URGENT! Radiance Alaska upgrade to GS??

[OnlyMe]

Hi all,

It will be our wedding anniversary during our Alaskan cruise in September. We are currently booked into an E1 (8588 on the hump) cabin. I KNOW my DH would be absolutely delighted to be in a suite and am thinking of upgrading as a surprise. Here is the thing..... My TA waitlisted me for a suite and has just e-mailed me saying one has been assigned ...but at an additional cost of $1600 (a little more than I had expected!). I have requested the cabin number but have not heard back as yet. I am wondering how much value for money we would get out of this cabin on an Alaskan cruise?? I also considered a JS BUT with no Concierge, think that if we are upgrading at all a GS would be MUCH better and more Value for Money. Has anyone had experience of having a GS on an Alaskan cruise? All opinions welcome.:D

[Straughn]

We have been on two Alaskan cruises, both in Grand Suites. Since you mention concierge, you must be sailing on a Radiance class ship. We were on Serenade last fall- it is a wonderful ship. The pluses of a GS, besides the concierge, more space, bigger bathroom with shower tub combination, more space, bigger balconey, robes, more space, separate line for check-in at the pier. The larger balcony is nice because there is so much to see from the ship-we enjoyed the sail thru Misty Fjords from our balcony. The Alaskan scenery is gorgeous and there is always something to see- lots of wildlife in the water and on the shore. The Concierge lounge offers continental breakfast and cocktails with hors d'oeuvres starting at 5PM. She can arrange shore excursions for you, reservations in Chops and Portofinos, and is a great resource about ships activities. You will have a chance to meet other cruises over a drink or at breakfast in the lounge. If you can swing the cost, I think you and your husband would have a great anniversary cruise in a suite. By the way, did I mention you have a lot more space :)

[CanuckCruizer]

Did you mean $1600 total or $1600 each? I have never stayed in a Grand Suite, only a Junior Suite BUT the difference between a regular balcony cabin and a Junior Suite is VERY noticeable. You get the bigger bathroom with the tub/shower and a little living room area and a much bigger balcony. We are booked in a D1 balcony for the Serenade to Hawaii and I know we want a Junior Suite, but it is $1,040 US more EACH to upgrade. I would love the idea of cocktails and appey's every night with the Grand Suite! If it is $1600 total, please do yourself a favour - GET THE GRAND SUITE!!!! After all, it is your wedding/honeymoon!!! You will not regret it, I'm sure!! What a fantastic surprise for your husband-to-be!!!!!!:D

[OnlyMe]

Straughn, I am taking it that there will be lots of 'space' in the GS:D.

Yes I could swing the cost although it is a LOT of money but I have never done anything like this for my DH and I KNOW he would be speechless - he would certainly wallow in the luxury. But the reason I am hesitant in booking is that on port days I know we will be very busy and am wondering if we will use the Concierge that much - how did it work out for you?

 

We will be on Radiance on September 17th by the way.

Thanks.

[CanuckCruizer]

OnlyMe,

 

Sorry, just realized it is your wedding anniversary and NOT your wedding - my mistake. But even so, go for the gusto! I wish we could pay $1600 more and get a grand suite. Ours isn't until next September, so I suppose if we wait, maybe we can upgrade closer to the time too. Good luck!!

[ssoceo]

I've thought several times about upgrading but then again - when I realize we are never in our cabin - that the money is better spent on expensive excursions that we might not normally do.

[OnlyMe]

OnlyMe,

 

Sorry, just realized it is your wedding anniversary and NOT your wedding - my mistake. But even so, go for the gusto! I wish we could pay $1600 more and get a grand suite. Ours isn't until next September, so I suppose if we wait, maybe we can upgrade closer to the time too. Good luck!!

 

Wow CanuckCruiser, I thought $1600 (total for BOTH of us) was steep but I'm certainly thinking again based on your new information. I think I will take the suite but only if it is on Starboard side as that is what is what is recommended for North bound - I'm keeping my fingers crossed it IS starboard.

