Travelling in Group w/ Suite and non-Suite

[navywife06]

Hello all,

I've searched the threads and couldn't find the answer to this question, so I'm posing it to you experienced NCL'ers. It will be my first time aboard an NCL ship (Jade) and my husband and I splurged on a Suite. We have more family who are joining us at the last minute and are not booking a suite. We'd like to be able to have lunch with them when we embark and am not sure how the rules work regarding having family with us to go there. My mother is one of the people joining us and she is a Latitudes member (Platinum, I think), so does that offer her the possibility to join us at Cagney's? If not, would we be able to order room service sometime after embarking? I don't want to scam the system, but would like to enjoy lunch with my family that day and if possible, at Cagney's.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Got Tequila?]

Hello all,

I've searched the threads and couldn't find the answer to this question, so I'm posing it to you experienced NCL'ers. It will be my first time aboard an NCL ship (Jade) and my husband and I splurged on a Suite. We have more family who are joining us at the last minute and are not booking a suite. We'd like to be able to have lunch with them when we embark and am not sure how the rules work regarding having family with us to go there. My mother is one of the people joining us and she is a Latitudes member (Platinum, I think), so does that offer her the possibility to join us at Cagney's? If not, would we be able to order room service sometime after embarking? I don't want to scam the system, but would like to enjoy lunch with my family that day and if possible, at Cagney's.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

 

Unfortunately your family won't be able to join you at Cagney's at all. The Butlers are pretty busy on embarkation day, and often the suites aren't ready immediately....but there is a chance you may be able to have them serve you all lunch in your suite. Otherwise I would recommend you enjoy the main dining room, which many people don't realize is open on embarkation day....and they usually head to the buffet. We've never found the main dining room busy at all on embarkation day.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[WaldosPepper]

This is a very frequent topic here, and the simple answer is: no, your family will not be permitted to join you in Cagney's. If you would like to have a nice enjoyable lunch with them on embarkation day, I recommend going to the main dining room which is always open for arriving guests. It's a lovely way to start your cruise, and nobody will get their feathers ruffled. ;)

 

Happy sailing!

[jdvmd]

Your best option is to pick the main dining room that is open for embarkation lunch and all eat there. Those who have not purchased a suite are not entitled to suite perks including lunch at Cagney's. Being Platinum won't make a difference either.

[DMH15]

Agree with others. My mom and I cruised in a suite and other family & friends. We would meet up with them after breakfast and lunch OR we would dine with them in the MDR. You just have to make choices. It is doable.

 

You can have your guests up for meals in your suite during the cruise, but we have never done it on boarding day as the butlers are very busy.

 

Just remember the more special requests from the butler and concierge would warrant additional tips.

[cruzsnooze]

 

Just remember the more special requests from the butler and concierge would warrant additional tips.

Isn't that their job, to so things for you? What's considered special request VS normal request? The OP never asked about tipping so why bring it up?

[Aladdin1968]

Formally the answer is no: non-suite pax can not enjoy any suite perk. However. As mentioned above they can come to your suite and you can order food from the menu without any question from the butler. That's it. However. My personal experience is that the concierge (this is the person that makes the call on behalf of the hotel director) sometimes is willing to bend the rules. The relevant factors are: the type of suite, the number of persons involved, the question how related the persons involved actually are, the question how many people are in The Haven in total and.... how politely you ask for the favour. I know I might get flamed over this answer, but this is what happened to us on numerous occasions.

[DMH15]

Isn't that their job, to so things for you? What's considered special request VS normal request? The OP never asked about tipping so why bring it up?

 

They did bring up having guests in their suite. I think a normal request is doing things for the suite guest. I think the butler doing extra to accomodate non suite guests is a special request. Perhaps because it was brought up to me, (I was anxious to learn and asked), when I was non suite guest of a Haven pax did I learn the ropes and I was very grateful for the advice. Obviously the OP posted here for advice and I added a little extra information but I think I did it kindly. But thanks for asking.

