Claustrophobic newbie requests update: Soot & Fumes on Royal Princess Aft Balconies?

[WetHen]

Hello! I’m a novice cruiser and a bit claustrophobic – so some anxiety regarding our upcoming trip on Royal Princess through the Eastern Caribbean. (Original vacation plan was a flight/hotel stay on St. Thomas, and optimistic Hubby believes this an opportunity to convince me cruising is great.) So. Looking to CC for cabin pros and cons. Criteria:

 

 

1. Large Balcony. I’ll likely sleep out there.
   
2. Wide Open View.
   
3. Fresh Air. Mama needs to breathe.
   
4. Stairs. Rather than elevators.
   
5. Cost. Full suite not an option, everything else is.
   

Our 9 April sail is pretty full already, so not a lot of choice. Any thoughts on these options?

• Aft-facing Premium Deluxe Balconies. I know in the past these large balconies have been rendered unusable by soot and fumes but also read that a 2016 dry dock may have addressed the issue. Please! Anyone have recent, 2017-18, experience in these cabins? (These look nice, so why are several still available on a mostly-full cruise?)
  
• Forward-facing Obstructed View, L103. Large balcony at bow with solid (rather than glass) rail. I see the at-sea restriction on the cabin but understand from CC that it’s not enforced. But, how usable will this space be on an April sail in the eastern Caribbean, 7 days and 3 ports? Any experience with this specific cabin?
  
• Side-facing Deluxe Balcony, mid-forward on Riviera Deck. Tiny balcony, but glass rail.
  

So, all advice appreciated – and, in particular, any recent info regarding aft-balcony soot and fume issue. Thank you!

[Superfragger]

Welcome to the boards!

 

Forward and aft staterooms can be a bit rocky for the novice cruiser. If this is your first cruise I would suggest that you get a mid-ship mini-suite. Those cabins are about as big as a European-sized hotel room.

 

As far as balconies go, opinions are varied. We never spend much time on them so we typically don't get them anymore because the additional per day cost is really not justifiable at all for us. So if the only reason you're getting those more expensive deluxe staterooms is for he additionnal balcony space, I would probably revise my priorities and save a couple of bucks there.

[stoneharborlady]

My first cruise was in an aft minisuite on the Caribbean Princess. I was nervous about it too, but LOVED cruising, and had no problems. The Caribbean Sea cooperated nicely, was smooth as glass, and other than some occasional vibration, no problems. I did take meclezine, and never got seasick. Last cruise was in an inside cabin, and I actually liked it better. Very cozy, and no claustrophobia at all. Of course, we were only in our cabin to dress and sleep and bathe, and most waking hours were spent out and about. I would do an inside again in a heartbeat. Relax, you just may love it too.

[WetHen]

Thanks, Superfragger. I'm not overly worried about sea-sickness, but yes, point taken regarding rock. Small enclosed spaces are the issue, so will definitely need a balcony to cope, the bigger the better. So, still curious for input re those forward and aft cabins. Thanks for your help!

[MJSailors]

My DH and I have cruised on the Regal (sister ship of the Royal) twice.

We have had a regular balcony and a mini suite.

I would suggest that you book either a deluxe cabin or a mini suite in that they both offer a love seat/sofa near the balcony door.

If you find the balcony too small, ( they are smaller than balconies on the older Princess ships) you could sit on the couch and look out the balcony door for an open sea view.

While aft cabins offer a lovely wake view, they can feel a bit rocky if the sea conditions are rough.

Mid ship balconies experience less movement.

But, if claustrophobia is more of a concern than seasickness, I would recommend an aft cabin with a comfortable seating area.

Hope this helps.

Try a cruise- you might get hooked into being a cruise regular !:)

[Thrak]

I can't imagine trying to sleep out on the balcony. Yes, I've had a snooze or two (or three or four or...) on the balcony during the day but not all night long. I've seen enough salt spray crust on balcony railings. I certainly wouldn't want to wake up with that on my body.

