Included amenities/dining experiences with penthouse suite

[anywhereiroam]

Hello all!

My apologies if this question has been asked multiple times -- I searched and could not find it.

We are going to Alaska on our first cruise! Its grand princess cruise, we didn't book it directly (I know we can not say through whom). Its a penthouse suite, and as I understand it it includes additional speciality dining/amenities? I tried looking in my reservation but I am unsure what is included vs what has to be paid extra. I was on the call with the travel agent but they also could not get the answers. I am hoping I can get answers here!

 

We have booked "penthouse suite" and have "premium plus" dining. 

• As I understand it, we get two speciality dining free? In the app it only shows "crown" as speciality, and mentions there is a cover charge for me.
• Can we book room service breakfast, is that included or charged? I think its showing $45 in the app, I thought I will check if that is correct or a mistake.
• A separate conceirge line -- just for penthouse/suite guests? 

Are there are other amenities/included things I am missing? I remember small other small things too like speciality desserts and  2 gym lessons.

[memoak]

The only extra dining that comes with a suite is a free specialty dinner on embarkation night you book when you board. You can have suite breakfast in a specialty restaurant every morning   Dinner and sea day lunches will be in the Reserve Dining area. If you have a package there would be some extras if you are standard not

You do get free laundry service and one time mini bar

[Paula_MacFan]

Princess suite benefits:

https://www.princess.com/en-us/ships-and-experience/ships/staterooms/suites

 

Princess Premier package:

https://www.princess.com/en-us/cruise-deals-promotions/plus-premier-cruise-packages

[skynight]

47 minutes ago, anywhereiroam said:

We have booked "penthouse suite" and have "premium plus" dining. 

• As I understand it, we get two speciality dining free? In the app it only shows "crown" as speciality, and mentions there is a cover charge for me.
• Can we book room service breakfast, is that included or charged? I think its showing $45 in the app, I thought I will check if that is correct or a mistake.
• A separate conceirge line -- just for penthouse/suite guests? 

Are there are other amenities/included things I am missing? I remember small other small things too like specialty desserts and  2 gym lessons.

You receive a specialty dining meal at either Sabatini's or the Crown Grill on boarding day. The two specialty meals you refer to are attached to the Premier fare package not to suite benefits.

You can order room service from the breakfast menu at no charge. I'm not sure what meal you are referring to for $45. Whatever it is I really don't think there is any benefit since full suite passengers are entitled to special made to order breakfasts in Sabatini's. See below. 

Not certain what you mean by premium plus dining. Full suite passengers can dine each evening in the Reserve Class DR which I believe on the Grand is the Da Vinci DR on deck 6 mid ship. It is walk in dining with prompt seating elevated service and an extra menu item each evening. This DR is open for breakfast and dinner each day and lunch on sea days.

Full suite passengers can have a special made to order breakfast each day at Sabatini's. It is one of the top full suite benefits. It's called the mimosa breakfast in the benefits.

• Complimentary Specialty Dining Mimosa Breakfast (daily)

Other amenities. You are mixing up the plus & premier fares with full suite amenities. They are different. Suggest you review the links in post #3. The specialty desserts and gym classes are part of the plus and premier fares. 

 

[jeromep]

Your travel agent has no bearing on the cabin or packages that you purchase with Princess.  No need to mention them.  The travel agent is... well... an agent, reselling what Princess offers.  I am glad you used an agent for your first cruise as they can be helpful if you have any needs between now, when you booked the cruise, and when you embark.  I'd rather deal with an agent who I know their name and number and have some relationship with them than trying to deal with Princess' call center.  Princess' call center is a nightmare.

 

That said...

3 hours ago, anywhereiroam said:

As I understand it, we get two speciality dining free? In the app it only shows "crown" as speciality, and mentions there is a cover charge for me.

 

Since you have booked a full suite (not a mini-suite... bad naming and marketing, mini-suites are not suites), you are comped one specialty dining meal on embarkation evening.  All you have to do is to call the Dine Line when you get on board and get a reservation for the venue of your choice.  That would either be the Crown Grill or Sabatini's, in the case of the Grand Princess.  I like Italian, and on our cruise last year Sabatini's was on fire.  Loved the menu and the dishes.  We did Sabatini's 3 times when on board.  That is a record for us.  If you aren't into Italian, then the Crown grill is also excellent.  It is modeled after higher end steakhouses with typical steakhouse fare.

