Because I cruise at least 9 or 10 times per year, I usually sail in standard cruise ship cabins. However, I splurged on a suite aboard my Caribbean cruise on Carnival Vista, paying nearly $3,600 for a 5-night cruise.
It was my first time staying in a suite on a cruise ship, and I was looking forward to the extra space and amenities. The suite was more expensive than a balcony cabin, so I was expecting the higher price to reflect a noticeable difference in comfort and perks.
Instead, the overall experience wasn't much different than my cruises in standard staterooms. Carnival's suites come with fewer benefits than other mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Norwegian.
Carnival's top-tier suites aren't as inclusive or luxurious, either. For example, suites within Royal Caribbean's Star Class and MSC Cruises' Yacht Club come with butlers and access to exclusive sun decks and restaurants!
Even Royal Caribbean's Junior Suites are more justifiable because you get two cruise points per night compared to one in standard cabins. In other words, staying in a Junior Suite can help you climb the Crown & Anchor Society ranks faster!
While the additional space was nice, the extra cost of my Carnival suite wasn't worth it for me.
The 310-square-foot cabin lacked privacy
My Junior Suite was on Deck 9 above the Bridge at the front of the ship. I'm not a fan of staterooms far forward because they tend to feel more movement than mid-ship cabins.
Unfortunately, this was certainly the case on my cruise on Carnival Vista. There were times I'd be lying in bed and felt like I was on a rollercoaster! Let's just say I was thankful I remembered to pack Dramamine.
Another issue with the Junior Suite was the lack of privacy, as it was located next to a public observation deck. If any other cruisers walked out over the Bridge wings, they could peer directly onto my balcony.
Strangely enough, the cabin also had a large picture window that overlooked the public deck. It was startling whenever someone walked past. Though the window wasn't fully see-through, it felt weird keeping the blinds open.
For the price, I wish my suite would have had a little bit more privacy. I would've also appreciated it if it was in a different location.
Next time, I'll do my research because not all suites are designed equally! If I'm going to pay extra money for a nicer stateroom, I want to feel as though it was worth the splurge.
I wasn't a fan of the limited perks
Overall, Carnival's suite benefits were akin to what you'd expect at a hotel. However, most cruise lines offer more specialized perks for their suite guests.
The most worthwhile benefit was priority check-in and embarkation. Because I could select an arrival time before other passengers, I got the earliest check-in time of 10:30am. It was nice to bypass the regular line, too.
However, these perks also come with Carnival's Faster to the Fun package, which is substantially cheaper than booking a suite and starts at around $79.95 per cabin for cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. According to Carnival's website, the most expensive Faster to the Fun package costs $189.95.
Unfortunately, priority disembarkation didn't make much of a difference because our debark process was delayed due to a malfunctioning gangway.
Rather than starting at 8:00am, priority guests weren't allowed to get off until closer to 9:00am. At that point, it was a massive free-for-all.
One frustrated guest remarked that there was "nothing priority about [the line]." Thankfully, I didn't book an early flight out of MCO (Orlando), or I would have been anxious!
I did appreciate the priority disembarkation in Amber Cove, though. After arriving at the designated lounge, priority guests were escorted off the ship by a crew member. In fact, we were making our way ashore before the Cruise Director finished announcing that the gangway was open.
Still, I'm not sure how much time it actually saved since it was not a tender port. We likely could have been off a few minutes later.
We didn't need to take advantage of the priority dinner reservations or the Main Dining Room time assignment because we had Anytime Dining.
The only specialty restaurant we ate at was Bonsai Sushi, and reservations weren't required. Actually, there was no wait when we showed up for dinner!
The suite was outfitted with a pillow-top mattress, two complimentary bottles of water, and a pillow-top mattress. As a VIFP member, I already get a free bottle of water on every cruise, so the additional bottles didn’t feel like a significant perk.
And while the pillow-top mattress was certainly a nice touch and I enjoyed lounging in the robe, neither were big enough benefits to further justify the suite's extra cost, coming in at $3,591.30 for two travelers or around $360 per person, per night.
The best part about the room was the extra space, but it wasn't necessary for a short getaway to the Caribbean
Measuring 310 square feet, there's no denying the Junior Suite was incredibly spacious, especially for two people.
I never felt like I was tripping over my travel companion, and it was nice to have a full walk-in closet for our clothing. The large bathroom was also a perk, especially since we had dual sinks and a shower-tub combo.
However, for a short 5-night cruise, I would have been just as comfortable in a standard balcony cabin. If it was a longer cruise with more sea days, or we had been traveling with a larger group, I might have thought differently.
Personally, I just wasn't impressed with Carnival's basic suite experience. However, that isn't Carnival's fault. I could have done more research to know what I was getting myself into!
Since we didn't spend much time in our stateroom, it didn’t feel like the suite offered enough added value to justify the extra cost for a short trip to Amber Cove and Grand Turk. The lack of privacy was a con, too.
Next time, I think I'd better enjoy one of Carnival's specialty suites. For example, Havana Cabana staterooms come with more lucrative perks like a private pool!
I could see myself lounging by the Havana pool and sipping a drink from the exclusive bar instead of fighting with chair hogs on the lido deck.
Family Harbor rooms are also enticing. Between the access to the exclusive lounge, one free night of babysitting, and free specialty meals for kids, I can see why they might be popular amongst families who want an elevated cabin experience.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
