$115 A Day Extra Cost for A1 (Concierge Veranda) Cabin VS B1 Cabin - Is it worth it?

[Smokeyham]

We are booking a 35 day cruise on board Nautica and the only veranda cabins left are in the A-series.  Comparing an A1 (Concierge Level Verandah) with a B1 (Veranda cabin) we see the additional amenities as those listed below.  The concierge cabins are one deck higher, but A1 and B1 are the same size and layout. Both are in the middle of the ship.

For our particular cruise the additional cost for an A1 is $116/Day.  

For us, the additional cost does not seem to be worthwhile, but I am curious to hear from those who book these cabins as to what makes the additional cost worthwhile for you.   

 

• "In addition to Stateroom amenities"
• Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from the Grand Dining Room
• Free laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom
• Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
• Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
• Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
• Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
• Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
• Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation (certain limitations apply)
• Complimentary shoe shine service
• All Suites and Staterooms are Smoke-Free

[MomC]

To me, the amenities that I like are the 3 bags of laundry, the expanded room service menu, the pressing of clothes, access to the Aquamarine Spa Terrace—plus the concierge lounge.  Do they add up to $116 a day?  No, but I have booked close to that lounge and will enjoy meeting people and having access to all that it offers.  For me it’s worth it, but for some it’s not.  Personal choice.

[willidc]

55 minutes ago, MomC said:

To me, the amenities that I like are the 3 bags of laundry, the expanded room service menu, the pressing of clothes, access to the Aquamarine Spa Terrace—plus the concierge lounge.  Do they add up to $116 a day?  No, but I have booked close to that lounge and will enjoy meeting people and having access to all that it offers.  For me it’s worth it, but for some it’s not.  Personal choice.

In addition to the above, we enjoy the welcome champagne as a nice touch, but

the most important amenity for us is the ability to have earlier booking for the specialty restaurants.  Our dinners are very important to us and getting the reservation at the time and table for two on the days we want make Concierge very attractive.

 

We typically book a balcony at the beginning when we see if the Concierge rooms are much more expensive (and $116/day we would consider much more expensive). If the sailing sells well quickly, then we keep our balcony.  But I check regularly and during promos and have found that we can get into that A category much cheaper on most sailings we have booked by waiting and watching until we leave home for the airport.

 

On our last two cruises we did use the Concierge crew member on the larger ships in the Concierge lounge. Nice and convenient on Deck 9 where we prefer to be onthe larger ships. 

 

It is a personal decision as to if it is worth it.  Do you want to be on THAT particular sailing?  Then you can book the A1 and check often to see if a B category cabin opens up. In cases like yours you can WL but then don't have a guarantee that you will be on the ship. Your decision.

 

Best of Luck!

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Smokeyham said:

We are booking a 35 day cruise on board Nautica and the only veranda cabins left are in the A-series.  Comparing an A1 (Concierge Level Verandah) with a B1 (Veranda cabin) we see the additional amenities as those listed below.  The concierge cabins are one deck higher, but A1 and B1 are the same size and layout. Both are in the middle of the ship.

For our particular cruise the additional cost for an A1 is $116/Day.  

For us, the additional cost does not seem to be worthwhile, but I am curious to hear from those who book these cabins as to what makes the additional cost worthwhile for you.   

 

• "In addition to Stateroom amenities"
• Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from the Grand Dining Room
• Free laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom
• Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
• Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
• Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
• Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
• Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
• Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation (certain limitations apply)
• Complimentary shoe shine service
• All Suites and Staterooms are Smoke-Free

Same exact cabins with a few non-earthshattering perks for $4000 more? No
 

The only time we do Concierge (A) cabins is when the choice of available Veranda (B) cabins are in terrible locations OR the itinerary is long but with a relatively minimal  A cabin price difference. 

[ronrick1943]

3 hours ago, MomC said:

To me, the amenities that I like are the 3 bags of laundry, the expanded room service menu, the pressing of clothes, access to the Aquamarine Spa Terrace—plus the concierge lounge.  Do they add up to $116 a day?  No, but I have booked close to that lounge and will enjoy meeting people and having access to all that it offers.  For me it’s worth it, but for some it’s not.  Personal choice.

Nicely stated, it's a personal matter and depends on what is important to you.  If this makes your cruise better and you can afford it-you should go for it.  My idea of a great cruise is go for the nicest cabin/suite that is comfortable within your budget---and enjoy the time.

[Sebbiesgrammy]

And especially on the R ships where there is only one launderette for the entire ship, we, especially appreciate the free laundry and pressing which is per segment.  On a long cruise, it really matters.

