The Suite Life...how does one afford it?

[Big_G]

I agree with the others here, save your money and wait on the suites until you are in a better position.

 

 

Best advice ever. We started with quads, then ocean views, then balconies, and once the kids were grown, a grand suite every now and then. We do love a grand suite at least once a year now but we're at a point now that we can afford it and still contribute to our retirements.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Big_G

[setsail]

Work hard, save, invest wisely not letting anyone else make decisions for you

[kruzerci]

Best advice ever. We started with quads, then ocean views, then balconies, and once the kids were grown, a grand suite every now and then. We do love a grand suite at least once a year now but we're at a point now that we can afford it and still contribute to our retirements.

 

Excellent example of how it should be done.

[kruzerci]

Work hard, save, invest wisely not letting anyone else make decisions for you

 

IF you are qualified/have the knowledge to do so :p ;)

[setsail]

IF you are qualified/have the knowledge to do so :p ;)

 

That's exactly what my post means, one has to educate themselves, gain the knowledge, has nothing to do with qualified.

[Folk Singer]

Hey guys,

 

My boyfriend and I are planning on taking our 3rd RC cruise sometime in 2016 (my boyfriend thinks RC is the best and won't do anything else). We wanted to do Anthem of the Seas because we're in the NY/NJ area but those prices are way out of our price range so we're most likely going to do an older ship.

 

We've done a balcony room on the last 2 cruises but we've always wanted to do a suite. I saw youtube videos of the owner's suite on the Freedom & Liberty and I think I'm in love.(Personally, I don't think the JS is that much bigger to justify paying the extra cost over a balcony) Just went to the RC website and the price of the owner's suite on Freedom in April 2016 is about $4200. Not a lot of money for what you get but my boyfriend and I are regular everyday people. I have tons of student debt and my job requires me to live in NYC which is growing more expensive every day :(. I work very hard so when I go on vacation, which is rare, I want to have a good time.

 

For those CCers who have done a suite on RC, (1) do you think it was worth it, (2) how were you able to afford it and (3) are the prices cheaper during certain seasons/months?

 

When it is on sale and when the mood takes us.

[JimAOk1945]

For those CCers who have done a suite on RC,

 

(1) do you think it was worth it and (2) how were you able to afford it?

 

Yes, it's worth it to us. We can do it because of careful planning. Since we started cruising with RC, we only book GS and OS staterooms.

 

I agree with those who think you should only book what you can afford now. Getting your education and paying off your debts come first.

 

Happy Cruising.

Edited April 27, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[aubreyc1988]

if you do a suite, for just the two of you, do a Jr Suite,..anything bigger isnt worth it for two people....infact the jr suite is WAY overpriced but still nice

 

We are only doing insides on RCI now and just using the extra money to buy alcohol packages and specialty restaurants as thats worth more to us than the extra room...we arent even in our room too much

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Lynn the Cruiser]

We just had a JS that was cheaper than a balcony (got a great deal). The JS is quite larger than a balcony room. There is a living area, walk-in closet, larger bathroom with a tub, larger balcony (we were on the hump). There was so much storage space that we didn't use half of it!!!! But our next cruises will be in balcony rooms unless we get another great deal!!

[goodycruising]

You need to look regularly at the cruises you are interested in, and get a feel for the prices. Some of the sales are not much savings, and some of them are fantastic. Also any school holidays will be more expensive. It is not just the students, it is the teachers and other staff that can only get time off then.

 

We have done Junior suites when the sale price makes them about the same as a balcony. We have done a Grand Suite when we were offered an upgrade from a JS close to sailing for a 14 night trip for only $300 total.

 

It is a matter of priorities. We only sail from the nearest port (Sydney - Australia), as we feel the cost of flying to the USA or anywhere else would go a large way towards another cruise. That brings me to my next question....why covet suites, would you not prefer to do more cruises and go in the cheaper cabins? You get the same food, the same entertainment, the same bars, and the beds are a good size in any room! We can only get away occasionally for limited times, so we are prepared to pay a bit more for the balcony or higher, but at your age I would be looking to get better value for money than spending a lot on a suite.

 

How do we afford it? Like some others here, save and cut back on some other items. The husband saves all his coins, and we don't go for as many Sunday drives. Many people cruising are just working in everyday jobs.

