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Anthem Junior vs Grand Suite 1 BR


Mikeb1892

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Hi all.  I'm new to this site, as well as cruising in general.  I saw a referral for this site from the disneytouristblog website so I thought I'd check it out. 

My wife and I are considering a 7 day on the Anthem from NJ, and I'm wondering what exactly are the "perk" differences between the Junior Suites and the Grand Suites 1 BR?  I'm not so much as looking for information about the footprint and furniture/furnishings of the room, more so the other "stuff" like priority boarding, lounge access, priority seating at the shows, etc, and if any/all of these are worth it. 

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A Junior Suite, think of a larger state room. You will get priority boarding.  Grand Suite and above you get the rest of the perks. Click the link below.  I hope this helps and Welcome to the Boards! MANY have been on Anthem very recently here, feel free to ask away!!

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-suites-program

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Welcome to the board.  In terms of on board perks, I have to agree that a Junior Suite really just means a bigger room but it does gives you priority boarding (you can use the Suites line for checkin).  However, one important reason to consider a Junior Suite is you do get 2 points per night in your Crown & Anchor Society account just like the "real" suites.  (Non-suites get 1 point per night.)  So Junior Suites are a far more affordable way to quickly move up through the loyalty program.

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20 minutes ago, Mikeb1892 said:

Thanks for the replies.  Looks like it would be a difference of approx $1,500 between the Junior Suite and the Grand Suite.  Do you feel that the extra perks are worth the extra cost?

$1500 total? It's on the pricey side. 

The biggest benefits you will get for going from JS to GS are primarily:

  • Concierge lounge access (select free alcohol in the evening)
  • Concierge services (escorted on or off ship, help making reservations for shows or restaurants)
  • Priority embarkation and disembarkation
  • Complimentary WiFi for each guest in the room

If you are brand new to RC (never cruised with them before), staying in a full suite does buy you a lot of access and perks that would otherwise come with cruising the line many times. I'd also point out that if you are in a suite, the complimentary booze would strongly sway against having the drink package, otherwise the free drinks are kind of a waste.

It's not ridiculously more expensive than a JS, but it's in that gray area where if you want to lean towards splurging, yea, it will be nice.

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One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that, being on Anthem, a JS will also get you access to Coastal Kitchen for dinner (full suites have all-day access).

I'm still writing up my post-cruise blog of my 5-night trip on Anthem a couple of weeks ago, but believe me when I say that CK was by far our favorite perk and made the Junior Suite very worth it for us! Far better food than the MDR offers, all cooked to order, and much more intimate dining experience.

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$1500 for how many? 2?  It may be worth it.  Depends on what you value and your cruising style.  For me personally, I would take the GS for $1500 more.  In addition to what people have mentioned above, you get all day access to CK, which is a great because Anthem is one of the more crowded ships I've sailed in the fleet.  It feels crowded, even the Windjammer.  Also, depending on when you are sailing, with the GS, you also get access to the suite sun deck.  It's nice to be able to go there when crowds are high.  But again, if those things don't matter to you, then $1500 is a lot more to spend on a bigger room.

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37 minutes ago, Mikeb1892 said:

We're mostly interested in having access to places that are not crowded. Is that possible with just JS?

Unfortunately, no (although at least on my sailing, Coastal Kitchen was always near-empty on all but the last night, and even then it wasn't anything approaching crowded). The Suite Sun Deck is only for Grand Suite and higher, and that's the only "suites only" space I'm aware of on Anthem.

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1 hour ago, Mikeb1892 said:

Yes, $1,500 total more for two of us.  We're mostly interested in having access to places that are not crowded. Is that possible with just JS?

No, not with the JS. That is why I personally would find it worth it to upgrade. But that's not for everyone. You have to know your cruising style.

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Still getting my feet wet on this message board and if you surf the cruise message boards the topic of suites/concierge vs not or if it is even worth it is a popular item.  The views are as many as the number of people.  This is a nice spin on that discusssion.  

To our family making the leap to a suite/concierge level has been more about something that you really can’t put a price on.  Part of cruising for us is relaxing and the all inclusive feel.  That is even more present as you go up in stateroom levels.  That may be somewhat vague but it makes sense for us.  We’ll make that leap from veranda to the suites on our next Royal cruise but have done that higher level on other lines.  

