The Demise of the Suite Lounge

[orville99]

On 8/14/2021 at 8:10 PM, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura enjoys cheap wine as well. Pink koolaid

 

Oasis class used to provide beer and wine in SL from 11-11. But not currently.  I thought that was your issue.

 

As far as suite guests impact, that's the only change. It was a unique perk to the Oasis Class

On Allure now and the beer and wine are available from 11-11.

[Espn]

7 minutes ago, orville99 said:

On Allure now and the beer and wine are available from 11-11.

Thanks for the info. Funny, but I have seen several others posting about this on other threads. Not sure what that says about us. 🤔

[MaritimeR&R]

I have spent many cruises in the Anthem CL and when D+ were allowed in there were times when it was very crowded. During and after the Jan. 4, 2020 cruise when D+ were no longer allowed the lounge averaged about 12 to 15 people a night with the majority of them there for the early seating. This included suite and Pinnacle guests.  Now, I always go on the 10 night or more winter sailings, so I can't speak to the shorter sailings, but if history dictates --- the CL/SL lounge will be sparsely occupied if only suite guests are allowed entrance.

[neverbeenhere]

On 8/20/2021 at 8:44 PM, mike123abc said:

...

It seems like it would be better if on a sailing by sailing basis they decided who would be welcome.  If there were too many pinnacles on a sailing exclude.  Empty sailings let in D+ perhaps.

 

But, that would create a bigger mess, as each cruise would be different and everyone would be upset. Especially, passengers on B2Bs, when the "rules" changed between cruises. 

[MikeBayAreaCa]

35 minutes ago, MaritimeR&R said:

I have spent many cruises in the Anthem CL and when D+ were allowed in there were times when it was very crowded. During and after the Jan. 4, 2020 cruise when D+ were no longer allowed the lounge averaged about 12 to 15 people a night with the majority of them there for the early seating. This included suite and Pinnacle guests.  Now, I always go on the 10 night or more winter sailings, so I can't speak to the shorter sailings, but if history dictates --- the CL/SL lounge will be sparsely occupied if only suite guests are allowed entrance.

And that is fine with me.  Suite prices are expensive and having a nice relaxing, socially distance play to enjoy a few drinks before dinner is one of the perks.  

[fishbonz]

We got to D+ in a manner of about 5 or so years because I wanted to enjoy the perk's. Started on the Explorer and than the Anthem all in Jr suites and grand suites just for the CL and SL. Now that royal has taken that away like so many other thing over the years WHAT WILL BE NEXT?. Will never make pinnacle the was the prices are now or ever. Question is what will they take away next from us?. 

[Cigar King]

Is your concern your ability to access to the CL/SL is denied unless you are in a GS+ or is there another perk that you are concerned with?

Edited August 23, 2021 by Cigar King

[neverbeenhere]

3 hours ago, fishbonz said:

We got to D+ in a manner of about 5 or so years because I wanted to enjoy the perk's. Started on the Explorer and than the Anthem all in Jr suites and grand suites just for the CL and SL. Now that royal has taken that away like so many other thing over the years WHAT WILL BE NEXT?. Will never make pinnacle the was the prices are now or ever. Question is what will they take away next from us?. 

Book all double point cruises and $50K and you can be pinnacles.  🙃

[SailyaCruise]

On 8/14/2021 at 1:06 PM, poocher said:

Really?  We are always at least three adults so standard cabins are too small and I hate the space tube showers.  So I book suites for the room and the shower.  I don’t think this makes me snooty.  

Yeah, we stay in suites for the space, the embark/disembark process, and all-day access to CK.  I would stay on 17th deck suites on Oasis-class because there is just not as much hallway traffic, close to CK, no loud voices or running up and down the hallway. So peaceful on Deck 17. We buy drink pkgs, so I think I took a picture of the Diamond lounges once.  Not impressed, so we keep it moving. Have never sat in there for drinks.

Edited August 23, 2021 by SailyaCruise

[poocher]

We are on deck 10 on Harmony.  I was not as up on my suite location as I should have been when we did the L & S.  But my brother & nephew are in a JS just one door down from our OS so really that was more important.

[smokeybandit]

4 hours ago, fishbonz said:

We got to D+ in a manner of about 5 or so years because I wanted to enjoy the perk's. Started on the Explorer and than the Anthem all in Jr suites and grand suites just for the CL and SL. Now that royal has taken that away like so many other thing over the years WHAT WILL BE NEXT?. Will never make pinnacle the was the prices are now or ever. Question is what will they take away next from us?. 

 If you book suites, what exactly has been taken away? Other than the suite party and some other minor things, suite life hasn't changed with covid.