[cynbar]

I have seen a few reports here of non suite guests being allowed to join their suite friends in Cagney's, but it seems to be the exception. You can certainly ask the concierge, but he or she is very busy at embarkation, and it seems awkward to ask if your family is standing right there. Plus, there is usually a crush in Cagney's at embarkation, I can't imagine the other suite guests would be too happy if they have to wait while your party is accommodated. Your butler can serve you all during the cruise but I can't imagine he would have time on the first day. Better to make other plans in advance, that will go more smoothly for all of you. Bottom line, suite perks are intended for those who have paid for the privileges.

[Unknotted]

They did bring up having guests in their suite. I think a normal request is doing things for the suite guest. I think the butler doing extra to accomodate non suite guests is a special request. Perhaps because it was brought up to me, (I was anxious to learn and asked), when I was non suite guest of a Haven pax did I learn the ropes and I was very grateful for the advice. Obviously the OP posted here for advice and I added a little extra information but I think I did it kindly. But thanks for asking.

 

 

I agree with you. Suite perks are for people who pay for suites. The butler and concierge are there to tend to people who have paid for the suites. Any other request would be extra work for them and if they are able to accomodate non suite guests they should be rewarded for going that extra mile. And if they are not able to accomodate non suite guests then, well, that's just how it is.

 

And yes, you did it kindly and it looked to me like you were trying to be helpful.

[iluvdoxies]

I agree with you. Suite perks are for people who pay for suites. The butler and concierge are there to tend to people who have paid for the suites. Any other request would be extra work for them and if they are able to accomodate non suite guests they should be rewarded for going that extra mile. And if they are not able to accomodate non suite guests then, well, that's just how it is.

 

And yes, you did it kindly and it looked to me like you were trying to be helpful.

 

well said :)

[slidergirl]

A rule of thumb to follow with different people of different class of accommodations would be "lowest common denominator" - if you want to do something together as a group, you base that on what everyone would be able to do on their own.

That being said, you could privately ask your Butler/Concierge if something could be arranged for your entire group. If they say yes, it's a nice bonus for your friends. If they say no, no harm done and you happily join the others in their venues.

You have to decide what things you will do apart from your group and what things you want to do with your group - miss some suite perks and have fun with your friends or spend some private time doing the suite thing...

[GORDONCHICK]

Formally the answer is no: non-suite pax can not enjoy any suite perk. However. As mentioned above they can come to your suite and you can order food from the menu without any question from the butler. That's it. However. My personal experience is that the concierge (this is the person that makes the call on behalf of the hotel director) sometimes is willing to bend the rules. The relevant factors are: the type of suite, the number of persons involved, the question how related the persons involved actually are, the question how many people are in The Haven in total and.... how politely you ask for the favour. I know I might get flamed over this answer, but this is what happened to us on numerous occasions.

 

No flaming, but this post is specifically about boarding day, and I would say that it's inappropriate to ask your concierge as you board, which is what you'd have to do for this to even be possible that day.

 

Others are correct in that you may have guests to your suite and order breakfast or lunch from Cagney's for everyone, delivered by your butler.

 

As for the person who asked "isn't this part of their job", implying that extra tips weren't necessary for the butler serving your guests - no it's not. They are there to serve suite guests. Extra would be serving your guests, so extra tips would be warranted.

[navywife06]

Thank you all for your great advice. I hadn't thought of the MDR as an option, and that is a great one. I'll talk to our concierge after that, when the mad rush of the embarkation and settling in is done.

 

My plan is to go to the MDR for lunch as a group to enjoy a nice lunch without having to put anyone on the spot, or make my mom uncomfortable. No worrying for me whether we can or cannot get room service that day, etc.

 

I'll see how it goes from there and will be happy to order room service.

 

Again, thanks. I was worried that having the separate breakfast and lunch options would cause discomfort for our group and it seems there was an easy way around that without overstepping.

[WaldosPepper]

Thank you all for your great advice. I hadn't thought of the MDR as an option, and that is a great one. I'll talk to our concierge after that, when the mad rush of the embarkation and settling in is done.

 

My plan is to go to the MDR for lunch as a group to enjoy a nice lunch without having to put anyone on the spot, or make my mom uncomfortable. No worrying for me whether we can or cannot get room service that day, etc.

 

I'll see how it goes from there and will be happy to order room service.