[myfuzzy]

Unless you are four feet tall and sleep on your side, those balconies are pretty small, they barely have room for two chairs and a small metal table. We do the Ultimate Balcony Dinner where they bring in a card table. If you sit in the far corner, you need to really suck it in if you need to get back into the cabin. If you want a big balcony, you need to sail the Grand class ships. I can speak for the Caribbean Princess as we did have one of those balconies. However, I don't think I would sleep out there, as all the decks from above can look down into your balcony

[fishin' musician]

I've had a couple of forward facing balconies on the Royal/Regal, they are quite large (10x12?) and I quite enjoyed them. They do have a steel railing so your view when sitting or looking out from your room is a bit compromised. I've had many aft facing balconies on other ships and they are typically much larger (deeper) than side balconies, but I'm not sure about those on the Royal/Regal. As for the side balconies, unless you get one of the ones on an angle, they are puny. I'm tall and lanky and could not turn the chair to face out. On other ships DW and I would enjoy room service breakfasts on the balcony, simply impossible with the constrained real estate of the side balconies.

[reedprincess]

Either aft facing deluxe balcony or forward facing deluxe balcony. The extra square footage with small sofa makes the cabin feel much larger than it is - and the balconies of both those locations are much larger than standard. The soot issue isn't all that big of a deal, your cabin steward will wipe it down daily, more often if requested, and depending on which deck - it may be a moot point overall. (lower decks less of a problem, in our experience)..

Less movement overall on lower decks, but with how ships are built these days, it's a matter of small, small degrees for lower oe higher, and a Caribbean sailing - in general - has pretty calm seas overall.

I'd take the aft premium deluxe - closer to stairs and elevators than forward, clear glass railing, spacious balcony, and more spacious cabin.... While you can use those forwsrd balconies while underway, they can be windy - and at night you have to keep drapes closed so no light escapes - which may not be great for the claustrophobia...

[geocruiser]

M-108 and 107 cabins look large as well a a bigger balcony.

[GRAYTech]

I may be wrong but I think the only place you get a for real, full size padded lounger is in a full suite or above. I know you crossed off a full suite due to cost but what you described to me is a grand class vista suite. The room is spacious and not claustrophobic. The separate shower and tub are great and NOT claustrophobic like an inside bathroom and shower curtain can be.

 

You also get the full size wood/padded lounger and the balcony is deep enough to be away from most of the salt spray. Some will say the wake is noisy and it is but I like it. Kind of like a white noise generator on full volume. While I haven't spent a whole night sleeping on the lounger I do tend to nod off after late dinner seating or the late BOGO and sleep there for a few hours until nature calls. Then it's off to bed. They are far more comfortable than the loungers.

 

I don't think you will get much sleep on the balcony if it's not in a full suite or above.

[cr8tiv1]

An alternative: I have cruised with two cabin mates who may not have been as claustrophobic as yourself in a Window Suite on the Caribbean Princess (if you want to do the Caribbean). Both were willing to give up the balcony for the suite. It is twice the size of regular cabin with very large windows, but no balconies. The promenade is one deck up and the cabin is midship. On the up side...it has full suite benefits.

 

Good luck on your first cruise. I have another friend who is very claustrophobic and has been fine in a mini suite (but not on a royal class ship). The Princess Theater will also cause you some distress.

[WetHen]

Oh my goodness, thanks everyone. I didn't expect such a response - a great group! We just booked the aft balcony with hopes that fume/soot issue won't spoil. Big balconies, open view, and stairwell nearby. (Bow rooms were tempting, by the way, too, so thanks for info.) I'll check in again after we sail to report back. Thanks for your help!

[smagirl25]

Oh my goodness, thanks everyone. I didn't expect such a response - a great group! We just booked the aft balcony with hopes that fume/soot issue won't spoil. Big balconies, open view, and stairwell nearby. (Bow rooms were tempting, by the way, too, so thanks for info.) I'll check in again after we sail to report back. Thanks for your help!

