3 cabins, different perks.... suggestions?

[kismetique]

I booked a family cruise for 8 with 3 of us with Gold level in a 2 bedroom family suite on the Jewel.  11518.  I put 3 more of us the adjacent room 11520, a mini suite and 2 more In the next room 11522, a non- connecting mini suite.  

 

I understand that the mini suites don't get the perks that the family suite does,  how do families handle this? 

1. Priority boarding 

2. Breakfast/ Lunch at Cagney's

3. Priority tender

 

It's like choosing which child gets to be special for the day!  I paid for all the rooms,  can I pay to get perks added to these rooms? I would have booked the Haven for us all,  but the price was exorbitant! Like $10k more than the 3 rooms.

 

Ideas or suggestions how to handle this or just none of us partake in the perks? 

 

Thanks! 

[Two Wheels Only]

Is this an option?....

 

https://www.ncl.com/priority-access-faq

[don't-use-real-name]

Only 11518 gets the suite perks priority escorted boarding - tendering -

Breakfast/Lunch at Cagney's

 

The other cabins 11520 11522 MAY perhaps get tag-along escorted boarding - tendering

discuss this with your Concierge and Butler.

 

Breakfast and Lunch at Cagney's only for cabin 11518 routine daily - maybe a one time exception

for the other cabins to join - AGAIN discuss with the Concierge - don't expect this to be

a regular routine event - maybe a one time exception - certainly not on SEA days when Cagney's

is crowded - best on port days when most of the guests go ashore on excursions.

 

You can not pay for the perks - BUT a tip to the Concierge of Butler may work for that one time

exception but then if the ship is at capacity this may not work 

 

 

Alternative - cancel the two mini-suites and book another family suite

The family suite can bunk down 2 in the master bedroom - 1-2 in the main room (convertible

couch) and then two or three in the 2nd bedroom - with two family suites should cover your

group of 8 - yes it will be tight but then all the suite perks are without question. 

 

[kismetique]

40 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Is this an option?....

 

https://www.ncl.com/priority-access-faq

I did look at that and while it would take care of some issues,  doesn't help with breakfast and lunch at Cagney's.  I'm not even really sure any of this is an issue,  just trying to head problems off at the pass. Or have possible solutions if problems arise.  I've read several posts that the priority boarding hasn't been worth it recently.  Thank you for the suggestion! 

[kismetique]

40 minutes ago, don't-use-real-name said:

You can not pay for the perks - BUT a tip to the Concierge of Butler may work for that one time

exception but then if the ship is at capacity this may not work 

Thanks,  I'll definitely speak with the concierge/ butler.  Again,  I'm just trying to figure out options in case it's an issue. 

 

The ship is at capacity.  I checked on upgrading to the 1 remaining Haven cabin again,  but it's still cost prohibitive.  

 

Thanks for the suggestions! 

[European_CruiseGirl]

What age are the kids? I could imagine older kids (teens/young adults) would anyway prefer to get their own freedom and go to the buffet for breakfast and grab a lunch at pool rather than sit with their parents at a sit down restaurant for breakfast/lunch. Breakfasts at Cagneys (or Moderno) are nice for sure from an adult point of view but I could see older teens/young adults getting bored and rather wanting their own freedom. Lunch at Cagneys gets old pretty fast. The menu doesn’t change at all and is a bit limited IMHO. When we have travelled in a suite which gives access to Cagneys lunch we have perhaps gone there twice on a 7 day cruise. 
 

Embarkation is something which I see as a main problem for you as the Haven check in has all the suite level key cards there. Once when we travelled in a two bedroom suite and my parents were in a connecting mini we tried to go to the non-Haven check in to do check in for all of us. We figured that priority embarkation is not such a big deal and we rather want to check in with my parents at the regular check in. But we couldn’t do that. Once we reached the normal check in counter and the check in agent realized we are suite guests she promptly informed us that she unfortunately could not check us in as the Haven check in people had our key cards pre made there and she couldn’t make us key cards or process our check in. And the Haven check in cannot make cards for non suite passengers. So if this still is so (this was pre-covid) you’ll have a problem with the check in as you are expected to do the check in separately from some of your kids. The solution could be that you queue to check in first with your kids who are in the minis and then only after that go to do your own check in at the Haven area. I could imagine you could board with your non suite kids in the same boarding number group as they are by just showing your suite key cards and saying you want to embark together with the kids and do not want to be escorted to the ship together with other suite guests. 

