Question regarding SF Penthouse Suites on the Jade deck 10 - "former" Romance Suites

[TrumpyNor]

We have booked an aft-facing Penthouse Suite (category SF) on the Norwegian Jade for our upcoming cruise in June. We will be in suite # 10666, and this is one of four SF Penthouse suites on the Jade (and I believe also on other Jewel class ships) that was earlier called "Romance Suites". I have been searching the web, and it seems like all the Jewel class ships until a few years ago had only four of the "Romance Suites" (situated on deck 10) and the Penthouse suites directly below on deck 8 and deck 9 were just "regular" aft-facing Penthouse suites.

 

I wonder if some of you can tell me what was different back then - and are those four aft-facing Penthouse Suites on deck 10 still different from the rest? I have found photos of # 10666 on CC (see link below), and to me it looks similar to photos of other Penthouse Suites on the Jade (both in decor, colors and size). We had a front-facing Penthouse suite on the Jade in 2008, and the photos I made back then looks pretty much to me like the photos in the link below (except from the huge balcony we had in the front).

 

Only difference I have found so far is that when I look at the aft-facing SF Penthouse Suites on the deckplans for Norwegian Jade, our suite is a tiny bit larger than the suites below (I measured it with a ruler....).

 

Don't get me wrong - I am really looking forward to an new suite experience on the Jade. I am just curious to know if there is/was any difference between the "old" Romance Suites and today's aft-facing Penthouse Suites on deck 10 (also compared to the Penthouse suites below - deck 8 & 9)...

 

Here is a link to a thread on CC with photos of 10666:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1340381

Edited May 3, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[Johnny Bananas]

I stayed in 9170 on Jewel and it looked exactly like that. But then again I am a guy and don't really pay much attention to details!!!

[WildcatRock]

There's no difference between the old Romance Suites and the aft Penthouse Suites. The suites on decks 9 & 8 are similar to the ones on deck 10, but I understand they might be just a little smaller.

[TrumpyNor]

Thank you to you both for answering - and your answers were actually what I suspected..... :) Well - we just have to make it romantic ourselves then.... :p

 

Now I just wonder if somebody stayed in those suites on deck 10 when they were Romance Suites - would be interesting to know if they were different back then. I kind of think they must have been different - why would they call them something else if they weren't any different...

Edited May 3, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[Johnny Bananas]

If I recall, from reading on here, they were called that because they used to only hold 2 and then they added the pull out couch bed

[TrumpyNor]

If I recall, from reading on here, they were called that because they used to only hold 2 and then they added the pull out couch bed

 

OK - thank you for responding. :)

[Turtles06]

OP: we sailed in 10666 on the Jade back when it was called a "romance suite." In fact, those are my photos to which you have linked above. :)

 

The "romance suite" name was pretty much a marketing gimmick. The suites were restricted to two people who wanted to sleep on the same bed :) (the bed is NOT two twins pushed together and can't be separated). The sofa did not convert into a bed. It might now, I'm not sure. Otherwise, I don't believe anything else has changed.

 

The aft-facing Penthouse suites on Decks 8, 9, and 10 of the Jade and other Jewel class ships are the same inside; the difference is that the balconies on Deck 10 are much larger (deeper). IMHO, that makes Deck 10 the best Deck for these suites. You have a great suite and you will love it!

 

Have a great trip!

Edited May 3, 2014 by Turtles06

[emcelh]

Turtles06 is correct. The only difference is that the balcony for the suites on deck ten is deeper.

[TrumpyNor]

OP: we sailed in 10666 on the Jade back when it was called a "romance suite." In fact, those are my photos to which you have linked above. :)

 

The "romance suite" name was pretty much a marketing gimmick. The suites were restricted to two people who wanted to sleep on the same bed :) (the bed is NOT two twins pushed together and can't be separated). The sofa did not convert into a bed. It might now, I'm not sure. Otherwise, I don't believe anything else has changed.

 

The aft-facing Penthouse suites on Decks 8, 9, and 10 of the Jade and other Jewel class ships are the same inside; the difference is that the balconies on Deck 10 are much larger (deeper). IMHO, that makes Deck 10 the best Deck for these suites. You have a great suite and you will love it!

 

Have a great trip!

 

Thank you sooooo much Turtles06, I really appreciate you taking your time to answer my questions. :) And funny that my link was to your photos, and that they were actually taken when that suite indeed was a "Romance Suite"! :p

[OnTheGoMom921]

We were on the Gem in 2012 in Suite 10666 (should be identical) here is a link to my review, with a few photos. We were 3 in that suite, it was classified as an SF not romance.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1667955&highlight=gem+review

[TrumpyNor]

We were on the Gem in 2012 in Suite 10666 (should be identical) here is a link to my review, with a few photos. We were 3 in that suite, it was classified as an SF not romance.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1667955&highlight=gem+review

 

Thank you! :)

[AF-1]

Good questions and nice pics of the SF suite. Can I ask those who have saile in this suite, do you hear much engine noise or soot from smokestacks? Also how was the ride back there? Thanks. You can see from my signature. I'm on B2B next year, and yes we are booked in 10666

[Turtles06]

Good questions and nice pics of the SF suite. Can I ask those who have sailed in this suite, do you hear much engine noise or soot from smokestacks? Also how was the ride back there? Thanks. You can see from my signature. I'm on B2B next year, and yes we are booked in 10666

 

You don't hear engine noise, you hear the calming sound of the wake. :) As for soot, we had no problem but some have reported finding some soot on their balcony.

 

As for "the ride back there," because you are at one end of the ship, you feel more motion (when the ship is pitching) than you'd feel midship. I don't get seasick and I love feeling that motion. My spouse is more sensitive, and when we had a day of *really* rough seas in the Med, she took meclizine (generic Bonine) and spent the day laid out in the cabin. But she said she'd probably have done the same midship, and that the suite was well worth it! In fact, we just crossed the Atlantic last fall in an aft-facing cabin, and have booked an SF on Deck 10 for our upcoming Gem cruise in February.

 

If you are sailing B2B in 10666, you will have two great cruises!

[AF-1]

Thanks for the feedback Turtles06. I fly for a living so I'm used to turbulence and bouncing around. My wife not so. She will wear a patch for the cruise. That will help with any severe motion.

Edited May 5, 2014 by AF-1

[Johnny Bananas]

No engine noise or soot for us either. Did notice quite a bit of vibration on Spirit when we were leaving the Mississippi into the gulf but other than that aft is wonderful. :)