Silly suite benefit question

[I object 2]

6 hours ago, Cruiserkenn said:

 

Not XB Guy, but for sure the aft facing suites on Star and other Grand Class ships are covered.  The balconies on the Dolphin deck suites are deep and covered🙂⛴🐳🐋⚓️🛳🌈🌅🌝

 

Thanks for the info.  We were on the Royal in an aft Penthouse suite in January.  Had a bit of a soot problem and a couple of things from the suite above us landed on our balcony.  🙂   

[I object 2]

2 hours ago, XBGuy said:

 

 

Thanks to Cruiserkenn for helping out, there.  👍👍👍

 

We were on Deck 10, and, specifically, cabin C749.  It is, in fact covered.  Maybe this pic will help you out.

 

 

In further support of Cruiserkenn's comments, about a year previous, we were also in cabin C749 on the Ruby Princess, and it was, essentially, identical.

 

 

 

Thanks for posting the pic.  The balcony looks lovely.  I can envision a breakfast or two out there.   🥓 🧇 ☕

[Pierlesscruisers]

On 6/20/2020 at 4:31 PM, PurpleHays said:

Depending on how things go, my husband and I have booked a suite for our 10th anniversary next summer--Alaska on the Emerald. We will decide in January if we'll go, dependent upon how the covid19 situation is. (I will wear a mask and sanitize my hands all day long, but will not get a vaccine until it is tested longer)

 

I understand that laundry is one benefit--what is the turnaround time? If I take three pairs of long pants, will that be enough to have a clean pair every day? Also, does anyone know what is in the complementary minibar?

 

We are (barely) platinum, and I've convinced my husband that it's worth splurging for our 10th anniversary. Alaska is on his bucket list. He's losing his sight, so I want to knock out as many of his bucket list items as I can before he goes completely blind. We're going to do a couple of pre-cruise days in Seattle and pick excursions that he wants to do as much as possible.

 

This has nothing to do with being in a suite or not, but I believe that you will thoroughly enjoy your traveling to and through Alaska as it is a very popular cruise. I work at the pier in Seattle and have met many people who were going on their 10th trip to our northernmost state and one gentleman who was going on his 20th!  Even had one lady in 2018 from Seattle who was going on her 4th cruise to Alaska that year alone!  One advantage if you go toward the end of the season, August or so, is that by that time most of the shops in the ports will be selling most of their wares at 50-75% off so you'll be able to save a bit of money if you're in the market for things like that. 

 

Hopefully, there will be an Alaskan cruise season in 2021!

 

See you at the pier!

 

Tom

[XBGuy]

46 minutes ago, I object 2 said:

 

Thanks for posting the pic.  The balcony looks lovely.  I can envision a breakfast or two out there.   🥓 🧇 ☕

 

On the Ruby Princess cruise, which, by the way, was to the Mexican Riviera, we ordered the Ultimate Balcony Btreakfast on a sea day headed back to Los Angeles.  I enjoy the UBB, but in the morning the sun is fairly low, and, so, it was starting to get pretty warm sitting there.  The good news, for us, was that after about 20 minutes or so, in direct sunlight, it clouded up significantly and the temperature dropped to a very comfortable level.

 

As we were departing Puerta Vallarta, we had the Ultimate Balcony Dinner at that balcony table.  It was truly excellent.

 

UBB dessert:

 

[I object 2]

Yum!  I just gained 5 pounds looking at that dessert.  LOL

[Cruiserkenn]

1 hour ago, I object 2 said:

 

Thanks for the info.  We were on the Royal in an aft Penthouse suite in January.  Had a bit of a soot problem and a couple of things from the suite above us landed on our balcony.  🙂   

 

I have not experienced a soot problem in the aft facing suites on the Grand Class ships.  Enjoy!

[compozer]

We had a terrible soot problem in our Penthouse suite on the Royal.    

[Cruiserkenn]

4 hours ago, XBGuy said:

 

 

Thanks to Cruiserkenn for helping out, there.  👍👍👍

 

We were on Deck 10, and, specifically, cabin C749.  It is, in fact covered.  Maybe this pic will help you out.

