Thoughts on my very first suite

[hpecorari]

Returned from the Sun a few weeks ago and the cruise was fantastic! No complaints at all except for the Buffett where I found the cold food room temp. and the hot food room temp. Went there once only.

 

However, this was the first time I had a suite. It was a forward suite.

 

I didn't like the fact that I had to keep my drapes shut at night if I had the lights on in the cabin.

 

I didn't like the fact that since the balcony was not glass/ Plexiglas / or whatever they use that you can see through.....that I could not see anything from my balcony if I was sitting down. I always had to stand to see anything besides the sky.

 

Concierge service: I didn't really use it except for when we had to meet for immigration before we went to St. Thomas (and yes, that did save lot of time) and I used it for early debarkation when we got to Miami, however, that really didn't save any time at all as there was no problem if I wouldn't have used her. In regard to making dinner reservations....I was able to do that myself without a problem or the Casino did that for me. In regard to early departing when we got to ports.....I had to follow instructions on my tour schedule. In regard to special seating for the shows, I knew where I was to sit and didn't need her walking me there....and besides, I didn't really like watching the shows from the side so didn't sit there anyway. I also didn't like that every morning during breakfast the fact that she came over to talk to use and really changed the 'mood' or 'relaxation' of having breakfast. Don't get me wrong....she was great! I simply didn't need the service and that's why the Concierge in a suite is no biggie for me.

 

Butler Service: Everyday around 5 p.m. he'd bring a snack to our room. This, also, was no biggie for us as we eat dinner around 5:30 every day and although we asked him to bring the snacks earlier, I guess he just couldn't due to the fact that he probably delivered to the higher end suites first. There are plenty of places to go and get snacks to eat and to bring it back to the room if I wanted. Movies - we did ask him to bring us a few movies but there really was enough on the TV that we could have watched. So, Butler service really wasn't needed for us. Again, don't get me wrong, our Butler was great.....just not really needed.

 

So, my thoughts are as follows: For *me* to spend all that extra money for Concierge service and Butler service is a waste.

 

However, I must also be honest and state that CAS put us in that suite for this trip. I would not ever pay for it for the reasons stated above. And......should CAS ever put us in a suite again I'd make sure it was not forward as the balcony could only really be enjoyed if standing.

 

Again, just my take on it. Yours may differ! :)

 

Harriet

[Cubechick]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

The main reason we book suites is for the extra space. We also don't find that we use the butler or concierge much.

[punkincc]

Too bad you did not have an aft facing penthouse on the Sun. The balconies and huge and with open railing. The views are fabulous. We thought that the concierge walk off at the ports was wonderful, but we had booked our own tours and loved beating all the crowds lined up to get off. Takes the worry out of missing your tour group while you are qued up to get off.

 

Otherwise we did not really use the concierge, but we certainly took advantage of the butler on a couple occasions for in suite breakfast from Il Adagio and dinner in our suite from the steakhouse.

 

Did you take advantage of Il Adagio for breakfast and lunch? It is the most beautiful of all the NCL restaurants, IMO.

[kchiumento]

I didn't think we would use the Concierge either. However, we did and it was nice to have. The big thing for us was disembarkation. At 0730 that morning there was already a line of people snaking down the ship to get off. I started to panic. We met the concierge at 0830 in Chin Chin (we were on the Jewel) and we literally walked right off the ship. We were through customs and in our car by 0905. I talked to a friend we met on the ship and she said she lined up at 0800 to walk off with her luggage and she didn't get in her car until 1000.

 

But I can see how people wouldn't use it. We also got priority Tender tickets too. We only had one tender port and people were lined up like cattle to get off the ship. We met the Concierge at Le Bistro and again got right on to a tender. If it were just my husband and I, I don't think waiting would have been a big deal, but we had our kids with us. The little ones don't wait as well as the older one.

 

Thanks for the feedback on your suite!

[hpecorari]

Too bad you did not have an aft facing penthouse on the Sun. The balconies and huge and with open railing. The views are fabulous. We thought that the concierge walk off at the ports was wonderful, but we had booked our own tours and loved beating all the crowds lined up to get off. Takes the worry out of missing your tour group while you are qued up to get off.

