Sky Suite add on guests for dining

[startedwithamouse]

Here's an easy solution that they can 100% dine with you, no questions asked.

 

Add them to your booking of the Sky Suite as guests 3 and 4. 

 

If you don't, you can always downgrade your dining to dine with them. 

 

That would be really in poor taste if you convince them to go, and not dine with them. 

 

The Sky Suite is a room with perks for whomever is booked in the room. 

 

Reserve Collection mini suites can sleep 3, sometimes more, guests. Should they all have the privilege to invite other guests to dine with them who aren't in their cabins? No.

Edited August 8 by startedwithamouse

[memoak]

On 8/6/2024 at 2:19 AM, Mara4166 said:

We are currently booked in a sky suite (2 people).  We are considering suggesting to some friends that they also book the cruise.  The problem is we are not close enough to want to share a room and there are no full suites or club class mini-suites available. 

 

What are the chances we could get them into Sabatini’s for breakfast and reserve dining area for lunch/dinner?  Under normal circumstances there is no chance at all, but given we are in the Sky suite which can sleep 5 people, I was wondering if the dining perks could be extended to 2 more people so they are there for 4 total?  I could ask when the on-shore concierge contacts us, but that is quite a long way out.

 

Related, but different query, does anyone know who the SEM is on the Sky Princess?  Do the SEMs change frequently?

There. Is zero chance. Both Reserve Dining and Sabatini’s check medallions the first few days. I have seen people sneak someone in and the manager had a talk with them. Never showed up again

[memoak]

10 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Here's an easy solution that they can 100% dine with you, no questions asked.

 

Add them to your booking of the Sky Suite as guests 3 and 4. 

 

If you don't, you can always downgrade your dining to dine with them. 

 

That would be really in poor taste if you convince them to go, and not dine with them. 

 

The Sky Suite is a room with perks for whomever is booked in the room. 

 

Reserve Collection mini suites can sleep 3, sometimes more, guests. Should they all have the privilege to invite other guests to dine with them who aren't in their cabins? No.

The OP stated they were not close enough to share a suite. We sail in suites and tell friends if they want to have dinner with us the must book Reserve Dining

[memoak]

On 8/6/2024 at 6:00 AM, Mara4166 said:

SEM is the Suite Experience Manager.  They are assigned to help Sky suite guests with anything they want during the cruise.  Supposedly they can work miracles.

The can’t do miracles like this. If they could the Reserve Dining would have a wait and a lot of upset people. Why do I pay for a suite if anyone can bring folks in

[startedwithamouse]

On 8/6/2024 at 7:00 AM, Mara4166 said:

SEM is the Suite Experience Manager.  They are assigned to help Sky suite guests with anything they want during the cruise.  Supposedly they can work miracles.

But if you don't have Plus or Premier package, Princess will still charge you $5 each time you pick up the phone for room service. Or $14.99 for using the app. In the Sky Suite

 

They can squeeze you in at a Specialty restaurant, but you're still going to pay the cover charge (after first night). 

 

The SEM can do things within reason, giving away things with a dollar value, no. 

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

But if you don't have Plus or Premier package, Princess will still charge you $5 each time you pick up the phone for room service. Or $14.99 for using the app. In the Sky Suite

 

They can squeeze you in at a Specialty restaurant, but you're still going to pay the cover charge (after first night). 

 

The SEM can do things within reason, giving away things with a dollar value, no. 

You don’t even need a SEM   We always book specialty dinners with the Sabatini’s who is usually in charge of Crown Grill as well

[startedwithamouse]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

You don’t even need a SEM   We always book specialty dinners with the Sabatini’s who is usually in charge of Crown Grill as well

Just using general examples of experiences...not literal.

[cruzsnooze]

9 hours ago, Mara4166 said:

Thank you.  I really appreciate some feedback from someone who has experience in the Sky suite.  I have heard the SEM can work miracles.  We may wait until we hear from Thor before trying to get our friends to book.

What exactly are you waiting to hear? If you can sneak your friends into reserve class if they can't get a cabin in that class? 

[memoak]

18 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

What exactly are you waiting to hear? If you can sneak your friends into reserve class if they can't get a cabin in that class? 

If people could sneak people in to Reserve I would be having a word with the captain

[cr8tiv1]

35 minutes ago, memoak said:

You don’t even need a SEM   We always book specialty dinners with the Sabatini’s who is usually in charge of Crown Grill as well

Sabatini’s and Crown Grill have different Head Waiters/Assistant Managers.  The Lido Deck Manager (Assistant Maitre d’) is in charge of the Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Room Service, and all venues on Lido Deck.  

