What is the difference between a veranda and a concierge cabin?

[jkgourmet]

I'm asking for a friend who does not participate on CC, but is considering upgrading from verandah to concierge.  

 

Not interested in SPECIFIC cabin details - just the basic differences.

[Lady Arwen]

Concierge cabins on M class are slightly larger, on S class no difference.  You have an embarkation line separate from others, but this does not always mean you will get on earlier. You get better quality towels and linens (not much better).  You get a welcome bottle of awful bubbly type of wine and some other unremarkable goodies.   Some folks like the location of these cabins.  The aft concierge cabins have very large balconies.  And, that's about it!  Contrary to what people think, you do not have your own private concierge.  In my opinion, really not worth the price over the standard balconies.

[jkgourmet]

Thank you for the honest answer.  👍

[drakes2]

30 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

In my opinion, really not worth the price over the standard balconies.

Agree not worth the extra money although the embarkation lunch is nice. I never noticed a difference in the towels and the plush robes are too warm for the Caribbean. The Concierge cabins are usually located in more desirable area onboard and some with huge verandas and better views.  The addition of Spa slippers would be better than the tote bags. I leave those bags behind.

[Turtles06]

Concierge class also get lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, which lets you avoid the chaos of the buffet that day.  And footstools on the balconies, which is important to some. More Captain’s Club points, which again may be of value to some.  And while the actual concierge is not dedicated just to concierge class guests, they have started to station that person (at least on the Silhouette a few months ago) in a spot very convenient to many of the CC cabins.  Also, CC guests have started to get invites to be on the helipad for one sail away.

 

 

[Luvcrusn]

You also get a pillow menu (not a physically printed one that I've ever seen) that gives you a choice of pillow varieties, but we've always had to ask for it. There is also shower gel in addition to the shampoo, cream rinse and soap. There used to be cotton swabs and cotton balls, but in recent years I've just seen a small box containing a few of those items. Not a lot of impactful things are offered.  If the increase is small, there is a price drop allowing you to upgrade free, you're on an M-class ship and want the extra space or you're close to another Captains Club level and the 2 additional points per night will get you there faster it may be worth it, otherwise I'd pass.

[GoodScout]

Here's my reflections (pun intended) about Concierge Class, and while we usually either book it up upgrade:

 

Individually, the perks don't justify the additional price on S class. But taken together as a whole, we felt we got a fair value. Specifically:

• Embarkation lunch in MDC for CC guests only. I hate the mob scene in the buffet the first day. People not knowing where they're going, dragging their luggage around? No thanks. Worth it to have a decent sit-down meal with a few people sharing a table. I'm big on feeling civilized on a cruise, and this started things out right. It's also the only perk I can lord over the Aqua suite guests. (jk)
• Canapés every afternoon - No, didn't enjoy them all, but it was a nice touch we looked forward to each afternoon. And it became a fun game to see if we could identify them, and if we liked them.
• Fresh fruit in the room every day. Again, much appreciated at midday.
• Champagne on embarkation day. Unlike some others, our steward did have this waiting for us.
• Location - Liked being on our deck. Concierge suites are not directly under, around or above anything but other cabins. Might consider Aqua or suites, except for danger of ending up under the pool deck or exercise area.
• Restaurants - Would be nice to eat at Blu, but on the 2 days we wanted to step up we just went to Murano and Tuscan and didn't feel deprived. Blu's menu is nice, but most items didn't resonate with us.
• Sail-Away - CC guests got invited to a sail-away on the ship's helipad when we left St. Lucia. Was very nice seeing the sunset from the bow of the ship and meeting some of the bridge crew.
• Free Tour - CC guests got a complimentary kitchen tour during the trip. Again, very nice.
• Bathrobes - I did appreciate the nicer bathrobes. We spend every morning having breakfast on our balcony, so these plus the chair footrests were a nice plus. 
• Shower Head - Supposedly we had a better shower head than other rooms (except Aqua and Suites). Since I didn't have anything to compare it with, this is the one perk that meant zero to me. The water came out, my hair got wet, job done.  
• Concierge - This is the one benefit that really didn't seem like much to us. We didn't call her much, and were perfectly capable of getting dining reservations on our own. If I could have thought of some out-of-the-ordinary need I would have tried to see if she could help us, but no need materialized. During our April cruise, I've resolved to introduce myself day one and try and let them help us. 

[Tourist1292]

Blu dining is not included in Concierge either.

For us, the embarkation lunch is probably the main benefit. On S-class ship, the room is the same size as regular veranda, even those at aft. My original veranda has larger balcony than most Concierge rooms. All the other "benefits" are not that important. Having the embarkation lunch means you don't need to carry your bag with you wandering around or waiting in buffet line. Still, I would not pay for the upgrade unless it is less than $50 per room. Nevertheless, I still upgraded from 1A veranda to Concierge 2 due to the price drop. I ended up making money (in terms of OBC) and getting free classic beverage package with the upgrade.

[drakes2]

17 minutes ago, GoodScout said:

Embarkation lunch in MDC for CC guests only. I hate the mob scene in the buffet the first day.

Probably the best perk of all and I think it's only been added in recent years. I am solo on this cruise and am bringing my cane due to a recent ankle injury.  Would not be able to manage a carry on, backpack and cane in the buffet with massive crowds while trying to carry plates and cutlery. Would not dare leave it at a table unattended. Yes, I have had pricey sunglasses taken from lounger while swimming. Guess they didn't like my brand of sunscreen.

[jkgourmet]

Thanks all for the insight.  I can say with assurance that none of these 'extras' make sense to us as any real benefit unless the upgrade was 100% free. 

[Tourist1292]

7 minutes ago, jkgourmet said:

Thanks all for the insight.  I can say with assurance that none of these 'extras' make sense to us as any real benefit unless the upgrade was 100% free. 

Or making money like me. 

[screwsmcernst]

For us, by the time we pick the veranda cabin location, Concierge is just a few dollars more to upgrade.  While the perks aren't major, I think we do get our moneys worth.  The embarkation luncheon is very nice.  While I can't eat the Canapes, they switch them out for a cheese plate for me.  I enjoy the daily fruit (especially with the cheese).    We have never had to wait in line at embarkation, and on debarkation, they have always had a lounge with coffee and rolls to wait in before we leave.  We never have to be at the airport early, so we can wait to the end to debark.  It isn't everyone's cup of tea, so if the price is right for you, pull the trigger.  Either way, you will have a great vacation.  

[windjamming]

17 hours ago, GoodScout said:

 

• Embarkation lunch in MDC for CC guests only. I hate the mob scene in the buffet the first day. People not knowing where they're going, dragging their luggage around? No thanks. Worth it to have a decent sit-down meal with a few people sharing a table. I'm big on feeling civilized on a cruise, and this started things out right. It's also the only perk I can lord over the Aqua suite guests. (jk)

 

Thank you for this clear list of benefits! We are on our first Celebrity cruise next month and booked in a CC room. Are all embarkation lunch tables shared? We prefer dining by ourselves, especially on the first day when we're still trying to find our bearings. 

 

[Tourist1292]

17 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Probably the best perk of all and I think it's only been added in recent years.

You are right. The MDR lunch was not on the list from 2012.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, windjamming said:

 

Thank you for this clear list of benefits! We are on our first Celebrity cruise next month and booked in a CC room. Are all embarkation lunch tables shared? We prefer dining by ourselves, especially on the first day when we're still trying to find our bearings. 

 

 

Not shared. No problem to eat by yourselves.

 

Enjoy Celebrity!

[drakes2]

18 hours ago, jkgourmet said:

Thanks all for the insight.  I can say with assurance that none of these 'extras' make sense to us as any real benefit unless the upgrade was 100% free. 

Yep. Free upgrade for me, however, I would have paid another $100 for concierge but no more than that. Before the price drop the difference between balcony and CC was $792.00. which is crazy.

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, Tourist1292 said:

You are right. The MDR lunch was not on the list from 2012.

Not sure if true but I read I think on these boards that concierge was slow to sell as people thought the extra perks were not enough to justify the huge price increase from balcony so that's why the lunch was added. 

[Tourist1292]

15 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

Not sure if true but I read I think on these boards that concierge was slow to sell as people thought the extra perks were not enough to justify the huge price increase from balcony so that's why the lunch was added. 

I think the current rate difference between 1A and C2 is around $200 per room for my 7 night cruise. I don't think it worth it even with the lunch. It may be a deal if it is just $50 more per person. However, it is a good upgrade path after the final payment.

Besides adding the MDR lunch, there were a few other things marked as new on the Concierge flyer from a year ago like destination seminar and concierge at check-in.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Tourist1292

[drakes2]

4 minutes ago, Tourist1292 said:

I think the current rate difference between 1A and C2 is around $200 per room for my 7 night cruise. I don't think it worth it even with the lunch. It may be a deal if it is just $50 more per person. However, it is a good upgrade path after the final payment.