Thanks to those who mentioned the few extra perks for the Jr. suite, they make sense for us especially still getting the double points of suite.  The OP may not find the perks enough for the difference.  If this was just another cruise I agree that would probably stick with the jr. suite but if this was a more special cruise I would probably make the leap.  

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One of the arguments that I continually read, regarding expensive vs inexpensive rooms is, "I don't spend much time in my room so I don't need to spend a lot of money FOR my room".  We have found, as we moved "up" the ladder of stateroom categories, that the nicer your room, the more time you WANT to spend there.  I can already anticipate the retort to that statement...."why would I spend all that money just to hang out in my stateroom ?  I go on a cruise to DO stuff".  Well...people go on cruises for many different reasons.  For instance, I pretty much could care less where the ship is going.  Itinerary is absolutely secondary to me while others cruise exclusively for the itinerary.  So a nice room, where I can spend some comfortable time relaxing when I'm NOT doing stuff, is important to me.  The perks are nice and they're easy to get used to...but the comfort of the room and its location, are the primary reasons that I sail in suites most of the time.  IF you can afford it, go for it.  ...but it IS hard to go back.  Just sayin'.

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Just now, WAAAYTOOO said:

One of the arguments that I continually read, regarding expensive vs inexpensive rooms is, "I don't spend much time in my room so I don't need to spend a lot of money FOR my room".  We have found, as we moved "up" the ladder of stateroom categories, that the nicer your room, the more time you WANT to spend there.  I can already anticipate the retort to that statement...."why would I spend all that money just to hang out in my stateroom ?  I go on a cruise to DO stuff".  Well...people go on cruises for many different reasons.  For instance, I pretty much could care less where the ship is going.  Itinerary is absolutely secondary to me while others cruise exclusively for the itinerary.  So a nice room, where I can spend some comfortable time relaxing when I'm NOT doing stuff, is important to me.  The perks are nice and they're easy to get used to...but the comfort of the room and its location, are the primary reasons that I sail in suites most of the time.  IF you can afford it, go for it.  ...but it IS hard to go back.  Just sayin'.

+1

Exactly....know your personal cruising style and book accordingly.  And what is worth it to one may not be to another.

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4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The perks are nice and they're easy to get used to...but the comfort of the room and its location, are the primary reasons that I sail in suites most of the time.  IF you can afford it, go for it.  ...but it IS hard to go back.  Just sayin'.

This sounds exactly like staying Deluxe at WDW.  Once you do, it is so hard going to a Mod or Value resort!  

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4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

he perks are nice and they're easy to get used to...but the comfort of the room and its location, are the primary reasons that I sail in suites most of the time.  IF you can afford it, go for it.  ...but it IS hard to go back.  Just sayin'.

I couldn't agree with you more, although you'be had the pleasure of Star, which I'm hoping to work my way up to. The destination for us is the ship and the suite. Of course I'm a Suite snob now so I couldn't see me going back.  But again as @JLMoran said, you do get CK and priority check in as well as the double points, it's all up to the individual and why they are taking the cruise.  

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26 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

looking at this thread, I think you are talking to the wrong people if you are looking for someone to talk you out of a suite 

@Mikeb1892, Ditto from @Lovetocruise2002, what the heck, go for it!! As you will see on this Blog site, we all eventually just say YOLO!!!?

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6 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

One of the arguments that I continually read, regarding expensive vs inexpensive rooms is, "I don't spend much time in my room so I don't need to spend a lot of money FOR my room".  We have found, as we moved "up" the ladder of stateroom categories, that the nicer your room, the more time you WANT to spend there.  I can already anticipate the retort to that statement...."why would I spend all that money just to hang out in my stateroom ?  I go on a cruise to DO stuff".  Well...people go on cruises for many different reasons.  For instance, I pretty much could care less where the ship is going.  Itinerary is absolutely secondary to me while others cruise exclusively for the itinerary.  So a nice room, where I can spend some comfortable time relaxing when I'm NOT doing stuff, is important to me.  The perks are nice and they're easy to get used to...but the comfort of the room and its location, are the primary reasons that I sail in suites most of the time.  IF you can afford it, go for it.  ...but it IS hard to go back.  Just sayin'.

 

6 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

+1

Exactly....know your personal cruising style and book accordingly.  And what is worth it to one may not be to another.

I agree, to me it is all of the things that most people don't see, getting priority access to boarding, the Concierge, the Concierge Lounge , free bridge tour and or all access tour, snacks in the room every evening etc..

