Last month, I got to experience my first cruise inside a suite cabin. Suites on a cruise are expensive, but fans seek them out for a luxurious, upgraded experience.
As a new cruiser, staying in a suite cabin was an experience on my bucket list because I wanted to see how different a suite is from an inside or balcony cabin. I set out to discover if the luxury is worth the huge jump in price.
To find out, I set sail on a 3-night cruise on Allure of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean's large Oasis Class ships. When I looked at all the options in the first half of 2024, this sailing was one of the cheapest suites I found.
I booked a 1-bedroom Grand Suite stateroom, which is in the Sky Class—the middle ground between the Star and Sea levels.
The total price came to $3952.06 with gratuities. For a sailing of two people, this divides out to $1317 per night.
From the moment we booked the cruise, I could tell this would be a completely new experience
Compared to the guarantee and inside cabins I’d stayed in before, the suite life was much more luxurious.
Six days before the cruise, I received an email from our suite concierges explaining how we could check in online and prepare for our cruise.
When you're sailing in an inside cabin, this kind of guidance doesn't come your way!
They also listed the amenities that would come with the suite and said that they would assist us with making any show or dining reservations.
On embarkation day, the upgraded treatment began. We were able to go into express lines for suite and Pinnacle Club members.
On a large ship like Allure of the Seas sailing out of the long Port Canaveral terminal, getting onboard typically would have taken 30-40 minutes. But with our VIP access, it took me less than twenty!
Our stateroom was located on the 10th floor, between the middle and the back of the ship.
The location was close enough to the middle that I didn’t feel any seasickness inside the cabin—which I usually do if I’m located too far front or back on the ship.
The suite was much larger than I expected, with ample storage space. When we first opened the door, I was struck by how large and open the floor plan was.
Read more: 10 reasons to spend extra for a suite on a cruise
The entrance faced a small alcove. Inside this alcove, I found a shelf with complimentary water and an ice bucket.
This was a lovely aspect of staying in a suite because usually, I have to plan far in advance to find complimentary water. Typically, I take a reusable water bottle up to the Windjammer or the water fountains at the gym and fill it up there. But with a suite, I had free water exactly where I needed it.
Below the shelf sat drawers with plenty of storage space. Above the shelf and drawers, I found the safe that is inside all Royal Caribbean staterooms.
Unfortunately, the safe's size wasn't any different than other cabins I've been in. It is too small to hold a laptop or other larger valuables.
Beside this shelf faced a large closet with full-length mirrors.
Not only was there ample closet space for all our clothes and suitcases, but later on in the cruise, our stateroom attendant also left complimentary robes inside.
Next to the closet, I also found our complimentary coffee maker, which was another huge bonus.
Much like the drinking water, I usually have to plan or make a trek up to the Windjammer to find complimentary coffee. Instead, free coffee pods, sugar, and creamer showed up daily in our suite. It was so convenient to have in the stateroom that I made at least three cups of coffee a day.
Below the coffee maker and counter, I opened a door to find the mini-fridge hidden away.
And beside the fridge were more shelves—there was more than enough storage space all over the cabin.
Read more: 8 signs you're ready to move up from a cruise ship balcony to a suite
On the right side of the door—directly opposite the closet—I found the huge bathroom.
Inside Royal Caribbean’s small cabins, the bathrooms are tiny tubes, almost similar to an airplane bathroom, but this suite’s bathroom was more like that of a luxurious hotel.
There was a huge bathtub and a warm shower with natural, lightly scented soaps.
The bathtub was so huge that it covered me with water all the way to my neck—I think two people could have fit inside it.
A large counter stretched out over the toilet, leaving me plenty of space to spread out my jewelry and toiletries.
The dark, marbled vanity held two sinks, with a proportional amount of water glasses to brush our teeth with.
I also found free soap and body moisturizer. These products had such a pleasant smell and texture that I took them both home with me.
We always had ample towels, and I noticed that they were made from Egyptian cotton.
Outside the bathroom, I moved onto the living area. This was one of the main differences in our suite: a large, separated living area with a lengthy couch.
Read more: 7 best suites on big-ship cruises
Beside the couch, there were also two thick armchairs.
The size of this room felt like more than enough for two people: I thought that we could have fit four in this stateroom.
The TV next to the living area had an adjustable arm, so that we could completely turn it to face the couch or the beds. However, it was not a Smart TV, and only had a few free channels, so I never used it.
In between the living room and the bedroom, there was a large blackout curtain—a huge help for people traveling together who might want to take naps or go to bed at different times.
It also helped make up for the large windows, which would otherwise let light in in the mornings and wake me up.
We requested to separate the two beds on a form emailed out before the cruise.
The Grand Suite lists “Luxury Pillow Top Mattress” as one of its amenities, and while the bed was comfortable, I don’t think I would have noticed a difference if I hadn’t been told about it.
Read more: The suite life: Royal Caribbean vs Celebrity Cruises. Which is better?
Each bed had its own lamp and bedside table next to it. However—as is usually the case in Royal Caribbean staterooms—there were no ports beside the beds, so I had to charge my phone at the desk.
I usually love the desks/vanities on Royal Caribbean ships anyway, but this suite had an upgraded version. It was longer than others I’ve seen, with even more mirror and shelf space.
The room had so much storage space. Since we were only two people staying for 3 days, we didn't even get close to using all of it.
Lastly, we opened the double-sliding doors to find the balcony. I’ve stayed in a balcony stateroom before, but this one was almost twice the size, with a total of four chairs (two were reclining lounge chairs).
It was a large, gorgeous balcony; I wanted to spend every minute sunning myself on it.
One amenity that came with the suite was the ability to order Main Dining Room dinner for room service, so my sister and I did that on night two. We ordered an hour ahead, and had the entire meal delivered to our door!
Eating outside on the balcony, with a view of the wide ocean, will always be a treasured memory of mine from this cruise.
Despite the suite cabin's luxury, my favorite aspect was the additional perks
The large stateroom and balcony were a huge change from the small inside cabins I've stayed in before. It felt like I was taking a completely different type of cruise.
But one of the things I loved most about staying in a suite was just all the additional perks.
The Grand Suite on Allure of the Seas includes all the following:
- Concierge Service
- All-Day Access to Coastal Kitchen
- Specialty Bottled Water (upon arrival)
- VOOM, The Fastest Internet at Sea
- Flexible Arrival Boarding & Priority Departure
- Priority Dining Reservations
- Reserved seating section in select entertainment venues (reservations required)
- Suite Lounge Access (with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each evening)
- Royal Caribbean Plush Bathrobes for Use Onboard
- Luxury Pillow Top Mattress
- Luxury Bathroom Amenities
- Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine
Having free Wi-Fi for the length of the voyage, the coffee machine, and the Plush bathrobes were some of my favorite luxuries included.
I also loved exploring the suite lounge, which was located up on Deck 17. Sitting beside the Coastal Kitchen restaurant, it was an expansive, quiet lounge decorated in deep purples and blues.
It featured a lot of seating but was very spread out, so I didn’t have to speak to anyone around me.
It was a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
It also had complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, like this plate of chocolate-covered strawberries, olives, and crab cake.
Not only that, but the suite benefits also include free wine and beers from the bar, so I took advantage of a glass of white wine almost every night. It all felt very opulent.
On the first day of the cruise, a crew member brought us complimentary champagne and fruit. Through the cruise, we received other special goodies, like lip balms, aloe vera, and lavender spray for better sleep.
On disembarkation day, we also received priority disembarkation through designated lines, and we departed feeling like royalty.
