difference between conceirge class and veranda worth it?

[Pearl64]

We are looking at the Scandinavian Splendor on the Regatta for August of 2010. What do you really get in the Conceirge class as opposed to just a Veranda suite? We are interested in the room service breakfast. Is it just continental or can one get a full breakfast in either class? My husband liked the full breakfast he got on Celebrity conceirge class. My concern is to be mid ship as possible. This cruise is very port intensive so probably would not be in the room all that much. I do know the rooms are the same size. Just wondering if it is worth the extra money or would we be better spending the money in the ports?

 

Thank you seasoned Oceania cruisers.

 

Pearl

[LHT28]

You may want to read this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=917454&highlight=concierge

 

Only you can decide if it is worth it to you.

Everyone has different criteria for booking cabins/ships etc...

 

For us we prefer a C1 (same size as B CAT but no balcony)

Having breakfast in the room is not important to us.

 

Enjoy the cruise

 

Lyn

[Hunding]

We are looking at the Scandinavian Splendor on the Regatta for August of 2010. What do you really get in the Conceirge class as opposed to just a Veranda suite? We are interested in the room service breakfast. Is it just continental or can one get a full breakfast in either class? My husband liked the full breakfast he got on Celebrity conceirge class. My concern is to be mid ship as possible. This cruise is very port intensive so probably would not be in the room all that much. I do know the rooms are the same size. Just wondering if it is worth the extra money or would we be better spending the money in the ports?

 

Thank you seasoned Oceania cruisers.

 

Pearl

 

Honestly, I think the differences are minimal. We were in an A1 two years ago, and aside from the bottle of champagne and a few flowers when we boarded, I can't think of any other differences. Certainly the square footage, bathrooms, balconies, etc., are all identical. In fact, early on we decided that our next Oceania voyage would either be in a PH3 or a B2 (I don't think there is a B3 - I could be wrong). We don't much care about the "midship" thing - in fact I kind of like a little "rock-and-roll," as it reminds me where I am. Oh - there may be one other so-called perk: I vaguely remember something about DVDs being available to A through OS passengers. Check on that - it is a truly vague memory. Don't know first-hand anything about room service breakfasts; but, it being Oceania, after all, I would bet that room service is available to all passengers. Bottom line: Unless I were traveling in a PH, VS, or OS, I would absolutely be in a B. :)

[GoingPlacesSoon]

In concierce level we had a mini-fridge in our room. Also I think we you are allowed extra reservations in the specialty restaurants.

 

The differences would be entire based on what is important to you, definitely be a personal choice.

[Pearl64]

Thank you Hunding and LHT28! That is what I kind of thought--the B category is fine. I had tried to do a search but did not use A and B but the words conceirge and veranda. That resulted no results. Thanks for the thread I wanted.

 

CC usually produces information so one can make a decision. Can't wait to go back to Europe but it is Alaska next month.

 

Thanks again.

 

Pearl

[LAexNY]

Thank you Hunding and LHT28! That is what I kind of thought--the B category is fine. I had tried to do a search but did not use A and B but the words conceirge and veranda. That resulted no results. Thanks for the thread I wanted.

 

CC usually produces information so one can make a decision. Can't wait to go back to Europe but it is Alaska next month.

 

Thanks again.

 

Pearl

 

Maybe your search got no results because you misspelled "concierge." :)

[Pearl64]

Perhaps that was the problem. As a former teacher misspelling would be a cardinal sin. It is that i before e except after c thing. Anyways, I did get the thread which is all that counts. Someone was looking out for me. Thanks.

 

Pearl

[Hunding]

Thank you Hunding and LHT28! That is what I kind of thought--the B category is fine. I had tried to do a search but did not use A and B but the words conceirge and veranda. That resulted no results. Thanks for the thread I wanted.

 

CC usually produces information so one can make a decision. Can't wait to go back to Europe but it is Alaska next month.

 

Thanks again.

 

Pearl

 

You're welcome. Enjoy your Alaska cruise - I'm envious. I'm also a school teacher, though not yet retired, so no cruises between September and the end of June. I'm living for the day - and all those transatlantic voyages just waiting for me...!

