Advantages to getting a Suite?

[Bradison]

42 minutes ago, Andy C said:

Many dirty looks from Pins in the SL/CK toward families with young children.  Many do not like kids.  Many also believe they own the ship.   

 

This is alway such an entertaining topic.  I've read through the recent posts and have found the usual flavors suggesting I am lying or exaggerating or it did not happen as I said it did.  My favorite are the posts that attempt to brush off the occasional negative suite class experience by suggesting it only happens on one or two cruises so get over it, screw you and save $ for another year and try another cruise line.

 

The suite class experience is diluted and cheapened because they allow NSPPs to occupy the very limited and valuable real estate that is the SL/CK on Oasis class ships.  

Here is my rub with your portrayal of the situation.  Every single time the topic of the SL or Suite perks comes up, it is given that you will jump in and complain about the NSPP.  It has become tiring.  I am not a Pinn and have only sailed in JS a couple of times.  The DW and I have booked our first first full suite for next year (CL on Allure) and are highly anticipating it so I am very interested in every thread that discusses the SL or CK since these will be new experiences for us (we did get to enjoy CK on Anthem and loved it).  I get it that you happened to have a bad experience on a heavy NSPP sailing and if that happens to us I will be disappointed but for every negative experience on a RCI ship (and there are plenty) there are multiple positive ones as well.  I think you have let that one experience (as well as latching on to M8's experience as well) dominate your perspective.

 

It reminds me a lot of the whole San Juan sailings from PR topic.  We just experienced this last December.  Was it a different crowd than we were expecting? Sure.  But we didn't let it dominate our perspective of the trip.  I came back and saw on the various threads that lots of folks do.  What I didn't see was one person jumping into every thread "warning" others on how bad it is to be on these sailings.  Some give their opinions and then move on.

 

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I welcome the anecdote that your and M8 experienced with what you felt was a diminished experience but I just feel that it is not much different than someone who experienced a bad meal at Chops jumping into every thread about Chops to make sure everyone knows that Chops is a disappointment.

[Lady Hudson]

17 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

He should have said most wear their gold pins. 

 

Do you sail in Suites. I know P’s that do. 

Well said, Bradison.

[momofmab]

We've sailed twice in GS on Liberty - as far as that class of ship goes (I think Adventure is in that same class, yes?), I don't think the suites are worth it over 2 ocean balconies.  Priority boarding isn't a big deal to us because everyone gets on pretty quickly, the reserved seating areas were just "ok" and not really needed on that size ship and the suite/concierge lounge was small and crowded every evening - not enjoyable.  One plus was being able to eat breakfast in a dedicated restaurant (and really on the Oasis class and up, having the suite restaurant would be the only "perk" that would entice me enough to go with one suite over 2 balconies  - unless of course I hit the lottery!) 

[MaritimeR&R]

5 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

 If your in the SL/CK and not in JS or higher, I think you would meet @Andy C definition of a NSPP. 

 

Its not my term. 

I wonder if Andy has ever considered what the presence and of each individual member of a family of two or of four's presence in the SL/CK costs in comparison to someone like myself. I decided to take a closer look and ran mock billings for both a double occupancy GS on the 1/25/20 sailing of Symphony And a solo occupancy in a JS. Not including any Crown and Anchor balcony discount, a GS booked today would be 3760.pp. My cost for a the JS would be 3588.75, so I am essentially paying 171.25 less than someone else who is in a GS and seated in the SL/CL for that sailing. For that 171.25 that the GS person is paying, he/she has the availability of ordering dinner to his/her stateroom, escorts both on and off the ship, the use of a genie on ships that provide them. Etc

Of course, if this was a holiday sailing or a sailing during the months of July and August, I would not have a reduced solo occupancy and would be paying 4, 787 for my seat in the SL/CL versus the 3,588.75 for the GS passenger. I hardly feel that qualifies for any sort of NP designation.  There is a bigger picture here. Let's be realistic here: what type of cabin I prefer in no way diminshes someone else's experience in their full suite cabin. There are only a few places where we are sharing the available seats  and oftentimes, we have paid the same price per person to occupy that seat. Through the years, i have met quite a few people who share a full suite but each pays his/her own way. Now, i will concede that some Pinnacles stay in inside or oceanview cabins, but to make blanket categorizations about "all" or "most" Is inaccurate. I am also sure that there are times when there is a greater difference between the cost per person, with the solo JS passenger paying more or even less...but not much less.

[Lionesss]

We recently returned from our May 5th. sailing on the Allure of the Seas in a crown loft suite and if it matters we are Diamond.

 

There were 31 Pinnacles on board, with 2 new pinnacles receiving recognition on this sailing.

 

We found the suite lounge very accommodating each night, and some nights we never arrived till after 5:30pm for cocktails.

 

There were always enough chairs and cruisers actually moved around so groups could sit together or make room for all.

