What are the "concierge" benefits in Mini-suite?

[Sailingagain0123]

We are trying to decide between a balcony cabin and a mini-suite. What are the benefits besides the additional size?

[falken]

We are trying to decide between a balcony cabin and a mini-suite. What are the benefits besides the additional size?

 

The additional size, and you will have a bathtub. There are no additional perks until you move up to a full suite, the mini's do not have concierge service.

[jpcdds6]

ther is no concierge service, as well as no butler available to mini suites. the upside is a nicer cabin than a normal balcony.

[MrsLeo]

Ok a few things mentioned to me recently when I called into NCL to ask a few questions...at least this is as much as I can recall. As discussed here, the answers you get from NCL's call centers can change like the weather, so none of this is the gospel truth until someone can find it in writing somewhere.

 

The gal said that you still get fresh fruit in the mini suites and will get a fresh fruit menu, (that's nice I think)

 

The have some sort of a memory foam mattress topper on the beds ( not sure if that is part of the 2.0 bedding upgrade or not)

 

While the minisuite no longer has concierge services, she said that you get priority reservations in the speciality restaurants, which I think the window of time for advanced reservations is bigger for mini suite passengers 48 hours in advance, opposed to 24.

[MrLee]

Ok a few things mentioned to me recently when I called into NCL to ask a few questions...at least this is as much as I can recall. As discussed here, the answers you get from NCL's call centers can change like the weather, so none of this is the gospel truth until someone can find it in writing somewhere.

 

The gal said that you still get fresh fruit in the mini suites and will get a fresh fruit menu, (that's nice I think)

 

The have some sort of a memory foam mattress topper on the beds ( not sure if that is part of the 2.0 bedding upgrade or not)

 

While the minisuite no longer has concierge services, she said that you get priority reservations in the speciality restaurants, which I think the window of time for advanced reservations is bigger for mini suite passengers 48 hours in advance, opposed to 24.

 

My understanding is that the fruit and reservation options are also there for any balcony cabin. The new bedding is supposed to be for all cabins as part of 2.0.

[Sailingagain0123]

Thanks for all the info. We have booked a mini suite! Looking forward to a great trip!

[Lewis/Klitschko]

I'm in one as well. :)

[MrsLeo]

hey me too! I liked the one on the Pearl so we booked an Aft AF on th Jewel for next fall

[beachchick]

Balcony cabins are also allowed to book specialty restaurants 48 hours in advance. They also get the fruit, etc. In fact, if you look at the list of Freestyle 2.0 upgrades/changes/amenities, you'll notice that regular balcony cabins and mini-suites are grouped together with identital items. As others have mentioned, no concierge service.

 

beachchick

[GiantSox]

I was in balcony, did not get fruit but didn't ask since I had ordered the Captain's Choice (wine and fruit).

[AFT_LOVER]

since it is NOT a suite. It is a Deluxe Balcony Stateroom and should be called that. A bathrub is the only perk with 48 hour restaurant reservations for specialty locations. Fruit menu is a card with Pears, Oranges, Apples & Bananas to check what you want & it that comes in a bowl for 2. I wrote in grapes, mangos, papaya & got grapes day 2 but that was it.

[mailbroad]

I am glad someone posted this question. A cruise consultant (not NCL employee) told me that in a mini-suite you get the concierge and you get to eat in the specialty restaurants for breakfast (cooked to order) and lunch. I asked, "In the mini-suites?", and he said yes. I was 99.99% sure he was wrong. I didn't say anything. I thought I had seen something about this on CC a few months ago! I am not fond of this consultant. He booked my parents on the wrong date (it was corrected...), went out of town and didn't leave anyone in charge of his office to mail documents for another one of my parent's cruises and told me after he booked a cruise for DH and I last February(2007) that he didn't make any money and was charging the company fee twice and then he told me again yesterday that he didn't make any money on that cruise.

