GS vs KEY on Mariner?

[JTJT1]

I am a first time cruiser with RCI.  We are currently booked on MOTS in 9/19.  It will be 2 adults and a 12 & 11 y/o.  As it stands, we have a JS.  

We are taking this cruise in celebration of my 12 y/o.  He has had a rough year medically, undergoing a ton of tests & procedures, ending in him having to give himself daily injections.  He has been asking to go on a cruise for years.  I told him maybe this year.   He picked out the cruise line & ship because he liked the activities & itinerary.  Thankfully, we were able to pull it together.  I would like to try to figure out an upgrade to make it truly special for him.  I am thinking if the prices go low enough, to upgrade to a GS.  Reserved seating & room service are two things he would be thrilled about.  This is the room he initially picked out, but financially couldn't make it happen.  My other option is getting the Key.  I'm just weighing its value.  He gets tired easily, so having specified lower wait times at the activities on board would be a HUGE plus.  I just cant seem to justify the extra $400 it would cost though.  

 

Any suggestions as to things i can do to make this super special for him?  We live fairly modestly, so something like this is a big deal 🙂

 

Thanks!!!

[Hogbay]

you should keep your $400 , you will have a great time everything will be exciting and a new experience for him 🙂the staff are fantastic ,it will be super special for him.

[fishernrex]

If you're living frugally, I would agree with Hogsbay -  There is so much to do on this ship, he will most certainly enjoy exploring everything -  You mention that he may tire quickly, I might suggest using the $$ for a Cabana on Coco Cay -  These come with some pretty cool perks like food being delivered to the cabana's (kinda like room service), lounge chairs,  and a somewhat dedicated attendant - It would also allow him an opportunity to rest between activities if needed.  

 

Also, just as an FYI, you can always order room service for a nominal charge to any room.  

 

I WILL tell you the downside to a suite... You'll never want to downgrade in the future! :)  

 

I will also tell you that no matter the decisions you make on rooms and such,  I have no doubt the memories you make on this trip will be awesome and you should all have a fantastic time!   

[maryjaden]

I agree with fishermen.  We frequently stay in a GS. However if this is his first cruise he will be blown away regardless of your cabin.  We had a cabana on Chill island in March.  My children say it was the best day of the cruise.  They had a shuttle specifically for the cabanas that would take you where ever you wanted to go on the island. The beach area is private.  My kids loved snorkeling right there. 

[JTJT1]

23 minutes ago, maryjaden said:

I agree with fishermen.  We frequently stay in a GS. However if this is his first cruise he will be blown away regardless of your cabin.  We had a cabana on Chill island in March.  My children say it was the best day of the cruise.  They had a shuttle specifically for the cabanas that would take you where ever you wanted to go on the island. The beach area is private.  My kids loved snorkeling right there. 

We are going in September,  and its showing $788 for a cabana.  Is that a pretty typical price?

[AAA75]

 I am sorry I have to disagree on the room.  A GS is about 100 ft.² larger than a JS.  Because you’re going to have about four people in the room you will need that extra space. The balcony is also larger. More people will be able to sit outside with ease.  If you can really do it I would go with the GS instead,  but I would agree with others that say once you have a larger suite sometimes it is harder to go to smaller one. We started out in an interior then a balcony then JS. 

 Because it is your first cruise with RCI you will have a great time. Speak to your room attendant when you get in and talk to him for a few minutes to let him know how you want things set up in the room.   With the GPS you could have the couch bed set up and still get to the balcony.  If you decide not to go with the GS you may look into the Soda refreshment plan, that may be a cool thing to do. 

[AAA75]

47 minutes ago, JTJT1 said:

We are going in September,  and its showing $788 for a cabana.  Is that a pretty typical price?

 Yes that is typical for the prices. Generally we split it among other people who go on the cruise with us as that brings the price down per person but if it’s just the four of you then that may be a lot. 

[maryjaden]

Watch for price drops on cabanas.  If you book one and the price drops you can call, cancel and rebook at lower price.  If you decide to get the GS,  when we went to Coco Cay in March there was an area by the chill island cabanas that was reserved for just suite guests.  Upgraded buffet, Shuttle service, loungers and umbrellas.

[fishernrex]

Yikes -  That is a bit high -  Not sure what dates you're going, but the thrill waterpark and cabana's are going for $573 the weekend of the 13th (we will be on that one) -  I have to agree - $788 is a bit spendy -  Last cruise i think we only spent $400.  I hope I didn't get your hopes up for nothing. 

