Suite Classes

Discussion about treatment of JS guests has prompted me to start this thread. With three different tiers these days : Sea, Sky and Star I find that even as a full suite guest in Sky class you are pushed down the pecking order and Star Class guests get preferential treatment.

Have others felt this is true? On my last cruise we were in a Sky class cabin, enjoyed all the privileges but felt that guests in Star class had priority. Nothing tangible just a feeling.

Having different privileges and access is fine. Star Class have genies and extra special reserved seating for example. That is all fine. I do wonder however whether the inferred pecking order is a welcome thing. I would prefer Sea, Sky and Star class guests receive the same level of service and treatment.

I've got no problem with getting different levels of service commensurate with the price being paid.

A couple points here. No one would pay for star if sea class got the same benefits. Also, they simply can’t do it for that many cabins. Star class benefits for every suite just isn’t doable and the star program is quite popular it seems.

We’ve done sky and star recently and sky felt very special as well for us. There really aren’t very many star class on any given ship. I do think sea class is the odd one out here but it really never has been considered a true suite so that makes sense to me.

A couple points here. No one would pay for star if sea class got the same benefits. Also, they simply can’t do it for that many cabins. Star class benefits for every suite just isn’t doable and the star program is quite popular it seems.

 

We’ve done sky and star recently and sky felt very special as well for us. There really aren’t very many star class on any given ship. I do think sea class is the odd one out here but it really never has been considered a true suite so that makes sense to me.

This is not about benefits and who gets what. It is about how you are treated. Certainly in my mind there is now a first and second division as far as suite guests are concerned. I agree that JS were never really true suite yet it is marketed as such. Seems like RCI treats JS as suites when it suits them. Minimal benefits for JS is fine but if a benefit is listed then surely treatment should be fair and reasonable.

It wasn't a big deal on my last cruise. I didn't miss out on anything but still there was that nagging feeling of being in second division as a Sky class guest. Perhaps it is just me.

I've got no problem with getting different levels of service commensurate with the price being paid.

I agree,like most things in life,

You Get What You Pay For.

This is not about benefits and who gets what. It is about how you are treated. Certainly in my mind there is now a first and second division as far as suite guests are concerned. I agree that JS were never really true suite yet it is marketed as such. Seems like RCI treats JS as suites when it suits them. Minimal benefits for JS is fine but if a benefit is listed then surely treatment should be fair and reasonable.

 

It wasn't a big deal on my last cruise. I didn't miss out on anything but still there was that nagging feeling of being in second division as a Sky class guest. Perhaps it is just me.

When i have looked at prices the suites have always been double or more price than JS cabins.

When i have looked at prices the suites have always been double or more price than JS cabins.

But JS are also sometimes double or more than balcony suites. And I've heard of people upgrading from Sea class to Sky class because a Sky class cabin price dropped below what was originally paid for the JR suite. Or there are people who get significant discounts from the casino and don't pay full price to book their room. On our cruise this summer, I have 2 JR suites and a studio interior for 6 people. I'm paying more for this configuration than I did for for my RFS on Harmony. For me, it doesn't matter so much about the price, it's about what's promised. Royal brands JS as a suites and to distinguish these rooms as suites they give people access to the suite restaurant for dinner and generally charge more than balconies. I wouldn't care if they removed CK from their list of perks for JS as long as they don't remove it from people who have already booked the room with this perk included. I'd be curious to see if they removed the perk from their advertising or added that it was based on "availability after the other classes of suites have booked" if they would get the same volume of people booking at the current prices. The bottom line: there are three classes of suites. Each at different price points. If we can't say that Sky Class cabins are not full suites because they don't have Star class benefits, then we can't say that JR suites aren't full suites because they don't have Sky class benefits. Three classes with different benefits and price points.

This is not about benefits and who gets what. It is about how you are treated. Certainly in my mind there is now a first and second division as far as suite guests are concerned. I agree that JS were never really true suite yet it is marketed as such. Seems like RCI treats JS as suites when it suits them. Minimal benefits for JS is fine but if a benefit is listed then surely treatment should be fair and reasonable.

