Need help being sneaky. Booked a GS, but don't want DW to know

[Wilda]

Wait, Suites get their own check in line, AND priority boarding? How does priority boarding work? Does that mean that group is the first on the ship when the green light is given?

 

Yes you do! If it was me I would want to take advantage of EVERYTHING and what a great way to start...being first on the ship:D Of course that means you would have to be a the terminal early enough to enjoy it. Not sure what your travel plans are regarding arrival time.

[Toddcan]

Yes you do! If it was me I would want to take advantage of EVERYTHING and what a great way to start...being first on the ship:D Of course that means you would have to be a the terminal early enough to enjoy it. Not sure what your travel plans are regarding arrival time.

 

We always arrive at around 10:30am, get Park-and-Go, and then arrive at the terminal around 10:45.

 

For this cruise, we have total flexibility on arrival times since we are driving down from Canada (we love the drive - it's part of the vacation), and will actually be in Florida on Sunday. The cruise does not leave until Monday.

 

I might show up a little earler - maybe 10am this year.

[Toddcan]

Here's the list of suite perks:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=enhanced_program_for_suite_guests

 

As always, fantastic help.

 

What is complementary luggage valet service?

I'm assuming it's the luggage service to the airport? We're driving in, so I don't think this applies.

 

Will the robes be in the suite when we arrive?

Edited October 11, 2013 by Toddcan

[Clarea]

As always, fantastic help.

 

What is complementary luggage valet service?

I'm assuming it's the luggage service to the airport? We're driving in, so I don't think this applies.

 

Will the robes be in the suite when we arrive?

Yes, the luggage valet applies to taking your bags to the airport.

 

Robes are usually in the suite when you arrive. Sometimes they are still being washed, and you don't get them until the evening turndown service.

[skiiergirl]

Yes, suites normally have their own waiting area, and get to board first when boarding starts.

 

FLL has separate seating /waiting area for the suites. sJU does not. What other RC terminals have separate suite waiting areas?

[Clarea]

FLL has separate seating /waiting area for the suites. sJU does not. What other RC terminals have separate suite waiting areas?

We've seen separate waiting areas in Port Canaveral, New Orleans, Cape Liberty (lowest numbers for the bus), and Tampa.

[North_Country_Cruiser]

If you didn't see it, someone above recommended contacting the Concierge ahead of time. I think this is a FANTASTIC idea. It's their job to go out of the way to make things work for you, so they may have ideas on how to make the surprise work out.

 

Another thought I had... put a Post-it or similar on your Seapass that you are trying to surprise your wife with the GS upgrade. At the port, almost every RC employee is going to want to look at your Seapass right away so they can get you to the right place. So then they'd see your post-it and immediately play along. In my experience, they are so focused on customer service and getting your cruise started right, that they'd probably all be very willing to help out.

 

I think you said you're sailing out of Port Everglades? What I've been reading lately is that Port is extremely efficient and well organized. Folks have said their entire check-in process has taken less than 20 minutes, as long as they don't get in so early that they haven't started boarding yet. If that's the case, the whole process may go by so fast that she won't have a chance to catch the "inconsistencies".

 

Still hoping you try to make the surprise work. Even if she catches on, she'll probably still be very appreciative of the attempt.

 

Good luck!

[fly2cruises]

Just got our luggage tags in the mail for b2b coming up...both in suites...they do not say "Suite" on them anywhere...

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

How many others read the title of this thread and looked to see if it was their husband????:)

[brigittetom]

My husband also does all the planning and handles all the paperwork.....I never pay attention to luggage tags or anything else. If she questions being directed to the "suite line"........just say "who cares, it's faster".

 

Also, since I don't do the planning, I'm not that aware of exactly which cabins are on which decks. Regular cabins can be located on decks with suites as well.....those are all things that I don't really pay attention to in the excitement of just getting to the cabin. If there are doorbells, I'm just going to assume that we are walking past them to get to our cabin. If there is a last minute question, just say "I don't know" and keep walking. :)

[Toddcan]

How many others read the title of this thread and looked to see if it was their husband????:)

 

haha

 

Would be rather silly of me to post on CC if I thought my wife would ever come here. She's perfectly content allowing me to do all of the planning, and, in 7 years of cruising, has never even talked about going on CC herself. No need, when I am such a planner.

[ckrobyn]

haha

 

Would be rather silly of me to post on CC if I thought my wife would ever come here. She's perfectly content allowing me to do all of the planning, and, in 7 years of cruising, has never even talked about going on CC herself. No need, when I am such a planner.

