Could Use Some Help Analyzing Value of a Concierge Cabin vs. Regular Veranda Cabin

We're looking at a 2019 fourteen day cruise on the Marina. The price difference between an acceptable location regular veranda vs. an acceptable location Concierge veranda is $800 for both of us for the entire cruise.

I'm trying to see if I'm missing something by not paying more. The number of nights in the specialty restaurants are the same. We won't get priority boarding or the bottle of bubbly. We won't have access to the Concierge lounge (is that really worth the perk?). The standard Olife choice perks apply to both. The cabins are the same size.

As further background, the last time we sailed the Marina in 2014 we had an inside cabin. Since then we've graduated to Aqua Class, Concierge or aft cabins on Celebrity. We have booked aft Concierge cabins on the Regatta for two 2018 cruises.

So am I missing something that would make the Marina Concierge cabin worth $800? Thankx.

Well, a bit of an advantage is priority online specialty restaurant reservations. Free internet.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/marina/suites-staterooms/concierge-level-veranda-stateroom/

I have only had concierge level twice - and the first time it was really handy because we were three in our room. Nice to spread out in the lounge. I would get a room close to the lounge if you opt for that so you can stroll in for early morning coffee.

Only downside (except for the extra money) is that if you are unlucky enough to have a noro outbreak, they take away services in the Concierge Lounge.

Many people will say concierge isn't worth it for basically the same room. The main difference, I think, is the ability to have a hot breakfast in your room. But the benefit of that can be questionable given the size of the room. I speak as someone who is usually in a PH but in July 2016 we accepted a downsell on Nautica from a PH to a B1 and it never occurred to us to try to have breakfast in the room. We do so on tour days when in a larger cabin, but even when we ordered sandwiches on a day when we missed lunch, I ate mine at the computer desk and DH ate his at the small table. There just wasn't room to have that en suite breakfast.

As to the Concierge Lounge, when we've been on Marina we've used it a LITTLE bit. It can be convenient if you want to read the full newspapers. If you want a snack. But your life won't end if you don't have access to it.

Even though I like the conveniences of the suites, I don't think I'd say concierge is worth all that much.

As I said, if you do a search you will see many posts that say concierge is NOT worth it but also people who differ.

Is it worth $800? Given that you've been happy in non-concierge verandas, I think maybe not. I'm sure you can find other places to spend that $800 ...

So I'm not advising you in either direction other than trying to indicate what OTHERS have said. (We can do without the champagne as well.)

Mura

It depends on what you value more the perks or the $$ saved

personal choice

we have had both categories & the perk DH likes is the access to the spa terrace but not a deal breaker

The Marina has a Concierge Lounge, forward on Deck 9, so I'm curious as to why you would not have access to it :confused:

Ditto with the priority boarding and the bubbly....

am I missing something?

The Marina has a Concierge Lounge, forward on Deck 9, so I'm curious as to why you would not have access to it :confused:

Ditto with the priority boarding and the bubbly....

am I missing something?

Yes those items ARE included in the Concierge Veranda cabin but not in the regular Veranda cabin. So if I save $800 on the cabin I won't get those perks. I'm trying to wrap my mind around paying more for the perks. So far the list on the web site isn't saying to me I can't live without them or that it's worth the difference in value.

On our two Regatta cruises, Concierge got us an aft cabin through the Panama Canal and Alaska, plus double the specialty restaurant reservations. So we saw the value in the higher category along with the other listed perks. That isn't available on the Marina.

I feel Mura did a good job with her explanation. Thank you. We're just not ready to jump up to a suite yet.

Another thing my DW pointed out last night is that the regular Veranda is on a lower deck than Concierge. Going across the North Atlantic, she will probably prefer the ship's better stability down and a little aft of center.

While the decision is obviously the OPs asking the question is smart. Sometimes posters bring up issues that have been missed. Enjoy in any case.

We have had a veranda cabin and a PH veranda. The Veranda was more than adequate, it was just that we got the PH at a very special price.

When in the Veranda we phoned for morning tea/coffee and had no need for the Concierge lounge.

When in the PH we did not use the PH lounge at all, we made use of the Room Service/Butler. (which by the way was excellent)

The Spa Terrace was our indulgence when in the PH veranda, this you can have with the Concierge Veranda.

