Presidential Family Suite

[timsbabe]

Has anyone recently stayed in one of the PFS? We are planning (far out) in 2010 for our parents 50th anniversary. I know the max. is 14 people. Are they firm on that number? We'll have 15.

 

Also, how is the space, honestly. Is it really enough room for everyone? We'll be four couples and 7 kids (well, not all kids) ages 22, 20, 18, 16, 12, 8, and 6.

 

And one last question. Anyone know about pricing?

 

I'm not a big fan of the idea, but if that's what makes the parents happy....sounds like alot of people in a small space for one whole week!!!!! As you can probably guess we're the couple with one 22 yr. old (to be) daughter in college...we've grown accustom to the solitude! Any words of wisdom????

[wrp96]

Yes, there are definitely firm on 14 being the maximum number you could put in the room.

 

You could always get your own room for you and your wife and child and then everyone else in the PFS.

[cb at sea]

I'd go ahead and book a room of your own. Your parents will understand (at least, I'd hope so!)

Cruising is romantic, and some privacy is a GOOD thing! There are only 2 bedrooms (1 is small) and the walls won't be as "soundproof" as a cabin wall will be.

Put 13 in that suite with the grandparents, and get yourself something nearby!

[timsbabe]

Don't know why I didn't think of our own room.

 

Actually the idea for the suite was my sister's...the one with the 3 youngest children. I'm guessing she was probably thinking with 10 other people there would always be a babysitter!!!;)

[MomtoCCC]

How much does this run? I was thinking of our family which would probably be 4 couples and 1-2 kids so maybe 10 people(?) Is there a minimum? Do they price it by number of people or is it a set rate regardless of the number of people?

[wrp96]

It requires a minimum of 8 people to book.

 

Pricing varies, but usually you'll pay one price for the 1st and 2nd passengers, and then a lower price for the rest of the passengers in the stateroom. I know when Freedom first came out someone priced it for 14 people and it would've cost $33,000.

 

I know that a regular poster here sailed in it the last few months and paid less than that, but it was still extremely expensive.

 

Also, it usually books up almost as soon as bookings open so if you want to book it, don't hesitate.

[PantherFan]

Maybe try for the Royal Family Suites.

 

We booked the 2 on deck 8 of the Liberty (side by side) they each take up to 8. (But I would say 5-6 comfortably if you have adults) We also have the 2 rooms on each side that connect to the RFS.

 

With all that it is close to $14,000 the week prior to Christmas and being in the suites we have suite benefits.

 

We booked it because we want to be close with our group as sometimes with individual balconies or rooms it is hard to hang out together since the rooms are too small but the RFS have a large sitting area both inside and on the balcony.

[oneeyedguy]

We booked it two years ago for an upcoming trip this year. There are eleven of us going. 4 adults and 7 kids ages 20, 20, 18, 17, 13, 9, & 7. First two passengers paid around $3400.00 each and then everyone else is $750.00 each. So for 11 of us it is around $13,500.00. I don't know if the price has changed as I said we booked it two years ago. You have to book direct with RC. I just hope it's not too crowded. I would love to hear from some who's stayed in it.

[ownedbypets]

We booked the Presidential suite over a year ago for this March. It was about $14,000 for 8 of us. We had to cancel because spring break was changed and we really couldn't pull the kids from school for a week. We put our name on the list for the suite again and the day that the new bookings opened we had the suite by 8:01 A.M. but of course the price had gone up. Now it is $7282.10 for the first 2 people and $1,347.10 for everyone after that for a total of $22,646.80. We were told that the week we are going is the most popular of the summer.:( I keep watching for the price to go down but I doubt that it will!

[oneeyedguy]

Wow, looks like I got a great deal.:cool: Now if someone who stayed there would please let us know how it was.

[timsbabe]

We booked it two years ago for an upcoming trip this year. There are eleven of us going. 4 adults and 7 kids ages 20, 20, 18, 17, 13, 9, & 7. First two passengers paid around $3400.00 each and then everyone else is $750.00 each. So for 11 of us it is around $13,500.00. I don't know if the price has changed as I said we booked it two years ago. You have to book direct with RC. I just hope it's not too crowded. I would love to hear from some who's stayed in it.

