Balcony - Covered or Not Covered

[suziehmkr]

I am almost ready to select our mini-suite for our holiday Hawaii trip on the Island Princess.

 

From what I see:

 

Cat AC are Aft & covered (the two that we are looking at)

Cat AB are Mid & NOT covered

 

In December, with 8 sea days, which would you suggest & why?

 

Thanks bunches!!!

[Sunrise]

I just had a covered balcony on the Grand -- BD category. It was great! I originally wanted one that was not covered so I could sit there and get sun, but got plenty of sun in the afternoons on the balcony and was sheltered from the rain we had one night. I'll go for covered from here on out -- or one that is half and half.

[Lynda90]

I have had both and enjoyed both. As long as I am on a cruise and have a balcony, I am happy either way.

[bzv143]

Susie:

We are looking at the Island for the 12/22 cruise... you also? Are you getting good pricing? And for which categories? :rolleyes:

[MWChance]

Susie, we've had both covered and uncovered on our cruises. Lyndabaker is right. You'll enjoy either. It's not the fact that it's covered or not....it's the fact you have a balcony to sit on and watch the sunset, the ship come into port, the evening stars,....etc. Enjoy!

[Times Prince]

Suzie, It depends on how much sun you like. We had uncovered on our Med cruise and it was often too hot in the direct sun to enjoy the balcony. With covered like on the Sun class ships, you usually can choose whether to sit in sun or shade.

Also keep in mind the general direction the ship will be facing for most of your cruise. If NW, then the starboard side may get morning sun.

The second biggest objection to uncovered is that anyone on upper decks can look down into your balcony. Seeing as we really enjoy breakfast on the balcony for cruises, this may limit the choice of attire ;) .

[suzyluvs2cruise]

We prefer the mini suites that are 1/2 covered. Booked an AB on the Island Princess to Hawaii on Caribe deck. Had a similar cabin on the STAR PRINCESS and it was wonderful. We could sit in the sun if we wanted and had privacy if we wanted that too. The mini suites on Dolphin deck are all completely uncovered and everyone from the upper decks can look down. Some of the AA's on Baja deck are uncovered too. Don't depend on Princess travel agents knowing which ones are covered/uncovered. I spoke with 3 different agents and no one could tell me for sure. There was a post on another thread that listed by cabin number/deck which cabins were covered or uncovered. It was for the Coral - Island's sister ship. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.

[suziehmkr]

Susie:

We are looking at the Island for the 12/22 cruise... you also? Are you getting good pricing? And for which categories? :rolleyes:

 

We are looking at mini-suites. Getting decent pricing but since it is a holiday cruise, the rate will be higher than normal... we knew that going in. Will be booking soon...

[suziehmkr]

The mini suites on Dolphin deck are all completely uncovered and everyone from the upper decks can look down.

 

I have seen the list, but I have also seen many posts that say the list is wrong. I was looking at some pictures and it looks like the mini suites on Dolphin deck toward the aft are covered... all a mystery to me.

 

I think we would like the privacy... so I am leaning toward a covered one. I am also thinking that a covered one would be nice if we happened to get rain since it is December! LOL But I will be happy no matter what we end up with especially since we have never had a balcony before.

 

Thanks again to everyone - I am loving reading your replys!!

[MamaTene]

On the Aloha deck: The recessed cabins are REALLY covered, there is a big overhang from the Lido deckThe middle and rear bump-outs are fully exposedThe front bump-out is possibly partially covered

 

On the Baja deck:The recessed cabins are almost fully covered (a sliver of railing shows in a snapshot from above)The middle bump-out is fully covered The rear bump-out is fully covered except the rear 15 or so cabins on the starboard side (odd cabin #s)The front bump-out is fully exposed

 

Caribe deck:All bump-outs are fully covered The non bump-out cabins are exposed to some degree..some more than others

 

Dolphin deck:All exposed, but I think the bigger ones on the suites and minis its only partial

 

Emerald deck:All covered

[andreadan]

Hi, Sue,

 

If you'd like to be more certain about whether a certain cabin is covered/uncovered, when the Island is here in port I can go down and take a look for you.

 

Andrea

[KAJOKG]

I have had A504 on the Coral and A503 on the Island. It's a minisuite on the bumpout section and they are 3/4 covered. All the other cabins on these bumpout sections are completely covered and the top deck is all window so no one can lean over the railing and see your balcony. We love that location.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hi, Sue,

 

If you'd like to be more certain about whether a certain cabin is covered/uncovered, when the Island is here in port I can go down and take a look for you.

 

Andrea

 

Hi Andrea,

We're booked in C231 and my dad in C229. From everything I can tell they should be at least 1/2 covered. That's what we're hoping for. Had originally booked B216 and B218. Princess told us they were covered......don't think so as the deck above doesn't have anything between the bridge and the cabins on Aloha deck. Might be the Captain's quarters. I appreciate your offer but think we'll be OK. Surprisingly these cruises book up quite early and most of the good cabins are already spoken for.

