Higher end suite on a moderate price ship vs. lower end suite on a higher price ship

We are considering a cruise to Alaska in 2014. We have cruised in the past with NCL and have been in the Owner's Suite twice (once on the Sun and once on the Jewel). However, we've seen increasingly negative reviews about the Sun, which has made us consider a different cruise line. In your opinion/experience, is it better to stick with an Owner's Suite cabin on a more inexpensive cruise line (like NCL), or choose a lower level suite on a more expensive cruise line (like Princess)? (We are not into a lot of onboard activities--we cruise for the scenery, but still want good food and service, as well as cleanliness.)

Up until this past summer we always cruised in high end suites. The Royal Suite on RCCL, One Bedroom Suites on DCL.

As our son wouldn't be sailing with us, we decided to go with the lowest category cabin on Windstar so that we could do a B2B in Europe plus have a few days before and after.

We never missed the space or the balcony.

I won't book an inside, I need to have daylight.

We loved the small ship premium experience and will never go back to a big ship or a mainstream line. Even if we won the lottery I don't think we'd spend the cash on a big expensive suite again.

Our cabin was spotless, the food was excellent, the service was wonderful. We were people, not a number. We never waited in a line. We never felt nickel and dimed.

go for the intinerary ... the scenery will be the same on both ships

Pick the one with the amenities that suit you best

We are considering a cruise to Alaska in 2014. We have cruised in the past with NCL and have been in the Owner's Suite twice (once on the Sun and once on the Jewel). However, we've seen increasingly negative reviews about the Sun, which has made us consider a different cruise line. In your opinion/experience, is it better to stick with an Owner's Suite cabin on a more inexpensive cruise line (like NCL), or choose a lower level suite on a more expensive cruise line (like Princess)? (We are not into a lot of onboard activities--we cruise for the scenery, but still want good food and service, as well as cleanliness.)

I figure it's like real estate - get the lowest priced home in the most expensive neighbourhood you can..........that would translate into a smaller cabin on a better cruise line/ship.

We enjoyed being in a Grand Suite last year when we were on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas southbound from Seward to Vancouver. This size suite may be smaller than what your used to, but you might like to consider it.

You might like to look at a slideshow my wife put together that shows a bit of the suite as well as other pictures taken around the ship.

Radiance of the Seas Alaska Cruise

Happy sailing!

I just disembarked from the NCL Sun this week (just a regular stateroom, not a suite this time). She is still a great ship with a very energetic, friendly crew. NCL excels is suite perks and services. with relatively few suites, the Sun has a good reputation with suite cruisers. If you are willing to budget for some meals in specialty restaurants, the experience is even better.

I have been on Princess three times and enjoyed that line. But I do not think they can match NCL's suite experience...As a previous NCL suite cruiser, you might be disappointed...just my guess. I know it may be counterintuitive, but really NCL is better for suite guests than other mainstream lines. Not that there is anything wrong with suites on other lines, but NCL puts more into the suite experience. If you were looking for other activities offered on newer, bigger ship, you'd have a reason to switch to a bigger ship...but for scenery, bigger is not better.

If I were you, I'd disregard the Sun reviews you read and book the suite you want on Sun if the itinerary suits you. Or perhaps take a PP advice and book on a true luxury line.

Since I've been considering Sun for a future cruise, I have been reading the reviews. To me, they seem mostly positive.

NCL is known for its suite experience. Princess is not.

I'm unfamiliar with the current NCL set up (sailed with them years ago, they totally ruined our honeymoon cruise and so I will never spend my $$ with them again). But I have frequently read that the "suite experience" is wonderful.

My question is this: do you never have to deal with the rest of the ship? Are all the meals, entertainment, amenities, etc. separate? Do you have your own pool? Do you embark/disembark from a separate location?

Just curious, because it would be hard for me to imagine being on a cruise where I only used a portion of the ship, however luxurious that might be.

Regarding the original question, I agree that I'd rather have a a lesser cabin on a higher-rated ship than vice versa. I really don't care too much about my cabin space (I usually travel solo). What I do care about is great itineraries, great service, not having to wait in lines or fight crowds, and reasonably good food (I say reasonably because IMO true gourmet experiences aren't had at sea with very few exceptions....)

My question is this: do you never have to deal with the rest of the ship? Are all the meals, entertainment, amenities, etc. separate? Do you have your own pool? Do you embark/disembark from a separate location?

