Balconies on the Royal

[Colo Cruiser]

There's just something about having a cabin directly below the Skywalk that doesn't appeal to most people. It like being in a fishbowl on display constantly. I would have thought that the designers could have come up with an overhang to block the view from above somewhat.

 

I can live without getting sun but it's being in a fishbowl that bothers me. If they would have had a privacy overhang similar to the covered section on a Caribe deck (other ships) I believe they would be more appealing.

 

 

Yes but then they would be covered balconies. :cool:

[Palmist]

Last time on the Royal we were in L101. The balcony was huge! This a deluxe obstructed category. The obstruction is below the front rail is metal rather than Plexiglas. This picture was taken from the doorway. Plenty of privacy because there's nothing above Lido Deck.

 

[Mom33]

Last time on the Royal we were in L101. The balcony was huge! This a deluxe obstructed category. The obstruction is below the front rail is metal rather than Plexiglas. This picture was taken from the doorway. Plenty of privacy because there's nothing above Lido Deck.

 

 

Nice pic! ;) :D Thanks!

[Mackenzie1]

The OP does not want anyone to see her on her balcony.The main point about the Caribe deck balconies on the Grand class ships is that they are only covered by the standard balcony above them. The forward portion of the Caribe balcony to the railing is uncovered. If you don't want to be viewed by the decks of balconies above you, you have to restrict your chairs to under the balcony above you. That makes a Caribe deck balcony pointless to anyone that truly wants total privacy.:)

 

The Grand Class Caribe balconies are 9' x 9' with 5' covered. That works for me.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Mackenzie1

[Mackenzie1]

Last time on the Royal we were in L101. The balcony was huge! This a deluxe obstructed category. The obstruction is below the front rail is metal rather than Plexiglas. This picture was taken from the doorway. Plenty of privacy because there's nothing above Lido Deck.

 

Very cool. You look like you're ready to give instructions to the bridge!

[Mom33]

The Grand Class Caribe balconies are 9' x 9' with 5' covered. That's fine with me.

 

Yes they are for most people, including me. But if you don't want anyone looking down on you, that 5 foot of coverage (9x5 balcony) is available on the decks above Caribe without the higher price. :D

[janny444]

Yes they are for most people, including me. But if you don't want anyone looking down on you, that 5 foot of coverage (9x5 balcony) is available on the decks above Caribe without the higher price. :D

 

The point about Caribe deck balconies on the Grand class is that it gives you the choice to be either private or "on show"...also I have never paid extra for a standard balcony on that deck...they have been the same price as the decks above. It is a couple of years since we sailed with Princess so maybe that has changed.

That is why my original question was about standard balconies on the Royal which may have had a similar deck as Caribe on the Grand Class...I know now that there is no deck like that on the Royal.

 

Many thanks everyone for your replies

Edited May 6, 2015 by janny444

[margeg]

Last time on the Royal we were in L101. The balcony was huge! This a deluxe obstructed category. The obstruction is below the front rail is metal rather than Plexiglas. This picture was taken from the doorway. Plenty of privacy because there's nothing above Lido Deck.

 

Wow, what an amazing balcony. We have had several mini suites on dolphin decks and did not mind the open roof at all.

 

However we just booked our first full penthouse suite which is on riviera deck on the royal in November, and I am in a panic after seeing how narrow the balcony is for this cabin. We do like to spend time there. I hope it will be okay.:eek:

 

Marge

[Palmist]

Wow, what an amazing balcony. We have had several mini suites on dolphin decks and did not mind the open roof at all.

 

However we just booked our first full penthouse suite which is on riviera deck on the royal in November, and I am in a panic after seeing how narrow the balcony is for this cabin. We do like to spend time there. I hope it will be okay.:eek:

 

Marge

 

On that cruise, I visited one of the penthouse suites and the balcony is long and narrow. So narrow that the chairs can only be placed facing sideways in relation to the balcony door and would have to be lifted above the rail in order to be turned 180 degrees so they face the other way.

[margeg]

On that cruise, I visited one of the penthouse suites and the balcony is long and narrow. So narrow that the chairs can only be placed facing sideways in relation to the balcony door and would have to be lifted above the rail in order to be turned 180 degrees so they face the other way.

 

Thanks so much for your reply. I am going to show the pictures to my dh and see if he wants to change the reservation. I am not very happy with your description of this balcony.

marge

[bluesea321]

Here is a YouTube video (not my own) from the Skywalk looking into the cabins below so anyone can form their own opinion. The video lets you see the size of those "oversized" balconies and their lack of privacy.

 

On my last Royal cruise I could see well into the cabins on Marina deck if the curtains were open. Note that on the video nearly all curtains are closed, not very nice for balcony (mini-suite) cabins. I would not want one of those.

 

The following is subjective of course. IMO there is a big difference in the "privacy" issue between Caribe/Dolphin Grand class balconies and the Skywalk. On the Grand class people from above and BEHIND you can see you sitting on your Caribe/Dolphin balcony. On the Royal people on the Skywalk can see you from above and in FRONT of you.

[chamima]

Here is a YouTube video (not my own) from the Skywalk looking into the cabins below so anyone can form their own opinion. The video lets you see the size of those "oversized" balconies and their lack of privacy.

 

On my last Royal cruise I could see well into the cabins on Marina deck if the curtains were open. Note that on the video nearly all curtains are closed, not very nice for balcony (mini-suite) cabins. I would not want one of those.