[Harters]

We've done three O cruises. One was a penthouse (Nautica - because of the well reported small shower elsewhere) and the other two concierge veranda. The facility to make early reservations for speciality restaurants is important to us - in being able to book when and what we want. The free laundry was also helpful on our recent transatlantic. 

 

For our Vista cruise next year, the price differential between an A1 and a B1 is £30pppd. Well worth it to us. Maybe not to others. 

[Redtravel]

It’s no wonder that only A cabins are sold last.  Suites sell out first. They have more space.  On R ships, more space is important to many people.  Some people want to save money. They book the insides and ocean views. I have never booked an inside.  I book ov when it’s my only option. Many years ago, there were no verandas. I like verandas. I like to sit outside in my own space. On Oceania, standard veranda and concierge cabins are the same size. Concierge includes some amenities that standard cabins don’t include.  Some people enjoy those amenities and will book concierge cabins.  I don’t see much value in the concierge amenities.  I have same cruise in either concierge or standard veranda cabins. Why would I book concierge?  I book concierge when regular cabins and suites are sold out. I may opt for concierge for location.  I have booked concierge to use up voucher money from a canceled pandemic cruise.  Look at the list of concierge amenities and decide if those amenities are worth spending more.  
When Oceania added free laundry as a perk for concierge and suites, I was attracted to it. It isn’t what I thought.  It includes 3 bags of laundry (20 items wash and fold) per cruise regardless of the length of the cruise. Return is 3 days.  A better option is to use the free launderette.  Wash and dry in an hour.  Also, I often take advantage of the laundry specials that are offered on some days.  I was on Marina in May 14 days. There were 3 days that they had laundry special. Wash and fold 20 items. Clothes were return next day.  $24.99/bag.  
 

[MEFIowa]

We sailed 10 nights on her sister, Sirena, with 22 more booked later this yet. BUT we have done an A3 & a B3 on Riviera, our Oct-Nov 2023 B2B cruise in the Med.

 

Sadly, the R-class ships do NOT have the concierge lounge as do the larger O-class ships (where I'd go to read world newspapers & get some coffee & finger foods) nor do they have the large therapy pool that Riviera has but not Marina. I do enjoy the big therapy pool around 1730 after a hard day's fun excursions.

 

The BIGGEST difference for us was in dinner reservations. We could get the 1830 early reservations in our A3 cabin but NOT for our B3. We were left with the late dreg times. While on board O actually changed our 2100 time to 2030 and I could see why. Only about 3 or 4 couples showed up at or after 2030. The specialty restaurants emptying out by 2100 and pretty empty by 2130. In our B3 cabin we learned to order immediately and skip the bread and dessert courses in the specialty restaurants, so we weren't the last to leave an all-but-empty restaurant. (You could tell the staff wanted to be done by 2130.)

 

The O-class ships have laundry rooms on all the primary passenger decks. The R-class have just one laundry room for the entire ship. So harder to do your own laundry. IF you're going to want laundry done, having O do it on board may be a benefit to you.

[MEFIowa]

10 hours ago, MomC said:

To me, the amenities that I like are —plus the concierge lounge....

There is NO concierge lounge on Nautica or any of the smaller R-class ships. They are sailing on Nautica.

[DrHemlock]

4 hours ago, Harters said:

The facility to make early reservations for speciality restaurants is important to us - in being able to book when and what we want.

Ditto.  Very important for misanthropes like us for whom small talk with strangers impedes our enjoyment of multiple courses and a good bottle we don't want to share.  And since big talk inevitably devolves into politics, as we know from occasional snippets of conversation wafting over from nearby large tables, we'll stick with our hard-to-get-if-you're-not-in-a suite two-tops -- which, along with our preferred dining time, requires the earlier reservation date of a Concierge cabin.

Edited June 5 by DrHemlock

[Harters]

23 minutes ago, DrHemlock said:

And since big talk inevitably devolves into politics

It's bad enough when its amongst our family members. I don't want to discuss it when on holiday and with strangers (most of whom will be from a foreign land with few having a real grasp of the nature of the politics in my country, not I of theirs). . 

Edited June 5 by Harters

[MomC]

To your last point, I always enjoy what people from other countries have to say about American politics.

[MEFIowa]

27 minutes ago, Harters said:

... I don't want to discuss it when on holiday and with strangers (most of whom will be from a foreign land with few having a real grasp of the nature of the politics in my country, not I of theirs). 

