Upper Suite Benefits

[chemmo]

25 minutes ago, zgscl said:

So glad I found this thread, I am 21 days out from my first X cruise on Solstice in a Royal Suite. Was just starting to wonder if I should be hearing from someone and if I needed to book specialty dining, etc. Sounds like I don't need to poke the bear yet. 

In our experience on lots of cruises it is usually about two weeks out. We have our email drafted ready with bar set up, pillows, speciality dining etc listed. We find sending a mail is more successful than verbal requests. We also take a copy of our mail on board for our butler to use as a check list, very useful if your requests haven’t been forwarded. We also ask our butler to check all dining reservations. Just occasionally only the first night has been booked.
 

We always pre book our speciality dining then adjust it if necessary when on board to accommodate any shows, special events etc. We like Murano on sea days when we are fresh enough to enjoy a longer more formal meal and Tuscan when leaving a port so we can enjoy the views. The speciality restaurants really appreciate you pre booking but will try their best to fit you in if you like to be more flexible. 

 

Sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

 

 

 

[danceswithphones]

I sent my specialty dining requests to the Shoreside Retreat Concierge. We are in an Edge Villa in two weeks. I've been in a PH twice before. She's working on getting the rollator we rented brought to check-in so we won't need a wheelchair for boarding. She has been very helpful. I printed a list of my dining requests to hand deliver to the butler, just in case.

[prmssk]

We received our e-mail from shoreside at 25 days before our cruise. I responded with our requests and a couple questions and after no response for a week, I followed up but have now received a response and it looks like we are set.

 

I’m now working on a simple list of what we like along with our shoreside requests to hand to the butler in embarkation day. 

We are so looking forward to it!

 

[zgscl]

So funny story, after posting last night I have my pre-cruise email from the shoreside concierge. I guess ask and you shall receive LOL

[chemmo]

6 minutes ago, zgscl said:

So funny story, after posting last night I have my pre-cruise email from the shoreside concierge. I guess ask and you shall receive LOL

So pleased, so much nicer when you don’t have to chase up.

[prmssk]

Is it usually the same butler who handles both the penthouse and the adjoining sky suite on M class ships?  I would assume so but I don't really know how they assign butlers.  Anyone know how many suites the butler handles?  Just curious how many possibly conflicting demands they are juggling.

[canderson]

22 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Is it usually the same butler who handles both the penthouse and the adjoining sky suite on M class ships?  I would assume so but I don't really know how they assign butlers.  Anyone know how many suites the butler handles?  Just curious how many possibly conflicting demands they are juggling.

Yes, the same butler typically works up port or starboard, from the PH, that SS, then RS... etc.  I can't recall how far forward they stop.

[chemmo]

19 hours ago, prmssk said:

We received our e-mail from shoreside at 25 days before our cruise. I responded with our requests and a couple questions and after no response for a week, I followed up but have now received a response and it looks like we are set.

 

I’m now working on a simple list of what we like along with our shoreside requests to hand to the butler in embarkation day. 

We are so looking forward to it!

 

The easiest way to work out what to request is to think about your ‘daily’ routine. Things you regularly want.
 

For example, we like to make our own early morning tea and afternoon tea so we always request a tea tray set up and a kettle. Well, we are English! We also enjoy a fruit bowl with a selection of apples, pears, oranges and bananas. 
 

We always request a small selection of afternoon tea sandwiches and mini pastries. Usually a problem with the word ‘small’. Often enough food arrives for a party. We end up stressing ‘two mini sandwiches each and one mini tart each!

 

We ask our butler to ‘vary’ a selection to enjoy on the balcony late at night with a last drink. A shrimp platter, cheese plate, veggies and dip. This will be left in our cooler for us to enjoy on return to our suite.

 

We also request sliced lime and lemon in the cooler as part of our bar set up. We try to think of things we don’t want or need to disturb the butler for.

 

Hope you have a fantastic cruise!

 

 

 

 

 

[chemmo]

7 hours ago, prmssk said:

Is it usually the same butler who handles both the penthouse and the adjoining sky suite on M class ships?  I would assume so but I don't really know how they assign butlers.  Anyone know how many suites the butler handles?  Just curious how many possibly conflicting demands they are juggling.

Butlers are either port or starboard side. So the butler who does the PH will do the adjoining Sky Suite too. The number of suites a butler will service can be dependent on staffing, especially in these difficult times. Asking in advance for things daily rather than last minute phone calls can help your butler organise his time and assist with conflicting demands.

