Help, please ~ cat. 2 vs. cat. 6 (2 rooms)

[chele4kids]

Hi, I just got an email from DU that our waitlist request for a cat. 2 room in Aug. 2009 came through, so I have to decide fast if I really want to do it. Right now, we have 2 connecting cat. 6 rooms for our family of 6. The cat. 2 will cost about $3600.00 more. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this trip. Can some of you help me decide if it is really worth it to spend the extra on a room? Pros/Cons? I'm thinking the only con is the extra cost. So is it really worth it? Thank you so much!

~Michele

 

[cats mom]

I'm thinking the only con is the extra cost. So is it really worth it? Thank you so much!

And the fact that once you cruise in a Cat 2 you may never be willing to go back to a lowly Cat 6 again.


We have never cruised concierge so I'm really not much help. It sounds wonderful though.

No matter what you do it sounds like a winning deal to me.

Good Luck with your decision!

 

[CraftyMouse]

While the 2 sounds wonderful, if it were me I'd keep the 6s and put the money toward great shore trips or toward another cruise/vacation. That's a lot of money for, essentially, the same vacation.

 

[kaseyC]

Hi, I just got an email from DU that our waitlist request for a cat. 2 room in Aug. 2009 came through, so I have to decide fast if I really want to do it. Right now, we have 2 connecting cat. 6 rooms for our family of 6. The cat. 2 will cost about $3600.00 more. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this trip. Can some of you help me decide if it is really worth it to spend the extra on a room? Pros/Cons? I'm thinking the only con is the extra cost. So is it really worth it? Thank you so much!

~Michele

Is this on the Wonder or the Magic? 3, 4 or 7 nights? That would determine whether it was worth it for me.

If it is 7 nights or more for my family it would be the Cat. 2 suite. It's just the way we roll!!

 

[Joan1]

The other thing to keep in mind is that deposits on suites are non refundable. If there is even the slightest chance that you would cancel without moving your cruise to a different date I would stay with the two category 6 rooms

Pluses of a suite -
*Larger square footage with a common living room / dining room area that you wouldn't have in two connecting rooms.
*You can book your shore excursions, spa treatments, etc 105 days in advance if you are paid in full.
*If you want to dine in your room one day you can order from Palo or the main dining rooms and have it delivered vs just having a small room service menu available in non suite rooms
*If you can afford it go for it

 

[pjstevens]

We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this trip. Can some of you help me decide if it is really worth it to spend the extra on a room? Pros/Cons? I'm thinking the only con is the extra cost. So is it really worth it? Thank you so much!

~Michele

Michele,

I say stay with category 6 (having separate rooms will be more private when you need some alone time ). Also with the money you don't spend on the upgraded room, you could renew your vows on your cruise. This is what we are doing for our 25th in September.

 

[chele4kids]

It's the Magic, 7 nights. I looked back a few pages, because I know there are always threads about the suites, but I couldn't find any of them. This decision may just come down to a coin toss.

So you can't cancel for ANY REASON? But you can move to a different date? That might be the deciding factor, then, because I like the security of knowing that if we have to cancel, we can.

Maybe I should make this a poll and let all of you decide what I should do!

 

[kaseyC]

It's the Magic, 7 nights. I looked back a few pages, because I know there are always threads about the suites, but I couldn't find any of them. This decision may just come down to a coin toss.

So you can't cancel for ANY REASON? But you can move to a different date? That might be the deciding factor, then, because I like the security of knowing that if we have to cancel, we can.

Maybe I should make this a poll and let all of you decide what I should do!

Yes, suite deposits (Cat. 1-3) are non refundable but you can transfer it to another sailing. Also the suite deposit is $500 pp.

 

[ga9497]

So you can't cancel for ANY REASON? But you can move to a different date? That might be the deciding factor, then, because I like the security of knowing that if we have to cancel, we can.

