How do people afford $20,000 suites?

[topnole]

3 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

If I book a $20,000 suite, do I need to wear a $1,000 Brook Brother suit on "Try and Dress your Best" night? Or will my "vintage" $99 Sears suit (sale price, regularly $129) be okay?

 

You can wear a polyester suit if you want.   

Edited April 5, 2023 by topnole

[PompeySailor]

Just now, Denversail said:

That isn’t $30 a day.

It’s diluted math not exact science 

[topnole]

1 minute ago, HBE4 said:

 

Wow, I can't afford to not be in a $15,000 suite. 😉

 

See.  Now you are catching on.   😂😂

Edited April 5, 2023 by topnole

[Ret MP]

11 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

If I book a $20,000 suite, do I need to wear a $1,000 Brook Brother suit on "Try and Dress your Best" night? Or will my "vintage" $99 Sears suit (sale price, regularly $129) be okay?

 

Nope, none of the above.  You're welcome to borrow some of my WalMart shorts and Ts that I wear when I'm cruising in my Star Class suite.  But, I want 'em back, they're still good for another 4 or 5 years.

 

 

[Denversail]

18 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

It’s diluted math not exact science 

It is an incorrect comparison. You can either add the perks to the balcony OR subtract them from the suite not both.

[PompeySailor]

5 minutes ago, Denversail said:

It is an incorrect comparison. You can either add the perks to the balcony OR subtract them from the suite not both.

I knew it 

Of course you can do both for mathematical comparison 

 

and agree you can’t remove from the star class experience,  that’s a simple one to work out 

 

but cmon you do understand the logic, surely 🤪

[PompeySailor]

7 minutes ago, Denversail said:

It is an incorrect comparison. You can either add the perks to the balcony OR subtract them from the suite not both.

Hopefully one day you’ll go on a BELLA cruise and we can talk logic and fun stuff over a few drinks in the schooner bar 

I’m buying, well actually I won’t be, as I don’t pay for drinks 

[Denversail]

1 minute ago, PompeySailor said:

I knew it 

Of course you can do both for mathematical comparison 

 

and agree you can’t remove from the star class experience,  that’s a simple one to work out 

 

but cmon you do understand the logic, surely 🤪

okay I guess your comparison was sarcasm. I didn’t catch that.

[Denversail]

4 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

Hopefully one day you’ll go on a BELLA cruise and we can talk logic and fun stuff over a few drinks in the schooner bar 

I’m buying, well actually I won’t be, as I don’t pay for drinks 

I loved following the Bella cruise. It looked like a lot of fun. Would love to join one. I don’t think the next one will work into my schedule. So glad you all got to that and are going to keep it up. Perhaps someday in the future I’ll make it on one.

[HBE4]

24 minutes ago, Denversail said:

okay I guess your comparison was sarcasm. I didn’t catch that.

 

It was a fun tongue-in-cheek exercise. But yeah, you are correct that if you wanted to do a semi-serious price comparison, you'd have to not subtract the $3,901.59 in ala carte benefits from the suite price.  So the true pp/pd price difference will be $169 ($3,901.59 / 4 pp / 7 day = $139 + the $30 difference already noted).

 

So is $169 worth the "intangible benefits" i.e. Genie, priority access, MDR menu room service, plush robes and the extra space + SL access?  No doubt, for some it is.

 

EDIT: In real life, I'm a pretty sarcastic person and know from personal experience, it does not translate well into the written word on Internet forums. Many, many misinterpreted posts before I learned to somewhat tone myself down. 😇

Edited April 5, 2023 by HBE4

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, PompeySailor said:

EUREKA 💡 

 

The WHYi it is worth it in me and HOW and WHY people pay $6k less for a suite

 

$14k For a family of 4 in Star Class 

Let’s say SLS on Harmony 7 night 

(those that know, that’s a fair price)

That is $500 per person per night 

 

At todays rates for Harmony 

Grats included $18.50 per person per day for all 4 ($518.00)

Wifi included $19.99 x 4 x 7 $559.72

All adult drinks included $77.99 + Tax x2 $184 per day

$1288.00 for 2 adults 

All kids drinks included $27.99 + Tax x2

$66.00 per day

$462.00 Total for 2 kids 

All speciality dining included x4 $235.99 + Tax x4 $268.47

$1073.87 Total for all 4

 