But one of the best perks I have had so far was on disembarkation on my October cruise on Freedom out of San Juan, the Concierge had 3 meet times for people that wanted to self disembark, 8:00, 8:30 and 9:00, we meet at Vintages (I would say there was a group of 15-20 suite guest that picked this time), we picked 8:30 because we were not in a hurry because we had a 12:40 flight, the Concierge's name is Ying Jin Yu, from China, she was excellent, she picked us up at Vintages promptly at 8:30, personally escorted us off the ship through security, down to get our bags, this is the cool part, the building and the line to get through customs was packed, it looked like everyone tried to get off at the same time, anyway, I grabbed a porter, showed him our bags, Ying Jin said something to the porter in Spanish and we were off, bypassed all of the lines, walked right up to a custom's agent,  showed our Passport and were out the door, from the time she picked us up to being out the door was 15 minuets max and most of that was walking time. I had hired a driver from Puerto Rico Green Transportation, Frederico, he had also picked us up from the airport and took us to the hotel, I was worried Frederico wouldn't be there because things had happened so fast, but he was waiting for us right outside the door.

This by far was the smoothest disembarkation I have ever been on, I told my wife, this alone was worth the price of the suite (You would have had to see the Customs line)

I go on Star Class in January 2019, it is going to have a lot to live up to this experience.

Anyone that is interested, this was the last cruise for Ying Jin on Freedom, she was taking vacation and then reporting as Concierge on Oasis, I asked her if she would be on Oasis during the re-fit and she said yes, she was truly amazing...

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You'll have no problem with Star Class eclipsing your disembark on Freedom.  The Genie will pick you up wherever and whenever YOU want to meet (can be in your suite, Suites Lounge after a leisurely breakfast or wherever you decide).  He/she will personally escort you through the gauntlet directly to the front of the specially dedicated Customs line.  No need for a porter.  The Genie will make sure you have as much "help" as you need to get your bags off the ship.  No lines of any kind.  No waiting around for them to get a group together.  Nobody else to worry about.  BTW, the embark is exactly the same thing, in reverse.

What ship are you on in Jan for your first SC cruise ?  I've been on Harmony and Allure but not Oasis.  We will be SC on Anthem in Feb.

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Just now, tiny260 said:

We will be on Allure in January for SC, Anthem in July for the GC, but in a Grand Suite, so Sky.

I was just looking at prices under the current BOGO, would love to get back on Harmony in SC, but that may have to wait.

Are you Prime with Club Royale ?  I am waiting to book our next SC suite using our "free" cruises through the casino.  We will combine them to upgrade us one level and then pay whatever they charge to upgrade to SC.  This year (which is really Feb. 2019) we used each of our "free" cruises and did the B2B Star Class on Anthem but next year we're going to combine them for 1 SC sailing.  Don't know which ship yet - will have to wait until the schedules come out.  Truthfully, while I think Harmony is a nicer ship,  we did not notice any significant difference between SC on Allure or Harmony.  I would book any of the 3 of them with the right price and the right timing.

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We ended up with the same question you and others have asked about being Prime, between the cruise in July and the one in October we should have been, but the point were not showing up and truthfully we just haven't had time to call Club Royale yet.

We will, if they combine out cruises we may be able to do the same thing.

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14 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

We will be on Allure in January for SC, Anthem in July for the GC, but in a Grand Suite, so Sky.

I was just looking at prices under the current BOGO, would love to get back on Harmony in SC, but that may have to wait.

A star loft on Harmony opened up for our March 10, 2019 sailing.  I just noticed it yesterday.  We could be neighbours!

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Just now, Lovetocruise2002 said:

A star loft on Harmony opened up for our March 10, 2019 sailing.  I just noticed it yesterday.  We could be neighbours!

I'm not YOLO just yet, I already have January, July and I'm looking at October of 2019, so trying to fit a March in there may not work, lol...

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As has been said it comes down to you and what you want to do! 

A lot of people here have cruised numerous times so seeing as much of the ship as possible wont be important when they cruise, so i fully understand that they are happy to stay in room. 

However for new cruisers to RC like myself i dont want to stay in room i want to be out and about as much as i can so cabin isnt important as it will just be somewhere other than the bar to sleep lol

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  • 2 years later...