 

The following is subjective of course. IMO there is a big difference in the "privacy" issue between Caribe/Dolphin Grand class balconies and the Skywalk. On the Grand class people from above and BEHIND you can see you sitting on your Caribe/Dolphin balcony. On the Royal people on the Skywalk can see you from above and in FRONT of you.

 

 

Yes, you can see into the Marina deck cabins. But you can't see into any other deck's cabins and by the time you get down to Caribe deck you can't even see the balconies. (Count down, I did it) . So that leaves all those larger balconies on Caribe, Dolphin and Emerald to enjoy.

[Mackenzie1]

IMO there is a big difference in the "privacy" issue between Caribe/Dolphin Grand class balconies and the Skywalk. On the Grand class people from above and BEHIND you can see you sitting on your Caribe/Dolphin balcony. On the Royal people on the Skywalk can see you from above and in FRONT of you.

 

There's also a difference between having someone on a Grand Class ship sitting on the balcony above being able to see the balcony below, and the masses of humanity on the Royal/Regal gawking into your cabin as they pass through the skywalk above you.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Mackenzie1

[bluesea321]

There's also a difference between having someone on a Grand Class ship sitting on the balcony above being able to see the balcony below, and the masses of humanity on the Royal/Regal gawking into your cabin as they pass through the skywalk above you.

 

Good point! :)

[dmwnc1959]

Yes, you can see into the Marina deck cabins. But you can't see into any other deck's cabins and by the time you get down to Caribe deck you can't even see the balconies. (Count down, I did it) . So that leaves all those larger balconies on Caribe, Dolphin and Emerald to enjoy.

 

 

This is indeed a fact.

 

But you'll never convince 'them'. :rolleyes:

 

:D

[Colo Cruiser]

This is indeed a fact.

 

But you'll never convince 'them'. :rolleyes:

 

:D

 

 

Yeah kinda like making a morning flight at LAX. :rolleyes:

[caribill]

 

[CruisingSince2012]

The OP does not want anyone to see her on her balcony.The main point about the Caribe deck balconies on the Grand class ships is that they are only covered by the standard balcony above them. The forward portion of the Caribe balcony to the railing is uncovered. If you don't want to be viewed by the decks of balconies above you, you have to restrict your chairs to under the balcony above you. That makes a Caribe deck balcony pointless to anyone that truly wants total privacy.

 

There are very few completely covered balconies on other ships. To make sure I got one, I booked my Sapphire cruise more than a year in advance. If you want a covered balcony and don't care about the cabin size, book a Caribe deck cabin and use only the covered portion. Conversely if the Dolphin deck cabins sell out and you want an uncovered balcony Caribe deck can give you that unless being in a minisuite is important to you.

[CruisingSince2012]

This thread is making me think I should book a port side cabin because the Sea View Bar does not have a glass floor. Did the Sea Walk make cabins on the port side more popular than their counterparts on the starboard side?

[Mom33]

This thread is making me think I should book a port side cabin because the Sea View Bar does not have a glass floor. Did the Sea Walk make cabins on the port side more popular than their counterparts on the starboard side?

 

Can't really tell. The only people coming here to complain about the Sea Walk side cabins are those that have never sailed in one. :)

[toonbear]

Unlike the other ships the Royal's balconies are straight up there appears to be no overlooking one. We had a stern balcony and we could not see those below us. We were 2 decks above the Lounge and never heard a peep. The beloved can hear a knat cough at 500 paces so it must have been quiet.:)

[Miss Pat]

Can't really tell. The only people coming here to complain about the Sea Walk side cabins are those that have never sailed in one. :)

I haven sailed in one yet but I know from the photo's I've see I wouldn't want on directly below or even 2 decks down from the walkway. It's like being on display all day long.

[Mom33]

I haven sailed in one yet but I know from the photo's I've see I wouldn't want on directly below or even 2 decks down from the walkway. It's like being on display all day long.

 

So are you saying that you would be on your balcony all day long?

Are you saying you would be in your cabin all day long?

Do you really think anyone would stand on the Sea Walk all day long to watch you?

Do you know there are black out drapes for night time privacy?

Do you know that keeping your drapes closed during the day, keeps the cabin cooler?

Have you seen any reports in reviews of people that had a bad experience with these balconies?

 

Like I said, the only complaints are from people that haven't sailed in them. ;)

[antsp]

The skywalk is a waste of time anyway as hardly anyone after the 1st day bothers with it, so on a positive note those balconies below it are not really effected.

[Miss Pat]

So are you saying that you would be on your balcony all day long? Hardly all day long.

Are you saying you would be in your cabin all day long? Nope- at the pool.

Do you really think anyone would stand on the Sea Walk all day long to watch you? Of course it's no the same people but a stream of different people walking around. I know- I was one.

Do you know there are black out drapes for night time privacy? They're probably the only people who HAVE to use them. It's pretty bad when I can't keep my drapes open at night because of gawkers out for an evening walk.

Do you know that keeping your drapes closed during the day, keeps the cabin cooler? Who cares unless the AC doesn't cool the cabin sufficiently.

Have you seen any reports in reviews of people that had a bad experience with these balconies? None that posted here on CC.

 

Like I said, the only complaints are from people that haven't sailed in them. ;)

The above answers aply only to the first few decks under the Skywalk. The lower ones seem to offer enough privacy.