Is it really worth it to have a Suite?

[HoneymoonCruiser5]

Hi everyone! We’re sailing to Alaska for the first time and are wondering if it’s really worth it to have a suite? What are the real perks? We’ve never cruised on Princess. 

[Cruise Raider]

I think so .... but it is really based on the price.  

 

The perks include:

extra room in your cabin with a jetted tub and separate shower stall, double sinks, upgraded toiletries including bath salts, really nice robes

extra amenities such as a shoe shine kit, sleep packet, fresh flowers, bowls of goodies such as salted nuts, fruit, etc

priority boarding with an escort onto the ship if you choose

small bottles of wine along with mini bar set up, which can be traded for visits to the coffee bar or wine, etc

 

But the real perk is breakfast at one of the specialty restaurants and dining in the club class section in the MDR

And .. you can order room service off the MDR menu at any time, including room service on the morning of disembarkation.  

Also, for cruises over 5 days, you get a free specialty dinner for two 

 

There are other perks with the tv / dvd that might be ship specific.  

 

It really depends on what is important to you .... but we found it worth the extra cost.  Of course, we can't do that very often as it isn't within our budget but we absolutely loved it.  

 

 

[Coffeeluvr05]

It sure makes for a better experience, but that is subjective really.  I think if the extra cost makes sense for you then try it and see.  Personally, I need quiet time away from people so having a larger room is really nice when I just want to kick back away from everyone. 

 

All the things that Cruise Raider said and more.  Club Class dining...really just slightly elevated anytime dining without the wait...is quite nice.  The suite breakfast is very nice too.  It is relaxed with very few people and better options.  Complimentary same-day laundry service is quite nice. No laundry to do when you get home.  The larger bathroom...oh my, what a luxury on a cruise ship!  

 

I have also had issues with lackluster service and probably should have pushed harder, but it's not really my style.  I have learned some things and if I am able to afford a suite again, I will lay out my expectations (nicely) with my room steward from day one.  

 

 

[azbirdmom]

A suite is great anytime but especially the aft suites in Alaska.  You can stretch out on a chaise on your balcony and stare at the vista behind you.  The steward should give you blankets in case it's too cool out there.  It's also great to sit back there on the days you are viewing glaciers.  We have ordered lunch off the MDR menu and enjoyed it on the balcony on those days.  All of the other perks are great too - the full list is here:  https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/ 

[c-boy]

yes

[riffatsea]

It is worth it to me but you may feel differently about how you want to spend your money.

We had our first suite on Princess in December and won't book anything else now!

I loved it!!

You can see all the suite perks on the web site:

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf

 

[cruzsnooze]

That's a hard question to answer. NCL has better suite perks because it includes a butler and a concierge and a longer list of perks. RCL and Celebrity have better perks IMHO.  I still book suites on Princess if the price is right but when you're an elite tier the perks are slim pickens except for the real estate. As mentioned the breakfast in the specialty restaurant is very nice.

[SDWalt]

👍Awesome!  Spoiled and plan on staying that way!

[RSF Cruiser]

How you spend your money is a personal choice, I think that is especially true for the type of cabin on a cruise ship. We always stay in a suite. My husband likes the extra space since he often is up during the night and spends a lot of time in the room. The extras like laundry, breakfast in Sabatini’s/Crown Grill etc are nice, but we choose a suite for the space. Although I certainly enjoy staying in a suite, I don’t think I would spend the extra money - easy for me to say since I know I’m going to stay in a suite. When I don’t travel with my husband I do not stay in a suite. So again, it depends on what is important to you and if you want to/can spend the money for what you want. 

Edited February 2, 2019 by RSF Cruiser
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[Ep010835]

For us, emphatically yes. For others, YMMV. 

[elrohir44]

Wife and I had a vista suite on Emerald Princess, deck 9, last August for an Alaska cruise.  The room was incredible.  The balcony was massive and couldn't be beat for the privacy, comfort, and views.  We are not very social people so that factor was worth it, since we spent the majority of the down time out there reading or looking for whales.  The aft-port location gave us ~270-degree views of what we were passing on both sides of the ship.  That alone was worth the money IMO.

 

Every port morning we had the suite room service breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, and all the other good stuff.  Regular rooms just get continental breakfast for room service.  It really helped fuel our bodies for the early excursions we had when we didn't have time to go out for breakfast.  Coffee was still terrible but it served its function.  We only ordered MDR room service on the last formal night because we didn't bring formal clothes and they were serving lobster that night.  The lobster wasn't spectacular but it was fun anyway.  

 

We took advantage of the free specialty dining on the first night at the steak house.  It was very good, especially dessert.  I liked the Club Class dining on the nights we ate in the MDR mainly because of the fact that we were seated immediately and we liked the staff a lot.  One aspect we felt a little uncomfortable with is how the dining staff and the room steward seemed to dote on us.  We are not snobby or pretentious people so we aren't used to that type of "high-class" service.  This isn't a complaint in any way, we just feel awkward and out of our element with that type of service.  We are just a young childless couple with plenty of disposable income who decided a suite would be fun.