[memoak]

1 minute ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Sabatini’s and Crown Grill have different Head Waiters/Assistant Managers.  The Lido Deck Manager (Assistant Maitre d’) is in charge of the Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Room Service, and all venues on Lido Deck.  

On the Grand right now and just like our last 3 cruises the manager for Sabatini’s Suite Breakfast is also in Crown Grill at night. When we want to book a specialty dinner we just see them while we are having breakfast. Never been an issue

[esad9556]

If you have not been in a sky suite, you cannot comment on what the SEM can or cannot do.

[voljeep]

4 hours ago, esad9556 said:

If you have not been in a sky suite, you cannot comment on what the SEM can or cannot do.

Perfect ...

[memoak]

4 hours ago, esad9556 said:

If you have not been in a sky suite, you cannot comment on what the SEM can or cannot do.

After 62 cruises with Princess and the last 20 all in full suites with many personal relationships with Princess officials I believe I know of what I speak. You can text multiple meals from room service to your suite for guests but not take up room in suite dining. I have been through this many times 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 8/6/2024 at 3:19 AM, Mara4166 said:

We are currently booked in a sky suite (2 people).  We are considering suggesting to some friends that they also book the cruise.  The problem is we are not close enough to want to share a room and there are no full suites or club class mini-suites available. 

 

What are the chances we could get them into Sabatini’s for breakfast and reserve dining area for lunch/dinner?  Under normal circumstances there is no chance at all, but given we are in the Sky suite which can sleep 5 people, I was wondering if the dining perks could be extended to 2 more people so they are there for 4 total?  I could ask when the on-shore concierge contacts us, but that is quite a long way out.

 

Related, but different query, does anyone know who the SEM is on the Sky Princess?  Do the SEMs change frequently?

Ivan was my SEM for the 2024 Eclipse sailing. He was able to arrange for multiple dinners in our Sky suite for us and our guests with MDR food. I would never dream of asking to bring them to the Reserve Dining room. As you can tell from the comments folks would be rightfully upset if they found out those who didn’t pay for reserve were using it. You have an enormous space. Just host your friends in your personal dining room or on your dining table on your huge deck. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Also you have UBD included for the two of you. Pay the extra charge for your friends to join you for that if you want an extra special treat. I hosted 10 friends for UBD on that eclipse cruise. It was amazing!  

[esad9556]

20 hours ago, memoak said:

After 62 cruises with Princess and the last 20 all in full suites with many personal relationships with Princess officials I believe I know of what I speak. You can text multiple meals from room service to your suite for guests but not take up room in suite dining. I have been through this many times 

 

[esad9556]

20 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Also you have UBD included for the two of you. Pay the extra charge for your friends to join you for that if you want an extra special treat. I hosted 10 friends for UBD on that eclipse cruise. It was amazing!  

Greetings to our TSE neighbor, I still owe you an email, not forgotten. Have a great fall trip and hope to see you on the Ruby next year.

[keldaria]

22 hours ago, memoak said:

After 62 cruises with Princess and the last 20 all in full suites with many personal relationships with Princess officials I believe I know of what I speak. You can text multiple meals from room service to your suite for guests but not take up room in suite dining. I have been through this many times 

The sky suites have their own suite manage that can provide options to sky suite guests available to no other guests. With that said even they have limits to their ability to accommodate and like you’ve said they probably wouldn’t be able to accommodate taking non-suite guests into suite only areas.

 

With that said, part of their “working miracles” if offering alternatives and options that they can do. In this instance, as others have said, they would most likely suggest hosting them at the dining table in the sky suite where they could provide the sky suite residents and their guests a similar dining experience only more private and exclusive. It doesn’t break any hard fast rules but also accommodates the people staying in the sky suite so I assume this is what they would setup.

 

Ultimately all they can do is ask but they shouldn’t expect SEM to be able to break rules for them.

[ChutChut]

On 8/6/2024 at 6:19 AM, Mara4166 said:

We are currently booked in a sky suite (2 people).  We are considering suggesting to some friends that they also book the cruise.  The problem is we are not close enough to want to share a room and there are no full suites or club class mini-suites available. 

 

What are the chances we could get them into Sabatini’s for breakfast and reserve dining area for lunch/dinner?  Under normal circumstances there is no chance at all, but given we are in the Sky suite which can sleep 5 people, I was wondering if the dining perks could be extended to 2 more people so they are there for 4 total?  I could ask when the on-shore concierge contacts us, but that is quite a long way out.

 

Related, but different query, does anyone know who the SEM is on the Sky Princess?  Do the SEMs change frequently?

Are you asking Princess to allow your friends who haven't paid for the upgrades associated with a suite to receive the benefits of that suite? Hmmmm - inappropriate to even ask the SEM. 