 

A 

[George C]

Love grand suites, did gs on sister ship navigator 3 times and on other ships , also get concierge or suite lounge. Not sure if ladabee is one of your ports but suite beach is also very cool. We also love breakfast in specialty restaurant. Extra room is handy for four and you will have a little privacy with curtain separating bed and rest of room. 

[JTJT1]

47 minutes ago, AAA75 said:

 Yes that is typical for the prices. Generally we split it among other people who go on the cruise with us as that brings the price down per person but if it’s just the four of you then that may be a lot. 

Looking on the RCI Blog, there is an article listing the Chill Island Cabanas as $299-$499.  Article was published in 04/19.  Wish that was accurate!

[JTJT1]

29 minutes ago, fishernrex said:

Yikes -  That is a bit high -  Not sure what dates you're going, but the thrill waterpark and cabana's are going for $573 the weekend of the 13th (we will be on that one) -  I have to agree - $788 is a bit spendy -  Last cruise i think we only spent $400.  I hope I didn't get your hopes up for nothing. 

 

A 

No, I appreciate it!  We are going on 9/2-9/6.  I will just watch it daily for a price drop!  I think the Cabana is a great idea!!!  

[cello56]

First off, have you contacted the special needs department regarding your son's health needs. I don't know, but perhaps there is some way that they could help accommodate his special needs. 

 

Second, please do not listen to all these people saying that once you have had a suite you will never want to go back to a normal cabin. HOGWASH! DH and I have had a GS on Freedom and an Aft JR on Navigator - the ones with the huge  20x20 foot balcony. Did we enjoy those special cabins? Absolutely! They were awesome, and a wonderful experience. Did they make us dissatisfied with a regular cain? Not at all. Of course we would love to be able to sail in a suite every time, but a balcony or even an ocean view makes for a wonderful cruise too. We look at it as we could do 2 cruises a year in a suite compared to 4 or 5 in a balcony. 

 

Third - thought of another one! Before you spend the big bucks on a cabana, ask yourself if your son is going to be able to handle and entire day at the beach - even with the shade of the cabana. I would hate to see you spend the extra money and then find he is too tired to really enjoy the whole day there. 

[Tree_skier]

I agree with a lot with of what has been said so far.  We had The Key on Mariner back in April.  Overall, I was disappointed with the value we received. Outside of the reserved seating at the ice show there was very little benefit. Even then, there were decent seats to be had as long as you were there 15 minutes early. When we boarded her she was still embarking from Miami and that is so efficient that it made the priority embarkation worthless. Your experience may be differ in Orlando but I doubt it will very much. The extra hours at various activities was so limited that it was almost worthless as well. You have no tendering ports on your itinerary so that is another benefit of the key you won't use.

 

If $400 is the budget, its unlikely that an upgrade to a GS will become available. Take the $400 and put towards the surcharge for room service... Upgrade the experience on Cococay... Book an evening in the Hibachi, we loved that and the chef's are great with the kids.  Heck, you could even buy the unlimited dining package, which would include Izumi Hibachi as well as Chops and Giovanni's, and still have money left over for a couple of late night room service wings and nachos orders. That would include some late lunches at Playmakers or Johnny Rockets if the boys were so inclined as well. 

 

I'm praying your son is doing better physically.  No matter what you decide it will be great experience for him and your whole family.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Tree_skier

[JTJT1]

2 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm praying your son is doing better physically.  No matter what you decide it will be great experience for him.

Thank you!  He is 🙂  We are finally on the correct road, medically!  It just took forever to get there.  He is an amazing kid!

 

I also appreciate all of your advice, very much!

[cruisegirl1]

JTJT1

 Best wishes to you and your family. I am so glad you are able to make this trip. 

 

 I would forget the key, and the cabana and if possible put the money into the grand suite.    Others have stated it would give you lots more room  and larger balcony to enjoy as a family. Will also give you the reserved seating in the ice rink in theater. 

 

 Perhaps  you can speak to others who cruise mariner frequently  or speak to some folks on board and see what time  some of the activities are not that crowded so that your son will not have to wait for long. 

 

 The beaches are not crowded anymore, and there is usually plenty of space at the pool if that is attractive to your family. Also, there are now  complementary umbrellas so that you can escape the hot sun.    I’ve been to coco cay probably 50 or 60 times, ( including several times since the renovations ) and never could figure out the need for the cabanas.    I know  some folks  like them, I just don’t get the draw.  If you want to watch the funds,  the first thing I would never consider is a cabana.   

