Celebrity Solstice to Alaska- Reg Veranda or Aqua Class? $600 difference per person

[EngSet]

Looking for opinions/experience with Solstice regular veranda staterooms versus Aqua Class staterooms.

 

Fares to Alaska 2013 on the Solstice- a $600 per person difference between the regular veranda stateroom and the Aqua class staterooms.

 

We are 1st time cruisers and Blu is appealing to us for we prefer smaller crowds and hope to enjoy some nice meals; however, it would cost $1200 more for a seven day cruise for two. Price difference seems a bit extreme- especially to first-time cruisers.

 

Would love thoughts/opinions of those who have sailed in both types of staterooms.

 

Thank you in advance for your help.:)

[fredflint]

you could eat in a difffernt dining room every night and still save your $$

[EngSet]

FredFlint- That was what we were thinking. We had initially planned on booking an Aqua Class stateroom; however, $1200 more for two for a 7-day cruise seems a bit high. From what I have read, there is not a lot of difference between the actual staterooms (a different shower, fruit in the room, bottled water, etc.). Again, Aqua Class interests us; but $1,000+ more for Aqua seems rather high to us.

 

So, we are hoping for the thoughts/opinions of experienced Celebrity cruisers on this one.

[Wine-O]

Blu is nice, but not $1200 worth of nice, especially for a 7-day cruise.

 

Sometimes as it gets closer to sailing or after final payment, the price might come down and you could upgrade to AQ, but not worth $1200.

[ForeverAtSea]

Blu is nice, but not $1200 worth of nice, especially for a 7-day cruise.

 

Sometimes as it gets closer to sailing or after final payment, the price might come down and you could upgrade to AQ, but not worth $1200.

 

I totally agree.

 

We love Aquaclass and Blu, but I would never pay $1200 more for a 7-day cruise. I would use the money for the specialty restaurants and spa access.

 

You can get great cabins (size and location) n 1A....I might book there, and then wait for prices to drop, and upgrade. You don't get the ottoman on the balconies in IA, but in Alaska, you might not be lounging on the balcony as much.

 

If you enjoy enhanced amenities, and it doesn't cost too much more than a 1A, Concierge Class is nice also.

[EngSet]

Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

Foreveratsea- When looking at the Celebrity Web site, I don't see "1A" as a choice.

 

Could you give more guidance on that? (Sorry- Again, a first time cruiser.)

[Wine-O]

Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

Foreveratsea- When looking at the Celebrity Web site, I don't see "1A" as a choice.

 

Could you give more guidance on that? (Sorry- Again, a first time cruiser.)

 

What's your sailing date, and what cabin are you booked in? Maybe we can help you out if we had some additional information.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

Foreveratsea- When looking at the Celebrity Web site, I don't see "1A" as a choice.

 

Could you give more guidance on that? (Sorry- Again, a first time cruiser.)

 

Are you in their booking engine (acting as if you are booking a cruise)? I too would recommend a 1A cabin. All the balcony cabins are the same size, but the 1A cabins on the slant of the hump have much larger balconies. Try to get the first or third cabin off the hump, those are the largest. Bring some blankets down from the pool deck and you can enjoy your balcony a lot.

 

And don't forget there are some pricey shore excursions in Alaska. You could use some of the money saved to book some of those as well.

[EngSet]

We are looking at the Sept. 6th, 2013 sailing to Alaska, round trip out of Seattle.

 

Thanks again for thoughts/advice re: the stateroom choice.

[EngSet]

Found the "1A" staterooms on the deck plans- Thanks! Also, thanks for the guidance on which staterooms to look for around the "humps."

 

(Just didn't see the "1A" when in the booking pages.)

[EngSet]

Also, another consideration for stateroom choice- I am very allergic to smoke; so, I hope to stay as far away from it as possible. (One of the reasons for selecting Celebrity for our first cruise.)

[Wine-O]

We are looking at the Sept. 6th, 2013 sailing to Alaska, round trip out of Seattle.

 

Thanks again for thoughts/advice re: the stateroom choice.

 

Herfe are some 1A's available and in the order that I would book: 9270 (the best), 9294, 8226, 8279, 8283.

 

Call your TA or Celebrity and go for 9270. Great location, huge, huge balcony.

[EngSet]

Wine-o:

 

It looks like 9270 is a connecting room. Would this be an issue for someone who does not need a connecting room?

 

Thanks!

[Wine-O]

Wine-o:

 

It looks like 9270 is a connecting room. Would this be an issue for someone who does not need a connecting room?

 

Thanks!