You will have to let us know how you liked it after your cruise. We are doing the aft balcony on the Royal later in the year.

My first cruise was in an aft minisuite on the Caribbean Princess. I was nervous about it too, but LOVED cruising, and had no problems. The Caribbean Sea cooperated nicely, was smooth as glass, and other than some occasional vibration, no problems. I did take meclezine, and never got seasick. Last cruise was in an inside cabin, and I actually liked it better. Very cozy, and no claustrophobia at all. Of course, we were only in our cabin to dress and sleep and bathe, and most waking hours were spent out and about. I would do an inside again in a heartbeat. Relax, you just may love it too.

 

I may be wrong but I think the only place you get a for real, full size padded lounger is in a full suite or above. I know you crossed off a full suite due to cost but what you described to me is a grand class vista suite. The room is spacious and not claustrophobic. The separate shower and tub are great and NOT claustrophobic like an inside bathroom and shower curtain can be.

 

You also get the full size wood/padded lounger and the balcony is deep enough to be away from most of the salt spray. Some will say the wake is noisy and it is but I like it. Kind of like a white noise generator on full volume. While I haven't spent a whole night sleeping on the lounger I do tend to nod off after late dinner seating or the late BOGO and sleep there for a few hours until nature calls. Then it's off to bed. They are far more comfortable than the loungers.

 

I don't think you will get much sleep on the balcony if it's not in a full suite or above.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Forums mobile app

[JLDMED]

One thing to consider if you plan to use your balcony a lot (especially for sleeping) is WIND. Most balconies are very windy while underway, the exception being an aft facing balcony. Bow balconies are terribly windy. If you want to reduce wind, and therefore increase comfort, choose one of those.

[Wishing on a star]

You will not be sleeping out on a forward facing obstructed balcony...

Unless I am confusing myself here...

They are closed, and no balcony access while the shop is underway.

The wind would be a huge huge issue.

 

I am not sure about the AFT balcony?

 

Are there absolutely NO deluxe balconies or minisuites, port or starboard, preferably mid-ship?

[dchip]

You will not be sleeping out on a forward facing obstructed balcony...

Unless I am confusing myself here...

They are closed, and no balcony access while the shop is underway.

The wind would be a huge huge issue.

 

I am not sure about the AFT balcony?

 

Are there absolutely NO deluxe balconies or minisuites, port or starboard, preferably mid-ship?

 

It’s an urban myth. :) The balcony is always available!! We had L104 for a 20 day cruise on the Royal Princess. We spent many hours on the balcony while underway.

 

Cheers, Denise

[chamima]

Oh my goodness, thanks everyone. I didn't expect such a response - a great group! We just booked the aft balcony with hopes that fume/soot issue won't spoil. Big balconies, open view, and stairwell nearby. (Bow rooms were tempting, by the way, too, so thanks for info.) I'll check in again after we sail to report back. Thanks for your help!

 

 

Great choice - Congratulations!

We LOVE the aft balconies.

I hope you were able to get one on Dolphin or Baja.

Those are half covered , half uncovered - which helps keep the soot to a minimum and is great if it's raining.

We've had aft balconies on the Royal several times and there were NO fumes and only minor soot - which the room steward cleaned up .

Sleeping out there will be wonderful - you can hear the sound of the wake!!

Enjoy!

[Wishing on a star]

There are AFT balcony lovers who might fight you over that cabin!!!!

[WetHen]

Hi, All! We are just back from our cruise, and I promised a report regarding aft balcony. . .

We sailed in R732 (deluxe balcony) on the Royal Princess to the Eastern Caribbean, 9 April 2018. I love the outdoors, so we choose this room for the large balcony, but I'm not sure we'd choose the same cabin location again, at least on this ship.

Cruise was great overall, but I'll try to be extra-picky here, just to provide info.

So, the mixed review regarding aft balcony:

 

Pros

• Balcony Size: Aft cabins have larger balconies than most others on the ship. All aft balconies are extra-wide, but many are also very deep. Ours was approximately 10x12.
  