Summary

$14000.00 deduct included 

• $1073.87
• $1288.00
• $559.72
• $518.00
• $462.00
• PRICE OF SUITE AND ALL THE OTHER PERKS not listed =$10,098.41 
• Works out at $360 per person per night

 

 

Let’s say a Balcony on Harmony 7 nights

$5356.96 Mid ship Balcony

A La carte purchases

NO Grats inc $16 x 4 x 7 = $448.00

NO WIFI inc $559.72

NO drink package inc2 adults$1288.00

NO drink package inc 2 kids $462.00

NO speciality dining included $1073.87

Total of buying A La carte $3901.59

+ $5356.96

TOTAL = $9258.55

$330.00 per person per night 

 

 

So there you have it, this is how some people can afford $30 per person per day more than all the folk that sail in a balcony Cabin

 

This is the logic and math we apply when booking a suite or star class 

I’m sure others factor in all the included as well and the price difference sometimes is close.

(Apply same logic to YC on MSC and that’s why we sail more now on MSC)

 

It’s just $30 per day per person from a balcony to a Star Loft Suite 

 

I know it’s not exactly apples to apples 🍎 🍏 and some figures rounded up

 But the raw math of what is included against what isn’t holds pretty well at todays published costs.

 

But I say, how do people afford to spend $9000 on a balcony without any perks 

 

Also in star class you can dress less formal 😉 and no Lines or Queues at the MDR or buffet or anywhere 

 

And where your T-shirt untucked in the SL

It was my understanding that there would be no math.

[PompeySailor]

Just now, time4u2go said:

It was my understanding that there would be no math.

I apologize the mathematician in me just had to come out and play 

2 plus 2 is 4 minus 1 is 3 quick math 🎵 

[Ret MP]

9 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

I apologize the mathematician in me just had to come out and play 

2 plus 2 is 4 minus 1 is 3 quick math 🎵 

“I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”

[PompeySailor]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

“I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”

Alan Greenspan 😉

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

Alan Greenspan 😉

Yep

[DirtyDawg]

Is there a Coles Notes version of this thread? 

 

Jeepers, it's like reading War and Peace meets Finnegans Wake. 🤯

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

Is there a Coles Notes version of this thread? 

 

Jeepers, it's like reading War and Peace meets Finnegans Wake. 🤯

Or Mad Magazine.  

[shipshape sam]

• Have no desire to spend that, but I do justify spending lots of money for other things.  I see a cruise cabin as a place to store our stuff, change / clean up and sleep.  Otherwise, we are out and about the ship.  We do tend to book a balcony as I love to look at, smell the air and at times just sit and watch the waves go by, unless we have an aft balcony and then get to watch the wake and see where we have just been.  

Edited April 6, 2023 by shipshape sam
add a word

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

Is there a Coles Notes version of this thread? 

 

Jeepers, it's like reading War and Peace meets Finnegans Wake. 🤯

Yes.  Very few people pay 20k for a cruise and almost everyone else wouldn’t.   But that story isn’t as captivating.   
 

That comparison is far too complementary btw.   

[DirtyDawg]

45 minutes ago, topnole said:

That comparison is far too complementary btw.   

Very true, but I couldn't figure out how to write out War and Peace Squared. 

War and Peace 2 ?

War and Peace ^2 ?

X

?

😉

 

[pink845]

Well, let's see, we usually opt for mini suites, but maybe once my youngest kid opens up his medical practice this year, I won't have to spot him anymore, and I will have some extra cash to treat myself to a FULL SUITE, just not the $20,000 variety.   My husband has many clients that earn well over $1.0 million a year.  The amount of discretionary income out there is unreal.  Also, remember that a lot of people did not use their travel budget due to covid over the last few years and now are flush with cash and are able to afford to splurge. Some of them prefer the $20,000 suite.   

[gingerpeaches]

10 hours ago, Ret MP said:

It's not like they are holding your hand, lining you up in a single file like in kindergarten to go to the cafeteria.  

 

That's how it looked but I did say I'm sure it was done for television. 

