Are suites worth it?

[OceanDreams]

A hidden benefit to cruising more often in the cheaper cabins comes in the way of Lattitudes benefits. You reach platinum status much quicker, and with that comes free laundry, dinner for two with wine at Le Bistro, Behind the Scenes tour, priority tendering and disembarkation, etc. These things will offset many of the suite perks that you pay the extra price for !!

 

Swedish Weave ~ Excellent comment! This is what I was going to say.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their comments. It was a good and informative debate!

 

Everyone makes some good points. As for the drunken cat fight, I'd just pretend it's part of the on-board entertainment! :)

 

We've talked it out and decided that, in the end, our original thoughts stick. We love cruising to much to not go when we can. Waiting a year, not a real option.

 

Thanks again for all the thoughts and perspectives. It's why I like this board!

 

 

John, I don't know if you are still following this thread .... but I'm glad that you decided to cruise more often rather then waiting for another year. Enjoy your cruise and have a wonderful time in your balcony.

OceanDreams

[RareBird]

For me, yes they do make the trip better. As we tend to spend time in our cabin, we love the extra space. Love being able to have breakfast/lunch at Cagney's if we want. VIP embarkation just starts off the trip on a nice note, as does the escort off of the ship at the end.

 

But we will book balconies when the price for the suites is too out-of-control (and still have a great time in those balcony cabins!).

 

We'd rather cruise more often than always be in a suite!

 

Same for us. Balconies are approx 1k each. If suites are less than 300 more a person, we do for it. IF they are 700+ per person, then we don't.

 

Suite perks are great, but sometimes out of our budget.

[TAXFREEMAN]

What is the proper amount to tip the butler on a 7 day Med. cruise?

[Army/Police Vet]

What is the proper amount to tip the butler on a 7 day Med. cruise?

 

Chocolate, but some prefer strawberry.

[wack001]

I'm curious what you all think.

 

Though not rich by any extent, a suite isn't beyond the capacity of my wife and I to afford. But it would take an extra year of saving for the cruise to handle.

 

It seems, on the standard cruises we do, we can get a balcony for about a thousand each. A family suite would be 2000 each, and a penthouse suite hitting 2800 each.

 

Obviously, prices vary, but in general, it's going to be twice as expensive or more to do a suite as to a balcony.

 

So, is it worth it?

 

Is it worth waiting another year to sail to do it in a suite, rather than a standard balcony?

 

Are the perks you get really worth that?

 

Sure, if you have the cash to do it, why not? But if it's something you need to save for, would you?

 

As far as I can see, room benefits aside, you get a butler, nicer service and onto the boat faster? Is that about it?

 

I know there are dozens of tangible and intangible benefits, but really, doesn't it come down to they make your trip better?

 

As someone who's not had bad service on our cruises so far, just not sure what really the benefit would be.

 

Thoughts?

 

23 cruises and NEVER booked anything more than an inside and got the upgrade. Read my fun rules on the blog.

 

http://www.cruisinbob.com

[galleycook]

Seems like every two weeks, this same question gets asked, in one form or another.

 

And, there are a high number of people that say it is surely worth it. Go for it is a common response.

 

Yet, in real life, only a small percent believe it is worth it. After all, 95% of the people book smaller cabins, week after week, year after year.

 

You can get a full suite if you want it, but people seem to pass over it.

 

Funny statement to make "95% of the people book smaller cabins". Of course they do because most ships probably only have a small percentage of suites. You can't book what doesn't exist whether you want to or not.

 

If all ships only had suites and only 5% of these got booked while the remaining 95% remain emty, your statement would be correct. That would never happen though because everything is based on supply an demand. Pricing would be set accordingly to try and fill them. The question is at what point do suites become attractive to the mass market.

 

And for what it's worth. we won't be going back to a regular cabin. Suites are too nice. Not that I want to pay the extra, but I am willing to.

[Family Travel Story]

I think the real question that I ask myself after staying in the 2 bedroom in the Courtyard on the Pearl is will I be disapointed going back to a balcony. I think all things being equal, I would rather cruise a suite, but with that said, if it was only a short cruise with just my wife and I, a balcony would be fine for me. However, on a week long cruise, with my daughter added to the room, I would and in the case of next December did book at the very least the least expensive penthoue on the ship. The extra room really does make a huge difference if you are like us and spend a decent amount of time in the cabin and hand out with friends.

