Royal concierge service vs DCL

[waggles02673]

My wife and I are thinking of changing our cruising up a little bit. We have no kids and sail on DCL 2-3 times a year in a Concierge Suite (platinum members). Now that DCL is getting so expensive we are talking about trying a RCCL cruise in a Grand Suite. What we are wondering is if anyone would comment on sailing in a suite on RCCL compared to DCL and would you do it again or stick with DCL? Thanks

 

[OKW Lover]

We've sailed in a grand suite on RCL a couple of times now and are doing it again in December. So, yes its worth doing. At least for us. As you noted, the price difference can be significant. Give it a try.

 

[waggles02673]

We've sailed in a grand suite on RCL a couple of times now and are doing it again in December. So, yes its worth doing. At least for us. As you noted, the price difference can be significant. Give it a try.

Thanks for the info. From researching it sounds like the perks are pretty much the same so maybe we will give it a try. Would you recommend a trip on an Oasis class ship or Freedom class ship?

 

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for the info. From researching it sounds like the perks are pretty much the same so maybe we will give it a try. Would you recommend a trip on an Oasis class ship or Freedom class ship?

I'd go with the lower cost or better itinerary, which ever is more important to you. The Oasis is a "floating wonder" but to our taste its just a big city. We like to feel like we are actually on a ship. Of course not everybody agrees with that perspective.

 

[karmacats]

DH and i have cruised concierge on disney dream twice (though in a cat v, so not a full suite) and usually cruise in suites on royal.

for oasis vs freedom class, they are all great ships, but as far as suite perks go, oasis class has more. they have a suite lounge with a beautiful view, and a suites-only restaurant called coastal kitchen which is delicious. starting next may they are going to have extra perks for grand suite (GS) and up, like free internet. freedom class has a dinky interior suite lounge with no view and will not have the extra perks at first. also, oasis class has two concierges working per cruise and freedom class has one per cruise. so, if you're basing your decision on suite perks, i'd recommend oasis class over freedom class.

for royal vs disney concierge, the royal perks are good, but i think you get more personalized service on disney. the dream has three concierges per cruise for a small number of suites; oasis has two concierges and freedom has one, and i think both ships (oasis class for sure) have more suites than the dream. also, on royal the suites are spread all over the ship, so you may not have as much proximity to the lounge, and therefore not utilize it as much. because there are fewer concierges on royal, they have set hours in the a.m. and afternoon, rather than being in the lounge all day (though the lounge is 24 hours, and has pre-dinner happy hours like disney). that said, we've always had good luck with concierges on royal; it's not just necessarily as convenient.

also, if you are used to full suites on disney, keep in mind the grand suite is a little different - it does have separate living and sleeping areas, but they are only divided by a curtain, so it seems more like one extra-large room than a true suite (except on quantum class, which has a wall). it's still pretty roomy, but just wanted to give you a heads up. most GS and up on royal ships have extra large balconies with lounge chairs (and you can ask for the chairs if they are not out there when you board), which i think is a step up from disney, where only the bumpout rooms really have space for loungers.

DH and i really enjoy both lines, and have had mostly good luck with concierge service on both. we actually prefer royal a little more, but for reasons that have nothing to do with concierge service. i'd maybe give disney a slight edge to concierge service, but not enough that it would sway me from royal, especially if there's a decent price difference or you want to try something new.

 

[waggles02673]

Thanks for the info

 

[OKgirl]

We stayed in a Crown Loft Suite on the Oasis of the Seas last March and enjoyed it tremendously. Suite guests have their own dining room (The Coastal Kitchen) if they choose to eat there. They also serve a nice breakfast/lunch as well as heavy appetizers in the evenings on a buffet table. The food was wonderful but menu more limited than then main dining room. All alcoholic beverages ordered here were complimentary so we quickly decided to eat here most nights and would grab a "to go" drink on our way out. The ship is so large that guests need reservations for the shows - except for suite guests who have their own section reserved. Also, in the main dining room, if you don't make reservations on the Your Time Dining, you may have to wait 30 minutes for a table. The hostess asked our room number and immediately spoke into a walkie talkie saying "I need table 20 for some our our suite guests". We were immediately seated while everyone else glared at us..... It was pretty awesome. (We had never stayed in a suite on a cruise before). We also used the suite deck on sea days because you couldn't find chairs on the main deck at all (it was a packed ship). It was nice to have a private deck to find chairs to lay out on. The Crown Loft Suites are 2 stories with the bedroom upstairs open to the downstairs. Only a curtain separated us from our kids downstairs (and we would have appreciated more privacy....) But the 2 story glass wall had outstanding views and our balcony was huge! I'm pretty spoiled now and will try to get a suite from now on if I can afford it.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Haven't done concierge on Disney - so other than the high prices and limited suites - we really don't have any background on their suite perks, but we usually sail in suites on RCL and suite guests have the full MDR menu available for in room dining. Also, suite guests on Radiance class and above (Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class) have a separate restaurant for breakfast (full service) and a separate seating area in the MDR and Windjammer as well. On Radiance class ships, Suite guests can have their plated breakfast served in Chops, on Freedom class, it's Giovanni's, and on Oasis class it used to be Chops, but we haven't sailed that class since they converted the Crown Lounge into the suite lounge and Coastal Kitchen, so they may have moved it there. Starting this spring, Suite guests on Oasis class ships will have their own butler in addition to the two concierges previously mentioned.