 

For embarkation lunch, if you want a more peaceful lunch than the zoo at Garden cafe buffet head to the aft main dining room which is open for lunch on embarkation day. All staff inside the ship will try to usher you to the Garden cafe (or Cagneys if they notice you are a suite passenger) but just walk to the aft main dining room. It is open and a pleasant experience for a quiet embarkation lunch. 
 

I wouldn’t worry too much about tendering priority unless you have several ports with tendering and early private excursions. If not just wait around 30mins and the lines become easier. Then just go to the tender all together. 
 

I wouldn’t also worry about the disembarkation. I have never seen the value of the concierge escorting us out of the ship as s/he escorts the the passengers only up until the gangway. So there is really no ”skipping the lines” at immigration or customs. Of course you might bypass some passengers inside the ship but not really worth the hassle to going to the dedicated meeting place, wait for the concierge to arrive, then waiting for him/her waiting for more suite passengers to arrive to escort out and then going. Rather just make your own way out together with the kids and you’ll be just fine. Make sure to get luggage tags of suitable colour (=disembarkation time) for your non suite kids when they are starting to hand those out at the atrium level (I guess it is around the second last full day of the cruise).  You can choose almost whichever colour (time) that you want. Only those colour that are tied to NCL debarkation tours cannot obviously be chosen unless you are taking one of NCL’s tours. 
 

Is it optimal that you all do not have suite perks - of course no. Is it still doable without too much pain - yes it is particularly if those kids at the minis are teens/young adults already. I am sure you’ll enjoy your cruise anyway 😊

Edited December 20, 2022 by European_CruiseGirl

[dexddd]

Gold level really gets you nothing.  Even highest levels they really could care less.

 

Bottom line, plan in suite getting breakfast and lunch at special restaurant but other two rooms no.  Anything beyond that would be upside.

[kismetique]

9 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

but just walk to the aft main dining room. It is open and a pleasant experience for a quiet embarkation lunch. 

Thank you!  Excellent suggestion!  We're all split up into marriages. My children are all adults with their own children.  Them getting on the ship alone is perfectly fine and if there are constraints such as you describe that will be no problem.  Especially since I can now warn ahead of time.  I just didn't want someone to come gather us up and in a way "snub" the minisuite passengers. My granddaughter might have an issue that I leave her with her parents,  but she'll get over it! (Yes,  I spoil her rotten).  We've stayed in a 2 bedroom family suite before (years ago)  and didn't get ANY of these perks,  besides a butler,  so I had no idea how check in would go.  

 

Getting off the ship,  I couldn't care less about.  We've waited a long time for tender before,  so that was my only concern,  but my husband and I are thinking we might not even get off the ship,  we've been to all the ports before. 

 

Thank you for your suggestions,  they will help navigate this situation better! 

[kismetique]

5 hours ago, dexddd said:

Gold level really gets you nothing.  Even highest levels they really could care less.

We've not cruised in many years, used to make a difference. Good to know no one cares anymore!  LOL

[European_CruiseGirl]

10 minutes ago, kismetique said:

Thank you!  Excellent suggestion!  We're all split up into marriages. My children are all adults with their own children.  Them getting on the ship alone is perfectly fine and if there are constraints such as you describe that will be no problem.  Especially since I can now warn ahead of time.  I just didn't want someone to come gather us up and in a way "snub" the minisuite passengers. My granddaughter might have an issue that I leave her with her parents,  but she'll get over it! (Yes,  I spoil her rotten).  We've stayed in a 2 bedroom family suite before (years ago)  and didn't get ANY of these perks,  besides a butler,  so I had no idea how check in would go.  

