Any experience with Window Suite in the Caribbean?

[CaliPhil]

My Wife and I are seriously considering booking a Window Suite for a 14 day Caribbean cruise. We'd do it to enjoy the additional room over the Mini Suite we usually book on our cruises, plus the perks of course :) We are concerned though... Will it feel claustrophobic for 14 days? Will we wish we had a balcony in the Caribbean? We'd appreciate and love to hear experiences and/or feedback from anyone who would like to provide it.

 

Thanks!

[ggprincess2004]

No experience with a Window Suite in the Caribbean yet, but we sailed for almost a month in one, and it included a crossing. I do suffer from mild claustrophobia, but I had no problems whatsoever with that in a Window Suite. We loved it.

 

It is pretty easy to enjoy the outdoors and relax without that balcony. In fact, even in winter in the Caribbean, the sun can be so intense depending upon location relative to your balcony, that the balcony is essentially unusable for 3 or 4 hours each day.

 

Since you have priority boarding with the suite, you might want to go directly to Sanctuary (do not pass go, let the significant other stay somewhere with the hand luggage), at a very fast walk, and book those loungers for the duration of the cruise. (After doing so, collect sig other and hand luggage and proceed to Window Suite.) (Please don't share this method for booking Sanctuary for the entire cruise.:eek:) We didn't do that for our crossing, but we might in the Caribbean. We either strolled on Promenade Deck or hit the Lotus Spa pool, or our favorite aft upper deck hot tub. We found a comfy lounger now and then.

 

With the suite perks, we don't miss a balcony - we savor breakfast at Sabatini's - but I don't know if you personally will or will not miss a balcony. All I can say is I believe you will enjoy the Window Suite, and all the suite perks. (We have a Window Suite booked for Alaska, and having cruised there quite a few times, we know we are not crazy for doing this.)

 

(Personally I hope you decide you hate it, so there will be more Window Suites left for DH and I to book. ;) )

 

Whatever you decide - have a wonderful cruise - and I do mean that!!!

[dickinson]

I have had a Window Suite 2x but never in the Caribbean (Alaska and also New England/Canada). You will NOT feel claustrophobic unless you feel claustrophobic in a nice hotel room. It is much bigger and especially wider than a regular cabin. Look for pictures as there have been threads before with pictures. They are beautiful and have lots of storage. Try not to book cabin F301 as it is a little smaller than the others. We loved the Window Suite and the perks. As an FYI - we have never been in a balcony cabin before so for us there was nothing to miss. When we wanted to go outside we just went upstairs.

[DCT61]

We had a WS on the GRAND PRINCESS to Princess Cay, Aruba and Curacao. Did not miss the balcony in the slightest..but we really aren't balcony people in the first place. The room size and suite amenities mean more to us than "private" (or as private as you can get with a sheet of frosted plexiglass dividing you and your neighbor) outdoor space. The WS's are usually located close to the stairs and promenade deck if we ever needed to be outside. We enjoyed the suite so much, we have booked another for our cruise to Alaska in August. BTW...the windows (2 of them) in those suite are pretty darn big. Ive attached a PDF file of a measured drawing I did...hopefully it will help with your decision.

GRAND PRINCESS WINDOW SUITE 2.pdf

Edited May 8, 2014 by DCT61

[ggprincess2004]

We had a WS on the GRAND PRINCESS to Princess Cay, Aruba and Curacao. Did not miss the balcony in the slightest..but we really aren't balcony people in the first place. The room size and suite amenities mean more to us than "private" (or as private as you can get with a sheet of frosted plexiglass dividing you and your neighbor) outdoor space. The WS's are usually located close to the stairs and promenade deck if we ever needed to be outside. We enjoyed the suite so much, we have booked another for our cruise to Alaska in August. BTW...the windows (2 of them) in those suite are pretty darn big. Ive attached a PDF file of a measured drawing I did...hopefully it will help with your decision.

 

That is a fantastic drawing - thanks so much for sharing it!

[Cruisin' Along]

We had a WS on the GRAND PRINCESS to Princess Cay, Aruba and Curacao. Did not miss the balcony in the slightest..but we really aren't balcony people in the first place. The room size and suite amenities mean more to us than "private" (or as private as you can get with a sheet of frosted plexiglass dividing you and your neighbor) outdoor space. The WS's are usually located close to the stairs and promenade deck if we ever needed to be outside. We enjoyed the suite so much, we have booked another for our cruise to Alaska in August. BTW...the windows (2 of them) in those suite are pretty darn big. Ive attached a PDF file of a measured drawing I did...hopefully it will help with your decision.

 

Thank you for this drawing! It is very helpful in our decision to try a WS when we book our Princess cruise!

[Solara]

We were in a window suite for 15 days to Hawaii! We absolutely loved it. It has 2 large picture windows so it has a more open feeling than a balcony cabin. Enjoy breakfast at Sabatini's

[cr8tiv1]

We had a WS on the GRAND PRINCESS to Princess Cay, Aruba and Curacao. Did not miss the balcony in the slightest..but we really aren't balcony people in the first place. The room size and suite amenities mean more to us than "private" (or as private as you can get with a sheet of frosted plexiglass dividing you and your neighbor) outdoor space. The WS's are usually located close to the stairs and promenade deck if we ever needed to be outside. We enjoyed the suite so much, we have booked another for our cruise to Alaska in August. BTW...the windows (2 of them) in those suite are pretty darn big. Ive attached a PDF file of a measured drawing I did...hopefully it will help with your decision.

 

It's me again. I am your biggest fan and have some questions about your rendering. Are you an architect? Did you use a software program? What made you do this wonderful piece of art?

 

Thank you for taking the time to share this with everyone interested in a Window Suite.

[DCT61]

Thanks! The drawing was made with the MICROSTATION automated drafting program I use at work. When I did the drawing, the suites were fairly new and there wasn't much information available. Princess hadn't released a floor plan on the website yet. Glad it has helped.

[rhblake]

If you would like to see a window suite go to youtube and type into the youtube search:

 

Grand Princess - Window Suite F307 - Pt 1

 

Grand Princess - Window Suite F307 - Pt 2