Travel: Is getting a pricey cruise upgrade really worth it?
Here's what you need to know before plunking down tens of thousands of dollars for a sweet suite at sea.
Living the high life on the high seas is what vacationers should expect when their ship comes in, but booking the bougiest real estate onboard certainly increases the odds of having a bon voyage.
Lavishing in ultimate luxury doesn’t come cheap, of course. The million-dollar question of “to splurge or not to splurge?” can add thousands of dollars to an already pricey purchase. For those who can afford a stately stateroom, however, they are often afforded a boatload of benefits beyond the deluxe digs.
But like pretty much everything in life, you don’t always get what you pay for. While the majority of passenger ships put the biggest spenders in cruise control with such privileges as exclusive dining options, private lounges and reserved theater seats, some have guests looking at their travel budget with a sinking feeling.
Playing the dual role of travel agent and real estate agent, we’ve checked out some prime properties that, under normal conditions, promise an elevated experience when paying a suntanned arm and leg.
Even without getting into upgrades, cruise fares are all over the nautical map due to such factors as the number of nights, itinerary, season, availability, the cruise line and even the ship itself. For sanity’s sake, we’ll do like a bad kayaking shore excursion and only scratch the surface here.
Focusing on the value-based mainstream cruise market (because, let’s face it, those who can afford the best don’t even blink at upgrading), the big four are serving up a buffet of bundles — and we all know how much cruisers love buffets. The key is making sure your eyes are not bigger than your stomach — or in this case, wallet.
Despite the dizzying number of premium packages out there, a standard inclusion with a suite on mega-ships (those defined as having 1,500 or more cabins) is a “fast pass” of sorts when checking in, boarding, debarking, tendering and dining in the main restaurants.
The OG of exclusive suite zones is Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com). Having pioneered the concept in 2005, giving it a name — The Haven — in 2011, mass-market NCL offers this elite enclave on the majority of its fleet. This includes the newer Prima-class ships: the 3,099-passenger namesake and 3,215-guest Viva, both of which blur the line between the mainstream and premium categories. A private bar, lounge and restaurant, secluded sundeck and infinity pool, and 24-hour butler service, all within an area accessible only by keycard, will also delight future passengers on the 3,571-guest Norwegian Aqua, debuting in April 2025.
How much is a slice of heaven in The Haven? The fleetwide average fare for a seven-day sail in a 300-square-foot balcony room is around $3,000 per person. That’s chump change and a cracker box compared to one of the two 2,100-square-foot, three-bed, three-bath Duplex Suites that will be on Aqua. At press time, these maritime mansions were about $14,000 per person for a weeklong Caribbean cruise out of Florida next summer.
On Royal Caribbean International’s amazing Icon of the Seas, the largest suite of the world’s largest ship is the 1,772-square-foot, three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse that sleeps eight. It’s got a multi-level slide, a wraparound balcony, whirlpool, areas for karaoke and watching movies, and even a patio with ping-pong.
Royal Caribbean (royalcaribbean.com) divides its top suites on its newer and bigger ships into three Royal Suite categories — Sea, Sky and Star — and, no surprise, the Ultimate Family Townhouse belongs in the class named for the physically highest of the trio. Services and amenities are still impressive up in the Sky and even at Sea level, but being a Star comes with pre-paid gratuities, specialty dining and a deluxe beverage package.
Carnival Cruise Line (carnival.com) is known for being more fun than fancy, but with every renovation and new ship there is an opportunity to add frills with the thrills. “Fun Ships” don’t have private elevators for guests between suite enclaves and main decks — at least not yet — but most of Carnival’s fleet offers VIP treatment when staying in certain zones. Excel-class suites, available on the 5,282-passenger Jubilee, Celebration and Mardi Gras, provide access at Loft 19, a top-deck sanctuary that offers super-comfortable lounge chairs, an exclusive and spacious infinity whirlpool, and rentable cabanas that come with such indulgences as dedicated concierge service, chilled towels, lunch delivery, and glorious shade.
Other perks of an Excel-class suite include sparkling wine and a fruit bowl upon arrival, soft drink package, and use of the Thermal Suites, which are dedicated relaxation centers that offer seafaring splendor in a variety of environments. Also worth a look before you book are the following communities that come with select services and amenities: Cuban-themed Havana on Vista, Horizon, Panorama and the three Excel ships (for guests 12 and over); Italian-accented Terrazza on Firenze and Venezia (same); wellness-focused Cloud 9 Spa on 13 ships; and Family Harbor. The latter stateroom and suite community, on Celebration, Horizon, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Panorama and Vista, comes with daily breakfast and snacks in an exclusive family-friendly lounge stocked with age-appropriate video and board games, and movies, an evening of late-night babysitting service at Camp Ocean, and other cool stuff.
MSC Cruises (msccruisesusa.com), the third-largest cruise line after Royal Caribbean and Carnival, has the MSC Yacht Club, a winning response to the competition’s various exclusive suite enclaves. Strutting around the loftiest lodging on the beautiful 5,877-passenger Seascape and a dozen other ships in the fleet lends a feeling of being on a cruise within a cruise. Elegance begins with a less stressful embarkation process in port and continues onboard with full-service and buffet-style gourmet dining. Yacht Club privileges also include the best drink and internet packages, 24-hour butler and room service, special concierge desk, perks at the spa, afternoon tea, exclusive pools and lounges, and priority over commoners at several useful places. The Yacht Club experience continues on land should the itinerary include Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, where the private and serene Ocean House Beach awaits with ocean views, beachfront cabanas and inclusive amenities.
Moving on up to the premium category, Disney Cruise Line (disneycruiseline.com) has an E-ticket suite on its 4,000-passenger flagship, the mouska-riffic Disney Wish. The apex of accommodations has an avant-garde address. Nestled inside the one funnel that’s just for show is the “Moana”-themed Concierge Wish Tower Suite. Spread across 1,966 square feet and two levels connected by a spiral staircase are four bedrooms, four and one-half bathrooms, and enough space to sleep eight. The happiest place at sea is running about $35,000 for a family of five on a three-day Bahamian cruise next summer.
Within the luxury class, Windstar Cruises (windstarcruises.com) has three all-suite motorized Star Plus-class ships in a fleet filled out by a trio of Wind-class sailing yachts. Aboard each of the 312-passenger Star Plus vessels are three owners suites ranging in size from 575 to 1,374 square feet. Over the past two years, Windstar has rolled out two additional suites on each Star Plus yacht, and their concept is not only unique, but award winning. Earning bragging rights as “Best Suites at Sea” (small-ship division) at last year’s Cruise Ship Interior Awards were The Broadmoor and Sea Island suites that match the decor of their namesake five-star resorts in Colorado Springs and the Georgia coast, right down to the furniture, crown moldings and wallpaper.
Hitting the heights, which in the cruising world means the ultra-luxury category, Crystal (crystalcruises.com) offers up a 1,372-square-foot Crystal Penthouse Suite on the 740-guest Serenity, which went through a near-complete makeover in 2023. with expansive living areas, a private veranda, elaborate finishings, a Romanesque bathroom, dining area, big-enough private kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave, and, speaking from personal experience, one of the two best butler services at sea. (Seabourn has the other). At last check, bunking in the best of the best on an eight-day Mediterranean cruise was going for about $44,000 for two next summer.
The beauty of cruising is you don’t have to go big or go home. Living the suite life may cost thousands or tens of thousands, but even if the low end is too dear, cruise fares, like ships and passengers, come in all shapes and sizes.