Edited April 27, 2014 by goodycruising

[Jasp 0401]

Hey guys,

 

My boyfriend and I are planning on taking our 3rd RC cruise sometime in 2016 (my boyfriend thinks RC is the best and won't do anything else). We wanted to do Anthem of the Seas because we're in the NY/NJ area but those prices are way out of our price range so we're most likely going to do an older ship.

 

We've done a balcony room on the last 2 cruises but we've always wanted to do a suite. I saw youtube videos of the owner's suite on the Freedom & Liberty and I think I'm in love.(Personally, I don't think the JS is that much bigger to justify paying the extra cost over a balcony) Just went to the RC website and the price of the owner's suite on Freedom in April 2016 is about $4200. Not a lot of money for what you get but my boyfriend and I are regular everyday people. I have tons of student debt and my job requires me to live in NYC which is growing more expensive every day :(. I work very hard so when I go on vacation, which is rare, I want to have a good time.

 

For those CCers who have done a suite on RC, (1) do you think it was worth it, (2) how were you able to afford it and (3) are the prices cheaper during certain seasons/months?

Hi

As we are a family we like to book a Grand suite and for us we think its worth. As with 3 people its nice to have the extra room and we enjoy spending time in the suite and on the balcony. When we start cruising by ourselves we will probably go down to a JS or balcony. How do we afford a suite I am a planner and saver and put money away each week to go towards our yearly holiday. And we don't gamble or smoke and we only drink occasionally. We always book our cruise early so we have more time to save and they also offer a discount for early bird bookings. We also always watch out for sales and for price drop.

Cheers Trish

Edited April 27, 2014 by Jasp 0401

[Big_G]

if you do a suite, for just the two of you, do a Jr Suite,..anything bigger isnt worth it for two people...

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

It's not? You mean all those grand suites later I was wrong? What was I thinking? :eek:

 

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

[Wilda]

We always do an ocean view balcony and have never booked a suite...primarily because we are always bringing additional family members on vacation with us:)

 

The one time a suite was affordable (for us) we were on a port intensive cruise so it just didn't make sense.

[jamislandbaby]

I just got back from a wake for my coworker's dad so I just got around to reading everyone's repsonses. I completely agree that it makes more sense to book the room that I can afford and to become more financially stable before I start looking at suites. I guess after seeing those youtube reviews I became mesmerized by the beauty of the suites :o

 

I try not to spend too much time in my room because the point of going on a cruise for me to is to have fun and enjoy all that the ship has to offer so I definitely don't need to have a suite. My boyfriend, on the other hand, will spend the majority of the time in the room "resting/taking it easy" if I allowed him to.

 

So for now I will book what I can afford, look out for any price drops, save, save, save and just appreciate the fact that I can even take a vacation.

[Dave4120]

Hello...I guess my answer of should, or, should you not try and book a Junior Suite, is the same answer I've written before about peoples overall cruise experience opinions.

 

No one, me included can honestly tell you if it's worth getting a Junior Suite whether you can afford it or not. I would think you have to try a Junior Suite, pay the higher price, then determine after the cruise if it was worth the money, and, if you would ever do it again based on the cost, how long you were in the room versus never being in the room except for sleeping etc. That way, you can make a fair comparison. Nobody knows your personalities, so, I can't tell you get the Junior Suite because you'll love it or hate it.

 

We've done every cabin category on Royal Caribbean at least once, and have 28 cruises completed to date. Do we love the Suites? You bet! But there came a time when we asked ourselves for the price, is it something we wanted to continue to do. We have no issues with inside cabins either, while some people hate them and, have to be in a balcony and/or suite.

 

Try not to put undue pressure on yourselves. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you will have a great time. Yes, everyone on this site is so very friendly and helpful, but all of our assistance are opinions.

 

Good luck!!

[jamislandbaby]

Hello...I guess my answer of should, or, should you not try and book a Junior Suite, is the same answer I've written before about peoples overall cruise experience opinions.

 

No one, me included can honestly tell you if it's worth getting a Junior Suite whether you can afford it or not. I would think you have to try a Junior Suite, pay the higher price, then determine after the cruise if it was worth the money, and, if you would ever do it again based on the cost, how long you were in the room versus never being in the room except for sleeping etc. That way, you can make a fair comparison. Nobody knows your personalities, so, I can't tell you get the Junior Suite because you'll love it or hate it.

 

We've done every cabin category on Royal Caribbean at least once, and have 28 cruises completed to date. Do we love the Suites? You bet! But there came a time when we asked ourselves for the price, is it something we wanted to continue to do. We have no issues with inside cabins either, while some people hate them and, have to be in a balcony and/or suite.

