Wanting on opinions re upgrade from AFT premium deluxe balcony versus Reserve collection mini suite

[pryce_tag]

We are currently in an AFT premium deluxe balcony cabin and we have bid on the Reserve collection minisuite, but we have been advised by princess we would have to up our bid $4,000 (for both total) to secure the minisuite and we don't know if it is worth the extra money.  We are platinum members so already get priority boarding/disembarkation.  Only benefit I see that would be nice would be the extra room in the cabin.  We will be on a long cruise so just wanting to get opinions on whether others think it would be worth it or not.  We are a couple with a child.  

Thanks in advance for your opinions.  :)

[cruise_critical]

How much % of your current booking would that $4k be? Going by past and recent pricing, if it's about 25-30% extra, then it is pretty much what it would have cost extra at original time of the booking.

 

As for the room/perks. Room partitioning via curtain is nice to have, especially with my young teens. We also prefer mid-ship location for convenience, so that works for us. But the real benefit that we find worth while is the reserved dining as it's stress free with a more personal service. Not quite Coastal Kitchen in RCCL, but close enough.

 

If you feel you see value in those, then yes it's worth it. 

 

If not, spend that $4k on something else like a Premier package if you weren't going to but both like to drink. 4 device per person internet, unlimited casual dining, and VIP seating in production shows are all awesome perks that we really found valuable as well.

 

 

 

Edited March 9 by cruise_critical

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

Difficult to comment on price as you don't say how long the cruise is for but if it were me I'd take a mini-suite over a deluxe balcony at any sensible price. We love the split room by curtain... two TVs and the Reserve Collection dining. Midships too.

 

What is a sensible price? Look at similar cruises on the Princess web site and make a dummy booking to see what you might pay at full price and that will guide you. Is it worth it? That is entirely a personal choice 🙂 

[HotRoot]

Extra space with a child.  I vote to take it.

[sunviking90]

While it would be nice to have the extra room (and a tub) with a child, I would not pay $4000 for it. I don’t consider that a sensible price, but I don’t know how long your cruise is. Remember that you’ll have a very, very large balcony with your aft deluxe stateroom which you may loose in your upsell. 
I personally also have issue with Princess “counterbidding”. I would not play that game. I also think you’ve answered your own question when you say you’re not sure it’s “worth it”.

[TAW1963]

3 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

While it would be nice to have the extra room (and a tub) with a child, I would not pay $4000 for it. I don’t consider that a sensible price, but I don’t know how long your cruise is. Remember that you’ll have a very, very large balcony with your aft deluxe stateroom which you may loose in your upsell. 
I personally also have issue with Princess “counterbidding”. I would not play that game. I also think you’ve answered your own question when you say you’re not sure it’s “worth it”.

I don't mean to contradict what you are saying, but assuming this is on a Royal class ship, not all of the aft-facing Premium Deluxe Balcony cabins have large balconies.  The larger ones are found on decks 9, 11 and 14.  Those on decks 9 and 11 will be about half covered and the ones on deck 14 will be uncovered.  

[HotRoot]

5 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

While it would be nice to have the extra room (and a tub) with a child, I would not pay $4000 for it. I don’t consider that a sensible price, but I don’t know how long your cruise is. Remember that you’ll have a very, very large balcony with your aft deluxe stateroom which you may loose in your upsell. 
I personally also have issue with Princess “counterbidding”. I would not play that game. I also think you’ve answered your own question when you say you’re not sure it’s “worth it”.

33 night cruise.  Sydney to Seattle.  We are on the same cruise.  We are already in a mini-suite.  Like the couch and tub.  Do not care about the TV or curtains.  We have bid on a Reserve Class mini-suite.  Have heard nothing from Princess.  So, I would like to say don't take it and maybe they will offer it to us.  But. with a 5 year old, I would take the mini-suite.

[LACruiser88]

We are also on this voyage, it's on the Majestic.  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9 by LACruiser88

[sunviking90]

18 minutes ago, TAW1963 said:

I don't mean to contradict what you are saying, but assuming this is on a Royal class ship, not all of the aft-facing Premium Deluxe Balcony cabins have large balconies.  The larger ones are found on decks 9, 11 and 14.  Those on decks 9 and 11 will be about half covered and the ones on deck 14 will be uncovered.  

No problem. Thank you for the correction. We have been on 14 and 11 only. 

[sunviking90]

@pryce_tag Do you have the option to bid on a regular mini suite? It doesn’t sound like you are interested in the “reserve” benefits, but more the extra space, etc. It may be a lot less. 

[pryce_tag]

8 hours ago, sunviking90 said:

@pryce_tag Do you have the option to bid on a regular mini suite? It doesn’t sound like you are interested in the “reserve” benefits, but more the extra space, etc. It may be a lot less. 

We chose not to bid on the regular mini suite as we know that they would probably put us in a not nice location.  So we thought if we were going to do it would rather one we know will be in a good location - hence the reserve collection.

 

8 hours ago, HotRoot said:

33 night cruise.  Sydney to Seattle.  We are on the same cruise.  We are already in a mini-suite.  Like the couch and tub.  Do not care about the TV or curtains.  We have bid on a Reserve Class mini-suite.  Have heard nothing from Princess.  So, I would like to say don't take it and maybe they will offer it to us.  But. with a 5 year old, I would take the mini-suite.

I had to laugh at your comment to not take it so you can have it hahahaha.

[pryce_tag]

8 hours ago, TAW1963 said:

I don't mean to contradict what you are saying, but assuming this is on a Royal class ship, not all of the aft-facing Premium Deluxe Balcony cabins have large balconies.  The larger ones are found on decks 9, 11 and 14.  Those on decks 9 and 11 will be about half covered and the ones on deck 14 will be uncovered.  

The aft cabin we have is definitely the larger balcony.  I have checked this already 🙂

 

[CruzeQueen2]

@pryce_tag Don't think anyone has mentioned this point here. The Reserve Collection benefit is also one where you don't usually have to wait too long to be seated in that part of the dining room.  No lining up for getting into the dining area, usually, when you have the Reserve Collection booking. With a five year old - that may be worth having for your 33 days. IMHO

I sailed on Majestic in October 2023 and the Reserve Collection staff was wonderful. I was very grateful to be in that dining area for 17 days.

[Ellipooh]

For an additional $121/day, I’d go for the dining benefit and extra room if the child is walking age