If you are wanting an elevated cruising experience, you might be considering booking a suite on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.
Royal Caribbean suites provide more than extra living space. They come with a wide range of perks that are meant to maximize the value of your vacation through special privileges and upgraded amenities.
What exactly are the perks of a Royal Caribbean suite? Those in Junior Suites will find that they are not eligible for the full onboard suite experience, which may be why you are considering a Grand Suite. They are the lowest category of suite available that can experience the full list of perks.
Here’s everything you need to know about the perks you can receive when staying in a Grand Suite.
What ships have Grand Suites onboard?
First and foremost, can you book a Grand Suite on any cruise? It is a good question to ask, especially since some of Royal Caribbean's newest suites are only available on certain classes and/or ships.
You will be happy to know that you can find Grand Suites on any ship, whether it is Grandeur of the Seas or the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas. That being said, the number of available suites will be fewer on older ships.
Grandeur, for instance, only has sixteen Grand Suites, two of which are the larger 2-bedroom option. In comparison, Wonder of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, has 28. Wonder, however, does not have any 2-bedroom Grand Suites onboard.
What perks come with staying in a Grand Suite?
Grand Suites on Vision, Voyager, Radiance, and Freedom Class ships come with fewer perks than those on Oasis and Quantum ships.
On the latter two classes, Royal Caribbean introduced what is known as the Royal Suite Class. Suites onboard these ships are broken up into three different categories -- Sea, Sky, and Star -- that all come with different benefits.
First, we will go over the benefits available for all guests in Grand Suites, then we will go into the specifics of the perks on Oasis and Quantum ships:
- Royal Caribbean bathrobes (for onboard use only)
- Luxury bathroom amenities
- Lavazza espresso machine
- Pillowtop mattress
- Priority boarding and departure
- Concierge service
- Suite Lounge/Concierge Club access with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails every evening)
- Priority dining, spa, and shore excursion bookings
- Bridge, galley, and backstage tours
- VIP pool deck seating (not available on Vision or Radiance Class)
- Priority tendering
- Welcome Evian water & fruit
- Ability to order from the Main Dining Room for in-suite dining (during operating hours)
- Complimentary 24-hour room service
- Private breakfast and lunch seating (location varies by ship and sailing)
- Departure breakfast
- Reserved seating for shows
- Complimentary pressing on first formal night
- Extra Crown & Anchor loyalty points
Priority boarding and departure
Embarkation and disembarkation is already hectic enough. When staying in a Grand Suite, however, you will be eligible for priority boarding and departure.
Since you will be one of the first people onboard, you can enjoy a leisurely lunch in the buffet and have shorter lines for any amenities that are open, like the FlowRider, water slides, etc.
Concierge service
Even if you have cruised before, never underestimate the benefits of a concierge. It is their job to help make your cruise and suite experience as enjoyable as possible.
They will help with anything from booking shore excursions and dining reservations at specialty restaurants, to settling billing discrepancies, checking in for your return flight, and escorting you off the ship on disembarkation day.
Suite Lounge/Concierge Club
In addition to being able to utilize the concierge, you will also have access to a private onboard lounge. Each everything, they will serve cocktails and a selection of hors d’oeuvres for you to enjoy with other suite guests.
Since the Suite Lounge/Concierge Club is open during the day, it is a great place to escape for a little bit to recharge without returning to your stateroom.
Priority dining, spa, and shore excursion bookings
If your cruise vacation snuck up on you and you forgot to make reservations in advance, do not worry! Your concierge will be able to assist.
Is there a specialty restaurant that you would like to eat at? What about an afternoon at the spa on a sea day? Be prepared with this information when your concierge reaches out to you, which will be about a week or so before departure.
Priority tendering
Is your cruise visiting ports of call that must be accessed via a tender boat?
Staying in a Grand Suite means that you can bypass the tender line and be one of the first guests off! This will help you make the most out of your day in port.
Behind-the-scenes tours
Have you ever wanted to get a behind-the-scenes look of a cruise ship?
One perk of staying in a Grand Suite is that you will have access to complimentary backstage tours. While the exact tour will vary, you will most likely be taken to see the bridge, galley, and/or theatre.
If you have any interest in this, it is worth reaching out to your concierge to see what is available on your sailing.
VIP pool deck seating
If you are on a Voyager, Freedom, Oasis, or Quantum Class ship, you will have a reserved section of the pool deck that is saved for suite guests. Note, though, that seating is still first-come, first-served.
Reserved seating for shows
The entertainment offerings onboard Royal Caribbean ships are some of the best at sea. It makes sense that you would want to see as many shows as possible!