[Ladylouwho]

We recently booked the corner aft grand suite on deck ten of the Radiance to Alaska for summer 2006. It was $1,700 (total) more than a D1 Aft. We had a Corner Aft Royal Family Suite in June on a two week Jewel of the Seas cruise. The spaciousness of the suites is great as is the beautiful, BIG bathroom. We had our three girls then and the two bathrooms, two bedrooms and living room were great. For the Radiance it will be just me and my husband, celebrating my 50th birthday and our 22nd wedding anniversary. I am sure the Grand Suite will be great for us. Oh, and the conceirage service is very nice, the free drinks in the evening are a very nice perk! We also always had some sort of fancy appetizer delivered to our room each afternoon. Ours was port intensive (Europe) and that was a nice touch when we returned to our suite from a day of touring. I don't know if they do that in GS's or not.

 

My advice is, if you can afford it, DO IT! You all know that old saying, "If you can afford to go first class and don't your heirs will".

 

Have a great cruise!

[kybill]

Ladylouwho;

We'll be in your cabin 1600 on the Radiance on the September 24, 2005 to Hawaii. Sounds like you RFS gave you a pretty good idea about the aft suites. We were curious as to how the balcony is with the aft suites?

Bill and Linda

[Ladylouwho]

kybill,

 

Lucky you, going so soon and to Hawaii! The pictures in the RCL brochure make the corner aft wraparounds on the Radiance Class ships look bigger than they actually are. The Aft balconies are deeper than the side balconies but the corner aft where it becomes a corner is only usable to stand. The middle aft balcony cabins are actually deeper than the corner ones. But the corner aft is wider. Our balcony had two sitting chairs, one table and one lounger.The corner balcony is definately larger than the side ones, and the view is unbelievable. We did the British Isles/Norwegian Fiords cruise in June and the views were awesome. As we were leaving Flam, Norway, we stood out on our balcony and the people in the cabin next to ours (Brits who we became good friends with), stood out there with us and we enjoyed each others company over some drinks and took in the unbelievable beauty that Norway had to offer. I imagine Hawaii will give you some very beautiful views. The aft gives you views of both sides and I always felt the aft cabins were more private. I mean, no one really walks by your cabin, you are at the end. Of course the extra space and perks of the suite are great. The GS corner Aft is better than the sides. If I couldn't get the corner aft, I would have booked the D1 aft rather than a side GS. That is how much we liked the aft. Hope you have a wonderful cruise. Oh, and keep the suite in good shape for us, wiill ya?

 

Colleen

[Straughn]

Only Me-

Just got back from an out of town weekend and read your question. We used the Concierge most mornings for breakfast as it was much more relaxing than the Windjammer-easier to get a seat! We also went in the evening for a cocktail before dinner-there are always very nice snacks. I know that the departure time for some of the Alaskan ports is around dinnertime. Since we had second seating, we never had a problem stopping by the lounge either as we returned from the port or on our way to dinner. The Concierge is only one of the benefits of a GS-I listed the other ones in my earlier posting. I think you would enjoy those as much, if not more, than the lounge because you can use the robes, the bigger bathroom, balcony, etc. everyday. We tend to spend a fair amount of time, especially in the late afternoon, early evening, in our cabin, so we like having the sitting area and the bigger balcony. For folks who only go to their cabins to change clothes and sleep, it might not matter as much.

[OnlyMe]

Straughn,

Thanks for your reply. I think I've been pretty much convinced to book the suite, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it is on the starboard - I still haven't heard from my TA and I'm on tenderhooks! I'm figuring you only live once and to hell with it, it's only money and after all it IS Alaska.

Thanks for your help.

[sailor moon]

We were in a G/S in June on the Radiance for Alaska. It was wonderful to have all the space and the concierge lounge (which we used a ton!). While there were 3 of us, I would still do it in a heart beat for just DH & I if money was not a "big" deal. I really want the cappacino machine in the lounge.... :)

[Straughn]

Only Me-

Just wanted to let you know that, in our opinion, on an Alaskan cruise, starboard or port does not matter. You spend most of your "at sea" time in the Inside Passage and the views from both are incredible. If you are up on deck, you can run from one side of the ship to the other enjoying the scenery and the wildlife. Which ever side your cabin is on is the good side. There are no bad views in Alaska!

