Does becoming Elite make you less inclined to book a suite?

I'm just curious as to whether achieving Elite status makes some people less inclined to book a suite. I'm sure there are many Elites who do book suites, but I wonder if there are others who feel less inclined to do so because they already get some of the same perks by being Elite. Well, Elites, what say you?

We are not currently elite, but will be soon, but no matter what status we have, we would always book a suite. We book a suite for more than just the suite perks.:)

We are Elite and before that status, and now that we are there, we have only ever once booked a suite. While the breakfast in Sabatini's was a wonderful start to the day, can't justify the extra cost involved.

I've been elite for several years. I don't book suites because I can't afford it!

That's even more true now that I'm solo!

No. But I guess I would like that breakfast in Sabatini's.

No because I prefer more days at sea than a few days in a suite. ;)

Like the others, can't afford it. IF I could, I don't think being Elite would affect my decision. The benefits are nice but certainly not worth the extra cost. I'd book a suite for the space.

I don't think being Elite would affect my decision.

I think the OP asked the question meaning "If you booked suites in order to get to Elite faster, would you continue booking suites once you no longer needed the extra cruise credits?"

I usually book a mini suite guarantee which allows me to request an upgrade.Sometimes when we book a mini suite the cruise line try's to sell what they call an up sell for a full suite.

I think the OP asked the question meaning "If you booked suites in order to get to Elite faster, would you continue booking suites once you no longer needed the extra cruise credits?"

If someone books a full suite for this reason their thinking is not financially sound. Checking a random 7 day winter Caribbean cruise found the difference between a balcony cabin and a full suite to range from $93/pp/night to $192/pp/night. Hardly worth the price to gain an extra cruise credit resulting in a mini bar set up, some laundry, and tender service.

Most passengers book suites for space, comfort and because they have the disposable income. It is the way they travel.

A suite would be nice, but why? It isn't worth the extra money . I'd rather use the money for another cruise.

If someone books a full suite for this reason their thinking is not financially sound. Checking a random 7 day winter Caribbean cruise found the difference between a balcony cabin and a full suite to range from $93/pp/night to $192/pp/night. Hardly worth the price to gain an extra cruise credit resulting in a mini bar set up, some laundry, and tender service.

 

Most passengers book suites for space, comfort and because they have the disposable income. It is the way they travel.

Absolutely. With the possible exception of an attractive upsell to someone on 13 cruise credits, no-one with any financial sense would book a suite just to accelerate the journey to becoming Elite.

Hardly surprising therefore that the answers to the OP's question, which was specifically aimed at those who booked suites before they became Elite, seem to fall in to two groups, namely :

a) folks that do not book suites and wouldn't 'continue' to book suites once they got to Elite but do feel the need to tell those who do book suites that they are wasting their disposable income.

b) folks that do book suites and didn't (won't) stop booking suites once they got (get) their black card. As you say, it is the way they travel.

I think many Elites do book suites, but I also think that more Elites (generalizing here) tend to also be content to book lower category cabins. Part of it is that, as a percentage, more Elites are retired than the other Captains Circle levels, have more time to travel and thus place less emphasis on the "perfect" cabin for the "perfect" cruise that a new cruiser who gets one week of vacation might do. Part of it is that they got to be Elite by cruising more often and certainly one can cruise more often if in a lower category.

In me, I've seen a change in attitude. When DH and I both worked long hours and had precious little time off (American-length vacations), I needed to be more certain that we had the optimal cabin, optimal excursions, tried to find Patters and menus before leaving, printed docs as soon as we could, etc. Now that we're retired, I don't stress many of these things. I know that, in the end, things will work out and on the whole we'll have a great trip. It doesn't have to be our best trip ever (they can't all be getting better and better) but we'll still have fun.

I liken it to being a first time parent vs. being the parent to many. Your attitude is bound to change.

 

I know that, in the end, things will work out and on the whole we'll have a great trip. It doesn't have to be our best trip ever (they can't all be getting better and better) but we'll still have fun.

Us too. We forgot the expression "cruise of a lifetime." Each cruise is just one of many vacation experiences over time, none of which qualifies alone as a single lifetime experience. Most cruise days are great, a few days not so great.