Edited August 23, 2021 by smokeybandit

[fishbonz]

On 8/23/2021 at 7:13 PM, smokeybandit said:

 If you book suites, what exactly has been taken away? Other than the suite party and some other minor things, suite life hasn't changed with covid.

Price Price Price grand suits are way to much these days 7 to 8 grand for 9 to 10 days no way. That was why we got to D+ fast so we could get the perks. And JR suits dont give you anything other than a bigger room and a tub and a half way decent price.

[fishbonz]

On 8/23/2021 at 6:24 PM, neverbeenhere said:

Book all double point cruises and $50K and you can be pinnacles.  🙃

NOT IN MY LIFE TIME  HAHAHAHAHAHA.

[SRF]

On 8/23/2021 at 6:24 PM, neverbeenhere said:

Book all double point cruises and $50K and you can be pinnacles.  🙃

 

If you had one 3 night cruise (Gold), it would be  117 nights, solo in a suite with double points to make Pin.  For it to be $50K you would have to be under $432 per night.  Not likely to be solo in a suite.

 

Not sure you could do it for $100,000, unless you hit a bunch of REALLY cheap Jr Suites.

[Georgeny]

Have to love all the SWEET Suite talk 🙂 I far prefer part of cruising in 1984 when suites were rare on a ship and the only gain was simply a larger sleeping space and only in a few instances a small balcony. You could be in the grandest suite onboard, but you ate together, drank together, paid the same everywhere, had the same chance to get an excursion booked, hunted for pool space like everyone else. Basically a cruise was an EQUALIZER.

 

1988 wife and I we were a couple of blue type collar workers who saved all year to cruise each year. Often still had a balance on credit card for initial cost of cruise when returned. Fought to pay it off and start saving again. That year, we were seated with a couple who actually did have one of the maybe 8 suites on the Carnival Celebration. Us the blue collars, they the real deal VP of a major international financial operation. We enjoyed each others company and first port we shopped and walked together. Watched them spend thousands on collectables she was into and watches he was into. We got a couple T-shirts and a deal on a inexpensive watch because we were " with them. " Who cared we had a great time together. Through the years these became known as the H.... shopping tours LOL.

 

Over the next couple of decades we cruised together many times. Them in a suite us in ever better accommodations as resources grew. We met their kids and watched them grow, cruised with them attended their weddings. We emailed daily. We became very comfortable financially through the years, they became ever wealthier. None of us gave a good c--p. She passed in recent years forever leaving us with memories of her. He is always still in touch but cannot bring himself to cruise again.

 

1992 again met a couple getting married in Saint Thomas during cruise. Wound up standing up for them. Same story been fast friends for decades now. Cruised together many times. In fact just returned taking a road trip NY to NC and staying with them a few days. We have all been through health concerns together etc through the years.

 

My point! Had any of us been separated by class or status to special lounges, seating areas, dining areas etc we would have never met the best friends of our lives!!! Yes we cruise a lot and have obtained various past pax levels. We have enjoyed lounges and bennies but honestly wish they would do away with all that including speciality dining etc. Through the years the class system has been reconstituted on ships like the transatlantic ships or years ago. WE HATE IT! Again yes we haveused the concierge type lounges only for the free booze and hot snacks. Do away with them have multiple lounges with hot snacks open to all. Provide my good customer bennies ( yes I want and deserve some recognition ) QUIETLY! Some booze vouchers on card, discount in shops, upgrade at booking but don't separate us from all the other great cruisers on board. I want to meet people from many spectrums in life, it's dam interesting that way!

 

Cruising today is better in many ways, size of cabins and cabin amenities in general, smooth sailing ships, etc. But also lost much, being a melting pot of people from all walks of life, being small enough to share much with reasonable group sailing not a passenger group larger than many home towns.

 

If sailing with friends with less cruises we don't want to have to decide on going to a free booze and fancy treats lounge or hanging out with them and foregoing that benefit. Yeah give me free laundry, drink vouchers, free internet etc I deserve it spent a lot of bucks with your company. But don't make it look like I think I am better than anybody else out there. Don't give me some stupid pin or us only lounge. Make cruising the great equalizer again. Not 1st class, 2nd class, and steerage levels.

 

Okay I will keep priority boarding LOL 🙂

 

George in NY

[SRF]

41 minutes ago, Georgeny said:

Have to love all the SWEET Suite talk 🙂 I far prefer part of cruising in 1984 when suites were rare on a ship and the only gain was simply a larger sleeping space and only in a few instances a small balcony. You could be in the grandest suite onboard, but you ate together, drank together, paid the same everywhere, had the same chance to get an excursion booked, hunted for pool space like everyone else. Basically a cruise was an EQUALIZER.

 

 

George in NY

 

 

We sail in suites.  It is a bit of a stretch, but doable.