[RDeagazio]

I second that-- Starboard or Port doesn't matter in Alaska.. the cruise is roundtrip on the Inside Passage so what you pass on the starboard side going north will be on the port side heading south. Wildlife is unpredictable and can appear on either side at any given time. As for the Concierge lounge-- it's a very nice perk and you'll be surprised how much you'll use that benefit and enjoy it. Being Diamond Plus, we booked a D1 cabin since we get use of the lounge regardless and it was especially nice to walk in very late at night or very early in the morning to get coffee or cappuccino from the self service machine... If you go in when the Concierge is not there and the lights are off there's a switch on the wall behind the Concierge's desk. The Serenade is my favorite RCI ship (and I've sailed them all). Enjoy!!

[OnlyMe]

OK, I've just checked for pricing on the RCCL website and to my complete and utter shock there I find MY cabin staring me in the face 8588! Then when I checked my booking and returned to the pricing it was gone! I STILL have not heard from my TA about my questions on the GS and I CERTAINLY haven't told him that I am taking the GS but he has gone ahead and changed my booking anyways - I am now booked into cabin 1556!! Now I know I PROBABLY had my mind already made up and was going to take the cabin BUT what if it was a cabin I didn't like or couldn't afford the upgrade?? I also think he is ripping me off on price as my cabin (E1) has gone up in price since I first booked by approx $700 and on last Tuesday the JS GTY was $1,200 more than what I ORIGINALLY paid (ie just $500 more than an E1 now) so should a GS be $1,600 more than an E1 now (ie $1,100 more than a JS)?? Does anyone think it's worth bargaining seeing as my TA is so trigger happy?? Please don't flame me for asking :o

[Jimbo]

OK, I've just checked for pricing on the RCCL website and to my complete and utter shock there I find MY cabin staring me in the face 8588! Then when I checked my booking and returned to the pricing it was gone! I STILL have not heard from my TA about my questions on the GS and I CERTAINLY haven't told him that I am taking the GS but he has gone ahead and changed my booking anyways - I am now booked into cabin 1556!! Now I know I PROBABLY had my mind already made up and was going to take the cabin BUT what if it was a cabin I didn't like or couldn't afford the upgrade?? I also think he is ripping me off on price as my cabin (E1) has gone up in price since I first booked by approx $700 and on last Tuesday the JS GTY was $1,200 more than what I ORIGINALLY paid (ie just $500 more than an E1 now) so should a GS be $1,600 more than an E1 now (ie $1,100 more than a JS)?? Does anyone think it's worth bargaining seeing as my TA is so trigger happy?? Please don't flame me for asking :o

 

Depends when he officially made the switch, if he made the switch last Tuesday then you should pay just $1200 more to get the GS...... The current price of thre Category E1 has no factor in what you are paying to make the switch.

 

If say just yesterday he made the switch then you will have to pay what the current price for the GS to get it minus what you already paid for your orignal booking.

 

Seems to be a little communication problem with your agent, he may have jumped the gun a little, but you may have made it unclear to him/her what you really wanted to do.

 

Jimbo:)

[Straughn]

Cabin 1556 is one of the most coveted GS on the Radiance class ships. Smack dab in the middle of the ship on the bump. Is it possible that your TA knows that and grabbed it for you while he/she had the opportunity?

 

As for the prices-lately, they have been on a real rollar coaster ride. We are booked on a cruise in Sept. that is one of the "Hot Deals"- the prices on that have been all over the place. A GS generally runs about $500-600 more person than a JS-so the prices sound about right.

[OnlyMe]

Jimbo & Straughn thanks for your replies. I have had quite a few problems with my TA and I don't really trust him so I just wanted to post the question on price here. He seems to have a mind of his own when it comes to my booking - on more occasions than one! And he STILL hasn't contacted me re the cabin change. But the price seems to be OK based on what you have said. AND I really am glad about 1556 - I had a fair idea it's a fab cabin I just didn't want to be ripped off. Thanks for the advice guys and I sure will enjoy the cabin.:D

[OnlyMe]

Guys, I just wanted to let you know that I am oficially booked into 1556 for our sailing ;) . I want to say a BIG thank you to all who gave advice and opinions on this - Most helpful . I'm sure I will enjoy every minute of this suite.

[logan1_2000]

Ladylouwho;

We'll be in your cabin 1600 on the Radiance on the September 24, 2005 to Hawaii. Sounds like you RFS gave you a pretty good idea about the aft suites. We were curious as to how the balcony is with the aft suites?

Bill and Linda

 

So how is 1600 on the Radiance--just booked it for 1/2/06, hope y'all have been taking good care of it for us...