 

It wasn't a big deal on my last cruise. I didn't miss out on anything but still there was that nagging feeling of being in second division as a Sky class guest. Perhaps it is just me.

Ok. But if it is just about how you are treated shouldnt all guests get the same treatment? In other words, where does that argument end?

In my experience sky class didn’t feel like second tier in any way.

I have been sky class maybe 5 times in the past 2-3 years and star class once. When sky class we frequented the SL quite a bit and used the SL concierge for things and we definitely felt like we were treated well. I never once noticed another group like star class getting better treatment or feeling second class. When star class we were hardly in the SL and the genie took care of everything so I’m not sure we even met the SL concierge. I’d guess many star class are like that and there are only 10 or so star class cabins on oasis class as an example. So wha maybe 50 people at most out of 5000-6000. There are so many more Sky class suites.

Perhaps you just got a feeling that was inaccurate. The ships are so multicultural and the workers put in ridiculous hours so it can be easy to misinterpret.

When i have looked at prices the suites have always been double or more price than JS cabins.

I have gotten some bargains on grand suites under 200 a day on liberty and navigator , of course my up coming oasis is more , but as you said you get what you pay for

I thought everyone familiar with RCL knew JS were simply junior suites. About all they get outside of a different cabin is access to CK if there's room. Grand suites cost more and should come with more benefits, just as Star suites cost more and get even more benefits.

I have gotten some bargains on grand suites under 200 a day on liberty and navigator , of course my up coming oasis is more , but as you said you get what you pay for

Yes but those ships don’t give you near the same benefits as sky class so suites can be reasonable sometimes. Heck they can be even in the suite class ships once in a while.

Wow, I am in utter shock at this conversation. I see the OP doesn't care about the treatment of those not in a suite as compared to those in suites. This is one of the most entitled, I have used that word more the last few days on here, conversations ever. Smh

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Having done Sky on Oasis and Allure, Star on Harmony and soon to do Star on Allure, I definitely received better treatment as a Star guest than Sky, but better is like a 9 out of 10 vs. a 7 or 8. Everyone was friendly, I got everything I needed in both classes and enjoyed every trip. I am a bit of a pricing zealot and before I changed my upcoming room on the Allure, I had a 2BR AQ suite for less than I paid for CLS on Allure and Oasis, so good pricing for Star is out there.

I would be a bit disappointed if the service and treatment were not better in Star than Sky or Sea, not because Star class people deserve it more, but because we paid significantly more for it. On our last voyage in Star on Harmony I watched a person loudly complain that seats should not be reserved for Star class guests and since she was a Diamond member she should be able to sit in the reserved seats. The problem was not that there were reserved seats, it was that they were not reserved for HER. It was entertaining to watch and the entitlement and lack of concern for others was not evident to her, but they were to those of who watched it.

I am grateful to be fortunate enough to take journeys that many, many people cannot. Should the day come that I either decide Star class is not worth the value I get from it or I simply can no longer afford it, I will happily move to Sky. If neither were an option I would probably move to a smaller class of ship as Sky and especially Star make the Oasis class ships much more enjoyable for me. I hope your next voyage is a great one.

Have no problem way it's set up. You get what you pay for. Want better treatment/benefits, pay up

Wow, I am in utter shock at this conversation. I see the OP doesn't care about the treatment of those not in a suite as compared to those in suites. This is one of the most entitled, I have used that word more the last few days on here, conversations ever. Smh

 

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This was my first thought as well. It is not just about entitlement, but is a great example of hypocrisy. I get frustrated with posts that decree fairness is whatever is most beneficial to the poster. The attitude of it is ok if I get benefits/perks/treatment that is better than others because I paid for it / earned it, but no one else could possibly have paid for or earned anything better than I receive. It is a weak argument. My personal opinion is that Junior Suites should be renamed as they do not meet any classic definition of a suite. Just call them sky class cabins. Having been in Sea class, I very much saw differences with the treatment of Star guests, but I 100% expected this, just like I expected a different experience in Star class than when I was previously in a JS.