After adding the MDR lunch, there were a few other things marked as new on the Concierge flyer from a few years ago. 

I will take another look at the perks. Since I am paying double occupancy I booked the cheapest balcony rate which was a guarantee but kept monitoring price drops and was able to move up to CC for free. It's 12 nights on the Silhouette March 24th.  It was 2 weeks ago today at noon the prices were crazy then when I looked again at 1 PM they dropped below balcony prices. 

[dkjretired]

19 hours ago, GoodScout said:

Here's my reflections (pun intended) about Concierge Class, and while we usually either book it up upgrade:

 

Individually, the perks don't justify the additional price on S class. But taken together as a whole, we felt we got a fair value. Specifically:

• Embarkation lunch in MDC for CC guests only. I hate the mob scene in the buffet the first day. People not knowing where they're going, dragging their luggage around? No thanks. Worth it to have a decent sit-down meal with a few people sharing a table. I'm big on feeling civilized on a cruise, and this started things out right. It's also the only perk I can lord over the Aqua suite guests. (jk)
• Canapés every afternoon - No, didn't enjoy them all, but it was a nice touch we looked forward to each afternoon. And it became a fun game to see if we could identify them, and if we liked them.
• Fresh fruit in the room every day. Again, much appreciated at midday.
• Champagne on embarkation day. Unlike some others, our steward did have this waiting for us.
• Location - Liked being on our deck. Concierge suites are not directly under, around or above anything but other cabins. Might consider Aqua or suites, except for danger of ending up under the pool deck or exercise area.
• Restaurants - Would be nice to eat at Blu, but on the 2 days we wanted to step up we just went to Murano and Tuscan and didn't feel deprived. Blu's menu is nice, but most items didn't resonate with us.
• Sail-Away - CC guests got invited to a sail-away on the ship's helipad when we left St. Lucia. Was very nice seeing the sunset from the bow of the ship and meeting some of the bridge crew.
• Free Tour - CC guests got a complimentary kitchen tour during the trip. Again, very nice.
• Bathrobes - I did appreciate the nicer bathrobes. We spend every morning having breakfast on our balcony, so these plus the chair footrests were a nice plus. 
• Shower Head - Supposedly we had a better shower head than other rooms (except Aqua and Suites). Since I didn't have anything to compare it with, this is the one perk that meant zero to me. The water came out, my hair got wet, job done.  
• Concierge - This is the one benefit that really didn't seem like much to us. We didn't call her much, and were perfectly capable of getting dining reservations on our own. If I could have thought of some out-of-the-ordinary need I would have tried to see if she could help us, but no need materialized. During our April cruise, I've resolved to introduce myself day one and try and let them help us. 

 

Be advised that the Sail-Away on the helipad and the Kitchen tour are not Concierge written perks, you may or may not get them.   

[drakes2]

15 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

 

Be advised that the Sail-Away on the helipad and the Kitchen tour are not Concierge written perks, you may or may not get them.   

When I was on the Reflection in November was just in a regular balcony but was invited to both the Helipad while sailing out of St. Kitts also the kitchen tour which I could have done without. It took away from my time from the sundeck where I am on sea days.  See pic from helipad of St. Kitts.

[dkjretired]

Aware of that but the point I was making is it is not a written perk and may or may not happen.

[jkgourmet]

35 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

 

Be advised that the Sail-Away on the helipad and the Kitchen tour are not Concierge written perks, you may or may not get them.   

 

Correct.  Four cruises and 40+ days on X, but still not Elite.  The ONLY thing we book on X is OV or inside guarantee.  Yet, We have gotten multiple kitchen tours and invite to the helipad while in the Norwegian Fjords.

 

There's no rhyme or reason.

[Luvcrusn]

DH and I often have booked Concierge Class cabins when sailing on M-class ships not because of the listed perks, but because of the extra square footage in the cabins. Since the removal of Ocean Liners/Murano from those ships, we tend to book aqua for Blu and the same extra space. The other "extras" aren't worth too much to us, however if the cost differential is small we may book Concierge for the extra points. We value Aqua class more because of Blu and the Persian Garden.

[Fishkillbill]

Funny, our first cruise was three years ago, on the Summit. We get a free upgrade to Aqua class. When we were waiting to board, we passed the time talking to the couple sitting next to us. They were going to be in Concierge class. He was giving me gabs about how they would be eating in the MDR and we would have to eat with the "peasants" at the buffet.

 

As we were eating at the buffet, here comes the couple. He says, "I couldn't eat any of that crap". They ate with us and the rest of the "peasants".