 

Todd - I can relate 100%. In all my years of cruising and obsessing over the CC boards, my DH has never been on here, not once. If there is anything interesting going on in the cruising world, he is happy for me to just relay the info. :):)

[Toddcan]

Going through the suite perks section.

 

I am seeing this Concierge Club Service. Seems like the "Concierge Lounge" is an actual lounge reserved for suite, D+ Pinnacle members on the smaller ships. Sounds like our ship (Liberty) has a "Diamond Club", which is the same thing as the Concierge Lounge, but is also open to D guests as well. Do I have this right? We don't drink, so I am not sure we'll be spending any time in the lounge - I think I've read that the lounge can be a little crowded too.

 

So - some have suggested that I contact the Concierge before our cruise and inquire about a Barefoot Cabana (I have a Nellies one paid for, but would prefer Barefoot just to be closer to the lunch area there). How do I contact the Concierge? Is there a specific one for each ship?

[Clarea]

Going through the suite perks section.

 

I am seeing this Concierge Club Service. Seems like the "Concierge Lounge" is an actual lounge reserved for suite, D+ Pinnacle members on the smaller ships. Sounds like our ship (Liberty) has a "Diamond Club", which is the same thing as the Concierge Lounge, but is also open to D guests as well. Do I have this right? We don't drink, so I am not sure we'll be spending any time in the lounge - I think I've read that the lounge can be a little crowded too.

 

So - some have suggested that I contact the Concierge before our cruise and inquire about a Barefoot Cabana (I have a Nellies one paid for, but would prefer Barefoot just to be closer to the lunch area there). How do I contact the Concierge? Is there a specific one for each ship?

Correct, the CL is for suite guests, D+, and PC members. The DL is for D, D+, and PC members. Each lounge has the same amenities and it's own Concierge.

 

It's not noted in the perks listing, but suite guests usually get invited to an officers cocktail party too.

[Toddcan]

Correct, the CL is for suite guests, D+, and PC members. The DL is for D, D+, and PC members. Each lounge has the same amenities and it's own Concierge.

 

It's not noted in the perks listing, but suite guests usually get invited to an officers cocktail party too.

 

Bob, is there an easy way to get the contact info for the concierge, or is it way too early?

[hazeleyez3]

We sailed on the Liberty earlier this year. I also decided to upgrade to a GS - surprise for my husband.

 

 

Here is what I did..

 

• Went to the regular line. You said you get there early. "Regular" passengers don't have to wait long after the suites are called to board.
  
• Told my husband that I read that the seapass design changed.
  
• From the time we got on the ship, until the time cabins were open, ignored anything that mentioned "suite guests"
  
• Made sure I walked in front of him as we were going to the cabin, opened the door, had him walk in, and said "happy birthday!"
  

It was perfect. :D

 

The only downside was the tub. The walls are extremely high so getting in and out can be a paid.

[Clarea]

Bob, is there an easy way to get the contact info for the concierge, or is it way too early?

The Concierge email is [noparse]LB_Concierge@rccl.com[/noparse].

 

I'd contact them a few weeks before the cruise.

[jmf123]

Todd, for what it's worth, I think you should try and keep the surprise as long as you possibly can. I'm sure at whatever point she realises it will still be great, but just imagine how happy she, and you, will be if you got all the way thru the door.

 

I can vouch for that feeling of surprise! I booked an Interior run-of-ship on the Voyager, and we didn't know our cabin number until we checked in. Walking down the hall of Deck 8, we opened our door...and were stunned to have a balcony stateroom (our first!). Thank you, Royal Caribbean! Toddcan, I love what you're planning for your DW! :cool:

[SnorkelAway]

I do this kind of thing to my wife all the time. She always claims that she will be happy in steerage - and would be - but I like the better cabins and often do not tell her about my pre-cruise upgrades, either free or bought. We are Diamond Plus on Royal and she is very experienced with cruising but she pays absolutely no attention to the mechanics of the cruise planning beyond our conversations about time, cruise line, ship, and itinerary - never comes on CC - and really does not pay much attention to any details - reserving, of course, the right to question anything she finds less than up to her desires at the time of paying attention! Years ago, coincidentally, our first time in a GS was on Liberty - it was a free upgrade for us from JS to GS. I did not tell her about it, but made no effort to hide use of priority lines or anything else - she was used to some priority because of CA status. She got the gold card - and of course everyone handles their own in getting the picture on it, so you cannot keep the card away from your wife without too much work and some ridiculous story. It was the first time my wife had received a gold card and really did not give it much thought - we have cruised on other lines with different color cards over the years so maybe your wife would notice htat more if you have only cruised RC. I would not worry about any of that. I certainly would not worry about what is on luggage tags. Just say you really are wondering what you will get, if she asks - you will be wondering what the GS really will look like, so that is a true statement. I would not get too carried away with making up stuff - it is unnecessary. If you have only had less than a JS on RC before, she will be really blown away with a Liberty GS - you will be too! Have a great cruise!