 

We have been on cruises where there have been ‘demanding’ guests. Not often but occasionally. I particularly remember a PH guest on one ship demanding a hot buffet breakfast set up in his room daily for his whole family (12 more people if I remember correctly). I know about this because the guest came into Michael’s as we were sipping coffee and complaining to the concierge that the butler had refused to arrange it and had ‘only’ offered to set up coffee and pastries for that number of guests…
 

If you experience any concerns about butler service then talk to your butler first. Sometimes it can simply be a communication problem. For example, you may have requested morning coffee daily but he may have interpreted this as you would contact him if you wanted morning coffee…Remember, English is rarely the butler’s first language. If after a chat requests are still not being fulfilled then ask to speak to the suite manager. Up to him to find out what the issues are.

[prmssk]

@chemmo  Thanks for all the tips!  I want to make good use of the butler but not in a way that burdens.  The list I started does include the morning coffee and pastries we will want and a list of afternoon snacks we like (asking that they will vary what they bring).

[canderson]

Our last cruise turned into an exercise of figuring out when to cry "Uncle!"

 

We would return from afternoon 'tea time' in the Retreat Lounge or after dinner only to find yet another little Plexiglas (tm) box of delectables waiting for us!  We finally made an arrangement where we'd leave a note on the dining table if we weren't going to be in need of these.  Hated to waste them, and we kept hitting the wall of food, no matter how good these were ... and they were good! 

[Relaxinginthesun]

Our last several cruises haven been in RS. We have never had a request turned down. Last minute dinner reservations have never been an issue.  Spa appointments, speciality dining Mini bar requests. We have had several wonderful dinners with the Captain, Hotel Director, Staff Captain and the chief engineer whose wife was onboard with him. Several bridge tours, helipad sail aways. Last cruise on Apex Mentioned to the butler I loved real Indian cuisine.  He arranged a wonderful lunch for us in suite on an at sea day.   

[morpheusofthesea]

On 8/24/2022 at 7:03 PM, canderson said:

 

I haven't heard of anyone getting robes since the restart

Thanksgiving 2021

[morpheusofthesea]

On 8/25/2022 at 9:07 AM, TeeRick said:

On a number of ships (M, S, and E-Class) we have stayed in SS, CS and RS .  Never in a PH.  It seems a number of you on this thread have stayed in both RS and PH.  Can anybody give me a short summary or personal observations on choosing a PH over an RS?  Thank you.

Just that the balcony was rather limited by RS standards of other cruise lines and we felt that the piano was a lot of wasted space, unless one was hiring a piano player to play for a party in the PH. Tried a lunch out on the veranda of PH on a port day (no wind to contend with) but after 15 splendid minutes the port flies joined us and we quickly moved our 'picnic' inside.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Thanksgiving 2021

OK.  To clarify ... monogrammed robes.  We all get the nice robes ... heavy enough to wear in sub-zero weather!

[zgscl]

Thank you all so much for all of this info. It is so helpful as someone transferring from HAL where they do not really have a similar butler/PRH concept. I do have a couple quick questions. 
 

1) The pre cruise concierge mentioned one of the beverages they can stock in the cabin is iced tea. I’m assuming this is some sort of bottled/coca cola type product? Is there anywhere onboard where they have some sort of fresh (or fresh ish) brewed tea?

2) I did sign up for the inside access/behind the scenes tour. It sounds like the PRH may be able to arrange bridge tours, etc. Curious if anyone has done this or if it might be worth while to do both? I’m a total cruise nerd so I always love to see as much as possible. 
Thank you!

[chemmo]

22 minutes ago, zgscl said:

Thank you all so much for all of this info. It is so helpful as someone transferring from HAL where they do not really have a similar butler/PRH concept. I do have a couple quick questions. 
 

1) The pre cruise concierge mentioned one of the beverages they can stock in the cabin is iced tea. I’m assuming this is some sort of bottled/coca cola type product? Is there anywhere onboard where they have some sort of fresh (or fresh ish) brewed tea?

2) I did sign up for the inside access/behind the scenes tour. It sounds like the PRH may be able to arrange bridge tours, etc. Curious if anyone has done this or if it might be worth while to do both? I’m a total cruise nerd so I always love to see as much as possible. 
Thank you!

Cafe al Bacio has a range of good quality brewed teas, hot and iced. You get collect these yourself or ask your butler to deliver. Alternatively, ask for a kettle and tea selection and brew your own. 

