First time in suite…

[XBGuy]

This information is now over two years old.  So, I am not sure if it is consistent with the current policy.

 

In my experience as a suite passenger I have made our embarkation day complimentary dinner arrangements on the ship.  I would just call the DINE line from our cabin.  Invariably, the reservationist who took the call recognized that I was calling from a suite and would verbally confirm that the meal was complimentary.  On our one cruise on a Royal-class ship, I used the Suile Lounge Concierge to make most of our specialty dining reservations.  In fact, on that cruise, I requested that we have the complimentary dinner on the second night of the cruise--we wanted to dine with friends on the first evening--and the concierge arranged that for us.

 

I have read many stories, here on Cruise Critic, regarding attemps to book complimentary dinners prior to the cruise.  Some of those reporters have had success and some have not.

[reedprincess]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

How do they handle the complimentary speciality dinner on embarkation day? Do they just assign you to one of the restaurants at a time of their choosing and leave a card in your suite or do you get to choose restaurant and time? If the former how easy is it to change restaurant/time?

You choose restaurant and time. 

You can either call the DINE line, go talk to the Maitre'd, or ask the suite concierge (on Royal class ships) to book it for you..

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks. We'll be on Coral so no suite concierge I guess.

[ozziebound]

Hi all! 

What is the"Exclusive disembarkation lounge" for suite guests? 

Do we get to hang out in that lounge with food and drink and debark whenever we like? Thanks!

[AF-1]

Hello and Happy Easter, been away from this thread for a week.  The snacks are free, the drinks are reduced.  We had beverage package, so we were good to go.  They had two waitress who came around to take orders and deliver them.  It was a nice relaxing hour and the food was very good.

[cr8tiv1]

Wow... No more mini bar on short cruises?  I "remember when" I got a mini bar on a one night cruise.  I knew they discontinued Specialty Restaurant for short cruise/but sometimes it was offered in error.  

 

Received 2 bottles of water every night/morning or whenever steward remembered.  With the Beverage Package, it really wasn't important to me.

 

On a short cruise, the coffee card is useless if you have your latte during the suite breakfast.

 

I liked it better when they "once" had the elite/suite/platinum lounge in the Vista Lounge.  Too far to go for nothing special.  Suite disembarkation lounge is with Elite/Platinum passengers.  You can not just leave when you want.  I usually request an earlier time.  Then hang around and walk off when I want to.  This way, my luggage is sitting all alone and much easier to find.  

[coachsusan]

I booked our complimentary first night speciality dinner on the Medallion app for no charge. It knew I was in a suite. That way I could choose our restaurant and dining time in advance. 

[Cbtours]

1 hour ago, coachsusan said:

I booked our complimentary first night speciality dinner on the Medallion app for no charge. It knew I was in a suite. That way I could choose our restaurant and dining time in advance. 

Did you have to put it through as if you were going to pay them it did complimentary or did it recognise right from start? I’ve not been able to do yet

[dog]

1 hour ago, Cbtours said:

Did you have to put it through as if you were going to pay them it did complimentary or did it recognise right from start? I’ve not been able to do yet

I tried for first night reservation at specialty restaurant. Am in a PH suite and it wants full payment to credit card now.

4 day Alaska cruise probably not complimentry.

[XBGuy]

10 hours ago, coachsusan said:

I booked our complimentary first night speciality dinner on the Medallion app for no charge. It knew I was in a suite. That way I could choose our restaurant and dining time in advance. 

 

For clarification, are you saying that you used the app to book your complimentary first evening specialty restaurant dinner prior to embarkation day?

[scooter6139]

7 hours ago, dog said:

I tried for first night reservation at specialty restaurant. Am in a PH suite and it wants full payment to credit card now.

4 day Alaska cruise probably not complimentry.

 

The curse of the short cruise.  

[coachsusan]

Yes. I don’t embark until December. I paid for two other nights. But when I went through the process for the first night, it showed zero due. I cannot remember how far I had to go in the process to see the zero balance. I wasn’t sure if I had to do Sabatinis, since it is less expensive. The app let me pick any of the three speciality restaurants. 

[MileHighAko]

1 hour ago, coachsusan said:

I cannot remember how far I had to go in the process to see the zero balance

For me it showed the price, but then had a discount amount equal to the price, with the resulting total of $0.

 

I booked Crown Grill for September cruise, table for 4 including our friends who are also suite passengers (separate reservations, but I have them added in the app as travel companions), and the system correctly discounted the entire $116 to $0. Easy peasy.

