Crown Loft Suite + Beverage Package? Symphony of the Seas - Western Caribbean

[sl8ter]

I'm aware this may be a stupid question but we are first time Royal cruisers and first time in a suite. I see with the Royal Loft Suite there is a suite lounge with both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. I've gotten mixed answers on my questions so I thought I would ask here:

1. Is the lounge open all day for both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages? If it is open all day, is it for all types of alcohol? 

2. Depending on the answer to #1, my additional travelers are asking if they should still buy an alcoholic beverage package?

Edited May 3, 2023 by sl8ter
Forgot info

[Ampurp85]

If you are staying on an Oasis class ship, they will have drinks in the lounge from 11am to 11pm. This will be wine, beer, soda and bottled water. Only available to those staying in Sky class suites and above. From 5pm to 8:30pm you can get all of that and any alcoholic drinks you want. Keep in mind the suite lounge is usually on deck 17: so, unless you will only be drinking beer and wine most of the day and don't mind the trek, your drinks will be limited. If the plan is to be out on decks and at shows, a drink package might work in your favor. I am not sure but the Royal Loft suite, not the crown, might be star class and that includes a drink package for everyone staying in the cabin. 

[asquared17]

39 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

the Royal Loft suite, not the crown, might be star class and that includes a drink package for everyone staying in the cabin

this is correct

[sl8ter]

50 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

If you are staying on an Oasis class ship, they will have drinks in the lounge from 11am to 11pm. This will be wine, beer, soda and bottled water. Only available to those staying in Sky class suites and above. From 5pm to 8:30pm you can get all of that and any alcoholic drinks you want. Keep in mind the suite lounge is usually on deck 17: so, unless you will only be drinking beer and wine most of the day and don't mind the trek, your drinks will be limited. If the plan is to be out on decks and at shows, a drink package might work in your favor. I am not sure but the Royal Loft suite, not the crown, might be star class and that includes a drink package for everyone staying in the cabin. 

Thank you, I Forgot to add the ship (told you we are new to cruising lol). We are on the Symphony which is an Oasis Class ship.

[ScooterScott22]

Looking at this, the conflict of the title being Crown Loft Suite and the OP stating Royal Loft Suite needs to be clarified.  
 

We have done both on other Oasis class ships so here is my take.  If you are really in the Royal Loft Suite, the package is included as previously stated so don’t even worry.  In the Crown Loft Suite you may consider adding the drink package if you truly are going to be having mixed drinks or other cocktails all day.  In reality the drinks package is not really necessary in Sky class.  If you are ok with beer or wine and have some coffees it is very easy to do without.  Once you look at getting drinks 5+ you might consider the package.  (Factor in special coffees and bottle waters, etc.)

We are in Sky right now and my typical routine is a couple of coffees in the morning from the espresso machine in the lounge.  Usually I’ll hold off until cocktails in the evening and maybe have a pre-dinner, one to take to dinner and occasionally an after dinner drink.  Could add an afternoon drink, pre Diamond I would have a beer from the lounge if something in the afternoon was desired.  

Have fun, happy planning.

 

[CruiseRoyalDad]

3 hours ago, sl8ter said:

I'm aware this may be a stupid question but we are first time Royal cruisers and first time in a suite. I see with the Royal Loft Suite there is a suite lounge with both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. I've gotten mixed answers on my questions so I thought I would ask here:

1. Is the lounge open all day for both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages? If it is open all day, is it for all types of alcohol? 

2. Depending on the answer to #1, my additional travelers are asking if they should still buy an alcoholic beverage package?

One of my favorite topics. I'm answering this from Oasis and Quantum class  suite perspectives where the suite class and perk breakdown is Star, Sky, and Sea. Here it goes. We last sailed a loft suite (not STAR class) on the Symphony back in 2019. I did copious research to figure out if we could skip the drink package that trip. Looks like question #1 has been answered but I do think the "free cocktail hour" starts at 4:30pm if that extra 30 minute helps. So if you are sky class or above you can choose just about any cocktail, from ALL TYPES of alcohol, but from a few select low-to-mid shelf brands, in the suite lounge,  for "free" from 4:30pm - 8:00pm. You're not going to get a patron but you'll likely get a cuervo, if that makes sense. Not a grey goose but they'll have Amsterdam. Nowhere is this more useful to you then if your room is situated on the suite deck steps from the lounge. The proximity to the lounge helped us decide not to buy the beverage package and saved us a ton of money. Now you will have some regret when you are at the pool and want that pina colada but the best you can do without a beverage package at 1pm in the afternoon for an "included (free)" drink is getting up, covering up properly, going to the suite lounge, and asking for a cold beer or similar at the suite lounge then returning to your chair. You'd have to pay for anything else from any other bar. 

