Why so many Suite benefits?

Have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits? I am surprised that so many extras are given to suite passengers. The larger suites receive a variety of benefits such as - premium beverage package, complimentary mini bar, unlimited free internet, unlimited Speciality dining, Michaels club to name a few. Plus now their own Suite Class dining room which is available for Sky suites and above.

I think the price charged for some of the larger suites should be higher. I do not mean Sky suites here as they are not so much larger and do not get all the benefits either. But some of the suites are 3, 6 or 8 times the size (in square feet) of the average size stateroom of 200 sq ft. In fact the majority of passengers have 100 sq foot of personal space for their cruise fare. They pay more for a view, or for a balcony and more for the spa benefits in Aqua Class, but still only get the average 100 square foot per person. A passenger in one of the larger suites gets a huge amount of personal space that proportionally they pay less for and they also get an ever enlarging list of extras on top.

Am I the only one wondering how this can be cost effective? I know that cruise lines need to offer this class of elegance and travel for some of their customers, but they should also be asked pay for it. It seems that those paying for the lower class of cabin are subsidising the guests in the larger suites. It is not envy on my part. I cannot afford a Penthouse, or Royal Suite but I really look forward to and enjoy my cruise holidays with Celebrity. But why are all the changes that are made only for the benefit of the minority? :confused:

Have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits? yes

I am surprised that so many extras are given to suite passengers. The larger suites receive a variety of benefits such as - premium beverage package, complimentary mini bar, unlimited free internet, unlimited Speciality dining, Michaels club to name a few. Plus now their own Suite Class dining room which is available for Sky suites and above.

 

I think the price charged for some of the larger suites should be higher. I do not mean Sky suites here as they are not so much larger and do not get all the benefits either. But some of the suites are 3, 6 or 8 times the size (in square feet) of the average size stateroom of 200 sq ft. In fact the majority of passengers have 100 sq foot of personal space for their cruise fare. They pay more for a view, or for a balcony and more for the spa benefits in Aqua Class, but still only get the average 100 square foot per person. A passenger in one of the larger suites gets a huge amount of personal space that proportionally they pay less for and they also get an ever enlarging list of extras on top.

 

Am I the only one wondering how this can be cost effective? I know that cruise lines need to offer this class of elegance and travel for some of their customers, but they should also be asked pay for it. It seems that those paying for the lower class of cabin are subsidising the guests in the larger suites. It is not envy on my part. I cannot afford a Penthouse, or Royal Suite but I really look forward to and enjoy my cruise holidays with Celebrity. But why are all the changes that are made only for the benefit of the minority? :confused:

because suite prices are up (post april 2015) and Celebrity wants to reward those that spend the most. simple as that.

Have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits? I am surprised that so many extras are given to suite passengers. The larger suites receive a variety of benefits such as - premium beverage package, complimentary mini bar, unlimited free internet, unlimited Speciality dining, Michaels club to name a few. Plus now their own Suite Class dining room which is available for Sky suites and above.

 

I think the price charged for some of the larger suites should be higher. I do not mean Sky suites here as they are not so much larger and do not get all the benefits either. But some of the suites are 3, 6 or 8 times the size (in square feet) of the average size stateroom of 200 sq ft. In fact the majority of passengers have 100 sq foot of personal space for their cruise fare. They pay more for a view, or for a balcony and more for the spa benefits in Aqua Class, but still only get the average 100 square foot per person. A passenger in one of the larger suites gets a huge amount of personal space that proportionally they pay less for and they also get an ever enlarging list of extras on top.

 

Am I the only one wondering how this can be cost effective? I know that cruise lines need to offer this class of elegance and travel for some of their customers, but they should also be asked pay for it. It seems that those paying for the lower class of cabin are subsidising the guests in the larger suites. It is not envy on my part. I cannot afford a Penthouse, or Royal Suite but I really look forward to and enjoy my cruise holidays with Celebrity. But why are all the changes that are made only for the benefit of the minority? :confused:

I think suite pax ARE paying for it:confused: GEEZ:mad: When I stay in a suite I expect MORE then a pax that stays in an inside or regular outside. HMMMMM 549.00 compared to THOUSANDS.

