Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Grand Suite Perks

33tekfan
 Share

Recommended Posts

cruiselife4me

cruiselife4me

Posted
Posted

For my hubby's first cruise and for our honeymoon, I had booked a 5 night NCL Jewel cruise. I was blessed to get an upsell for $300 that took us from a mini-suite aft to a forward facing PENTHOUSE. I swear, that balcony could hold - easily - 40 people. It was amazing and it was also our first taste of suite living.

 

His second cruise we took with our son and we had a balcony. You would have thought we were slumming it. LOL!

 

So we're excited for our upcoming Grand Suite. Although the balcony isn't near what we had with NCL, I'm sure it will be awesome.

 

I wish the luggage valet worked out of San Juan...that's a bummer. However, the cruise is what you make it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jules815

jules815

Posted
Posted
For my hubby's first cruise and for our honeymoon, I had booked a 5 night NCL Jewel cruise. I was blessed to get an upsell for $300 that took us from a mini-suite aft to a forward facing PENTHOUSE. I swear, that balcony could hold - easily - 40 people. It was amazing and it was also our first taste of suite living.

 

His second cruise we took with our son and we had a balcony. You would have thought we were slumming it. LOL!

 

So we're excited for our upcoming Grand Suite. Although the balcony isn't near what we had with NCL, I'm sure it will be awesome.

 

I wish the luggage valet worked out of San Juan...that's a bummer. However, the cruise is what you make it!

 

Can you explain luggage valet? We'll be sailing on FOS next September in a GS, and flying out of MCO.

 

When I made the call the other day making the change from a JS to a GS, the RC rep I spoke with said there were additional perks (other than the ones we already knew about) and events for suite guests that we would really enjoy. Maybe the events she mentioned would be things like the bridge and galley tours?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
Can you explain luggage valet? We'll be sailing on FOS next September in a GS, and flying out of MCO.

 

When I made the call the other day making the change from a JS to a GS, the RC rep I spoke with said there were additional perks (other than the ones we already knew about) and events for suite guests that we would really enjoy. Maybe the events she mentioned would be things like the bridge and galley tours?

Luggage Valet, $20 per person:

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
B-52

B-52

Posted
Posted

First, if nothing else, we always book a GS simply because we love the stateroom....

 

Also, everyday there is some kind of gift left in the stateroom...never know what you might get. Once we got a shoppers sample package, including a small bottle of scotch, cologne and perfume samples, etc.

There used to be a reception with the Captain and department heads...have not had one of those last few cruises.....

Bridge tours are nice, but get old after a while.

We hardly ever use the CL, do like the reserved seating at the pool and shows..

and we always order room service from the dining room menu at least one night...

Generally, for debarkation, we meet in the CL and the concierge walks us off

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MichaelCMTX

MichaelCMTX

Posted
Posted (edited)
So where do we go for the priority tendering? How do we skip the lines? Sorry for the silly questions we are newbies. :)

 

Our best Priority Tendering experience were where we waited in the CL and the Concierge would take us down to more-or-less the head of the line in small groups.

 

The one-and-only time that went wrong was at Coco Cay, Mario had already gone over. The Diamond Concierge was escorting the Priorities down. We were waiting for the rest of our party in the CL, he went down with a group, said he'd be coming back. The rest of our party arrived mere moments later. 30 minutes after that, still no sign of him.

 

The line was still pretty long at that point but we still had plenty of quality time at the Cabana. Mario sent us a bottle of bubbly and all was forgiven.

 

Showing of the Gold Card always seemed to get at least a little resentment from those waiting in line (DW is very "well if they don't like it they should have gotten a suite" about it :eek: ). At least with a Concierge Escort there's "someone from the ship" running interference.

Edited by MichaelCMTX
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MichaelCMTX

MichaelCMTX

Posted
Posted (edited)
First, if nothing else, we always book a GS simply because we love the stateroom....

 

Also, everyday there is some kind of gift left in the stateroom...never know what you might get. Once we got a shoppers sample package, including a small bottle of scotch, cologne and perfume samples, etc.

There used to be a reception with the Captain and department heads...have not had one of those last few cruises.....

Bridge tours are nice, but get old after a while.

We hardly ever use the CL, do like the reserved seating at the pool and shows..

and we always order room service from the dining room menu at least one night...

Generally, for debarkation, we meet in the CL and the concierge walks us off

 

HEY!! I want a Sample Package :( . 3 GS's one OS, zero shoppers packages. Now granted we've never bought much of anything in the shops aboard. Do you? Wondering if it's a bounce-back to entice those who've bought to buy more.

 

We'd never been to a "Suite Party" and weren't even aware of such thing, but last trip a Pinnacle member took us under her wing and made sure we got to go. Good thing she's also going to be on our trip in January! :D

 

Never did Room Service for anything other than Breakfast but that's always a treat. I know there's kryptonite in the WJ and this way I get my oatmeal and my bagel w/smoked salmon and NO temptation.

 

First trip we did the Bridge and Galley tours. I'd like to do them on Indy if they're offered just to compare, but I'll bet DW will pass. Didn't do backstage but it was offered.

