Should we upgrade to suite?

[satchiesmom]

We just booked a mini-suite on the Jewel and have been looking at the aft Penthouse suites. We can upgrade for $580 total for both of us. Having never been on NCL I don't know if that's a good deal or not. Any thoughts?

[Inuvikcouple]

Four times in Aft suites, two more booked and we love them. The increased cost would be money wel spent in my opinion.

 

Dave

[Starry Eyes]

You will be very well treated if you upgrade. you will butler and concierge services. you will have special embarkation and disembarkation. you will have special breakfast and lunch in Cagney's just for suite guests. you will have more room service options (essentially anything on ship can be delivered to your suite by the butler...though there is an extra charge if it comes from specialty restaurant. You will get extra latitudes points...valuable if you continue to sail with NCL. you will be invited to a special reception.

 

In addition to the cost to upgrade, you should also budget tips for butler and concierge if you upgrade.

 

if the budget allows, I would consider that a pretty good value on a 7 night cruise...an even better value if yours is a longer cruise.

[satchiesmom]

What are the standard tips for the Butler and Concierge? Having had neither I'm clueless.

 

Susan

[david_sobe]

About $300 per person

I think you are getting a deal. Isnt the suite more expensive if you would have booked it in the first place?

Everyone needs to try the suite experience once. The Haven on Jewel is amazing too.

I say

 

GO FOR IT

[raylene5]

Well, I haven't been in one of the suites but I can say that for $580, I would totally take the upgrade! The extra space sounds great but also the butler and concierge service sounds pretty cool too. TAKE IT! TAKE IT! :)

[emcelh]

If you can upgrade for $580, go for it. It's so worth it and we're booked in aft penthouses on our next 2 cruises. Problem is, I don't think we'll ever be able to go back to a regular cabin.

 

There are lots of threads on tipping....someone here suggested $300 per person. It depends on how much you use them. We only had room service once and only used the concierge for priority embarkation and disembarkation. On a 7 day cruise we probably tipped that amount for both of us.

[Quincella]

If you can upgrade for $580, go for it. It's so worth it and we're booked in aft penthouses on our next 2 cruises. Problem is, I don't think we'll ever be able to go back to a regular cabin.

 

There are lots of threads on tipping....someone here suggested $300 per person. It depends on how much you use them. We only had room service once and only used the concierge for priority embarkation and disembarkation. On a 7 day cruise we probably tipped that amount for both of us.

 

I'd agree that if you can afford it....go for it! I only did it once, thanks to what I thought at the time was a killer upgrade offer (although not as sweet as the one you're being offered) and it was AMAZING. Worth every penny. I do spend a good bit of time in my room, though. Particularly the balcony.

 

We actually used the concierge more than the butler and tipped her more at the end of the cruise than the butler. I think combined we tipped $100 or $125 for the butler and maybe $150 or $175 for the concierge. We just didn't use either service enough to warrant more than that. Our butler made sure we had chocolate covered strawberries one day for my daughter, who specifically requested them, and delivered us breakfast in our room twice. That's it. The concierge made several reservations for us, tracked down some items we needed, and took us to the shows so we didn't have to wait in line. I'm sure the each (concierge and butler) did some other stuff, but I can't recall enough to make it significant. The both were very good about checking in on us to be sure we had everything we needed.

[satchiesmom]

Thanks for all of the input, but I think we will stick with our mini-suite and switch to an aft. I don't think we would be in the room that much and the butler and concierge would be wasted on us. The only thing that we might enjoy over and above would be breakfast and lunch in Cagney's.

 

Susan

[david_sobe]

Thanks for all of the input, but I think we will stick with our mini-suite and switch to an aft. I don't think we would be in the room that much and the butler and concierge would be wasted on us. The only thing that we might enjoy over and above would be breakfast and lunch in Cagney's.

 

Susan

It is your money so you decide but it is not a butler and concierge. Are you tendering anywhere? GSC? You would be first on the island. You will have priority embarkation. Plus the private get away of the Haven with private hot tubs and swimming pool. Also get a bottle of sparkling wine for sail away plus a basket of fruit, flowers, and daily treats delivered to your room. You also can get a HOT breakfast served in your suite. Plus all the bedding and linens in the suite are top notch. You get a DVD player with movies, etc.

 

A small price to pay to get spoiled in such a way. Ok I am done. I wont twist your arm anymore.

[Starry Eyes]

NCL's suite experience is special...Your current plan is perfectly reasonable, of course, but still why not watch prices...you might catch a better price drop on the suite.

 

Also, if you pay for a suite entirely with an American Express card, you may qualify for a $500 OBC...you might see if you can catch that deal. OBC cannot be used for daily service charges...I do not know if, by filing a form, it can be used to tip butler and concierge...anybody know? it can be used for specialty restaurants, excursions, drinks, etc.