 

No, none of the 1A's are connecting. Even if it were, it wouldn't make any difference as the connection is made out in the passage way, not the bulkhead within the cabin. It has a an upper berth and a fold out sofa bed, but if you aren't going to use them, it wouldn't matter as the upper berth folds up into the overhead.

 

If you didn't get it, it's gone now. Maybe someone else was reading this thread. :)

[EngSet]

:) Re: Someone may have reserved stateroom 9720.

 

FYI-

The 1A staterooms are $400 less PP, versus the $600 less PP for other veranda staterooms when compared with Aqua class; so, the savings will only be around $800 for two versus the original $1200 for the trip. Fares are at $1,399 a person for the 1A stateroom.

 

Wine-O and Linda (and all those with helpful opinions): Do you still think the regular veranda(1A) room is a better deal for first-time cruisers over Aqua class- even though the $ saved are not as great? (So many questions, I know. However, I blame this on the stress of picking one's first cruise.)

 

Unrelated...It seems to me that the fares have increased quite a bit since last summer. I recall looking at this same sailing a few months ago and seeing Aqua Class for only 1299 to 1450 a person; thus, I assumed the regular veranda staterooms were had even lower fares. UGH. Not the best timing on my part.:(

[Wine-O]

:) Re: Someone may have reserved stateroom 9720.

 

FYI-

The 1A staterooms are $400 less PP, versus the $600 less PP for other veranda staterooms when compared with Aqua class; so, the savings will only be around $800 for two versus the original $1200 for the trip. Fares are at $1,399 a person for the 1A stateroom.

 

Wine-O and Linda (and all those with helpful opinions): Do you still think the regular veranda(1A) room is a better deal for first-time cruisers over Aqua class- even though the $ saved are not as great? (So many questions, I know. However, I blame this on the stress of picking one's first cruise.)

 

Unrelated...It seems to me that the fares have increased quite a bit since last summer. I recall looking at this same sailing a few months ago and seeing Aqua Class for only 1299 to 1450 a person; thus, I assumed the regular veranda staterooms were had even lower fares. UGH. Not the best timing on my part.:(

 

Looking at Celebrity website, an A2 with tax = $1952. A 1A with tax = $1472. The least expensive veranda with tax = $1352

 

I would go for the 1A, hands down. As you get closer to the cruise, keep checking prices. A lot of times if the AQ rooms are not sold out, they will reduce the price and you can pay much less to upgrade to AQ. Even after final payment if they offer specials for AQ, you can also pay the difference to upgrade.

 

Go for the 1A - 9294 -- I think the Starboard side better for this cruise.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I only book 1As on S class ships. All the balcony cabins (including Aqua Class) are the same size, so I go for the giant veranda. If you're sailing in September, you're likely to spend a ton of time out on your balcony. You will definitely appreciate its size. Make haste, though. Don't let them all get away.

 

Yes, our experience has been that cruise prices are cheapest when the cruise is first released. But that's water over the dam now.

 

Alaska is fabulous--enjoy!

 

May I suggest a wonderful hotel in Seattle that you can squander some of your saved money on? Check out Inn at the Market. They have a rooftop deck that is to die for--you can watch your ship come in in the morning. And you can walk to the pier. Everyone I've sent there has loved it.

[Gig103]

Definitely save the money. I wasn't so Impressed with Blu, certainly not for $600pp. And your Solstice room is the same size unlike on Millennium class.

[EngSet]

Thank you all for your help/advice/comments.

 

We have reserved one of the forward facing "off the hump" staterooms for the trip. We are looking forward to our first cruise.

 

:)

[Wine-O]

Thank you all for your help/advice/comments.

 

We have reserved one of the forward facing "off the hump" staterooms for the trip. We are looking forward to our first cruise.

 

:)

 

Which stateroom did you finally decide to take.

[EngSet]

Wine-O: We reserved 9270.:)

[Jade13]

I only book 1As on S class ships. All the balcony cabins (including Aqua Class) are the same size, .

 

They are not all the same size on the Solstice class ships.

[Wine-O]

Wine-O: We reserved 9270.:)

 

Congratulations. Drop in to your Roll Call and introduce yourself. You can probably get some helpful info on tours and gatherings. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1596574

 

About 4-5 months before start checking price drops and take advantage of the price reduction by calling your TA or Celebrity, whomever you booked with. After final payment, they may drop prices again, so it may be advantageous to upgrade for little cost depending on the pricing.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Wine-O]

They are not all the same size on the Solstice class ships.

 

The veranda cabins are all the same Sq Ft inside with the exception of accessible and suites and above. Yes, balcony size varies.