 

10 hours ago, Ret MP said:

 

And far from a perfect stranger.  The Genie isn't just any old crew member that was told to be a Genie today.  They have been vetted for a long time, training for a long time and you have a lot of resources to check out a Genie.  You see it all the time on these Social Media sites.  People asking how was Marla, Raul, ....... whomever.  I've communicated with my upcoming Genie for up to a month prior to my sailing.  I've got a good feeling of what kind of person the Genie is and did my best to check out his/her reputation.  I've even got an email address for a Genie that we had once and I would email her to get a feeling of the upcoming Genie if I had young ones.  The Genie service is a small community.

 

Well done for doing your due diligence.

 

10 hours ago, Ret MP said:

 

Question, if you've had kids in a daycare center, did/do you have control over who watched your kids every minute of the day?  If not, which is the probability, and you didn't/don't like not having that control, you have the option of taking the child(ren) to another daycare.  You basically have the same option with the Genie, if you don't trust him/her, don't let him/her take your kids anywhere.  By the time I get on the ship if I was still the parent of a young one, I have already checked him/her out fairly well and I'd definitely have a conversation with him/her to get to know him/her better. 

 

My kids did Adventure Ocean when they were small. I think a group scenario is very different.

 

10 hours ago, Ret MP said:

 

But, you've got to do what you feel is right for you!

 

Thank you for the explanation but in all honesty, I don't really care about the Genie. It was an observation while watching a "documentary". It felt creepy to me and that's my opinion.

 

This entire thread has left me pretty much gobsmacked. I don't care about what people are willing to spend on their holidays. That's none of my business. What leaves me gobsmacked is how willing people are to talk about what they earn. It feels like a financial p***ing contest. I get it. You have money. Colour me impressed. 🙄

 

I'm just waiting for people to post their bank statements next. 🍿

[topnole]

5 hours ago, gingerpeaches said:

 

That's how it looked but I did say I'm sure it was done for television. 

 

 

Well done for doing your due diligence.

 

 

My kids did Adventure Ocean when they were small. I think a group scenario is very different.

 

 

Thank you for the explanation but in all honesty, I don't really care about the Genie. It was an observation while watching a "documentary". It felt creepy to me and that's my opinion.

 

This entire thread has left me pretty much gobsmacked. I don't care about what people are willing to spend on their holidays. That's none of my business. What leaves me gobsmacked is how willing people are to talk about what they earn. It feels like a financial p***ing contest. I get it. You have money. Colour me impressed. 🙄

 

I'm just waiting for people to post their bank statements next. 🍿

Judging something by a commercial is most certainly not going to give you an accurate portrayal.   Did they also show every lounger full of people or towels with others hunting just trying to find one chair by the pool not being hogged?   Or 20 people waiting elevators in the elevator lobby.  Of course not.  Commercials aren’t realistic in any way.   
 

Genies don’t follow folks around or escort them everywhere.   They can escort folks to some things if requested.  I don’t see why folks would need or want it, but we cruise enough to know the ships well.  Some don’t and have no idea where they are for a few days.  I’m sure they are the ones asking for help in that regard.  If one doesn’t know the ship well and sees the huge lines for elevators, they might be inclined to ask or accept an invitation to be escorted to a show to get there on time.  I’m guessing that is why most would do that.  Who cares?   There is nothing creepy about that.  It’s just a service that might be available if time permits for the genie.  And believe me, genies don’t have time to follow or escort each passenger all around all the time.  They serve 3-4 cabins each (some hold 8 or more people with varying schedules) so they can’t just focus on one group.   They are more than happy when folks prefer they give them less face time. 
 

I’ve done Star class several times and never been escorted to anything other than on the ship during embarkation or off the ship the last morning (both are huge huge time savers and incredibly convenient).  Sure, genies will hold the hands of some kids because the kids normally fall in love with the genie who tends to do special things for them.  Nothing creepy about that at all.  The genie/customer relationship tends to gear towards a familia type of feeling versus a transactional relationship.  

[cruise1957]

We save and vacation when the budget allows. Maybe they save a lot and wait longer for vacation. Maybe they are richer than you and I, I don't care if what they pay if it helps with the bottom line for the cruiseline I'm happy for them and hope they have a great cruise vacation.

[cruise1957]

13 hours ago, topnole said:

Yes.  Very few people pay 20k for a cruise and almost everyone else wouldn’t.   But that story isn’t as captivating.   
 

That comparison is far too complementary btw.   

That's why there are fewer cabins on the ship that cost that amount of money, and so many more for the rest of us.