Also, I'd still forgo the drink package if in a sky class suite that is close to an elevator that lines up with the suite lounge deck. I've timed it. While wife and i were getting ready for dinner, I've easily made it up to the lounge during cocktail hour from a grand suite on deck 8, grabbed two "free" cocktail hour manhattans and back to room within 10 minutes. Yes, it was early in the cocktail hour so the suite lounge was not slammed but it can be done. That move however, is so much simpler if you are on deck 17 right next to the lounge. I've even been playing poker in the casino later in the night and was easily able to run up to the suite lounge and get "free" beers before the pumpkin hour of 11pm and return to my seat before the hand I was in was even completed. Take this all into consideration. Also, a pro tip is to ask the suite lounge bartender for extra beers earlier in the day so that you can use them as you wish. Just tell the bartender not to open them. 

Question 2. 

If the additional travelers are not in a sky class suite the above does not apply to them. However, sea class (junior suite) guests will get free cocktails with their dinners in coastal kitchen that match up with the cocktail hour in the suite lounge. We happen to be in this exact situation as my sister and her husband are traveling sea class. Because I know them and their vacation enjoyment habits I strongly recommend that they still get a drink package. This is a very personal choice and depends on the traveler, the calculated break even point, even the itinerary considering you can use the drink package at private islands. From an economic standpoint it doesn't always make sense. But do make sure you are including ALL drink extras in the calculation such as specialty coffee (not starbucks), water, soft drinks, and of course alcoholic beverages which are becoming wildly expensive. From a piece of mind perspective it feels great to know that you won't have a $500-$1000 tab waiting for you at the end of cruise due to drink purchases. 

 

GOOD LUCK! 

 

 

[Ampurp85]

@CruiseRoyalDad They changed the happy hour drinks from 4:30 to 5 sometime after the restart. I believe it starts that way to coincide with early dinner seating which was 5:30 but could be 5:15 now. 

[CruiseRoyalDad]

22 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

@CruiseRoyalDad They changed the happy hour drinks from 4:30 to 5 sometime after the restart. I believe it starts that way to coincide with early dinner seating which was 5:30 but could be 5:15 now. 

Thanks for that info! I didn't know. But I think you mean they changed it to further cut costs at a time where everything they charge us is supremely more expensive. Got it! 

[SpicyCherry]

On 5/3/2023 at 10:11 AM, sl8ter said:

I'm aware this may be a stupid question but we are first time Royal cruisers and first time in a suite. I see with the Royal Loft Suite there is a suite lounge with both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. I've gotten mixed answers on my questions so I thought I would ask here:

1. Is the lounge open all day for both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages? If it is open all day, is it for all types of alcohol? 

2. Depending on the answer to #1, my additional travelers are asking if they should still buy an alcoholic beverage package?

Along with what everyone else said, as to whether to buy the drink package, consider too that you can bring a few bottles of wine onboard at embarkation. What we did while on Symphony, as regards water and soda: We never left the Suite Lounge empty handed. We always got a few bottles of water/soda to put in the fridge back in the room. As for coffee, there should be a Lavazza coffee maker in your suite, so that may suffice for coffee.

Our upcoming Wonder sailing will be the 1st time we will forego the drink package and try to just use Suite Lounge/Happy Hour drinks, along with bringing wine onboard. We will use our Diamond vouchers for elsewhere. One plus, as was mentioned, is we will be just down the hall from the Lounge so it will be very convenient to pick something up.

Enjoy and welcome to “The Suite Life”!!

[CruiseRoyalDad]

10 hours ago, SpicyCherry said:

Our upcoming Wonder sailing will be the 1st time we will forego the drink package and try to just use Suite Lounge/Happy Hour drinks, along with bringing wine onboard. We will use our Diamond vouchers for elsewhere. One plus, as was mentioned, is we will be just down the hall from the Lounge so it will be very convenient to pick something up.

Enjoy and welcome to “The Suite Life”!!

If you are diamond and within proximity to the suite lounge you are GOLDEN! You definitely don't need to drop $1200 plus on the drink package. We aren't even close to diamond and we made the suite lounge drink package replacement move work very well. The package was hardly missed. Plus your vouchers will give you the supreme flexibility for drinks elsewhere when you want! Consider it a hidden perk of the Suite Life!!!