Suite and Inside Cabin

[SausPud]

My DW and I have booked a Suite Cabin (with Butler) on Ventura for the Summer 2020 and we have a Single friend who will be joining us and they have an inside Cabin.

Will the Single person be able to join us with our perks, like priority boarding. 

Both cabins are on the same booking and linked together. There was an error in P&O advertisement when we booked and we should have got a 10% discount for our suite but only got 9.25% (because of the way they applied this discount, 5% for everyone, then extra 5% for returning guests, but was advertised as 10% for returning guests.), when P&O corrected it they gave us an extra £50 OBC each compensation and our single friend got it as well, even though she wasn't affected by the discount problem. So seems what we get, she gets.

We are driving to the port of southampton together and was wondering if she would be allowed to board with us, etc.

Anyone else been through this and can advise what happens?

[Rupert2251]

16 minutes ago, SausPud said:

My DW and I have booked a Suite Cabin (with Butler) on Ventura for the Summer 2020 and we have a Single friend who will be joining us and they have an inside Cabin.

Will the Single person be able to join us with our perks, like priority boarding. 

Both cabins are on the same booking and linked together. There was an error in P&O advertisement when we booked and we should have got a 10% discount for our suite but only got 9.25% (because of the way they applied this discount, 5% for everyone, then extra 5% for returning guests, but was advertised as 10% for returning guests.), when P&O corrected it they gave us an extra £50 OBC each compensation and our single friend got it as well, even though she wasn't affected by the discount problem. So seems what we get, she gets.

We are driving to the port of southampton together and was wondering if she would be allowed to board with us, etc.

Anyone else been through this and can advise what happens?

Our daughter always boards with us, we have a suite and she has the cabin next door, we have never had any problems. The only difference is that we travel down by coach so never make it there in time for the early boarding. That said when we do arrive we are straight through checkin, no waiting about. She also eats breakfast with us, arranged by the butler but that is purely at the restaurant managers discretion. No harm in trying! Have a fab time 😊

Edited July 12, 2019 by Rupert2251
Add to

[SausPud]

She is family and families don't get split.

Our other guest is just a friend, so might be different.

[Selbourne]

I think that, technically, the answer is no, but I would chance your arm and see what happens. I believe that these things are at the discretion of those managing the embarkation on the day. When we have booked a suite and an adjacent balcony cabin for our daughters, they have always boarded with us through priority embarkation, even though they are now in their 20’s so are adults. We’ve never been challenged, but I’m always ready to say that they need to check in with me as my credit card pays for their on board expenses as well (generous Dad that I am)! From our next cruise we become Caribbean tier so will have early boarding even when not in a suite, so I am hoping that we can still all board together.  

[Harry Peterson]

I can’t imagine that there’ll be the slightest problem with priority boarding. That would just be plain silly in your circumstances.

 

Breakfasts in the Epicurean might be slightly more difficult, because it’s fairly small and spaces are limited, but again they might just go along with it. 

 

 

[SausPud]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I think that, technically, the answer is no, but I would chance your arm and see what happens. I believe that these things are at the discretion of those managing the embarkation on the day. When we have booked a suite and an adjacent balcony cabin for our daughters, they have always boarded with us through priority embarkation, even though they are now in their 20’s so are adults. We’ve never been challenged, but I’m always ready to say that they need to check in with me as my credit card pays for their on board expenses as well (generous Dad that I am)! From our next cruise we become Caribbean tier so will have early boarding even when not in a suite, so I am hoping that we can still all board together.  

Generous Dad you are, generous friend I am not. The single guest is paying her own way, not a family member or name and their cabin is at the front of the ship a deck above. So nowhere near us for that to count.

 

As mentioned, it's worth just asking and trying. 

Breakfast we won't be eating together as they prefer buffet and I prefer service (eggs benedict), so that isn't an issue.

It's that we go to a special restaurant for lunch when boarding and await our Butler to come and collect us (so I have read), She can go to her room once onboard if lunch is an issue, it's just a matter of getting on board and if any special seating for the shows. 

Or if anyone else can think of anything else where they might separate us.

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, SausPud said:

Generous Dad you are, generous friend I am not. The single guest is paying her own way, not a family member or name and their cabin is at the front of the ship a deck above. So nowhere near us for that to count.

 

As mentioned, it's worth just asking and trying. 

Breakfast we won't be eating together as they prefer buffet and I prefer service (eggs benedict), so that isn't an issue.

It's that we go to a special restaurant for lunch when boarding and await our Butler to come and collect us (so I have read), She can go to her room once onboard if lunch is an issue, it's just a matter of getting on board and if any special seating for the shows. 

