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I’ve never booked a suite....


dockhl
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but was wondering if there is a particular sale that makes it most affordable? We don’t need a drinks package but are happy with OBC, etc. A discount on the cabin itself would probably be best!

 

(I was hoping to book a Sky Suite for our 10th anniversary but it seems that ship has sailed....so to speak :'))

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If you are on one of the ships with window suites, they are a great bargain. I looked at our upcoming cruises and one sailing has 4 or 5 left, at a serious markdown from where they started.

 

Bottom line--if there are any suites left as the sailing date nears, there can be bargains.

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We booked the Caribbean Princess for end of this month during the Summer on Sale offer. The third and fourth person in a cabin were $1. We booked a Window for the first week and a Vista for the second week. For some reason, our son was free for one, and $1 for the second. Made for a very cheap Suite overall, even though the fare for DH and I was normal.

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The upsell is definitely the best bet. For now, I'm able to work tons of overtime at work so I go ahead and always book a full suite. When I eventually retire, I will possible have to change the way we book and only go for a full suite if we sail out of a west coast port. If we have to fly to far off distant lands to embark, it might be a mini for us unless we get an upsell offer.....:):):)

 

Bob

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The only breaks on full suite prices generally come in the form of an upsell - I usually book mini suites for long cruises and the last 2 years I have been offered full suite upsell at about 1/2 of the going rate. Crossing my fingers for an upsell this year on our 20 day Caribbean trip

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We have done 8 cruises, 7 with Princess. On our first cruise our TA suggested a balcony, saying 'Ocean view is fine but once you've had a balcony you never go back'.

 

Strangely on that first cruise, Alaska, we were upgraded to a mini-suite. The sofa was nice but we have never missed it on other cruises.

 

I have been tempted to look at Ocean View, on the basis that ' you don't spend a lot of time in the cabin' argument, but the savings have not been enough to give up a balcony.

 

Suites on the other hand cost so much more that I wonder why people choose them - unless money is no object.

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Suites on the other hand cost so much more that I wonder why people choose them - unless money is no object.

Or you get an upgrade/upsell.

 

I just got curious and looked at the window suites on our cruise. The availability is the same as last week, but the price has increased $800 pp., returning it to essentially the price when we booked months ago. Interesting.

Edited by moki'smommy
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We first sailed in an ocean view cabin. The next cruise we went with a balcony. Which we loved. And have sailed in for 10 cruises. This last 2 cruises we accepted an upsell to a suite which was wonderful really enjoyed it with all the perks that come with it. Now i am not sure how we will go back to a balcony. It may mean having to not cruise for awhile till we save so we can afford to go in a suite or hope of another up sell to a suite

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Or you get an upgrade/upsell.

 

I just got curious and looked at the window suites on our cruise.

 

I had not heard of a window suite - is this a suite without a balcony ?

 

I am curious because we are looking at a California Coastal on HAL, repositioning between Panama Canal and Alaska. All bookings are GTY because they do not know full availability, some PAX will add Coastal after Panama. So I could book a Suite GTY but then I saw some Aft 'suites' that did not have a balcony and thought this is neither one thing nor the other. More like an Ocean View.

 

Sorry for long winded example to explain how I was looking at 'Suites' :)

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I had not heard of a window suite - is this a suite without a balcony ?

 

I am curious because we are looking at a California Coastal on HAL, repositioning between Panama Canal and Alaska. All bookings are GTY because they do not know full availability, some PAX will add Coastal after Panama. So I could book a Suite GTY but then I saw some Aft 'suites' that did not have a balcony and thought this is neither one thing nor the other. More like an Ocean View.

 

Sorry for long winded example to explain how I was looking at 'Suites' :)

A window suite is a suite without a balcony. They exist as a separate category on only 3 ships, as far as I know (Golden, Caribbean, and ???Grand). We've used only the accessible window suite, which obviously has a different bathroom set up than a standard window suite.

 

 

Yes, in many ways, it is "neither one thing nor the other. It does give a lovely, large room with all the suite benefits at a price much reduced from a suite with a balcony. They are not as elegant as the other suites. My only other experience with a suite is on a different line, although I've looked at photos of Princess suites. The window suite is no where close to the suite experience on that line where there is a totally separate bedroom (with walls) and living room. This is one large room with a large bathroom. Normally there is a tub and separate shower, but in our case there was the roll in shower and elevated toilet with no tub. There was no separation between the two beds and the couch. There was plenty of storage room. They do include all the suite perks.

 

The HA window suite is the same size as the normal window suites, although the set up is slightly different. This is in marked contrast to the balcony, oceanview, and inside cabins where the HAs are much larger than the standard.

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The upsell is definitely the best bet. For now, I'm able to work tons of overtime at work so I go ahead and always book a full suite. When I eventually retire, I will possible have to change the way we book and only go for a full suite if we sail out of a west coast port. If we have to fly to far off distant lands to embark, it might be a mini for us unless we get an upsell offer.....:):):)

 

Bob

Better make sure your DW is on board with this Bob as she may not let you retire!:eek:

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The only time we booked a full suite is when we went with a large group to Alaska and it paid off as all the rest in our group were in window only or inside cabins. Had almost 2 hours of whale watching off the balcony on the way into Juneau.