There are Lines that cater to these pax and they PAY a lot more. Your mainstream Lines want to capture a little of this market.

Have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits? I am surprised that so many extras are given to suite passengers. The larger suites receive a variety of benefits such as - premium beverage package, complimentary mini bar, unlimited free internet, unlimited Speciality dining, Michaels club to name a few. Plus now their own Suite Class dining room which is available for Sky suites and above.

 

Someone can correct me here if I'm wrong, but we have stayed in a Royal Suite several times and you do not automatically receive the premium beverage package (just 2 bottles of liquor in your room), nor do you get complimentary mini bar, OR unlimited specialty dining (one night you do get a free specialty dining but I believe even that is dependent on the cruise). The internet is not unlimited either, although that may also depend on your CC status. I think you are exaggerating suite benefits just a touch.

I've paid for a regular room and I've paid for a royal suite. For what those go for I DEFINITELY expect more bells and whistles.

A lot of the new Suite benefits mentioned start in April of this year. They are being rolled out and started with Michael's Club. I agree with above posters that Suites are way more expensive that non suite rooms, and we are glad that Celebrity is offering the extra benefits to the Suite passengers. The old saying goes... "you get what you pay for"

Someone can correct me here if I'm wrong, but we have stayed in a Royal Suite several times and you do not automatically receive the premium beverage package (just 2 bottles of liquor in your room), nor do you get complimentary mini bar, OR unlimited specialty dining (one night you do get a free specialty dining but I believe even that is dependent on the cruise). The internet is not unlimited either, although that may also depend on your CC status. I think you are exaggerating suite benefits just a touch.

 

I've paid for a regular room and I've paid for a royal suite. For what those go for I DEFINITELY expect more bells and whistles.

These things will actually all apply to RS passengers starting in April of this year.

No exaggeration.

Can't wait!

Shawn

These things will actually all apply to RS passengers starting in April of this year.

 

No exaggeration.

 

Can't wait!

 

Shawn

Me too! You get what you pay for....

Someone can correct me here if I'm wrong, but we have stayed in a Royal Suite several times and you do not automatically receive the premium beverage package (just 2 bottles of liquor in your room), nor do you get complimentary mini bar, OR unlimited specialty dining (one night you do get a free specialty dining but I believe even that is dependent on the cruise). The internet is not unlimited either, although that may also depend on your CC status. I think you are exaggerating suite benefits just a touch.

 

I've paid for a regular room and I've paid for a royal suite. For what those go for I DEFINITELY expect more bells and whistles.

No exaggeration at all, starting April of this year. Read all about the New Suite Class starting soon.

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/14037410_CEL_Suites_FAQs.pdf

For comparison, I sailed the PH on Eclipse Spring TA last year for about $8000 as a solo. This year, although it adds a few ports, and is 3 days longer, SKY SUITES are selling for $20,000 as a solo...

So prices have gone up a bit...

I suggest you don't buy their stock! lol

As a premium consumer I try and get the most for my money. There are MANY options in the world for this class. I'm positive RCCL has done their due diligence in expanding the benefits to customers who can afford suites. If you think they lose money from this you are missing the ancillary income from these premium guests.

Take the casino as an example: If you owned the ships casino what level passenger would you want? I'd love to see how much the average upper suite guest fitters away gambling during their cruise! I bet on some cruises it's more than all the other levels combined!

So don't worry about the cruise line making money for the benefits they give the suite passengers because they get it back and then some! The rates are only a small part of the equation my friend. ;)

Besides these benefits take NOTHING away from the other cruisers. So what are the grumbles about? Jealousy.

Why so many suite benefits? Simple. They are getting what they pay for.

Trust me, you are NOT subsidizing those who book suites.

So many benefits because so much money. Not sure what's hard to understand about that, but more to the point, I'm not sure what's bothersome about that.

If you go to a restaurant and order a burger, and the guy at the next table orders a steak, are you mad that he got something better than you? Even if he paid more?

These things will actually all apply to RS passengers starting in April of this year.

 

No exaggeration.

