Why so many Suite benefits?

[Xport]

a "share" of a veranda does not cost 2000 pounds....more like .....850

 

You might want to look at the current pricing for the fourteen night Eclipse sailing to Iceland and Norway departing Southampton on 27 June 2015... Much of the ship is sold out [interior, oceanview, Concierge Class are fully sold out] but...

 

Several levels of standard verandah cabins are priced at $5237 to $5837 per person...

 

AquaClass 2 cabins--AquaClass 1 is sold out--are priced at $7337 per person... I booked an AquaClass 1 cabin back in March for $4013 per person...

 

That said, the only suites still available are Sky Suites and are priced at $13041 or $13341 per person...

[LabGuy64]

Ok, in that isolated instance you are correct

occasionaly if a cruise books lower level cabins very quickly and does not book the upper level suites then the price rises on these cabins....and the price either lowers or stays the same ....this happens with all cabins as a computer algorithm attempts to maximize bookings and profits......this is not the NORMAL variable between cabins unless there is great demand for a specific cabin class......look at Silhouette for nov5 2016 ...Penthouse is 22500 for 2 and the veranda is 2550 for 2

[LabGuy64]

of course the veranda and ocean view cabind do often sell much faster than the others driving the price up until it make sense for people to pay slightly more to book a sky suite etc... or they get a free or purchased upgrade which opens up another veranda which is selling better.....it's not an issue of fairness though.....only economics....and if a person gets bumped form a veranda to a suite...they get the benefits of the suite even if they don't pay for it.....like I said...not an issue of fairness...just maximizing the bookings

[LabGuy64]

Actually, what's really the biggest motivating factor for adding the suite perks is that celebrity knows they can fill the veranda and ocean views on most cruises.....and that they don't want to bump people up to the next level.....so they intice the ones on the edge those that could go either way to PAY for the next level knowing that there are more that will fill in the lower level cabins. then they don't have to bump people up.....and as long as the benefits are less in cost than what they make in increased fares it is a gain for them....and people are happy getting "extra" perks as well

[groryjm]

Sailing the Med this summer on Reflection for 11 nights will cost you £3302 in a 1A veranda with 192 sq ft. A celebrity suite at 394 sq ft is £8956 and a royal suite at 590 sq ft is £13576.

 

So the CS is about £2352 over the doubled price of a 1A on space which seems quite a lot for a buttler, Michaels and Luminae.

 

A royal is £3760 over the trippled price of a 1A for the space so £1318 for the premium drinks, stocked bar and internet, which again seemsquite a lot.

 

So when I stay in a suite am I subsidising those in veranda staterooms or has X done its maths and charges as much as it feels the market will stand for a given set of perks for the maximum profit it can make. :rolleyes:

 

In all I think we pay a fair price and X needs each of. After all on the cruise I checked the Penthouses has sold but there are still plenty of Verandas still available 6 months out.;)

[boscobeans]

Having stayed in suites on most of our Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruises I have seen an increase in non stateroom perks. Aside from priority boarding (where available), a larger stateroom and veranda, a few in suite treats above and beyond the norm and a butler on Celebrity there was not too much more than non suite guests could expect.

 

Now different ( better ? ) places to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner are becoming the norm for suite guests with even different categories for various types of suites.

 

It looks to me to be a move to the three tier system like Cunard and cruise lines back in the old days.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[miched]

I love it when someone books a inside for a bottom low price and expects the benefits to worth more than what they are paying.

 

it doesn't bother me that those in the higher cats get more benefits. They are paying way more than I am willing to pay for those extra perks or benefits.

When I feel the extra cost is worth the perks I will consider that higher cat.

 

happy cruisng 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[BrendaJ]

I understand what the OP is staying. In some cases, the cost per square footage of suite space seems low.

 

For example, on my May Bermuda sailing on the Summit, the Royal Suite costs a little more than double a Concierge Class cabin, yet the square footage of the Royal Suite is 3X that of the CC cabin. When you factor in all the inclusions in the Royal Suite, it starts to look like a bargain.

 

This will probably be our only time in a Royal Suite, but the math is making me feel pretty good about it. ;)

[Project_gal]

I referred to £8000 for a share of a suite, and they are available at that price. eg. current UK price for Equinox 14 nights September 2016 - cheapest balcony (2D) £1926 pp Penthouse suite £8546 pp

 

But you really got my opening post wrong.