Though sometimes foreigners can study the politics of various nations and have sharp observations. I love to study the political situations in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the UK, for example. Who doesn't love to see provincial by-election results or state/provincial elections? I oh so love that unique Canadian term, "riding" for their parliamentary seats!

 

Though maybe I was the only American who paid attention to the May 27th Baie Verte-Green Bay provincial by-election in Newfoundland & Labrador where the PC gained a seat from the Liberals? Can't wait for the June 18th Tuxedo provincial by-election in Manitoba.

 

And for you Brits, there's always something like "What's the SNP or Plaid Cymru up to?" or "What's your analysis of the West Lothian question?"

 

PLUS, you've got your upcoming UK parliamentary election! Can't wait. I'll be on the BBC page studying returns that evening.

 

🙂

[Harters]

13 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

or "What's your analysis of the West Lothian question?"

I do actually have one (and I bet most Brits have never heard of it). The term was first coined in the mid 1970s when I was studying for my professional qualification in municipal administration. One of the modules of the Final level (which I never gained in spite of sitting the examination three times) was about the British constitution.It is one of our quirks that whilst Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have their health services run by their own local parliaments/assemblies, the service in England is run by the national UK government. My view then, and now, is that these powers should be passed to new regional assemblies in the English regions. West Lothian question resolved. Or that Scotland votes to cede from the union and the people of Northern Ireland vote to join the South. Then the country stops being called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and becomes, simply, Britain. 

Edited June 5 by Harters

[ORV]

Is it necessary to book the 1 category? What's the savings to go to an A3 as opposed to an A1? 

 

To me the rooms are all the same, with a few exceptions that you have to know about. We're one of those that are ok anywhere on the ship, so I can't see paying more for the next number up unless there are no other options. 

[roberts2005]

Not sure it matters about the spa terrace access.  On our recent 21 day Regatta cruise, no one checked cards or cabin numbers when going.

[ORV]

10 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Not sure it matters about the spa terrace access.  On our recent 21 day Regatta cruise, no one checked cards or cabin numbers when going.

And on the Regatta there is no card reader to open the door. I'm not sure about the other R ships. I'm pretty sure the O ships have card readers on the door. 

[DrHemlock]

6 hours ago, ORV said:

Is it necessary to book the 1 category? What's the savings to go to an A3 as opposed to an A1? 

The OP mentioned that A1 cabins are amidships.  I suspect that's the operative factor as it represents the smoothest (or least rocky) ride in exuberant seas, while A2 and A3 radiate forward and aftward from there -- as in "Pass the dramamine, please!"  (Not telling you anything you don't already know, ORV; just mentioning it for the benefit of newbies who may have wondered the same thing.)

Edited June 6 by DrHemlock

[Vallesan]

11 hours ago, ORV said:

Is it necessary to book the 1 category? What's the savings to go to an A3 as opposed to an A1? 

 

To me the rooms are all the same, with a few exceptions that you have to know about. We're one of those that are ok anywhere on the ship, so I can't see paying more for the next number up unless there are no other options. 

I’m watching an October 24, 14nt cruise on the Marina in the Med. There is roughly £80 difference between each grade. So for me $100 for A2 saved or $200 for A3, in the grand scheme of things, just isn’t worth it. I like to be mid-ships.

[cluso]

10 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

The OP mentioned that A1 cabins are amidships.  I suspect that's the operative factor as it represents the smoothest (or least rocky) ride in exuberant seas, while A2 and A3 radiate forward and aftward from there -- as in "Pass the dramamine, please!"  (Not telling you anything you don't already know, ORV; just mentioning it for the benefit of newbies who may have wondered the same thing.)

 

That's pretty standard pricing among most cruise lines.  Amidships more $$ within the same category.

[clarku]

We always get a mid/forward concierge class since we like to be near concierge Lounge, horizon lounge and spa terrace deck, although when on Nautica in Japan in ‘23 no one checked our cards to gain access to spa terrace deck.  While R class doesn’t have Concierge Lounge like Oclass ships, the self serve coffee/latte/espresso machines are in Horizon Lounge,  vital for us in early am

[bbqoug]

We booked an A1 cabin for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on Regatta for the aft view that we enjoy.

Getting to book the specialty restaurants earlier is an added bonus.

For us it's worth the added cost.

[Psoque]

No.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, bbqoug said:

We booked an A1 cabin for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on Regatta for the aft view that we enjoy.

Getting to book the specialty restaurants earlier is an added bonus.

For us it's worth the added cost.

the earlier restaurant booking window is only for whatever is your pre-cruise allowance.