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First Time in a Suite


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We just booked a one bedroom Grand Suite on the Liberty of the Seas for May 2021. This will be our first time in a suite! We've never had the concierge service before. Can anyone tell us what he/she does? Any other good tips about suite benefits? We are (newly) diamond level if that makes any difference. Thanks!

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35 minutes ago, kontraxed said:

We just booked a one bedroom Grand Suite on the Liberty of the Seas for May 2021. This will be our first time in a suite! We've never had the concierge service before. Can anyone tell us what he/she does? Any other good tips about suite benefits? We are (newly) diamond level if that makes any difference. Thanks!

Congratulations and condolences.  You are going to LOVE the suite life thus the condolences...b/c you will be ruined from now on.  That's a good thing !

Approximately 5-7 days (I've found lately that it is 5 days) prior to sailing, your Suites Concierge will reach out to you via email and provide you with a full list of Suites benefits.  At that time, you will be able to interact with the Concierge, ask them questions and have them make reservations for you.  If you have a dining package, you can ask the Concierge to make specific reservations for you at the restaurants and times of your choice.  Another big time saver, as you will not have to go stand in line at the kiosk or specialty restaurant and do that once you board.  If you are going to Labadee or Coco Cay and want a cabana or bungalow, the Concierge can do that for you ahead of time...another time saver.

You will be able to check in with the Suites....which usually means a shorter line to go through check-in and security.  I can't remember whether Galveston has a separate entry for Suites or not.  I should remember, but I don't.  At the very least, you will have your own line...which can be a huge time saver.

You will have 24 hour access to the Suites Lounge.  There you will find a self-service coffee machine that you can use any time it is working.  I says any time it is working b/c there have been issues in the past with it running out of coffee or milk, etc.  Of course, there is the Happy Hour (usually 4:30 or 5:00 - 7:00 or so) where you will get complementary beverages and snacks.  You would also be eligible for this (in the Diamond lounge) since you are now Diamond (Congratulations !!!) so that's not such a biggie for you...but it's generally less crowded in the Suites Lounge as there usually fewer Suite and Pinnacle guests than there are Diamonds and D+.

Most of the Concierges will provide priority disembarkation at ports of call.  This can be hit-or-miss but most of them will escort you off the ship ahead of the masses, if you want to disembark that early.  This is particularly important if you have any tender ports.  Just be mindful that this service is only in 1 direction.  You have to get back to the ship on your own the best way you can.  Of course, the most valuable assistance with disembarkation is on the last day when the Concierge will get you off the ship expeditiously.  Unfortunately, I have found the disembarkation service at Galveston to be kinda lame.  They really don't escort you down to the CBP line like they do at some of the other ports....but it's better than nothing.

One service that can be really valuable is the fact that the Concierge can help you with any Seapass/billing issues you might have.  If you find that you've been charged for something that you should not have, the Concierge can take care of it for you.  Generally speaking, anything that would require you to stand in line at Guest Services, the Concierge should be able to do for you.  Minimizing time at GS is a real bonus !!!

The Concierge will arrange special behind-the-scenes tours for you if you are interested.  These generally include entertainment operations (we did one at the ice theater once that was really interesting), galley tours and bridge tours.  No idea how COVID is going to affect the tour situation.  My guess is that they will probably curtail some or all of these, but you never know until we get to sailing again.

Of course, you will have reserved seats for all of the main theater productions and the ice shows.  There are special sections that are available to suites and Pinnacles.  You still have to fight for a seat, but at least there is a section cordoned off for you.

My favorite Suite benefit is private breakfast at Chops.  Only Suites and Pinnacles are allowed.  It is a full service breakfast from a static menu.  Very nice, quiet and tranquil.  Such a great way to start the day !

Labadee has a Suites area that is exclusive to Suite Guests and Pinnacles.  It is a nice area and they provide shuttle service from the main entrance over to the Suites beach.  Even if you do not rent a cabana you will find lots of loungers.  The Suites area has a private lunch that is pretty much the same as everyone else's lunch but generally less crowded. Nothing exclusive for Suites at Coco Cay, unfortunately.

There's probably more...just can't think of it right now.

Congratulations again !!!

 

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On 6/26/2020 at 10:33 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

My favorite Suite benefit is private breakfast at Chops.  Only Suites and Pinnacles are allowed.  It is a full service breakfast from a static menu.  Very nice, quiet and tranquil.  Such a great way to start the day !

Great info!  Quick follow up on this item.  We have done the one cruise in a suite so far on Ovation and  did breakfast in room, Grabbed a quick bite in the suites lounge or usually had Coastal Kitchen.  Is the suites breakfast In Chops available on all ships?

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26 minutes ago, ScooterScott22 said:

 Is the suites breakfast In Chops available on all ships?

When there is no CK on a ship then typically there is a suite breakfast in a specialty restaurant.  The name of the venue doesn't really matter, it's the same breakfast menu which is basically the CK breakfast menu.  It could be Chops or it could be Giovanni's.  Chops seems pretty common.  Even Empress does a Suites/Pinnacle breakfast in Chops. They even allow Diamond Plus in on the breakfast fun (Empress only).  

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Note: I don't know if this is done on all ships in all regions.  

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34 minutes ago, ScooterScott22 said:

Great info!  Quick follow up on this item.  We have done the one cruise in a suite so far on Ovation and  did breakfast in room, Grabbed a quick bite in the suites lounge or usually had Coastal Kitchen.  Is the suites breakfast In Chops available on all ships?

Yes, for all of the ships that have a specialty restaurant. Not sure about Empress since I haven’t cruised on a Empress, but all of the other ships with specialty restaurants have a Suites breakfast.  Sometimes the breakfast is in Giovannis, sometime Chops...but it will be somewhere.

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First cruise in 2002 was us and the two kids in an oceanview cabin on Empress. Our reintroduction to cruising in 2018 was in a GS on Majesty.  Earlier this year we did a quick 4 day with our grandson on Mariner & said yeah a balcony stateroom will be fine.  Well NO!  Both hubby & I said never again.  We are already suite snobs.  Happens fast ?

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