Seaside: Grand Suite Aurea or Yacht Club Suite?

[gtalum]

I recently booked us (family of four, kids will be 11 and 4 at the time of the cruise) in a Grand Suite, Aurea experience on Seaside in June 2018. The Yacht Club balcony suite is very close to the same price. I keep wavering on switching, but I can't decide if the bedroom (maybe 2?) of the Grand Suite and the free massage and thermal suite access for each of us outweighs the concierge, butler, and private dining area of the Yacht Club. Privacy from the kids on a cruise is pretty luxurious in itself!

 

At any rate, the fares are astounding. Both of these examples are very close to the price of a regular balcony cabin on a 7 day Carnival cruise with similar itinerary the same week. I'm really looking forward to experiencing a new line and a brand new ship.

[kerryincork]

I'm booked on Seaside with Aurea, I am really looking forward to it too. I would stick with the bigger room. Your children will probably want to be in the water park so you won't get much time in the private pool😀 besides you could leave hubby mind the babies and go to spa for your massage 😀

 

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

[Beamafar]

Thermal suite access is free for YC guests so you'd be foregoing the extra space and the included massage - and, realistically how much does a massage cost? There are always great offers onboard. There's also the kids' club so whichever type of cabin you choose you can have 'me' time in the thermal suite while the kids are taken care of. The plus of YC is you get access to, AND included drinks in, the whole of the ship which should be weighed up against an extra room in the cabin and foregoing all the extra that YC offers.

[kerryincork]

You get drinks with Aurea too

 

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

[Beamafar]

You get drinks with Aurea too

 

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

Not in YC - which was the point I was making about the whole of the ship!

[max996]

I take the Universal Studio motto - "Vacation like you mean it!" Go with the Royal Suite! ;)

[LMCruise]

We had the same choice to make and chose YC after our recent Divina cruise.

 

The dining room was fine for the very low price we paid, but we usually left wanting better. We hope to have that in the YC dining room.

 

The pool deck was basically a madhouse on Divina. If you didn't get a chair at 8 am, you weren't getting one until dinner. We saw zero enforcement of the "don't save a chair all day" rule. The Aurea level will have a sundeck on Seaside, so that helps, but not a pool. We want a calmer deck with a pool.

[gtalum]

I take the Universal Studio motto - "Vacation like you mean it!" Go with the Royal Suite! ;)

 

Royal Suite is not available on our sailing and I'm not sure we could afford it in any case! But I like the way you think! :D

[Spunky1968]

We booked the aurea se3 grand suite on seaside for our April 2018 booking. Price was cheaper than our Disney xmas cruise. Excited

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hi G,

 

You said one thing in your post that sticks in my mind..."Privacy from the kids". Congrats on being honest...how right you are. If it were me...I would choose the two room suite with the Aurea experience. The kids are going to enjoy themselves no matter where they are. There is nothing better than a two room suite.

 

I noticed that you have a ton of CCL cruises on your signature. You will be able to get a black card which comes with a free dinner in one of the alternative restaurants. If it were me...I would get a dining package and have at least 3 dinners in the upscale alternative restaurants of your choice. Just a thought...:)

[jacksonx]

Do YC, or just go in a regular balcony.

Aurea is just a larger room but in the Steerage section of the ship- not likely worth any increase in price.

 

YC treats you like a god.

[Cruise'nMaMa]

We booked a Grand Suite on Seaside primarily to have the 2 bedroom set up/privacy from our teenage son who is going too. I just hope the 2nd bedroom has its own tv! YC would be great but seems more like something I would enjoy without the kids along.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Two Wheels Only]

We booked a Grand Suite on Seaside primarily to have the 2 bedroom set up/privacy from our teenage son who is going too. I just hope the 2nd bedroom has its own tv!

Which Grand Suite did you book? Not all have a 2nd bedroom.

[Sunshine2U]

Hard one. We cruised Disney when the kids were young so had the nice bunks, split baths, etc. I think I would do the YC if the price is close, even if the cabin is smaller. Try for a cabin close to the Top Sail lounge. During the day it's like a large, mostly empty living room with a constant supply of snacks and beverages. On our cruise there was a pre-teen who liked to read and he would sit in the lounge and read. We saw several families who had cards, games, etc playing together in the morning hours. You also have your frig stocked with drinks and snacks. If both were pre-teens I'd say go for the Grand Suite, just because you would spend so much time on the other pool decks. With the 4 year old, I think you will enjoy the more quiet, private space of YC.

[gtalum]

Hi G,

 

You said one thing in your post that sticks in my mind..."Privacy from the kids". Congrats on being honest...how right you are. If it were me...I would choose the two room suite with the Aurea experience. The kids are going to enjoy themselves no matter where they are. There is nothing better than a two room suite.

