Is E201 GRAND PRINCESS a bad cabin?

[~Aurora~]

http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ap/deck_plans/index.html

 

Hi, i joined CC today, after reading various topics over the last few weeks.

I have done 5 cruises all sailing from Southampton over the last few years, & generally think Princess is my preferred cruise line.

 

Anyway!, the reason for my posting is this, i have booked to go on the Grand Princess on Sept 21 for the Med Medley from Southampton.

 

We've booked a balcony cabin as usual, & have been given cabin No: E201 on Emerald deck.

 

But after reading through this years Berlitz cruise review book, i noticed that they say that the 8 balcony cabins located forward on Emerald deck are undesirable as they are adjacent to the upper promenade walkway & can be passed by by walkers & gawkers!

 

Has anyone stayed in any of these particular cabins? are they really 'on show'? I have added a link to the deck plan for you to see what i mean. (Emerald deck cabin E201)

 

Thank you for taking the time to read :)

[Pam in CA]

I don't have personal knowledge of this cabin but I did a Google search and there are quite a few reviews and comments by people who have had these cabins. Anyone walking or jogging on the Promenade deck will see you on your balcony and that can be at any time of the day or night. You will have a privacy curtain as well as a lined curtain for privacy in the cabin but if you have the light on, you might want to have the lined curtain closed. These are probably not the best balcony cabins on the ship so if someone books a GTY, they should consider booking a BE rather than a BF.

[shipaheadannie]

We have stayed in E202 on the Star and would'nt hesitate to book one of these again. The balcony was huge, the only downside (which was better for us) was that we did'nt get a lot of sun because of the promenade deck roof. Having said that it was shelter from the rain. Unless passers by cupped there hands to try and see through the tinted covering on the balcony glass you can't see in. There is nothing on the promenade deck for passers by to do in this area except walk. That's if the layout is the same on the ships. We were right next to the stairs that go round the front of the promenade deck and as the balcony is higher up unless you were 78/9 ft tall you cannot peer over. They closed this walkway off at night. I can show you some pics on facebook if i can private message you. I had the very same concerns as yourself untill someone helped me. Keep that cabin!

[Coral]

I have seen these cabins and it is true, people walk by and can see you on the balcony - but I didn't think they were that bad. I don't like that they are forward but thought they would be a great cabin in a cooler weather climate.

 

For a Med cruise - I don't think it will be that bad. You don't have a lot of sea days - I wouldn't worry about it.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Coral

[jollyjones]

Anyone walking past cannot see over the balcony railing because it is higher than their sight line, and the coating on the glass is partially reflective so a passer by cannot see into the balcony during daylight without making a lot of effort to peer in. If you are standing up looking out over the balcony railing people can see you, of course.

 

I noticed this on the Grand during my recent cruise because it is different from the Golden where the glass is not mirrored so those balconies are much more public.

Edited February 18, 2012 by jollyjones

[~Aurora~]

Thank you so much for your replies, it has put my mind at rest :)

I think it will probably be fine.

Also thanks for the idea to actually google the cabin number for reviews also.

 

This cruise is our 6th so we are now Platinum! does anyone know what benefits we will now get?

Do we get priority embarkation/disembarkation now? :D

[~Aurora~]

Hi again!

I've just had a quick search on google & it threw up some old posts from this site, but it's left me a little confused.

 

Am i to believe that E201 on the Grand has a normal sized balcony, but a larger cover so it doesn't receive much sun, that is also in full view of passers by? but maybe roped off in the evenings?

 

Is it just the balcony cabins at the aft on Emerald that have the larger balconies?

 

I don't know what to do, my husband thinks we should change cabins, so i'm in a quandry, we have always been further up before, on Aloha etc, this is the first time we've been lower down.

 

Any personal experiences most welcome.

Thanks :)

Edited February 18, 2012 by ~Aurora~

[caribill]

This cruise is our 6th so we are now Platinum! does anyone know what benefits we will now get?

Do we get priority embarkation/disembarkation now? :D

 

See the list at https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/memberShipBenefitsForProspect.jsp

 

The free Internet minutes is probably the best of the benefits.

 

And yes, you can be in the priority embarkation lounge.

 

There is no priority disembarkation, but you can relax in the platinum/elite/suite disembarkation lounge until it is you time to leave the ship at the end of the cruise.

[~Aurora~]

See the list at https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/memberShipBenefitsForProspect.jsp

 

The free Internet minutes is probably the best of the benefits.

 

And yes, you can be in the priority embarkation lounge.

 

There is no priority disembarkation, but you can relax in the platinum/elite/suite disembarkation lounge until it is you time to leave the ship at the end of the cruise.

 

Thanks for your reply Caribill :)

 

 

Have decided not to take any chances that i might hate the cabin & so have changed it!

We are now on Lido 256, i'm much happier, (purse is emptier though!!) :eek:

[highheel girl]

Sorry you had to change. :(

I was going to say that these cabins are great! :)

[GVvicki]

We just stayed in Cabin E201 on the Grand. The balcony is extra large (3 - 4 feet longer than usual) and has 2 chairs that can recline, 2 ottomans and a full sized table. It's great! As soon as we arrived we went to check on the promenade to see if people can see in the balcony and they cannot. We could barely see heads go by when we sat there but the reflective glass keeps them from seeing in. It was not an issue at all for us and no one can walk the promenade after it starts to get dark. I am a very light sleeper and any noise from the theater did not disturb me. It was muted as you are above the backstage area rather than the stage or the audience. To us, the walk to the activities in the center of the ship was a plus, given the tendency to eat more than usual on a cruise. We would not hesitate to take this cabin again - love that big balcony!!

[Colo Cruiser]

We just stayed in Cabin E201 on the Grand. The balcony is extra large (3 - 4 feet longer than usual) and has 2 chairs that can recline, 2 ottomans and a full sized table. It's great! As soon as we arrived we went to check on the promenade to see if people can see in the balcony and they cannot. We could barely see heads go by when we sat there but the reflective glass keeps them from seeing in. It was not an issue at all for us and no one can walk the promenade after it starts to get dark. I am a very light sleeper and any noise from the theater did not disturb me. It was muted as you are above the backstage area rather than the stage or the audience. To us, the walk to the activities in the center of the ship was a plus, given the tendency to eat more than usual on a cruise. We would not hesitate to take this cabin again - love that big balcony!!

 

Thanks for the comments.

I agree, they are great! :)

[seattleslew]

I'm very familiar with the Grand's Promenade as I just got off and walked 3 miles every day (9x around). Believe me, it's impossible to see into any balcony in that location unless you're Shaquille O'Neal. By the way, if you're an early morning walker, you may open the gates yourself (the ones that lock off "the bow" after dark). When I asked a crew member to do it for me, he said sure, he would do it, but that any pax can do it if it's light out. The one on the starboard side is heavy, but the one on port just swings open.

[Colo Cruiser]

I'm very familiar with the Grand's Promenade as I just got off and walked 3 miles every day (9x around). Believe me, it's impossible to see into any balcony in that location unless you're Shaquille O'Neal. By the way, if you're an early morning walker, you may open the gates yourself (the ones that lock off "the bow" after dark). When I asked a crew member to do it for me, he said sure, he would do it, but that any pax can do it if it's light out. The one on the starboard side is heavy, but the one on port just swings open.

 

 

The ships we have seen they have been padlocked so the crew needed to open them.

Edited January 12, 2017 by Colo Cruiser