Priority packages Suite guests

Hi there,

We are thinking about making a cruise with Azura this summer and are considering booking the penthouse suite.

I haven't found any information on priority handling though, for example is there priority in Embarkment/ Desembarkment? Priority choice in dining, a suite guest only restaurant?

Thanks for your advice,

Julia

Hi there,

 

We are thinking about making a cruise with Azura this summer and are considering booking the penthouse suite.

 

I haven't found any information on priority handling though, for example is there priority in Embarkment/ Desembarkment? Priority choice in dining, a suite guest only restaurant?

 

 

 

Thanks for your advice,

 

Julia

Hi, there are quite a few threads on suites that you may find interesting, but here are the basics - I'm sure others will chip in.

-Priority embarkation, disembarkation and tenders.

-Priority lounge when boarding with light bites and wine - personally I think the quality varies from ship to ship and was very good on Azura recently.

-Bottle of champagne in cabin with chocolates.

-Bigger toiletries in box.

-Butler (lots of threads on this).

-I think you get your preferred dining option

-Daily canapés

-No charge on room service (I assume this won't change following the recent changes to the room service menu).

That's all I can think of. I am secretly hoping they increase suite benefits when they announce the loyalty changes, but I'm probably deluded.

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I understand suite guests can take breakfast in the fine dining restaurant as well. I have booked a suite for a 2018 cruise which will be our first suite with PandO. Previously had suites with Celebrity which do have a separate dining room and lounge but the prices reflect this.

I understand suite guests can take breakfast in the fine dining restaurant as well. I have booked a suite for a 2018 cruise which will be our first suite with PandO. Previously had suites with Celebrity which do have a separate dining room and lounge but the prices reflect this.

Yes that's right, also suite passengers can order meals including breakfast from the MDR menu.

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Suite guests on Azura can take breakfast in The Epicurean select dining restaurant on Deck 17. If it's fine weather you can sit outside on the balcony - it's wonderful. The menu is not huge but is lovely. Last time we had freshly squeezed orange juice and some decent coffee (unlike the main dining room or buffet). My husband loves their French Toast with Bacon and I like their Bagel with Smoked Salmon and Caviar Hollandaise.

Your Butler takes care of all your food and drink requirements. He will make sure your ice bucket is filled and you have lemon slices etc. if you require them. As has been said you can have anything from the main dining room menu for any meal so you can have a hot breakfast served in your suite if you wish. The Butler brings you canapes about 5pm each evening and will give you the menus for lunch and dinner in the main dining room for the following day. He will also ask what you would like to do for breakfast the next day, whether you intend to to up to The Epicurean or whether you wish to have breakfast in your suite. The Butlers do like to be used and are incredibly helpful. If you want to ask anyone to your suite for a pre-dinner drink, for example, he will arrange it all, serve if you wish, not if you don't, and will clear everything away afterwards - magic!

Enjoy your suite.

Yes that's right, also suite passengers can order meals including breakfast from the MDR menu.

 

 

 

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Why is there no information about this in the suite I wonder? I was in one last week on Britannia and I thought we could only order the continental breakfast, a hot breakfast would have been nice. There were no robes or slippers in the suite either and the one time we wanted the butler we couldn't find any way of contacting him. First world problems though. The wrap-around balcony was fantastic and the fjords were stunning.

We've booked again for next year, I'm definitely ordering bacon and eggs!! :D

Why is there no information about this in the suite I wonder? I was in one last week on Britannia and I thought we could only order the continental breakfast, a hot breakfast would have been nice. There were no robes or slippers in the suite either and the one time we wanted the butler we couldn't find any way of contacting him. First world problems though. The wrap-around balcony was fantastic and the fjords were stunning.

 

We've booked again for next year, I'm definitely ordering bacon and eggs!! :D

Out of interest, which deck where you on? We have an aft corner wrap suite booked on Britannia (F deck) and I am concerned about noise from the Live Lounge and cigarette smells from the outside smoking area below. Several other users have given me wildly conflicting feedback. I also spoke to someone last week who had an aft corner wrap suite (C deck) and said never again, as their balcony had to be hosed down every day due to soot and they received no warning of the fact and they found it very intrusive.

Out of interest, which deck where you on? We have an aft corner wrap suite booked on Britannia (F deck) and I am concerned about noise from the Live Lounge and cigarette smells from the outside smoking area below. Several other users have given me wildly conflicting feedback. I also spoke to someone last week who had an aft corner wrap suite (C deck) and said never again, as their balcony had to be hosed down every day due to soot and they received no warning of the fact and they found it very intrusive.

