Let me say this upfront so nobody thinks I'm writing from a velvet sofa: I have never slept in a butler suite. I've only seen the inside of one from a lower category. Everything else comes from what people who have stayed in them have told me. Whenever it's secondhand, I'll say so.

From the outside, the first thing you notice is that the suites are bigger, though not as much as you'd imagine. The difference everyone keeps repeating isn't the square footage, it's the care for the details. Everything is perfect. For example, the minibar holds only the drink you like.

On lines in that category, like Explora (and I imagine Seabourn or Azamara are similar), the butler unpacks your suitcase and hangs everything in the closet. And you can call them at any hour for whatever you need: ice, anything. It's amazing.

On almost every cruise line, suite guests get exclusive access to certain areas of the ship: restaurants, bars, pools and common areas. That brings two things. First, fewer crowds. Second, the quality of the food, the service, the drinks and even the entertainment is higher, because it isn't designed for the masses, it's designed to be very good. So much so that in the restaurant you usually get the same waiter every night, who already knows you and has everything ready the way you like it.

There's more. On some elevators, the butler has a card that gives you priority: you don't wait, and it doesn't stop at intermediate floors. And to get on and off the ship, you have a separate door.

And what's hype? I'll be honest: I don't know. Everyone who has told me about it has spoken well of it, and so far I haven't met anyone who tells it badly.

The premium is big compared to a regular cabin. We're talking double, in some cases triple, and even up to four times more.

My answer is short: if you can afford it within your budget, of course it's worth it. It's a vacation. Anything that removes a worry and raises the standard of every minute you spend on it makes you calmer, more relaxed and happier.

So far I haven't allowed myself that. In some cases I could have and I didn't treat myself, because it's a luxury, not a necessity. But I have a friend who keeps pushing me to raise my standard and try it, because from the outside you think "nah, it can't be that different," and yet everyone who has lived it wants to repeat. There must be a reason. A trip is more than an expense: it's an investment in emotional assets. You can remember the lost suitcase and the delayed flight, or the waiter whose service was so exquisite it created funny moments.

Assuming a suite means everything is included. It depends on the cruise line: always check what is and isn't included, because extra costs exist. And watch out for reserved areas: MSC's Yacht Club, for example, contains inside, ocean view, balcony and suite cabins, so make sure you know exactly what you're buying.

One more tip: don't pay for it without comparing. Look for someone who can get you the suite at a better price.

Here's my most direct opinion. I met someone who does up to eight cruises a year, and I'd tell them what I'd tell anyone who racks up trips: wouldn't it be worth doing four, but in a suite? Collecting cruises for the sake of it isn't what matters. What matters is the experience you live, both at the destination and on the ship. Maybe it's time to take fewer trips and raise the experience a lot.

Have you already pictured yourself in those suites? Subscribe and get every new post straight to your inbox.