Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Anyone who has priced a set on a cruise ship knows they can be expensive.
Like The Points Guy shows in a family cruise line price comparison, you’ll often pay at least 50% more for an apartment on a cruise ship than for a standard cabin. Sometimes the premium can be much higher.
For $11,000 a night, a luxury room on Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Splendor two years old To be more than five times the cost of a standard cabin on board.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, subscribe to TPG’s new journey newsletter.
However, it’s not just the high prices that set cruise ship suites apart. Cruise ship suites are also often a lot larger than standard cruise ship cabins, are better located, and come with a long list of extra perks you won’t get with a regular cabin often.
Perks often include many free things you’d normally pay extra for on a train, such as Wi-Fi access and dinners at top restaurants on board.
Related: 8 cabin positions you should definitely avoid
Add it all up, and — at least for some cruisers — a more expensive suite on a cruise ship can turn out to be the best value of any cabin on the ship.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
Here are seven things you usually get with a yacht set that might make you want to book one instead of a standard cabin.
priority boarding
The perks of being in a suite start from the moment you arrive at your ship. Typically, you’ll find a special check-in area for luxury travelers at the arrivals terminal — an area without the long lines you’ll sometimes find for regular cabin check-in. Sometimes there is even a separate seating area for guests to have drinks and snacks. But don’t expect to stay there for long. As a luxury guest, you will be one of the first passengers to board your ship. That means you’ll be able to start your vacation earlier than most others on your itinerary.
A bigger room
It’s a bit obvious, but for the sake of clarity, we’ll say it again anyway: Cruise ship suites are larger than regular cabins—sometimes much larger. Conventional cruise ship cabins are notoriously small – at least compared to hotel rooms on land. But some of the suites on a cruise ship can be downright massive, with plenty of room including a living room, dining room, and extra bedroom.
In other words, while you pay more for a set, you’ll get more space for your money.
At the higher end, there are cruise suites on board larger than an average US home, such as eye-catching Registrar’s Room picture above. It is over 4,000 square feet and features spacious living and dining areas as well as two massive bedroom complexes.
Related: 6 reasons why balcony cabins can be your best choice
Room location is better
Cruise ship suites aren’t just bigger than regular cabins. They also have better locations. On many ships, you’ll find some of the largest suites at the front or rear of the ship – the two with the most stunning views. You’ll also often find suites along the side of the ship at the point of balance — the point closest to the center of the ship that is most stable in rough seas. If you are prone to seasickness, this is the place you want to go.
Related: 5 best cabin positions on any cruise ship
Better room perks
Expect all sorts of upgrades to your room experience while staying in a yacht suite, from higher thread count linens to upgraded toiletries. Above Royal Caribbean For example, on board, Royal Suite guests receive more premium bottles of L’Occitane shampoo, conditioner and lotion in the bathroom, Mr. Coffee/Tea and Royal Caribbean bathrobes for use during the trip. top suites on Viking The train has a minibar stocked with free drinks including spirits. Famous people The suites also come with a well-stocked minibar, along with two bottles of wine of the passenger’s choice.
More pampering service
Often your apartment will come with a private butler on duty day and night. Some suites also have access to a private concierge. These are the people whose whole job is to eliminate all the little stressors you might be experiencing on vacation and pamper you to the fullest.
Related: 5 reasons you might want to opt out of a cabin upgrade
Your butler, if your suite comes with a butler, can do everything from unpacking your luggage to serving you a private meal on the balcony. This same butler (or your concierge, if you have one) can also book you into the ship’s top restaurants, where you’ll likely have priority access, a special feature. other general authority of the department. She or he can also escort you to a private seating area for guests in the suites in the ship’s theater, which is another benefit of staying in suites on multiple lines.
Butlers and concierge staff can also issue you tickets to activities on board (again, with priority) and will assist you in quick disembarkation once the vessel docks — allowing you to enjoy Make the most of your time in port calls.
Access to exclusive train area
On a growing number of speedboats, luxury guests have access to large, private “train-in-the-train” luxury areas that offer a level of pampering not found on the rest of the ships. .
More than half Norwegian Cruise LineOn board, for example, many of the top suites are part of an exclusive, card-accessible area called The Haven. Aimed at luxury travelers, The Haven complex sits at the top of the ships and often comes with its own lounge, swimming pool, sunbathing area and even a restaurant.
Several MSC Cruises ships offer a similar “vessel in ship” area for luxury guests called the MSC Yacht Club and latest famous trainAs if the pinnacle of celebrityThere is an exclusive and flashy indoor and outdoor seating areas for suite passengers called The Retreat.
Some trains also have a private guide room for luxury passengers only (some are for passengers with top elite statustoo).
Related: What does it take to gain access to the concierge lounge on a cruise ship?
Bonus
Staying in an apartment can give you all sorts of “value-added” perks on ships that often come at an extra cost, from free Wi-Fi access to premium restaurant meals .
Experience the product range at Princess Cruise, for example, including a free dinner on the day of boarding at one of the ship’s chargeable restaurants. Passengers staying in Royal Caribbean’s top Star Class suites enjoy complimentary dining at chargeable eateries throughout the cruise as well as an included tip and a complimentary Deluxe Drink Package.
On Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor, the flagship Regent Suite comes with a private masseuse on request for unlimited treatments during your trip as well as a long list of other perks.
Other “gifts” that often come with suites include free laundry service, free use of the spa hot tub (usually for a surcharge), a bottle of champagne on board, and canapes provided delivered every afternoon. If you’re staying in a suite that’s big enough, you can even have dinner with the ship’s captain.
In addition, many promotions that the line runs will free bonus throws, drink packs, shore excursions and even credits on the plane as an incentive to book a set.
bottom line
A suite on a cruise ship can be much more expensive than a regular cabin. However, the price difference isn’t as great as it looks when you factor in all the free perks you get with another set and added value.
Planning an itinerary? Start with these stories:
