Is a suite worth it?

[1025cruise]

I'm looking to book my second Celebrity cruise on the Equinox (the first one was on the Equinox as well). Last time, we booked a concierge cabin, and had no complaints. This year, while not for the cruise (we'll be celebrating our birthdays onboard), we will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary, and I wanted to do something special. I see that a suite is at least double the cost of a concierge cabin (Aqua really has no interest for me). Eating in a special dining room doesn't make or break it for me, we found the MDR quite satisfactory. 

 

Guess I'm looking for some thoughts from others. I'm having a hard time justifying the cost to myself, but we probably won't do anything else around our anniversary time (our annual cruise is really the only vacation we take) so I don't mind a splurge. If it makes a difference, we'll be cruising at the end of June, after the Equinox has been "Edge'd, or whatever they are calling it.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Celebrity hasn't revealed many details about how Equinox will change in the Edge-ification process.  The most important is that all cabins will be replaced [they are modular] so all the furniture and finishes will be brand new [going from dark woods to the light color scheme of Edge], and a suites-only area called The Retreat will be added [apparently replacing the sports area on Deck 12].  Michael's Club will become part of the Retreat [but apparently staying in the same location, not near the deck 12 parts] and Luminae will get new decor [but again apparently staying in the same location].  Other public areas will also be redecorated, but ASAIK no details have been released on how this will change onboard experiences.  Equinox is the first S-class ship to get the changes, so we will find out in late May.

 

Going by past suite experience:  the benefits of a suite over CC are basically more room in the cabin and Luminae.  Since you've ruled out Luminae as a big draw for you, it's hard to justify the price of a suite.  [For us, OTOH, Luminae is absolutely worth it and the reason we only consider suites on Celebrity.]

[abbydancer2003]

I've sailed in both Concierge and Sky suites, and I think I suite can be worth it depending on price, of course.

 

We really enjoyed Michael's Club, and the dining experience in Luminae was great.  Because of the location of Luminae, you can order off both it and the main dining menu.  (Although I don't know if that will change with the Edgeification).  

 

On my first SS cruises, we didn't take advantage of the butler much, but we did on my second.  It was nice to have him.

 

Hope this was at least slightly useful.

[cruiserchuck]

For me, Luminae was the biggest benefit of having a suite.  The food was much better than the MDR and Blu.  The extra space in the cabin was nice, but did not really add to our enjoyment.  Having a butler was strange, at first.  If the price difference was not too much, we would choose a suite again.

[jelayne]

We have cruised in suites 5 time but normally book Aqua because of dining in Blu.  If a smaller dining venue isn’t something you are interested in then IMHO the cost difference wouldn’t be worth it.  

 

 Michaels Club is fine for free drinks and a quiet place but currently on the SClass ships it is interior room, no views to the outside so we only used it on cruises where we didn’t have a drink package.  

[Tomato53]

I agree with the others who posted that Luminae is the greatest benefit.  The extra space in the room is nice but I'm fine with a regular cabin.  Michael's is nice but not a deal breaker for me.

 

Another option to consider is Aqua class.  With that you have Blu as your dining room.  Generally, it doesn't quite come to the level of Luminae for the food or service but I think it is a big step up from the MDR.

[Jim_Iain]

There's a major disadvantage to cruising in a suite.    You will find it hard to impossible to go back to non-suite room.   It is very addictive. 

[George C]

12 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

There's a major disadvantage to cruising in a suite.    You will find it hard to impossible to go back to non-suite room.   It is very addictive. 

Totally agree, as long as we can afford it will will continue booking suites, love celebrity suite perks , suite lounge micheals is great with free drinks all day till midnight it was also elegant place for a drink, service in luminae was amazing ,also of course a bigger cabin and butler, we find buftler not a big deal but I know most people really like them. 

[hvsteve1]

You have to also consider the perks.  A Concierge normally comes with one. On a 7 night cruise the cost to upgrade to Go Best is around $325. As the price difference in some cruises I've looked at is around $800, assuming you want the Go Best package you are paying about $500 pp to upgrade from Concierge to Sky Suite. That's the true cost difference you're looking at. As we would normally do Aqua Class or a Sky Suite, the cost difference is even less.

[chemmo]

You do need to sit down, look at your holiday budget and decide how you choose to spend it.

 

Whilst we do book suites because we enjoy Michael’s and all the other perks if you are happy with the MDR consider other ways you could spend your cash to make your vacation memorable....We have booked helicopter or seaplane flights, dining packages, pre and post cruise stays....

 

Suite perks are more valuable to some guests more than others. They are not the only way you can make a cruise special....

 

I would price up a balcony room (you would be happy with) and the suite room you would choose. Then I would suggest you look at the cost difference and what you could spend it on....I would also suggest you do some reading about Luminae and Michael’s Club because if you decide they really are not ‘your thing’ then your additional cost for a suite is simply about a bigger room...

 

We have had cruises where the focus has been on rest and relaxation and we do feel on these we have had the maximum benefit from a suite....If you are on a cruise where you are planning to spend as much time as possible visiting the ports then your suite value will diminish...

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The most important is that all cabins will be replaced [they are modular]

 

I've not heard reference to this on "S" class ships.  Yes on "M" class.  I do agree that on "S" class the soft goods and furniture will be updated to be in the grey and whites of the Edge.  I don't think you will see any changes in the bathrooms.  In addition to the Retreat sun deck you describe they are adding Signature and Reflection suites to 1/2 of the Sky Lounge like they did on Reflection.

 

But like you say there are no concrete details released and I doubt we will know for sure until Equinox comes out of Dry Dock.

[hrhdhd]

17 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

I've not heard reference to this on "S" class ships.  Yes on "M" class.  I do agree that on "S" class the soft goods and furniture will be updated to be in the grey and whites of the Edge.  I don't think you will see any changes in the bathrooms.  In addition to the Retreat sun deck you describe they are adding Signature and Reflection suites to 1/2 of the Sky Lounge like they did on Reflection.

 

But like you say there are no concrete details released and I doubt we will know for sure until Equinox comes out of Dry Dock.

 

We were told the rooms were going to be entirely replaced at the M&G during our November Equinox cruise.

[grandgeezer]

At the current pricing on all lines, absolutely not. We have been fortunate to find a great deal on MSC Seaside, in a Yacht Club Suite in September, and Allure of the Seas, in a Grand Suite, in November. We also have another 14 day cruise on the Seaside in October. Best cruises ever and they were all under $200 p.p. per day. 

It’s not that we can’t afford it, it’s we just don’t see the value in it.

[George C]

2 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

At the current pricing on all lines, absolutely not. We have been fortunate to find a great deal on MSC Seaside, in a Yacht Club Suite in September, and Allure of the Seas, in a Grand Suite, in November. We also have another 14 day cruise on the Seaside in October. Best cruises ever and they were all under $200 p.p. per day. 

It’s not that we can’t afford it, it’s we just don’t see the value in it.

Allure under 200 per is a great price for a GS, we are paying more for yacht club seaside and really looking forward to it, of course price changes a lot depending on time you cruise.

[Host Jazzbeau]

57 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

In addition to the Retreat sun deck you describe they are adding Signature and Reflection suites to 1/2 of the Sky Lounge like they did on Reflection.

 

That will make the Suite benefit even more valuable, as the Retreat will be a relaxed space while the Sky Lounge will be so crowded that nobody will go there anymore [cue Yogi ]

[Husky61]

It is well worth it for us!  We always book the Royal Suite and it satisfies us.  Others may not agree, but since we can afford it, we do it.🙂

[TeeRick]

The great thing about Celebrity is that you can book even the most inexpensive suite and still get the key suite benefits.  IMO it is very much worth it but of course everybody has different values and bank accounts!

[phoenix_dream]

3 hours ago, hvsteve1 said:

You have to also consider the perks.  A Concierge normally comes with one. On a 7 night cruise the cost to upgrade to Go Best is around $325. As the price difference in some cruises I've looked at is around $800, assuming you want the Go Best package you are paying about $500 pp to upgrade from Concierge to Sky Suite. That's the true cost difference you're looking at. As we would normally do Aqua Class or a Sky Suite, the cost difference is even less.

I agree with looking at the total picture.  But to add to that thought.....not everyone wants or needs to have all 4 perks.  Obviously anyone with any class at all will want to keep the Gratuities perk.  But not everyone needs/wants unlimited internet or even a drinks package.  For example, as Elite+ we get 240 internet minutes.  While it is nice to have unlimited, for shorter cruises that amount suits us just fine.  It all depends.  

[1025cruise]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

Just to give an idea, per person, the Concierge cabin is $1849 (or something like that) and a Sky Suite is $3199.

 

Yes, we can afford it. From a perk's perspective, right now all 4 perks come with the Sky Suite (versus 2 with the Concierge cabin). Not really a deal breaker for me.

[George C]

46 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

The great thing about Celebrity is that you can book even the most inexpensive suite and still get the key suite benefits.  IMO it is very much worth it but of course everybody has different values and bank accounts!

I agree I think you should book cheapest suite that gives you all the perks, on celebrity it is sky suite on rccl it is the grand suite, we splurged on last cruise a few weeks ago on rccl oasis and booked a owners suite and while it was very nice we did not need more than our normal grand suite. 

[ORV]

32 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

Just to give an idea, per person, the Concierge cabin is $1849 (or something like that) and a Sky Suite is $3199.

 

Yes, we can afford it. From a perk's perspective, right now all 4 perks come with the Sky Suite (versus 2 with the Concierge cabin). Not really a deal breaker for me.

How many days and where? 

[1025cruise]

7 night Eastern Caribbean

[helen haywood]

If you are happy with the MDR and don’t need extra room in your cabin then I’d stay with a regular balcony cabin and splurge on a specialty restaurant or special shore excursion to celebrate your anniversary.

[miched]

We normally book AQ.  We splurged for a Sky Suite.   Luminae was OK.  The extra space was nice but we didn’t like the combo bath tub/ shower.   The rainfall shower head was nice.   The upgraded furniture on the balcony was nice but not that muck better than CC or AQ. 

 

We didn’t utilize the Butler at all.  It was probably our fault but I really have a hard time with someone doing somethIng  for me that I can easily do myself.

 

With all 4 perks we rarely went into Michael’s because there was rarely anyone there and the drinks were rather limited.   We would ask for something  and they would never have the ingredients.  It wasn’t as if we asked for anything special other than a Old Fashion, Manhattan, Mojito or glass of wine.  When they did make a drink they were usually not that good.  Problem is we found that drinks do vary for BT to BT and when I find those that makes them the way that I like I will seek them out  and the one in Michael’s wasn’t one of them.   It would have been good for a beer, water and etc.  

 

We also like the Persain Gardens and it is included in AQ.  We also get one day as a CC benefit but I have seen that it is being eliminated.  

 

If the price point over  AQ isn’t that much different we would do a suite but we are happy with AQ and if we need that special dinner we would just book one of the restaurants and have only done that once to try it.  

 

Just my input and and thoughts and I am sticking by them.   I am sure other will feel different

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

Just to give an idea, per person, the Concierge cabin is $1849 (or something like that) and a Sky Suite is $3199.

 

Yes, we can afford it. From a perk's perspective, right now all 4 perks come with the Sky Suite (versus 2 with the Concierge cabin). Not really a deal breaker for me.

Absolutely not worth it for you.  I love the Celebrity suite package, but $457 pp a day for a S2 Suite on an S Class ship is a terrible deal from my experience.  That is approaching the price you would except to pay for a Royal Suite.  A RS is a totally different question.  Perhaps if you would have booked the Sky Suite earlier you would have gotten a much better price.  

 

You also say that the Luminae and the Best Perks (over your Better Perks) do not have much value to you.

 

It should be a no brainer for you to save your  money and stay with your Conceirge cabin unless you can move down to a regular balcony cabin.  The Conceirge Class does not offer much additional value IMO.

 

Stop being concerned about it, enjoy your cruise, and perhaps make a bid for an Upgrade if the Move Up bid process is used for your cruise (if you want to just try a suite.)

 

My wife and I love the Celebrity Suite total package, we love Luminae, and we find significant value in the Best Package.

We have never, nor would we likely ever pay that kind of price for a S2.  (Except maybe the Edge if they ever come out with longer cruises, just to try it.)

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by jagoffee