 

If you want a theatre tour, a bridge tour or a galley tour speak to the Retreat Concierge on boarding. He/she tend to be in charge of organising these rather than your butler. It is the Retreat concierge who also arranges helipad sail aways and other events. With covid still being an issue be aware tours may be limited/not running on some cruises. 
 

The difference with the bought tour is that on a sea day you would do the full behind the scenes tour in one go. When you arrange through the concierge each aspect will most likely be separate. If you are only interested in certain aspects then the Concierge arranged tours may suit you better. If you would like a comprehensive overview the paid tour is worth doing.

 

We have on a couple of occasions (PH and RS guests) been invited on the last sea day to a bridge tour followed by a private lunch in Blu with the senior officers. Nice event.

[chemmo]

16 hours ago, canderson said:

Our last cruise turned into an exercise of figuring out when to cry "Uncle!"

 

We would return from afternoon 'tea time' in the Retreat Lounge or after dinner only to find yet another little Plexiglas (tm) box of delectables waiting for us!  We finally made an arrangement where we'd leave a note on the dining table if we weren't going to be in need of these.  Hated to waste them, and we kept hitting the wall of food, no matter how good these were ... and they were good! 

Agree!

 

We always struggle to get butlers to understand we want a ‘small selection of…’. Also we want our small selection ‘instead of’ not ‘as well as’ the standard delivery of afternoon snacks. As you say, such a pity when things go to waste.
 

Somehow we do always manage to find a small hole to fill…it would be rude not to…

Edited October 24, 2022 by chemmo

[morpheusofthesea]

6 hours ago, canderson said:

OK.  To clarify ... monogrammed robes.  We all get the nice robes ... heavy enough to wear in sub-zero weather!

Robes in closet everyone gets to use but must leave behind. Wrapped, packaged are gifts that may be monogrammed, but we opted for no monogramming so as to gift them. Some posters at the time, just last year, boasted of receiving both monogrammed robes and pjs. It turns out that just at that time the switch to only monogramed pjs was taking place. Had to ask specifically for the presentation of robes of concierges, saying that recent social media poster got both from their concierges for this same cabin category. Concierges asked for post. We supplied post and they checked post and acquiesced to our request. Turns out that one must be a social media 'darling' hosting a Celebrity cruise forum site to be fawned over and receiving these special gifts from now on.

[ssadie]

Does the food in Craft Social included with RS

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, ssadie said:

Does the food in Craft Social included with RS

Yes.
 

However, after asking we never actually dined there. We fancied trying it one sea day lunchtime after skipping breakfast. However in our experience the food option only seemed to be open evening. Not our idea of an evening dining venue.

 

Hope others respond with different experiences…I think we checked on one Med and one Caribbean cruise…

[danceswithphones]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

monogramed pjs

I've seen photos of these laid out on the bed and already monogrammed. I forgot to ask the Shoreside Concierge about them. Do you think it's worth the effort to reach out about these? I'll never hear the end of it if DW doesn't get her PJ's. 

[RichYak]

47 minutes ago, danceswithphones said:

Do you think it's worth the effort to reach out about these? I'll never hear the end of it if DW doesn't get her PJ's. 

I will definitely include this in my request list for the shore concierge. I made the same mistake of telling my wife about the PJs. The pressure to deliver is palpable.

Edited October 24, 2022 by RichYak

[zgscl]

10 hours ago, chemmo said:

Cafe al Bacio has a range of good quality brewed teas, hot and iced. You get collect these yourself or ask your butler to deliver. Alternatively, ask for a kettle and tea selection and brew your own. 

 

If you want a theatre tour, a bridge tour or a galley tour speak to the Retreat Concierge on boarding. He/she tend to be in charge of organising these rather than your butler. It is the Retreat concierge who also arranges helipad sail aways and other events. With covid still being an issue be aware tours may be limited/not running on some cruises. 
 

The difference with the bought tour is that on a sea day you would do the full behind the scenes tour in one go. When you arrange through the concierge each aspect will most likely be separate. If you are only interested in certain aspects then the Concierge arranged tours may suit you better. If you would like a comprehensive overview the paid tour is worth doing.

 

We have on a couple of occasions (PH and RS guests) been invited on the last sea day to a bridge tour followed by a private lunch in Blu with the senior officers. Nice event.

Thank you so much! 

[CruisinShips]

Forgive me for this newbie (to Celebrity) question...is a Celebrity Suite (on the Equinox in my case) considered and "Upper suite", or no?