We were on A deck, so underneath the Sunset Bar, I imagine on a summer cruise it would get pretty noisy but as it was quite cold in the evening last week in the fjords the bar was mostly empty. There was quite a bit of soot on a couple of mornings and we had to request a balcony clean. Most of the time it was ok and they give you loads of blue towels if you ask. The balcony is huge though, you could fit twenty people on it and it was lovely sitting out there with a drink in the evenings or a coffee in the morning. We've booked the corner suite on E deck for a cruise next year, we liked in so much. Also inside, the living room is very separate from the bedroom so it feels like proper suite, someone can watch TV whilst another sleeps. 😊

Why is there no information about this in the suite I wonder? I was in one last week on Britannia and I thought we could only order the continental breakfast, a hot breakfast would have been nice. There were no robes or slippers in the suite either and the one time we wanted the butler we couldn't find any way of contacting him. First world problems though. The wrap-around balcony was fantastic and the fjords were stunning.

 

We've booked again for next year, I'm definitely ordering bacon and eggs!! :D

I'm surprised there were no robes or slippers in your suite. Didn't you ask the cabin steward about it? Wasn't there are name plate by your phone with the butler's name and his contact number?

I'm surprised there were no robes or slippers in your suite. Didn't you ask the cabin steward about it? Wasn't there are name plate by your phone with the butler's name and his contact number?

We have never not had the robes and slippers. And never had any problem contacting the Butler.

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I'm surprised there were no robes or slippers in your suite. Didn't you ask the cabin steward about it? Wasn't there are name plate by your phone with the butler's name and his contact number?

There was a name plate but no number, it might have been on the back but I didn't look. :D

Definitely no robes or slippers, we didn't ask. There was fruit, champagne and chocolates, all of which are way better.

Clearly I am a newbie when it comes to suites on cruise ships. :D

There was a name plate but no number, it might have been on the back but I didn't look. :D

 

 

 

Definitely no robes or slippers, we didn't ask. There was fruit, champagne and chocolates, all of which are way better.

 

 

 

Clearly I am a newbie when it comes to suites on cruise ships. :D

It's the fact that you are new that's the problem. I know lots of people are going to disagree (there are other threads if you search on Butler) but in my experience you have to ask for MDR menus and the Butlers certainly aren't keen to bring you a cooked breakfast - but do if you stand your ground. One Butler at the end of quite a long and expensive cruise actually said how nice it was that we were young and he didn't have to bother too much! On short cruises you may as well forget seeing much of a Butler - my husband thinks they treat it as a holiday [emoji849][emoji6] We did laugh because similar to a story someone else posted, this Butler was unavailable one day and we had a stand-in, we were gob smacked when he didn't just leave a tray but proceeded to lay a cloth on the table - obviously went to a different Butler school [emoji38]

I do think the lack of robe was most likely an oversight though. The Butler should have given you his (I've only seem men) number.

I've got an E deck suite in October and hope to get a good one! It does help to read up and know about the benefits, on Princess there is a good document detailing everything.

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It's the fact that you are new that's the problem. I know lots of people are going to disagree (there are other threads if you search on Butler) but in my experience you have to ask for MDR menus and the Butlers certainly aren't keen to bring you a cooked breakfast - but do if you stand your ground. One Butler at the end of quite a long and expensive cruise actually said how nice it was that we were young and he didn't have to bother too much! On short cruises you may as well forget seeing much of a Butler - my husband thinks they treat it as a holiday [emoji849][emoji6] We did laugh because similar to a story someone else posted, this Butler was unavailable one day and we had a stand-in, we were gob smacked when he didn't just leave a tray but proceeded to lay a cloth on the table - obviously went to a different Butler school [emoji38]

 

I do think the lack of robe was most likely an oversight though. The Butler should have given you his (I've only seem men) number.

 

I've got an E deck suite in October and hope to get a good one! It does help to read up and know about the benefits, on Princess there is a good document detailing everything.

 

 

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Can I ask you your opinion? We have only been on the mid-sized ships never on the larger ships and we generally do long cruises. We have always had good butlers. Even one I considered not so good I'm beginning to wonder if he wasn't so bad after all.;) Reading PamelaElle's post I was really surprised that someone in a suite had such treatment. So do you think the butlers are different on the larger ships? I can see you think they are for the 3/4 day cruises and that's something I had wondered myself. I know one butler we had told us he hated the 'party cruises' as he called them.

We have always had a number to call by the name of the Butler which is usually next to the telephone. The Butler has always laid a cloth on the table, inside or out, before laying any meal. The table cloth is usually kept in a cupboard and he will put it away when he clears the things. We've certainly never had a Butler who just leaves a tray. I think it's a good idea to research exactly what the Butler is expected to do before you go. It must be a new team of Butlers if they don't do all the things that have always been done in the past. Also, I think on chatting to the Butler on our last cruise, there are more people new to cruising who say they don't want the services of a Butler. I've certainly read threads where people have said they wouldn't want one. Maybe this has an effect. If people knew about the things the Butler would do maybe they wouldn't decline the services of one. I know that if passengers say they don't want the Butler's services then they can't have any hot meals, apart from Room Service, served in their suite. Sometimes at lunch time we have picked something from the main dining room menu and something from the Room Service Menu and the Butler sorts both of these.