 

I noticed that you have a ton of CCL cruises on your signature. You will be able to get a black card which comes with a free dinner in one of the alternative restaurants. If it were me...I would get a dining package and have at least 3 dinners in the upscale alternative restaurants of your choice. Just a thought...:)

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see this thread revived. :)

 

Privacy on vacation is a true luxury, in a world of tiny cruise cabins and hotel rooms. We did stick with our Aurea GS booking. I occasionally reprice this cruise and similar Carnival cruises, and am amazed that we're getting a one-bedroom suite and free drinks for the same price as a simple balcony (before adding a drinks package) on Carnival.

 

MSC matched us to Gold, not Black. They also matched our daughter to Silver (she's a little spoiled :p). We're low-maintenance cruisers so we'll have a blast no matter what!

Edited August 9, 2017 by gtalum

[lindawaring2001]

Just booked the Aurea suite at the aft of the ship overlooking the new Miami pool. Balcony looked awesome and was a slightly bigger room than the YC deluxe suite. After debating for a few days I quickly called back and switched my choice to the 16th deck YC deluxe suite! Its my husband myself and 2 daughters 11, and 13. We have been on NCL SKY 3 times in the owners suite and loved our pampered butler experience!! Plus the food and privacy in the YC must be better....... Can't wait to experience a yacht club. We have never been on NCL with a Haven choice so this will be interesting. I just wish YC option came with free dinners in the specialty area! Oh well, looking forward to our June 2018 cruise! Only thing I am worried about is noise on deck 16 with all the restaurants there.... opinions??

[seadude]

Just booked the Aurea suite at the aft of the ship overlooking the new Miami pool. Balcony looked awesome and was a slightly bigger room than the YC deluxe suite. After debating for a few days I quickly called back and switched my choice to the 16th deck YC deluxe suite! Its my husband myself and 2 daughters 11, and 13. We have been on NCL SKY 3 times in the owners suite and loved our pampered butler experience!! Plus the food and privacy in the YC must be better....... Can't wait to experience a yacht club. We have never been on NCL with a Haven choice so this will be interesting. I just wish YC option came with free dinners in the specialty area! Oh well, looking forward to our June 2018 cruise! Only thing I am worried about is noise on deck 16 with all the restaurants there.... opinions??

 

Hi Linda we have the same issue for our March cruise we have booked an AFT suite and an YC cabin on deck 16 we have 2 daughters also 8 & 6 but the interesting fact its that we are going to be B2B in June on the YC so we will probably cruise together...

[Spunky1968]

We had the same choice to make and chose YC after our recent Divina cruise.

 

The dining room was fine for the very low price we paid, but we usually left wanting better. We hope to have that in the YC dining room.

 

The pool deck was basically a madhouse on Divina. If you didn't get a chair at 8 am, you weren't getting one until dinner. We saw zero enforcement of the "don't save a chair all day" rule. The Aurea level will have a sundeck on Seaside, so that helps, but not a pool. We want a calmer deck with a pool.

 

With the drink package in aurea isn't premium but still can consume anywhere on the ship. You just don't get mini fridge in room like yc. The top yc pool do they allow children?

[sidari]

Upgraded our Aurea drink package to Premium for our December 23rd sailing for £7 pp pd, about 12 Dollars.

 

Will make being in an Aft suite even better.

[Spunky1968]

Upgraded our Aurea drink package to Premium for our December 23rd sailing for £7 pp pd, about 12 Dollars.

 

Will make being in an Aft suite even better.

Nice! I read the lists and the brands are fine by me. Don't need much. Rather spend the money on excursions or shopping 😂

[sidari]

Been to the ports before apart from Nassau, for £35 pp for a weeks upgrade well worth the money.

[kodesthemoose]

I was pleasantly surprised to see this thread revived. :)

 

Privacy on vacation is a true luxury, in a world of tiny cruise cabins and hotel rooms. We did stick with our Aurea GS booking. I occasionally reprice this cruise and similar Carnival cruises, and am amazed that we're getting a one-bedroom suite and free drinks for the same price as a simple balcony (before adding a drinks package) on Carnival.

 

 

Gtalum, not sure if you're still around the boards, but wondering how you liked your grand suite with Aurea experience. I was thinking of booking on Seaside with my kids.

[lindawaring2001]

We actually cancelled due to really bad reviews of the ship . BUT that was on one of the first cruises ... I see the reviews have got a lot better so I wish I kept it lol. I think the room looks awesome for kids as well . Looks roomy . I’m sure they have worked out most bumps and I haven’t read anymore reviews but they’re probably better now .

[cathep]

I wanted to know, too! Hopefully, someone else will have that feedback. We're in the 2-bedroom GS for the extra room as of right now. I don't think the YC is available now with the 4 of us, so we'll likely be staying in it.