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New to Celebrity - Concierge vs Veranda

nyc2pdx

By nyc2pdx,
in Celebrity Cruises

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nyc2pdx

nyc2pdx

Posted
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Thinking about booking on the Solstice...what is the difference between Concierge and Veranda?  Looks like a diff of about $400 for a 11 day cruise that is heavy on sea-days (I LOVE sea days).  Worth it?  Are the staterooms different?  How good are the concierges?

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nyc2pdx

nyc2pdx

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Just now, WestLakeGirl said:

Staterooms are the same size.  All passengers have access to the Concierge.  Not worth the money as far as I am concerned

Good to know.  I am coming from NCL, and the concierges are NOT available to all.

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ECCruise

ECCruise

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No way worth $400.  You get a lunch in the MDR the first day, some canapes daily that most people don't want.  Cheap sparkling wine on embarkation.  For us, it MAY be worth like $10 a day more if the new location was as good or better than the old.

The rooms on S class ships are exactly the same (except many Concierge are in worse locations).  You get an extra point toward your loyalty if you are close to the next level.  There are not "concierges"but rather a single Concierge 

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ECCruise

ECCruise

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1 minute ago, nyc2pdx said:

Good to know.  I am coming from NCL, and the concierges are NOT available to all.

 

Yes, nothing at all like a suite when you have a Concierge on NCL who will handle a good deal of stuff for you.

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lola2013

lola2013

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Agree with WestLakeGirl.  On our first cruise on Equinox, we booked standard verandah and were upgraded to Concierge...woo hoo...or so we thought...same size cabin.  At that time the only benefit was the appetizers that were (sometimes) delivered to our cabin late afternoon.  This was before the embarkation lunch for concierge guests was initiated.  I believe that some people think that one of the benefits are the additional Captain's Club points for Concierge, but we prefer the standard verandah (actually, we are big fans of the SVs) to save $$$.

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nyc2pdx

nyc2pdx

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great to know.  Maybe I will consider a sunset veranda instead.  But the balcony isn't any bigger than a regular veranda, correct?  On NCL the aft balconies were like double the size and most included loungers in addition to chairs and a table.

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TeaBag

TeaBag

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Since you are new to Celebrity, the only way I could justify paying the $400 would be for the extra tier points so you could get to Elite (300 points) faster.  It is 5 points per day in Concierge vs 3 in a regular verandah.  I agree with others that $400 extra is a lot. I hope this is for 2?  Otherwise, no way, points or no points!!

Another thing I notice with Concierge, they often get an invitation to the helipad when sailing away.  Don't know if this appeals or not.

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lola2013

lola2013

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The middle SV balconies on Solstice are widest...I was in 8344 (decks 9 & above are concierge so stick with 8 if possible), which is wider than most.  It has a steward closet between that and the room next to it so the balcony is wider than most.  It was wonderful...

I am booked in that same cabin on Equinox this summer.  SVs are the best!!!  There were two chairs and a table; my cabin steward was able to get me a footstool...didn't request a lounger.

Enjoy.

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nyc2pdx

nyc2pdx

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3 minutes ago, lola2013 said:

The middle SV balconies on Solstice are widest...I was in 8344 (decks 9 & above are concierge so stick with 8 if possible), which is wider than most.  It has a steward closet between that and the room next to it so the balcony is wider than most.  It was wonderful...

I am booked in that same cabin on Equinox this summer.  SVs are the best!!!  There were two chairs and a table; my cabin steward was able to get me a footstool...didn't request a lounger.

Enjoy.

nothing in the middle on 8, but there is 6315 open 🙂

Otherwise if I go with a regular veranda, there are ton on the hump on all decks.

Edited by nyc2pdx
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lola2013

lola2013

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I was also solo on that trip...well worth it to have additional space!!!  Not sure if it matters, but I prefer the bed by the balcony (rather than next to the closet), and that's what 8344 had...if that is not available, it will be every other with the same configuration.

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TeaBag

TeaBag

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Posted

That is classified as a 1A, same category as most of the ones on the slant.  We were on Eclipse in 7305 once (one deck below) and the balcony is not square as it is shown.  Unlike what is shown for the cabin next door, it is a regular sized balcony.  The rail of the end one slopes from the regular sized one to the edge of the suite, making it not as large as it is portrayed. In any case, I hope you really enjoy Celebrity.

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Bruin Steve

Bruin Steve

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I have cruised in Concierge cabins several times...and my upcoming back-to-back cruises on Infinity are in a Concierge cabin...

BUT, I have NEVER initially booked a Concierge cabin on purpose...

Every time I've cruised in Concierge (including these next two) it was because I initially booked a lower class cabin...then kept monitoring the prices...and each time, the price of the Concierge eventually (usually close to the sail date) dropped considerably and I've called my TA and had the cabins changed.  My last Alaska cruise, for example, I originally intended to "go cheap" so we booked an inside cabin...A few weeks from the embarkation date, the price of a C2 actually dropped to slightly BELOW my cost for the inside!

 

This seems to happen a lot...because all pricing varies over time and it goes by the laws of "supply and demand"...and those Concierge cabins are some of the hardest to sell.  Most cruisers recognize that you don't get much for the jump to Concierge.  You get a bottle of cheap sparkling wine in your cabin (which matters even less if you bought the deal with the free drink package)...You get daily appetizers in your room (like you can't find enough to eat on the ship)...You were SUPPOSED to get upgraded toiletries--but on our last cruise in Concierge this past June/July, we found that they gave us the same shampoo, conditioner, lotion as everybody else--they've apparently changed up some stuff to be more environmentally friendly...You do get to eat in the MDR on embarkation day rather than the buffet...and that is pretty much about it (Oh, yeah, you do get more points toward your next Captains Club level--for us, that would be Zenith and we're a LONG way off so we don't care)...

 

Basically, to me, if the differential were less than, say, $100 pp or less and if I could get a better cabin location, well, MAYBE...OTOH, if you can get a standard verandah with an oversized balcony or a great location, then, naaaah...

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Bruin Steve

Bruin Steve

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...And, yes, those Celebrity deck plans are notoriously inaccurate...

For example, on their M-Class deck plans, they show the "Sweet 16" (the first eight cabinson either side on Deck 6) as having the same size balcony as the rest...but WE all know that they have balconies that are twice the size...just doesn't show it on the Deck Plans...

 

In this case, Tea Bag is correct...Those last side facing balconies on each deck are SLIGHTLY larger than the others...and the one next to it is standard...The deck plans make both to be larger than they are.  The first photo below is hard to make out, but 8343 is the second cabin numbered up from the lifeboat.

 

image.png.59329c2dda5d5b1cfcbf27c379b9e572.png

 

This photo is of the upper decks above your cabin, but you can see how the shape and size differs from the ones next to the end cabins.  (Ps.  Not my photos...I do find it rather funny how the photographer covered up the faces by having everyone out on the balconies wearing the same hat)

 

image.png.9af8e9662d37cc6dc2cebc6115852446.png

Edited by Bruin Steve
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upwarduk

upwarduk

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3 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Staterooms are the same size.  All passengers have access to the Concierge.  Not worth the money as far as I am concerned

I have NEVER  had access to a Concierge and have always sailed in balcony cabins.

I have often asked for larger towelling robes as the standard in the balcony rooms don’t fit. I was once told that the concierge cabin ones were bigger and thicker.

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