For Those Considering A Suite For The First Time. Not A Cruise Review

[amor1964]

Thank you for your post, we are going to be in an 2 bdrm family suite on the Dawn in a couple of years. This will be our third suite and our 5th cruise on NCL. Last time we were in an SF Aft suite - the three of us were a bit tight - but a mini or a balcony would be way worse. We too are looking forward to the extra bdrm and living room.

 

With 2 in the California king, 2 on pull out sofa, and 1 in murphy bed we were not cramped. Even with all pulled out there was plenty of room to move around.

[amor1964]

Great review of NCL suite services. When I first saw the thread for some reason I was prepared for some disappointment. But glad that was not the point. Everything seemed to work seamlessly. It was textbook example of how things should work. NCL must feel good reading your review.

I agree with you that some of the suite experience is tiny details. But sometimes when all those tiny things add up, it does create a better cruising experience.

Glad you had a great time!

This is exactly how we feel. After our first NCL cruise we agreed that it was the total of all of the little things that made it so great. And once again with the suite life...the total of all of the little things. We could not have asked for a better week.

[schipke13]

Thank you SOOOO much for posting this!! You sound like our kind of people, low maintenance, get-it-yourself kind of people.

 

My husband and I booked a suite for our 10 year anniversary to Alaska this coming May. It will be our first time in a suite and I have been searching for anything and everything about the perks of a suite. I read about having a concierge and a butler and I thought to myself "what am I possibly going to ask them to do". I had read about the butlers unpacking your suitcases for you and that kinda creeped me out. And then I was worried about asking for all sorts of things and sounding like a little diva princess. Your post has put me at ease a little bit about asking for the things I want. And you've made me excited about the coffee machine in the room!

 

Thank you again. I'm so glad you had a great experience. I hope we have one similar to yours.

[amor1964]

Thank you SOOOO much for posting this!! You sound like our kind of people, low maintenance, get-it-yourself kind of people.

 

My husband and I booked a suite for our 10 year anniversary to Alaska this coming May. It will be our first time in a suite and I have been searching for anything and everything about the perks of a suite. I read about having a concierge and a butler and I thought to myself "what am I possibly going to ask them to do". I had read about the butlers unpacking your suitcases for you and that kinda creeped me out. And then I was worried about asking for all sorts of things and sounding like a little diva princess. Your post has put me at ease a little bit about asking for the things I want. And you've made me excited about the coffee machine in the room!

 

Thank you again. I'm so glad you had a great experience. I hope we have one similar to yours.

 

I am so happy to see your reply! My ramble was meant to be sort of a beginners guide. Glad you saw it as such. You will have an unbelievable week!

[Toola99709]

I loved your report. My husband and I will be in our first Suite on the Jade in a few weeks. We are looking forward to exactly what you enjoyed the most. Thanks for the details and for sharing what it was like for you and your family!

[Iluvcruising2]

We were on the NCL Jade for the first time last year in a 2 bedroom penthouse suite. To maximise the suite life, we squeezed 6 people into the suite! :D

 

It was good fun.

[CorvetteLady]

Thank you so much for your post! We just booked our first suite on the Dawn and you have answered so many of my questions.

 

Does that coffee machine make hot chocolate? We do not drink coffee.

[amor1964]

Thank you so much for your post! We just booked our first suite on the Dawn and you have answered so many of my questions.

 

Does that coffee machine make hot chocolate? We do not drink coffee.

 

The Lavazza machine does not make hot chocolate that I am aware of, unless there are pods available for that. You could dispense hot water into a cup with mix powder. Or maybe use the frother to heat a cup of milk. Also I noticed a hot milk dispenser at the buffet each morning. Enjoy!

[dexddd]

Thank you so much for your post! We just booked our first suite on the Dawn and you have answered so many of my questions.

 

Does that coffee machine make hot chocolate? We do not drink coffee.

 

There aren't pods but what our DS always does is first grab a packet from the buffet and you have a silver tube on the right side of the machine. He puts some water in a cup, steams the water using the tube, and mixes in the hot chocolate. Then ask your butler for more packets or just get them from the buffet.

 

There is usually 4 types of tea pods if you drink tea.

Edited January 16, 2015 by dexddd

[mearsfansinboise]

Pre cruise letter from NCL office listing items/services available by request. Such as pillow menu, coffee/tea preference etc. We asked for 2 extra temperature control pillows, no decaf coffee, empty fridge, half/half, and milk. A nice touch, all requests were completed.

When did you receive this pre-cruise letter from NCL?

We are sailing in a suite (for the first time as well) at spring break.

[Rebelswimgirl13]

When did you receive this pre-cruise letter from NCL?

We are sailing in a suite (for the first time as well) at spring break.

 

Ooo I would like to know as well! We are sailing March 28 on the jade in our first penthouse suite for our honeymoon! We just realized our e-docs were ready today does this mean we aren't getting the letter?

 

Thanks!

 

PS your post about your first experience just made us even more anxious for our trip!

Edited January 17, 2015 by Rebelswimgirl13

[vatravels]

I'm also wondering about "the letter." We booked last minute (within 14 days of departure) and assume we won't get one.

