway. (We didn't showed our card to be treated better but for paying for drinks!)[/quote]

We were in a Deluxe Owners Suite and our card was purple.

[SuiteTraveler]

[quote name='coscab']Just curious if Totaram was your butler, our first suite experience was on the Pearl (aft suite) and he was our butler, he was wonderful, brought everything I had on my list for snacks twice a day, was very personable.
The folks in Cagneys would let us in when we returned from port with our snorkel gear in tow even though they were about to close lunch.
Each evening when we arrived at the MDR (or specialty rest.) everyone treated us like royalty, in the MDR we were escorted to our favorite waiter, they would save our favorite window table for two until we got there.
We are low maintenance and only had one breakfast in our suite.
When we got home from the cruise I immediately booked 3 more cruises in suites, a forward penthouse (amazing cabin) on the Sun that we took in March, we had a completely different suite experience, almost like we were invisible, although to be fair to our butler, I think some of the other suite guests were having dinner served every day in their suites, but we practically had to beg to get a window seat in the MDR and the girls at the entrance to La Cucina for lunch were borderline rude (and we were there long before lunch closing)
We think maybe we were so spoiled on the Pearl that our expectations were too high, but we feel fortunate that we had such a great experience thanks to Totaram and the rest of the crew.
When we returned from that cruise I switched the other 2 booked suites to aft balcony cabins even though we love having the extra room in suites, we love the aft no matter what we are in and we will find another way to spend the extra $$$$'s:)[/QUOTE]

The issues you experienced with dining are the fault of the concierge. Normally on NCL, suite guests are treated great!

[ndabunka]

[quote name='cadien']We were in a Deluxe Owners Suite and our card was purple.[/QUOTE]

#1 - That person posted the statement from a EUROPEAN site so the first question would be.... Were you also on a EUROPEAN cruise? If not, the key card privileged may not be applicable to you

#2. I don't think that the suite itself influences the key card. We were bronze on our last cruise in a penthouse and the key cards were also a pinkish-purple. That simply signifies "returning guest" vs. the yellow-ish ones that show "first timers". However, if our Lattitudes classification had been platinum, then I expect that we would have had a platinum key card as well but perhaps that is ONLY on European cruises?

[biker@sea]

[quote name='ndabunka']#1 - That person posted the statement from a EUROPEAN site so the first question would be.... Were you also on a EUROPEAN cruise? If not, the key card privileged may not be applicable to you

#2. I don't think that the suite itself influences the key card. We were bronze on our last cruise in a penthouse and the key cards were also a pinkish-purple. That simply signifies "returning guest" vs. the yellow-ish ones that show "first timers". However, if our Lattitudes classification had been platinum, then I expect that we would have had a platinum key card as well but perhaps that is ONLY on European cruises?[/QUOTE]
I have yellow, green, and blue cards @ platinum level .

I did get a purple card when bestowed with V.I.P. privileges. :D

.

[cadien]

[quote name='biker@sea']I have yellow, green, and blue cards @ platinum level .

I did get a purple card when bestowed with V.I.P. privileges. :D

.[/quote]

Our purple card was on our first cruise so I agree it can't be a level thing.

My understanding was that a European brochure was for Europe-based passengers, regardless of the itinerary. Because they do have different payment rules etc. So I doubt that would change things. They won't change the color of cards based on the passenger's country of origin. Edited August 7, 2015 by cadien

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Platinum colored key card=Haven access.

[cadien]

[quote name='Leavethekidswithmom']Platinum colored key card=Haven access.[/quote]

Aha!

We were on a non-Haven ship.

[ndabunka]

[quote name='cadien']Our purple card was on our first cruise so I agree it can't be a level thing.

My understanding was that a European brochure was for Europe-based passengers, regardless of the itinerary. Because they do have different payment rules etc. So I doubt that would change things. They won't change the color of cards based on the passenger's country of origin.[/QUOTE]

Ah! I thought it was a European-based cruise that might have warranted it. We all now know it is access for The Haven regardless of departure and/or Lattitudes level.

[sverigecruiser]

[quote name='Leavethekidswithmom']Platinum colored key card=Haven access.[/quote]

We have had Platinum coloured key cards on our four cruises in a suite and on the first of them we had a penthouse without Haven access!