Suites -
You can cancel and forfeit your deposit
You can move your cruise to a different date

If a suite is not available on your new date you can choose a different non suite category but your deposit remains non refundable

 

[SweetSpot]

One con other than price would be that in a cat 2 there is one master bedroom with one (I believe it was a queen) bed and then a second bedroom with 2 beds and a pull down birth. The 6th person would have to sleep on a pull out in the living room. That would mean that if you wake up before the kids you would have to walk past them to get out the door for coffee or room service if they are sleeping in. Some cat 6's sleep 4 people. If yours does you could have the kids sleeping in one room and have some privacy and ability to move around without waking the kids if they are sleeping in.

A pro not mentioned is that you can order from Palo (at no additional costs) every night for your entire family if you wanted to.

Other than the Palo perk and some other things the concierge can offer you are paying for the space. The room is a good size with plenty of storage. We loved the cat 2 and like having our whole family in one room so we tend to cruise in the suites when we can. For us it's worth the extra money if a suites available but we wouldn't hesitate to cruise in connecting rooms if no suite is available.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I would keep the cat6 and use the 3600 bucks for a nice watch
Rob

 

[frdeb1999]

We just celebrated our 20th anniversary in August while on the wonder and we loved having 2 rooms. It was wonderful having the kids in their own space and having our own at the very same time. And I'm with alot of the others....use the extra money to do something really special while on the cruise or even while in port for that matter.

 

[wdwscout]

We have 2 Cat 6's for our 25th anniv cruise this coming New Year's Eve.
I looked into the suites too, but think that- although my sons (18 & 21) LOVE suites, concierge, etc- they will really like having their own space. And I think we will too...
We can all go parasailing with the money we don't spend on the suite.

Also- as another option- we are adding the Romantic Escape at Sea (REAS) package to our ressie. This way DH and I get the spa, a breakfast in bed one morning AND the opportunity to book Palo at 105 days! That's much less than the cost difference from the Cat 6's to Cat 2. Something to consider.

 

[Anal Annie]

What's $3,600?! Only a couple months mortgage to some...one month to others...

I have been saving a little every week for about a year now (ever since they first announced the 2 new ships) so we can go again in 2012 on one of them. I just stopped at the bank on my way home today to make a deposit into my "2012 cruise fund". I have exactly $1,500 now. I still have so-o much more to save! I say if $3,600 is a drop in your bucket & it won't be missed then fine, go for it. If money is anywhere as hard to come by for you as it is for me then keep the Cat 6's and use the savings on the spa and shore excursions! Those are still very nice rooms. They both have balconies for goodness sake! I should think you would be very happy with the 2 rooms!

 

[NancyIL]

If it were me, I'd book 2 cat. 12's! (You think I'm kidding?) You could stay in the two cat. 6's and with the difference (and money left over) send my hubby and me on our 10-day anniversary cruise on the Sea Princess to Canada and New England! Seriously, if money is no object - spend it however you want. Personally - I'd go on a 2nd cruise with the money saved.

 

[chele4kids]

Thank you, everyone for your input! You all have some great valid points........my husband agrees with those of you who say to save the money and do a special excursion with it. I have until Monday to decide for sure.........

 

[chele4kids]

Ok, Annie and Nancy.......points well taken! Mortgage, send a virtual friend on their own cruise........ Hubby agrees with you both! Although he is against sending someone he doesn't know on a cruise.

 

[pjstevens]

Hubby agrees with you both! Although he is against sending someone he doesn't know on a cruise.

LOL, I think your hubby is a good sport for even thinking about it.

 

[NancyIL]

Ok, Annie and Nancy.......points well taken! Mortgage, send a virtual friend on their own cruise........ Hubby agrees with you both! Although he is against sending someone he doesn't know on a cruise.

Would your husband like to know me?

Whatever you decide, I hope you'll have a great anniversary cruise!

 

[Cobbo]

I'm wondering if this is for the 8/22 Western, since I just gave up that CAT-2 & rescheduled to another date (just got DW's school calendar for that year & she'll have to be back teaching a week before...so we moved ourselves earlier into the summer) but no cat-2 (no problem transferring the deposit though)...