C&A Diamond above question

[kandj05]

My husband and I will become diamond after I are panama canal cruise in April. My question to you all is, when you cruise do you take whatever room is available to become Diamond + and Pinnacle level? I think of all the money we have spent with royal carribean and we usually do balconies or junior suites. When we are able to cruise more than once or twice a year, I am unsure if we'll be able to always afford that level. This is why I would love your feedback on what level room you choose. Also, how often do you wait until the last minute for the better deals before you book your cruise? Thank you so much for your input!

[Fat Paul]

We have always booked at least a Jr. Suite but never for the 2x points. We just always wanted more space and a veranda. We usually cruise once or twice per year. The loyalty program is nice but doesn't drive what room we book.

[Clarea]

We too prefer a JS for the extra space. However, the cost of a JS on some special itineraries, such as the canal, is very high. We would probably move down to an OV on a canal cruise.

[gerif]

We have always booked at least a Jr. Suite but never for the 2x points. We just always wanted more space and a veranda. We usually cruise once or twice per year. The loyalty program is nice but doesn't drive what room we book.

 

Ditto - unless we can snag a GS for not much more. When we were younger we were happy with an OV and thrilled with a balcony, but I figure we worked hard and deserve more now - the kids can make their own money.

[yogimax]

Anything from an inside to a balcony, depending on the price.

[Paulette3028]

My husband and I will become diamond after I are panama canal cruise in April. My question to you all is, when you cruise do you take whatever room is available to become Diamond + and Pinnacle level? I think of all the money we have spent with royal carribean and we usually do balconies or junior suites. When we are able to cruise more than once or twice a year, I am unsure if we'll be able to always afford that level. This is why I would love your feedback on what level room you choose. Also, how often do you wait until the last minute for the better deals before you book your cruise? Thank you so much for your input!

 

What level I am in the C&A society doesn't determine what cabin type I book. When DH and I cruise we book the cabin that is the price we want to pay. I would love to cruise in a JS and get double points and more space, but the higher price over a balcony or OV cabin (since on Majesty of the Seas, the only balconies are JS) have not been justifiable.

 

What is nice about the higher levels in C&A is a little better discount.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Paulette3028

[George C]

We loved the perks and cabin that we had with GS on last cruise, we normally book JR suites on most lines, like that they all seem to at least give you the extra room and double points to the next level. But I booked my share on inside rooms my 1st 20 years of cruising.

[waterbug123]

I think of all the money we have spent with royal carribean and we usually do balconies or junior suites. When we are able to cruise more than once or twice a year, I am unsure if we'll be able to always afford that level. This is why I would love your feedback on what level room you choose. Also, how often do you wait until the last minute for the better deals before you book your cruise? Thank you so much for your input!

 

So you'll have to decide between continuing to cruise 1x per year in a balcony or JS, or more often in an OV or interior. But if the decision is driven by what you can afford, I'm not sure why it matters what other people do. :confused:

[Paulette3028]

We loved the perks and cabin that we had with GS on last cruise, we normally book JR suites on most lines, like that they all seem to at least give you the extra room and double points to the next level. But I booked my share on inside rooms my 1st 20 years of cruising.

 

So you'll have to decide between continuing to cruise 1x per year in a balcony or JS, or more often in an OV or interior. But if the decision is driven by what you can afford, I'm not sure why it matters what other people do. :confused:

 

For us, we won't book an inside cabin -- without at least a window to see the ocean from, we are not booking it.

 

We will wait a little longer and to fit into the budget a balcony cabin. And as 'waterbug123' points out -- it doesn't matter to me, what other people do. -- they make their decisions in their own way and so do we.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Paulette3028

[spookwife]

My husband and I will become diamond after I are panama canal cruise in April. My question to you all is, when you cruise do you take whatever room is available to become Diamond + and Pinnacle level? I think of all the money we have spent with royal carribean and we usually do balconies or junior suites. When we are able to cruise more than once or twice a year, I am unsure if we'll be able to always afford that level. This is why I would love your feedback on what level room you choose. Also, how often do you wait until the last minute for the better deals before you book your cruise? Thank you so much for your input!

 

 

I book suites for the amenities not the double points.