[ddcruiser]

We have done 4, soon to be 5 cruises with O and always had B rooms. We would much rather spend the extra kroners in port. As long as there's a balcony to step out on and check the weather, take a look, feel the breeze, that's all we care about. Personal opinion only. ddcruiser

[aztex]

We have been in CC rooms on both Oceania and Celebrity - 14 day cruises. Frankly, we would not book a CC room again because we do not think the value is there for the additional cost. As others have said it depends on your needs and wants so good luck with your decision.

[Kittygal]

We booked B2 on Insignia for the 6/9/09 Istanbul to Athens cruise and Oceania offered a free upgrade to concierge level a couple of months before we the cruise. Location not that important to us. We received 2 extra (for total of 4) specialty restaurant dinners and hot room service breakfast option as opposed to continental. Not sure we would have paid the extra $ but the hot breakfast was nice for those mornings we were headed off the ship early.

[KathyPet]

I'm confused here with this discussion about breakfast in your cabin if you are in a concierge cabin. Are you saying this is the only way that you can get breakfast in your cabin is to be in one of these level cabins? Every cruise ship we have been on has offered room service breakfast by simply filling out the menu in your room and putting it on your door the night before. Is this not available on OCeania?

I looked at the amenities available in the concierge cabins and felt it was not worth the extra money. Other cruise lines offer free laundry and pressing service to those who book those cabins and Oceania does not even offer that small service.

[Pearl64]

Thanks to everyone who posted replies. I think we will be reserving a veranda room. It does not seem as if the extra money is really worth it. By breakfast in the room I meant a hot breakfast and not just continental. It was my understanding that only the higher cabins could get a hot breakfast.

 

We are anxious to try Oceania. It sounds as if it will fit the bill of our anniversary cruise. We just need to "bite the bullet" and make the deposit.

 

Thanks again everyone on CC for all of their wonderful advice.

 

Pearl

[LHT28]

I'm confused here with this discussion about breakfast in your cabin if you are in a concierge cabin. Are you saying this is the only way that you can get breakfast in your cabin is to be in one of these level cabins?

You can get Continental breakfast in B to F CAT..There was talk of hot breakfasts in A CAT cabins not sure if they started them yet

 

I looked at the amenities available in the concierge cabins and felt it was not worth the extra money. Other cruise lines offer free laundry and pressing service to those who book those cabins and Oceania does not even offer that small service.

You get limited free pressing in A Cat & above

[KathyPet]

Well, I have to say that I am shocked and disappointed to find out that a hot room service breakfast is only availablke in the higher level cabins. To be frank I have never heard of anything quite so cheap. I though Oceania was a upscale line. I guess I was wrong. Last month we took a 7 day HAL cruise to Alaska and Room Service Hot breakfast was available in ALL level cabins even the cheapest inside. Seabourn also has hot room service breakfast in all categories.

I absolutely love getting a hot breakfast delivered with eggs and sausage that I can eat while getting ready for my day. I will have to reconsider the cruise that I have already booked if Oceania is this cheap.

[LHT28]

. I will have to reconsider the cruise that I have already booked if Oceania is this cheap.

 

It appears that Oceania may not be the cruise line for you.

 

Enjoy what ever cruise you choose

 

Lyn

[StanandJim]

Well, I have to say that I am shocked and disappointed to find out that a hot room service breakfast is only availablke in the higher level cabins.

 

It's more an issue of shipboard real estate. The R ships dont have enough of the service pantries that HAL ships are built with, so they physically cannot offer a hot breakfast to every cabin on every deck.

 

There is some hot food on the ""regular" room service menu, but everything comes from the galley.

 

They rely on heavy plate covers to keep the hot stuff hot, but then, hamburgers are more forgiving than eggs and somehow they have invented a french fry that stays crispy under those plate warmers....BRAVO

 

So, don't be discouraged the continental breakfast can be quite good. The baked goods on Oceania, for example are stupendous.