 

The two "free" speciality dining meals are part of your Princess Premier package.  Those you'd want to use on the remainder of the evenings on board.  In total, you have 3 comped specialty dining meals, one that is part of your suite and only good on embarkation night, and two more for any remaining night on board.

 

3 hours ago, anywhereiroam said:

Can we book room service breakfast, is that included or charged? I think its showing $45 in the app, I thought I will check if that is correct or a mistake.

 

Room service breakfast, from the main dining room menu, is a full suite benefit.  Just ask your cabin steward for the daily MDR menus and then you'd call the dine line to order room service.  This is only available when the MDR is open and serving that meal.  This applies to lunch and dinner.  As a full suite passenger you have a special breakfast venue only for you, which is held either in Crown Grill or Sabatini's.  It is usually in Sabatini's if the ship has that venue.  You will receive documentation on board letting you know of some or all of the additional benefits you get as a suite passenger, including where suite breakfast is served.  The menu is slightly different for suite breakfast compared to MDR breakfast.  Plus they do short order cooking for suite breakfast.  Feel like an omelet, they can do that.  Want a whole mess of bacon and toast, they can do that.  LOX, on bagel, no problem.  Fruit and oatmeal, no problem.  French toast, pancakes, waffle, no problem.  Plus they do mimosas, espresso based coffee drinks, and so on.  So you had better check out suite breakfast.  No dress code either.  Just throw on any old thing after you get up and head down.

 

3 hours ago, anywhereiroam said:

A separate conceirge line -- just for penthouse/suite guests?

 

The Grand Princess does not have the Concierge Lounge, that is only a space on the newer Royal Class ships... and the new Sun Class ships.  However, there is a separate service line at Passenger Services in the Piazza on all ships, and if you are calling passenger services they know you are calling from a suite and you tend to get prioritized.  My goal is to have as little to do with passenger services as possible, and so far, I've been successful.  Best way to avoid any lines with passenger services is to frequently check your on-board folio during your cruise to ensure that all charges that show up make sense and if you see something that you didn't do on your folio, report it as soon as possible.  You can check your folio through the Princess app very easily.

 

It appears that you have Princess Premier as your all-inclusive package, so you should have few on board expenses.  Your gratuity is covered in Premier, along with two of your specialty dining meals, along with any casual dining venue meals, specialty deserts, juices and just about all beverages (up to $20/each).  If you use the spa, that will be additional cost, along with shore excursions purchased through Princess.  You are on a Grand class ship, which has the older thermal suites.  Thermal suites should still be complimentary to suite passengers.

 

Hope this helps a little.

[DiRonT]

Jerome's- great detailed explanation.  OP should be very thankful!

[anywhereiroam]

36 minutes ago, jeromep said:

Your travel agent has no bearing on the cabin or packages that you purchase with Princess.  No need to mention them.  The travel agent is... well... an agent, reselling what Princess offers.  I am glad you used an agent for your first cruise as they can be helpful if you have any needs between now, when you booked the cruise, and when you embark.  I'd rather deal with an agent who I know their name and number and have some relationship with them than trying to deal with Princess' call center.  Princess' call center is a nightmare.

 

That said...

 

Since you have booked a full suite (not a mini-suite... bad naming and marketing, mini-suites are not suites), you are comped one specialty dining meal on embarkation evening.  All you have to do is to call the Dine Line when you get on board and get a reservation for the venue of your choice.  That would either be the Crown Grill or Sabatini's, in the case of the Grand Princess.  I like Italian, and on our cruise last year Sabatini's was on fire.  Loved the menu and the dishes.  We did Sabatini's 3 times when on board.  That is a record for us.  If you aren't into Italian, then the Crown grill is also excellent.  It is modeled after higher end steakhouses with typical steakhouse fare.

 

The two "free" speciality dining meals are part of your Princess Premier package.  Those you'd want to use on the remainder of the evenings on board.  In total, you have 3 comped specialty dining meals, one that is part of your suite and only good on embarkation night, and two more for any remaining night on board.

 

 

Room service breakfast, from the main dining room menu, is a full suite benefit.  Just ask your cabin steward for the daily MDR menus and then you'd call the dine line to order room service.  This is only available when the MDR is open and serving that meal.  This applies to lunch and dinner.  As a full suite passenger you have a special breakfast venue only for you, which is held either in Crown Grill or Sabatini's.  It is usually in Sabatini's if the ship has that venue.  You will receive documentation on board letting you know of some or all of the additional benefits you get as a suite passenger, including where suite breakfast is served.  The menu is slightly different for suite breakfast compared to MDR breakfast.  Plus they do short order cooking for suite breakfast.  Feel like an omelet, they can do that.  Want a whole mess of bacon and toast, they can do that.  LOX, on bagel, no problem.  Fruit and oatmeal, no problem.  French toast, pancakes, waffle, no problem.  Plus they do mimosas, espresso based coffee drinks, and so on.  So you had better check out suite breakfast.  No dress code either.  Just throw on any old thing after you get up and head down.

