Slightly Different Stern/Jrsuite Ques

[Birdmom]

I need help from experienced RCCL cruisers, please. I am going on my first RCCL cruise in June with a girlfriend. My husband and I are both avid cruisers, but he doesn't like the Caribbean and he has a fishing trip in Canada in Junel.....so, you get the picture.:D NOS, here I come!!

 

Now, I am a bit claustrophobic and space is very important to me. On Celebrity (our usual cruise line of choice) we either get the FVs, Family Veranda's on the stern (on Millie ships) or spring for a Royal Suite. I know, I know, we are really fortunate to be able to indulge my passion for space.

 

My GF and I are currently in a JR Suite on the Stern. #6394. I knew that on Celebrity the stern suites are ALWAYS bigger, as well as the balconies being huge. I can see that the stern balcony is significantly bigger than the advertised size for JR Suites, but is the cabin also bigger than the standard 299 square feet?

 

I am currently wait-listed for a Grand Suite and an Owner's suite, but have not committed to one of these, just advised that I want to be informed if one becomes available.

 

So, my round-about question is (finally!), would the grand suite with its' normal balcony really seem 1/3 larger that the Jr. Suites on the Stern?

From the pictures it appears that the only difference in the room itself is a kind of wet-bar area, but I know that pictures can be very deceiving. What do you guys think??

 

Thanks for your help....everyone should have such problems, right? I am really excited about trying one of the bigger ships and the NOS looks lovely. Oh, two more questions:

 

1. We tender in two ports. How do they efficiently get 3000 people off in tenders? Do they load from two gangways or something? I've read no complaints about tendering in the last 20 pages of this board, so I am really curious.

 

2. I am shocked that I have also read nothing about the on-going regular problem with chair hogs around the pool. (On our Christmas cruise on Mercury this last year, two actual physical fights broke out over deck chairs. Honest! They had to station 4 security guards around the pool. It was the worse cruise we had ever been on....but that is another story) Do the Voyager ships have considerably more deck chairs, or do they get less use because of a younger clientele?

 

Once again, Thanks

 

Jo Ellen :)

[OPSoccermom]

Hi Birdmom,

 

Don't know which RCI ship you're on (Voyager class?), but we have sailed X Millenium class twice (both times in an RS) and cruised the Mariner last spring.

 

When we were on Mariner, I don't recall any major issues getting off the ship for tendering. We usually took our time getting to the gangways so as to avoid any crowd, but didn't hear any complaints. The only time the tendering process was a pain was in Grand Cayman - tender docks were small and crowded and the tenders got all backed up. But since all ships tender in GC, it doesn't really matter which ship you're on. Wish they could expand the tender space.

 

As far as lounges at the pool, we were there at spring break, so it was pretty crowded, and it was tougher to find a pool lounge on Mariner than we had experienced on either of our M-class cruises. Both of the M-class cruises were also at spring break.

 

Can't answer your question about the verandas, but we are booked in a JS for 4/16 cruise, so we may have a better idea when we return.

 

Have a great cruise! We definitely missed the size and comfort of the RS, the Aqua Spa Cafe, and the service we got on X, but RCI does offer more varied itineraries. We have chosen RCI for our last 2 cruises for the itineraries they offer.