 

Otherwise we did not really use the concierge, but we certainly took advantage of the butler on a couple occasions for in suite breakfast from Il Adagio and dinner in our suite from the steakhouse.

 

Did you take advantage of Il Adagio for breakfast and lunch? It is the most beautiful of all the NCL restaurants, IMO.

 

I usually always get an aft facing mini suite or balcony if mini suites are not available. I love the aft!

 

And yes, I had forgotten all about the breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio. That was fantastic. However, for me, I'd have gotten that anyway either because I'm Plantain and/or because of my CAS tier.

 

Harriet

[punkincc]

I usually always get an aft facing mini suite or balcony if mini suites are not available. I love the aft!

 

And yes, I had forgotten all about the breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio. That was fantastic. However, for me, I'd have gotten that anyway either because I'm Plantain and/or because of my CAS tier.

 

Harriet

 

Must be a CAS benefit. I checked the Platinum rewards and did not see breakfast and lunch listed as a benefit for Platinum:(. Too bad, would be something to look forward to. We are just shy of Gold and should hit Platinum next year.:)

 

If you ever get another suite, consider getting breakfast served in your room, especially on port days when you are crunched for time. You can get anything from any menu onboard. All served white tablecloth by the butler.

[hpecorari]

Must be a CAS benefit. I checked the Platinum rewards and did not see breakfast and lunch listed as a benefit for Platinum:(. Too bad, would be something to look forward to. We are just shy of Gold and should hit Platinum next year.:)

 

If you ever get another suite, consider getting breakfast served in your room, especially on port days when you are crunched for time. You can get anything from any menu onboard. All served white tablecloth by the butler.

 

Will do, IF CAS gives me a suite again. I should add that the breakfast/lunch is not available on all ships through CAS even if in the best Tier. The ships that only have Haven Suites - Epic, Breakaway and Getaway, that I know of off hand....do not allow it.

 

Harriet

[Cruise_More_Often]

This is the first time I've heard that breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio (Cagney's on other ships) was a CAS benefit.

[WaldosPepper]

This is the first time I've heard that breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio (Cagney's on other ships) was a CAS benefit.

 

This is reserved for only those at the highest CAS tiers - not a general CAS benefit.

;)

[hpecorari]

This is the first time I've heard that breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio (Cagney's on other ships) was a CAS benefit.

 

With the new Tier program they have.....if you're Golden or VIP. However, not on the Epic, Breakaway or Getaway.

 

Harriet

[cruis247g]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I think whether or not a suite is worth it is highly personal and really depends upon what you do on the ship. We love a suite, but we spend a lot of time on our balcony, so we appreciate the extra room. However, some dear friends of ours always get an inside cabin; they are very social and always out and about, so they really only use their cabin for sleeping and changing. A suite would be a waste of money for them.

 

Typically we use the butler's services more than the concierge, however, on our last cruise that changed. We were in a two bedroom Haven suite and we almost never saw our butler. He never asked if we needed anything, until the day before we disembarked. When we made one specific request for afternoon snacks, he forgot. It was a very different experience than we had in the past. He was pleasant, but I got the impression that he was very busy somewhere else. The concierge on this trip, Ryan, was great -- always asking if we needed anything or how he could help.

 

We don't gamble very much, but CAS sounds great!!

[DevonianCruiser]

Would someone mind explaining CAS and the benefits? The required level of play etc. I understand from another thread that it's changed in the last couple of years. On my last NCL cruise the benefits were fairly poor even though we gambled quite a bit. Many thanks.

[hpecorari]

Would someone mind explaining CAS and the benefits? The required level of play etc. I understand from another thread that it's changed in the last couple of years. On my last NCL cruise the benefits were fairly poor even though we gambled quite a bit. Many thanks.

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/casinos-at-sea/players-club

 

But....let me point out that if you're going to play in the Casino do it for enjoyment.....not to get benefits. The benefits are just the 'cherry on top'. I say this because it's much more costly to play in the Casino to GET these perks than it is to just pay for them most times.

 

Harriet

[DevonianCruiser]

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/casinos-at-sea/players-club

 

But....let me point out that if you're going to play in the Casino do it for enjoyment.....not to get benefits. The benefits are just the 'cherry on top'. I say this because it's much more costly to play in the Casino to GET these perks than it is to just pay for them most times.