 

Try not to put undue pressure on yourselves. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you will have a great time. Yes, everyone on this site is so very friendly and helpful, but all of our assistance are opinions.

 

Good luck!!

 

We will definitely try a suite at least once to see if we will like it but realistically that won't happen anytime soon until we are in a better financial position. Thanks for the advice Dave!

[nolesrule]

Nine years ago, we went on our first RCI cruise in an OV. I was just getting started self employed, my wife had just finished earning her masters degree. We had car payments, student loans and were 2 years into a mortgage.

 

After that, we didn't go on another cruise until about a year ago.

 

Now we can afford suites because other than our mortgage we have no debt, we live in an area with low cost of living, and we both work in fields where the quality performers earn excellent salaries. For myself in particular, there's a high demand for my skillset. But we make sure we pay ourselves for retirement and long term saving, as well as Florida Prepaid for the kids, and we keep a reserve to cover the cost of 6 months of non-discretionary spending that is separate from all our other savings and investments.

[kruzerci]

We will definitely try a suite at least once to see if we will like it but realistically that won't happen anytime soon until we are in a better financial position.

 

Good, you will be much better off in the long run! The time will come when you will be in the position to do it. Keep you eye on the big picture :).

[Beachammo]

I love it when people say get an inside cabin because "You are never in the cabin" and spend the savings on other things on the ship.

 

I wouldn't be in my cabin much either if I had to look at four walls....LOL

 

SA

[kruzerci]

I love it when people say get an inside cabin because "You are never in the cabin" and spend the savings on other things on the ship.

 

I wouldn't be in my cabin much either if I had to look at four walls....LOL

 

SA

 

That actually brings up a good point. I feel like we used to enjoy the actual ship more when we booked inside and oceanview rooms because if we were in the room, I felt like I was missing out on something.

 

Since we started booked balconies (and more-so for suites) I feel like we tend to gravitate towards the cabin more in the morning (eating breakfast in the cabin for example) and after the sun goes down.

[funfamilyfun]

My first cruise was in an inside cabin with 4 girls! We had a blast tripping over each other.

 

Now my family travels in balcony's and it is great. I think it is plenty of room. Yes, I would book a suite if the price was similar, but the extra cost just never seems to equal out (for us) since we spend so much time out of our cabin enjoying the ship.

[Jasp 0401]

We will definitely try a suite at least once to see if we will like it but realistically that won't happen anytime soon until we are in a better financial position. Thanks for the advice Dave!

Smart thinking. Any cabin you can afford on a cruise ship is a good cabin and you will have a great time. We were married 21yrs before we got our first suite and I think we enjoyed it a lot more because we had waited until we knew we could afford it. Keep your dream of one day cruising in a suite it is worth it and you will love it when you finally make it.:)

Cheers Trish

[kymbakitty]

We spend a considerable amount of time in our room. Not everyone on a cruise ship is dying to partake in every single napkin folding, Newleywed Show, Karoke Sing off, Bingo, Port Lecture, and any number of the other activities offered during a cruise. That does not sound remotely relaxing. It surely doesn't sound fun. But that may sound awesome to someone else. Thus, the beauty of cruising. You can do as much or as little as you want. My DH lives on the balcony. I often thought I should give him pillow and blanket. He would not go on a cruise without 1) a balcony, and 2) a balcony large enough to have chaise lounge.

 

We can't go more often so spending less on cheaper cabins is a moot point for us. We started out taking one vacation a year and it was in October...our anniversary. After our first vacation (cruise) for our 1 year anniversary some 22 years ago, we booked our first and last ocean view (Splendour of the Seas...and back then, this ship didn't even have balconies). We realized one week was never going to be long enough, and we'd always get a balcony. We started a "Vacation Fund" immediately ($500 a month) and it went right into a fund like a Christmas Club Fund does. We never charged a vacation, even though we did have car payments and credit card debt back then. But we always went on our yearly vacations after we had saved enough to do so.

 

We still never go less than two weeks, but we started to add a second vacation in March/April. Year before last, we did TA in April and a TA in October, but usually one of our yearly vacations include a land trip. This past year we went to Macchu Pichu for two weeks, but our hotels were all paid for by points. That started after I began traveling for my job and started racking up hotel points. Because of that, we have gone on land vacations to London, Ireland, Australia, Rome, Sorrento, Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, Barbados, Brazil..all on points though.