 

Just curious, because it would be hard for me to imagine being on a cruise where I only used a portion of the ship, however luxurious that might be.

That's the way I think of it.......no matter how much I'll enjoy my cabin, I'm still going to spend more time (or as much time) out of the cabin than in it, and I would want the better comfort/service/management/quality of the rest of the ship.

We were on the Sun in 2004 and the service was excellent. The food was good--but I wouldn't say excellent (we did specialty restaurants on all but one night). We really enjoyed all of the suite amenities (the concierge service was REALLY nice). We're not big into the onboard activities and since it was an Alaska cruise, we spent the majority of our time out on our private balcony (if you've never seen the OS balcony on the Sun--it's HUGE and is forward facing, so the view is incredible as you're cruising, particularly headed down fjords and toward glaciers!). We suspect that we'd still spend much of our time--on cruising days--still just out on our balcony admiring the scenery.

We were in the OS on the Jewel in 2009 for a 12 night Baltic Cruise and while the service was still very good, the food was definitely mediocre--even in the specialty restaurants. The room was nice, but definitely not as nice as the Sun.

Neither OS was physically a part of what NCL is now calling the Haven, but we were fine with that (in fact, we preferred that our cabins weren't as secluded)--because all of the suite service and amenities were still the same.

The itineraries of most the current ships seems basically the same for the 7 day cruises, but Princess is currently offering a 10 day Alaska cruise out of San Fran (I assume they'd still offer a similar cruise in 2014?) on the Grand Princess...

Have any of you taken the Grand Princess? Anyone taken an Alaska cruise on Princess or RCCL...?

Any and all comments/thoughts/opinions still VERY much appreciated...! :)

We have taken the vast majority of our cruises on NCL in an AFT suite. We did HAL (also a suite) for Alaska - loved everything about the trip, except for the ship - Zaandam. While the suite amenities are different, NCL gets a big plus over HAL.

Last winter we took a Priness cruise through the Panama Canal, again in a suite. We loved every minute of this cruise and ship (Coral). Perhaps one reason was our VIP treatment in the Anytime Dining Room as most suite passengers seemed to be in Traditional dining. We enjoyed many of the Princess suite amenities and didn't really miss the NCL butler or concierge once we knew the Princess routine and we don't use them that much on NCL, anyway. Biggest thing we missed on Princess that we have on NCL was a coffee pot, but room service was great. All suites on Princess receive a "free" minibar when you board - you pay for refills. You also receive unlimited free laundry in a suite on Princess as on HAL.

Some of your question can be answered by what you use on NCL and value in their suite perks and what the suite perks are on the other lines you are considering.

IMO, Princess doesn't do as well with their Anytime Dining and NCL's freestyle.

And just because you choose a suite in the Haven on NCL, that certainly doesn't mean you can't/don't use the other areas of the ship unless that's what you choose.

IMO, Princess doesn't do as well with their Anytime Dining and NCL's freestyle.

I agree they did have some problems with Anytime Dining on Princess. But, because we were in a suite, we received priority seating whenever we were ready to eat with the group of friends we made on the ship. A couple of nights we arranged for a time and waiter ahead of time. The head waiters in the the Anytime Dining room "bent over backwards" for us in many ways, some nice surprises.

We are considering a cruise to Alaska in 2014. We have cruised in the past with NCL and have been in the Owner's Suite twice (once on the Sun and once on the Jewel). However, we've seen increasingly negative reviews about the Sun, which has made us consider a different cruise line. In your opinion/experience, is it better to stick with an Owner's Suite cabin on a more inexpensive cruise line (like NCL), or choose a lower level suite on a more expensive cruise line (like Princess)? (We are not into a lot of onboard activities--we cruise for the scenery, but still want good food and service, as well as cleanliness.)

For an Alaska cruise, it would provide wonderful sweeping, panoramic scenery from the sheltered rear of the ship where you are protected from the wind and get a smoother ride than up at the front.

No amusement park atmosphere. Instead, laid-back, more refined ambiance on a ship without all the bells and whistles, but with a highly restrictive smoking policy, pampered luxury with a top-notch butler, outstanding naturalist and Smithsonian presentations.

There are no water slides, climbing walls, flowriders, parades, big screen movies blasting at you by the pool, or hairy chest contests.

There are no intrusive announcements over the PA system throughout the day letting you know when bingo is starting. Most of the time there is only one daily announcement, and that is it.