 

Harriet

 

Thank you for the info. I'm aware of your comments, I get comped a great suite at the Wynn with all meals, drinks and any entertainment taken care of and most times it would have been a lot cheaper to pay. I enjoy it though :)

[hpecorari]

Thank you for the info. I'm aware of your comments, I get comped a great suite at the Wynn with all meals, drinks and any entertainment taken care of and most times it would have been a lot cheaper to pay. I enjoy it though :)

 

As do I at any Harrah's / Caesars Casino and I agree with you! LOL

 

Harriet

[sjbdtz]

And yes, I had forgotten all about the breakfast and lunch in Il Adagio. That was fantastic. However, for me, I'd have gotten that anyway either because I'm Plantain and/or because of my CAS tier.

 

Harriet

 

 

We're going Bananas! :eek:

 

 

[hpecorari]

We're going Bananas! :eek:

 

 

 

So, Platinum members get breakfast and lunch also? I didn't really know that as a fact but I did know it as fact through CAS and Golden or VIP Tier.

I did know that Platinum get concierge service but didn't know that it included the breakfast/lunch.

 

Good to know! Thanks

 

Harriet

[WaldosPepper]

So, Platinum members get breakfast and lunch also? I didn't really know that as a fact but I did know it as fact through CAS and Golden or VIP Tier.

I did know that Platinum get concierge service but didn't know that it included the breakfast/lunch.

 

Good to know! Thanks

 

Harriet

 

Harriet, please read carefully the section Stephen put in bold red.

 

:D:D:D:D:D

 

I'm in stitches right now...

[DCT61]

We had one of the forward facing suites on the NORWEGIAN DAWN and LOVED it. I must admit though, I've never understood the complaint about the curtains closed when lights are on rule ( at night). When it's dark outside...and lights are on inside, we found that the window acted as a mirror and we were staring out at our own reflection. We couldn't see out anyway until the interior lights were off. Just our observation.

[SissasMomE]

Depending on when you sail, you can get a suite for almost the same price as a balcony cabin. In fact, last spring break on the Epic, it would have been cheaper for us to have a suite rather than the 2 aft-facing balcony cabins, but we wanted the 2 cabins insteads.

[punkincc]

So, Platinum members get breakfast and lunch also? I didn't really know that as a fact but I did know it as fact through CAS and Golden or VIP Tier.

I did know that Platinum get concierge service but didn't know that it included the breakfast/lunch.

 

Good to know! Thanks

 

Harriet

 

Unfortunately, "Plantain";) members do not get the breakfast and lunch that suite passengers and VIPs get. Nor do the Platinum members.:)

[Love my butler]

 

 

However, I must also be honest and state that CAS put us in that suite for this trip. I would not ever pay for it for the reasons stated above.

 

 

Harriet

 

Oh, you paid for the suite, you paid A LOT. The thousands of dollars you lost in the casino were your payment. And please don't try to convince me you usually win or break even in the casino because I simply won't believe you :)

[hpecorari]

Unfortunately, "Plantain";) members do not get the breakfast and lunch that suite passengers and VIPs get. Nor do the Platinum members.:)

 

Yea, I edited my post for the spelling error. Lol. So then only golden and VIP get it I guess.

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

Oh, you paid for the suite, you paid A LOT. The thousands of dollars you lost in the casino were your payment. And please don't try to convince me you usually win or break even in the casino because I simply won't believe you :)

 

Ok, in a way I paid for it but if I am going to play anyway at least they give me something! And I would never try to convince you of any such thing. I'm a player, simple as that. Sometimes I win, yes, but at at the end of the year I'm never up, but I'd gamble even without the perks, I've always said gamble for enjoyment not for the perks,

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

We had one of the forward facing suites on the NORWEGIAN DAWN and LOVED it. I must admit though, I've never understood the complaint about the curtains closed when lights are on rule ( at night). When it's dark outside...and lights are on inside, we found that the window acted as a mirror and we were staring out at our own reflection. We couldn't see out anyway until the interior lights were off. Just our observation.

 

And you we we able to sit on your balcony and see the sea? I like to keep my balcony door open because I love to hear the sea and I can't do that at night unless all the lights are off. If the lights are on and I have to close the drapes that defeats the purpose.

 

Harriet