 

If there's one other perk we really took advantage of besides, ahem, cocktail hour it's that I don't think we've ever scheduled any Specialty Dining in advance. It's a matter of looking over the MDR menu in the CL and deciding, and then asking the Concierge "Can we get in at Chops/Giovanni's/Izumi/whatever?" "How soon?" "How soon can they fit us in?" brief pause, "OK, go on down." Hasn't failed yet.

 

My assignment this time is if/when the Indy's Concierge makes contact, to arrange a Pedi for DW if the spa's open first day and make sure we can get a cabana at Labadee.

 

In my experience the level of service from the Concierge is related to the proportion of P and D+ members aboard. The number of suites is known. Our trip on Radiance had a lot of D+ and P aboard because they only do Hawaii a couple times a year. On Mariner, there were 3 P couples, total. Having said that, you will get some of them who are "needier" :rolleyes: and have to find any reason to bend the Concierge's ear to get something.

Don't want to tar everyone with the brush but just observe if you hang in the CL and you'll see it. Nature of the beast.

 

...and on one trip our CL bartender worked the Solarium Pool, on another he worked the Casino. Free drinks weren't just at Happy Hour, and money otherwise spent at the bar went to tips instead ;)

Edited by MichaelCMTX
Link to comment
Share on other sites
White Cloud

White Cloud

Posted
Posted

Just booked a Grand Suite for our trip in June departing from Istanbul on the Rhapsody. We also booked an interior across the hall for our 18 & 22 year old sons. After reading this wonderful thread, I am now worried that we won't be able to use some of these perks since our kids would be excluded. Has anyone had experience with having family members in a non-suite room? For example, we won't want to sit in the special areas for entertainment without our kids.:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites
George C

George C

Posted
Posted
Loved all the extra perks already mentioned, we had a special one 2 weeks ago on Navigator not sure if this will continue or is on any other ship, but it was dinner with the ships officers , they roped off part of windjammer and they had tables for 10 and each table had a ships officer, food was great, filet mignon, lobester tail, rack of lamb etc etc, also champane to start then red and white wines. We were told this was second week that they did that.

 

I just heard that at least on Navigator they no longer have dinner with the ship officers and just have cocktail party instead- what a shame

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CaribSailor

CaribSailor

Posted
Posted
Does anyone know if the GS lounge on deck 17 on Oasis has a concierge like the CL used to?

 

I remember on the Allure the old lounge had two working the lounge.

 

Just wondering.

 

Sea Ya

 

 

Yes. There are 2, Rami and Allan in the suite lounge.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
homeschoolmama

homeschoolmama

Posted
Posted

Been in 21 grand suites and never once got gift packages. Maybe it is a royal suite thing. We would get the fruit, chocolate strawberries etc, but never gifts and certainly not every day. This last Nov we did b2b on FOS in grand suite and I am d+ and club royale and I did not even get a verbal happy birthday from the casino host or manager, nor from the suite concierge, nor from the loyalty ambassador, let alone a gift. Was rather disappointed that even tho my birthday was noted all over the place it was never acknowledged!

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carumba7

carumba7

Posted
Posted
Vrock, nice to read the posts of another cruise lover from Washington. We are from North Central Washington as well, maybe that's where the love of suites comes from!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Representing SW Washington here in Vancouver! Can't wait for our Feb sailing out of NO on the exact same ship and GS that we had in the Med last year. The CL on Serenade is so nice, with plenty of inside and outside seating! So excited!

 

Karen

Link to comment
Share on other sites
zombiehunter

zombiehunter

Posted
Posted

Third cruise, contemplating a suite of some variety.

 

I was looking at the GS because they seem sweet and was thinking of sharing it with another couple because on our last cruise someone had said something about doing just that. Are there suites with separate sleeping areas or are they all one bedroom and then a pull out sofa? I'm trying to think of an option that gives both couples privacy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
theredwoodguy

theredwoodguy

Posted
Posted (edited)
Third cruise, contemplating a suite of some variety.

 

I was looking at the GS because they seem sweet and was thinking of sharing it with another couple because on our last cruise someone had said something about doing just that. Are there suites with separate sleeping areas or are they all one bedroom and then a pull out sofa? I'm trying to think of an option that gives both couples privacy.

 

A curtain pulled between a bed and a pull out sofa that are 10 ft apart is not privacy zombiehunter! Also 4 adults using 1 bathroom is not privacy! I know it is expensive but 2 connecting grand suites if at all possible would be the perfect solution! Or a Crown Loft will have two bathrooms with a pull out sofa downstairs and an upstairs bedroom.

Edited by theredwoodguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MichaelCMTX

MichaelCMTX

Posted
Posted
A curtain pulled between a bed and a pull out sofa that are 10 ft apart is not privacy zombiehunter! Also 4 adults using 1 bathroom is not privacy! I know it is expensive but 2 connecting grand suites if at all possible would be the perfect solution! Or a Crown Loft will have two bathrooms with a pull out sofa downstairs and an upstairs bedroom.

 

Agreed, it'd be tight in a GS. The time we were in an OS we thought it would have been more acceptable to fit 4, but get there and you're within $$$ range of a 2-bedroom suite, which we were told also came with the perks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...