Accept upsell to suite on Gem 12/19?

[pathubia]

I did it! I got it! The 2 bedroom suite! Just called and it had become available. And the exact starboard cabin I wanted. I can hardly believe it!

 

I know it's crazy and a bit $ irresponsible, but I really want/need this. So thank you to all for your input. I weighed it all. BirdTravels, your post with pics got to me.

 

Again, thank you all for taking the time to offer your advice and kind words.

 

Nice!! Go and enjoy. You will have a great time!! You will love the "suite life"!!

[SuiteTraveler]

I'm happy for you! You know you can bring along DVD's to watch on the 2 DVD players in your suite, right? I usually hit Target and buy whatever is new or that I want to see and haven't had time to and bring it along. The ship has some movies, but they are mostly older and more limited.

 

So here are the things that come with your suite:

 

At the port, after security, look for VIP Haven check in and go there. They will get your card keys and usually send you to a special lounge for Haven guests for a few minutes with snacks and coffee or tea. Then you will be escorted onboard to your suite by a butler usually. It's a very nice way to check in!

In your suite you will have:

4 TV's (MBR, Master bathroom over tub, living room, second bedroom)

2 DVD players (living room and MBR)

Welcome aboard flower arrangement

Welcome aboard sparkling wine

Daily canapés (you can ask the butler for additional items to come daily as well - we typically get a cheese plate and some sandwiches, too)

Pillow menu (from the butler - they have foam contour pillows, down, and something else - I forget as I use the foam pillows.) Tell the butler when you meet him what pillows you want and he will bring them.

2 robes (maybe 4 - if both of your sons want one, ask for it - they won't say no!)

Upgraded bath amenities: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, seashell bath salts

Coffee maker - that does all kinds of elaborate coffee drinks including all the accouterments.

butler service (room service)

concierge service (reservations, solve problems and answer questions)

cabin steward - usually the best on the ship

access to the suite breakfast and lunch - it's great do go to lunch the first day and then on the second day go to the breakfast so you know what all they have. After that you can order anything you want from what they have from your butler if you want. We generally like going to the breakfast, so we only order breakfast from the butler if we are getting off the ship before it is open. But do whatever you prefer.

The concierge can get you reservations for the MDR - no waiting for suite guests!

Special suite guest seating at shows in the main theater

Bath menu (through the butler)

Priority tender tickets (through concierge)

Early self-disembarkation through the concierge

 

Tips: if your tips are included, you will still need to tip the butler and concierge. We typically tip the Butler $10 per person per day and the concierge $50 for the week - we don't bother the concierge much.

 

Your sons will have some options in the way of bedding. There are the bunks in the second bedroom, but the sofa in the living room also folds out to be a bed.

You get a huge walk in shower, separate tub, 2 sinks, toilet room, makeup area and 3 closets. This area is separated from the MBR by a curtain and then there is an art glass door between the master suite and the living room that you can lock.

There is a door between the living room and the vestibule entrance to the suite. Your son's room is off the vestibule and has its own door for privacy. They will have a standard bathroom.

The verandah is off of the living room.

 

One of the fun things to do onboard is to throw a party in your suite. You can arrange for food and drinks through your butler. I typically tip an extra $20 for this service and more if the butler hangs around to serve wine to guests and pose for photos. (I had one butler who was a great sport and did all kinds of crazy photos with our guests - he got an extra $50 at the end of the cruise for the 30 minutes he spent making our guests laugh - worth every cent!)

 

Most of all, have a great time on your cruise! You deserve it!

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

You don't get the free-at-sea perks if you upgrade from a cheaper cabin. You still get stuff like the free bottle of sparkling wine and access to the nice restaurants for breakfast and lunch, but the price for getting the suite at a discounted rate is that you don't get perks like the beverage package, etc. for free.

[KayM8812]

We sailed on the Dawn in April of this year with my brother-in-law. The extra bedroom would be fine for the kids and you will LOVE the master bath!!! AND you get a coffeemaker, snacks delivered every afternoon, free champagne and lots of attention from your butler. I say treat yourself!

[Kodathedog]

Wow! Seriously?! I knew some of this, but ... Thanks for all the great info! What is the bath menu?? Is ordering room service free? Or do we incur the 7.95 per order?

[dexddd]

The normal room service fee will be waived. You'd only get charged for things they would normally charge for like drinks or specialty items ordered to the room.