There was a name plate but no number, it might have been on the back but I didn't look. :D

 

Definitely no robes or slippers, we didn't ask. There was fruit, champagne and chocolates, all of which are way better.

 

Clearly I am a newbie when it comes to suites on cruise ships. :D

Next time you have a butler ask him for his number. You ring the number which pages him, put the phone down and he should call back. You should have rung reception and asked them to contact your butler.:D

I remember our first cruise with a butler. He hadn't left a laundry bag so I phoned him. He was a little put out because he was off duty. I said don't worry I'll ring reception and get someone else to bring it. He was at the door 5 minutes later.;) He turned out to be an excellent butler.

Can I ask you your opinion? We have only been on the mid-sized ships never on the larger ships and we generally do long cruises. We have always had good butlers. Even one I considered not so good I'm beginning to wonder if he wasn't so bad after all.;) Reading PamelaElle's post I was really surprised that someone in a suite had such treatment. So do you think the butlers are different on the larger ships? I can see you think they are for the 3/4 day cruises and that's something I had wondered myself. I know one butler we had told us he hated the 'party cruises' as he called them.

We have had butlers on all ships and found little difference between them. Perhaps it helps when we know exactly what we want and make it clear at the start.

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Oh he wasn't so bad, when he found out I loved coffee he left a whole box of the pods in a drawer for me. :D Having learnt a bit more from this thread (thanks everyone) I'll be a bit more demanding next year. :)

I'm taking detailed notes. It appears that if you're obviously new to suites(like us) then the Butlers do try and get away with the minimum.

I'm taking detailed notes. It appears that if you're obviously new to suites(like us) then the Butlers do try and get away with the minimum.

Sorry not so. They are happy to do anything they are asked. I have not come across a Butler who does what you are implying. However many people do not like the idea of the Butler and don't actually ask them to do anything. They will not intrude if people want to be left alone.

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Sorry not so. They are happy to do anything they are asked. I have not come across a Butler who does what you are implying. However many people do not like the idea of the Butler and don't actually ask them to do anything. They will not intrude if people want to be left alone.

 

 

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I certainly hope that it isn't the case. I was just going by what I've read on this forum.

Personally I think it's something to think about before you travel and perhaps have a mental list of tasks you want the Butler to do. In our case my girlfriend has decided she wants the Butler to unpack her case. :)

Is the new Room Service menu available to Suite passengers via the Butler or directly ordered from Room Service?

Is it all still free of charge for Suite passengers or just the breakfast?

If MDR food is to be taken in your cabin how much notice does your Butler reasonably need?

We're Suite newbies and a tad confused.

It appears that if you're obviously new to suites(like us) then the Butlers do try and get away with the minimum.

I'm sorry to say that has been exactly my experience. Very little has been offered and even when asked they have tried to get us to fend for ourselves. My experience is only based on 4 butlers across 2 P&O ships, but none have impressed. You shouldn't have to issue them with a list of demands, but it appears to be the only way. The only thing they have all done unprompted is deliver the vile canapés!

Is the new Room Service menu available to Suite passengers via the Butler or directly ordered from Room Service?

 

Is it all still free of charge for Suite passengers or just the breakfast?

 

If MDR food is to be taken in your cabin how much notice does your Butler reasonably need?

 

We're Suite newbies and a tad confused.

Do not order from room service, order from your butler. When he sees you on day one ask about how much notice you should give him. You should not pay for any food brought to your suite.

All ships now have a dining room for suite passenger breakfasts however the Butler will still serve this for you in your cabin if you wish.

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I'm sorry to say that has been exactly my experience. Very little has been offered and even when asked they have tried to get us to fend for ourselves. My experience is only based on 4 butlers across 2 P&O ships, but none have impressed. You shouldn't have to issue them with a list of demands, but it appears to be the only way. The only thing they have all done unprompted is deliver the vile canapés!

Selbourne they can only do what you ask them to do.

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Selbourne they can only do what you ask them to do.

 

 

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I don't agree. They are in the service and hospitality industry. To be appointed as Butlers they should be the best P&O has. They aren't. On our recent cruise (Aurora, last few weeks) our cabin steward noticed that I had acquired a few decaf tea bags for my wife and that we were using both types. Unprompted, she proceeded to replenish both types. That's good service. Having to ask for things that should be provided unprompted is poor service. A butler should proactively discuss with each passenger what services they can offer and agree a bespoke approach. I don't expect to have to research these forums, find out what I am entitled to and then issue my butler with a list of requirements, yet that is what many people end up having to do. That's just plain wrong.