 

Getting off the ship,  I couldn't care less about.  We've waited a long time for tender before,  so that was my only concern,  but my husband and I are thinking we might not even get off the ship,  we've been to all the ports before. 

 

Thank you for your suggestions,  they will help navigate this situation better! 

For your granddaughter, if you want to extra pamper her one day, I could suggest that you order for example breakfast one day to your suite. The butler will gladly bring enough food for her to eat too. Very many people order for example an omelet and pancakes just for one person etc so unless she has a huge apptite it won’t be a problem. Obviously I’d tip the butler accordingly at the end of the cruise. 
 

This would allow your granddaughter to have some special grandma time 🥰

Edited December 20, 2022 by European_CruiseGirl

[don't-use-real-name]

Your booking is for the NON-Haven 2BR suite {11518} on deck 11 (there are 10 of these)

Haven 2BRs are on deck 14 and cost a thousand or more dollars -

On the JEWEL the Haven is not worth the difference -

 

Any suite gives you the services of a Butler and Concierge -

The Haven category has priority -

 

The mini-suites none of this -

Gold level used to be the Platinum - much ado about nothing -

 

Still think the best way is book another 2BR suite and cancel out the 2 mini's -

Problem with this is no adjoining cabins -

Everyone with have the same perks whether they use them or not.

Cagneys for Breakfast and Lunch - Priority Butler escorts - and priority tendering

On the DAWN and JEWEL class ships I believe that the Butler services all deck 10 2BR suites

This would be easy for that Butler to co-ordinate all your planned activities -

 

And about ordering Room Service provided by your Butler -

Suites no charge -

The mini-suites there will be a charge even for the formerly Comp Continental Breakfast.

 

Considering the cancellation of the 2 mini-suites and booking another 2BR suite if this

is not immediately available call NCL and discuss or your Travel Agent if working with one.

[BirdTravels]

On 12/20/2022 at 12:23 AM, kismetique said:

I booked a family cruise for 8 with 3 of us with Gold level in a 2 bedroom family suite on the Jewel.  11518.  I put 3 more of us the adjacent room 11520, a mini suite and 2 more In the next room 11522, a non- connecting mini suite.  

 

I understand that the mini suites don't get the perks that the family suite does,  how do families handle this? 

1. Priority boarding 

2. Breakfast/ Lunch at Cagney's

3. Priority tender

 

It's like choosing which child gets to be special for the day!  I paid for all the rooms,  can I pay to get perks added to these rooms? I would have booked the Haven for us all,  but the price was exorbitant! Like $10k more than the 3 rooms.

 

Ideas or suggestions how to handle this or just none of us partake in the perks? 

 

Thanks! 

It would be foolish for those in the suite not to take advantage of the suite breakfast and lunch. Others can visit the buffet  

 

If you are on a NCL shore ex, you will tender with that group. 

[cruiseny4life]

I'm a wee bit torn on breakfast and lunch. Lunch first!

 

I strongly dislike the Haven lunch menu. Strongly dislike might be a little strong, but it's definitely my least favorite meal of the day. Then again, I abhor the buffet for lunch (well, any meal, really). Perhaps you could hit up O'Sheehan's, Chin Chin (if open during lunch), or see if one of the main dining rooms is open. That way you could all be together for lunch.

 

For breakfast, well you could just have enough food delivered to your suite so everyone could have (at the least) pastries, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and juice. Then, others could make their way to another breakfast place for the main meal. The butler might get a wee bit suspicious if they are bringing enough food for ten people to one room though. I also know others may argue this isn't in line with the rules of the Haven and you're trying to get something you didn't pay for. I understand (and partly agree) with that argument, especially if you do it every day. 

 

Or, as Bird says, you could make everyone else suffer by sending them to the buffet. A more humane approach would be to send them to a main dining room though. 

 

Good luck! 

[Nilbog]

According to the NCL site your butler will help you set up a cocktail party(ies) in your suite.  Why not a brunch gathering in your suite for your family one or two days?  Ask the butler and see what he/she can assist with along those lines.