[memoak]

4 hours ago, esad9556 said:

 

 No it people should acknowledge that those of us who have sailed a lot have knowledge. People proclaiming that Suite managers can get privileges suite dining for people who are not in suites are mistaken and have probably gotten the privileges they are speaking of. When you have a large dining table in a suite then you can order room service for whoever is visiting you from the MDR menu. That is very different from brining non suite guests into suite only areas

[Mara4166]

2 hours ago, ChutChut said:

Are you asking Princess to allow your friends who haven't paid for the upgrades associated with a suite to receive the benefits of that suite? Hmmmm - inappropriate to even ask the SEM. 

 It is actually cheaper to add them to the sky suite then for them to book their own cabin so Princess will receive more money by doing allowing them to book their own cabin (assuming cruise does not completely sell out by then). 

 

We will ask Thor about it when he contacts us next year and then see if our friends want to join us based on his response.  If we do not ask we will not receive it, so it is worth asking before we see if they want to join us on the cruise. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Edited August 11 by Mara4166

[Suite Susie]

On 8/6/2024 at 11:19 AM, Mara4166 said:

We are currently booked in a sky suite (2 people).  We are considering suggesting to some friends that they also book the cruise.  The problem is we are not close enough to want to share a room and there are no full suites or club class mini-suites available. 

 

What are the chances we could get them into Sabatini’s for breakfast and reserve dining area for lunch/dinner?  Under normal circumstances there is no chance at all, but given we are in the Sky suite which can sleep 5 people, I was wondering if the dining perks could be extended to 2 more people so they are there for 4 total?  I could ask when the on-shore concierge contacts us, but that is quite a long way out.

 

Related, but different query, does anyone know who the SEM is on the Sky Princess?  Do the SEMs change frequently?

You will probably find that Suites and Reserve Mini Suites may become available nearer to the cruise date, so maybe talk about it with your friends to see if they want to wait until there is availability.  They won’t be able to get into the Suite breakfast if only in a Reserve Mini Suite, but you would be able to dine together. We have been lucky enough to have had 3 Sky Suites and the SEM will pull lots of strings for you, but is unlikely to be able to bend the rules.  You do have a nice dining table in the Suite plus an outside table which seats four. You could also arrange to have your included balcony dinner with them in your Suite, but they would have to pay for this. Have a great cruise and enjoy your Sky Suite experience, it is amazing. 

Edited August 11 by Suite Susie

[HaveDogWillTravel]

5 hours ago, Mara4166 said:

We will ask Thor about it when he contacts us next year and then see if our friends want to join us based on his response. 

While Thor was wonderful in helping us with our pre trip planning, it was our experience that nothing was really set until we actually talked to Ivan.  So please go with that in mind especially when it comes to asking for something (taking guests who haven’t paid for Reserve into reserve) that really is outside what should be expected even in a Sky suite.  
 

@Suite Susieechos my earlier sentiments.  Your SEM will truly want to grant your every wish.

 

Personally,  I felt compelled to keep that list to requests that were very special (UBD for 12, private cocktail party with bartender, MDR dinners with friend en suite, a meeting with the florist to arrange for special flowers & cards to be delivered to my friends) but certainly within the realm of events they had done before and were able to accommodate.  

 I asked for an easel so we could put up the 2 by 3 ft pad of paper I brought to play Pictionary with no expectations of getting it. And that turned out to an instant “No problem” from Ivan. BTW it was a ton of fun to have a bunch of friends out on the back (but it’s really forward lol) deck playing Pictionary.

 

The one request I had that was outside of this was to have one serving of the Sabatini’s poached eggs over roasted potatoes delivered to the suite for an en suite breakfast with some friends (looking at you @Thrak ). It took him 3 days to get the approval & to arrange it. Then the night before it was scheduled I came down with a scratchy throat and cough. I did not know where that was going and seriously did not want to risk getting anyone ill before the eclipse so I cancelled it. Ivan was very understanding but I could tell he was terribly disappointed as he had gone to great lengths to make this happen. 
 

Taking guests into Reserve is an even bigger ask than my one plate of Sabatini’s eggs. Just sayin’. 

Enjoy every moment in your Sky Suite. It really is a special experience.  

Edited August 12 by HaveDogWillTravel

[HaveDogWillTravel]

10 hours ago, esad9556 said:

Greetings to our TSE neighbor, I still owe you an email, not forgotten. Have a great fall trip and hope to see you on the Ruby next year.

Hi there!  I really hope you can get on board that June sailing. I’ll email you when we get back from this 11 day road trip in PNW & Canada (with a repositioning sail on the Tall Ship Lady Washington tomorrow from Anacortes to Seattle).