If staying in a penthouse suite, you can have breakfast and dinner at the highly praised Blu restaurant, or pay the extra fee for any of the specialty restaurants. Of course you can also have dinner delivered and served to you out on that wonderful balcony, or indoors on the large dining table.

If this is something that might appeal to you, just ask for more information over on the Celebrity board.

My understanding is that suite passengers get to eat in Blu only on a "as available" basis. Blu is mainly for guests who are booked in Aqua Class categories. I also believe that suite passengers are charged a nominal ($5) fee for Blu if they are allowed in, but this may have changed.

We were on the Sun in 2004 and the service was excellent. The food was good--but I wouldn't say excellent (we did specialty restaurants on all but one night). We really enjoyed all of the suite amenities (the concierge service was REALLY nice). We're not big into the onboard activities and since it was an Alaska cruise, we spent the majority of our time out on our private balcony (if you've never seen the OS balcony on the Sun--it's HUGE and is forward facing, so the view is incredible as you're cruising, particularly headed down fjords and toward glaciers!). We suspect that we'd still spend much of our time--on cruising days--still just out on our balcony admiring the scenery.

We were in the OS on the Jewel in 2009 for a 12 night Baltic Cruise and while the service was still very good, the food was definitely mediocre--even in the specialty restaurants....

I also sailed the Sun years ago then sailed her again twice in the past year. we just disembarked this week. the ship is still nice. the crew are great. The officer are excellent...some of NCL's best in my opinion....the current hotel director (Steven from US) and Food and Beverage Director (Kevin from NZ) are fabulous, visible, friendly, helpful...and they even pitch in...I saw both busing tables at busy times as they passed through restaurants to check things during busy times. I thought the food was good...especially in specialty restaurants. the MDR was fine, certainly not 4 star. could it change by 2014? Sure, but I hope not...and your deposit is refundable if the reviews are not favorable then. But honestly take the reviews with a grain of salt...some people have an axe to grind, some people are impossible to please, and those people tend to be vocal. and the vast majority are not in a suite, so their experience will be different from yours. I saw the OS in Sun during the cabin crawl...still beautiful and that balcony is great.

there are newer and fancier ships in all cruiselines...if you want bells and whistles, the Sun would not be for you....but from your posts, you do not desire such ship amenities...so unless the Sun or your expectations change, she is still a good choice.

I love long cruises, so I'd look at that ten day itinerary form Princess, too. we did an AK cruise with them (Southbound from Whittier) as well as two other Princess cruises. I do not like Princess' anytime dining as well as NCL!s freestyle. there food, to me, is similar in quality to NCL's...but that is subjective.

I love Celebrity, but have not sailed them by chance for a few years. when I did sail them, their food was better than NCL's IMHO...some poster's report it has declined...I hope not, but will find out in May when on Soltice. celebrity does not enter Glacier bay, and I want to see that again and again...YMMV. I though Blu was a fee and space available for suite guests (but maybe they always find room for PH guests). the butler did little for us in a suite on X while the NCL butlers are more visible, more helpful, etc.

I do think if the budget allows a nice cabin on a small ship from a luxury line might fit the bill...have you looked at those?

But honestly take the reviews with a grain of salt...some people have an axe to grind, some people are impossible to please, and those people tend to be vocal. and the vast majority are not in a suite, so their experience will be different from yours. I saw the OS in Sun during the cabin crawl...still beautiful and that balcony is great.

 

there are newer and fancier ships in all cruiselines...if you want bells and whistles, the Sun would not be for you....but from your posts, you do not desire such ship amenities...so unless the Sun or your expectations change, she is still a good choice.

 

I love long cruises, so I'd look at that ten day itinerary form Princess, too. we did an AK cruise with them (Southbound from Whittier) as well as two other Princess cruises. I do not like Princess' anytime dining as well as NCL!s freestyle. there food, to me, is similar in quality to NCL's...but that is subjective.

 

I do think if the budget allows a nice cabin on a small ship from a luxury line might fit the bill...have you looked at those?

You are SO right about some folks having "an axe to grind"...maybe they figure that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...? :) And I'm SO glad to hear that you think the Sun is still a great ship--we loved our time on her!:) And yup, the amenity level was just perfect for us!