No it would not matter to me. We just made Elite but have in the past booked only regular balconies because we can't afford to book suits on every cruise. Getting breakfast at Sabatini's sounds nice but not at the extra cost. Also we don't stay in our cabins very much anyway so why spend the extra cost just to sleep at night.

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Island Princess 2008 Alaska, Island Princess 2009 (B2B) Alaska, Royal Princess (Old) 2010 Alaska, Golden Princess 2011 Alaska, Coral Princess 2012 Panama Canal, Star Princess 2012 Alaska, Island Princess 2013 Alaska, Crown Princess 2013 Western Caribbean, Caribbean Princess 2013 Western Caribbean, Royal Princess 2014 Eastern Caribbean, Royal Princess 2014 New England, Emerald Princess 2014 Western Caribbean, Emerald Princess 2015 Western Caribbean, Ruby Princess 2015 Alaska

I think many Elites do book suites, but I also think that more Elites (generalizing here) tend to also be content to book lower category cabins. Part of it is that, as a percentage, more Elites are retired than the other Captains Circle levels, have more time to travel and thus place less emphasis on the "perfect" cabin for the "perfect" cruise that a new cruiser who gets one week of vacation might do. Part of it is that they got to be Elite by cruising more often and certainly one can cruise more often if in a lower category.

 

In me, I've seen a change in attitude. When DH and I both worked long hours and had precious little time off (American-length vacations), I needed to be more certain that we had the optimal cabin, optimal excursions, tried to find Patters and menus before leaving, printed docs as soon as we could, etc. Now that we're retired, I don't stress many of these things. I know that, in the end, things will work out and on the whole we'll have a great trip. It doesn't have to be our best trip ever (they can't all be getting better and better) but we'll still have fun.

 

I liken it to being a first time parent vs. being the parent to many. Your attitude is bound to change.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

We never booked a suite before we became elite, so I guess the elite perks don't make us less inclined to book one now. :D I certainly don't begrudge people who do purchase the suites, but for us it's a matter of cost. We allocate a certain amount of dollars to cruising, so I would rather spend more days in lessor cabin than spend less days in a suite. Not that I wouldn't love a suite though...:cool:

A suite would be nice, but why? It isn't worth the extra money . I'd rather use the money for another cruise.

Totally agree.

We have booked suites both before and after we became elite. We've also taken advantage of "upsells" whenever possible. It was never a "shortcut" to elite. What we book depends on the cruise. For an upcoming 29 day cruise, we booked a full suite to take advantage of the 18+ sea days but for a 14 day Med cruise which was very port intensive, we booked a balcony. My husband and I love the large balconies in a suite and spend a lot of time in our cabin and balcony on sea days. We are not the type to use our room to only sleep, shower and dress, so we appreciate the space in a suite. We are very happy to "watch the world go by" sitting on our comfortable loungers on the balcony.

But everyone has their own priorities. While we can afford suites, we'll continue to enjoy one when the cruise has a lot of sea days. When the time comes that we can't afford them, we'll choose whatever cabin allows us to continue cruising. We are both retired and sail approx. 100 days a year and also enjoy land vacations.

A suite would be nice, but why? It isn't worth the extra money . I'd rather use the money for another cruise.

Each person is different. We find it is well worth the extra money, and still cruise as often as we want in a suite.:)

The only reason to book a suite on Princess is for the space and comfort. Princess offers little in suite benefits compared to other lines. It would be more economical to book a lower category room and pay for laundry service or use the self serve laundry. I don't think anyone who can afford a suite is worried about captains club points and a free bar set up.

I would like to know what is so great about breakfast in Sabatini's compared to breakfast in the MDR? If it's about the Mimosa it would also be more economical to purchase one in the MDR daily.

Thanks for all the interesting responses. We have always traveled with our 2 DD's and booked two cabins, usually an inside for the girls plus a balcony or mini for us. On two occasions we were lucky enough to get free upgrades from our two cabins to the Family Suite. On our recent Baltic cruise, we had booked a mini and an inside. We then took an upsell offer from the mini to the Penthouse Suite. This was our first taste of a "real" suite and DH and I did enjoy it. (BTW I now have one more cruise credit than DH :D because he was officially booked in the inside with one of our DD's.)