 

Other than a once or twice a cruise eating the suite breakfast, we eat in the same venues as everyone else on the ship.

 

We have one or two drinks very so often in the suite lounge, but most drinks are around the pool or in bars/casino/theater with everyone else.  

 

So still an equalizer in many cases.

[livingonthebeach]

3 hours ago, SRF said:

 

If you had one 3 night cruise (Gold), it would be  117 nights, solo in a suite with double points to make Pin.  For it to be $50K you would have to be under $432 per night.  Not likely to be solo in a suite.

 

Not sure you could do it for $100,000, unless you hit a bunch of REALLY cheap Jr Suites.

 

YES more like at least $100K. -- not worth it IMO.

[reallyitsmema]

22 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

 

We sail in suites.  It is a bit of a stretch, but doable.

 

Other than a once or twice a cruise eating the suite breakfast, we eat in the same venues as everyone else on the ship.

 

We have one or two drinks very so often in the suite lounge, but most drinks are around the pool or in bars/casino/theater with everyone else.  

 

So still an equalizer in many cases.

 

Suite benefits on Grandeur are very different than those ships that have Royal Suite Class.

[John&LaLa]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:23 AM, livingonthebeach said:

 

YES more like at least $100K. -- not worth it IMO.

 

Our journey was around 350 actual nights and just over $100K. 

 

But that includes a lot of good times and memories.

[orville99]

51 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Our journey was around 350 actual nights and just over $100K. 

 

But that includes a lot of good times and memories.

334 actual nights, and ~$150K, but the memories were worth every penny.😃

About the same cost as the 132 night world cruise DW is trying to talk me into for 2024.😇

Edited August 30, 2021 by orville99

[neverbeenhere]

On 8/29/2021 at 3:26 AM, SRF said:

 

If you had one 3 night cruise (Gold), it would be  117 nights, solo in a suite with double points to make Pin.  For it to be $50K you would have to be under $432 per night.  Not likely to be solo in a suite.

 

Not sure you could do it for $100,000, unless you hit a bunch of REALLY cheap Jr Suites.

Ah... They are starting at D+

[SRF]

19 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ah... They are starting at D+

 

Of course, that would help.

 

D+ is a minimum of 175 points.  So 525 more.  So only 88 nights solo in a suite with double points promotion.  But at $50K, that is still only $569 per night.  Might be possible.

 

 

 

 

[John&LaLa]

7 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Of course, that would help.

 

D+ is a minimum of 175 points.  So 525 more.  So only 88 nights solo in a suite with double points promotion.  But at $50K, that is still only $569 per night.  Might be possible.

 

We have about 400 points scheduled for the duration of the promotion. Might add another 28 if I can find a slot for a casino cruise

[CK57]

Coastal Kitchen cannot compare to Celebrity’s two venues.  The eating and drinking are separate and Suite level have drinks included.  RCL nickel dimes cost of suite plus cost of drink package.  No bargain and a good reason why you can’t find a seat on RCL especially now with COVID spacing requirements.  Just off Symphony and was too hard to get dinner reservations in CK.  Find a place for the D, D+, or pinnacle to have there peace if they want to use their vouchers and talk shop but don’t limit access to suite paying guests.   As for what RCL offers as a suite perk does not compare to Celebrity.  There is no adult pool area available on RCL for any level guest yet alone for Suites.  The Suite deck was a joke on Symphony.  Two lonely bartenders.  They didn’t even put out the furniture on the top deck.  Only an empty hot tub that nobody wanted to get cooked in with summer temps.  No room butlers, nothing to get too fired up about.  

[George C]

5 minutes ago, CK57 said:

Coastal Kitchen cannot compare to Celebrity’s two venues.  The eating and drinking are separate and Suite level have drinks included.  RCL nickel dimes cost of suite plus cost of drink package.  No bargain and a good reason why you can’t find a seat on RCL especially now with COVID spacing requirements.  Just off Symphony and was too hard to get dinner reservations in CK.  Find a place for the D, D+, or pinnacle to have there peace if they want to use their vouchers and talk shop but don’t limit access to suite paying guests.   As for what RCL offers as a suite perk does not compare to Celebrity.  There is no adult pool area available on RCL for any level guest yet alone for Suites.  The Suite deck was a joke on Symphony.  Two lonely bartenders.  They didn’t even put out the furniture on the top deck.  Only an empty hot tub that nobody wanted to get cooked in with summer temps.  No room butlers, nothing to get too fired up about.  

I thought rccl suite perks were pretty good , until I tried a celebrity suite, perks definitely way better, cannot even compare suite restaurant and lounge , other line that is has excellent perks is MSC yacht club which as a much nicer lounge and perks.