 

Equinox does not do a 14-night cruise in September 2016. They are both 13-night cruises so I think you are quoting prices for cruises including airfare and, probably, overnight in a hotel.

 

The cheapest balcony for cruise only is £1639pp and penthouse £7130pp. However, after removing the cost of flights [as I have done], you also need to remove the cost of food [at least] before calculating how much is paid per square footage. The lowest priced interior for the same cruise is £1319pp. Working through as far as I can, these prices do not seem to include the gratuities [as UK prices sometime do].

 

Now, if we just knew how much for the basic food and other fixed overheads, we would be able to calculate what each category are paying per square foot. But, we do not know this so all these comparisons are meaningless.

 

Celebrity do know all these figures. They are who have introduced the new suite benefits. Celebrity are not a charity. They are not even a not-for-profit organisation. So we need to assume that they have only introduced the new suite benefits because it makes commercial sense for them.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Project_gal

[boscobeans]

This will probably be our only time in a Royal Suite, but the math is making me feel pretty good about it. ;)

 

If you feel good about it NOW, just wait until you open the stateroom door.

 

Those royal suites are real spoilers.. LOL

 

I am sure you will have a fantastic cruise.

 

bosco

[mickey89]

Do any of Celebrity's suites have a proper DOUBLE BED or is it the same as all other cabins -two singles locked together ?

[cle-guy]

Ok, in that isolated instance you are correct

occasionaly if a cruise books lower level cabins very quickly and does not book the upper level suites then the price rises on these cabins....and the price either lowers or stays the same ....this happens with all cabins as a computer algorithm attempts to maximize bookings and profits......this is not the NORMAL variable between cabins unless there is great demand for a specific cabin class......look at Silhouette for nov5 2016 ...Penthouse is 22500 for 2 and the veranda is 2550 for 2

 

I'm sailing PH on Summit for 7 nights saturday for $8500 as a solo, $4250 per person.

 

I've done PH on a 13 night TA on Eclipse for under $10k solo (5 k pp). This year the Eclipse TA is selling SKY suites for over 10k PER PERSON, 20k for the cabin!

 

Pricing is all over the place, supply and demand hard at work. Its impossible for anyone to make generalizations about fares unless comparing exact same ship and itinerary and smiling date. Even same itineraries in a season vary dramatically.

[cle-guy]

I understand what the OP is staying. In some cases, the cost per square footage of suite space seems low.

 

Thjios is very true, I actually analyzed this a year or so back and came to the very same conclusion. I determined on M class ships, the PH is the size of something like 6 standard cabins plus 1 concierge cabin or something like that when you factor in the hallway spaces. The PH sold for 10k, the concierge for 3 k and 6 veranda cabins 2 k, so the 7 cabins would have generated 25k, versus PH only 10k.

 

I come from hotels, and it boils down to having to have an assortment of options, hotels aren't looking at cost per square foot, they are looking at filling space.

 

Without suites, they would lose a certain set of passengers, which would dilute the ambiance. arrival ships have no real suites, but their sister brand Cunard does. Look the the difference in demographics among those passengers.

 

There will generally be some number of unsold cabins on ships, having suits allows ships to fill a few more cabins for people looking for the space they may not find elsewhere. No sense sailing with 10 open standard verandas, when 5 of those could have been filled by someone wanting a better cabin.

 

This is why suites are not proportionately priced on a square footage basis.

[teecee60]

It doesn't bother me that those in the higher cats get more benefits. They are paying way more than I am willing to pay for those extra perks or benefits.

 

Exactly! I just do NOT understand people not understanding this very simple concept. :confused:

 

 

Celebrity is in this to make money and, is not letting anyone cruise without paying generously...at any part of the spectrum...Interior cabins to the Penthouse.

 

I can assure ANYONE and EVERYONE that *I* am certainly not subsidizing "cle-guy" paying over $1,200pp per night as a solo.

 

One of my recent 15 night cruises on Celebrity Reflection was under $30pp per night. :eek:

 

My 23 night cruise on Celebrity Century was under $35pp per night. :D

 

And THOSE prices were BEFORE a $250 OBC for each cruise... and "elite" benefits to boot. :cool:

 

The more people there are staying (and paying) in Suites, the HAPPIER I am!

Edited January 21, 2015 by teecee60

[Adidas4fun]

Thjios is very true, I actually analyzed this a year or so back and came to the very same conclusion. I determined on M class ships, the PH is the size of something like 6 standard cabins plus 1 concierge cabin or something like that when you factor in the hallway spaces. The PH sold for 10k, the concierge for 3 k and 6 veranda cabins 2 k, so the 7 cabins would have generated 25k, versus PH only 10k.