When I read the thread title, I thought that this discussion was going to be about learning how to book or cruise in a suite.

:D :D :D

We just sailed for the second time on Allure as Sky class last month. We have nothing but appreciation for the service and benefits that were offered. I would absolutely go for Sky class again. I see nothing of value for Star since it is usually just the wife and myself.

When I read the thread title, I thought that this discussion was going to be about learning how to book or cruise in a suite.

 

:D :D :D

Funny!

If those pesky colonies hadn't separated from the Mother England, we wouldn't need this discussion today. If you weren’t born with class it was steerage for you, and we didn’t have to breathe the same air.

Oh, for the good old days. harumph!

We are new to sailing in a JS. We were not aware the Sea, Star, and Sky Class of Suites. While I agree you get what you pay for, can someone please explain what is the difference in the Class of Suites. Thanks In Advance

We are new to sailing in a JS. We were not aware the Sea, Star, and Sky Class of Suites. While I agree you get what you pay for, can someone please explain what is the difference in the Class of Suites. Thanks In Advance

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Suites/16049781_RSC_Trade_Flyer.pdf

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Suites/16049781_RSC_Trade_Flyer.pdf

Great link. Here’s another.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalsuiteclass

When I read the thread title, I thought that this discussion was going to be about learning how to book or cruise in a suite.

 

:D :D :D

Bad choice for title. Plus I regret starting this thread given some of the comments. I merely wanted to sound out what others thought and some have missed the point.

I have no evidence this happens but what if ... What if you happen to be seated at a nice table by the window in the CK and were asked to move. What if you asked to be seated by the window but were told you couldn't because it was set aside for the star guests. What if you made a reservation at CK and then got a call that it was cancelled because a star class guest wanted that slot at the last minute.

Given the feedback it looks like some are ok with this. I would be surprised if everyone is. Especially given discussions on other threads regarding experience of JS guests in CK.

Looks like no one shares my concern. Fair enough, that was the whole point of starting this thread. But a couple of posters have jumped in with their judgemental, morally superior, accusations of hypocrisy and entitlement (Not you Merion_Mom, but others).

Bad choice for title. Plus I regret starting this thread given some of the comments. I merely wanted to sound out what others thought and some have missed the point.

 

I have no evidence this happens but what if ... What if you happen to be seated at a nice table by the window in the CK and were asked to move. What if you asked to be seated by the window but were told you couldn't because it was set aside for the star guests. What if you made a reservation at CK and then got a call that it was cancelled because a star class guest wanted that slot at the last minute.

 

Given the feedback it looks like some are ok with this. I would be surprised if everyone is. Especially given discussions on other threads regarding experience of JS guests in CK.

 

Looks like no one shares my concern. Fair enough, that was the whole point of starting this thread. But a couple of posters have jumped in with their judgemental, morally superior, accusations of hypocrisy and entitlement (Not you Merion_Mom, but others).

I acknowledge that if some people pay a lot more than us they deserve more perks.

Having said that if i have been shown to a table by a waiter and are sitting there i would totally refuse to move if someone tried to lord it over us and expected us to move to let them have our table.

I don't class myself better than anyone else but also won't let anyone think they are better than me.

We have sailed on an Oasis Class ship 13 times since the start of the Star Class program. All sailings were in a Sky Class cabin. During the first 11 sailings were were Diamond Plus and Pinnacle on the last two sailings. All meals were always eaten at the Coastal Kitchen.

During these cruises we met many passengers that were sailing in Star Class cabins. Never once did we feel that they were given better service then us in the Suite Lounge or Coastal Kitchen.

We always request 6:30 PM dining in the Coastal Kitchen, with a table for two at or near a window. Sometimes we have waited until 7:00 PM for a table to open. I have never experienced, or heard of a Star Class person affecting a dinner reservation as you described.