 

 

How did you book so far in advance? It was my understanding that you couldn't book until the itineraries were out for a particular year. We were planning on summer of 2010 and they told me it wouldn't be until April or May of next year that that would happen.

[oneeyedguy]

I called in April 06 and asked and was told that those dates were not available yet. She took my name and number and the night before they became available she called me and asked me what week I wanted. The next day she booked them. That was May of 2006. I would find out far out you can book right now. Then I would call and ask again when the dates you want are going to be released. They might tell you they don't know for sure but they should be able to give you a rough idea. Then I would see if they'll take your name and number and give you a call when they are going to be released. I would also take the name of the person that helps you and their extenstion and keep following up with them to make sure they don't forget about you. If they are still telling you Apri or May of next year, I would be making sure they don't mean this year. Then I would be calling a month or two before they are released to make sure you get the dates you want.

[LAKaye]

Our family cruised in the PFS on the Freedom in order to reunite a family who lives in separate cities across the country; we wanted the togetherness--and we got it! There was grandma and grandpa in the master bedroom on the port side of the suite. Brian and I (oldest son, no children) were in the stateroom on the starboard side of the suite; I would not call this a master bedroom--more like a cramped, dark Cat E. The next couple with 3 yr- & 1 yr-old children had the inside stateroom nearest the grandparents master bedroom, and the last couple (adult daughter, husband, no children) had the inside stateroom on the starboard side of center. To recap: 4 couples, two young children.

 

I cannot imagine more than 8 adults in this suite. We seemed to max it out with the 10 occupants we had. I suppose two more little children could be in the suite without feeling cramped. I think it would start to get hairy with anyone sleeping on the sofa in the living room, just because the sharing-of-the-common-bathrooms.

 

If a family had two or three couples, each having their own rooms, and then shoved a total of six pre-teen children into the last interior and on the sofa and got all six of them to share one bathroom---it might work out without stress.

 

The sharing of a suite with radically different classes of bedrooms worked for us because our family has a distinct pecking order. I don't know what non-related equal footing couples would do to even out the unfairness of the accommodations.

 

Now onto the description of the suite, pasted from another post of mine from a few months ago:

 

There are two entrance doors to the suite. The main entrance (port side) opens into a small marble-floor short hallway that is between the master bedroom (port side) and the port-side interior bedroom. Further into the suite is the dining area of the common living room. The master bedroom is roughly the size of a Junior Suite; it does NOT have a walk in closet. The bathroom has a tub/shower, a single sink, slightly more floorspace than the bathroom in a Junior Suite.

 

The other entrance to the suite is between the starboard side stateroom and the starboard side interior room. This is a long hallway that ends up in the living room. This bedroom starboard side is where we stayed, so I have more detail about it. It was much more cramped than I had expected. It seemed the size of a Cat E, but with a small JS bathroom/tub.

 

The room is not an open space as a regular stateroom--it feels quite cramped; it is broken up into three tiny rooms: a 9.5' x 9.5' bedroom, with a barely 2' wide walkway (forward) to a very small dressing room with a vanity desk and closet. The bathroom is forward of the dressing area. The way the bathroom door opens up next to the closet, the "tunnel" opening into the bathroom was only 19.5 inches. Very tight.

 

In the bedroom, there is a frosted glass door between the foot of the bed area and that hall that leads to the living room--If you need darkness to sleep, bring your glamour mask because any light from early risers in the living room will light up this stateroom, even if your drapes to the balcony are pulled tightly shut. There are odd, glass-front cabinets in the bedroom which look as if they belong in a dining room. Also the dressing room has a door out to the hallway; we never used this door--who would want it swinging open to the common hall while getting dressed?

 

Now, on to the two other rooms: Both of the interior bedrooms have no en suite bathrooms. The bathrooms for both are situated across the common hallways. If you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, or you want to take a shower, you probably want to use a robe to cross the hall.

 

The sofa area of the common living room worked well for us; the dining table area was small; the table had 6 chairs which we never used; we found it helpful to push the table up against the wall. It served as a catch-all counter top. When we wanted to sit around a table, we went out onto the balcony where there were 14 chairs around the huge teak table. This worked even in the rain.

 

Just for the record, this was the first cruise for everyone except me and Brian. Therefore, the other three couples had nothing to compare this to.