[medicalma'am]

Thank you for your great review of the suite life. The Lavazza machine is our second favorite thing about an NCL suite!

[amor1964]

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Here is the letter that we received. It was an attachment in an email from NCL Concierge desk. We received on 12/23 for a 1/4 sailing. I do know that if you get anxious, you can email the address on the second page.

[dexddd]

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Here is the letter that we received. It was an attachment in an email from NCL Concierge desk. We received on 12/23 for a 1/4 sailing. I do know that if you get anxious, you can email the address on the second page.

 

That letter looks like they have changed how they are doing things. Our experience was they sent a letter around 45 days prior with a booklet plus luggage tags and they gave contact info for the preconcierge. They didn't list any options in the letter or booklet at the time.

[countess5]

Check with your TA. I was on here talking about not receiving our letter and when I reached out to NCL, they said it was mailed to our TA.

I gave it a bit to my TA ( personal long time friend) that she did not make me aware. On X and RCCL everything is sent to us directly.

The letter and tags were maile 12/10 for our 1/31 sail date.

Sorry NCL, :( first time sailing with you. A relationship must evolve. ;)

[Iluvcruising2]

We sailed with NCL Jade in a 2 bedroom penthouse suite last year. No contact from the ship prior to the cruise.

[kimgslead]

[quote name='dexddd']That letter looks like they have changed how they are doing things. Our experience was they sent a letter around 45 days prior with a booklet plus luggage tags and they gave contact info for the preconcierge. They didn't list any options in the letter or booklet at the time.[/quote]

We got a letter that was much more generic (i.e. there was a list of things to select, just a general statement letting us know they were there to help). We also revived the luggage tags, but did not get any booklet... just a link to the standard welcome booklet.

By the way, we requested copies of recent Dailies on the Dawn... they sent us MS Word copies of the Dailies from two weeks before. I posted them on a Google Drive: [URL]https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4Ws4a21JTN_Uk9hWGI4X1pZTlU&usp=sharing[/URL]

I was very impressed.

This is our first time in a NCL Suite... based on this thread... we are really excited! Thanks for writing this review!

Kim

[patch62]

Thanks for the interesting account of your "suite comments"... we will be in a penthouse in May on the Dawn.... looking forward more now after your assessment..

[dexddd]

[quote name='kimgslead']We got a letter that was much more generic (i.e. there was a list of things to select, just a general statement letting us know they were there to help). We also revived the luggage tags, but did not get any booklet... just a link to the standard welcome booklet.

By the way, we requested copies of recent Dailies on the Dawn... they sent us MS Word copies of the Dailies from two weeks before. I posted them on a Google Drive: [URL]https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4Ws4a21JTN_Uk9hWGI4X1pZTlU&usp=sharing[/URL]

I was very impressed.

This is our first time in a NCL Suite... based on this thread... we are really excited! Thanks for writing this review!

Kim[/QUOTE]

That is how we had it too - the booklet was referenced in the link - thanks for reminding me. Someone posted the link a couple weeks ago that showed the booklet but don't remember who.

[TYSONBOXER]

We were in the BA forward facing penthouse suite last July. Didn't have the same experience you did. We never received a pre cruise letter nor did we received luggage tags. Embarkment was very good, no waiting. Saw our butler only once, our coffee machine was not working. So he brought us another one that didn't work either. Never got another one all week. The concierge Andre was very good. Would do anything for you. The haven courtyard was very good and quite. We even brought our grandson to the courtyard even thought he wasn't in haven suite. Andre said what he doesn't see he can't say anything.
We did love the suite and haven experience even though we didn't get the full haven treatment.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Cindy]

[SIZE="3"]Thanks so much for posting your thoughts! I've always heard good things about the suite perks on NCL, but I never paid too much attention. That all changed today when I read about the three perk promotion and ended up booking a cruise for November 2016.

These perks look fantastic! I'm looking forward to planning and reading about NCL.[/SIZE]

[JMHAM1]

We have two of the SJ's booked on the Dawn but I was seriously thinking about booking 6 in there and then putting two in a balcony. Was the balcony on the same deck?

[DMH15]

[quote name='TYSONBOXER']We were in the BA forward facing penthouse suite last July. Didn't have the same experience you did. We never received a pre cruise letter nor did we received luggage tags. Embarkment was very good, no waiting. Saw our butler only once, our coffee machine was not working. So he brought us another one that didn't work either. Never got another one all week. The concierge Andre was very good. Would do anything for you. The haven courtyard was very good and quite. We even brought our grandson to the courtyard even thought he wasn't in haven suite. Andre said what he doesn't see he can't say anything.
We did love the suite and haven experience even though we didn't get the full haven treatment.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
You actually got more than the full Haven treatment by bringing your grandson into the courtyard. Sounds like Andre is willing to break policy for tips.

[dexddd]

[quote name='JMHAM1']We have two of the SJ's booked on the Dawn but I was seriously thinking about booking 6 in there and then putting two in a balcony. Was the balcony on the same deck?[/QUOTE]

If you are asking if the Star or Dawn have a balcony category room on deck 12, the answer is no. There are some suites with a balcony on 12 but not plain balcony rooms. There are some inside rooms on 12 though.