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Suite Perks and Gratuities


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What perks come with booking a Junior Suite? I know some suite perks aren't included with the Junior Suites. 

Do I have to pay the suite gratuity rate even though I don't get all the suite perks?

This is my first post on RCB, though my wife and I have been watching on youtube for about a year.

 

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1 hour ago, Avljkb22 said:

Do I have to pay the suite gratuity rate even though I don't get all the suite perks?

I checked the article that @ThyriC linked to and verified this wasn't answered, so will answer here -- You do pay the suite gratuity rate even though it's still "only" a Junior Suite.

My $0.02 -- a JS room isn't worth it unless you're on a Quantum class or Oasis class ship and can get the Sea Class perks; mainly Coastal Kitchen, which is almost like having a specialty dining restaurant every night; others here may disagree, but the filet mignon they serve on night 1 is better than the filet served at Chops! On other ships that don't have the Royal Suite program and Sea Class benefits, all you're really getting is a glorified balcony room that happens to get you double points with C&A.

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Just now, CGTLH said:

Hmmm. That seems different than what I remember from my last sailing. I was grandfathered on the old gratuities rate as I had pre-paid, but I was charged the legacy $14.50 per day suite rate (vs. $12.50 per day for regular cabins).

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2 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

I checked the article that @ThyriC linked to and verified this wasn't answered, so will answer here -- You do pay the suite gratuity rate even though it's still "only" a Junior Suite.

My $0.02 -- a JS room isn't worth it unless you're on a Quantum class or Oasis class ship and can get the Sea Class perks; mainly Coastal Kitchen, which is almost like having a specialty dining restaurant every night; others here may disagree, but the filet mignon they serve on night 1 is better than the filet served at Chops! On other ships that don't have the Royal Suite program and Sea Class benefits, all you're really getting is a glorified balcony room that happens to get you double points with C&A.

That doesn't seem right, I feel like I shouldn't have to pay the same gratuity as someone that gets more perks. Also, I booked a Junior Suite on the Mariner because I get claustrophobic in regular staterooms...and it was only $100 more than the balcony room I was going to book and it's about 50% larger.

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Just re-checked my credit card statement. I was actually charged $13.50 per person per night, so now I really don't know which rate that was supposed to be. Either it's the new regular cabin rate and I wasn't grandfathered like I should have been for pre-paying and booking prior to Jan 1, 2018 (seems the most likely now), or the suite rate was $13.50 pp/pn.

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32 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

My $0.02 -- a JS room isn't worth it unless you're on a Quantum class or Oasis class ship

I agree, except for when the price difference is small.  We did a Jr Suite on our last cruise and are doing another JS on our upcoming trip on the Mariner.  The price difference between a regular balcony and junior suite was only about $100 out-the-door when I booked it, so I splurged for the extra elbow room and double points.

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11 minutes ago, Orange Crush said:

I agree, except for when the price difference is small.  We did a Jr Suite on our last cruise and are doing another JS on our upcoming trip on the Mariner.  The price difference between a regular balcony and junior suite was only about $100 out-the-door when I booked it, so I splurged for the extra elbow room and double points.

I will agree this is the one time I'd consider it on a non-Q / non-O class. That said, neither of my cruises to date (one on Freedom, one on Anthem) had JS cabins available for anything remotely that good vs. regular balcony prices. On both of my Anthem bookings it's pretty consistently been several hundred more per person, about +75% to +100%. Freedom, from what I remember, was around +50% to +75%, still not good enough to make me jump with the much-reduced benefits vs. Anthem.

10 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

My wife would disagree with you, for her it is the walk in closet and the extra room in the suite, makes all of the difference.

Won't argue with this. Happy wife, happy life! ??

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1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

That said, neither of my cruises to date (one on Freedom, one on Anthem) had JS cabins available for anything remotely that good vs. regular balcony prices. On both of my Anthem bookings it's pretty consistently been several hundred more per person, about +75% to +100%.

Yeah, most of the time I see Junior Suites closer to twice the price of the next level down regular balcony.  I'd rather go on two cruises in a regular balcony if that's what the cost is going to be comparable to.  But for some reason there's not nearly the price gap on the 3-night trips out of Canaveral in October.  Not sure if that's seasonal, local market, length of the trip, or some combination of everything.  Maybe it's Royal Caribbean's attempt to hook relatively new cruisers on nicer cabins so they're more likely to splurge on bigger trips later.

I've got no idea, but I'll take it

Edited by Orange Crush
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I think a JS has the best of both worlds.  Sure you dont get the myriad of perks of a Sky class suite, but it doesnt pretend to be one.  Its an extra spacious balcony cabin.  Larger closet and bathroom, with those double points and priority embarkation alone for some is more than worth it.  

And if the cost was a negligible difference between a balcony and a JS?  I'd book the JS in a heartbeat.  I need that bigger bathroom.  I'm a bigger disabled gal (who doesnt need a handicapped stateroom, I'd rather those go to those in wheelchairs, I'm fortunate enough to not be in one yet) and the smaller shower just is a bit of a tight fit and a dance with the curtain for me.  

Plus I've always found JS to be a gateway to the larger suites.  Once you experience a JS, maybe your next cruise you may want to try to spring for a GS.  And before you know it you're yolobooking a sky loft suite! (ok maybe not that far but, ya never know!)

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We had a junior suite in December on Navigator and paid the regular gratuities not the higher suite ones.  We actually had 3 cabins in our group and I was so glad we had the junior suite with our kids verses the balcony my daughter had with her friend.  That space really helped.  No I don't know the cost difference because both rooms were free so I cannot compare that. 

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In JS you are getting  : bigger room , the big walking closet , real bathtub, real soap an shampoo, bigger balcony (many will also include recline chairs that will allow you to enjoy the sun from). another perk is the double C&A points and CK dinner access on Q and O class plus check in/embarkation with the other suites 

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