[ozziebound]

i just booked sabatinis in the app and it showed "dining credit" of $50.00 so it was free! well, i tried but then it gave me an error so i'm trying again...it worked! (got credit for being in suite even though we're on a short cruise.)

adam

[Cbtours]

21 minutes ago, ozziebound said:

i just booked sabatinis in the app and it showed "dining credit" of $50.00 so it was free! well, i tried but then it gave me an error so i'm trying again...it worked! (got credit for being in suite even though we're on a short cruise.)

adam

I cant actually see speciality dining being offered in my app atm? And yes we're on a few short cruises B2B though the fourth one is 7 days. We are in a suite right through.

[dog]

On 4/19/2022 at 5:42 AM, dog said:

I tried for first night reservation at specialty restaurant. Am in a PH suite and it wants full payment to credit card now.

4 day Alaska cruise probably not complimentry.

 

1 hour ago, ozziebound said:

i just booked sabatinis in the app and it showed "dining credit" of $50.00 so it was free! well, i tried but then it gave me an error so i'm trying again...it worked! (got credit for being in suite even though we're on a short cruise.)

adam

Ok. Thanks. I booked Crown Grull. Dining credit of $58. Same cruise as you.

[ozziebound]

So I'm thinking about bringing my nice black shoes, which are really in need of polishing, and giving them to our room steward soon after we board... are they still doing free shoe shining for suite guests? And do you think they'll do it again the next day for a different pair of shoes? 😉 

 

We board on a Wednesday, and it's just a four night cruise, but I think that, based on a comment earlier in this thread, that we can give our steward a bag of clothes Friday morning before 9am (with our dirty clothes from Wednesday and Thursday), and it'll be back to us Friday night... good idea? 

Then we'll have more clean clothes for Saturday and Sunday and won't have to pack as many. But we're still packing lots of shoes and jackets for alaska and seattle! 😉 

 

adam 

[Cbtours]

13 minutes ago, ozziebound said:

So I'm thinking about bringing my nice black shoes, which are really in need of polishing, and giving them to our room steward soon after we board... are they still doing free shoe shining for suite guests? And do you think they'll do it again the next day for a different pair of shoes? 😉 

 

We board on a Wednesday, and it's just a four night cruise, but I think that, based on a comment earlier in this thread, that we can give our steward a bag of clothes Friday morning before 9am (with our dirty clothes from Wednesday and Thursday), and it'll be back to us Friday night... good idea? 

Then we'll have more clean clothes for Saturday and Sunday and won't have to pack as many. But we're still packing lots of shoes and jackets for alaska and seattle! 😉 

 

adam 

Good thinking. Wonder if he will give white sneakers a spruce up!!!! It actually doesn’t just say black ones unless it’s in the ODS 😂😂😂

[scooter6139]

My wife was thinking the same thing, that some of my long sleeved shirts should just get cleaned by Princess and save us the hassle.  Don't need to worry about the shoes though, as I can't stand dress shoes so I just wear some black leather Brooks walking shoes.  

[cr8tiv1]

I have only asked for shoes to be polished once.  It was not what I had expected.  Think the bottle with the sponge applicator.  No buffing/shine.  Only had one color (don't remember if it was black or brown).  

 

No, they don't clean sneakers.

 

Yes, if in by 9 AM, you will get it back sometime around turn down service.  I wouldn't chance it the night before disembarkation when you have to pack it and get your luggage out the door.  

[HBCcruiser]

1 minute ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Yes, if in by 9 AM, you will get it back sometime around turn down service.  I wouldn't chance it the night before disembarkation when you have to pack it and get your luggage out the door.  

I second this. The staff can get very busy so anticipate that. Also, our stateroom attendant told us to leave the laundry outside of our stateroom before we left for breakfast (not on the bed) if we wanted the same-day service. 

[cr8tiv1]

45 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

I second this. The staff can get very busy so anticipate that. Also, our stateroom attendant told us to leave the laundry outside of our stateroom before we left for breakfast (not on the bed) if we wanted the same-day service. 

 

Agree, steward doesn't always "get into the cabin" before 9 AM.  I generally aim for getting the bag to him/her the night before.

[NavyVeteran]

3 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Agree, steward doesn't always "get into the cabin" before 9 AM.  I generally aim for getting the bag to him/her the night before.

I do that also. I leave it on the bed when we go to dinner.

 

We normally bathe and change clothes for dinner after a day in port or at sea, so it's more convenient to send it out at dinner time the night before. I also tell the steward at the beginning of the cruise that I will normally be doing that.

[Cbtours]

3 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

I do that also. I leave it on the bed when we go to dinner.

 

We normally bathe and change clothes for dinner after a day in port or at sea, so it's more convenient to send it out at dinner time the night before. I also tell the steward at the beginning of the cruise that I will normally be doing that.

Good idea!

[jwattle]

We did B2B on Majestic in March; first leg was 1900 people; second leg 2590 and a "louder" crowd; the suite breakfast and Concierge Lounge were even more appreciated as little havens of quiet 🙂