A great deal has been written about how to take a bargain cruise. But suppose you got a big check for your honeymoon from a rich uncle, or won the state lottery or simply want to cruise in high style.
Basically, this means a suite on a fine cruise ship and the service and treatment to go with it.
First, keep in mind that there are suites and there are suites, and not all are alike nor are the costs.
One way to go is on an all-suite ship, like one of the Sea Goddess or Seabourn ships or the new Renaissance line. These are smaller ships with fine service and all accommodations are suites with a few super suites available. Prices for a standard suite on any one of these ships can run around $2,300 to $4,500 or more per person per week for a seven-day cruise.
Or, you can book a top suite on one of the larger five-star luxury ships, like a Royal Viking Line ship or Cunard`s Sagafjord or Vistafjord. The penthouse suite on a Royal Viking ship can cost about $9,885 a person for a 12-day Trans-Canal cruise. This compares to $6,405 for a deluxe cabin and $2,995 for the lowest-cost inside cabin on the same ship.
Super-size suites
Or you might opt for a super-size suite on a big ship like Princess Cruises` Star Princess (1,470 passengers) or Crystal Cruises` new Crystal Harmony (960 passengers). The Crystal Penthouse Suite on the Crystal Harmony can cost about $9,000 a person on a 10-day Trans Canal cruise. This compares to $4,200 for superior stateroom on the same cruise or $2,450 for the least expensive inside stateroom.
The Crystal Penthouse Suite has 948 square feet, including veranda; a superior stateroom on the same ship has 360 square feet and an inside stateroom, 183 square feet.
Also, what is a suite on one ship is only a deluxe stateroom on another, so it is important to study the layouts of the suites in cruise brochures and to have a knowledgeable travel agent for questions.
Keep in mind that you are usually well treated if you are a suite occupant. You can get even better treatment if you do a little advance work.
Ideally, a suite should have a separate bedroom, a distinct living-room area and a veranda, if available. In the bedroom, you should be able to opt for twin beds, or king or queen-size beds. In the living room, what you should seek is a sofa, table and chairs, TV, VCR and bar. The living room should be big enough so you can eat in comfort or invite guests for cocktails. Picture windows are nice pluses, too.
A suite with two bathrooms would be ideal, but, more likely, you`ll get one large bathroom with two sinks. Special features would include a safe, walk-in closet, dressing area and well-stocked bar. On some ships, such as the Sea Goddess, liquor is free. On the Royal Viking line, the top suites get private butlers.
Some groundwork should be done. First, book your cruise through a travel agent; it doesn`t cost anything extra and can pay off in special dividends. You should expect special attention from your travel agent because his commission on a suite can be two or three times greater than the commission on average accommodations.
Put your arm on your travel agent to reserve a good table in the dining room and your choice of first or second seating; some deluxe cruises have open seating all evening; be sure to ask.
If there are to be VIP cocktail parties on the cruise hosted by the captain or other officers, see if your agent can arrange to get you invited.
Once you tell your agent what you want, he should be able to use some leverage to get it. The leverage is improved if (1) his travel agency does a sizable business with the cruise line and (2) by conveying the idea to the cruise line that you are a VIP, even if it means stretching the truth. It`s Machiavellian, but it has been known that some suite passengers, passing as the VIP`s secretary, call the cruise line once or more before sailing to make sure proper arrangements have been made for Mr. and Mrs. VIP.
Bon voyage
If you want a bon voyage party for friends when you leave, that is something your travel agent can arrange in advance. However, keep in mind that many cruise lines have become security-conscious and discourage or have eliminated such parties.
Most ships assign the best and most experienced room stewards to the suites. Look upon the steward as your trusted adviser; the best way to start the relationship is to have a chat the first day aboard.
Also, determine a schedule in advance. If you want breakfast in your room every morning or on the veranda, outline the menu you want and the time you want it served.
If you want fruit in your room at all times, and ice cream at midnight, let him know. Also, tell him if you want extra towels or toiletries, or how you want the bar in the suite stocked.
If you want a cocktail party for shipboard friends before dinner, ask him to help arrange it. One of the joys of a large suite is that you have the room for these niceties. They also cost a lot less than parties ashore.
Premium tipping
On the liability side, keep in mind that if you occupy a super suite, the tipping guidelines that the ships usually provides passengers are out the window. You might want to increase the guidelines by 50 to 100 percent more. Smart cruisers find it wise to come across with some gratuity from the start, perhaps 25 to 50 percent of what you eventually plan to give, and a promise of the remainder if service is up to expectations.
If all your pre-boarding plotting to get a good table in the dining room and the right sitting don`t work out, all is not lost. You still have a chance to get what you want, but now the key person to put the squeeze on is the maitre d` or whoever is in charge of the dining room.
If arrangements haven`t been made in advance, make sure your first stop on boarding day is the dining room and seek out the top man. Indicate to him
(1) you have a suite; (2) you are a frequent cruiser on the line; (3) you thought prior arrangements had been made, but someone fouled up; and (4) you want this situation rectified pronto.
The passing of some gratuity at this point can help the persuasion process. This is usually done in one discreet motion as you pump the maitre d`s hand.
Dealing with dining
Since the dining room will be your play pen for a good four to five hours a day, be sure it becomes a super experience. Deal with the captain of your dining room section, if the ship is organized that way, or your waiter.
You might also have a chat with the cruise director about which of the ship`s entertainment shows are best to attend or forget, where to shop and dine at some of the port stops and some of the ins and outs of cruise life that make it so pleasant. Seek him out on these matters before he lectures the entire passenger contingent so you can get a head start.
Sign up early for such activities as barber shop, beauty parlor, massage therapy, private dance lessons and such to make sure you get the times and dates you want. The people who supervise these services have ways of knowing you occupy one of the suites, and this might get you some special
consideration.