[tumblew467]

Call the Concierge # so you can choose the complimentary amenities that will be made available to Haven & Suites guests

 

Concierge Desk

Phone: +1 855-625-4283 |

 

Pillow Options

Overfilled Firm - firm but not too hard

Climarelle - body temperature regulating

Ultra Foam - deluxe memory

Reading Wedge

Hypo-Allergenic

 

Coffee

Regular

Decaffeinated

 

Tea

Chamomile

Green

Black

Lemon

 

Extra Towels

Washcloths

Hand

Bath

 

 

Also, please advise me of any additional interest in our Mandara Spa Services, Art Gallery, or Specialty Dining. It would be my pleasure to make these arrangements for your upcoming sailing. Please advise me of your estimated time of arrival to the port on the day of embarkation so that I may advise the

shipboard team. If you have any questions or requests please feel free to contact us at NorwegianConciergeDesk@ncl.com.

[luckyinpa]

Wow! Seriously?! I knew some of this, but ... Thanks for all the great info! What is the bath menu?? Is ordering room service free? Or do we incur the 7.95 per order?

 

the pizza was good and the chicken fingers also pretty good for room service. it was nice not to pay.

 

the bath menu is from about 50 bucks for kids bath with none alcoholic drink up to about 500 for an adult bath with fancy shmancy stuff in it plus fine champagne and caviar. the menu was on the toilet paper holder in the room. id love to see how many order a bath

[SuiteTraveler]

Wow! Seriously?! I knew some of this, but ... Thanks for all the great info! What is the bath menu?? Is ordering room service free? Or do we incur the 7.95 per order?

 

Room service is free to all suite guests unless you order room service from one of the specialty restaurants in which you pay whatever you would pay in the specialty restaurant - but all the stuff on the suite guest room service menu is free as well as all the regular stuff they have in the restaurant for suite guests for breakfast and lunch and anything from the MDR or buffet.

 

In regards to the bath menu- it is a fancy bath that your butler draws. These cost quite a bit - sort of like a spa treatment as they come with fancy bath preparations and flower petals and champagne and chocolates - stuff like that.

 

Also, if you order something simple they will make non-menu items for you - on my last cruise, I had the butler order cucumber sandwiches for me (bread, mayo, cucumber) and they were able to accommodate that order easily at no extra charge.

Edited December 2, 2016 by SuiteTraveler

[js]

Stop saying too much money!

You did it and you deserve it! Now go and plan and enjoy!!!

[PatJim]

Congrats on upgrading to the 2-bedroom family suite. My DH and I have stayed in the "children's bedroom," and we have also given it to adult guests who cruised with us. Your master bath is the best on the ship, glass floor-to-ceiling window in the shower, with a rainforest shower head and side nozzles. The large tub has a tub-to-ceiling window, with wall tv and bath crystals (free). I always take showers on board the Gem, but in the 2-bedroom, I find time for relaxing baths. (There are blinds on the bathroom windows for privacy in ports.) BTW, the bath 'package' is ridiculously expensive.

 

Three things about the 2nd bedroom you may wish to know:

*there is very little storage space--a tiny 6-hanger closet and a couple of shallow drawers--but your master bathroom/dressing area has ample storage for all 3 of you;

*the sleeper sofa has a very hard mattress--call the Pre-Cruise Concierge and request a foam topper for the sofa. Your sons will thank you!

*There are no windows, so with the door closed, it is pretty dark. It's great for those who prefer absolute darkness to sleep, but awful for those who need some light. We either take a battery candle (real ones are prohibited) or leave the bathroom light on, door closed, with enough light to see to find the light switch!

 

Enjoy the perks of being in a suite. Have a request or problem in the cabin? You'll have a trained butler who prides him/herself on spoiling you and your sons. If you want something (skim milk in the mini-fridge), just ask.

Your concierge handles everything else, as already explained on this thread.

Offsetting any perks you'll get, there is the additional cost of tipping the butler and concierge, who are excluded from the service charges shared by most of the crew.

 

Finally, re Haven vs. non-Haven suites, we are definitely in the non-Haven suite camp. We've been in a Haven Owner's Suite (deck #9), with Haven privileges, and I can say that we had afternoon tea by the pool once, and checked out the private sun deck (no shade), but we preferred having tea in our cabin or at the Great Outdoors (pool deck, aft), and sunning on a chaise lounge on our balcony. You'll be invited to a captain's party for suite guests, usually held in the Haven, so you'll get a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

 

If you hadn't upgraded to a suite, I would have also recommended that you buy a spa pass, to give you some privacy and pampering. Now that you have the master bedroom and bath, you won't need it!