Suite Benefits
Ultimate Beverage Package
Complimentary Specialty Restaurants
All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen
Special In-Suite Dining
Suite Lounge
In-Suite Hand Crafted Cocktail Service
Complimentary Minibar
Specialty Bottled Water
Nespresso® Coffee Maker Service
Complimentary VOOM Internet, Fastest Internet at Sea
Complimentary Fitness Class
Complimentary Spa Thermal Room Access
Exclusive Access to Signature Activities
Daily Gratuities Included
Complimentary In-Suite Movies
Luxury Bathroom Amenities by L’Occitane®
Duxiana® Mattress
Frette Linens, Towels and Bathrobes
In-Suite Welcome Amenity
Royal Genie Services and Benefits
Royal Genie Service
Customized Welcome Gift
Food & Beverage Requests
In-Suite Dining Requests
Complimentary Laundry & Pressing Services
Escort Guests On and Off Ship
Concierge Services
Priority Reservations
Priority Theater Seats
Access to Suite Sun Deck
Access to Exclusive Suite Beach on Private Islands
Priority Boarding & Departure
Handle Special Requests

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalsuiteclass#1cFD6Ox4RrgMKZja.99

 

[karmacats]

Suite Benefits
Ultimate Beverage Package
Complimentary Specialty Restaurants
All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen
Special In-Suite Dining
Suite Lounge
In-Suite Hand Crafted Cocktail Service
Complimentary Minibar
Specialty Bottled Water
Nespresso® Coffee Maker Service
Complimentary VOOM Internet, Fastest Internet at Sea
Complimentary Fitness Class
Complimentary Spa Thermal Room Access
Exclusive Access to Signature Activities
Daily Gratuities Included
Complimentary In-Suite Movies
Luxury Bathroom Amenities by L’Occitane®
Duxiana® Mattress
Frette Linens, Towels and Bathrobes
In-Suite Welcome Amenity
Royal Genie Services and Benefits
Royal Genie Service
Customized Welcome Gift
Food & Beverage Requests
In-Suite Dining Requests
Complimentary Laundry & Pressing Services
Escort Guests On and Off Ship
Concierge Services
Priority Reservations
Priority Theater Seats
Access to Suite Sun Deck
Access to Exclusive Suite Beach on Private Islands
Priority Boarding & Departure
Handle Special Requests

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalsuiteclass#1cFD6Ox4RrgMKZja.99

Just a heads up - a lot of the above-listed perks are only for the uber-uber-expensive suites, and not for grand suites. The brochure linked to by eskimoinparadise lists the perks for each "class" of suites - grand suites are in sky class, which is the middle level, so things like free beverages packages, free specialty restaurants, royal genie, and free laundry don't apply. if you click on "suite details" in the brochure for each class, it will tell you which suites are included.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Just a heads up - a lot of the above-listed perks are only for the uber-uber-expensive suites, and not for grand suites. The brochure linked to by eskimoinparadise lists the perks for each "class" of suites - grand suites are in sky class, which is the middle level, so things like free beverages packages, free specialty restaurants, royal genie, and free laundry don't apply. if you click on "suite details" in the brochure for each class, it will tell you which suites are included.

True. I figured the link would lay out the range, so I only posted the top end. BTW, the sky class is usually around the same price as a cat 7 on Disney.

 

[karmacats]

True. I figured the link would lay out the range, so I only posted the top end. BTW, the sky class is usually around the same price as a cat 7 on Disney.

I got it. i just didn't want the OP to read that list and get all excited, and then realize it didn't apply to their GS. I know when the list of new perks first came out i was super-excited, and then correspondingly very bummed when i found out that many of the perks didn't apply to me (we usually get GS, OS, and CLS, but there are only two of us so getting the higher-level suites doesn't really make sense for us).

 

[RKKUNK]

We will be on the Allure on May 1st and I know that the new suite benefits "start" in May. Hopefully they will apply to our cruise.(especially the WiFi) We will be in a GS and are excited to get more benefits than when we cruised last Nov. on the Dream in a Family Oceanview Concierge room and a larger room to boot. What we are getting in perks is better than the 1 bedroom on Disney for way less money!

 

[waggles02673]

Again thanks for the info. We normally stay in a 1 bedroom on Disney and would either get a Grand Suite or Owners suite on Freedom class and probably a loft suite on the Oasis class. Have any of you stayed in a loft suite?