 

Can't wait!

 

Shawn

From the features for Royal Suite as shown on the website:

Coming April 2015:

Dedicated private restaurant reserved exclusively for all Suite Class guests morning, noon and night

Access to the private Michael's Club

Complimentary Premium Beverage package

Complimentary unlimited Specialty Dining

Complimentary unlimited Internet access

Complimentary mini-bar stocked daily with water, sodas, beer

Cheers!

Btw burger is cropped steak.:rolleyes:

Btw burger is cropped steak.:rolleyes:

Machine pre-chewed. Mmmmm masticatory delight!

Well....chopped beef anyhow....

looks like my other posts were considered to harsh for everyones eyes...they appear to have been deleted

Btw burger is cropped steak.:rolleyes:

Have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits? ... It seems that those paying for the lower class of cabin are subsidising the guests in the larger suites. It is not envy on my part. I cannot afford a Penthouse, or Royal Suite but I really look forward to and enjoy my cruise holidays with Celebrity. But why are all the changes that are made only for the benefit of the minority? :confsed:

Wow! I am guessing that you also agree with the 50p tax and Mansion Tax then. :D

It is an interesting point and perspective you raise but IMHO very wide of the mark. I would suggest the subsidy relationship may be the other way around but as I don't have access to Celebrity's financials I could be wrong on this one.

As an aside to CC contributors. Is there something about this time of year for Celebrity boards as it was about this time last year where the anti-suite rhetoric was particularly high and that was before Suite Class was even announced? There was a suspension in the venom but good to see that it is coming back. I guess it is about to restart with the menus and pictures of Luminare coming on stream. The next months until April are going to be interesting.

Dear OP,

I don't understand why you are worried about what others pay and what they get. When I get on a British Airways plane (I fly more than I sail), I don't worry about what first, business, premium economy or economy get but what I receive relative to the class I am in to the price I paid.

You know......

Perhaps, there is a new cruise line in this......you could call it Proletariat Cruise line....all the ships would be totally without windows and rectangular in shape so that there would be 2500 exactly equal sized "interior" cabins......Hmmm might have to look into this....LOL

Wow! I am guessing that you also agree with the 50p tax and Mansion Tax then. :D

 

It is an interesting point and perspective you raise but IMHO very wide of the mark. I would suggest the subsidy relationship may be the other way around but as I don't have access to Celebrity's financials I could be wrong on this one.

 

As an aside to CC contributors. Is there something about this time of year for Celebrity boards as it was about this time last year where the anti-suite rhetoric was particularly high and that was before Suite Class was even announced? There was a suspension in the venom but good to see that it is coming back. I guess it is about to restart with the menus and pictures of Luminare coming on stream. The next months until April are going to be interesting.

 

Dear OP,

 

I don't understand why you are worried about what others pay and what they get. When I get on a British Airways plane (I fly more than I sail), I don't worry about what first, business, premium economy or economy get but what I receive relative to the class I am in to the price I paid.

You know......

 

Perhaps, there is a new cruise line in this......you could call it Proletariat Cruise line....all the ships would be totally without windows and rectangular in shape so that there would be 2500 exactly equal sized "interior" cabins......Hmmm might have to look into this....LOL

Well there's a thought. Everyone would pay the same, eat the same food and wear the same clothes. Oh sorry that is Communism and history indicates that worked out well then. Anyone who has travel in recent years to China can see equality in action - the Four Seasons, Ritz, Prada, Chanel and good old Louis Vuitton.

On formal night everone would be required to wear a shinning pin of the company logo. :cool:

Well there's a thought. Everyone would pay the same, eat the same food and wear the same clothes. Oh sorry that is Communism and history indicates that worked out well then. Anyone who has travel in recent years to China can see equality in action - the Four Seasons, Ritz, Prada, Chanel and good old Louis Vuitton.

Wow, quite a variety of observations raised by my opening post. My first question was – have suite prices risen to cover the extra benefits. The answer given in the first response was, yes. This was not generally commented on by others.

