What is Concierge class?

[Moby Jones]

16 hours ago, mdpa said:

I'll also just add it is no more a marketing gimmick (or more properly; way to increase perceived value) than almost every upgrade available.

 

After all people using inside cabins get the same ship, same pool, same food, same ports, and same level of service. If we were all accountants we would only choose inside cabins and pocket the savings. These are the "best deal" on the ship.

 

Conversely, most people booking suites would be better off on a premium cruise line like Silversea where everyone gets butler service and airfare included as part of their fare.

 

Hmmmm where do I start with this? lol

Aqua class and suite class are marketing gimmicks to a degree but the benefits are more tangible than concierge class. In the case of suites particularly they're considerably better! 

Inside cabins are usually the cheapest option, but not always. I saw a cruise yesterday where insides, outsides and balconies were all the same price! Believe it or not on very rare occasions you'll see balconies priced less than insides. 

There's a lot of problems with your last sentence. People book suites on Celebrity for all kinds of reasons. The most obvious two would be itinerary and pricing. If a luxury line doesn't go where you want it to, then it's a non starter. Celebrity has a much broader range of suite options from the humble S3 to the iconic suites on E class ships. Silversea and others don't have the price range and choice that suites on Celebrity offer. 

I've sailed on a fair few lines now and can honestly say I've never been interested in what the other passengers get or don't get. Then again I've never been interested in socialism. So I honestly don't think it matters if some lines offer the same or very different experiences and amenities based on their choice of cruise fare. What I do like is that I have many choices to choose from. :) 

[MarkWiltonM]

We usually book Concierge Class because of the better stateroom locations, the extra points, and the minimal upcharge ($100 to $200 pp depending on length of cruise) compared to the best non-CC veranda staterooms.  The canapes are horrible and we tell them not to bring them.  The service is the same as in a regular veranda stateroom.  Never even knew about the embarkation lunch but we enjoy the energy of the buffet on embarkation day.  It's crowded but fun (IMO). I wouldn't pay much of a premium though, and as I'll probably never make it to Elite status I'm not sure the points are actually worth it to me.  Location is key. 

[goofysmom99]

I've booked concierge cabins solely for location (long hump balconies) and points for years.  One of these days I'll move up a tier in the Captain's Club and that'll be the end of concierge, at least on M-class (those wonderful C1s have become too pricey for me).  I'll still try for hump cabins of any category on S-class, though.  BTW, I tell cabin steward "no" to the canapes as soon as we meet and request fruit/cheese platters, hold the crackers (celiac = bring my own).