 

Again, thanks. I was worried that having the separate breakfast and lunch options would cause discomfort for our group and it seems there was an easy way around that without overstepping.

 

[WYTinman]

Thank you all for your great advice. I hadn't thought of the MDR as an option, and that is a great one. I'll talk to our concierge after that, when the mad rush of the embarkation and settling in is done.

 

My plan is to go to the MDR for lunch as a group to enjoy a nice lunch without having to put anyone on the spot, or make my mom uncomfortable. No worrying for me whether we can or cannot get room service that day, etc.

 

I'll see how it goes from there and will be happy to order room service.

 

Again, thanks. I was worried that having the separate breakfast and lunch options would cause discomfort for our group and it seems there was an easy way around that without overstepping.

 

I just want to add that your party may not be boarded together.

 

As a suite guest, after check-in, you will be taken to a VIP area or lounge. There you will meet the Concierge and receive your room cards. Then you will be escorted onto the ship.

 

The remainder of your party will have to wait through the normal boarding process.

 

Plan ahead for being seperated at boarding. It's not fun spending your first few hours aboard searching for each other.

[peg013]

I just want to add that your party may not be boarded together.

 

As a suite guest, after check-in, you will be taken to a VIP area or lounge. There you will meet the Concierge and receive your room cards. Then you will be escorted onto the ship.

 

The remainder of your party will have to wait through the normal boarding process.

 

Plan ahead for being seperated at boarding. It's not fun spending your first few hours aboard searching for each other.

 

While you may have to check in different lines, once you are taken to the VIP lounge all you have to do is inform the concierge that you have others in your party that are not in suites. As soon as you receive your suite card either you can join your party in the general waiting area and board together or occasionally if the VIP suite is large enough, you may be allowed to have them join you in the lounge. You can then all split off to the MDR once you are escorted on board or you can go to Cagney's and then can go to the MDR. Also remember you can use your cell phones to find each other on the ship up to actual sailaway, when the ship will turn on it's tower and your cell phone will display "Cellular At Sea" instead of your usual carrier.

[NLH Arizona]

I remember a post from a person who said they emailed the president of NCL and the rest of their party who were not in suites were granted the same suite perks as they were. Not something I would do, but apparently it worked for someone. I guess if you have the guts to email the president and ask for it, they will bend the rules for you.

[familyof4cruising]

I remember a post from a person who said they emailed the president of NCL and the rest of their party who were not in suites were granted the same suite perks as they were. Not something I would do, but apparently it worked for someone. I guess if you have the guts to email the president and ask for it, they will bend the rules for you.

 

 

and not bend the rules for others?:confused: or everyone?

[NLH Arizona]

and not bend the rules for others?:confused: or everyone?

I guess you would have to ask this question to the president of NCL.

[DMH15]

I remember a post from a person who said they emailed the president of NCL and the rest of their party who were not in suites were granted the same suite perks as they were. Not something I would do, but apparently it worked for someone. I guess if you have the guts to email the president and ask for it, they will bend the rules for you.

 

Wasn't this a family of 4 in 2 rooms adjoining on the Sun? And the Sun has very limited suites for families!

[familyof4cruising]

Wasn't this a family of 4 in 2 rooms adjoining on the Sun? And the Sun has very limited suites for families!

 

That makes more sense.

[navywife06]

Thank you for the info regarding checking in, as well, I hadn't thought about that. My mom is a Latitudes member, so she will check in at her desk area and we'll plan to meet at the doors of the MDR that is serving lunch. Perfect.

 

You all are making this a very worry free embarkation plan for me!

 

I am not planning to make a big push for the non-suiters to get all of the suite perks. They are perks for a reason, and I don't want to make it a hassle for anyone. I will likely order an extra dish or two at breakfast and/or lunch room service and enjoy that from our beautiful balcony.

 

My main thing was thinking that Cagneys' on embarkation day might be a nice treat, but I think it will be great where ever we are on the ship!!

 

Thanks again!

[NLH Arizona]

Wasn't this a family of 4 in 2 rooms adjoining on the Sun? And the Sun has very limited suites for families!

I thought it was a suite and an inside cabin.