Mini Suite Perks?

[uneamie]

I realize that "mini suites" are not really considered suites....."deluxe balcony" is the term I've heard.

 

Since I was wondering about "priority boarding" I did a search for it and came up with this.

 

Someone called NCL in Feb of this year to ask about the mini suite perks and the CSR said that those perks just recently change and she would email her the list. I don't see "priority boarding" there but I do see "personal escort" which we do not really need frankly....rather have the fast boarding line.

 

I copied and pasted the list below....now my question is: Has anyone gotten these new perks recently for booking a "mini suite" ???

 

MINI-SUITES ~ AF-AG

Embarkation

Personal escort to stateroom

Purple color key card

Cut Flower(s) in bud vase

Selection of fruit from "Fruit menu" in a s/s bowl

1 Bottle of Spring Water

 

Bath Amenities - Elemis products

Pure Shine Shampoo (Dispenser)

Wild Lavender Hand Soap (Dispenser)

Sharp Shower And Bath Gel (Dispenser)

Vitamin Rich Body Lotion 1.7 oz

Pure Zest Boxed Soap 50g

 

Other

Bath Robes (Waffle Weave)

Feather Pillows

Euro Pillow

24 hour room service (Standard Menu)

Continental Breakfast

Priority Restaurant Reservation Hot Line

Priority Information Hot Line

Cookie turndown on last evening of voyage

 

[AFT_LOVER]

We were upgraded from BA to Minis on 3 cruises, so my comments follow all of yours. Some noted were not given. So read on & ask anything else.

Epic is proper calling them DELUXE BALCONIES with 20 sq ft larger area.

 

 

I realize that "mini suites" are not really considered suites....."deluxe balcony" is the term I've heard. TRUE!

 

Since I was wondering about "priority boarding" I did a search for it and came up with this. NOPE!

 

Someone called NCL in Feb of this year to ask about the mini suite perks and the CSR said that those perks just recently change and she would email her the list. I don't see "priority boarding" there but I do see "personal escort" which we do not really need frankly....rather have the fast boarding line. SO They Say!

 

I copied and pasted the list below....now my question is: Has anyone gotten these new perks recently for booking a "mini suite" ???

 

 

MINI-SUITES ~ AF-AG

 

 

Embarkation - You get on with everyone

Personal escort to stateroom = never had one

Purple color key card - YES

Cut Flower(s) in bud vase - NO

Selection of fruit from "Fruit menu" in a s/s bowl = a banana, apple & orange in a cereal bowl

1 Bottle of Spring Water - price tag on it

 

Bath Amenities - Elemis products - Those are good. Bathtubs are soaking tubs but backwards inserted. So your head is the spigot.

Pure Shine Shampoo (Dispenser)

Wild Lavender Hand Soap (Dispenser)

Sharp Shower And Bath Gel (Dispenser) Dispensers are nice, if you get the right one for shampoo and not boday gel. Nice bubble bath in tub.

Vitamin Rich Body Lotion 1.7 oz - good but tiny bottle

Pure Zest Boxed Soap 50g - never use Zest soap

 

Other

Bath Robes (Waffle Weave) = We had thick ones

Feather Pillows - Beds & pillows are great!

Euro Pillow - husband likes those neck pillows

24 hour room service (Standard Menu) Great for coffee & danish

Continental Breakfast - that is coffee & danish

Priority Restaurant Reservation Hot Line - Make dining reservations 48 hours in advance on the phone or with reservationist in Atrium

Priority Information Hot Line - Concierge?

Cookie turndown on last evening of voyage - very nice on last night, had Dawn's chocolate chunk, Jewel's Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter on Majesty on her farewell year.

 

[sjnyc323]

We were on Gem in March in mini-suite and did not get escorted on ship and most of those things on list did not apply.

[njguy_south]

I lve NCL, but this always bugged me. Calling them a suite, even placing them in the pricing category as such - helps them with their adverts, as they can say "Suites starting at," even though they are mini-suites with NO suite perks. So the company benefits from "low priced" suites, but they really aren't suites.

 

However, when it benefits the company, they are not suites. You don't get the perks, you cannot upgrade using upgrade coupons/certificates/etc. Whenever they state something does NOT apply to the suites, minis are in that category. When they say something is a suite perk, it does NOT apply to the minis.

 

NCL -- great company -- but they really need to stop calling these suites and placing them in that category for advert. purposes.

[uneamie]

We were upgraded from BA to Minis on 3 cruises, so my comments follow all of yours. Some noted were not given. So read on & ask anything else.

Epic is proper calling them DELUXE BALCONIES with 20 sq ft larger area.