 

[karmacats]

Again thanks for the info. We normally stay in a 1 bedroom on Disney and would either get a Grand Suite or Owners suite on Freedom class and probably a loft suite on the Oasis class. Have any of you stayed in a loft suite?

We've stayed in a crown loft suite on allure. it was our favorite suite ever (we've also been in grand, superior grand, and owners suites), and we have another crown loft booked for harmony (new new oasis class ship).

things we loved about the loft - high ceilings (including balcony, which was double-height), modern styling, two bathrooms (including master with an awesome 2-person shower). the lofts are in a private area you need your key card to get into, so the hallways are very quiet, and a lot wider than normal hallways. the suite lounge and coastal kitchen (suites-only restaurant) have been moved to the same deck as the lofts, so they will be convenient.

things we didn't like - because the room is high rather than very wide, the balcony had room for two loungers and a small table, but no dining area. we were in 1708, port side on the front of the curve, and smoke from the smoking area on deck 15 or 16 would occasionally blow onto our balcony; for that reason we chose starboard side for our upcoming harmony cruise, as the smoking areas are only port side on oasis class.

other things to be aware of -

there are two types of crown loft suites, L1 and L2. L1s are on the side and look out over the ocean. L2s are on the back and look out over the boardwalk and sports court. some people like L2s because they can see all the action; some people like L1s because they are quieter and more private. L1s are generally a little more expensive, but usually only by $200-300.

as far as perks go, crown lofts are in the middle tier of suites, with grand and owners suites.
there are larger loft suites, i think called sky loft suites and royal loft suites, that are corner suites (look over both the ocean and the boardwalk, with a wrap around balcony), and in the higher tier of perks.

this is kind of random, but in 1708, we would occasionally hear water rushing through pipes while we were in the loft area. just a heads up if you are a light sleeper. we have no idea what it was from. the lofts are built sort of around the smokestacks, so i guess it could be from that. there's also a crew deck above the lofts around stacks, so maybe they have water up there, or were washing down that deck. it was not particularly loud - it did not wake me up if i was sleeping or anything - but was definitely noticeable when in the loft and awake.

 

[mytripsandraces]

We've stayed in a crown loft suite on allure. it was our favorite suite ever (we've also been in grand, superior grand, and owners suites), and we have another crown loft booked for harmony (new new oasis class ship).

things we loved about the loft - high ceilings (including balcony, which was double-height), modern styling, two bathrooms (including master with an awesome 2-person shower). the lofts are in a private area you need your key card to get into, so the hallways are very quiet, and a lot wider than normal hallways. the suite lounge and coastal kitchen (suites-only restaurant) have been moved to the same deck as the lofts, so they will be convenient.

things we didn't like - because the room is high rather than very wide, the balcony had room for two loungers and a small table, but no dining area. we were in 1708, port side on the front of the curve, and smoke from the smoking area on deck 15 or 16 would occasionally blow onto our balcony; for that reason we chose starboard side for our upcoming harmony cruise, as the smoking areas are only port side on oasis class.

other things to be aware of -

there are two types of crown loft suites, L1 and L2. L1s are on the side and look out over the ocean. L2s are on the back and look out over the boardwalk and sports court. some people like L2s because they can see all the action; some people like L1s because they are quieter and more private. L1s are generally a little more expensive, but usually only by $200-300.

as far as perks go, crown lofts are in the middle tier of suites, with grand and owners suites.
there are larger loft suites, i think called sky loft suites and royal loft suites, that are corner suites (look over both the ocean and the boardwalk, with a wrap around balcony), and in the higher tier of perks.

this is kind of random, but in 1708, we would occasionally hear water rushing through pipes while we were in the loft area. just a heads up if you are a light sleeper. we have no idea what it was from. the lofts are built sort of around the smokestacks, so i guess it could be from that. there's also a crew deck above the lofts around stacks, so maybe they have water up there, or were washing down that deck. it was not particularly loud - it did not wake me up if i was sleeping or anything - but was definitely noticeable when in the loft and awake.

What kind of amenities are included in the suite class of rooms? Have you cruised in a suite on DCL? Is it comparable?

 

[karmacats]

What kind of amenities are included in the suite class of rooms? Have you cruised in a suite on DCL? Is it comparable?

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=enhanced_program_for_suite_guests

amenities are about to change next may, but the above link should have more info.

we've cruised concierge on the disney dream, in a category V, which is a normal-size room with concierge perks. i think you get more personalized service on disney - there are more concierges for fewer suites. many of our royal concierges have been great, too, but they don't necessarily have as much time with each person, if that's important to you. they still perform many of the same functions, like making reservations, fixing problems, etc. royal has some unadvertised perks, too - on our allure cruise we got to do a sailaway from their private island on the helipad which is normally closed to guests, and on anthem we got a suites-only ride on the north star.

sorry so short, but we are literally leaving this minute to drive down to florida from DC for a disney cruise on friday (good thing we're night owls!).

 

[mytripsandraces]

Thank you for your response! Have a great time!!