[kandj05]

Thank you all for your feedback. I am just curious how people who are retired travel. That is the main reason for the question

[orville99]

Thank you all for your feedback. I am just curious how people who are retired travel. That is the main reason for the question

 

I'm not sure retirement is all that large a factor. My guess is that quite a few of the veteran cruisers you'll find on these boards are very much still gainfully employed. Both my wife and I both work full time, and we cruise 5-6 times a year (being in Florida and only a few hours from four ports helps:)). As for cabin type, for us it depends on the time of year and length of the cruise as much as anything.

 

I have yet to see a cabin category that we wanted to book be lower in price at the "last minute" than it was when we booked (usually opening day), but the "mark it up so you can mark it down" scheme the cruise lines use makes it look like last minute prices are real deals. (and if they are, they're probably the cabin that shares a common wall with the chain locker:eek:)

[dappledumpling]

We try to book Junior suites where possible but will sail in a balcony cabin if the pricing is right... My favorite part of cruising is a coffee on the balcony while my wife sleeps. and then again a night cap on the balcony with her in late evening.....

I am not retired and my cruising limits are more time than financial so we are limited to 4 or 5 a year.... will wait and see if in another 15-20 years my priorities change when I do retire

[Paulette3028]

DH and I both work, and even living close to the S. Florida ports, we have work schedules that enable us only to cruise twice a year if we are lucky.

 

I wish we could cruise 4-6 times a year. Not even sure if when we retire we will be able to do that....we'll see.

[QTBabyNurse]

We choose our cabin by the price we want to pay. We've been in everything from an inside to a balcony and back again. It doesn't matter to us!

 

For our upcoming New Year's Eve cruise, we booked an inside cause everything was so expensive to begin with. Truth be told, we aren't in our cabin very often anyway.

 

 

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[katiel53]

We are Diamond Plus and book at least a balcony cabin. It depends on the itinerary and price if we go above that. We know that we will never be Pinnacle, so it doesn't matter to us about booking a higher level.

 

Also, we never use the Concierge Lounge even when we have booked a JS or GS. We did it a couple of times and I have never met such entitled people in my entire life and I want no part of that. Also, most of the people we are with are Diamonds, so not able to use the CL.

 

Having said the above, if we book a suite, I may have to reconsider if there are advantages only available to those booking suites. The restaurants only available to suite customers might entice me.

[Reijo]

My husband and I are both retired. When we first started cruising, it was inside cabins and we really didn't have a problem with them. Would we have enjoyed a bigger cabin.....yes. Was it necessary.....no! Once we discovered the Voyager class, we loved the Promenade rooms. We cruise with relatives and always choose a room that overlooks the Café and we can see if they're down for an early cup of coffee, snack, etc. (if we happen to be in our room). We have had a balcony's and have a couple of problems with them. My husband has had four melanomas and can't be in the sun. When you have a balcony, you are in the sun for half your cruise or more. We just have to be careful to stay out of the sun. Some ask "why cruise"???? Since you cruise you understand why!!!!! ANYWAY.... when at sea there is nothing to look at except ocean (and I love the ocean). When in port (with the exception of Labadee) we were within shouting distance to ships next to us and had no view (except for the ship next to us). While we have never had a suite, we decided that we would prefer to take more cruises and get an oceanview or promenade room. Now....if a GOOD deal comes up on a balcony/suite, we would jump at it. For us, it doesn't take much for us to enjoy our time at sea and I would prefer to use my money other ways over having a bigger balcony or a little more room. Just my opinion. I have relatives that greatly disagree with me and that's okay.

[Paulette3028]

My husband and I are both retired. When we first started cruising, it was inside cabins and we really didn't have a problem with them. Would we have enjoyed a bigger cabin.....yes. Was it necessary.....no! Once we discovered the Voyager class, we loved the Promenade rooms. We cruise with relatives and always choose a room that overlooks the Café and we can see if they're down for an early cup of coffee, snack, etc. (if we happen to be in our room). We have had a balcony's and have a couple of problems with them. My husband has had four melanomas and can't be in the sun. When you have a balcony, you are in the sun for half your cruise or more. We just have to be careful to stay out of the sun. Some ask "why cruise"???? Since you cruise you understand why!!!!! ANYWAY.... when at sea there is nothing to look at except ocean (and I love the ocean). When in port (with the exception of Labadee) we were within shouting distance to ships next to us and had no view (except for the ship next to us). While we have never had a suite, we decided that we would prefer to take more cruises and get an oceanview or promenade room. Now....if a GOOD deal comes up on a balcony/suite, we would jump at it. For us, it doesn't take much for us to enjoy our time at sea and I would prefer to use my money other ways over having a bigger balcony or a little more room. Just my opinion. I have relatives that greatly disagree with me and that's okay.

