Tough decision....Family Veranda or upgrade to Celebrity suite 8104?

[SadieC]

We currently have family verandah booked for out Panama Canal cruise in November. A Celebrity suite (8104) has become available, and we are able to upgrade for a fairly good price considering. Should I stay with the huge balcony with the Family Suite, or try out the suite life? Love any opinions! We normally book Concierge class cabins.

[gizvic]

We just had our first stay on a Celebrity Suite (m-class) and it was wonderful! I've never stayed in an FV, but I know the balcony is amazing. A CS does not have an amazing balcony, but there's a lot of storage space and room to move around in the cabin. I'll post some pictures below if I can. And Luminae was amazing!

 

 

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[gizvic]

 

 

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[chemmo]

We currently have family verandah booked for out Panama Canal cruise in November. A Celebrity suite (8104) has become available, and we are able to upgrade for a fairly good price considering. Should I stay with the huge balcony with the Family Suite, or try out the suite life? Love any opinions! We normally book Concierge class cabins.

 

Is it just the two of you or are there others in the party? If it is just the two of you I would go with the CS, the balcony is big enough for you and you will enjoy the suite perks...

 

If you are traveling with another couple or children then that wonderful balcony may win out! We do love the M class wake views!

 

Have a great cruise!

[wrk2cruise]

Wow this is a tough one. I think I would agree with the above poster. If it's just the two of you the CS due to the Suite Perks.

[Laurab23]

For me, it would depend on the price difference.

 

Laura

[Mr. Click]

We had to choose between a FV or a CC on our last cruise, 15 nights from Hong Kong to Shanghai, and chose the CC. The bigger balcony did not mean that much to us and we liked the location of the CC we were offered better. As others have said, if it is just two of you, grab the suite and run. I know I would.

[jelayne]

We were fortunate to snag a FV recently for 2 if us and lived the balcony not to mention the 2 rooms. Having said that if it is just 2 of you I would go for the Suite.

[villauk]

We were fortunate to snag a FV recently for 2 if us and lived the balcony not to mention the 2 rooms. Having said that if it is just 2 of you I would go for the Suite.

 

Yes, we've travelled in a FV a few times (all corner ones with the huge balconies), but there are 4 of us (2 kids). The balcony is absolutely brilliant and plenty big enough for a party, with fabulous aft views :cool:. However, if there was just the two of us, I'd try the suite.

Edited July 28, 2017 by villauk

[Cruise Raider]

You don't say what ship (that I can see but have been known to miss stuff all the time) but I think you are ok in either! And I assume you are referring to the Infinity.

 

We had 8166 before on the Infinity ... best room we've ever had in more than 50 cruises!! However, we've never booked a suite and would love all the extra perks and room. Sure, the balconies are big for those family verandas but just how much room does one need?? You can only sit in one place at a time.

If you don't have one of the corner aft rooms for the family size veranda cabins, you won't get a lot of airflow in those middle cabins.

Depending on the price for the upgrade and which family size cabin you have booked, I would probably go for the suite in the end. You will get extra perks such as eating in Luminae. I have only eaten in there once, when invited to dine with one of the officers, but that perk alone would do it for me.

[SadieC]

Thanks everyone. It is on the Infinity and the FV cabin we have is aft and right on the corner. A wrap around view almost!! We had already bought the 4 perks for a fairly decent price earlier on this year. That being said, it is just the two of us, and we have never been in a suite before. Is the CS that much bigger than the FV? What are the additional perks for a CS?

[happymom52003]

I'd choose the suite in a heartbeat! Luminae alone makes it worth it, in my opinion. We really enjoyed all the perks of being in a suite.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

Thanks everyone. It is on the Infinity and the FV cabin we have is aft and right on the corner. A wrap around view almost!! We had already bought the 4 perks for a fairly decent price earlier on this year. That being said, it is just the two of us, and we have never been in a suite before. Is the CS that much bigger than the FV? What are the additional perks for a CS?

Your FV is 270 sf balcony 112- 191 the CS is 467 sf and balcony only 85sf. The perks right now are 300.00 OBC, free grats; free internet, free premium drink package. You get Michaels club privileges, Luminae suite dinning, a butler. You will love the suite (sweet) life;).

[wrk2cruise]

Luminae and Michaels Club are the big suite perks and now have us paying at least $100 pp/pd extra as we enjoy them so much ( we now cruise almost exclusively in suites). The extra service is exceptional. They really make you feel special.

 

From what I looked up the CS is 467 and the FV is 271 with 242 on the balcony.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

PS - Try not to get deck 9 under the pool deck, if you are a light sleeper. Noise in the AM as they clean the pool deck. Scraping of chairs at 4 - 5 am.