 

I come from hotels, and it boils down to having to have an assortment of options, hotels aren't looking at cost per square foot, they are looking at filling space.

 

Without suites, they would lose a certain set of passengers, which would dilute the ambiance. arrival ships have no real suites, but their sister brand Cunard does. Look the the difference in demographics among those passengers.

 

There will generally be some number of unsold cabins on ships, having suits allows ships to fill a few more cabins for people looking for the space they may not find elsewhere. No sense sailing with 10 open standard verandas, when 5 of those could have been filled by someone wanting a better cabin.

 

This is why suites are not proportionately priced on a square footage basis.

 

And I did the maths in response to your maths and showed that your focus on the penthouse was misleading. For all other suites they pay 30-40% more per square foot than standard cabins.

[Merriem]

Please remember than many of us do not was to cruise for $30 a day and eat in the MDR. This has been an ongoing topic, and just get over it. Some of us are happy to pay for a higher level of service.

[cle-guy]

And I did the maths in response to your maths and showed that your focus on the penthouse was misleading. For all other suites they pay 30-40% more per square foot than standard cabins.

 

The point is, cabins aren't sold and priced relative to price per square foot. If they were, insides would cos same as most verandas.

 

There are far more variables relative to the price of a cabin than that.

[drarill]

Please remember than many of us do not was to cruise for $30 a day and eat in the MDR. This has been an ongoing topic, and just get over it. Some of us are happy to pay for a higher level of service.

 

I agree with you. We can only go on vacations twice a year and like to splurge on a suite. BTW, I wouldn't be surprise if suite guests also spend more money aboard the ship... just a thought. On our last cruise my husband went to Guest Relations the last night of the cruise and the gentleman in front of him was paying his $30 account. OMG, I spent over $400 in non alcoholic beverage packages the first 10 minutes of our cruise, and don't ask me how much we spent on the Spa or drinking fine wines, or how much money my kids donated to the arcade. We also bought the portraits package & went to specialty restaurants. As the OP can see, not only we paid a premium price for our suite, we also spent a lot of $$$ on board the ship. Just my $0.02:)

[cle-guy]

I agree with you. We can only go on vacations twice a year and like to splurge on a suite. BTW, I wouldn't be surprise if suite guests also spend more money aboard the ship... just a thought. On our last cruise my husband went to Guest Relations the last night of the cruise and the gentleman in front of him was paying his $30 account. OMG, I spent over $400 in non alcoholic beverage packages the first 10 minutes of our cruise, and don't ask me how much we spent on the Spa or drinking fine wines, or how much money my kids donated to the arcade. We also bought the portraits package & went to specialty restaurants. As the OP can see, not only we paid a premium price for our suite, we also spent a lot of $$$ on board the ship. Just my $0.02:)

 

I'll admit to being a cheap suite sailer. I don't spend a whole lot - on my TA, my bill was about $300, though I did buy the drinks package prior to sailing.

 

I don't use the spa (maybe a haircut if I need one), don't go crazy with wines, though will enjoy some, but they certainly aren't raking in the cash on my spending.

 

I use the specialty dining I'm entitled to on most sailings (sometimes don't even bother) but I like MDR and Ocean View Cafe just as well, and frankly as the specialty menus haven't changed in a while, I have no desire to pay for the same thing yet again.

 

Now that I am Elite plus, when in a suite with no drinks package, even my Al Bacio drinks are covered, and Michaels for liquor drinks, all I have left is to pay for a martini or 2 a day and a wine at dinner. These are usually covered with the OBC my TA grants me, combined with my shareholder OBC (I tend to book last minute and don't get 123 style perks)

 

I partly think the Suite perks all-inclusive perks for RS and PH are due in some respect to folks not paying for them a-la-cart, so instead X is "including them" and charging for them up front in cabin fare.

 

Sure there are some high rollers and spenders in suites, but there are plenty of others who don't spend as if the cash is burning a hole in their pockets.

 

I feel like the more often one cruises, the less they actually spend on the ship over time, this is certainly the case for myself.

[Adidas4fun]

This is why suites are not proportionately priced on a square footage basis.

This was your final sentence, and in all instances except the penthouse suites go up in price per square foot.

 

In all instances across all classes of cabin prices go up per square foot. The two exceptions being outside view and penthouse.