[Starry Eyes]

It is your money so you decide but it is not a butler and concierge. Are you tendering anywhere? GSC? You would be first on the island. You will have priority embarkation. Plus the private get away of the Haven with private hot tubs and swimming pool. Also get a bottle of sparkling wine for sail away plus a basket of fruit, flowers, and daily treats delivered to your room. You also can get a HOT breakfast served in your suite. Plus all the bedding and linens in the suite are top notch. You get a DVD player with movies, etc.

 

A small price to pay to get spoiled in such a way. Ok I am done. I wont twist your arm anymore.

 

are you sure the aft penthouse gets Haven access? The op may be looking at a non-haven suite....Still nice...still gets other perks and special treatment.

[david_sobe]

are you sure the aft penthouse gets Haven access? The op may be looking at a non-haven suite....Still nice...still gets other perks and special treatment.

GOOD POINT

She mentioned the Cagneys thing so I thought it must be a full suite

[satchiesmom]

are you sure the aft penthouse gets Haven access? The op may be looking at a non-haven suite....Still nice...still gets other perks and special treatment.

We were looking at a non-haven aft penthouse, so I guess those don't get access to Cagney's for breakfast and lunch.

[Journey11]

Penthouses have access to Cagney's for breakfast and lunch, but not access to the Haven.

[Starry Eyes]

We were looking at a non-haven aft penthouse, so I guess those don't get access to Cagney's for breakfast and lunch.

 

it might help if you state the suite category...every full suite gets cagney's...you should be fine there.

 

Some suites are located behind a special limited access door to an area called the Haven with a private pool and courtyard. Since you call the one you are considering an aft penthouse, I suspect it is not in the haven area...The haven is lovely and delightful (depending upon the other guests;)), but even suites without haven access are quite nice and get many perks...

[johnsak123]

You should definitely take the upgrade

The difference in price is minimal considering all the extras you get

Enjoy!!

[valleyvillage]

That is a great deal. You should jump on it! It's not just an incremental difference, it is a whole new world!

[peg013]

For the money I would jump on it! The suite life is extremely sweet on NCL. All full suites get breakfast and lunch at Cagneys....any cabin that begins with a "S" is a full suite. (Mini's start with a "M") Those that also get "Haven access" will have Haven in their name.

 

If you pay with AMEX you can get $500 OBC so you'd be upgrading for almost nothing. You can use your OBC to tip the butler, concierge, kid's club or anyone else you choose to tip above the Daily Service Charge. Simply go to Guest Services and they will direct you to "accounting" who will complete the voucher and have you sign for the tip. They give you a copy and an envelope so you can present to the person you are tipping. I take along Thank You cards and put it in them but it is nice that they give you an envelope if you need one. I just did this on the Star June 1, 2012.:)

[Terrijm]

I think you should do the up-grade. :)..... Because, if you don't...you will wish you did when you get on that ship. If you insist on not upgrading don't...but you will need to try a suite in one of your future cruises to know what we are talking about.... Nothing better then the suite life...;)

[dutchess43]

Having sailed in an aft gacing penthouse this past fev I am spoiled forever we have one booked for the fall. For that price & if you can afford it my 2 cents is you should upgrade keep in mind there are only 12 of these cabins.

[satchiesmom]

I want to thank everyone for their input, it is greatly appreciated. We have decided to stick with our mini-suite because the $300pp that I have seen for a suggested tip for the butler and concierge would put us over budget, and we could spend a couple of extra days in New Orleans (which is my favorite US city) for that. We will continue to watch for price drops though.

I'm very much looking forward to our first NCL experience.

 

Susan

[DMH15]

I love the NCL suite life.

 

But, I respect your financial responsibility. Someone else will get that great deal. And you will still have an incredible cruise !!! Win-win!

 

Happy cruising.

[satchiesmom]

I love the NCL suite life.

 

But, I respect your financial responsibility. Someone else will get that great deal. And you will still have an incredible cruise !!! Win-win!

 

Happy cruising.

 

Thanks Donna, I'm sure I will experience a suite on NCL at some point, just not this cruise.

[youngestof9]

I want to thank everyone for their input, it is greatly appreciated. We have decided to stick with our mini-suite because the $300pp that I have seen for a suggested tip for the butler and concierge would put us over budget, and we could spend a couple of extra days in New Orleans (which is my favorite US city) for that. We will continue to watch for price drops though.

I'm very much looking forward to our first NCL experience.

 

Susan

 

I totally understand. But I think the suggestion of $600 for tips is outrageous - When 2 of us stayed in a suite (non-haven), we tipped $150 total - $100 to butler, $50 to concierge ( think - I sorta forget the breakdown - may have been $75/$75. We didn't dine in the suite, we used the concierge for a few things and the butler for some, but that's it).

 

Regardless - you'll have a ball!