Favorite cabin on Royal

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

Hi everyone.

 

We're getting ready to book our 3rd cruise with Princess. We sailed Grand twice, and are looking forward to a different ship. We typically sail aft, but I'm thinking we need to change it up this time. I want the balcony covered - that's a definite, but other than that, no specific needs. I will mention that we like the privacy the aft cabins offer, and always go with a corner one on RCI, but the pocketbook won't allow it this time. :(

 

What's your favorite cabin on Royal, and why? Is it location, privacy, views?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

[Elevatorman]

We chose a mid-aft cabin A515 on the Regal. We booked R 515 for our next sailing on the Royal, it is for us the best spot. If we did not book a mini, we would have booked the nearest balcony room to 515. The mid-ship elevators were never an issue. They bring you up directly to the buffet area, and out to the pool. If you are going down, they bring you right to Crooners, the Atrium or Symphony. These mid aft cabins cost slightly less then the true mid ship cabins.

[2pbears]

I think you are wise not to book the aft cabin on the Royal as this board is full of complaints about soot issues on the aft balconies. Based on our experience on the Royal if we were to sail her again we would book in the aft section of the ship (side facing cabins not the wake facing cabins) as the mid ship elevators were a big issue for us on our Baltic cruise. We eventually learned to just walk to the aft elevators whenever we needed to go up or down because the wait for an elevator during peak times midship was futile (when an elevator did finally arrive it was frequently so full you could not squeeze into it).

 

We normally book balcony cabins but on this cruise we went for the deluxe balcony. I don't believe it is any larger than a regular balcony cabin but the layout is a little different and it has a small sofa which was nice for sitting inside when the weather was too chilly on the balcony. I probably wouldn't bother with the deluxe balcony on a warm weather cruise but in the Baltics that little sofa came in handy on a number of occasions.

[samchatmon]

Hi everyone.

 

We're getting ready to book our 3rd cruise with Princess. We sailed Grand twice, and are looking forward to a different ship. We typically sail aft, but I'm thinking we need to change it up this time. I want the balcony covered - that's a definite, but other than that, no specific needs. I will mention that we like the privacy the aft cabins offer, and always go with a corner one on RCI, but the pocketbook won't allow it this time. :(

 

What's your favorite cabin on Royal, and why? Is it location, privacy, views?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

 

I have been on royal princess three times. Two transatlantic crossings and a 7 day Caribbean. On the 18 day crossing I had c417 a mini suite, on the 7 day Caribbean I had c320 a mini suite, and my favorite was on a14 day crossing I just did l216 a mini suite

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Pam in CA]

I had E703 "obstructed" view balcony cabin that was essentially unobstructed. IMHO, any of the 700 cabins on Emerald deck are a great location and good value.

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

Thanks for all the answers. I'm off to check them all out. :)

 

2pbears, I have read about the soot problems on the afts. I'm not sure how much that would bother us. We really enjoy the view back there, but I agree it would be a hassle to have to deal with that.

[cruiseaholic31]

We just sailed on the Royal and had R703. It was just down from the elevators and we could take the elevator directly down to deck 6 and the dining room. The Laundromat was just down the hall a few cabins. I didn't use it except for ironing a few items as we had the free laundry elite benefit.

You can't go wrong with this cabin. It was a covered balcony near the back of the ship. Great room steward also.

[Astro Flyer]

I had E703 "obstructed" view balcony cabin that was essentially unobstructed. IMHO, any of the 700 cabins on Emerald deck are a great location and good value.

We enjoyed E711 on the Royal & felt the same way as you did about the location & price.

 

We recently had C619 on the Regal & it was also a good location.

 

On our other Royal cruise, D508 was well located & looking down the view was the top of lifeboats but it didn't affect us because we looked out at the water & not down. ;)

Edited May 21, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[CruisingSince2012]

Can someone explain the differences between the different balcony categories - balcony, deluxe balcony. etc.? They all look the same on the Princess website. I know minisuites are different, but otherwise, can't tell a difference.

[Astro Flyer]

Can someone explain the differences between the different balcony categories - balcony, deluxe balcony. etc.? They all look the same on the Princess website. I know minisuites are different, but otherwise, can't tell a difference.

 

We've enjoyed deluxe balcony cabins which for us having the couch (smaller than a mini-suite's couch) was useful. I cannot be in the sun too much so it was great to sit on the couch to enjoy the view. Not having a couch in a standard balcony cabin is the main difference although the desk & drawers are slightly different.

 

All balconies except for the midship bumped out area & a few far forward & aft cabins are the same size (about 9'x4') and fully covered.

[sawtooth]

We stayed in L108 on the Royal and I would book it again in a heartbeat. From the great view at the front of the ship, huge deck, larger L shaped stateroom (almost felt I was in a suite) to the closet space, loved it. One day in the Caribbean the speed and wind kept us off the deck, otherwise we enjoyed it especially on sail away or when making port.

[Camelia-]

We were in cabin E109 (considered an obstructed deluxe balcony) and it was wonderful. I would definitely choose it again. The balcony was large and half covered so that we got the best of both worlds. There was nothing wrong with the view at all..I was a little afraid that it would be rocky since it was so far front but far from it..didn't feel a thing!

 

Camelia

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

Thanks everybody for the help. I really appreciate it.

 

I looked at the new releases today, and I have to admit I was shocked by how fast some of those cabins went. On multiple sailings. How does anyone ever score prime real estate? Forward and aft were all sold out. I'm torn on the mini suite, we loved our first one, so I'm open to that. Am I missing something? :o

[Grego]

I had E703 "obstructed" view balcony cabin that was essentially unobstructed. IMHO, any of the 700 cabins on Emerald deck are a great location and good value.

 

I agree. We had 702 and booked it for a future cruise in February. Obstructed pricing with no obstructions.

[thepie]

I have been on royal princess three times. Two transatlantic crossings and a 7 day Caribbean. On the 18 day crossing I had c417 a mini suite, on the 7 day Caribbean I had c320 a mini suite, and my favorite was on a14 day crossing I just did l216 a mini suite

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

how did you like l216, I will be in l220 in november..

[skynight]

Some Comments:

I would not book an aft facing balcony cabin because of the widely reported soot issues.

All outside cabins on the Royal & Regal have balconies, some with what are called obstructed views, but really not so obstructed.

About 90% of balconies on balcony, deluxe balcony and mini suites are what I describe as Hobbit sized, right around 9'x4'. Almost all are covered since the Royal has straight up & down sides.

There are some balcony cabins that are extended, mainly mid ship under the sea walks, but there are a few forward on decks 8, 15 & 16. Check out the deck plans.

Starboard side mid ship balconies on upper decks 15, 14, 12, maybe 11 are not that private. The balcony is in full view of the sea walk above. Port side mid ship balconies on these decks offer more privacy, as the port side sea walk has the sea view bar which blocks most of the view from the sea walk.

There is no center passenger staircase. So if you like to use the stairs select a cabin nearer the forward or aft staircases and elevators. The mid ship elevators tend to get crowded.

Hope these thoughts are useful. We enjoyed our time on the Royal.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree about the aft soot issues. You just don't know how much and which cabins will be affected. :(