 

We were in an OS on the Liberty and we have GS booked for October 2015 on Allure....both TAs, which indicates how much we like sea days. I remember that we got a great price on the Liberty's OS....$6k for 14 (or 16....can't recall) days. We had an OS on the Grandeur for a crazy sale price of $1250 pp. It was such a great price that we forfeited our $900 deposit. It was also a 16 day TA and we already had our flights booked. That is probably the only really great sale we got out of 13 cruises.

 

Your time is coming. You are just starting out. We chose not to have kids so for a good 10-15 years, none of my friends were traveling.....other than camping which I could never get into. It's a very different lifestyle with kids and unless you make a lot of money, your disposable income is spent on necessities for the children (including funding 529's). If you have young kids and can still cruise, you are really doing well. It just didn't happen in my small circle. The two couples that didn't have children were the only ones that went on vacations other than camping.

 

You'll feel sooooooo much better without the student debt. I've even noticed the last few years buying a few things without researching just because I liked it and wanted it. I used to do so much research to get the best price and it was fun. But now that we're older and don't have any debt other than our mortgage, I notice that it's not that important that I get the best price anymore....kind of funny because that wasn't me ten years ago.

 

You are very fortunate to be able to vacation until then....

 

Hang in there....and good luck.

[Weber Prof]

We have sailed twice in suites. both times due to excellent work by our travel agent. For our first RC cruise (previous Carnival) things did not turn out so well for us, but being first time RC cruisers we did not know better. When we returned our TA asked us how it was, we just explained (not complained) what happened and said we probably wouldn't return. The TA was absolutely horrified by our experience and wrote a letter to someone in RCCL headquarters. We were contacted personally by the person (back then I didn't know enough to pay attention to names or titles) who apologized profusely for what had happened to us and offered half price on our next cruise if we would please give RC a chance to make things right. We used the certificate a few years later on a Royal Family Suite with our four boys.

Our second suite experience was also the result of our outstanding TA. The boys and their wives all said they would like to go on a big family vacation (to us this means camping). I called the TA to inquire what would the cost be for the specific week everyone could go (thinking even inside staterooms would be too costly for the boys to afford). TA called back and said we got the deal of the century. The Presidential Family Suite had just opened up (it was after final payment date) and due to the "Kids Sail Free" sale the parents (us) would pay but all our boys, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren would just have fees/taxes because it was all the same room. So 11 of us ended up in the largest suite for less than the price of two OV rooms.

Both suites were the result of a good TA doing the job exceptionally well and us having saved money in the bank when we needed it. Sometimes heaven smiles down.

[momofmab]

I agree with other posters - if you're willing to look at the older ships, be flexible with your dates and able to leave on short notice, there are good deals out there to be had on suites - probably not on Oasis Class or newer though.

 

I am very particular about my accommodations (on land and sea) - I would rather cruise every couple of years and do it in the suite of my choice, than cruise every year in an inside cabin - to each their own.

 

In the past, I've been lucky enough to cruise in an Owner's Suite and Penthouse on NCL and most recently, a GS on RCCL (Liberty - just got off on Saturday). To be completely honest, having previously sailed in adjoining D1 balconies (also on Liberty), I really didn't notice a big difference in the perks of being in a GS (sorry!) We did get priority boarding, but it wasn't really crowded, so the wait for non-suite cabins probably wasn't that long. We would have LOVED to take advantage of the room service perks, but we couldn't get room service to answer the phone during the entire 5 day cruise - even after speaking to guest services! The only room service we were successful in getting was by hanging the breakfast order form on our door! RCCL does not have the suite butler, like NCL does, there was no offer for pressing our formal clothes, the reserved suite area on the pool deck is not in a favorable location and there was no problem getting seats for any of the shows (although the location of reserved suite area was favorable). I will say that the concierge was helpful in getting our dining time changed, and I liked the nightly cocktails in the concierge lounge (although it was a tiny space!)

 

I guess based on my recent experience, I didn't see any big advantage to being in a suite on RCCL (maybe the perks are different for Royal and Owner's Suites??). I definitely felt that the suite perks were much better on NCL (although I still love RCCL - I promise I'm not bashing!) Next time, I will likely go back to the adjoining balconies and get the advantage of the extra bath (I have a family of 4).

 

Since there are only two of you, I think a ocean view or a balcony would be fine.