Or if anyone else can think of anything else where they might separate us.

 

The special lunch isn’t very special, in our view, and we tend not to bother with it. It’s just snacks and whilst the plonk is free, it’s unpleasant sparkling wine (not champagne, as they state) and house wine. We tend to go straight to the Glasshouse when we board and have a nice lunch there with decent wine. Yes, we have to pay, but life’s too short! The added advantage is that other guests not entitled to the priority lunch can also join you. Butlers don’t collect you from the priority lunch now. That ended around 10 years ago but it takes P&O a while to update their website!

 

Couple of other minor points. Eggs Benedict is only available one day a week (Monday from memory) and there are no reserved seating areas in theatres etc for suite passengers (if that’s what you meant). In fact, there are very few perks for suite guests. The advantages are the extra space (we spend a lot of time in our cabin when the ship is busy), bigger balcony, priority boarding and the ability to breakfast in a Select Dining Restaurant (although the choice of food is quite restricted compared to the main dining room). We find butlers to be more of a hinderance than a help as they keep turning up faffing about (tip in mind), but they will serve main dining room meals on your balcony (we did that in the Fjords) and room service items that are chargeable are free to suite guests if you order them through your Butler. 

[Harry Peterson]

16 minutes ago, SausPud said:

Generous Dad you are, generous friend I am not. The single guest is paying her own way, not a family member or name and their cabin is at the front of the ship a deck above. So nowhere near us for that to count.

 

As mentioned, it's worth just asking and trying. 

Breakfast we won't be eating together as they prefer buffet and I prefer service (eggs benedict), so that isn't an issue.

It's that we go to a special restaurant for lunch when boarding and await our Butler to come and collect us (so I have read), She can go to her room once onboard if lunch is an issue, it's just a matter of getting on board and if any special seating for the shows. 

Or if anyone else can think of anything else where they might separate us.

Special restaurant might be putting it a bit too strongly, but the buffet lunch with sparkling wine is pleasant enough - never been collected by our butler, though!

I doubt they’d fuss about your friend joining you, but it’s possible they’ll stick by the rules.

 

Special seating for shows would be a great bonus for suite passengers, and cost free - if only!

 

The only other place I can think of would be The Epicurean (see above, and one of the main reasons we choose suites - very civilised breakfasts indeed).

 

Priority for tenders unlikely to be a problem, and neither will priority disembarkation.

[SausPud]

Thank you Selbourne and Harry for your wise words. 

Now I know not to be waiting for a butler that won't show up once boarded. 

Sad news about the Eggs Benedict, every other cruise line does them daily, but P&O does their own thing. 

There are more perks with P&O than Marella whom we are cruising with shortly, but size of cabin is the important thing.

 

I'll mainly use the butler for afternoon drinks and nibbles when our single friend comes to visit and spend time on our balcony. Hence they went for an inside cabin and saved some pennies. 

Edited July 12, 2019 by SausPud

[Harry Peterson]

1 minute ago, SausPud said:

 

Sad news about the Eggs Benedict, every other cruise line does them daily, but P&O does their own thing. 

Eggs Benedict is available every morning in the Epicurean - free to suite passengers.

 

On another small point, your room service menu will show prices against most food items. Ignore them. All free, however you order them. They know from your room number that it’s a suite and you won’t be charged. One of the butlers will probably bring them to you.

[SausPud]

7 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Eggs Benedict is available every morning in the Epicurean - free to suite passengers.

 

On another small point, your room service menu will show prices against most food items. Ignore them. All free, however you order them. They know from your room number that it’s a suite and you won’t be charged. One of the butlers will probably bring them to you.

Harry, you are my hero. 

 

Quick question, what about ordering drinks, like a G&T from the butler, does that get charged or is free as well?

[Harry Peterson]

19 minutes ago, SausPud said:

Harry, you are my hero. 

 

Quick question, what about ordering drinks, like a G&T from the butler, does that get charged or is free as well?

Sadly, unless I’m mistaken, drinks will be charged for. Just the food that’s included!

[Selbourne]

HP is quite correct that Eggs Benedict is indeed available daily in the Epicurean. I had forgotten about that. It’s only available one day a week in the main dining room (I asked on a different day and was told it was not available). Someone recently posted that the MDR daily breakfast specials are also available to Epicurean diners, but that has never been mentioned to us. That said, some of them (Eggs Benedict, Kedgeree and, from memory, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs) are available every day in the Epicurean anyway. One thing we like in the Epicurean at breakfast time is the summer fruit smoothie. It’s a red and yellow ‘twist’ and tastes very nice. We always laugh at the daily smoothies in the MDR. Whatever the colour or supposed flavour, they all just taste of banana! As HP mentions, all drinks are chargeable to suit guests. No freebies other than the bottle of Champagne (which, thankfully, IS the real stuff)!

