Junior Suite vs Grand Suite on Mariner

[NoMadSean]

We are very close to booking a 5-night Cozumel/Costa Maya cruise on Mariner for next April. The big question is Junior Suite vs Grand Suite. I would be for me, my wife, and my 6 yo. The price difference is about $1000. Looking at the difference in rooms, that part doesn't seem worth it, but it seems like most the price difference is the concierge services. For those who have experienced that, is it worth it? Here is a little addition info. My vegan. Would dining go smoother with concierge serving setting things up? She also has bad eyesight. We typically pay a lot of money for close seats for concerts and Broadway. Does concierge get you better seats for the shows? Also, I know Junior Suites get preferential boarding, but Grand gets expedited departure. Is that a big deal?

Thanks in advance!

[topnole]

On that ship I don’t think it is worth an extra $1000.  If it was Oasis class with more benefits, I would spend the extra $1000.  Priority departure is nice, but how much one really needs it, or values it, will vary.  If you aren’t in a rush that day it probably doesn’t make a huge difference. You shouldn’t need a concierge to help you with your dietary needs.  That can be requested via other routes.   Likely the same thing for show seats due to vision issues.  Enjoy your cruise.  

[firefly333]

Go to the shows early and pick your seats. 

[smokeybandit]

Priority departure is one of the most undervalued perks of being in a suite. You get sent right to the front of the line to exit the ship, and sometimes that can save you a ton of time.

 

 

[SG65CB]

How much do you drink? Happy hour in the suite lounge includes unlimited drinks. We have a couple before dinner, and a couple more after dinner before the show. Four drinks a day times $14 times 7 days plus 18% gratuity is $462 per person in free drinks. We obviously don't buy a drink package. 

 

[George C]

Much larger suite with grand including some separation, happy hour, breakfast in specialty restaurant. Don’t remember any thing special for shows .

[Cruise a holic]

I wouldn't waste the $1000 on a true suite on that ship.  If you can move up for a few hundred $$ do it.  IMO not worth $1000.

[mandyleighflies]

I have sailed in both these classes of suites with my kids (teens now) and I think with a 6 year old the JS would be just fine. I agree with PP's about the benefits of GS over JS are minimal on the less than Oasis class ships. That being said, now that I have two teenagers (adult sized humans with skin care routines and hair routines) the second sink and slightly more square footage is valuable to me at this point in our lives. 

[smokeybandit]

10 minutes ago, mandyleighflies said:

I agree with PP's about the benefits of GS over JS are minimal on the less than Oasis class ships

 

Minimal if you don't drink, don't want to have a dedicated space for breakfast, don't like free galley/bridge tours and do like standing in lines to disembark

[mandyleighflies]

22 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

I wouldn't waste the $1000 on a true suite on that ship.  If you can move up for a few hundred $$ do it.  IMO not worth $1000.

 

THIS. We just got off Grandeur OTS in GS yesterday and the difference between JS and GS on that sailing was less than $600.00 for the 3 of us. If it had been massively different, it wouldn't have been worth it. 

[cruisegus]

As most others have posted and I agree, the only really usefull added benefit to a GS over a JS on a ship less than Oasis and Quantum Class is "free" drinks in suite lounge ~5-8 pm and a seperate place to sit for breakfast in the mornings "generally in Chops", but same menu as MDR breakfast.

Yes the GS cabin is also a bit larger than the JS, but the JS is also much larger than an OVB.

[ReneeFLL]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Minimal if you don't drink, don't want to have a dedicated space for breakfast, don't like free galley/bridge tours and do like standing in lines to disembark

Is it guaranteed they will get a bridge/galley tour? They can disembark early with self assist and there normally aren’t any lines. The free drinks are in the lounge only. If they go with the jr suite they can spend the $1,000.00 on drinks anywhere on the ship or on some else.

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Is it guaranteed they will get a bridge/galley tour? They can disembark early with self assist and there normally aren’t any lines. The free drinks are in the lounge only. If they go with the jr suite they can spend the $1,000.00 on drinks anywhere on the ship or on some else.

And this is why there are multiple cabin classes on a ship

[orville99]

22 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Is it guaranteed they will get a bridge/galley tour?

We have sailed in GS and OS on several cruises since the restart, and have yet to be offered a Galley or Bridge tour. My best guess is that they haven't restarted those yet as we also haven't been offered either of those tours as Pinnacle either.

[orville99]

13 hours ago, NoMadSean said:

We are very close to booking a 5-night Cozumel/Costa Maya cruise on Mariner for next April. The big question is Junior Suite vs Grand Suite. I would be for me, my wife, and my 6 yo.

On a short cruise such as this with two port days and only two sea days there is little added benefit to a GS over a JS. Concierge services really don't exist to any extent on the smaller ships, and you will likely be off the ship in both of those ports all day so any services that might be offered will be unused.

[FLcruisergrl]

Get a JS and try to get one on deck 11. There are only a few and they are tucked away next to the solarium. Nice size balconies!

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Get a JS and try to get one on deck 11. There are only a few and they are tucked away next to the solarium. Nice size balconies!

good to know.  We have one on deck 11 upcoming on Independence.

[hmorrow]

Nothing to do with your cabin dilema, but just fyi- a 5 night cruise to Mexico, in April, will probably have tons of spring breakers, onboard.....again, just fyi

[NoMadSean]

23 minutes ago, hmorrow said:

Nothing to do with your cabin dilema, but just fyi- a 5 night cruise to Mexico, in April, will probably have tons of spring breakers, onboard.....again, just fyi

Yes, it will be k-12 April Break.....I would be one of those people. My daughter is an only child and kids for her in the kids club is actually a benefit 🙂

Edited April 9, 2023 by NoMadSean

[beachluver9]

On 4/7/2023 at 10:14 PM, SG65CB said:

How much do you drink? Happy hour in the suite lounge includes unlimited drinks. We have a couple before dinner, and a couple more after dinner before the show. Four drinks a day times $14 times 7 days plus 18% gratuity is $462 per person in free drinks. We obviously don't buy a drink package. 

 

That is why we upgraded to an owner's suite last time we sailed RCCL.  The only problem for us turned out to be bringing a well behaved, quiet,  7 yr old in the suite lounge.  We received snide remarks and nasty glares the entire cruise.  The 7 yr old was much quieter and better behaved than some of the loud rude folks in the lounge.  Just be prepared for that.  Also, most nights the suite lounge was standing room only unless you were seated prior to happy hour.

[Steppy08]

We just got off Mariner on Monday. We had a GS (the RoyalUp fairy paid a visit). 
loved the suite, the balcony, and all the little concierge services but especially the suite lounge happy hour. It was empty most of the time. 
As much as l loved the GS, it would not have been worth it for the full fare difference in a JS. Although we almost drank the difference in prices in the suite lounge! 
id book the JS and see if a Royal Up offer comes along. 

[Rouque]

Another perk to a GS is having dinner delivered to your room.  Could be helpful with a tired 6 yr.

[George C]

8 minutes ago, Rouque said:

Another perk to a GS is having dinner delivered to your room.  Could be helpful with a tired 6 yr.

No really good table to have dinner unless you go up to owners suite