You have to decide what is important to you. Jay

Steve, my wife and I booked a Deck 10 concierge cabin on the Riviera on our recent Caribbean cruise, only because the regular verandah cabins were sold out when we booked.

Early check in on embarkation day was nice. We were in our cabin, with luggage, by 1:30.

I found it convenient to use a computer in the nearby concierge lounge to check emails rather than trek up to the computer center. (Wireless internet in the room was often really slow).

Priority in making advance reservations in the specialty restaurants might have helped us in getting a table for two each time.

We ordered room service breakfast only on the final morning, only to learn they don't serve hot food that morning.

We had one rough weather, high sea day, but even on deck 10 forward did not have a problem with it.

Given the choice, I probably would not spend the extra dollars for concierge, but it all depends on what is important to you.

Yes those items ARE included in the Concierge Veranda cabin but not in the regular Veranda cabin. So if I save $800 on the cabin I won't get those perks. I'm trying to wrap my mind around paying more for the perks. So far the list on the web site isn't saying to me I can't live without them or that it's worth the difference in value.

 

On our two Regatta cruises, Concierge got us an aft cabin through the Panama Canal and Alaska, plus double the specialty restaurant reservations. So we saw the value in the higher category along with the other listed perks. That isn't available on the Marina.

 

I feel Mura did a good job with her explanation. Thank you. We're just not ready to jump up to a suite yet.

 

Another thing my DW pointed out last night is that the regular Veranda is on a lower deck than Concierge. Going across the North Atlantic, she will probably prefer the ship's better stability down and a little aft of center.

Chuck, amigo for your $800 you get a $50 bottle of cham. save $50 per day to visit the special spa deck. or go one deck up and use Horizons for no charge and a better view.

On an a 14 day cruise, you get 2 extra ADVANCE reservations, However, on the ship on a similar cruise I could get ALL the extra reservations I wanted on my last 14 day.... for no extra$

Hot breakfast in the cabin.... sounds great... however I can not imagine 2 people having enough room to enjoy anything but a drink in the room... un less your Billy Barty, Or your cabin mate is one of the 7 dwarfs and you like to sit on the bed to eat I prefer enjoying the fabulous restaurants and company....

So the only real advantage if you think is 2 advanced reservations and spa deck view, where I could enjoy watching you from Horizons with a grey goose in hand:cool:.......Your call.... time to have a meeting with your ego and have a frank discussion with him.:confused:

Thankx for everyone's help/input. It was very useful. I just booked through my TA. Even though the gap between what I booked and the Concierge, narrowed...it came down to more than the cost difference.

Thankx to a couple of other threads and some pictures, (TYVM canuck.qc) the extended balcony of the cabin I booked out weighed the benefits of Concierge. (My TA said a lot of her clients do the same.)

Dan-O, I booked the B3 Veranda... 7111. Ego wasn't involved at all. In this case, the extended balcony won. On Marina, there are no extra restaurant nights as with the R ships for Concierge. But we enjoyed the MDR and buffet as well on our last Marina cruise. I know we won't go hungry. Thankx for the suggestion of trying to get additional reservations once on board.

So it looks like I've become an O convert. Three on the books! No future Celebrity cruises as of today.

We're looking at a 2019 fourteen day cruise on the Marina. The price difference between an acceptable location regular veranda vs. an acceptable location Concierge veranda is $800 for both of us for the entire cruise.

 

I'm trying to see if I'm missing something by not paying more. The number of nights in the specialty restaurants are the same. We won't get priority boarding or the bottle of bubbly. We won't have access to the Concierge lounge (is that really worth the perk?). The standard Olife choice perks apply to both. The cabins are the same size.

 

As further background, the last time we sailed the Marina in 2014 we had an inside cabin. Since then we've graduated to Aqua Class, Concierge or aft cabins on Celebrity. We have booked aft Concierge cabins on the Regatta for two 2018 cruises.

 

So am I missing something that would make the Marina Concierge cabin worth $800? Thankx.

I like access to the spa terrace with its wonderful hydrotherapy jacuzzi and beautiful ocean view while cruising. We will have 7 sea days on the new Dec. 2018 cruise from Rio to Valparaiso so I feel it is worth it.

