Oh the Suite Life! If you’ve ever sailed a Royal Caribbean Cruise, I’m sure you have wondered what it would be like to be one of those people that has the gold card to their stateroom. While I am here to tell you, I have finally experienced my first gold card and I’ve lived to write about it. Please keep in mind that every experience is different based on ship and style of suite.
My first true suite experience was on Jewel of the Seas in an Owner’s Suite. The room was truly a treat. I walked in and was treated with my diamond amenities and a few extra treats. We were told we would have complimentary room service and pressing for formal night. Our room attendant was very attentive to our needs and always having a bucket of ice ready for bottles of champagne. I did a live video tour of the suite on Periscope if you are interested in looking.
Perks to this suite:
• The Balcony: This balcony was large! It was big enough to fit two loungers, two chairs and a table with room to spare. We spent a lot of time out on the balcony relaxing and eating room service.
• Complimentary Room Service: My coworkers and I took full advantage of this. I’d order a bunch of snacks for sail away parties that I hosted. I enjoyed eating breakfast on my balcony. I’m pretty sure one of my coworkers ate 6 room service quesadillas easily!
• Bathroom Space: I’ve never been in a cruise ship that had a separate tub and shower let alone a bidet! It was so nice to have a dual vanity with two ladies traveling and getting ready.
• Closet Space: Can I get an amen on this one? I felt like all my things actually had a place. There was so much in the way of cabinet space as well.
There are some things you need to keep in mind when booking suites. Beware of the Junior Suite. I have been in a junior suite before but a junior suite does not have all the same amenities. In a Junior Suite, you do not have access to suite lounges and suite speciality restaurants. The only main perk is the double crown and anchor points and more space. You also need to keep in mind that not all ships have the same suite amenities. On the larger Royal Caribbean Ships there is a restaurant called Coastal Kitchen for Suite Guests that is not on the smaller fleet. I did have the option to eat breakfast in Chops on Jewel for this suite but just did not have the time or desire to do it.
Overall I am very blessed to have won this upgrade for work. It was a real treat and provided a great space for all of my closer coworkers and I to hang out. Personally, on this size ship, I don’t know if I would pay for a suite versus the lack of amenities compared to larger ships. I would definitely like to try a suite on a larger ship in the future.
Have you ever been in a larger suite? What has been your experiences?
