New to suite life--ideas and suggestions welcome / 5 Day Los Angeles--Los Cabos / February 10th

[DiRonT]

25 minutes ago, memoak said:

These are all available in full suites. Water is brought every day or sometimes in groups of 4. Fruit basket is always there on sailing day (we always have it taken away. There will be one small flower but not a huge bouquet 

We have sailed in suites the last 2 years (4-5 a year) and always had these items

Yes. I agree, we have also had these things on Ruby,  Sapphire, Discovery (numerous times) and Majestic (twice).

[suzyluvs2cruise]

4 hours ago, pugetmandm said:

I'm stunned (but delighted) to hear that the 360 is included--when I went to sign up, the charge was almost $300, but I'm hearing that will be refunded?

 

4 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

For me I was not charged. The final amount showed $0.00. Now I also have the Premier package but I do not think that includes free 360.

 

I have Premier and a Suite on Discovery and could not book 360 without a charge. 

[HBCcruiser]

6 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

 

I have Premier and a Suite on Discovery and could not book 360 without a charge. 

Interesting. Wonder why I could? I did it a while ago before the new app rolled out could that be it?

 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

2 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Interesting. Wonder why I could? I did it a while ago before the new app rolled out could that be it?

 

I tried with both the old and new App. I also can't book the 1st night complimentary dining. 

 

Edited January 9 by suzyluvs2cruise

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

I tried with both the old and new App. I also can't book the 1st night complimentary dining. 

 

I have said it before and I will say it again. They leave tables empty on first night for suites. We have never ever had to book in advance. For 360 you will be contacted and given a list of available days and sittings. This is how it has worked for us the entire last year

[tootsiescurly]

6 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

Welcome to the SWEET suite life! We will be on the cruise right after you. A few tips:

 

1. Be sure to ask where the full suite/Elite boarding area is. You should board in the first group.

2. Yes, eat at Sabatini's for breakfast - worth it!

3. You have Club Class Dining which is in the Skagway Dining Room on Deck 6 from what I remember.

4. Enjoy free drinks and snicky-snacks/happy hours in the suite lounge on deck 14.

5. Book the 360 dining experience in the App - it is free for you. You also get a free specialty dining the first night so book that now too.

6. You get a free mini bar set up in your cabin that you are able to switch out for wine or bottles that you prefer.

7. Take advantage of the free laundry if needed.

8. The concierge is available to assist you in booking/changing reservations.

9. Sign up for the Chef's table if you want to do that at guest services right when. you board. I prefer 360 but that is a personal choice. You do pay for Chef's NOT 360.

 

Drinks are not included except during the suite happy hour. They do have coffee available there all day though.

Wifi Not included.

 

 

You can also get a continental breakfast in the concierge lounge.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

I have said it before and I will say it again. They leave tables empty on first night for suites. We have never ever had to book in advance. For 360 you will be contacted and given a list of available days and sittings. This is how it has worked for us the entire last year

Thank you! I know you said that on another post but this time I was reponding to @HBCcruiserwho indicated they were able to book pre-cruise. 

[HBCcruiser]

11 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

Thank you! I know you said that on another post but this time I was reponding to @HBCcruiserwho indicated they were able to book pre-cruise. 

Correct. I checked my CC statement and zero charges. I’m just chalking it up to another Princess tech glitch. 🙄 You should be able to book specialty dining, especially if you have the Premier package. 

[Outerdog]

8 hours ago, jmelnick said:

Most folks seem to dislike the canapes.  

 

Honest to god. They taste like they were prepared days in advance and stored in the engine room ahead of delivery to the staterooms

 

[wallyj]

58 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Correct. I checked my CC statement and zero charges. I’m just chalking it up to another Princess tech glitch. 🙄 You should be able to book specialty dining, especially if you have the Premier package. 

Yes, unfortunately APP glitches again, especially with booking your 2 included SD with Premier pkg. A few weeks ago, I booked my SD reservations for upcoming 4 day on Discovery in February and 7 day on Ruby in April, no problem and no charge using the ‘old’ APP. Recent reports are both new and old APP are not recognizing Premier and wanting to charge for SD and not zero out charge like before.

[FritzG]

1 hour ago, Outerdog said:

 

Honest to god. They taste like they were prepared days in advance and stored in the engine room ahead of delivery to the staterooms

 

Yes, there’s nothing tastier than dried out prosciutto wrapped around a soggy bread stick. 🙁

[cr8tiv1]

Oh, I forgot about the canapés!  Floral arrangements are a hit and miss.  Same ship, got one, got none.

[DiRonT]

On 1/9/2024 at 7:24 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

Oh, I forgot about the canapés!  Floral arrangements are a hit and miss.  Same ship, got one, got none.

