Penthouse Suite on Royal Princess vs Owners Suite on Allure of the Seas / PCL vs RCCL

[-Lew-]

We disembarked the Allure of the Seas on Sunday, August 17th after a one-week western caribbean cruise. We are myself, my wife, Nan, and our grandson, age 13. This was our first cruise on Royal Caribbean.

 

My original thought prior to the cruise was to post some comparisons of the Penthouse Suite (PH) on the Royal Princess with an Owners Suite (OS) onboard the Allure of the Seas as well as PCL vs RCCL in general. Comparing the two is probably unfair as the PH and OS are not in the same class.

 

We had a fantastic cruise onboard a beautiful ship. We had expected crowds and lines for everything on this ship carrying about 6,000 fellow cruisers, but found our fears were unfounded. There are so many dining and entertainment venues that none seemed crowded to us.

 

We were in suite 11644…deck 11 cabin 644…starboard side just forward of aft elevators. See suite photos at the end of this post. RCCL’s description of the OS:

 

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long. Private bathroom with tub, shower*and two sinks, marble entry, large closets, living area with table and sofa. Private balcony with table and chairs. (569 sq. ft., balcony 246 sq. ft.)

 

At the end of each bullet point I’ve indicated the winner…PCL or RCCL. It’s purely subjective in most cases. Dimensions were determined by pacing and are not exact.

 

 

Suite Experience:

 

• Separate terminal entrance for suite guests / Checkin quick and easy with rep taking care of everything including health forms WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• At about 26’ x 22’ (not including balcony), OS suite on Allure about 50% larger than PH suite on Royal Princess WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Balcony about 26’ x 9’ / large round table for 4 / 2 chaise lounges. Balcony on Royal Princess is about 18’ x 4’…laughable by comparison WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Although the bathroom on Allure was large with a shower and Jacuzzi, we prefer the split bathroom in the PH suite on the Royal princess WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Cabins ready at 1:00pm / We arrived at the port at about 11:30 WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Complimentary luggage valet service…comparable to Princess’ EZ Check / Boarding passes delivered by 12:30pm on final full day…no waiting until after 8:00pm for boarding passes WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Concierge lounge for suite guests / breakfast and lunch dining…order from menu / 5:00pm - 8:00pm complementary mixed drinks, wine and soft drinks / table service along with hot and cold hors d’oeuvres buffet daily WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Concierge disembarkation at some ports / Guests escorted to gangway WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Seating area near pools for suites / Area on deck 17 for suite guests with various seating and lounging options in and out of the sun / private bar WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Private dining area for suite guests adjacent to buffet restaurant WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Suite guests invited to sailaway reception on helipad / champagne and soft drinks served / some ship's officers in attendance WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Vacate cabin by 9:00am on final day / Concierge lounge available to suite guests until 10:30am WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Everything listed on the RCCL website as a suite amenity was received or available to us…unlike Princess’ hit or miss WINNER: RCCL
  

 

General Comparisons:

 

• Pre-Cruise inundated with RCCL marketing emails / Onboard inundated with marketing voice mail messages WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Liked being able to book entertainment online pre-cruise / Once onboard we found booked entertainment hindered spontaneity, but understand it’s necessary with close to 6,000 onboard WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Guest Services and all personnel we came in contact with were very friendly, well trained and knowledgeable. We were given no misinformation by anyone. Our experience with RCCL personnel was head and shoulders above what has been the norm on Princess WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Room service delivery consistently took 40-45 minutes WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Allure’s hallways were much wider…at least a foot WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Four banks of 6 elevators / large / fast / 12 elevators forward and 12 aft / no center elevators…not missed at all. We rarely waited more than 30 seconds for an elevator to arrive WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Food quality and preparation a shade or two below Princess WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Top quality entertainment / The entertainment we experienced in the Amber Theater and Aquatheater was well above anything we have seen on Princess WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Coffee not as good a Princess…very subjective I know WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Gym beautiful and huge WINNER: RCCL
   
   
  