[kismetique]

On 12/21/2022 at 5:42 AM, BirdTravels said:

It would be foolish for those in the suite not to take advantage of the suite breakfast and lunch. Others can visit the buffet  

 

If you are on a NCL shore ex, you will tender with that group. 

It might be foolish, but I'm not telling over half my own family to go eat at the buffet while I go eat at a restaurant.  I'll risk being foolish over being a snob any day.

 

We don't do ship sponsored shore excursions.....ever, but thanks for your input!

[cruiseny4life]

6 minutes ago, kismetique said:

It might be foolish, but I'm not telling over half my own family to go eat at the buffet while I go eat at a restaurant.  I'll risk being foolish over being a snob any day.

 

We don't do ship sponsored shore excursions.....ever, but thanks for your input!

Once you have a taste of the buffet you might change your mind. I know I would! Unfortunately, those not in the Haven with me would be going to meals alone. I know...Food is my sweet spot, as evidenced by my ginormous belly!

[kismetique]

On 12/21/2022 at 8:22 AM, cruiseny4life said:

I'm a wee bit torn on breakfast and lunch. Lunch first!

 

I strongly dislike the Haven lunch menu. Strongly dislike might be a little strong, but it's definitely my least favorite meal of the day. Then again, I abhor the buffet for lunch (well, any meal, really). Perhaps you could hit up O'Sheehan's, Chin Chin (if open during lunch), or see if one of the main dining rooms is open. That way you could all be together for lunch.

 

For breakfast, well you could just have enough food delivered to your suite so everyone could have (at the least) pastries, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and juice. Then, others could make their way to another breakfast place for the main meal. The butler might get a wee bit suspicious if they are bringing enough food for ten people to one room though. I also know others may argue this isn't in line with the rules of the Haven and you're trying to get something you didn't pay for. I understand (and partly agree) with that argument, especially if you do it every day. 

 

Or, as Bird says, you could make everyone else suffer by sending them to the buffet. A more humane approach would be to send them to a main dining room though. 

 

Good luck! 

Thank you for your input - those a good suggestions!  My main reason for posting the question, since I'm well aware of what I get and don't get / paid for and didn't pay for - was just exactly like your suggestions.  I know I cannot be the only person to be in this situation.  I wonder why NCL allows a suite to connect to a mini-suite and not think that those services from the butler might spill over from time to time.  I certainly don't expect a full 8 people to be serviced when there are only 3 in my suite.  But my children are split - my daughter is with us since she's not married and my son/DIL/Grand is in the mini-suite and a very close family friend (who is like my adopted son) is in the other mini-suite.  I'm not going to create hard feelings within my children because one gets the perks and the others don't.  I paid for the whole cruise and it's not like either are getting a better deal financially.  That's something my mother in law would do - and I'm definitely NOT her! 🤣

 

Thank to all for the suggestions - I'm sure we will figure it out - likely won't even be a problem, I'm just trying to be ready in case it becomes an issue.

[kismetique]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

Once you have a taste of the buffet you might change your mind. I know I would! Unfortunately, those not in the Haven with me would be going to meals alone. I know...Food is my sweet spot, as evidenced by my ginormous belly!

Oh, trust me - it will be very hard for me to not partake of the food perk!  I love food as well!  But....alas, I love my children more...most times.🤣

[kismetique]

On 12/21/2022 at 1:26 PM, Nilbog said:

According to the NCL site your butler will help you set up a cocktail party(ies) in your suite.  Why not a brunch gathering in your suite for your family one or two days?  Ask the butler and see what he/she can assist with along those lines.

Excellent suggestion!  I had planned to speak with him and ask what the NCL policy was since they connect the 2 rooms - obviously they have rules regarding the issue.  I've tried every which way to wiggle out of going ashore on port days to stay aboard and enjoy the food - but my children won't hear of it!  LOL  We've been to all these ports many times, we could care less about getting off.  I figured most will sleep late unless we get off the ship early in port so breakfast won't really be an issue. And they all may be in the casino on sea days and so lunch might be on our own anyway.  I have 3 in my suite - myself, my husband and my daughter.  Would I be questioned if I were to take a different 3rd person than my daughter?  I certainly don't want to break any rules - it just ruins it for others.