 

 

The Grand Princess does not have the Concierge Lounge, that is only a space on the newer Royal Class ships... and the new Sun Class ships.  However, there is a separate service line at Passenger Services in the Piazza on all ships, and if you are calling passenger services they know you are calling from a suite and you tend to get prioritized.  My goal is to have as little to do with passenger services as possible, and so far, I've been successful.  Best way to avoid any lines with passenger services is to frequently check your on-board folio during your cruise to ensure that all charges that show up make sense and if you see something that you didn't do on your folio, report it as soon as possible.  You can check your folio through the Princess app very easily.

 

It appears that you have Princess Premier as your all-inclusive package, so you should have few on board expenses.  Your gratuity is covered in Premier, along with two of your specialty dining meals, along with any casual dining venue meals, specialty deserts, juices and just about all beverages (up to $20/each).  If you use the spa, that will be additional cost, along with shore excursions purchased through Princess.  You are on a Grand class ship, which has the older thermal suites.  Thermal suites should still be complimentary to suite passengers.

 

Hope this helps a little.

OMG! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! Seriously, very generous of you. This helps so much. I really appreciate it. 
 

thank you thank you!

[cr8tiv1]

As mentioned, the Grand will NOT have a concierge's lounge....but there will be a concierge available to you via Customer Service.  You will be "entitled" to visit the Platinum/Elite/Suite cocktail hour somewhere on the ship.  

 

You will have one Specialty Dinner on Embarkation night:  book when you board.  You will have two Specialty Dinners with the Premier Package (some say you can book this early, others have been charge).  

 

You may call room service and order anything since you have Premier.  Hot items are only available while the MDR is open.  In general......Suite benefit breakfast will not be delivered to your room.

 

Enjoy your time onboard the Grand.  One of my favorite ships.

[jeromep]

18 minutes ago, anywhereiroam said:

OMG! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! Seriously, very generous of you. This helps so much. I really appreciate it. 
 

thank you thank you!

Oh, forgot to mention, as a suite passenger you have access to the Reserve Collection (used to be called Club Class) section of the main dining room.  Just look for the separate entrance to one of the mid-ships dining rooms off the Piazza on deck 5 or deck 6.  If my memory serves, on the Grand class ships the Reserve dining room entry is on deck 5, starboard side.  But I could be wrong on both the deck and side.  Just look for a sign at the entry that says Reserve... something.  It is possible for it to vary from ship to ship and from ship class to class.

 

No need to reserve a time to eat, just walk up and you'l be seated quite shortly.  You also won't be offered to sit at a larger table with others, you can dine on your own every night.

 

There are three main dining rooms on board.  Two off the Piazza, one on deck 5 and one right above on deck 6.  There is a third dining room hiding aft on deck 6.  The only way to get to it is to go up to deck 7, go all the way to the rear stairway/elevator lobby, go down a level, and you are there.  But since you have a suite, no need for you to find the "hidden" dining room.

 

Also need to add that you'll have plenty of extra documentation on the desk in your cabin when you get on board telling you about a lot of these offerings.  You'll get an invite for the suite/elite passenger reception that will tell you the time and location of the reception each evening, and even the type of snacks they will offer.  It is a great way to spoil your appetite for dinner.

Edited April 2 by jeromep
More info

[memoak]

Reserve Class dining in almost every sip is midship deck 6. If it is a Grand class ship it is generally to your left as you face the venue 

[reedprincess]

As an FYI - the $45 breakfast you're seeing online to order is the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast, and available to anyone at all. It's a multi-course huge breakfast spread all delivered at once along with half bottle of champagne.  It's delightful for those scenic cruising mornings, etc. It is a LOT of food - quiche, salmon, pastries, fruit platters, and so forth. Some customization is available aboard (ie add bacon or some simple things) otherwise it's a set menu. You choose date and time for delivery..

 

As a Suite guest, you can order full breakfast from the main dining room anytime it's open, if you don't want to go to the suite breakfast.   And with the Premier Cruise Package, you would have no delivery fee, plus could order a few mimosas or bloody Marys or whatever for delivery also, if you wanted with breakfast...

 

Enjoy.