After that, most comments mention ‘you get what you pay for’. This is what my post was about. We pay for our stateroom or suite by choosing what fits our budget and suits our expectations of what we want on our holiday. There are new perks, benefits, extras, whatever you wish to call them, for suite class passengers and I simply wondered if this has been covered by a rise in prices. I am informed this is so, fine.

As I said in my opening post, the cost for a suite (some are 3, 6 or 8 times the size of the majority of staterooms) is not in most instances proportional to cost charged. It is actually quite similar to the many discussions on single travellers. They pay for the unused space they are using by being charged in most cases 200% fare. I believed suite passengers paid for – more luxurious furnishings and personal space and the butler. I wonder if I should have a different view of the passengers now that I have been informed by Handy4u that those in the suites fritter so much away in the casino, more than all the other passengers combined!!! Interesting observation… so that is how the added benefits are covered?

Also it was stated that the benefits take nothing away from other cruisers. I remember a few threads on this forum concerning Michaels Club being taken away.

I do not totally understand the references to steak / burger, or flying economy or first, as we all seem to agree that you get what you pay for. If I pay £2000 for my share of an average 200 sq ft balcony stateroom and another passenger pays £8000 for their share of 1200 sq foot suite I get that too. It has been like this for years but not necessarily right.

I said I was not envious, so suggesting I am jealous is off the point. I enjoy my Celebrity cruises, I choose the stateroom or suite that suits my budget and expectations and I will continue to do so. Currently I’m looking forward to my Mediterranean cruise and hopefully will notice no impact on my enjoyment due to the suite perks, and (tongue in cheek) I will look out for the suite passengers in the casino easily spotted as buying many chips and losing them!!

Which itinerary has a Penthouse suite for 8000 pounds? I would like to book it immediatly.....as I said...LOOK at the prices. the absolute CHEAPEST I have seen a Penthouse going for was approx 12,300 pounds (and a balcony on that cruise for 1700 pounds)....So, lets get the numbers in the realm of truth.....and actually, most go for much more...there are other factors involved such as relative spending levels at the other revenue centers, incremental increase in the cost of the accomadation after a certain level etc.

However, if you didn't get the burger -vs- steak reference you probably won't get these explenations either....so just take everyones word.....(as I don't recall seeing any posts in support of your view of "unfairness") that you are not supporting the suite passengers luxurious cruises with the price of the cabins of the oppressed workers (Lennin can rest easy).

Celebrity is in this to make money and, is not letting anyone cruise without paying generously...at any part of the spectrum...Interior cabins to the Penthouse.

Which itinerary has a Penthouse suite for 8000 pounds? I would like to book it immediatly.....as I said...LOOK at the prices. the absolute CHEAPEST I have seen a Penthouse going for was approx 12,300 pounds....So, lets get the numbers in the realm of truth.....and actually, most go for much more...there are other factors involved such as relative spending levels at the other revenue centers, incremental increase in the cost of the accomadation after a certain level etc.

However, if you didn't get the burger -vs- steak reference you probably won't get these explenations either....so just take everyones word.....(as I don't recall seeing any posts in support of your view of "unfairness") that you are not supporting the suite passengers luxurious cruises with the price of the cabins of the oppressed workers (Lennin can rest easy).

Celebrity is in this to make money and, is not letting anyone cruise without paying generously...at any part of the spectrum...Interior cabins to the Penthouse.

I referred to £8000 for a share of a suite, and they are available at that price. eg. current UK price for Equinox 14 nights September 2016 - cheapest balcony (2D) £1926 pp Penthouse suite £8546 pp

But you really got my opening post wrong.

a "share" of a veranda does not cost 2000 pounds....more like .....850

a "share" of a veranda does not cost 2000 pounds....more like .....850

I wish!

The price I quoted was Celebrity website price, cruise only, sorry 13 nights not 14. If I was to book this same 2D Balcony through a very well know US online agent I have used in the past they quote $2801 (includes a 53% discount) their exchange rate calculator makes that £1852 per person.

I have just searched for £850 Balcony and that can be obtained for 7 night Caribbean and the PS is £3699.

But all I originally asked was whether suite prices had gone up and was I the only one wondering this? Interesting responses.