I filled out the online form on his website to get some e-mail info and he called me and I called back. Why did I bother!?

Thank you!

[98Charlie]

I am glad someone posted this question. A cruise consultant (not NCL employee) told me that in a mini-suite you get the concierge and you get to eat in the specialty restaurants for breakfast (cooked to order) and lunch. I asked, "In the mini-suites?", and he said yes. I was 99.99% sure he was wrong. I didn't say anything. I thought I had seen something about this on CC a few months ago! I am not fond of this consultant. He booked my parents on the wrong date (it was corrected...), went out of town and didn't leave anyone in charge of his office to mail documents for another one of my parent's cruises and told me after he booked a cruise for DH and I last February(2007) that he didn't make any money and was charging the company fee twice and then he told me again yesterday that he didn't make any money on that cruise.

I filled out the online form on his website to get some e-mail info and he called me and I called back. Why did I bother!?

Thank you!

As others have said, no concierge-no butler. But a great balcony cabin none the less. We took a mini for Alaska in September and really enjoyed the extra space. The bathroom amenities are upgraded a bit from a normal balcony also. Huuuge fluffy towels that you can get lost in.

 

As far as your consultant I would let them know that you will make sure they don't work for free in the future or worse yet lose money. You'll be happy to take your business elsewhere.:p

 

Charlie

[PianoGary]

If the only extras of a mini-suite are a bathtub, a few square feet of living area and an extra 24 hours in advance to make reservations in the specialty resturants, then I'm sorry that we did not book a regular balcony. :eek:

Sheesh - on other lines, private lounges, one night complimentary specialty dining, specialty dining breakfast access, butler, concierge, etc. is included! Yikes!

[calmac]

Sheesh - on other lines, private lounges, one night complimentary specialty dining, specialty dining breakfast access, butler, concierge, etc. is included! Yikes!

 

I was looking at a mini-suite on the Crown Princess and didn't think any of these perks came with a mini-suite. Am I wrong?

[98Charlie]

I was looking at a mini-suite on the Crown Princess and didn't think any of these perks came with a mini-suite. Am I wrong?

The mini-suites on NCL would be better referred to as a "Superior Balcony" or something along that line. They are larger, have a tub and better bath amenities, fruit bowl and specialty restaurant reservation benefits. But, many of the perks often associated with a "Suite" are not part of the mini-suite.

 

Charlie

[tjaker11]

Calmac

 

we had a mini on the Carnival Liberty and on Emerald Princess sister ship to the crown, no perks other then upgraded bathroom products, no complimentary dinner, no private lounge, no butler or concierge

bigger cabin nicer then the balcony

hope this helps

Jo-Anne

[ohioNCLcruiser]

The Gem is the last ship to have the "mini suite" name. On the F3 they were going to be called deluxe balcony cabins.

[beachchick]

If the only extras of a mini-suite are a bathtub, a few square feet of living area and an extra 24 hours in advance to make reservations in the specialty resturants, then I'm sorry that we did not book a regular balcony. :eek:

Sheesh - on other lines, private lounges, one night complimentary specialty dining, specialty dining breakfast access, butler, concierge, etc. is included! Yikes!

 

Would you mind listing the cruise lines that offer all that with mini-suites (not full suites). The ones we cruise with don't (RCI, Princess, NCL). When checking for cruises, I read that Costa does not. I'm pretty sure that Azamara doesn't even have mini-suites. Celebrity has "Concierge class" with perks, although the cabins are the same size as the regular balcony/veranda cabins. You pay more for the location (I think) and perks, but it's not a suite or called a mini-suite and does not include butler service, complimentary meals in the specialty restaurants, or most of the other full suite VIP perks.

 

I really would be interested because mini-suites are often a good deal. We simply don't expect that they will be treated the same as full suites and certainly not with all the perks you describe.