That 10 day out of San Fran on Princess looks good to us, too--we like the itinerary and longer length--plus no hassle with customs (not that it's ever been that much of a hassle) and an opportunity to spend a few days in SF afterward is quite appealing--not to mention cheaper airfare cause it's not an int'l flight. Most of the other lines do only a 7 day--wish NCL had the 10 day option on the Sun...we'd probably book it in a heartbeat...!

We've looked at the Celebrity cruises a little bit, but we're wondering if they're a little too formal for our taste--and whether we're a little older than the clientele they're courting. And the only longer cruise they seem to currently have is an 11-day that goes only once in September (don't think we wanna go quite that late in the season). Maybe they'll add more for 2014? I will have a look at the Celebrity forums, too.

What did you not like about the Princess anytime dining--if the food was similar in quality to NCL's freestyle?

Love the Sun! Have been on her for 23 nights on two different amazing cruises - South America and the Baltic. Not sure where you are reading negative reviews. She is a wonderful ship with great staff, food and entertainment. Would sail on her in a second. The suite life on NCL is much better than any other line.

Love the Sun! Have been on her for 23 nights on two different amazing cruises - South America and the Baltic. Not sure where you are reading negative reviews. She is a wonderful ship with great staff, food and entertainment. Would sail on her in a second. The suite life on NCL is much better than any other line.

I'm not sure that is a valid statement. Maybe if you add "mass market" to it it could be, although even then I think Queens Grill in Cunard would top it.

I'm not sure that is a valid statement. Maybe if you add "mass market" to it it could be, although even then I think Queens Grill in Cunard would top it.

Perhaps but I haven't been on Cunard so I won't comment.

I agree they did have some problems with Anytime Dining on Princess. But, because we were in a suite, we received priority seating whenever we were ready to eat with the group of friends we made on the ship. A couple of nights we arranged for a time and waiter ahead of time. The head waiters in the the Anytime Dining room "bent over backwards" for us in many ways, some nice surprises.

You are SO right about some folks having "an axe to grind"...maybe they figure that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...? :) And I'm SO glad to hear that you think the Sun is still a great ship--we loved our time on her!:) And yup, the amenity level was just perfect for us!

 

That 10 day out of San Fran on Princess looks good to us, too--we like the itinerary and longer length--plus no hassle with customs (not that it's ever been that much of a hassle) and an opportunity to spend a few days in SF afterward is quite appealing--not to mention cheaper airfare cause it's not an int'l flight. Most of the other lines do only a 7 day--wish NCL had the 10 day option on the Sun...we'd probably book it in a heartbeat...!

 

We've looked at the Celebrity cruises a little bit, but we're wondering if they're a little too formal for our taste--and whether we're a little older than the clientele they're courting. And the only longer cruise they seem to currently have is an 11-day that goes only once in September (don't think we wanna go quite that late in the season). Maybe they'll add more for 2014? I will have a look at the Celebrity forums, too.

 

What did you not like about the Princess anytime dining--if the food was similar in quality to NCL's freestyle?

We found Princess' anytime dining to work well for us. We have yet to have a problem getting served in a reasonable time. On the Grand in a suite it was extra special-could set up specific times. Found the food in the MDR to be better on Princess. We ate in specialty dining rooms on NCL due to this issue. Sabatini's will be as good for breakfast, but you will need to go the the International Cafe for lunch. No problem!!!:)

Yo Adrienne,

We too asked ourselves the same question. We booked Deluxe Veranda #SC6175 and another cabin next door on Holland-America's NOORDAM last year. #6175 overlooked the rear of the ship, away from hustle and bustle, with concierge service etc. Superb for our needs on that cruise. You too may like such accomodations. Bye-bye Locomotiveman Tom

Love the Sun! Have been on her for 23 nights on two different amazing cruises - South America and the Baltic. Not sure where you are reading negative reviews. She is a wonderful ship with great staff, food and entertainment. Would sail on her in a second. The suite life on NCL is much better than any other line.

Was your Baltic cruise on the Sun that 12-day itinerary that NCL does over the summer? We took that one several years ago and had the OS on the Jewel...it was nice, but we SO wished that they'd been using the Sun for that route! Our weather was amazing and that Sun OS balcony would have been just fabulous!

The negative reviews are in a variety of places, but as another CC member pointed out, some people just want to complain--you can find negative reviews about anything if you look hard enough! :) I've had a number of comments from folks who assure me that the Sun is still a lovely way to travel...which is so nice to hear! :)