 

Any more cruise plans for you? We took my Dad on a Mexico cruise on the Diamond Princess Jan 8. Once he saw there was a Hawaii cruise with no flying he said "let's do it". Of course we said yes. So it's off to Hawaii again this October.

[raydon]

Katy, We have booked B504 on the Island. Are the balconies smaller in the bump out? Thanks, Donna

[bluegrasshopper]

Just got home last week from IP to Hawaii.

We had Caribe 334 it was half covered and we loved it.

I believe it was BA in any case we certainly noticed that all (to our sight) dolphin deck was open they had no privacy at all. On our deck almost all the balconies except the bump outs are double size so while they are only half covered it is really like having one of each (covered and uncovered). we moved the table from sun to shade and wore whatever we wished outside with complete privacy under the covered part of course when we were looking directly over the railing we did not have the privacy but what the heck it really was the best of both worlds. I will risk being redundant to say do not fear the partially covered Caribe cabins the only reason the bumpouts are completely covered is that they are half the size. In any case I agree with all who say that the most important thing is to enjoy life and our cruising experience really is what we make it.

[lawtyger]

We are booked on the Caribbean Princess cabin A318 - does anyone know if this deck (Aloha) is a good deck to be on and how these cabins are towards the middle of the ship. Thanks :)

[andreadan]

Yeah, Sue, I guess, you wouldn't have much of choice now if you decided to change cabins. I am a little envious that you are returning to Hawaii. I don't think I could ever get enough of those beautiful islands.

 

On your January 8th Diamond cruise were a couple of friends of mine from San Pedro who were in a Vista Suite aft on dolphin deck. They loved their suite and its location. They spent a lot of time there and in the spa. They dined twice in Sabatini's and really enjoyed it.

 

No, we don't have another cruise booked, yet. But keep in mind, all of our past cruises have been booked less than 90 days out! That means there could be one this year.

 

Happy pre-sailing anticipation to you, :p

Andrea

[KAJOKG]

Katy, We have booked B504 on the Island. Are the balconies smaller in the bump out? Thanks, Donna

Donna -- Yes they are, but it didn't matter to us. And the view is great. The plexiglass railing wraps around on the end giving great views. Both times we were in these cabins there were very large tables on the balconies. I would ask the cabin steward for a smaller table and that will give more room. We loved the location and the minisuite.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Yeah, Sue, I guess, you wouldn't have much of choice now if you decided to change cabins. I am a little envious that you are returning to Hawaii. I don't think I could ever get enough of those beautiful islands.

 

On your January 8th Diamond cruise were a couple of friends of mine from San Pedro who were in a Vista Suite aft on dolphin deck. They loved their suite and its location. They spent a lot of time there and in the spa. They dined twice in Sabatini's and really enjoyed it.

 

No, we don't have another cruise booked, yet. But keep in mind, all of our past cruises have been booked less than 90 days out! That means there could be one this year.

 

Happy pre-sailing anticipation to you, :p

Andrea

 

Wow, sounds like your friends did it up right. This cruise was a kind of last minute one for us so all we could get was oceanview cabins. My father will be moving into a mobile home community soon and he found out in late November they were having a group cruise on the Diamond Jan 8. He thought it might be a good way to meet some of his new neighbors. There were 107 in the group. We had a good time. Would have liked a balcony but having a window was better than being in an inside cabin.

 

On our upcoming cruise in Oct to Hawaii we are going to have a mini suite. That will be a 1st for us. This cruise will be my retirement cruise as I'm retiring November 1 (while on the cruise) so it will be nice to have more space and a bathtub. Funny how this cruise goes LA to LA and only has to "stop" in Ensenada. I'm sure you felt the same way we did about ending our Hawaii cruise in Ensenada.:(

 

Hopefully you'll be able to cruise again this year. There are alot of good deals for West Coast cruisers now that require miminal or no flying.

[andreadan]

. . . . I forgot the best part of my friends' cruise to Mexico on the Diamond Princess, they paid extra for the "dinner on the balcony". They loved it and would do it again.

 

A little background of this couple: While they are not youngsters (in their 30's/40's), they have a toddler at home, they live close enough to the Pacific ocean to see it from their home, the husband had never gone on a "cruise" because he owns a sailboat and has a lot of experience on the seas. That's why they spent the money to make this cruise a particularly memorable one, and it turned out to be.

 

It's wonderful us West Coaster are having more options to cruise without flying somewhere. On that note let me share that San Pedro, the port of the City of Los Angeles, has a large suspension bridge near the cruise ship dock named the Vincent Thomas Bridge. It is the last of its kind that has never been lit at night. This Sunday, January 30, at sundown, it will be officially lit by the City of Los Angeles mayor. From now on, from sundown to midnight, it will be lit with bright royal blue light and those cruise ships still in port will be able to enjoy its glimmer.

 

Andrea