 

 Your junior suite will also be fine if you cannot get to a grand suite. Others have suggested ordering room service in the JS  so  for a small fee you can order enough for the whole family. 

 

 I wish you and your family good wishes and good health.  

 

M

 

 

Edited June 12, 2019 by cruisegirl1

[JTJT1]

Thank you everyone so much for the advice!  He is one of 4 kids, including an amazing older brother with autism who gets a lot of our attention, and my "mom guilt" just wants everything to be so special for him.  I know it will be without all the "extras", but if I can do it for him, I want to 🙂  I am going to try to work a ton of overtime in the next two months and just do what I can.  He gets tired easily, so I will take that into account.  Im hoping his new meds will help him gain some muscle tone before we leave so he wont burn out so easily.  We live in FL and he loves swimming/the beach so he is super excited for the water activities.  I will start researching to find out the best time for the things like Flow Rider & the slides, so he doesnt waste too much time in the sun waiting in lines.  He loves the excape rooms, so that will be a must do for sure and well worth the $$$ to him.  We eat pretty "clean" at home, so I will treat him with the soda package for sure! 

 

As far as disability services go, I think the only extra things he will need is an empty mini fridge for meds.  The JS we got is close to the elevators.  He does have anaphylactic reactions to bees, so if he does the kids club I will need to leave an epi pen of the wayyyyyy off change he would get stung by a cruise hitchhiking bee 🙂 He also needs to drink a ton of water, so I think I will need to order a case for the room just for the convenience.  

[fishernrex]

JT - Just reading your last post -  Another consideration for you may be trip insurance that would cover any medical visits?  Hopefully someone who has used something can chime in.  My only experience was with a friend who had to go to medical for something minor and it was VERY expensive.   (Most insurances aren't accepted on the ship I believe-  May be wrong here as well).  

 

Anyway -  As stated before, it sounds like your family will have a fantastic time no matter what extras (if any) you decide to go for.  Save travels and have fun!  

 

A 

 

 

[MaryEBS]

Just a few less pricey things... You could have the room decorated for less than $50., private lessons for flow rider could be better than standing in line for a turn. You can also get  You can pre-order a gift that will be in the room when you check in such as a RCI baseball type hat or a RCI towel.  You can also purchase $25. of arcade credits for $20. pre-cruise.  If you can swing the GS it is a great room with lots more space than the JS.  Many will tell you not to spend the money on the room since you won't spend that much time in it, but if your son gets tired easily it could be a good investment for all to be comfortable when he needs to rest.  Hope your family has an enjoyable cruise.

[Tree_skier]

6 hours ago, JTJT1 said:

I will start researching to find out the best time for the things like Flow Rider & the slides, so he doesnt waste too much time in the sun waiting in lines.

The early morning sessions are the shortest lines in my experience.

6 hours ago, JTJT1 said:

 He also needs to drink a ton of water,

With the soda package water is available at all the freestyle machines and is just as good as that Ice River bottled water they sell at the bar. Freestyle machines are located in the promende and the windjammer so they are convenient to wherever you might be. Also, if you really want bottled water one way you can economize is to bring water onboard with you. I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think that you can bring up to 24 bottles onboard.  

[Tree_skier]

4 hours ago, MaryEBS said:

private lessons for flow rider could be better than standing in line for a turn

That is something that I forgot about also.  I think the semi-private lessons are $69 for an hour.  A couple of sessions for the week wouldn't set you back to much at all.

[MargaretK54]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

The early morning sessions are the shortest lines in my experience.

With the soda package water is available at all the freestyle machines and is just as good as that Ice River bottled water they sell at the bar. Freestyle machines are located in the promende and the windjammer so they are convenient to wherever you might be. Also, if you really want bottled water one way you can economize is to bring water onboard with you. I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think that you can bring up to 24 bottles onboard.  

Do you need to use the special plastic cup Royal gives you or do other cups work?

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, MargaretK54 said:

Do you need to use the special plastic cup Royal gives you or do other cups work?

 

You need to use the special cup for the Freestyle machines.

[Tree_skier]

20 minutes ago, MargaretK54 said:

Do you need to use the special plastic cup Royal gives you or do other cups work?

 

9 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You need to use the special cup for the Freestyle machines.

For some reason I thought I read somewhere that you could use any cup if.you were just getting water?  I'm probably wrong but I have that faint recollection. 

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

 

For some reason I thought I read somewhere that you could use any cup if.you were just getting water?  I'm probably wrong but I have that faint recollection. 

 

I know you can get ice without the cup.  Maybe water too, but not sure about that.