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Why you should upgrade to a suite on your next cruise

Cruise Advice
By

The word 'suite', when referring to hotel or cruise ship accommodation, should in theory mean connected rooms under one room number. The property may refer to a class of accommodation with more space than a typical room as a suite, but technically speaking there should be more than one room to constitute a true suite.

In practice, you will often find that a so-called suite is just a bit bigger than the standard room, or that the room can be divided in two, but by a curtain or screen.

As a rule, the larger the room the more expensive it is, and that can sometimes be very straightforward - twice the size, twice the price. So you need to work out what your motivators are in order to make a good decision when selecting a suite.

Imagine, for example, that you are travelling with your children and grandchildren: you might want to go for interconnecting rooms, one of which has plenty of living space, enabling you to spend daytimes together but maintain your privacy at night.

Oceania O Class ship - Owners Suite

Or alternatively, you might be travelling as a couple, on a lengthy cruise. You probably won't want to eat 'out' (at one of the restaurants) every night, so your priority could be the space to dine privately at home.

You might have different sleeping patterns to your partner, so you need space to potter about at night without disturbing your sleeping other half. You might be supremely social, and love to have space to entertain friends in your suite. Or, you may enjoy the kudos and the enhanced level of service that suite life brings.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer - Regent Suite bar

We can help you identify exactly what sort of accommodation you need, and help you choose what's best for you. A huge suite on a mainstream ship, for example, could work out at a bargain price per person per square foot, and enable you to enjoy an excellent family holiday without being on top of each other.

On the other hand, you might prefer less space, in order to enjoy the exclusive elegance of a more intimate ship. On such a ship, it is all about the service, and your butler could make your cruise for you.

Silversea  - Butler Service in your suite

I am often told, "I wouldn't know what to do with a butler!" People squirm at the idea of a stranger unpacking their smalls, or looking critically over their wardrobe choices. But there is so much more a butler can do for you: make your restaurant reservations; follow up with the shore excursion team; liaise with the concierge about a car at your next port; get something from the shop when in theory it's closed; track down the people you met over drinks last night; press your laundry; bring your breakfast and set it out beautifully on your veranda; find out if there is Marmite on board and if not, go out at the next port of call to try and track it down; serve drinks and canapés to your friends at a special private party - all this and more has a butler done for us over the years.

Crystal Mozart - Butler service

To sum up, basically your butler can do any boring or time-consuming administrative chore, or any apparently impossible feat, that would take you away from your prime focus - that of enjoying your cruise. Except for going to the gym - you have to do that for yourself…

Meet the author

Edwina Lonsdale is Managing Director and together with husband Matthew, owner of Mundy Cruising. Most recently she's cruised on Windstar and has also sailed with Silversea, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, SeaDream, Ponant, AmaWaterways and Aqua Expeditions. Her favourite destination is the Galapagos however she's also enjoyed cruises in the Mediterranean, Danube, Middle East, East Africa & Indian Ocean, Brahmaputra, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Mekong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Caribbean and the Arctic. When she’s not travelling she loves reading, food and wine.

More about Edwina

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