 

I took full advantage of the free mini-bar.  We asked our steward to replace all the sodas and liquors we didn't like with ones we do.  The two daily included water bottles were delivered in the evening, which was nice, but I drink a lot of water so we bought some at the first port to supplement that.  We never used the spa thermal suite, which is a suite perk, so I can't speak to that.  

 

One aspect of the suite I really liked was the bathroom.  The shower is plenty big enough for a non-obese person to have plenty of room.  The bath/shower area is segregated from the head, which allows for privacy if you prefer not to crap next to your spouse.  The sink had plenty of counter space too.  The tiled floors are also a nice touch.  We never used the jetted tub, but it would be nice for those inclined to such bathing.

 

All in all, the suite was a great sanctuary after physically strenuous excursions and crowded areas of the ship.  The balcony will probably never be beat.  All the other perks were just a bonus.  The only possible downside for some people is the vibration and wake noise.  We found this aspect soothing and it helped us fall asleep, but some people might not appreciate it the same way.

 

One warning though- just like those Hulu commercials that claim that TV will be ruined for you forever, and how you should never add bacon or fly first class, it will be hard for us to ever reserve a non-suite stateroom on a cruise ship in the future.  Whatever you decide, you will have a great trip.  Alaska was spectacular.  Possibly my favorite vacation of all time.

Edited February 2, 2019 by elrohir44

[geoherb]

For me, the answer is no. A suite is not worth it if you have to pay full price. The only time we sailed in one was when I received an upsell offer--move from our balcony cabin to a suite for around $80 per person per day. We moved back to a regular balcony cabin on our next cruise. We did miss the extra room and Sabatini's for breakfast the most. We did not miss Club Class dining. We prefer traditional. 

[AF-1]

As mentioned by others above; is the price worth it.  I say yes it is. I really have no status on cruiselines; I don't get free internet minutes; or discounts in gift shops;  but what a suite will do is add the small things.  Dining: never have to make a reservation for dinner is great; you show up and they seat you. Breakfast without the crowds; either in your suite or at specialty restaurant; it makes you feel special. you receive a onetime minibar setup, and snacks all the time.  If you have a early morning shore excursion; you get priority tendering; plus order breakfast in suite prior to leaving ship. Suite guests receive first night dinner in specialty restaurant; which is nice.  And the one other thing I really like is space. I like to hang out in my cabin.  By having a suite it makes it all the nicer to lounge in the room or balcony with extra space.  

[AF-1]

elrohir44,  that is a beautiful suite;  thank's for posting

[cheeseclan]

Hello everyone.  We are currently in a suite on the Crown Princess.  Here are a few observations up until this point:

 

1.  We were concerned about the location of the cabin since we are in the suite which is under the coffee and cones but it has not been an issue in the cabin.  When we sit outside we can hear some things but not a huge deal!  It has been such a smooth ride mid ship.

 

2. Sabatinis sucks on this cruise.  We went  there for dinner the first night and the food was okay but the service was terrible.  We only went there for 2 breakfasts so far and it was a mess.  Food average and service terrible.  It is just not run well at all so we have been going to club class instead or have breakfast delivered in our cabin.  Not getting mimosas makes me grumpy😡!

 

3.  Our room steward is WONDERFUL!!!!!

 

4.  Food in club class has been great.  There are 4 different waiter sections and 3 of them are great, one is okay..  The head waiter is a nice guy and has been making the extra offerings at dinner.  He has made steak diane, shrimp dishes and crepes Suzette which have all been quite tasty.  

 

5.  We have never waited for dinner even though it has been packed every night.  There a few tables that seem to be in odd positions so you are in the entrance or exit path.  We try to avoid those if we can.

 

6.  The stops have been great.  Yesterday in Dominica we did the culinary tour with Princess and had a blast.

 

7. We are each getting one 16 oz bottle of water every day!

 

8. The first night of cruise we received canapés.  They were okay but not great. The first formal night we got 4 chocolate covered strawberries.  They were yummy!!!

 

Hope this helps.

Edited February 2, 2019 by cheeseclan

[mamaboss]

We have been in suites for the last 2-3 cruises due to accepting upsells. Now I am spoiled! I wouldnt pay regular price though. In a couple weeks we will be in a suite, aft on the promenade deck, Island Princess. When I tried to book an accessible mini suite they offered this suite at same price so I took it. I have not heard anything good or found any pics of this suite since I booked it. I will be posting my opinion with pics. For me it is the space I love most.

[bemis12]

1 hour ago, cheeseclan said:

Hello everyone.  We are currently in a suite on the Crown Princess.  Here are a few observations up until this point:

 

1.  We were concerned about the location of the cabin since we are in the suite which is under the coffee and cones but it has not been an issue in the cabin.  When we sit outside we can hear some things but not a huge deal!  It has been such a smooth ride mid ship.

 

2. Sabatinis sucks on this cruise.  We went  there for dinner the first night and the food was okay but the service was terrible.  We only went there for 2 breakfasts so far and it was a mess.  Food average and service terrible.  It is just not run well at all so we have been going to club class instead or have breakfast delivered in our cabin.  Not getting mimosas makes me grumpy😡!