[kismetique]

On 12/20/2022 at 11:55 AM, European_CruiseGirl said:

For your granddaughter, if you want to extra pamper her one day, I could suggest that you order for example breakfast one day to your suite. The butler will gladly bring enough food for her to eat too. Very many people order for example an omelet and pancakes just for one person etc so unless she has a huge apptite it won’t be a problem. Obviously I’d tip the butler accordingly at the end of the cruise. 
 

This would allow your granddaughter to have some special grandma time 🥰

Great idea!  I plan to do just that!

[kismetique]

On 12/20/2022 at 9:28 PM, don't-use-real-name said:

Still think the best way is book another 2BR suite and cancel out the 2 mini's -

 

We did think about this, but the 3rd cabin is not true family.  He's like my adopted son.  The 2 families that would be in this suite together do not wish to be in a suite together!  🤣  They are best friends, but they both have small children that would create chaos the entire trip.  They say they are happy with the arrangements as is and as per usual - it's likely only me having issues and worrying about how things will play out.  I do appreciate your input and I have absolutely no problem paying for any room charges associated with them getting extra perks - like room service breakfast.  

Thank you for confirming some information I had already wondered about!

[bookbabe]

We tried to book the connecting (next door, anyway) club balcony for my elderly mom when we had a May 2022 Alaskan cruise in a Sun owners suite booked, and the onshore concierge was adamant from minute one that she wouldn’t get any suite perks because she wasn’t in a suite, and that she needed to couch surf in our suite instead of having her own cabin if we wanted her to board with us, etc.  Yeah, like that was going to happen.  So we switched to a Haven 2 bedroom on the Encore instead, for less than 2/3 of what we had been planning to spend on the Sun cruise.  Ah, well…

 

They are generally pretty strict about non-suite guests accessing any suite perks.  The times when extra family has been allowed to tag along with the suite-staying members of the travel group are the rare exceptions to the rule, as far as I can tell.

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Once you have a taste of the buffet you might change your mind.

How many times have you eaten lunch in the buffet?

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

How many times have you eaten lunch in the buffet?

Twice in April. Four or five times in September. I'll be trying it again on this cruise. I'm not expecting wow, but it's literally not edible. I don't leave food on my plate, except at NCL's buffet.

 

I've tried burgers, quesadillas, pizza, Chinese (don't remember what), prime rib, nachos, and haven't found anything I've actually finished. 

[kismetique]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:40 PM, bookbabe said:

They are generally pretty strict about non-suite guests accessing any suite perks.  The times when extra family has been allowed to tag along with the suite-staying members of the travel group are the rare exceptions to the rule, as far as I can tell.

The only perk I would like to extend to the other members of my party are tender tickets for our 1 tender port.  Really, the rest of it, I don't care and don't even really need for myself.  Embarkation is not an issue - I don't care when they get on as opposed to when we do.  Debarkation - we're flying on Norwegian's flights, so hopefully they see the need to get us all off quickly, least we miss our flights (I've heard NCL won't help you out in this case - but then I'm so NOT a nice person when I feel I've been wronged).  The two without a flight, live in the destination port, so no problems there.  I'm perfectly fine to pay for breakfast room service.  I do not want anything we haven't paid for, that's not fair to others and could ruin future perks and would even be willing to pay for the extra tender tickets, but I know that's not how it works.  

 

Here's my plan and I'll report after the cruise if it works.  We are celebrating 3 of the cruisers birthday's.  My 2 children were born on the same day 3 years apart and my son's wife was born 3 days prior to their birthday.  Hence, the reason I'm paying for the whole trip - birthday presents.  I plan to write a quippy little poem and politely ask if I can have extra tender tickets, but being clear that I do not expect it if they are unable to accommodate the extras.  I plan to hand the cute poem with Envelope 1 of 2 on embarkation day to each the butler and the concierge.  Perhaps knowing they will be well compensated with an additional envelope at debarkation for anything they decide to give us extra will help....maybe - maybe not.  Can't hurt to ask and I don't mind tipping - we always tip well anyway.