[EllieD]

Toddcan, Similarly I am surprising my mom with an upgrade on our Oasis cruise next month. This is our 12th cruise mother-daughter cruise but I too do all the planning/details. We usually get insides and occasionally splurge on a balcony. She thinks we have a regular balcony but I upgraded to a crown loft suite. I will surprise her the night before with my exciting secret that I upgraded us up one level to a "jr suite" which will give us a "slightly bigger balcony" -but also allows us to check-in thru the suite" lane. She will be elated with that perk alone! That way she gets to enjoy the full perks and I get to still save the best surprise for last! Best wishes to you on your surprise for your wife! Ps: Speaking as a woman, you've gone this far to make this surprise moment so beautifully special for her, if you can afford to throw in the roses/flowers....go for it! I ordered the velvet cupcakes for my mom. :D

[ckrobyn]

Toddcan, Similarly I am surprising my mom with an upgrade on our Oasis cruise next month. This is our 12th cruise mother-daughter cruise but I too do all the planning/details. We usually get insides and occasionally splurge on a balcony. She thinks we have a regular balcony but I upgraded to a crown loft suite. I will surprise her the night before with my exciting secret that I upgraded us up one level to a "jr suite" which will give us a "slightly bigger balcony" -but also allows us to check-in thru the suite" lane. She will be elated with that perk alone! That way she gets to enjoy the full perks and I get to still save the best surprise for last! Best wishes to you on your surprise for your wife! Ps: Speaking as a woman, you've gone this far to make this surprise moment so beautifully special for her, if you can afford to throw in the roses/flowers....go for it! I ordered the velvet cupcakes for my mom. :D

 

What a fabulous surprise!!! Be sure to come back and let us know what your Mom's reaction was!!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -

[EllieD]

What a fabulous surprise!!! Be sure to come back and let us know what your Mom's reaction was!!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -

 

Will do, ckrobyn! Found a great picture of a Jr. suite to show her so that her "expectation" is set. Thank goodness this is in less than a month b/c I can barely stand the anticipation!!!

 

Toddcan I look forward to hearing what you ultimately end up doing to reveal the surprise...assuming as the date gets closer your plan may change several times! Exciting, exciting, exciting, regardless!!

[travelplus]

I would say that there is a major problem with our reservation and we need to get to the port early to sort it out. You could say you got an e-mail saying the cabin you were assigned had a last minute mechanical problem and they are working on assigning us a new cabin but we need to be at the port at 11:00AM.

 

You arrive at the port and ask the porter for your cabin assignment. Then when you go and checkin and get the Gold Cards just say'Well I guess they have upgraded us to a Suite but I'm not sure which one".

 

Go to the Windjammer and then say wait here until 2:30(you go at 2:15 when they release the suites). Tell your wife to ring the doorbell.

 

Your wife rings the doorbell and finds out its the GS. Then say you have planned it all along and upgraded to the GS.

[Toddcan]

I would say that there is a major problem with our reservation and we need to get to the port early to sort it out. You could say you got an e-mail saying the cabin you were assigned had a last minute mechanical problem and they are working on assigning us a new cabin but we need to be at the port at 11:00AM.

 

You arrive at the port and ask the porter for your cabin assignment. Then when you go and checkin and get the Gold Cards just say'Well I guess they have upgraded us to a Suite but I'm not sure which one".

 

Go to the Windjammer and then say wait here until 2:30(you go at 2:15 when they release the suites). Tell your wife to ring the doorbell.

 

Your wife rings the doorbell and finds out its the GS. Then say you have planned it all along and upgraded to the GS.

 

 

Appreciate the effort, but I'm not terribly fond of this plan...

 

"Major problem with our reservation" - will freak/stress her out.

Me going to "get the cabin assignement" leaving her in the windjammer.. lol.. not gonna happen.

 

BTW.. who said they "release the suites at 2:15?" I've always seen them open the cabin hallway doors at pretty much 1:00, although our last cruise, the starboard side opened up at abotu 12:45. Do they hold of on suites until later than 1:00??

[emeraldcity]

It's likely to be different on all ships, but we headed up to our GS at 12:55 ... the corridor doors were open and there was no sign of any cabin stewards.

 

The reality is that most cabins are ready long before the witching hour.