 

3.  Our room steward is WONDERFUL!!!!!

 

4.  Food in club class has been great.  There are 4 different waiter sections and 3 of them are great, one is okay..  The head waiter is a nice guy and has been making the extra offerings at dinner.  He has made steak diane, shrimp dishes and crepes Suzette which have all been quite tasty.  

 

5.  We have never waited for dinner even though it has been packed every night.  There a few tables that seem to be in odd positions so you are in the entrance or exit path.  We try to avoid those if we can.

 

6.  The stops have been great.  Yesterday in Dominica we did the culinary tour with Princess and had a blast.

 

7. We are each getting one 16 oz bottle of water every day!

 

8. The first night of cruise we received canapés.  They were okay but not great. The first formal night we got 4 chocolate covered strawberries.  They were yummy!!!

 

Hope this helps.

 

Do you have a choice of which specialty venue you eat at on the first night, or do they tell you which one?

 

[Musky Ike]

7 hours ago, geoherb said:

For me, the answer is no. A suite is not worth it if you have to pay full price. The only time we sailed in one was when I received an upsell offer--move from our balcony cabin to a suite for around $80 per person per day. We moved back to a regular balcony cabin on our next cruise. We did miss the extra room and Sabatini's for breakfast the most. We did not miss Club Class dining. We prefer traditional. 

Same for us. Really enjoyed the one time we got an upsell to a suite but not worth the regular price IMO. Maybe that is the marketing ploy. Try it once in the hopes of getting you hooked. I could see that working for some. 

[PoohUnderstands]

If you are going to be going on a grand class ship (for example the Grand the the Golden), then a great compromise is the Window Suite(WS) which are on Deck 6.  The only caveat is that they have two big windows instead of a balcony.  But to be honest, we always book a balcony and hardly ever use it (especially for fall and Alaskan cruises), so not having one is a small price to pay for suite amenities and CC dining.  I am going on the Grand in March and the cost of my WS was considerably less than a CC mini-suite and only $2pp more than a guarantee regular mini-suite. But usually, I stick with a CC mini-suite and am very happy with that.  But if you ever get a chance to book a WS, then I would definitely say go for it!

 

Pooh

[cheeseclan]

Bemis12:   You can go to whichever one you choose to go to the first night.  I called the dine line and made the reservation as soon as I got on board.

[milolii]

This is a great thread.  We are new to Princess and are wondering about some of the perks. I read the link to the peris mentioned above and  visited the web site., butit is  nice to read about your experiences.   We are booked in a suite on the Royal to Alaska this summer.  

 

One cruises mention access to the thermal spa?  What is That? Can someone share? 

Thanks! 

 

 

[floridalover5623]

For some people the money isn't all that important, so go for it.

For the wife & I who cruise often we prefer to use out disposable dollars elsewhere. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I love the same things that everyone else has mentioned. I didn’t see the free same day laundry perk mentioned yet. We always put out our laundry by 8:30 and our steward has it back by dinner. My husband also sends his shoes out on the first full day on board to be polished for free  and again they are back by dinner. 

 

Also there are no chair hogs on your deck. You have your own padded lounger at all times. Much nicer than the loungers around the pools. Only the Sanctuary loungers are nicer. 

 

We save all the MDR lunch and dinner menus as a memory of our cruise. Be sure to ask your steward to deliver them the night before for the following day. On a 10 day cruise we will order MDR dinner usually 2-3 times and MDR lunch 3-4 times. We love going either to Sabatini’s or CC for breakfast, which ever is being run the best on that particular cruise. 

 

Whether all of this is worth it to someone is extremely individual. For us I will usually book a suite if the initial booking is less than $500 per person per day. Then I watch sales and check prices and keep rebooking until final payment. I almost always get the final price down to something less than $400 pp/pd. For example this May our 14 day b2b voyage of the glaciers in an aft vista suite is $385 pp/pd including EZ air, grats, taxes, port fees. We also have $1200 Total OBC to purchase cocktails and wine. 

 

Having a private spacious sanctuary when the public areas get to be a bit too much is really worth it to us. Sometimes we like the music, the talking, the social interactions and all that but there’s nothing like an afternoon nap on your own padded lounger on your private deck listening to sound of the wake 

[Tak8]

Generally I say yes, but it depends on the difference between a mini and full suite price wise.  

I love Sabatinis.  Great breakfast.  If you take the plunge try the Eggs Benedict and French Toast.  I like the mimosas to start the day.

Laundry is also a nice perk.

If you are on a ship that has a Window Suite, you won't have a balcony but the price is generally much closer.  I got a window suite on the Sky for the same price as a CC mini.  Definitely worth it.

[cheeseclan]

1 hour ago, milolii said:

This is a great thread.  We are new to Princess and are wondering about some of the perks. I read the link to the peris mentioned above and  visited the web site., butit is  nice to read about your experiences.   We are booked in a suite on the Royal to Alaska this summer.  

 

One cruises mention access to the thermal spa?  What is That? Can someone share? 

Thanks! 

 

 

The Royal does not have the thermal suite.