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

 

The special lunch isn’t very special, in our view, and we tend not to bother with it. It’s just snacks and whilst the plonk is free, it’s unpleasant sparkling wine (not champagne, as they state) and house wine. We tend to go straight to the Glasshouse when we board and have a nice lunch there with decent wine. Yes, we have to pay, but life’s too short! The added advantage is that other guests not entitled to the priority lunch can also join you. Butlers don’t collect you from the priority lunch now. That ended around 10 years ago but it takes P&O a while to update their website!

 

Couple of other minor points. Eggs Benedict is only available one day a week (Monday from memory) and there are no reserved seating areas in theatres etc for suite passengers (if that’s what you meant). In fact, there are very few perks for suite guests. The advantages are the extra space (we spend a lot of time in our cabin when the ship is busy), bigger balcony, priority boarding and the ability to breakfast in a Select Dining Restaurant (although the choice of food is quite restricted compared to the main dining room). We find butlers to be more of a hinderance than a help as they keep turning up faffing about (tip in mind), but they will serve main dining room meals on your balcony (we did that in the Fjords) and room service items that are chargeable are free to suite guests if you order them through your Butler. 

Eggs Benedict is available every day in the buffet.

[SausPud]

Buffet isn't for Suite Guests, lol

[AndyMichelle]

17 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Eggs Benedict is available every day in the buffet.

Quite right John, from the egg station, but I doubt our suite friends will be joining us in the buffet 'bun fight' when they have the Epicurean at their disposal..(I wouldn't).

Andy

[Selbourne]

17 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Quite right John, from the egg station, but I doubt our suite friends will be joining us in the buffet 'bun fight' when they have the Epicurean at their disposal..(I wouldn't).

Andy

 

Have to say that we avoid the buffet like the plague - even when we are not staying in a suite!

[Harry Peterson]

8 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

 

Have to say that we avoid the buffet like the plague - even when we are not staying in a suite!

Likewise. It’s not the food  - that’s fine. Likewise the staff.

It’s the other customers that are the problem, with appalling manners and behaviour. Not all, obviously, but enough to make it an unpleasant experience at peak times.

[SausPud]

For me, it's a buffet. You pick multiple options that don't match and "have a try" at every option available.

I prefer a sit down and a five or six course meal that is planned out on a plate.

[silversurf1]

Someone on our dinner table referred to the buffet as ‘The Transport Caff’

[Harry Peterson]

1 minute ago, silversurf1 said:

Someone on our dinner table referred to the buffet as ‘The Transport Caff’

I think that’s a little unfair on transport cafes. I’ve never ever seen the sort of behaviour you get in the buffet in one.

[Selbourne]

11 minutes ago, silversurf1 said:

Someone on our dinner table referred to the buffet as ‘The Transport Caff’

 

The best description of the buffet that I heard from a fellow passenger was “Feeding time at the zoo”. One I would throw in is ‘Norovirus Central’ as I have always been convinced that it is the highest risk area for that holiday ruining bug!

[AndyMichelle]

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

 

The best description of the buffet that I heard from a fellow passenger was “Feeding time at the zoo”. One I would throw in is ‘Norovirus Central’ as I have always been convinced that it is the highest risk area for that holiday ruining bug!

Do you lot go on different cruises to me???

Although not a regular user of the buffet, we occasionally use it for breakfast or lunch if running late/early and we have never seen any really bad behaviour apart from the odd ignoramus who does not understand the concept of waiting your turn, but they are easily ignored.

We did, however, on our last cruise on Aurora, witness someone who obviously should have been supervised, picking up rolls etc and sniffing them before putting them back!!!!

From then on, we were up early for the mdr...

Andy

[Harry Peterson]

27 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

We did, however, on our last cruise on Aurora, witness someone who obviously should have been supervised, picking up rolls etc and sniffing them before putting them back!!!!

From then on, we were up early for the mdr...

Andy

Hell’s teeth!  Don’t blame you.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Likewise. It’s not the food  - that’s fine. Likewise the staff.

It’s the other customers that are the problem, with appalling manners and behaviour. Not all, obviously, but enough to make it an unpleasant experience at peak times.

We found it very civilised on our recent Aurora cruise, and it was a good place to chat with the Captain who always found himself the centre of attention from all the ladies.