 

We cruised on Allure this past summer and took an inside balcony cabin overlooking Central Park. It was enjoyable to sit on the balcony and hear the sounds from below....bird sounds, music playing at time. I watched a wedding party taking pictures. This balcony had a good bit of shade, which was nice. It was in the center of the ship on Deck 11 and had the pool lever overpass above us, giving us nice shade.

 

I can't say that I would sat on the balcony on previous cruises with an Ocean View more.... but actually less. I would sit on the balcony a little in the morning and maybe late in the afternoon, with a glass of wine before dinner (or when we would head to the DL for more wine). But I can't say, I actually sat on the balcony to get more sun....I am in the sun enough at other times.

[knittinggirl]

I made the mistake of booking an inside stateroom for an Alaska cruise, and DH never let me forget it. We usually book JS, but for our upcoming Australia, it's going to have to be a balcony, because the JS is too high.

[Guest maddycat]

I'm not sure retirement is all that large a factor. My guess is that quite a few of the veteran cruisers you'll find on these boards are very much still gainfully employed. Both my wife and I both work full time, and we cruise 5-6 times a year (being in Florida and only a few hours from four ports helps:)). As for cabin type, for us it depends on the time of year and length of the cruise as much as anything.

 

I have yet to see a cabin category that we wanted to book be lower in price at the "last minute" than it was when we booked (usually opening day), but the "mark it up so you can mark it down" scheme the cruise lines use makes it look like last minute prices are real deals. (and if they are, they're probably the cabin that shares a common wall with the chain locker:eek:)

 

That is exactly what we have found. We book very early and usually watch the price of our cabin catagory rise. Once in awhile we'll get a price drop but not often.

 

As far as cabin category, C&A levels and frequency of cruises.......When we first started cruising we could only afford to book an inside cabin and cruise once every other year. Due to my job we could only cruise during the summer when prices were the highest. Then we moved up from inside to ocean view cabins but still cruised once every two years. When we retired we started booking balcony cabins and now we cruise twice a year (off season - spring and fall). We enjoy the C&A perks especially the balcony discount and the evening cocktail hours. However, we have never booked a JS, just too pricey for us. After our next cruise we will be D+. I don't think that we will ever reach pinacle.

[TravelerThom]

Some people take $10,000 per person and have two weeks in a nice suite. We take the same amount of money and turn it into a very nice three months of cruising. I don’t think we have ever cruised for 90 days in any one year, but we have been above 80 days several years. My target price for a take-it-or-leave-it ocean cruise is $500 a week all in (fare, taxes, tips, discounts, rebates and transportation). Certainly not achievable all the time, but it can be done. We met that target on Explorer this coming month, and we did on our spring trans-Atlantic on Liberty of the Seas (yes, that target was met including both Liberty and airfare back to the US). We do spend a significant amount of money cruising, we just stretch it out over a period of time. Fortunately I really don't care about a balcony; even when we have one, it just never seems to be used (and on O-class, balconies with D+ discount are often cheaper than insides).

 

I will say that river cruising, which we also like, is FAR more expensive than what I’ve mentioned for ocean cruising. If I can get a river cruise down to $2000pp per week, I consider that a good deal. And the expedition ships we have taken to Antarctica and to the Galapagos made river cruises look cheap. I fully understand that an inside GTY is not for everyone, but it works well for us; sometimes better than well – on the Legend of the Seas trans-Atlantic in September our inside GTY turned into a balcony cabin (highly unusual, and we still didn’t use the balcony).

 

Thom

[lakelorain]

We always book a balcony room. I like to be on the balcony when we arrive at the various ports. Also like to be able to air out our cabin.

[kandj05]

That is a good point. We also like to sleep with our door open.

[molly361]

We book a balcony most of the time. We will book an inside or OV on 3 and 4 day trips.