Definitely good reason to forget about the canapés.  They are definitely not memorable.

[XBGuy]

It's funny, I have have always enjoyed the canapes.

 

I agree that if they are left out in the open, the bread and toppings, such as whipped cheese or pate, will dry out and a bit of a crust might appear, but I have never seen that problem.

 

I agree that the prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks that they used to serve in Sabatini's were consistently disappointing, but I don't think those are served anymore.  

[Camberley]

On 1/9/2024 at 5:41 PM, pugetmandm said:

Yes, there was only one (aft) suite left.

These are, IMO, the best suites for those glorious balconies. I know some like to scoff that it’s all a waste as you never much spend time on a balcony/in the room blah blah blah…..,but you absolutely do. The large aft balcony on a sea day in good weather is fabulous: nice, private enough, away from any hoggers etc…And we love using it for mini gatherings with drinks, nibbles and friends both new and “old” before we go out for the evening.

 

The challenging thing for us is that suite life is just too addictive!

[nwnittany]

33 minutes ago, Camberley said:

The challenging thing for us is that suite life is just too addictive!

 

How true...lol...how true.

[nini]

We are true balcony fans. We have never been in a suite but book aft cabins with the larger balconies. People scoff when they say, "Who really uses them?"

WE DO!!!

[donswife]

We were on the 5 day Cabo in a suite at the end of November.  I was able to reserve 360 by calling a number provided in an email a couple months before. We were charged for the first night specialty dinner.  I brought it up to the suite concierge since I had been able to reserve it without charge. She said it was only free for 6+ nights.

[HBCcruiser]

44 minutes ago, donswife said:

  I brought it up to the suite concierge since I had been able to reserve it without charge. She said it was only free for 6+ nights.

That must be new because we have always received a free embarkation day specialty dinner on the 5 or 4 night cruises, and I was able to book it for free for our upcoming 4-day Discovery cruise. They are still advertising it too.   https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

[kstrittm]

On 1/9/2024 at 10:37 AM, HBCcruiser said:

I always prebook so I can get the date/time I prefer. He will be on the Discovery because I know that it is sailing to Cabo right before my cruise.

Actually, they do charge you $78 if you pre-book the first night.  Just tell the Concierge when you board and they will credit your account.

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, kstrittm said:

Actually, they do charge you $78 if you pre-book the first night.  Just tell the Concierge when you board and they will credit your account.

They have never done this in the past - this must be new. They also should change their Suite Brochure which does not stipulate any exceptions to the free specialty dining benefit.  

https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

[voljeep]

25 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

That must be new because we have always received a free embarkation day specialty dinner on the 5 or 4 night cruises, and I was able to book it for free for our upcoming 4-day Discovery cruise. They are still advertising it too.   https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

see posts 15, 16, and 17

[JF - retired RRT]

On 1/9/2024 at 1:40 PM, memoak said:

These are all available in full suites. Water is brought every day or sometimes in groups of 4. Fruit basket is always there on sailing day (we always have it taken away. There will be one small flower but not a huge bouquet 

We have sailed in suites the last 2 years (4-5 a year) and always had these items

My point was that they are no longer listed on Princess.com.

If you're new to suites and don't get something that experience suite cruisers expect, you won't know what to ask for.

On our very first suite on Discovery, I brought the list with me. Boy, did I need it!! Our disaster of a steward had to be shown the list in order to get anything that is usually provided. Even with the list, we never had fresh flowers and a couple of other things that I requested and just got a shrug.

His end of trip tip reflected his caring attitude.

[marden1970]

Just a word of caution,  once you sail in a suite, it's hard to go back to anything less.

[XBGuy]

2 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

They have never done this in the past - this must be new. They also should change their Suite Brochure which does not stipulate any exceptions to the free specialty dining benefit.  

https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

 

@HBCcruiser, I know that you are an experienced Princess cruiser.  So, I am sure that you are aware that the "old" Suites Benefits brochure did specify that the complimentary embarkation day specialty dining was only available on cruises of 6 days or longer.  Here are some images from the old brochure

 

 

 

Notice the footnote reference at the end of the benefit description.

 

At the bottom of the page there are multiple footnotes that itemize various exceptions.

 

As you indicated there is no exception indicated on the brochure that is currently posted on the Princess site.  So. it is reasonable to question whether or not the "must be more that 5 days" exception is still the policy.

 

The other thing I found intriguing in this current version is the item that says "Priority Specialty Dining Reservations."

 

 

Does this mean that as a Suite Passenger, I do not have to make specialty dining reservations before I even board the ship?  I can just pick up the phone from my suite, ask for a table and be be confident that I will be accommodated?