 

 

In further support of Cruiserkenn's comments, about a year previous, we were also in cabin C749 on the Ruby Princess, and it was, essentially, identical.

 

 

 

Wow!    Fantastic picture!  It truly conveys the wonderful nature of the aft facing suites🙂

[JF - retired RRT]

15 hours ago, XBGuy said:

UBB dessert:

 

Looks more like UBD dessert. Typo?

[Cruiserkenn]

17 hours ago, compozer said:

We had a terrible soot problem in our Penthouse suite on the Royal.    

 

So glad that it is not that way on the Grand Class' aft facing suites🙂

[XBGuy]

4 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Looks more like UBD dessert. Typo?

 

You're right.  Color me embarrassed.  🤔

[PurpleHays]

On 6/21/2020 at 2:12 PM, XBGuy said:

To reiterate what a few others have reported, our laundry turnaround when we had a suite has always been excellent.  Like others, we would leave bags of laundry for the steward when we left for dinner in the evening.  (We are never out of bed by 9:00 in the morning.)  It was always returned sometime between 4:00 and 6:00 the next day.  I'm not sure, but I would not be surprised if suite passengers received priority over elite passengers.  So, we have never experienced a multi-day turnaround.

 

One thing I will recommend is that if you are sending out clothes for both laundry and for cleaning is to separate them into two bags.  They really can't figure out which is which if you put them all in one bag.  Lesson learned.

 

Also, if I can make a recommendation, the Ultimate Balcony Dinner is an excellent way to celebrate your anniversary.  It is not a suite benefit, and it costs $100 per couple, but it is a truly excellent dining experience.  The thing we love about it is that the service is so attentive.  Two servers are dedicated just to you.  If it is too cold to use your balcony, there is plenty of room in your suite.  In five UBDs that we have enjoyed, three of them have been inside,

 

Congratulations on your anniversary.

I wish we could do the UBD on our anniversary, but that is glacier day and probably formal night.  We've done it before--so much food!

[PurpleHays]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:48 PM, Triptkr said:

I hope you guys get to go on this cruise...in a suite!   Suite life is the BEST and totally worth the money in our opinion.  Alaska is beautiful and you will have an awesome time.  We loved all the suite benefits...fresh fruit, mini-bar, breakfast @ Sabatini's.   If you guys are coffee drinkers, you get to have any type of coffee drink you want and as many as you want at breakfast in Sabatini's.  I didn't buy a coffee card due to this and would recommend if you want to take this route to bring your own carafe that they will fill up before you leave the restaurant.  (I had asked for a to-go cup but was told they didn't have any there.)  

When we had laundry done it was back to us pronto...depending on when we put it out for laundry, it was a very timely.   Enjoy all the benefits and use them!!!!   🙂  

I always get a coffee card--I like a foo-foo coffee every morning on vacation. The hubby just wants it black and strong enough to grow chest hair. We also opted for Princess Plus that covers drinks/gratuity/wifi for this trip. We did take big mugs last cruise, but do you think they'll allow refillables now?

[memoak]

2 hours ago, PurpleHays said:

I always get a coffee card--I like a foo-foo coffee every morning on vacation. The hubby just wants it black and strong enough to grow chest hair. We also opted for Princess Plus that covers drinks/gratuity/wifi for this trip. We did take big mugs last cruise, but do you think they'll allow refillables now?

If you have the drink package you do not need a coffee card. Those drinks are included all the coffee you want 

[XBGuy]

18 hours ago, PurpleHays said:

I wish we could do the UBD on our anniversary, but that is glacier day and probably formal night.  We've done it before--so much food!

 

It sounds like you you are an experienced Princess cruiser

 

You're going to have a great cruise and a great anniversary.

 

Of course, I have to tell another story.

 

Our very first UBD was on our second Hawaii cruise--the first full sea day after visiting the islands.  It turned out that was one of the formal nights for that cruise.  As we were preparing for the evening, we decided, "What the heck?  Let's wear our formal clothes, this evening."