Junior Suites on the Anthem are nice especially the ones with the large balcony.  Grand Suites are better.  You can go to the Coastal Kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Junior suites only allow you to go to dinner in the Coastal Kitchen.   If you don't like something on the evening menu you can order something from the main dinning room and your waiter will get it for you.  The coastal Kitchen is a beautiful restaurant at the 14th floor with windows.    You also get priority embarkation and debarkation.  Concierge service and priority reservations for restaurants, theater, etc., is a plus.  Getting on the ship there is also an area designated only for the suites. which is nice.  

VIP seating at the pool is also a perk.  Free room service is included along with a coffee and tea pot.   In addition, for a small charge a cabana for a special area on CoCo Cay can be had which includes lunch....only for Suites.  For those who haven't been to CoCo Cay it is awesome.  

I am currently diamond plus  but with the double points Royal is offering, it won't be long to get to a higher status.  I cruise a lot during the year.  With all the cancellations in 2020 I now have booked 6 cruise for 2021......fingers crossed we will finally get to sail....safety first though.  Looking forward to getting on the Anthem in March, 2021.  

 

 

 

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While I am generally a fan of the Grand Suite, I was seriously disappointed with the GS on Anthem. It is really small and with that [TV] wall between the “living room” and the bedroom, it seems even smaller than a JS.

If you are looking for suite amenities then you must go with a GS or higher but don’t get the GS looking for space.  You will probably be disappointed. 

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To suite or not to suite...that is the question.?

As already posted above, there are many perks and advantages that come with suites that make them a very attractive option and well worth the cost. Especially if, like me, your time on board is more important than the cruise itinerary. Keep in mind that different ships, as well as different cruise home ports, may not have the very same perks available. Plus, your loyalty status comes with certain perks as you rise through the levels. There is also the option of purchasing the Key which comes with perks such as priority boarding, disembarkation at ports and final destination, internet, embarkation day Chops Grille lunch, private times at some of the venues, priority seating at shows..etc. Again, some of these Key perks vary depending on the ship and cruise home port.

Take time to check out the pricing and perks of each to see which is best for you. Enjoy your cruise!

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15 hours ago, Janice Lee said:

 In addition, for a small charge a cabana for a special area on CoCo Cay can be had which includes lunch....only for Suites.  For those who haven't been to CoCo Cay it is awesome.  

Curious when you experienced a suites only perk on CocoCay.  I've not experienced that on CocoCay, only at Labadee.   The lack of a suite perk was disappointing for many so I'm trying to determine if this is a recent development at CocoCay or something from a while ago.

Thanks.

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3 hours ago, twangster said:

Curious when you experienced a suites only perk on CocoCay.  I've not experienced that on CocoCay, only at Labadee.   The lack of a suite perk was disappointing for many so I'm trying to determine if this is a recent development at CocoCay or something from a while ago.

Thanks.

I am wondering about this and the VIP pool seating this poster is talking about. We chose the JS suite because CK dinner and priority embarkation (plus double points) were really the biggest draws... but if the Coco Cay and pool (aside frome the suite sundeck) are part of the deal I'd upgrade.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I typically reference the image below when running through this choice.

Royal Suite Class | Luxury Cruise Rooms | Royal Caribbean Cruises

We CONSTANTLY have this debate every time I start looking at new cruises (which feels like it's at least quarterly). I break it down by cost for amenities that we will actually use. I break everything up by cost (much to my spouse's dismay ?). Value can be such a subjective term, so I add some objectivity to the mix.

Ultimately I would ask some general question. How many will be cruising in your party? Will you want internet? If so, how many devices do you want to have access? Are you purchasing the UBP or UDP? How much is exclusivity worth to you with regards to the sky lounge access, concierge access, or CK for lunch? Those are the biggest differences. Then I would break everything up by overall cost and compare the two. 

My personal opinion is: the cost difference between Junior Suite/Sea Class to Grande Suite/Sky Class isn't worth the cost (not at $1500 at least... but this is ALSO spoken as someone who has never cruised Sky Class or above). Because of the perks we normally buy, the transition from Junior Suite/Sea Class to Star Class would make a lot more sense.

Also of note, with the addition of The Key, you can now buy some of the Sky Class exclusives plus have internet access for all members (for less than 1/3rd of the price). Might be a better value if you're on the fence!

 

Screenshot 2021-01-14 041932.png

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