• Sound: We loved the sound of the wake. (Some people won't.) From our 14-floor cabin, the wake noise was loud but relaxing, like a white noise machine on high volume. I had no trouble falling asleep out there. :-) Excessive vibration was never an issue.
  
• Semi-Privacy: Great to have private outdoor space for sail-away. Plenty of room for three people to enjoy breakfast on a return sea day. Note, the aft cabins on Marina Deck sit directly below the bar and, therefore, have less privacy than lower decks. Our Riveria cabin was just one level lower, and although we could be seen from above, it was never intrusive. Some lower level aft balconies have partial overhangs and greater privacy.
  

Cons

• No Shade & No Breeze: Our deck had no overhang, and the sun baked us during the day -- especially as the ship headed east, with afternoon sun beating down. There was also ZERO breeze. (No joke, I had a tablecloth and my beach umbrella out while we were underway on the Atlantic.) Leaning out over the rail afforded a slight breeze, but in general our aft balcony was absolutely still, adding to the heat. This was a negative for us but may be a perk for others.
  
• Plume & Fumes: The ship's exhaust plume, obviously, trails to the rear while underway, meaning it hung directly overhead or slightly aside our balcony. The plume only slightly discolored the sky during the day, but at night, it considerably hazed over the sky and hindered star-gazing. Fumes were sometimes noticeable -- and when they were, smelled less like fuel than old soot (e.g., cleaning out the fireplace). The smoking deck was two floors above us, and we did get occasional whiffs of cigarettes but nothing overly obtrusive.
  
• SOOT: For us, soot was the primary fault of our aft balcony. (We read this had been an issue in the past but, understanding the problem had been mitigated during dry dock, took the chance and booked for the extra space.) I believe the issue has to some degree been lessened, but it has certainly not been altogether fixed. Let me emphasize that soot was not an overwhelming issue -- but, it was bad enough to make me reconsider our cabin choice. The details:
  
  • Soot fell on our aft balcony the entire time we headed to windward/east. It was never an issue on the return trip.
    
  • The soot mostly fell in small flecks, like cracker crumbs, although occasional chunks were the diameter of quarters.
    
  • When we remembered, it was easy enough to wipe down the furniture and rails and put towels on chairs. Our feet and slippers were perpetually filthy. (Before learning to wipe down the chair, I blackened a favorite skirt and white blouse. Neither cleaned on first wash, but I'll keep trying. Grumble.) Our room steward was very kind and did what he could to clean after we made the request. But clearly, this is a design issue, not a housekeeping miss.
    
  • If you are on the ship and want to see a "soot sample", pay attention to the public track on Sports Deck. Our balcony looked much the same way, although Sports Deck seemed to get a more regular swabbing.
    

Again, overall this was a great cruise -- any complaining above undertaken with intent to inform, rather than whine. :-) We would do the same cruise again in a heartbeat. Next time, however, I'd look for a different cabin, avoiding aft, or ship, with larger standard balconies. (Others may be giddily happy aft, with the heat, sun, and extra space!)

[ChrisB123]

I have claustrophobia too and HAVE to have at least a balcony. The sliding glass door to the balcony really helps to relieve that, it's huge! I was scared the theater would bother me, but it's so large that it didn't. May I suggest you talk to the TA who is arranging your trip about getting a table next to a window for your meals.

Also, fumes and soot? I have never ever seen/smelt fumes or soot.

You'll LOVE IT.

[Red Rock Feaver]

We are going to be on the Royal in October in C739 for 14 day Canada New England from Quebec hoping we will be able to enjoy our balcony.

We are expecting it to be chilly so won’t mind the sun cooking us. Has anyone been in this suite lately? Is there a soot problem? Not too worried about the partial covered deck.

[land lover]

Hi, All! We are just back from our cruise, and I promised a report regarding aft balcony. . .