You will not have to worry about arriving early and locating a seat, as the main theatre, Studio B, AquaTheatre, and Two70 all have reserved seating for suite guests.
Ordering from the Main Dining Room menu for in-suite dining
Perhaps you had a long day ashore or you are just wanting a lazy evening in your suite.
You will not have to worry about missing out on the delicious offering in the Main Dining Room since you have the ability to order straight from the menu and have it delivered!
Complimentary 24-hour room service
Since you can only order from the Main Dining Room menu when it is open, it is likely that you might find yourself caving an in-suite snack outside of their operational hours.
With 24/7 complimentary room service, you can order salads, pasta, quesadillas, burgers, and more whenever you would like without incurring the $7.95 delivery fee and 18% service charge.
Private breakfast and lunch seating
Start each morning off right with a relaxing breakfast in a specialty restaurant.
Note that the menu is similar to those of the Main Dining Room; however, you will not have to wait for a table or fight the crowds in the Windjammer!
In addition to breakfast, Grand Suite (and above) guests are also offered private seating for lunch.
Departure breakfast
While nobody is ever truly ready to leave the ship and return to everyday life, Grand Suite guests are able to transition with a little bit more ease thanks to the private departure breakfast.
Complimentary pressing on first formal night
If your clothing got wrinkled in your suitcase, you have the chance to get a complimentary pressing on your itinerary's first formal night.
If you are wanting to maximize your suite benefits, this is a great way to do so, as evening gowns and suits usually cost between $7.50 and $15.00 per item for everyone else on the ship.
Extra Crown & Anchor loyalty points
Normally, you get one Crown & Anchor loyalty point for each night of the cruise. For a 3-night vacation, you would earn 3 points, for a 7-night cruise, you would earn 7, and so on.
Those staying in a Grand Suite, however, will get two points per night. A 3-night cruise would get you 6 points, while a 7-night would get you 14.
If you are hoping to climb the Crown & Anchor loyalty ladder faster, this is one way to do it!
Barefoot Beach
This benefit will only be applicable to those whose itinerary includes a stop in Labadee, Haiti. Here, suite guests can relax on the suites-only Barefoot Beach.
In addition to having a private beach away from the crowds, you will also have upgraded lunch offerings compared to the other buffets.
To enhance your experience even more, you could rent one of the cabanas at Barefoot Beach for an extra cost.
What perks do Grand Suite guests on Oasis and Quantum Class ships receive?
Onboard Oasis and Quantum Class ships, Grand Suites are considered to be part of the Sky Class tier of the Royal Suite Class.
They have some of the same benefits as those staying in Grand Suites on other ships, such as the concierge service, priority boarding and departure, reserved seating for shows (although reservations are required), Suite Lounge access with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each evening, dedicated suites-only sun deck, bathrobes for onboard use, luxury mattress and bathroom amenities, and a Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine.
Note that some benefits that Grand Suite guests have on other ships are not available to those on Quantum and Oasis Class. You cannot, for instance, order from the Main Dining Room menu to enjoy a private in-suite meal.
Coastal Kitchen
Rather than have private dining in a specialty restaurant, Oasis and Quantum Class ships have an entire restaurant that is only available to suite guests: Coastal Kitchen.
Dining here offers a more intimate experience than elsewhere on the ship. Plus, Grand Suite guests are able to eat here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In theory, they never have to step foot in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer!
Complimentary internet
You will also get complimentary VOOM, so you do not have to worry about being disconnected or paying extra for a Wi-Fi package!
How much does staying in a Grand Suite cost?
If you are trying to cruise on a budget, staying in a Grand Suite is probably not the most economical choice, as you could devote that money to other experiences, such as shore excursions, specialty dining, etc.
If, however, you are curious to see how much a Grand Suite costs, it depends on the ship, time of year, and length of itinerary.
As with most cruises, the newer the ship, the most the suite will cost.
A Grand Suite on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on Wonder of the Seas departing in June 2024 starts at $7,145 per person, based on double occupancy. In comparison, a standard ocean view balcony is currently going for $1,988 per person.
As of April 2023, Wonder of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's newest ship and holds the title for the largest cruise ship in the world. Grand Suites on older ships often do not cost as much. In fact, balconies on older ships are far less, too.
Looking at a 7-night Alaska cruise onboard Brilliance of the Seas that also departs in June 2024, an obstructed balcony cabin starts at $1,058, while a one-bedroom Grand Suite starts at $2,646 per person, based on double occupancy.
Suffice to say, the pricing of a Grand Suite can vary. If booking one interests you, it is best to conduct your own research or reach out to a travel agent who can assist you with the booking process.
