Why a suite?

[nnzz]

9 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

That is very disappointing.  Similar to @tetleytea, our one experience with the Suite Concierge was very satisfying.  I used the concierge to make dinner reservations, he secured seats for us for the Chef's Table, and, after I told him that we were having a problem with the toilet in our cabin, a plumber was knocking at our door within 20 minutes.

 

In a case where one couple is monopolizing the concierge, I have to question what need (real or imagined) that the couple had that required so much of his time.  Ultimately, of course, I have to fault the concierge for allowing it to happen.

 

We were recently on the Majestic and our Concierge could not do enough for us.  It really seems to

be what individual Concierge you happen to sail with.

[rheathslc]

I've been wanting to try a suite for years and finally get my chance in September for my 40th birthday. We got a great deal on two 5-day B2Bs on the Diamond in an Aft Vista Suite. When we booked it, I downloaded the Full Suite Flyer PDF. Since then there is a new version on the website. I kept both to compare because they did take some benefits away that I was really looking forward to. So that is a disappointment. I'm hoping I can use the original flyer and push my point to get some of the benefits that were active when I booked. We'll see.

I've also been pouring over all of the pictures and videos I can find of our particular suite and others in the same class. I am really excited about the large balcony and the extra space. In general I really prefer the older ships but the fact that the décor is still so outdated is disappointing. I love the layout and the aesthetic of the suites on the Royal class ships but the balconies are tiny unless you get one of the larger aft corner suites but even then, because of the design of the back of the ship, none of the aft balconies have much cover. 

I sailed in a Club Class Mini on the Majestic last fall. It was on the hump of the ship so it had an actually nice sized balcony and the cabin itself was beautiful and quite roomy. Much nicer than the mini on the Ruby we sailed in just a month later. Even when the Grand/Crown class ships were new I didn't love the aesthetic though. All that light wood tone and beige. Ick. 

All this long rambling to say, I'm excited to try a suite but will probably stick to Club Class minis on the Royal class ships and Emerald Deck Minis on Grand/Crown class ships going forward.

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, tetleytea said:

That might only be that particular concierge.   We were very happy with our concierge on the Ruby.

The Ruby doesn't have a concierge, only the Royal class ships.

[tetleytea]

18 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

The Ruby doesn't have a concierge, only the Royal class ships.

Double-checked my Captain's Circle, and that was the Regal; not Ruby.

 

Didn't think that was an important detail; only that it was not the Discovery.

 

[luckyinpa]

On 6/21/2022 at 9:12 AM, justcrusn said:

We are experienced cruisers, mostly celebrity but royal,disney, and carnival too.

new to princess!  We love the suite experience on celebrity, MOSTLY due to a dedicated restaurant.

I am sure a princess suite is larger than a standard balcony cabin, but what else?

What do we get in a suite experience? Likely on crown (we know about the propulsion problems)

Thanks in advance

 

my experience is based solely on the experience in a regal forward suite which i got an cheap upsell to.

 

no way worth the full price. princess is def more refined than royal and ncl but i can get a crown loft suite on an oasis ship for half the price of a suite on princess and the suite perks are so much better. the suite lounge with free booze, free internet and the coastal kitchen. and oasis has tons more to do on her!  ncl haven during covid has been a bit cheaper but in normal times it can be the same as princess or even more. that being said, the ship within a ship is a valuable perk.  that being said the forward suite was fantastic with more storage space then you need for even 2 weeks. you also got a mini bar setup. 

 

on regal i went to the concierge lounge, its not much bigger than a minisuite or 2. the concierge pretty much ignored me when i asked about simple questions like departure info and made it seem like i was a bother. also if you had more than a handful of people in there it would be too crowded. i got club service in the MDR and was squeezed like a sardine  just like the normal MDR and very much ignored for some reason..twice in 2 nites. so the club class id never actually pay for. didnt like much of what they had in the 'suite' restaurant for bfast either. went elsewhere after the 1st day. 

 

i do think the mini suites are better on princess than NCL and i'm staying in one again later this year. 

 

i havent been on celebrity but from my research no way does it approach princess perk wise. the one huge flaw in many of NCLs haven cabins is tiny balconies! a disgrace for such a premium. i had a 2 BR suite at a good price but the balcony was barely enough for the 2 of us. our princess balcony was a bit bigger thankfully. 

 

one thing princess has is elegance, peace and a more refined atmosphere. if the sailed from NY more often id sail them more often. 

[tetleytea]

Did we have the same Regal concierge lounge?   The one I remember was fairly large, and no one was ever there.