Island suite question

[Kineticoh20]

Just booked L721 Penthouse suite on the post drydock Island. I heard Vista suites were the same? Why do you think it was $7599 and the Vista next to it was $4999

[Corfe Mixture]

Just booked L721 Penthouse suite on the post drydock Island. I heard Vista suites were the same? Why do you think it was $7599 and the Vista next to it was $4999

 

The Penthouse suites will, from the look of Deck plans, be at least 100 sq ft larger, though the cabin information plans say that the difference is less. Whatever, they are definitely not the same size.

 

I say 'will ... be' because these suites do not yet exist as they are both included in the additional 15 suites being added during the current refit bringing the total up to 31.

 

The two new Penthouse suites on the Lido deck appear to have both aft and side facing balconies, but just how big these balconies are is something we will not know until the ship reappears from re-fit, but they don't look to be as deep on the side as the original 16 side facing Vista and Premium. Also, although these look to be very good location, with both aft and side balconies, I am personally wary of the possibility of noise arising from the proximity of the Teen Centre.

 

Personally I am not at all interested in either of the side facing Penthouse suites towards the aft end of Baja deck as I believe they offer very little, if anything at all, over and above any of the other suites on the side and they compare unfavourably, in terms of location, with the two new Premium suites at the aft of Caribe deck.

 

I also notice on the deck plans that the balconies of the new suites (and certainly the new side facing Penthouse suites on Caribe) seem to be less deep than the balconies on the existing Vista suites on Caribe and Dolphin.

 

The suites I would definitely avoid until we get some post re-fit reports are the two strangely shaped Premium suites at the aft end of the Promenade deck. It is my belief that the voided space outboard of these suites is a crew working area for mooring on arrival in port meaning these suites could be subject to noise early in the morning.

 

In the end, it has to be your decision, with the exceptions of the two Premium suites on the Promenade deck, and the strangely located Penthouse suites on Baja deck, both of which I will personally avoid, it will simply boil down to making a decision between a bit more space (unnecessary in my opinion. I have experience the massive 900 sq ft Owner's suites on Ocean. IMHO the original 470 sq ft Vistas and Premiums are fine in terms of space) and making the choice between a side or aft view (we prefer side view on the South American side for the canal but others will disagree) there really doesn't seem that much to choose from.

 

I am familiar with the both old Vista and Premium suites, and have a mid ship Premium suite on Dolphin booked for this coming Christmas cruise and had no desire to change my selection when the new deck plans were first published.

 

Certainly these Premium suites are my favourites, and I am prepared to pay a small premium over and above the price of a Vista to get them, but I have to book very early to get them.

 

I also note that despite the new Penthouse suites being larger and the new Vista suites having that much sought after aft view, it would appear that, my personal favourites, the four mid-ship side facing Premium suites on Dolphin, remain the most popular suites on the ship and still appear to always be the one's which sell first, despite not having an aft view.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Corfe Mixture

[RickEk]

The suites I would definitely avoid until we get some post re-fit reports are the two strangely shaped Premium suites at the aft end of the Promenade deck. It is my belief that the voided space outboard of these suites is a crew working area for mooring on arrival in port meaning these suites could be subject to noise early in the morning.

 

 

BTW, these two suites on Promenade deck are wheelchair-accessible cabins. I would think that since there were no mooring areas on the Promenade pre-drydock, there won't be any post-drydock. It is more likely that there's machinery in those spaces that couldn't be moved.

[Colo Cruiser]

Its all a guess until someone actually reports back after experiencing them.

[Corfe Mixture]

BTW, these two suites on Promenade deck are wheelchair-accessible cabins. I would think that since there were no mooring areas on the Promenade pre-drydock, there won't be any post-drydock. It is more likely that there's machinery in those spaces that couldn't be moved.

 

You may be right. On reflection I think that is the location where they boarded the 'cleaning trolleys' which run along the length of the ship.

 

Whatever, I don't think I will be interested in them until we know more and I remain happy with my preferred location of the Premium mid-ship suites on Dolphin.

[Corfe Mixture]

Its all a guess until someone actually reports back after experiencing them.

 

Absolutely correct. All I was doing was trying to give the OP an insight into my thoughts and decision making process prior to us having definitive information based on actually experience in these suites.

 

Hopefully the OP understands this, is aware that any answer to his/her question is, at best, considered speculation, and will read my earlier post in the knowledge that this is the case.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Corfe Mixture

[Kineticoh20]

Absolutely correct. All I was doing was trying to give the OP an insight into my thoughts and decision making process prior to us having definitive information based on actually experience in these suites.

 

Hopefully the OP understands this, is aware that any answer to his/her question is, at best, considered speculation, and will read my earlier post in the knowledge that this is the case.

 

I do appreciate the insight! Ultimately I got a buy one get one free in the end with unlimited drinks so I think did well. I will report on the new cabin post cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Absolutely correct. All I was doing was trying to give the OP an insight into my thoughts and decision making process prior to us having definitive information based on actually experience in these suites.

 

Hopefully the OP understands this, is aware that any answer to his/her question is, at best, considered speculation, and will read my earlier post in the knowledge that this is the case.

 

I was not picking on your post. ;)