I like access to the spa terrace with its wonderful hydrotherapy jacuzzi and beautiful ocean view while cruising. We will have seven sea days on the new Dec. 2018 cruise on the Marina from Rio to Valparaiso so we feel it is worth it to spend a little extra.

Thankx for everyone's help/input. It was very useful. I just booked through my TA. Even though the gap between what I booked and the Concierge, narrowed...it came down to more than the cost difference.

 

Thankx to a couple of other threads and some pictures, (TYVM canuck.qc) the extended balcony of the cabin I booked out weighed the benefits of Concierge. (My TA said a lot of her clients do the same.)

 

 

Dan-O, I booked the B3 Veranda... 7111. Ego wasn't involved at all. In this case, the extended balcony won. On Marina, there are no extra restaurant nights as with the R ships for Concierge. But we enjoyed the MDR and buffet as well on our last Marina cruise. I know we won't go hungry. Thankx for the suggestion of trying to get additional reservations once on board.

 

So it looks like I've become an O convert. Three on the books! No future Celebrity cruises as of today.

You have chosen wisely...I had 7009 for 34 days and the extra view, the HUGE deck was better than getting a PH... ( which with its silly foot of the bed table ) is useless for eating in cabin....the PH on R class much more space and design consideration then O class.

We loved the extended balcony on our recent Riviera cruise. It was the same width as other regular balcony cabins but three times as deep. It's actually bigger than the PH balcony in square footage and includes two loungers, two chairs and a table. You can have sun or shade. Great choice. Enjoy.

Oh Goodness yes. We had the extended balcony in our Veranda cabin. it was great. Jay

Chuck, amigo for your $800 you get a $50 bottle of cham. save $50 per day to visit the special spa deck. or go one deck up and use Horizons for no charge and a better view.

All three of our cruises have been in Concierge Veranda. We chose that for 3 reasons - the priority online booking of the specialty restaurants, priority boarding and the spa terrace. On sea days, the pool can get busy so we'd go to the spa terrace where it was less crowded and there were plenty of lounge chairs available.

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You have chosen wisely...I had 7009 for 34 days and the extra view, the HUGE deck was better than getting a PH... ( which with its silly foot of the bed table ) is useless for eating in cabin....the PH on R class much more space and design consideration then O class.

Shhh!!! You're giving away too much good info.

On Riviera and Marina, we always opt for the B3 extended balcony. I'd rather have that than the concierge hot breakfast option or (for us) useless extra PH cabin closet space (and for considerably less money).

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But you cant visit Horizons in your Speedo, Dan :eek:. The Spa area does have it benefits.

You make a very valid point....... by the way what are the hours for the spa deck? and is there waiter service, I mean could I have my cake and eat it too ( ie goose martini) :cool:

Sorry, Dan, but last time I was on there was no waiter service on spa deck. I think there was a tray with soda and water by the door before heading outside. That's when a sippy cup comes in handy!:)

Enjoy,

K

I am resurrecting this thread. We are currently booked on one of the large balcony B3 cabins on the same cruise as OP. We are wondering how useful is that large balcony given the that April North Atlantic crossing will be cold. We are weighing between whether to change to a concierge room from the one we have. I think it is not worth the extra $ but DH thinks a concierge lounge is nice. He is thinking of Michaels on Celebrity and obviously this is not the same.

I don't know the cabin you are mentioning. BUT ... I agree that the balcony may not be very usable on a North Atlantic crossing at that time of year. We did a crossing in May a few years ago and I don't remember if we used our veranda or not but that could have been due to time considerations as well as weather considerations.

As to the value of the Concierge Lounge, many people don't think so. It's handy for getting a sandwich or a drink out of hours. You can read newspapers there. There is a concierge at limited hours to help with other problems. And so on ...

Usually we are in a suite and the Executive Lounge is pretty much the same. I have used the concierge for setting up Meet & Greets, occasionally for a snack. But never for more than that.

So is it worth extra cost for a concierge cabin? I'm not at all sure. It does depend on what is important to you.

Mura

Thank you, Mura. We will stay put for now, unless an upsell happens later. But it also depends on the location and we do not want a cabin in the front. We are currently booked in 7118.

There are a couple of new perks for concierge rooms. “Passengers in these upper-end balcony staterooms will now receive free laundry service (up to three bags) and room service from the Grand Dining Room at lunch and dinner. These freebies are currently only available to suite guests.“

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8112