[Jane2357]

We sailed Infinity this year through the Panama Canal and had a Celebrity Suite. Having had a Sky Suite once before the Suite Life Perks - we weren't prepared for the level of spoiling that we received.

Micheal's Club - spent tons of time there and the Concierge spoiled us rotten. Food in Luminae was very good. Cabin was certainly large enough and loved the walk in closet/dressing area.

While the FV will have the better view - if money is not the object - go for the suite!

[TeaBag]

I would pick the CS hands down unless it's a lot more money. The Panama is very hot and I don't know how much time you would spend out on that lovely big FV balcony feeling like you were in an oven. Compare that with the enjoyment of Luminae and Michaels, spoiling, extra tier points and just a fabulous cruise in the CS.

[Dunmore2]

Suite vote from us too! One of the many perks is the Luminae lunch when you board. It's nice to avoid the buffet crowds, plus the food is great.

[Cruise Raider]

Thanks everyone. It is on the Infinity and the FV cabin we have is aft and right on the corner. A wrap around view almost!! We had already bought the 4 perks for a fairly decent price earlier on this year. That being said, it is just the two of us, and we have never been in a suite before. Is the CS that much bigger than the FV? What are the additional perks for a CS?

 

Well, it would be a very tough decision for me in that case. You will get some airflow on the sides in the corner aft FV balconies. Half of the balcony is covered, half is not. So, you never want to put your chair right where the cover ends as birds hang out there right above. teehee ... know what I mean?? It really was a lovely cabin, though ... and balcony, too. I never felt so spoiled in my entire life and it is nice and quiet back there but each deck juts out a little bit more so privacy is not complete ... very good, though.

Depending on the price, I would might still go for the suite. We did visit a couple from our roll once that had a CS ... wow, that room was so nice!! Plus, that night we were invited into Luminae, we saw them in there, too. While I really have no complaints about any of the dining areas on Celebrity ... that one would be my first choice. You will also be able to go into Michael's Club, get extra Captain's points towards your status, priority everything ... my limit would be to pay $500 more each, though. Not sure what the deal is that you are getting but that's how much more I would pay.

[ECCruise]

I find it crazy that there is all this discussion without mention of the price difference.

The OP said it is a "fairly good price considering." What does that mean? $1000? $10,000? Something in between?

Good and reasonable are pretty subjective. There are people who think it is reasonable to pay $1500 per day for a suite on a Celebrity ship. I think that is bananas.

[Summerlin]

We just returned from a Caribbean cruise in CS 1615 on Equinox located in the portside hump, right adjacent to the very large Penthouse Suite 1611 . Our first suite on Celebrity. Luminae alone is worth it. We were on Millennium last summer in Alaska and ate mainly in the MDR and specialty restaurants. As many have posted on CC, the quality of food in the MDR has declined, and the specialty restaurants lose their luster the more you cruise with Celebrity (M class has TG where the old SS Olympic was, Q-sine, and Son5.)

 

Having the bedroom separate from the living room (where the pullout couch was) also was very nice, along with the two big screen TVs (one in living room, one in bedroom).

 

Priority tender service (if applicable) was nice for us when we were in Grand Cayman. Plus, they just treat you "suitely" if you are in a suite (there are only so many on the ship).

But, of course, price has to come into play. We compared the CS to the RS (which includes free specialty dining and some bottles of liquor) but the price jump didn't make sense to us. And the one person hot tub on the balcony didn't make much sense to us either.

[SadieC]

Moot point anyway everyone. Went to book the CS and the agent last night put the wrong number on hold.....Family veranda it is, with the 4 perks. Many many thanks for all your help with this!.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

Moot point anyway everyone. Went to book the CS and the agent last night put the wrong number on hold.....Family veranda it is, with the 4 perks. Many many thanks for all your help with this!.

 

Sorry SadieC! I'm sure you will have a wonderful time on your cruise no matter what room you are in. Enjoy!!

[groryjm]

We currently have family verandah booked for out Panama Canal cruise in November. A Celebrity suite (8104) has become available, and we are able to upgrade for a fairly good price considering. Should I stay with the huge balcony with the Family Suite, or try out the suite life? Love any opinions! We normally book Concierge class cabins.

 

would highjly recomenmd the CS with Michaels and Luminae... heres a vid of the suite on Connie

[Cruise Raider]

Moot point anyway everyone. Went to book the CS and the agent last night put the wrong number on hold.....Family veranda it is, with the 4 perks. Many many thanks for all your help with this!.

 

Well, I know you will have a wonderful time in that FV cabin and save a little money to boot!!