Now our older DD is off to college and for the first time we have scheduled a cruise without her -- so we're now a party of 3. We just booked the Grand to Alaska and under the Sip N Sail promo a window suite was only slightly more expensive than a mini, so we booked it. We figured that on an Alaska cruise we'd be willing to forego the balcony for the suite benefits. But the suites with balconies represent a big step up in price.

We're closing in on Elite, and much as I have enjoyed breakfast at Sabatini's (and room service breakfast on disembarkation day), I would have a hard time justifying the cost of the suite absent some sort of upsell or great sale. (Especially since we'll be paying college tuition for the next 8 years, lol.)

Each person is different. We find it is well worth the extra money, and still cruise as often as we want in a suite.:)

Difference is what make the world so interesting! While we are relative newcomers to cruising I thought that I would chime in! ;) We will never make "Elite" and don't care, as we enjoy life and each other.

Our 1st cruise was in '07 to Alaska, had a Crohn's attacks, we had a balcony room. Nice, not comfortable when one is in bed for 3 days! Next cruise we booked a mini-suite but got upgraded to a suite, same on the 3rd and 4th cruises. The extra room in a suite is great in our circumstances.

We live in Oklahoma and it's $1,300 to fly (w/leg room) to either coast, we don't cruise on short 3 or 7 day cruises! We make the most of our cruises to off-set the flying. So on this and future cruises, we are booking suites!

Now if we could drive 1/2 day and cruise it would be different, but not happening. So we choose to cruise to where we really want to go and in comfort also. Like another poster stated, our 28 Day upcoming cruise, there are many sea day and we will truly enjoy them from the comfort of our "suite and deck". We haven't cruised in the past 2 years because as I said, we only go where we really want to. Port days are secondary but not without merit.

But to each their own and God bless them. There, I have rambled on long enough and at my age, I need to go into the living room and take my morning nap before lunch and then my afternoon nap! :eek::D

""Remember Travel First Class, If You Don't, Your Kids Will!"

Just Mike

We have been elite for several years and have booked more suites as Elite than we did before. We began cruising in either a balcony or a mini-suite. We began booking full suites when we found we often could book a full suite for at or very near to a mini-suite price on a per diem basis.

As an example, we have a full suite later this year for a 20 day cruise on the Royal at less cost than a 10 day in a mini-suite.

We do not book a full suite for the perks (although Breakfast in Sabatini's is one of our favorites). We book a suite because it is the most comfortable way to cruise. We do spend time in our cabin because it is the most comfortable place on the ship. On sea days we always have lunch of the regular menu in our cabin.

If booking a suite does not stretch your cruise budget go for it. If it does, book the best cabin category you can within your budget.

The only reason to book a suite on Princess is for the space and comfort. Princess offers little in suite benefits compared to other lines. It would be more economical to book a lower category room and pay for laundry service or use the self serve laundry. I don't think anyone who can afford a suite is worried about captains club points and a free bar set up.

 

I would like to know what is so great about breakfast in Sabatini's compared to breakfast in the MDR? If it's about the Mimosa it would also be more economical to purchase one in the MDR daily.

Sabatini's has a different menu from the MDR and everything is cooked to order. The food comes out hot and fresh, the service is fabulous (the waitstaff work as a team and actually have time to chat if one is so inclined, which we are) and the atmosphere is usually quiet and peaceful.

We had only booked one full suite before turning Elite, but I hope we can continue to afford them in the future. We have lost Golden Princess and her Window Suites, which I adore - we just disembarked today from 10 days in one and I loved having a comfortable sanctuary onboard, only once missed having a balcony, but the Promenade Deck was right upstairs, so not a big deal. Plus everything we prefer to do was located on Decks 5-7, so we seldom had to go far (the exception being when we wanted Pizza or Trident Grill fare for dinner).

The perks are very nice, but what I really enjoyed most was the space and feeling of isolation that we had when we went to our cabin and closed the door. We've seen most of the shows/acts, don't play the games offered and don't feel compelled to meet new friends onboard anymore, so it works brilliantly for us.