Their croissant, are the best we've ever had outside of France or Martinique. Flakey, light as air, yet with good bite and glorious overall.

 

Those croissant and a pot of hot chocolate is, well.....beaucoup de trop ;) (much too much).

[TravelingProf]

It's more an issue of shipboard real estate. The R ships dont have enough of the service pantries that HAL ships are built with, so they physically cannot offer a hot breakfast to every cabin on every deck.

 

There is some hot food on the ""regular" room service menu, but everything comes from the galley.

 

They rely on heavy plate covers to keep the hot stuff hot, but then, hamburgers are more forgiving than eggs and somehow they have invented a french fry that stays crispy under those plate warmers....BRAVO

 

So, don't be discouraged the continental breakfast can be quite good. The baked goods on Oceania, for example are stupendous.

Their croissant, are the best we've ever had outside of France or Martinique. Flakey, light as air, yet with good bite and glorious overall.

 

Those croissant and a pot of hot chocolate is, well.....beaucoup de trop ;) (much too much).

Actually, on Azamara, which has the same ships as O, full breakfast is available in all staterooms as are refrigerators (at least in all veranda staterooms--do not know about inside or ov). That said, I am looking forward to our first O cruise in January to sample what is supposed to be the big difference between the two lines--the glorious food!

[bepsf]

It's more an issue of shipboard real estate. The R ships dont have enough of the service pantries that HAL ships are built with, so they physically cannot offer a hot breakfast to every cabin on every deck.

 

There is some hot food on the ""regular" room service menu, but everything comes from the galley.

 

Jim--

 

All the hot breakfasts on HAL also come from the galleys on plate warmers - whether from the Main Galley below or the Lido above, I don't know.

 

I do know that there is zero equipment in the service pantries for cooking - just a sink for rinsing dishes, a fridge for storing cold items such as fruit and sodas, and ice machines. Room service never even stops at the service pantries on their way to a stateroom for delivery - the pantries are primarily a collection point for room service dishware coming from cabins.

 

I have to agree w/ the earlier poster that a hot brekky being unavailable to all cabins is a rather significant issue - Even moreso for myself since I can no longer enjoy such things as croissant and other conventional baked goods now that I'm dealing w/ being Celiac.

[StanandJim]

All the hot breakfasts on HAL also come from the galleys on plate warmers - whether from the Main Galley below or the Lido above, I don't know.

 

Brian-

 

Yes, the pantries are only used to assemble the trays with the major foodstuffs coming from the galley, but there are dumbwaiters and service elevators and supply and pantry closets involved that we passengers (blessedly) need know not of.

 

Don't think you'll need worry about it, at any rate, since you're more of a penthouse fellow......trust us, it's worth the extra money. We know you.

 

A suite on Oceania is an entirely different experience than a standard.

 

[orchestrapal]

JimandStan, please don't tell everyone about the suites as they are hard enough to book any time after

the first ten minutes of any Oceania booking period.

We agree it is a totally unique experience and can hardly wait

for April 18, 2010!:)

[Mura]

I suppose I am weighing in too late but I am one who vastly prefers the PH suites. I like the extra room, especially when it comes to the shower! The shower stall in the regular veranda cabins is fine for the thinner folks. But I'm not one of you! So the tub with shower in the PH cabins is very important to me.

 

Also the extra room in the cabin is very important to me. That extra 5-6 feet of width in the cabin is most convenient, especially when you DO have breakfast in the room. (Hopefully on the veranda but during winter cruises that obviously is less useful.)

 

As to the butler -- the only time we used our butler more than for a minute or two was on the non-Libya cruise back in November 2005. I had blown out my knee in Barcelona and was on crutches. So we really used the butler a LOT and dined in our cabin a LOT. (It was serendipitous that we had the one owner's suite in our life on that cruise because that allowed me to use the wheelchair I needed inside the suite!)

 

For me, I book the PH because I want the extra room. We rarely use the butler service.

 

If you don't need/want the extra room, if you figure you'll never use the butler ... by all means, book the Deck 6-7 verandas. You'll be more than happy with them, I am sure.