Signature suites - what do you think?

[ISABELLA]

I just received an email, stating that Princess is introducing Signature suites - similar idea to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht club and Celebrity Retreat.

What do you think?

[memoak]

1 minute ago, ISABELLA said:

I just received an email, stating that Princess is introducing Signature suites - similar idea to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht club and Celebrity Retreat.

What do you think?

Don’t really care for that much of an exclusive environment 

[reedprincess]

28 minutes ago, ISABELLA said:

I just received an email, stating that Princess is introducing Signature suites - similar idea to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht club and Celebrity Retreat.

What do you think?

I think it was inevitable. That's the trend of cruising, a return - so to speak - of the various class systems of old..  Pay more, get more.

For Princess, it's a major expansion of the Suite experience, from the suite breakfast and Concierge lounge but everything else basically out in the general population, to moving much of it to its own separate private areas... Very different focus for Princess which has always been among the more egalitarian lines - but it was inevitable really... 

At least it's not yet quite as much of an enclave as Yacht Club or Haven, or even really the Retreat area on Edge class ships, but it's definitely making a major major move in that direction.. 

[Mary Ann 2]

3 hours ago, ISABELLA said:

I just received an email, stating that Princess is introducing Signature suites - similar idea to NCL Haven, MSC Yacht club and Celebrity Retreat.

What do you think?

The email was specific to the new ships, Sun and Star Princess, which will have Signature suites I believe.

[J13C85]

On Sun and Star, Princess introduced an "entry level" suite that is simply a Mini Suite (in design and sqf) with full suite benefits.

 

For us, this was a no go.  We have been sailing in the larger suites and feel these are a step backward. They are priced the same as the larger suites on other ships, and suites of a comparable size were appx 40% higher on Star and Sun. We wound up booking an Owner's Suite with a wraparound balcony on a Mex Riviera Cruise for appx $1K less than a Penthouse Suite on Star to Caribbean (both 7D cruises leaving the same day)

[c-boy]

I think it's wonderful. Other than the concierge lounge there isn't enough to boast about, so hopefully the amenities on this new ship class will be better.

[ldubs]

27 minutes ago, Mary Ann 2 said:

The email was specific to the new ships, Sun and Star Princess, which will have Signature suites I believe.

 

When I first viewed the deck plans for Sun, I wondered if it was designed with this in mind.  Or I heard it from someone else.  Either way it seems to make sense.  

 

What do I think?  I'll wait and see if adding a separate signature class changes my non-signature class cruise experience.     

Edited August 31, 2023 by ldubs

[ISABELLA]

My interest sparked because we liked to be in separate areas by the pool or dining, especially in the large ship. SF of the suite is not a critical issue for us. Added privileges are more important to us. After trying NCL Haven, we really enjoyed small ship inside the big ship experience. It is cost more. 

[ISABELLA]

8 hours ago, J13C85 said:

On Sun and Star, Princess introduced an "entry level" suite that is simply a Mini Suite (in design and sqf) with full suite benefits.

 

For us, this was a no go.  We have been sailing in the larger suites and feel these are a step backward. They are priced the same as the larger suites on other ships, and suites of a comparable size were appx 40% higher on Star and Sun. We wound up booking an Owner's Suite with a wraparound balcony on a Mex Riviera Cruise for appx $1K less than a Penthouse Suite on Star to Caribbean (both 7D cruises leaving the same day)

Where can I find descriptions of benefits associated with suits on other Princess ships like separate restaurants, pool area, lounge??

[Abercrombie2019]

44 minutes ago, ISABELLA said:

Where can I find descriptions of benefits associated with suits on other Princess ships like separate restaurants, pool area, lounge??