[newjerseygeorge]

DW and I will be doing our first Suite in February for our 20th Anniversary.:o Having a big cabin will be nice but I can not wait for Cagneys both breakfast and lunch.:D I do not think we are demanding people so the butler will not kill himself on our behalf. My wife is a Platinum member for NCL and I will be reaching Gold very soon (Easter 2012). At Easter this year, we took the Spirit out of NOLA and my wife was the only Platinum member on the whole ship. It was nice that a lot of the crew knew her name. I was second fiddle to her :mad: but got to share in her perks.:eek: We both love NCL!!!:)

[valleyvillage]

23 cruises and NEVER booked anything more than an inside and got the upgrade. Read my fun rules on the blog.

 

www.cruisinbob.com

 

Like your blog! Where are the fun rules?

[sjbdtz]

So my parents have always regarded cars as vehicles to get from Point A to Point B, and nothing more.

 

My friends were interested in sports cars, and I liked the styling of both sports and luxury cars.

 

 

The day I first drove a BMW however, I realized that cars could be more than just the means to a destination, that the experience itself could be enjoyable.

 

Explaining exactly "why" a BMW, or Audi, or Mercedes is nicer....to someone who has never driven one, is challenging. It's the smoothness of the ride, the tightness of the chassis during turns, the silkiness of the transmission and the unmistakable feeling that you have power "on tap" in the event that you need it.

 

 

Driving a premium car is a completely different feeling than driving a mainstream car.

 

 

In the same way, a suite provides more space, more attentive service, premium amenities, and a 'sensation' which is hard to quantify. I suppose if I was having the conversation with a psychologist, they might define the sensation as "importance".

 

Not that it's important to feel important...but when it happens, it's a seductive sensation, much like power (which explains why politicians are willing to spend tens of millions of dollars, to campaign for a post which only pays $400,000 / year).

 

 

 

Maybe "important" is the wrong word. Special might apply also. That's what everyone seems to say about me. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

.

[halos]

So my parents have always regarded cars as vehicles to get from Point A to Point B, and nothing more.

 

My friends were interested in sports cars, and I liked the styling of both sports and luxury cars.

 

 

The day I first drove a BMW however, I realized that cars could be more than just the means to a destination, that the experience itself could be enjoyable.

 

Explaining exactly "why" a BMW, or Audi, or Mercedes is nicer....to someone who has never driven one, is challenging. It's the smoothness of the ride, the tightness of the chassis during turns, the silkiness of the transmission and the unmistakable feeling that you have power "on tap" in the event that you need it.

 

 

Driving a premium car is a completely different feeling than driving a mainstream car.

 

 

In the same way, a suite provides more space, more attentive service, premium amenities, and a 'sensation' which is hard to quantify. I suppose if I was having the conversation with a psychologist, they might define the sensation as "importance".

 

Not that it's important to feel important...but when it happens, it's a seductive sensation, much like power (which explains why politicians are willing to spend tens of millions of dollars, to campaign for a post which only pays $400,000 / year).

 

 

 

Maybe "important" is the wrong word. Special might apply also. That's what everyone seems to say about me. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

.

 

That analogy is really good and I can understand it now that I know exactly what you're talking about. My DH traded in a Sebring convertible for a BMW...just the 3 series, but a BMW nonetheless. I am very practical so I thought this was kinda silly. The car didn't look any nicer than any other car in any way (I actually thought the convertible was far prettier)and even as a passenger riding in the BMW I thought it was no biggie.

THEN I drove it.

OMG :eek:

The difference was definitely very real.

 

I am sure after our 1st NCL suite experience next year, that we will have the same feeling and won't ever be able to go without one again :)

Never having had a suite before, the practical side of me wondered how it could be THAT good...then through an act of gratitude on a HD's part in January, we were given VIP priveleges...so even without the suite or the butler, we just had a few of the extra perks while staying in our balcony cabin and 'Dang, this is nice' is all I could say. I couldn't wait to get home and actually book a suite!!