 

CK got crowded, I do not know who was what except for some who wore their Pinns.  But no matter all worked out.

 

We had a very enjoyable time and enjoyed this benefit to suites.

 

Enjoy your Crown loft, it may become your new addiction.

 

We have now sailed in 6 CL suites over the years.

 

Safe travels. 

[Andy C]

3 hours ago, Bradison said:

Here is my rub with your portrayal of the situation.  Every single time the topic of the SL or Suite perks comes up, it is given that you will jump in and complain about the NSPP.  It has become tiring.  I am not a Pinn and have only sailed in JS a couple of times.  The DW and I have booked our first first full suite for next year (CL on Allure) and are highly anticipating it so I am very interested in every thread that discusses the SL or CK since these will be new experiences for us (we did get to enjoy CK on Anthem and loved it).  I get it that you happened to have a bad experience on a heavy NSPP sailing and if that happens to us I will be disappointed but for every negative experience on a RCI ship (and there are plenty) there are multiple positive ones as well.  I think you have let that one experience (as well as latching on to M8's experience as well) dominate your perspective.

 

It reminds me a lot of the whole San Juan sailings from PR topic.  We just experienced this last December.  Was it a different crowd than we were expecting? Sure.  But we didn't let it dominate our perspective of the trip.  I came back and saw on the various threads that lots of folks do.  What I didn't see was one person jumping into every thread "warning" others on how bad it is to be on these sailings.  Some give their opinions and then move on.

 

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I welcome the anecdote that your and M8 experienced with what you felt was a diminished experience but I just feel that it is not much different than someone who experienced a bad meal at Chops jumping into every thread about Chops to make sure everyone knows that Chops is a disappointment.

 

The NSPP experience impacted only one of my cruises (although the other cruises weren't free of scowls directed at families with young children including mine).  Please spare me your sanctimonious opinion that I should just get over it.  It was MY vacation and MY hard earned dollars.  RCI recognized this and comped half of the cruise (and made many other generous gestures) and they did so by bringing me in to the Hotel Director's office, on a sea day, along with several senior officers to apologize.  And to boot - I did not ask for this - the concierges brought it up to management and arranged the meeting.  

 

I hope no one else who is planning on spending thousands of dollars on a suite has this experience.  Most won't.  BUT some will and for those few who worked hard for their vacation one bad experience is one too many.  

[Bradison]

1 hour ago, Andy C said:

 

The NSPP experience impacted only one of my cruises (although the other cruises weren't free of scowls directed at families with young children including mine).  Please spare me your sanctimonious opinion that I should just get over it.  It was MY vacation and MY hard earned dollars.  RCI recognized this and comped half of the cruise (and made many other generous gestures) and they did so by bringing me in to the Hotel Director's office, on a sea day, along with several senior officers to apologize.  And to boot - I did not ask for this - the concierges brought it up to management and arranged the meeting.  

 

I hope no one else who is planning on spending thousands of dollars on a suite has this experience.  Most won't.  BUT some will and for those few who worked hard for their vacation one bad experience is one too many.  

 

I do not feel I am being sanctimonious and I fully believe you have every right to feel the way you do.  I certainly don't think you should get over it.  You have the right to vote with your wallet and choose a different company or let the wound heal and go back and hope for a better experience.  I am definitely in the "cruise your own cruise" camp.

 

However, you have definitely let your feelings and opinions on the experience morph into a crusade where you have created acronyms and resorted to wide sweeping generalizations and I even theorize a decent amount of paranoia (any time I see the word "scowl" I sense some paranoia) .  It has gotten to the point that I predicted your involvement (and corresponding debate with John) in the thread prior to even opening it.  I read many of the responses and your high level of defensiveness and come to the conclusion that I am not alone in this opinion.

 

I am certainly not telling you to stop on your crusade to let the world know how horrible the Pinnacle community has gotten but I also have the right to let you know it is tiring and some may find it boorish.  

[George C]

I’d rather deal with the large group of pinnacles on my last cruise then large group of children . Would love to see adult bars that didn’t have children sitting on barstools. 

[Mythbuster]

I keep seeing NSPP mentioned referring to Pinnacles.  What does this stand for?

 

This thread seems to have devolved into a bashing of Pinnacles vs answering the OPs question on the advantages of Suite Life.   I have already given my opinion on the benefits of Suite Life so I will go with the crowd and give my opinion of Pinnacles.

I have been lucky enough to have a Grand Suite or higher for my last 10 cruises (Oasis, Explorer, Anthem and Quantum) and I have to say I have never run into more than a couple of Pinnacles in the CL/SL.  I am sure there were more but they were quiet and anonymous.  Only once did I run into one that felt he was privileged but he would have probably acted like that if he were a lowly Diamond.   I have run into many rude and discourteous fellow passengers but have not seen a pattern based on their cabin type, C&A level, # of children or age.  Rude people are just rude people and were probably like that before they ever took their 1st cruise.