Cruising FOS with Suite Passengers?

[antmaril]

My brother-in-law and his family have invited me to join them on a Mediterranean cruise next August on the Freedom of the Seas. They have booked two Grand Suites. I am widowed and will be alone in my cabin. I like the looks of the Panoramic OV cabin, but, obvsiously, if I don't book a suite (a $3000 difference), I won't have all the perks they will have as suite passengers. Can it work or will I always be the odd man out?

 

I would appreciate your thoughts.

[Clarea]

My brother-in-law and his family have invited me to join them on a Mediterranean cruise next August on the Freedom of the Seas. They have booked two Grand Suites. I am widowed and will be alone in my cabin. I like the looks of the Panoramic OV cabin, but, obvsiously, if I don't book a suite (a $3000 difference), I won't have all the perks they will have as suite passengers. Can it work or will I always be the odd man out?

 

I would appreciate your thoughts.

I think you can answer yourself - do you mind missing the free drinks in the lounge at night?

[antmaril]

I think you can answer yourself - do you mind missing the free drinks in the lounge at night?

 

Well, it isn't so much that the drinks are free for them, but I wouldn't be able to be with them in that lounge, would I? What about priority embarking and disembarking? Rerserved seats for shows, etc. Those are the things I am concerned about.

[setsail]

Well, it isn't so much that the drinks are free for them, but I wouldn't be able to be with them in that lounge, would I? What about priority embarking and disembarking? Rerserved seats for shows, etc. Those are the things I am concerned about.

 

The lounge at night is only a couple hours out of a 24 hour day, you can have meals together, much more time

 

If you get to the show early you can sit in a row of seats right next to the reserved section, so you will be 2' away from them

 

Embarking means nothing if it's already started, you check in and then walk on

 

Disembarking for suites is a good perk, you would be with the masses

 

So, why be concerned?

Edited October 24, 2016 by setsail

[Clarea]

Well, it isn't so much that the drinks are free for them, but I wouldn't be able to be with them in that lounge, would I? What about priority embarking and disembarking? Rerserved seats for shows, etc. Those are the things I am concerned about.

We don't really like the location of the reserved seat section for suites in the theater. Just have the group get to the theater early enough so you can all sit together elsewhere.

[antmaril]

The lounge at night is only a couple hours out of a 24 hour day, you can have meals together, much more time

 

If you get to the show early you can sit in a row of seats right next to the reserved section, so you will be 2' away from them

 

Embarking means nothing if it's already started, you check in and then walk on

 

Disembarking for suites is a good perk, you would be with the masses

 

So, why be concerned?

 

Well, I don't want to diminish the experience for them. I don't want them to not use the lounge because I can't join them. What good does it do them to disembark first at the ports if they are waiting on the other side for me. I guess I have answered my own question. I should book a suite. Not the worst thing that could happen. LOL

[Clarea]

Well, I don't want to diminish the experience for them. I don't want them to not use the lounge because I can't join them. What good does it do them to disembark first at the ports if they are waiting on the other side for me. I guess I have answered my own question. I should book a suite. Not the worst thing that could happen. LOL

To my knowledge, priority disembarking at docked ports is not a suite perk. Suites do get priority tendering.

 

When they mention priority disembarkation for suites, they are referring to the final disembarkation at the end of the cruise.

[setsail]

Well, I don't want to diminish the experience for them. I don't want them to not use the lounge because I can't join them. What good does it do them to disembark first at the ports if they are waiting on the other side for me. I guess I have answered my own question. I should book a suite. Not the worst thing that could happen. LOL

 

Sounds to me like you should be talking to your bil and not cc

[antmaril]

Sounds to me like you should be talking to your bil and not cc

 

Gee, thanks. 😕

[antmaril]

To my knowledge, priority disembarking at docked ports is not a suite perk. Suites do get priority tendering.

 

When they mention priority disembarkation for suites, they are referring to the final disembarkation at the end of the cruise.

 

Good to know. Thank you.

[Bizzie07]

Suite guests also can have their breakfast in Chops which in my opinion is a good perk. Have you looked at the Royal Family Suite, that may work for all of you.

[RI_Cruiser]

Gee, thanks. 😕

 

Just ignore them, I have done this exact thing before and to honest no one ever felt like they were missing out or put out because someone had perks and the other did not.

 

The suite seats are not that great, just go early and you can get better seats all together. And they have let me bring guests before so that's a mute issue.

 

Suite can eat breakfast in chops an order everything to room service. We had the non-suite guests to our room for breakfast and had it all served on the balcony for everyone.

 

Are you tendering on your cruise? If not then that's no issue...

 

Save some money and go with the cheaper room...spend it on taking everyone to a specialty restaurant or drinks every evening...still will save money and everyone wins.

[ColoradoGurl]

Well, I don't want to diminish the experience for them. I don't want them to not use the lounge because I can't join them. What good does it do them to disembark first at the ports if they are waiting on the other side for me. I guess I have answered my own question. I should book a suite. Not the worst thing that could happen. LOL

 

 

I understand your dilemma. Many people who book suites do it because they like having their special seating and the other perks, and I can't really see them wanting to give them up in order to include you, but maybe. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes asking them to give that up either, because if they did it, it would probably be begrudgingly.

 

I would go on this trip only if you can have fun doing some things on your own while they are doing their own thing. I would under no circumstances pay an additional $3,000 (or more because of the single supplement they'll charge you) just to go along on a vacation that they planned without you in mind in the first place. I am someone who doesn't mind hanging out by myself sometimes, so if it was a cruise I really wanted to go on, I'd book the cheap room and go, knowing there'd be some stuff I would be doing alone. But if I was feeling pressured to buy a suite so that I wouldn't get left out, I'd stay home.

 

 

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[antmaril]

Just ignore them, I have done this exact thing before and to honest no one ever felt like they were missing out or put out because someone had perks and the other did not.

 

The suite seats are not that great, just go early and you can get better seats all together. And they have let me bring guests before so that's a mute issue.

 

Suite can eat breakfast in chops an order everything to room service. We had the non-suite guests to our room for breakfast and had it all served on the balcony for everyone.

 

Are you tendering on your cruise? If not then that's no issue...

 

Save some money and go with the cheaper room...spend it on taking everyone to a specialty restaurant or drinks every evening...still will save money and everyone wins.

 

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

[antmaril]

I understand your dilemma. Many people who book suites do it because they like having their special seating and the other perks, and I can't really see them wanting to give them up in order to include you, but maybe. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes asking them to give that up either, because if they did it, it would probably be begrudgingly.

 

I would go on this trip only if you can have fun doing some things on your own while they are doing their own thing. I would under no circumstances pay an additional $3,000 (or more because of the single supplement they'll charge you) just to go along on a vacation that they planned without you in mind in the first place. I am someone who doesn't mind hanging out by myself sometimes, so if it was a cruise I really wanted to go on, I'd book the cheap room and go, knowing there'd be some stuff I would be doing alone. But if I was feeling pressured to buy a suite so that I wouldn't get left out, I'd stay home.

 

 

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They are not pressuring me to book a suite. They don't even know that I am considering it. I have no problem doing some things alone on the ship. I would not want to go on any excursions alone, but that won't happen.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited October 24, 2016 by antmaril

[Doug S]

For a $3k difference you could buy a few rounds for them every night in a better bar and come out ahead. You could probably buy everyone a drink package and be way ahead depending on the head count/ages. Paying that much of a premium to go solo in a suite just to have lounge access and a few other perks just doesn't pencil for me. Sounds like your relatives want you along, so they will probably go with the flow and not leave you out in the cold.

[cb at sea]

Unless you are IN a suite, you will not get any "suite perks"...but honestly...you will be saving a ton! No way would the perks equal your savings!

[antmaril]

Unless you are IN a suite, you will not get any "suite perks"...but honestly...you will be saving a ton! No way would the perks equal your savings!

 

Right. I do understand that. Thanks.

[travelin_nat]

Are the free drinks in the lounge for all suite guests, or just a certain level of suite? We are considering an upgrade to a JS, so just curious...

[Coralc]

Are the free drinks in the lounge for all suite guests, or just a certain level of suite? We are considering an upgrade to a JS, so just curious...

 

Grand Suite or above.

[travelin_nat]

Grand Suite or above.

 

 

 

Thank you

[Coralc]

Thank you

 

You're welcome. We really like Junior Suites for the larger room and balcony, tub with shower and the double cruise points. But unfortunately, they don't provide access to the suite lounge. :)

[travelin_nat]

You're welcome. We really like Junior Suites for the larger room and balcony, tub with shower and the double cruise points. But unfortunately, they don't provide access to the suite lounge. :)

 

 

 

What's kind of funny is we just got off a Viking cruise where our room was 135 sf, and we managed just fine. However, we were literally only in the room to sleep, shower and change. We did love the bathroom - heated floors and a much bigger shower than RCI.

 

On this trip, I'm looking forward to just hanging out in our room for a while, and would love a balcony. If I'm going to spend the money on the balcony, the JS is not that much more.