 

This PFS worked for our family because we greatly relied on the massive common balcony and the living room to have our little reunion. I dare say though that the adults who had the two interior rooms really did have the undesirable end of the stick: ***No cruise ship in the mass market these days has bathrooms down the hall, except for this top-dollar, one of a kind suite. Let the occupants beware.

 

Leslie

[timsbabe]

I called in April 06 and asked and was told that those dates were not available yet. She took my name and number and the night before they became available she called me and asked me what week I wanted. The next day she booked them. That was May of 2006. I would find out far out you can book right now. Then I would call and ask again when the dates you want are going to be released. They might tell you they don't know for sure but they should be able to give you a rough idea. Then I would see if they'll take your name and number and give you a call when they are going to be released. I would also take the name of the person that helps you and their extenstion and keep following up with them to make sure they don't forget about you. If they are still telling you Apri or May of next year, I would be making sure they don't mean this year. Then I would be calling a month or two before they are released to make sure you get the dates you want.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll definitely keep that in mind. However "LAKaye" makes some interesting points that makes me wonder if separate rooms for each family would be the better route.

 

Thanks again and hope you have a restful, relaxing vacation.

[timsbabe]

Our family cruised in the PFS on the Freedom in order to reunite a family who lives in separate cities across the country; we wanted the togetherness--and we got it! There was grandma and grandpa in the master bedroom on the port side of the suite. Brian and I (oldest son, no children) were in the stateroom on the starboard side of the suite; I would not call this a master bedroom--more like a cramped, dark Cat E. The next couple with 3 yr- & 1 yr-old children had the inside stateroom nearest the grandparents master bedroom, and the last couple (adult daughter, husband, no children) had the inside stateroom on the starboard side of center. To recap: 4 couples, two young children.

 

I cannot imagine more than 8 adults in this suite. We seemed to max it out with the 10 occupants we had. I suppose two more little children could be in the suite without feeling cramped. I think it would start to get hairy with anyone sleeping on the sofa in the living room, just because the sharing-of-the-common-bathrooms.

 

If a family had two or three couples, each having their own rooms, and then shoved a total of six pre-teen children into the last interior and on the sofa and got all six of them to share one bathroom---it might work out without stress.

 

The sharing of a suite with radically different classes of bedrooms worked for us because our family has a distinct pecking order. I don't know what non-related equal footing couples would do to even out the unfairness of the accommodations.

 

Now onto the description of the suite, pasted from another post of mine from a few months ago:

 

There are two entrance doors to the suite. The main entrance (port side) opens into a small marble-floor short hallway that is between the master bedroom (port side) and the port-side interior bedroom. Further into the suite is the dining area of the common living room. The master bedroom is roughly the size of a Junior Suite; it does NOT have a walk in closet. The bathroom has a tub/shower, a single sink, slightly more floorspace than the bathroom in a Junior Suite.

 

The other entrance to the suite is between the starboard side stateroom and the starboard side interior room. This is a long hallway that ends up in the living room. This bedroom starboard side is where we stayed, so I have more detail about it. It was much more cramped than I had expected. It seemed the size of a Cat E, but with a small JS bathroom/tub.

 

The room is not an open space as a regular stateroom--it feels quite cramped; it is broken up into three tiny rooms: a 9.5' x 9.5' bedroom, with a barely 2' wide walkway (forward) to a very small dressing room with a vanity desk and closet. The bathroom is forward of the dressing area. The way the bathroom door opens up next to the closet, the "tunnel" opening into the bathroom was only 19.5 inches. Very tight.

 

In the bedroom, there is a frosted glass door between the foot of the bed area and that hall that leads to the living room--If you need darkness to sleep, bring your glamour mask because any light from early risers in the living room will light up this stateroom, even if your drapes to the balcony are pulled tightly shut. There are odd, glass-front cabinets in the bedroom which look as if they belong in a dining room. Also the dressing room has a door out to the hallway; we never used this door--who would want it swinging open to the common hall while getting dressed?

 

Now, on to the two other rooms: Both of the interior bedrooms have no en suite bathrooms. The bathrooms for both are situated across the common hallways. If you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, or you want to take a shower, you probably want to use a robe to cross the hall.