 

beachchick

[PianoGary]

While we don't usually book mini-suites, we did do so on the HAL Ryndam earlier this year. There was butler service, a private lounge down the hall, and the best perk (IMHO), was exclusive access to the specialty restaurant for breakfast/lunch. Even though we've cruised a lot, I can't speak to the other lines' perks offered on their mini-suites - only that it was a great experience on HAL!

[Bennett'sCruise]

since it is NOT a suite. It is a Deluxe Balcony Stateroom and should be called that. A bathrub is the only perk with 48 hour restaurant reservations for specialty locations. Fruit menu is a card with Pears, Oranges, Apples & Bananas to check what you want & it that comes in a bowl for 2. I wrote in grapes, mangos, papaya & got grapes day 2 but that was it.

 

The Mini-Suite title is one that was assigned years ago ... and, at that time, did include more than it does these days. As NCL ships got larger and added more Mini-suites, the perks that used to come with them disappeared (ie: concierge).

HOWEVER, we love the *minis* (deluxe balcony, whatever ...). We like the little extra space, the bathtub, AND the curtain that divides the room. :D

~dianne

[watchdiva]

While we don't usually book mini-suites, we did do so on the HAL Ryndam earlier this year. There was butler service, a private lounge down the hall, and the best perk (IMHO), was exclusive access to the specialty restaurant for breakfast/lunch. Even though we've cruised a lot, I can't speak to the other lines' perks offered on their mini-suites - only that it was a great experience on HAL!

 

WOW - when did HAL start offering butler service and when did they start offering mini-suites access to the Neptune Lounge? I know that one of the main reasons we only cruised HAL twice (2005 and 06) was that even though we were in a full suite, they didn't offer butler service and no matter how "good" the Neptune Lounge concierges were when stacked up against NCL freestyle with butler service NCL won hands down.

 

Any idea when they started butler service on the ships?

[time2cruise1]

Any idea when they started butler service on the ships?

 

Not yet. Concierge yes but no mention of a butler for any of their suites.

Penthouse Suite

Bedroom with 1 king-size bed, oversize whirlpool bath & shower stall, living room, dining room, dressing room, pantry, 1 sofa bed for 2 persons, mini-bar refrigerator, guest powder room, floor-to-ceiling windows, private stereo system*, microwave*.

A very special amenity exclusively for guests cruising in a Penthouse Verandah Suite or Deluxe Verandah Suite, the industry-leading Neptune Lounge features a private place to relax, socialize with other suite guests and enjoy the personalized service of a concierge. The fleet-wide lounges provide worktables, large screen television, library, sofas and chairs, wi-fi , no-host mini-bar and refreshments throughout the day. One-Touch 24-hour Concierge Service is available when the Neptune Lounge is closed.

1,126 - 1,318 sq. ft. with verandah*. See deck plans for specific information.

[Ron & Kristy]

I had the opportunity to compare a minisuite and a regular balcony on our last cruise. Honestly the difference is the bathroom. The only difference in the room itself was maybe the width of a nightstand because they had two and we had one. Anyway it was negligible. Now the bathroom on the other hand was awesome. It had a huge closet, separate vanity area, bathtub, separate shower. I have to admit it was nice. They get up to 48 hours advance for booking specialty restaurants but then so do balconies. Both types get fruit but I have to say....you usually have to ask for it. The people that were in the mini never got fruit, we had friends in a suite, never got fruit! I told them to ask! NCL is not very good about following through with some of their new perks. Our bed had no top sheet the first night. It was there after the first night. I found the best way to communicate with your cabin people is to leave a post-it note stuck to the mirror where they are sure to see it. We didn't see them for the first 3 days so it was a huge help.

 

Kristy

[nlt46]

I haven't cruised Hal, but we did the top on Carnival and Princess and we didn't get the perks that were mentioned. As far as suites go NCL is the best from my experience. I would try the others, but when I'm so satisfied with NCL, it is hard to switch. I haven't done the mini... but look at it this way, you don't have the extra tips that the penthouse and above do. Nancy