Royal Suites

[dizneekrazee]

How soon do Royal Suites generally book up? I know there are only 2 per ship, so I imagine it is generally pretty quick. Does it vary by ship? Itinerary? Season? Is there a way to find availability other than calling? I would love to cruise in a Royal Suite, so I am just trying to get ideas. Thank you.

 

[cypressmom]

You can call or check the website for availability. The tend to go quickly.

 

[cris0809]

They are popular, and tend to sell out pretty immediately when new dates are announced for school breaks. Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Spring Break all move.

From there the longer or specialty cruises - Alaska, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, Med.

The Fantasy's Royals also seems to be quite popular. The easiest way to find one would probably be on the Wonder as she sails out of Galveston these last few times? Or perhaps the Dream since she does 3 and 4 night sailings every week.

If you're looking "into the future" you should decide when you want to sail and watch these boards for when Winter 2014/Spring 2015 sailing dates are released. Then get ready to dial and hope for the best!

When they are available they are listed in their reservation module. They don't pop up *that* often.

 

[cruisecrasher]

They are popular, and tend to sell out pretty immediately when new dates are announced for school breaks. Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Spring Break all move.

From there the longer or specialty cruises - Alaska, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, Med.

The Fantasy's Royals also seems to be quite popular. The easiest way to find one would probably be on the Wonder as she sails out of Galveston these last few times? Or perhaps the Dream since she does 3 and 4 night sailings every week.

If you're looking "into the future" you should decide when you want to sail and watch these boards for when Winter 2014/Spring 2015 sailing dates are released. Then get ready to dial and hope for the best!

When they are available they are listed in their reservation module. They don't pop up *that* often.

Actually, we booked a royal on the Wonder for their last January cruise when they released the schedule (opening day).

It's kinda a look and see.

 

[mc2]

The first time we booked one, we had a very flexible schedule and weren't looking for any particular itinerary. We just called reservations and asked them when the first cruise was that had one available, and ended up getting a 7 night Western Caribbean on the Magic in February (this was before the Dream or the Fantasy) about 8 months out. For our upcoming cruise in October, we booked it a year in advance, but it was showing available for a little while. There definitely times/itineraries that book much faster than others. We have found it to be faster/more convenient to inquire re: availability by phone than to have to go cruise by cruise on the website. Good luck!

 

[socababy]

The first time we sailed in a royal was over spring break. In fact, we boarded Easter day. I booked this trip less than a year out and it was just available on the site so I emailed my TA. The second time was on the PC cruise last Dec. We were originally booked in a 1 bdrm right next door in 8532. It was on our PC meet thread in August I believe when someone mentioned a royal was available. It wasn't that much more than I was paying for the bedroom so I decided 2 weeks in a royal was a must do. I quickly emailed my TA. Of course both times were on the Wonder. I hear the bigger ships are harder to come by.

 

[ktb2002]

I booked the Roy on the Fantasy for my May cruise 2014 a year and a half out.

 

[disneywonderfun]

This is just based on my experiences. Booking a Royal on one of the classic ships is much, much easier than either of the newer ships. With that being said, booking a Royal on the Dream is easier than the Fantasy. Booking a Royal on the Fantasy is rapidly turning into a nightmare. We just returned from a Fantasy cruise a week ago and had the Walt Suite. We booked it in late 2011 on the first day it was available. Being a compulsive type, I kept checking to see when the matching Roy suite would disappear. It took probably four or five months before somebody booked the other Royal. So, even around a year out, perhaps anyone could have still booked that cabin. Well, looking for 2014 dates on the Fantasy a couple months ago has turned into an almost futile exercise. I cannot officially schedule my 2014 schedule until this fall. Virtually ALL SUMMER WEEKS on the Fantasy are long gone. Even "off season" 2013 weeks on the Fantasy are largely gone as well. We have an accidental week off in October 2013 where we can book a 4 night Dream cruise with the Roy but the Fantasy cruise on the same week is fully booked on the concierge level (except for one remaining cabin on deck 11).

Anyway, my point is that you really need to decide very early in the process if you want the Fantasy. The other ships, not so much.

DWF

 

[disneywonderfun]

This really did not take too long, but I did check and the Fantasy only has ONE WEEK available for the next 12 months where a Royal Suite remains available, November 16, 2013.

So, yes, tough to get one.

DWF

 

[dizneekrazee]

Ok, so I played around on the website, and found 2 available on the Wonder during the times I am interested. How do I know if it is for the Walt or Roy? I see nothing that specifies. One of them says category 00R, if that makes a difference. Thinking that must be Roy. I didn't check on the other. Will go back and look now.

Edit: They both say 00R. Are the Royal Suites the same? Minor differences?

 

[Golden Rose]

We've booked a Royal twice. The first time we booked the first day you could book, about a year and a half in advance. The second time we booked a year out, and we chose our sailing because there was a Royal available at the time we were booking. We were on the Magic the first time, and will be on the Wonder the second.

My DM currently refuses to sail on Disney if she isn't in a Royal. She doesn't like the food in the MDRs, so she has something from Palo delivered every night. (She had a regular plate of green vegetables plus sliced avocados sent to our room nightly, as soon as she figured out she was allowed to order from Palo every night.) As far as we're concerned, this is perhaps the best reason to go for a Royal instead of a 2 bedroom. Although we also liked the unlimited wifi.