Only the Sun & Star Princess will have the Signature Suites.  You can go to Princess.com and 

• select "Onboard Our Ships"
• then select either "Sun Princess" or "Star Princess"
• then scroll down to "Accommodations" where it describes "Reserve Collection" and "Signature Collection".  They have an image of "Signature Sun Deck", "Signature Lounge", "Signature Restaurant", "Reserve Collection Restaurant" and "Cabana Deck".  Only Sun & Star have a separate Reserve Collection Restaurant.

 

The "Reserve Collection" replaces the old Club Class dining on all other Princess Ships.  There will be a dedicated area in one of the main dining rooms for the exclusive use of people staying in a Reserve Collection Mini Suite or Suite.  You can check the deck plans of individual ships to locate the Reserve Collection Mini Suites.

[ISABELLA]

1 hour ago, Abercrombie2019 said:

Only the Sun & Star Princess will have the Signature Suites.  You can go to Princess.com and 

• select "Onboard Our Ships"
• then select either "Sun Princess" or "Star Princess"
• then scroll down to "Accommodations" where it describes "Reserve Collection" and "Signature Collection".  They have an image of "Signature Sun Deck", "Signature Lounge", "Signature Restaurant", "Reserve Collection Restaurant" and "Cabana Deck".  Only Sun & Star have a separate Reserve Collection Restaurant.

 

The "Reserve Collection" replaces the old Club Class dining on all other Princess Ships.  There will be a dedicated area in one of the main dining rooms for the exclusive use of people staying in a Reserve Collection Mini Suite or Suite.  You can check the deck plans of individual ships to locate the Reserve Collection Mini Suites.

Thank you for your input. Does Reserve Collection Suite or mini suite offer different menu for dinner? Or, it just allocated area in the MDR with the same menu? Also do suite guests have free access to Sanctuary? Thank you very much for helping to sort all of this out.

[Abercrombie2019]

5 minutes ago, ISABELLA said:

Thank you for your input. Does Reserve Collection Suite or mini suite offer different menu for dinner? Or, it just allocated area in the MDR with the same menu? Also do suite guests have free access to Sanctuary? Thank you very much for helping to sort all of this out.

I've never stayed in Club Class (or Reserve Collection), but from what I've read on Cruise Critic, the menu is the same with at least one additional item that may involve some table side preparation.  It is an area inside one of the dining rooms.  Sanctuary is a separate fee.

 

If you stay in a full Suite on Discovery or Enchanted, then you will also be invited to the 360 Dining Experience.  Suites have other amenities https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

 

Mini Suites are not "Suites" and do not have the same amenities.

[ISABELLA]

12 minutes ago, Abercrombie2019 said:

I've never stayed in Club Class (or Reserve Collection), but from what I've read on Cruise Critic, the menu is the same with at least one additional item that may involve some table side preparation.  It is an area inside one of the dining rooms.  Sanctuary is a separate fee.

 

If you stay in a full Suite on Discovery or Enchanted, then you will also be invited to the 360 Dining Experience.  Suites have other amenities https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

 

Mini Suites are not "Suites" and do not have the same amenities.

Much more clear now.

Thank you

[CalTexCruiser]

from the Sun Princess deck plan, I see a "Reserve Collection Restaurant" and a "Signature Restaurant."  What's the distinction between the two?

 

It appears from the deck plan that these two restaurants are separate from the MDR, which IMO seems like an improvement over Reserve dining on the other Princess ships where the Reserve dining is part of the MDR but in a separate area.

 

Will the restaurant assigned to full suites have elevated dining choices similar to Celebrity's Luminae or NCL's Haven?  I wasn't terribly impressed with suite dining on the Discovery Princess as it had the regular MDR dining menu plus one additional item (which wasn't that great either).

[Fortunate 2 travel]

2 hours ago, ISABELLA said:

Where can I find descriptions of benefits associated with suits on other Princess ships like separate restaurants, pool area, lounge??

There are a couple well done videos on YouTube.  Also pull up the specific ship on the website and go the the staterooms.  It lists the benefits.  

[Fortunate 2 travel]

1 minute ago, CalTexCruiser said:

from the Sun Princess deck plan, I see a "Reserve Collection Restaurant" and a "Signature Restaurant."  What's the distinction between the two?

 

It appears from the deck plan that these two restaurants are separate from the MDR, which IMO seems like an improvement over Reserve dining on the other Princess ships where the Reserve dining is part of the MDR but in a separate area.

 

Will the restaurant assigned to full suites have elevated dining choices similar to Celebrity's Luminae or NCL's Haven?  I wasn't terribly impressed with suite dining on the Discovery Princess as it had the regular MDR dining menu plus one additional item (which wasn't that great either).

Signature restaurant is for suites, reserve is for the reserve class mini suites

[CalTexCruiser]

13 minutes ago, Fortunate 2 travel said:

Signature restaurant is for suites, reserve is for the reserve class mini suites

 

Oh I see, so everything marked with "Signature" is dedicated to full suites only.  I also see two elevators at the rear of the ship that go to the Signature Lounge and Signature Sun Deck--I wonder if those elevators are also dedicated to full suite guests only.  

 

Seems like Princess has really upped its game for the suite-only enclave experience.  

[stevenr597]

15 hours ago, reedprincess said:

I think it was inevitable. That's the trend of cruising, a return - so to speak - of the various class systems of old..  Pay more, get more.

For Princess, it's a major expansion of the Suite experience, from the suite breakfast and Concierge lounge but everything else basically out in the general population, to moving much of it to its own separate private areas... Very different focus for Princess which has always been among the more egalitarian lines - but it was inevitable really... 

At least it's not yet quite as much of an enclave as Yacht Club or Haven, or even really the Retreat area on Edge class ships, but it's definitely making a major major move in that direction.. 

One could argue that it would make more sense to book on a “true” luxury liner such as Oceania, Regent Seven Sea, Crystal, or Seaborne, then to pay a lot more for the “Ship within a Ship” concept. 

[ISABELLA]

22 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

One could argue that it would make more sense to book on a “true” luxury liner such as Oceania, Regent Seven Sea, Crystal, or Seaborne, then to pay a lot more for the “Ship within a Ship” concept. 

I think for some, having a choice to book without Princess Plus is a benefit, where Oceania and others all included in the price. After brief comparison, price for just a balcony on O is the same as a suite on Princess. Time will tell, but I think this move by Princess will put other mid road cruise lines on notice. Retreat  prices on Celebrity became insane with a lot of cuts. 

[Steelers36]

28 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

One could argue that it would make more sense to book on a “true” luxury liner such as Oceania, Regent Seven Sea, Crystal, or Seaborne, then to pay a lot more for the “Ship within a Ship” concept. 

True - one can argue any subjective subject and there will be a range of opinions.  There won't be a "right" answer.

[c-boy]

33 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

One could argue that it would make more sense to book on a “true” luxury liner such as Oceania, Regent Seven Sea, Crystal, or Seaborne, then to pay a lot more for the “Ship within a Ship” concept. 

Princess might be attempting to fill a niche, without their customers having to shell out 60 k. 

[stevenr597]

1 hour ago, c-boy said:

Princess might be attempting to fill a niche, without their customers having to shell out 60 k. 

Good point.  If it  is what one wants.  

We always book a Mini-Suite, club class, when we book Celebrity we go Aqua Class, but it may make more sense to book a standard balcony on one of the luxury class liners.  

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, stevenr597 said:

One could argue that it would make more sense to book on a “true” luxury liner such as Oceania, Regent Seven Sea, Crystal, or Seaborne, then to pay a lot more for the “Ship within a Ship” concept. 

Ture - if one were wanting the more small ship experience. Or one could sail a suite on Princess (or MSC or Celebrity or RCCL, etc) and enjoy both intimate suite only elevated amenities and all a larger ship has to offer for entertainment, dining options, activities, etc. 

Personal choice - and isn't it great that we have such a choice and we're not all the same?