• Ship's time was not adjusted to local time / Nothing mentioned about this in Navigator / Caused problems with some passengers and crew members WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• 8:40am in-cabin announcement of crew drill / Never had this happen so early on Princess WINNER: PCL
   
   
  
• Soot: Princess doesn’t have a monopoly when it comes to soot. In the Aquatheater that covered the most aft area of the Allure we experienced soot from the sky as well as on the theater’s seats NO WINNER: TIE
   
   
  
• We had a credit balance on our onboard account due to a large OBC. The credit was applied to our credit card account the day we disembarked WINNER: RCCL
  

 

Princess and Royal Caribbean each have areas in which they excel. We came away wishing the best of each could be combined. Princess could learn a lot from RCCL.

 

Lew

 

 

Allure OS photos:

 

 

Plenty of closet space, drawers and cupboards...

 

 

 

Should have taken balcony photos while at sea...

 

 

 

Very comfortable convertible sofa...

 

[Bimmer09]

Great comparison.

Thank you!

 

Norris

[RocketMan275]

Thank you so much. We've cruise once on Freedom and once on CB. We're in our first suite on Regal next March and we've booked almost the same suite as you on Allure the following year. Your review is very helpful. Please continue with any other information you might think is useful.

[patperry]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this. I've been trying to convince my mom to do the Oasis/Allure. Maybe this will help!

 

Pat

[Mom33]

Thanks for the review and comparison of the suites. :D

Glad you enjoyed yourself.

[capriccio]

Thanks for the comparisons but I didn't see anything about price. Are they comparable?

[-Lew-]

 

Thanks for the comparisons but I didn't see anything about price. Are they comparable?

Good point! I didn't include pricing because our suite on the Royal Princess was last year on its maiden TA from Venice to Fort Lauderdale. The Allure sailing was a western caribbean during the summer when the Royal class ships are sailing in Europe.

 

I would expect the OS on the Allure to be more expensive on comparable itineraries given the size of the suites.

 

Lew

[dorisis]

I appreciate that info. I have yet to try an RC suite, but you have convinced me to book one. I do like the perks on Princess.

[Mom33]

Good point! I didn't include pricing because our suite on the Royal Princess was last year on its maiden TA from Venice to Fort Lauderdale. The Allure sailing was a western caribbean during the summer when the Royal class ships are sailing in Europe.

 

I would expect the OS on the Allure to be more expensive on comparable itineraries given the size of the suites.

 

Lew

 

Here is an interesting article that talks about the pricing this year in the Caribbean. Seems all cruise lines are lowering prices to compete with each other in a market that is a winner for cruisers. There are too many ships and cabins. :D http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5957.

[Colo Cruiser]

Excellent!! Thanks. :)

[Pia1913]

Thanks, Lew. Though we most likely won't have a suite, we are definitely going to book either the Oasis or Allure in the near future. Our son and family just disembarked on Saturday and they really raved about it.

[Carolina Cruisers 2]

Lew - thanks for the fantastic review. I will never be able to convince my DH to book a suite (sounds and looks lovely) we both would like to cruise on RCCL big ships.

 

Pia - I copied and sent Lew's review to you, Jack and Denise. Just delete.

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks for this Lew. Oasis/Allure and Quantum/Anthem are definitely on our wish list

[Woobstr112G]

Lew;

 

Fantastic review of the Allure. Great pictures as we'll.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Pam in CA]

Thanks, Lew. I'm guessing that a full suite experience/comparison might be very different when booking a standard cabin. A full suite is not something I'll ever be able to book. :( Maybe in the future I'd consider another RCCL (I've taken four but those were years ago) out of LA. It would take an awful lot to get me back to the Caribbean.

[vickie_bernie]

thanks for the comparison. We did Oasis a few years back and our comparisons were similiar (although we were not in an owner's suite).

 

We personally didn't like how many perks suite guests had out and around the ship, like dining area, special seating in theater, seating area around pool area. Felt like different class system to me. but you certainly pay for it

 

I thought Oasis was a stunning ship. And agreed, like the idea of being able to book shows, dinners etc ahead of time. But once I was on board I found that the ability to be spontaneous was a loss to the experience.