00R is for both the Walt and the Roy. There is no difference in the two on the classic ships at this point except that the cabinetry is a different color. The Walt is done in a lighter tan and the Roy is done in darker brown.

 

[dizneekrazee]

We've booked a Royal twice. The first time we booked the first day you could book, about a year and a half in advance. The second time we booked a year out, and we chose our sailing because there was a Royal available at the time we were booking. We were on the Magic the first time, and will be on the Wonder the second.

My DM currently refuses to sail on Disney if she isn't in a Royal. She doesn't like the food in the MDRs, so she has something from Palo delivered every night. (She had a regular plate of green vegetables plus sliced avocados sent to our room nightly, as soon as she figured out she was allowed to order from Palo every night.) As far as we're concerned, this is perhaps the best reason to go for a Royal instead of a 2 bedroom. Although we also liked the unlimited wifi.

00R is for both the Walt and the Roy. There is no difference in the two on the classic ships at this point except that the cabinetry is a different color. The Walt is done in a lighter tan and the Roy is done in darker brown.

Thank you!!

So, there is a difference on the newer ships? I'm afraid if I book a Royal for our first, we will be spoiled and not want to sail any other way.

 

[Golden Rose]

Thank you!!

So, there is a difference on the newer ships? I'm afraid if I book a Royal for our first, we will be spoiled and not want to sail any other way.

I don't know! I haven't sailed on the newer ships.

The spoiling thing worked for my mother. Our first cruise on DCL was a Royal, and she won't book it any other way. (On other lines, she started with requiring a window years and years ago, then moved up to it "must have a veranda" once she tried a veranda, then she tried a suite and it had to be suites! Part of this was changing times on the cruise lines, as more and more ships were built with verandas, and then more lines added suites with substantial perks. I will say, DCL is the only line she requires the Royal (or equivalent) on. She really disliked the MDR experience. She didn't like the food, and couldn't believe how many poorly behaved noisy children were filling the dining room. Of course, some of the noisy children were mine, but that's another story!)

Anyway, yes, there is a danger that a Royal will spoil you.

 

[cypressmom]

From a cabin review:

8030 (Roy O Disney Suite) or 8530 (Walter E Disney Suite).

The two Cat-1 suites are identical in size and layout but with small differences in dýcor. Cabin 8030 is paneled with a light shade burlwood cabinetry throughout the suite. Cabin 8530 has dark wood cabinetry and a baby grand piano in the central common area.

 

[DisneyGirl8]

From a cabin review:

8030 (Roy O Disney Suite) or 8530 (Walter E Disney Suite).

The two Cat-1 suites are identical in size and layout but with small differences in dýcor. Cabin 8030 is paneled with a light shade burlwood cabinetry throughout the suite. Cabin 8530 has dark wood cabinetry and a baby grand piano in the central common area.

I just stayed in the Roy suite (8530) on the Wonder. There is no baby grand piano in the living room. The suite was amazing...totally worth the additional expense for the views and service.

 

[barbja99]

We're sailing in the Roy suite 8530 on the Wonder to Alaska next month. We're really looking forward to it. I booked it opening week; perhaps the 2nd or 3rd day.

I chose the Roy because we preferred the darker wood and wanted to be on the mainland side of the ship on the way up the coast. There are a couple of youtube video walkthroughs of each suite on the classic ships that you can check out.

My sister and I are sailing with our kids DS12, DD12, and DD16. When we travel, we prefer to stay in the same 'container', but not be on top of each other. That doesn't leave much choice on a ship. We could have booked connecting cabins, but that just isn't the same.

We would like to sail on one of the new ships, but a regular 7-day Caribbean on the Fantasy during 'kid available' season is $10k more than the suite for Alaska. Man. Two 1BRs on the Fantasy would be about the same as the same as a Royal to Alaska.

So long my family doesn't get that double-hankering for the Fantasy, we're going to stay with the classic ships.

 

[dizneekrazee]

We're sailing in the Roy suite 8530 on the Wonder to Alaska next month. We're really looking forward to it. I booked it opening week; perhaps the 2nd or 3rd day.

I chose the Roy because we preferred the darker wood and wanted to be on the mainland side of the ship on the way up the coast. There are a couple of youtube video walkthroughs of each suite on the classic ships that you can check out.

My sister and I are sailing with our kids DS12, DD12, and DD16. When we travel, we prefer to stay in the same 'container', but not be on top of each other. That doesn't leave much choice on a ship. We could have booked connecting cabins, but that just isn't the same.

We would like to sail on one of the new ships, but a regular 7-day Caribbean on the Fantasy during 'kid available' season is $10k more than the suite for Alaska. Man. Two 1BRs on the Fantasy would be about the same as the same as a Royal to Alaska.

So long my family doesn't get that double-hankering for the Fantasy, we're going to stay with the classic ships.

Thanks!! I will check out the videos. My co-worker just got back yesterday from her Alaskan DCL. She loved it so much, she wants to do it again next year!!