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[cruzsnooze]

I am cruising with my two teenage sons on the 12/19 Gem to the Caribbean. We are booked in a mini suite. Probably enough room for us with the large bed for me and the sofa bed and Pullman bunk for them.

 

Already spent a chunk of change on this vacation/therapy. (Probably TMI here but bad divorce and both of my parents who lived with us died in the past 3 months. I can not face Christmas at home this year with just the 3 of us alone .) Booked fun excursions for each port, a thermal spa pass for me, and counting on unlimited soda and the teen club to do the trick.

 

Just received upsell email with opportunity to book a 2 bedroom family suite (not Haven) for additional $1500 total. Huge splurge for me on top of what I've already spent and anticipating inevitable expenses onboard. But I am being lured by the dream of the large accommodations including the lovely bathroom and the BUTLER! It's been years since anyone has even asked if I needed anything.

 

But is it really worth the $$$? Is the dream too good to be true? I imagine I won't spend much time in the room anyway...

 

Opinions please. And apologies for getting so personal. Thank you.

 

It all boils down to one thing, do you want the services offered at the price. Only you know what your comfort level is regarding finances. I personally would accept although I never use the butler.

[kjquilts]

Congratulations on your two bedroom family suite. We've taken upsells to this category twice and dearly love the stateroom. Here are a couple videos found on youtube:

 

This one is from sister ship NCL Pearl. Looks like filming was done on final day of cruise after stateroom had been vacated.

 

 

and this one is my favorite done by Chesneygirl of two bedroom family suite on the Dawn. I must have watched it a dozen times debating on whether to take the first upsell.

 

 

I'm sorry for the loss of your parents and hope you and your sons have a wonderful cruise in the beautiful Caribbean.

[goldmom]

Just an FYI. I believe that the DVD players were removed in the last drydock when the TV's in the suites were upgraded. You can now get the movies on demand for free in suites, but the players are gone so don't bother with bringing DVD's.

 

At least this was the case in the Haven. If it's not shipwide in the suites hopefully someone will correct me.

 

Enjoy your suite and pamper yourself!

[luckyinpa]

in october haven spa suite on BA had dvd playe

[jjikids]

in october haven spa suite on BA had dvd playe

 

When the Gem was redone, they ripped out the DVD players. We were in 11506 and there was just a hole. They didn't even make it look presentable.

[Turtles06]

When the Gem was redone, they ripped out the DVD players. We were in 11506 and there was just a hole. They didn't even make it look presentable.

 

You can say that again. We were in an SF penthouse suite on the Gem last February, and when we saw that hole in the desk, we thought a drawer was missing. In fact, except for the new carpet, they did nothing to the furnishings in the suites during the drydock, so now besides looking like a garish bordello, they are worn and dated. I was so surprised by the physical condition of the suite, that I posted a thread about it here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2314292

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[PatJim]

When the Gem was redone, they ripped out the DVD players. We were in 11506 and there was just a hole. They didn't even make it look presentable.

 

Yes, we were in a Haven Owner's Suite on the Gem last April, and the DVR had been removed. The biggest loss of suite perks for me, though, was when NCL changed out those great coffee machines that were able to make cappuccinos. Now it's just expresso or American style, though a butler said he would be happy to deliver hot milk in a carafe every morning. Rather than bother him, my DH kindly brought me lattes (not free) from the Atrium coffee bar. I need my caffeine fix to wake up!

[dexddd]

When the Gem was redone, they ripped out the DVD players. We were in 11506 and there was just a hole. They didn't even make it look presentable.

 

They did that on the Dawn as well when they replaced the TVs (two drydocks ago). Left holes where the old ones were - it looked tacky.

 

Maybe with the latest drydock they covered that up - who knows.

[dexddd]

in october haven spa suite on BA had dvd playe

 

I could be wrong, but I think BA is the only ship where they moved to the PPV system but also left the dvd players. I suspect at the first drydock those will disappear.

[Kodathedog]

Thank you for all the great info! We are soooo excited! I am glad I took the suite. I am looking forward to the pampering, the conveniences that will take so much logistical stress out of the cruise for me, and the space to help keep my boys off each other's nerves. We are going all in with excursions, specialty dining, and a spa pass for a tired mommy.

 

I very much appreciate your support and advice. I feel blessed to have found this forum. Joyous and safe travels to all!