 

We too felt that the ship did not feel crowded at all. Embarkation, disembarkation, stops in ports were seamless. Certainly feels more crowded on Princess ships during disembarkation.

 

But that being said, I am still a Princess fan and it fits us better.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Interesting comparison, we are doing the TA on Oasis in October which is our first RCL cruise so interested to see the ship and there product first hand.

[-Lew-]

 

Interesting comparison, we are doing the TA on Oasis in October which is our first RCL cruise so interested to see the ship and there product first hand.

Hi Julia...

 

Nan and I thought of you Sunday while waiting for our flight at Hartsfield–Jackson.

 

The Oasis class ships are fantastic...an entirely different cruising experience. I would be interested in your thoughts.

 

Enjoy your cruise...

 

Lew

[rayandshirl]

I must be the only cruiser who finds all the separate accommodations for suite owners a bit confusing on the Allure of the Seas.

 

One aspect of cruising that we have always enjoyed is the social aspect of passengers talking to each other on the ship. With all the separate entrances for entry, concierge lounge for breakfast and lunch and a private dining area adjacent to the buffet, it seems like only suite owners will see suite owners.

[DCT61]

"it seems like only suite owners will see suite owners"

 

Only if you want it that way. The menu is so limited in the concierge lounge, I cant imagine it being a place you would want to spend every breakfast and lunch. The average suite tenant would more than likely venture out. We had no trouble meeting people who weren't staying in suites. I think the private dining area next to the buffet, is not available on OASIS/ALLURE.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Lew- I also thought the service and attitude of officers and crew on the Allure was a step above the general experience on Princess, which shocked me. I especially loved how they made a point of making past passengers feel appreciated, with something as simple as staffing the Concierge Lounge every evening. Our Diamond Concierge Ana made a point of talking to everyone in the lounge for at least a minute or two each night. It would be like having the CC host on Princess at the E/S/P lounge every evening. Little things like that really made the Allure stand out in my mind. Every crew member we encountered was ultra friendly; I likened it to being at DisneyWorld.

 

I would return to that class of ship in a heartbeat, but could not stand a steady diet of Oasis Class cruises.

 

Thanks for your review!!

[Coral]

Thanks for the review!

 

I sailed on Explorer of the Seas in what they called an Owner's Suite back then (not sure what they call it now). It was fabulous with the exception of the balcony which I thought was small.

 

I would definitely rate the Owner's Suite on Explorer much higher than the PS and VS that we had on Grand and Golden Princess.

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for posting. While I may never sail in a suite on either line, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your thoughts. I love your photos. Your RCCL suite looks amazing!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[azbirdmom]

 

 

[*]Coffee not as good a Princess…very subjective I know WINNER: PCL

 

 

 

Had to look twice to make sure I read that correctly. I can't imagine any coffee worse than on Princess, so I wonder just what sort of coffee they are using on RCCL!

[-Lew-]

 

I must be the only cruiser who finds all the separate accommodations for suite owners a bit confusing on the Allure of the Seas.

 

One aspect of cruising that we have always enjoyed is the social aspect of passengers talking to each other on the ship. With all the separate entrances for entry, concierge lounge for breakfast and lunch and a private dining area adjacent to the buffet, it seems like only suite owners will see suite owners.

We've sailed in far more regular cabins than suites (twice) and we experience no difference in social integration with either. We never did take advantage of the Concierge Lounge breakfast or lunch and did not attend the evening reception each day. We used the suite guest area on deck 17 just once as well as the private dining room adjacent to the Windjammer Buffet once when the venue was crowded.

 

The areas offered to suite guests, some of which are also enjoyed by Crown & Anchor members, are just a few of the many dining and entertainment venues onboard the Allure. As with those sailing in regular cabins, suite guests are not sequestered and are able to socialize...or not...as they wish.

 

Lew