 

I did the maths, laboriously.

[Safety Squirrel]

My goodness - some travellers like to stay in suites and others stay in inside cabins - different strokes for different folks and their ability to pay the extra for the suites. and how many vacations they wish to take each year.

 

Celebrity is doing what some other lines already offered to suite guests. My oldest DS & DIL were upgraded to a suite on a Holland America Panama cruise.:D They loved it and the perks that came with it. As my son said, you do not go to meet the captain at the captain's reception, he (or she) comes to meet you in the special suite lounge. They had access to a variety of perks only suite guests could access. Now, true, they were upgraded by the upgrade fairy.

 

They have travelled on Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Carnival. Each time they cruise, they weigh the options on whether to pay the extra for a suite. With exception of the upgrade, they travel with a balcony stateroom. Could they afford a suite - yes; however, they decide to travel more often and utilize balcony cabins. As I said -- different strokes for different folks.

 

If guests are willing to pay a premium for suites - they should be entitled to extra perks. Celebrity has seen this and perhaps they were losing passengers booking with other lines who were willing to pay extra for the suites and getting few perks in return from Celebrity.

 

I know that personally I will not probably be booking a suite -- however I book regular or concierge balconies which I prefer. Booked an inside cabin once when travelling with my DS DIL but definitely was not my 'cup of tea' even though I could sit on DS;s balcony. Booking as a solo sometimes, - this is also a factor on whether or not I would book a suite.

 

Let the suite guests enjoy a few extra perks as they are paying more $$$$ than non-suite guests. Just be thankful that the people on the Cruise Critic boards are able to afford the luxury of vacationing and taking a cruise. Many people in Canada and USA and other countries n the world are not able to enjoy a cruise,

[Karynanne]

I just don't understand all the broo-ha-ha over perks, that Suite dwellers recieve. In the past 16 years we've cruised with Celebrity, we've sailed in Outside cabins, Verandah cabins, and Suites. We do book Suite cabins now...but not primarily for the perks. We like the additional closet space, bathroom space, and "walking around" space in these cabins.

 

The past year, prices on the Suites are up, and there are additional perks attached to the high fares as well. There is never a "free lunch". All those perks are reflected in the higher prices.

 

It use to be that a Transatlantic was quite a good value. Not anymore...at least not in a Suite. And that is due to the high demand of Transatlantic sailings. But we enjoy them, and will continue to book them.

 

Tier systems are utilized in many industries. Hotels, entertainment (Casinos), travel and leisure cruising. The more you spend...the more you get.

[miched]

I book a cruise for the amount of money that is my comfort level and what I perceive as a good value for money spent in relation to other forms of travel.

 

When and if they start charging resort fees I will probably quit cruising. I use to visit Vegas 4 to 5 times a year, haven't been there in 5 years after they started to charge resort fees. Doesn't make sense that I stay in their hotel and have to pay to use their casino when outsiders can walk in from the street. I know that the resort fee is for stuff associated with my room but I don't use any of the facilities except for the casino and dining.

 

For me it is simple math, when the right side of the equation doesn't equal the left side in value for me I look for something that does.

 

happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[cle-guy]

I book a cruise for the amount of money that is my comfort level and what I perceive as a good value for money spent in relation to other forms of travel.

 

When and if they start charging resort fees I will probably quit cruising. I use to visit Vegas 4 to 5 times a year, haven't been there in 5 years after they started to charge resort fees. Doesn't make sense that I stay in their hotel and have to pay to use their casino when outsiders can walk in from the street. I know that the resort fee is for stuff associated with my room but I don't use any of the facilities except for the casino and dining.

 

For me it is simple math, when the right side of the equation doesn't equal the left side in value for me I look for something that does.

 

happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

 

The upside to hotels tacking on a resort fee, instead of simply upping the room rate by the same amount, is the Resort Fee does not get the hotel taxes levied against it, which in some cities is quite a big percentage. This is largely the reason hotels have gone to the itemized "resort fee", it saves the room taxes to the guests.

[miched]

The upside to hotels tacking on a resort fee, instead of simply upping the room rate by the same amount, is the Resort Fee does not get the hotel taxes levied against it, which in some cities is quite a big percentage. This is largely the reason hotels have gone to the itemized "resort fee", it saves the room taxes to the guests.

 

Good info but may not be the main reason as every state and city has different tax laws and as you point out those taxes that are added on to hotels really add up as do the extra fees and taxes when renting a car.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