 

The sofa area of the common living room worked well for us; the dining table area was small; the table had 6 chairs which we never used; we found it helpful to push the table up against the wall. It served as a catch-all counter top. When we wanted to sit around a table, we went out onto the balcony where there were 14 chairs around the huge teak table. This worked even in the rain.

 

Just for the record, this was the first cruise for everyone except me and Brian. Therefore, the other three couples had nothing to compare this to.

 

This PFS worked for our family because we greatly relied on the massive common balcony and the living room to have our little reunion. I dare say though that the adults who had the two interior rooms really did have the undesirable end of the stick: ***No cruise ship in the mass market these days has bathrooms down the hall, except for this top-dollar, one of a kind suite. Let the occupants beware.

 

Leslie

 

Thank you. Sounds like a pretty fair description of the accommodations. I will share it with the rest of the family and then we'll make our decision.

[oneeyedguy]

LAKaye, you making me worried. This is the way it will break down for our family and I'm hoping you will give me your input as to how you think this will work. My wife and I are taking the master. I have no problem with this as I am paying the first two cruise fares and my brother and his wife are paying the $3rd and 4th passenger price. My brother and his wife will be taking what is supposed to be the other master. I am a little worried about your description of this room. I thought both masters had doors to the deck. Am I wrong about this? My 20 year old stepson, my nine year old son and my brothers 18 year old son will share one of the other rooms. My stepsons girlfriend (20) and my daughter (7) will share the other bedroom with my brothers 2 girls (17) and (13). Do you think it will work, or will we hate each other by the end of the cruise? I would assume we would set up the two hallway bathrooms as a girls and boys room. My kids can always use my bathroom. My biggest worry is getting my kids in bed and having the older kids come in late and wake everyone up. I would think the deck is where we would also hang out most of the time, so I'm not so worried about the living area. I have never sailed on RC before so I'm not sure on the size of catagory E, but figure from your comments that you were not too impressed by it.

Thanks for you help

Gordie

[LAKaye]

Gordie~~

 

Your plans sound just fine to me. You will have the biggest room, rightfully so. Your brother and his wife will be just fine in the other full room. The inside rooms will also work out perfectly--one boys, one girls; the oldest two in each room can use the two lower beds, and the younger ones can have their fun on the pullman uppers!

 

You decide which side is which--the boys and the girls. You will see when you get into the suite that there is a bit more privacy afforded over on the starboard side for "The Crossing To The Bathroom", especially if the door to the dressing area of your brothers room stays closed. Those kids on the port side, nearest to your room, will have "The Crossing to the Bathroom" be rather close to and open to the common dining area.

 

Regarding the balcony doors: There are four double sliding glass doors onto the balcony. Your room (port) has one which looks onto the area of the balcony that has the hot tub. Your brothers room (starboard) has doors that look out onto the wet bar on the balcony. The living room and the dining area each have sliding glass doors onto the center area of the balcony on either side of the huge teak table.

 

I should tell you that I had such strong reactions to the starboard bedroom because I am accustomed to having a cruise ship stateroom be of an open configuration---one big room, really. I had a similar shock several years ago when I sailed on the Carnival Legend in 4228, a Category 11 (2nd best room category on the ship) suite. I had expected a large open space as pictured in the brochure only to find that this unusual aft corner balcony was a collection of tiny rooms all separated with walls and doors. It just wasn't what I was expecting. So on the Freedom, the starboard room is quite nice--it's just not what I was expecting from other comments I had heard here shortly after the inaugural of the Freedom, suggesting that there were two master bedrooms that were like Junior Suites. In your particular situation though I would say that your brother is getting quite a nice room for the 3rd & 4th passenger price, so don't give that another thought!

 

Leslie

[Cuizer2]

I got quotes on the Presidential Suite for my June 2007 cruise. It was $7,000 each for the first two and $1,000 for everyone else. You need to book at least eight. For eight it would be $20,000.

 

We ended up in the Royal Family Suite. Six of us cost $12,000.

 

The ship has four Royal Family Suites and one Presidential Suite. For my cruise these five cabins sold out in the first hour of the first day that they were available. So if you want the Presidential Suite, make sure you are first in line.

[oneeyedguy]

Thanks Leslie,

I feel alot better. :D

 

Gordie