 

I agree with the others on the upgrade offers, we have been moved from a mini to a suite for free and offered suites for an amount we didn't want to pay, but were still a great deal compared to the cabin's base price.

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We're about to take our 5th cruise - all but one in a suite. We never ever start in a suite! We book something we think we are happy with and always seem to end up seeing a bargain in a suite! Its the weirdest thing. Genuinely never set out or it to be that way, it just happens. We book early and just keep checking prices - if we spot a reduction in a suite that brings it within the range of what we paid (+£100 or so), we will move over. We booked a mini to Hawaii and ended up in a vista suite for £100 less than we paid for the mini. Its all about a bit of luck and timing. We have sometimes had to pay a change fee - i think this time £50 each to change from the booked aft balcony to a suite guarantee. But the price difference between balcony and suite was just over £100. To me, that was well worth it! The same cruise now, the S6 guarantee we paid only £200 more than the inside is now going for!

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We have done 8 cruises, 7 with Princess. On our first cruise our TA suggested a balcony, saying 'Ocean view is fine but once you've had a balcony you never go back'.
That's what I've heard as well. But we did it--going from our first balcony to an inside on the next cruise back in 2002. Our first suite experience in December was followed by going back to a regular balcony in February. And we'll go back to an inside cabin in September. Suites and mini suites were sold out when I booked in April. Balcony cabins were $400 more per person. We managed fine in an inside cabin last August. The big difference will be that cruise did not have many sea days and our upcoming one will.
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Suites use to book up first so you had to grab them right away - 2 years out. But since they have eliminated suite perks, many people I know have gone to mini suites ( those should not be called suites - it screws up too many new cruisers thinking they get suite perks). Now you see suites still available a month out. We have been booking suites for over ten years and none of ours have ever gone down in price. When the suites are sold out, you can not get any type of a discount.

I have been thinking it is time to give them out but my husband loves sitting out on the aft balcony and he hates to travel so if booking a suite makes him agree to travel, I will stay with them.

Window suites are not for us, we need the balcony.

 

Maybe a cruise during the summer to the Caribbean may have some deals for suites. good luck finding one.

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Someone asked why would a person book a suite, well my answer is this; my wife and I cruise every few years; we do land vacations too. Since we really don't have any status thru the loyalty programs we book suites; one for the perks, two for the extra space they afford, and three; when we travel with friends and family, it provides a nice living room and balcony large enough to have everyone over. Our cruise last year we were in two bedroom family suite with grandkids. It was wonderful. The kids got spoiled by getting on board ship first; having their own bath and bedroom; specialty dining; club class dining, special dining room for breakfast. The little things add up; and this is why we sail in suites. We choose different cruise lines based on itinerary first then the ships sailing to those locations. I do have a budget I work with but still enjoy having my wife pampered. We have only been in a window cabin once that was in 1987, all the rest have been balconies, then suites with balconies

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Suites on the other hand cost so much more that I wonder why people choose them - unless money is no object.

 

 

We book WS (on the Grand) frequently, with 4 in the room. Normally that room is within $200 (up or down) from 2 insides and we get all the suite benefits. Don't get me wrong, it's a pain sharing a room (sometimes). But the suite perks are worth it to us.

 

Perks that we wouldn't get: Specialty dining first night (times 4, $120 value, extra onboard credit from FFC (times 2, $100+), same day laundry (not elite, so priceless!), CC dining (no way we could afford this without 4 in the room). Priority everything (even the staff treats us differently once they see the suite card, I don't understand why). I feel that we are getting the best value and the bathroom (oh the bathroom, my bathroom, my tub, my word!)

 

So no, they don't have to cost more, just have to make concessions!

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Good points Justafem. I have looked at suites as an 'upgrade on a mini-suite' and as stated earlier, did not think the mini-suite we had was that much better than a balcony. Never thought about extra room to have people over nor more than one bedroom. I usually check prices often after we have booked, but only for our cabin :-(

 

Must pay more attention !

 

OK Just checked Canada NE 2019, Suite versus Balcony, extra price for suite 7 day $3,300; 10 day $4,900; 13 day $7,200

Edited by Tedferg
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Good points Justafem. I have looked at suites as an 'upgrade on a mini-suite' and as stated earlier, did not think the mini-suite we had was that much better than a balcony. Never thought about extra room to have people over nor more than one bedroom. I usually check prices often after we have booked, but only for our cabin :-(

 

Must pay more attention !

 

Sometimes it just looking at it from a different perspective that opens the eyes to another experience.

 

I have a tendency to look at all the rooms available. Frequently have more than 2 in our party, which gives us options of room configurations.

 

And I'll agree, I don't see much of a difference between MS and balcony (other than the tub, I love me a good tub). But I do see a HUGE difference between and inside and a suite. For the same (ish) price for 4, why the HECK not!

 

I've gone on cruises with family or with friends. For me, most of the time, it's a place to sleep and that's it. I'm happy just to be on a ship!

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