 

Thanks.....looks like most of the things YOU got.....and most of the things the poster below "didn't get". ugh! I guess it all depends on the ship, the staff and where the Sun is in conjunction to Venus! LOL ;)

[uneamie]

I lve NCL, but this always bugged me. Calling them a suite, even placing them in the pricing category as such - helps them with their adverts, as they can say "Suites starting at," even though they are mini-suites with NO suite perks. So the company benefits from "low priced" suites, but they really aren't suites.

 

However, when it benefits the company, they are not suites. You don't get the perks, you cannot upgrade using upgrade coupons/certificates/etc. Whenever they state something does NOT apply to the suites, minis are in that category. When they say something is a suite perk, it does NOT apply to the minis.

 

NCL -- great company -- but they really need to stop calling these suites and placing them in that category for advert. purposes.

 

 

 

I hear ya and I do agree. Considering there is a substantial difference in the price of a balcony versus a mini suite you'd think they could throw in something that isn't even going to cost them any money....like priority boarding for instance. A little extra room and a tub is not exactly a perk...you are paying for it. So essentially there are no perks but they claim there are.

[TrikeRider]

We were on Gem in March in mini-suite and did not get escorted on ship and most of those things on list did not apply.

 

Same here - and definitely no cookie. :(

[MrLee]

These were all there for our BA last year on the repo. Others I really don't remember for sure so I'm not including them...

 

 

Purple color key card

Selection of fruit from "Fruit menu" in a s/s bowl

 

Bath Amenities - Elemis products

Pure Shine Shampoo (Dispenser)

Wild Lavender Hand Soap (Dispenser)

Sharp Shower And Bath Gel (Dispenser)

Vitamin Rich Body Lotion 1.7 oz

Pure Zest Boxed Soap 50g

 

Other

Bath Robes (Waffle Weave)

Feather Pillows

Euro Pillow

24 hour room service (Standard Menu)

Continental Breakfast

Cookie turndown on last evening of voyage

 

[sillysailor 1955]

We had a mini suite on the Jade last December - I honestly could not see the difference between a "balcony" and a "mini suite" - I'm sure there must be something but darned if I know:confused:

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

I hear ya and I do agree. Considering there is a substantial difference in the price of a balcony versus a mini suite you'd think they could throw in something that isn't even going to cost them any money....like priority boarding for instance. A little extra room and a tub is not exactly a perk...you are paying for it. So essentially there are no perks but they claim there are.

 

Surely you knew this when you booked a mini-suite, that it has no perks over a balcony aside for the space? Yes, you are paying for additional space and that's all; with you having over 1000 posts on Cruise Critic, weren't you already familiar with this old and well-discussed topic?

[Arwenmark]

If you check in at the right time you get an escort to your cabin, most of us don't and check in early. All the other perks you mention for a minisuite also apply to a balcony cabin. the hot line, 48 hour reservations , flower, fruit, robes, everything on that list.

Also a separate check in line for Minisuites & balconies.

I got all of that in my BA cabin last December on the Star.

[uneamie]

Surely you knew this when you booked a mini-suite, that it has no perks over a balcony aside for the space? Yes, you are paying for additional space and that's all; with you having over 1000 posts on Cruise Critic, weren't you already familiar with this old and well-discussed topic?

 

 

Well....not that I should have to explain myself but, it does not matter how many post I have or how often this subject has come up.....NCL changes things constantly and my original reason for posting ( after doing dutiful search ) was to find out if the "mini suites" get priority boarding. I thought I got that perk 5 years ago ( yes, it's been that long since I've cruised so I have just recently come back to CC ). In five years things can change quite a bit.................so I think I was within my rights to ask about it.

 

In my research I came upon the list I posted that someone else posted after getting an update from a CSR at NCL who told her that NCL changed all the "mini suite" perks as of Feb 2009...which is pretty recently. ( See what I mean? )

 

Yes I knew all about the 2 room differences ( size and bath tub ) ...I don't think I implied that it was new to me or that I was all that surprised..............but I am surprised that I have to explain myself....actually no I am not surprised. People questioning another's post has become quite popular I see. :rolleyes:

[sjnyc323]

I did like the extra space and had a great time anyway. In November I will experience my first actual suite on NCL. can't wait.

 

 

Same here - and definitely no cookie. :(

[nona0541]

We had a mini suite on the Jade last December - I honestly could not see the difference between a "balcony" and a "mini suite" - I'm sure there must be something but darned if I know:confused:

 

The size. Minis are a little bigger than a BA and they have a tub and a curtain to seperate the "couch" (bed) from the main bed.