Help us decide

[niborHS]

For many years, when our kids were younger, we cruised with them once a year as a family. They are now 24 & 27, and we are trying to plan a cruise for January. Because of other things going on, we are trying to keep the cost down, however my husband likes to have a suite, so I know this is tough. In looking at prices/itineraries/value, we have a lot of thoughts, in addition to trying to decide on which line with have the most 20 somethings on it besides Carnival. Also, keep in mind that we have done every itinerary already, so that part of it is somewhat irrelevant.

How is the mini-suite on NCL? The last time we were in a room smaller than a Sky Suite on Celebrity was on the Norwegian Sun in Hawaii, and I felt like one of those number puzzles; if I move into the corner by the door, you can go into the bathroom. Not sure if the mini-suite ends up being like that. How are the inside cabins on these ships?

Does anyone have prices on the specialty restuarants? I don't want to realize in the end that we spent so much on the charges for that, so that the total cost ends up more than paying for a more expensive cruiseline where we could be happy with the main dining room.

Any thoughts you can contribute would be a big help. Any comparison between lines from your point of view would be fine too.

[fergusonvt]

Are your thoughts to have all 4 of you in the same room? If so then a mini-suite will be tight. The sleeper sofa in our mini on the Sun was just barely big enough for our son who was 18 at the time. I'm not sure why you think you wouldn't be happy with NCL's MDR's. We have found the food to be quite good on our two cruises with them. The cost for the specialty restaurants vary. We paid $20.00 pp for the two we went to in January but I believe that LeBistro and Cagney's are now either $25pp or $30pp. On our Jan. cruise it was 20% off the first two nights at all the specialty restaurants. Our our two Jan. cruises there were some older 20 somethings but not too much in the 18-22 range.

[ColinIllinois]

Freestyle dining prices/venues from NCL.com........

 

http://www2.ncl.com/sites/default/files/DiningGuide_08302012.pdf

[coka]

The Sun was built before mini suites were ever a category. I suspect they used balcony categories on highest deck and named them mini suites. i could be wrong.

 

If you go to posts 18 to 24 in this thread, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1631263 you can see pictures of a Jewel mini-suite. Same configuration on the Pearl, Gem, and Jade (jewel class ships). The Dawn class (Dawn and Star) should be similar set ups. In the pictures I pulled out the couch so you can see if the two twenty something's would want to sleep in that together.

 

Edited to add: you mention hubby likes suites...keep in mind mini-suites do not have suite benefits.

 

Good luck on what you decide!

 

coka

[niborHS]

Thanks for the quick replies. We are not planning on having all of us in the same cabin, I was thinking a mini-suite for us, possibly an inside for them. I have 2 sons, if that makes a difference. They have less "stuff" to be concerned with storing I think.

Thanks for the post of the dining venues. I tried to search the board for it, and didn't find it.

[davesgirl51]

I'd do a 2BR suite. Or balcony and inside. Depends on how much you want to be around them and how much you want to spend.

[Fishbait17]

Oops, first answer I thought you were planning on sailing on the Sun... My bad..

 

Ok, since you know that mini suites on NCL do NOT qualify for suite benefits, i just want to make sure you have investigated the suite benefits on NCL - they are second to one. which ship you might be sailing? Because if you decide (after reading about suite benefits) that you DO want a suite, you should look into a two bedroom suite. We have sailed in several of them, with up to two adults in the small second bedroom, and had a great time! You won't have as much privacy or equality as having two separate cabins, but all persons would qualify for the suite perks... Just putting it out there in case you are interested..

 

Also, a suggestion if you are looking for ships that might interest your sons - I would suggest the Epic. my daughters have never sailed on the Epic, but are dying to do so, and after we sailed her last Feb, I cannot wait to bring them onboard. And the Epic is a ship where you get a LOT of bang for your buck on the two bedroom suite, although it can be pretty expensive - the suite benefits are more extensive than on other ships. The basic cabin on the Epic are a bit controversial, so do your research if you are interested in this ship.

Robin

[Fishbait17]

The Sun was built before mini suites were ever a category. I suspect they used balcony categories on highest deck and named them mini suites. i could be wrong.

 

Edited to add: you mention hubby likes suites...keep in mind mini-suites do not have suite benefits.

 

Good luck on what you decide!

 

coka

 

Actually, the mini suites on the Sun are much larger than the same on the Jewel and Gem class ships, and have a spectacular bathroom layout.. I am thinking that the OP had a regular balcony cabin on the Sun in HI though?? Would be good to know, as if the mini on the Sun wasn't large enough, they would definitely need to move up to a full suite.

 

Robin