 

When the server arrived, she was completely blown away that we were all dressed up.  She was a lovely Brazilian and was absolutely charming.  She made us feel so special--which is the number one reason we enjoy the UBD.

 

I have to admit, though, that we could do without the photographer.  We're ready to enjoy the evening, and, to us, posing is not, particularly, enjoyable.  It doesn't really bother us when the photographers troll the restaurants taking pictures.  You smile, they take one shot, and they're gone.  With the UBD, though, they take multiple shots of you as a couple, then they take multiple individual shots.  I know, I'm a snowflake.  Waiting ten minutes for my glass of Champagne is not exactly torture.

 

{Note to JF:  I double-checked to make sure my typing was better, this time.  😉)

[Triptkr]

20 hours ago, PurpleHays said:

I always get a coffee card--I like a foo-foo coffee every morning on vacation. The hubby just wants it black and strong enough to grow chest hair. We also opted for Princess Plus that covers drinks/gratuity/wifi for this trip. We did take big mugs last cruise, but do you think they'll allow refillables now?

That's anyone's guess at this point!    Right now though...maybe not.  I kinda forgot about the whole pandemic mess as I was typing up my summary...that's what fantastic cruise memories will do!!  😉  

[JF - retired RRT]

3 hours ago, XBGuy said:

{Note to JF:  I double-checked to make sure my typing was better, this time.  😉)

 

LOL 

[PurpleHays]

On 6/29/2020 at 12:54 PM, XBGuy said:

 

Our very first UBD was on our second Hawaii cruise--the first full sea day after visiting the islands.  It turned out that was one of the formal nights for that cruise.  As we were preparing for the evening, we decided, "What the heck?  Let's wear our formal clothes, this evening."

 

When the server arrived, she was completely blown away that we were all dressed up.  She was a lovely Brazilian and was absolutely charming.  She made us feel so special--which is the number one reason we enjoy the UBD.

 

 

We dressed for ours too. Not formal-night dressed, but nice.  It's special enough to deserve it. Then again, we usually dress nice for cruise dinners (dresses/skirts for me, slacks for hubby). The service was amazing! I may go for whatever night I can get it this time.

[geoherb]

We have only had a suite once. Our laundry always came back the next day because our cabin steward never picked it up before 9 a.m. That was fine for us. That was on a cruise with a lot of Elites, so having it the next day was great.

 

Last year I made it to the most-traveled passengers parties on my Alaskan cruises. There were fewer than 50 Elites on each. Laundry made it back within two days and sometimes the next day.

 

My favorite suite perk is breakfast at Sabatini's. 

[SDWalt]

Great suite benefits.

Terrible soot on the Royal aft balcony on our last cruise to Mexico.

It was UNUSABLE.  And we had a terrible steward!

[Cruiserkenn]

 

So sorry to hear of the continuing troubles with soot on the Royal.  Those suites could be so nice

[Papa Yoda]

 

No soot on Emerald - we had D737 for 28 days - quiet, private, and covered.  No Sabatini's either, Share instead. Suite Breakfast is in Crown Grill as noted above but it's identical just not as nice a locale as Sabatini's on Crown on Sun deck.  Also ship's Laundry and self-service laundromats may be closed in Alaskan waters since the ship can't dump gray water - the one day turnaround may not hold up and you may not be able to wash your own.

[getting older slowly]

A suggestion.. all the talk and photo of of food ( I want to go on a cruise right now )

 

We have done the UBB yes breakfast a few times.....  generally on port days and try to get it as late as possible  after 11am... so it becomes bunch... work really well

 

have early breakfast at the crown grill went for a walk ashore and then this.. yes they gave as two half bottles since it was close to lunch time ...

( aft suite grand class ship )

Very enjoyable

 

Cheers Don

 

[AF-1]

Fred Berfle;  that is a nice balcony.  Don your balcony is nice too

[Treasure Hunter]

Yes that’s exactly right. They charge and then subtract the laundry charge ( suite). Be friendly and kind to your suite attendant and tip him something in advance. Ours turned himself inside out for us. We would leave the laundry bag on the bed every morning before we went to Sabatini’s and it was back before we went to bed in the evening.