We sailed in R732 (deluxe balcony) on the Royal Princess to the Eastern Caribbean, 9 April 2018. I love the outdoors, so we choose this room for the large balcony, but I'm not sure we'd choose the same cabin location again, at least on this ship.

Cruise was great overall, but I'll try to be extra-picky here, just to provide info.

So, the mixed review regarding aft balcony:

 

Pros

 

 

 

 

• Balcony Size: Aft cabins have larger balconies than most others on the ship. All aft balconies are extra-wide, but many are also very deep. Ours was approximately 10x12.
  
• Sound: We loved the sound of the wake. (Some people won't.) From our 14-floor cabin, the wake noise was loud but relaxing, like a white noise machine on high volume. I had no trouble falling asleep out there. :-) Excessive vibration was never an issue.
  
• Semi-Privacy: Great to have private outdoor space for sail-away. Plenty of room for three people to enjoy breakfast on a return sea day. Note, the aft cabins on Marina Deck sit directly below the bar and, therefore, have less privacy than lower decks. Our Riveria cabin was just one level lower, and although we could be seen from above, it was never intrusive. Some lower level aft balconies have partial overhangs and greater privacy.
  

Cons

• No Shade & No Breeze: Our deck had no overhang, and the sun baked us during the day -- especially as the ship headed east, with afternoon sun beating down. There was also ZERO breeze. (No joke, I had a tablecloth and my beach umbrella out while we were underway on the Atlantic.) Leaning out over the rail afforded a slight breeze, but in general our aft balcony was absolutely still, adding to the heat. This was a negative for us but may be a perk for others.
  
• Plume & Fumes: The ship's exhaust plume, obviously, trails to the rear while underway, meaning it hung directly overhead or slightly aside our balcony. The plume only slightly discolored the sky during the day, but at night, it considerably hazed over the sky and hindered star-gazing. Fumes were sometimes noticeable -- and when they were, smelled less like fuel than old soot (e.g., cleaning out the fireplace). The smoking deck was two floors above us, and we did get occasional whiffs of cigarettes but nothing overly obtrusive.
  
• SOOT: For us, soot was the primary fault of our aft balcony. (We read this had been an issue in the past but, understanding the problem had been mitigated during dry dock, took the chance and booked for the extra space.) I believe the issue has to some degree been lessened, but it has certainly not been altogether fixed. Let me emphasize that soot was not an overwhelming issue -- but, it was bad enough to make me reconsider our cabin choice. The details:
  
  • Soot fell on our aft balcony the entire time we headed to windward/east. It was never an issue on the return trip.
    
  • The soot mostly fell in small flecks, like cracker crumbs, although occasional chunks were the diameter of quarters.
    
  • When we remembered, it was easy enough to wipe down the furniture and rails and put towels on chairs. Our feet and slippers were perpetually filthy. (Before learning to wipe down the chair, I blackened a favorite skirt and white blouse. Neither cleaned on first wash, but I'll keep trying. Grumble.) Our room steward was very kind and did what he could to clean after we made the request. But clearly, this is a design issue, not a housekeeping miss.
    
  • If you are on the ship and want to see a "soot sample", pay attention to the public track on Sports Deck. Our balcony looked much the same way, although Sports Deck seemed to get a more regular swabbing.
    

   

Again, overall this was a great cruise -- any complaining above undertaken with intent to inform, rather than whine. :-) We would do the same cruise again in a heartbeat. Next time, however, I'd look for a different cabin, avoiding aft, or ship, with larger standard balconies. (Others may be giddily happy aft, with the heat, sun, and extra space!)

 

Talk about detail...thanks for taking the time to return.....and relay your experience.

 

 

You hit it on the head with no breeze...

 

 

The photos very impressive.....

[EastBay Cruisers]

Thanks so very much for coming back to CC with the excellent detailed report and photos ! This information is a tremendous help to many people ! Much appreciated, :) from EBC

[Crys b to the L]

Hi, All! We are just back from our cruise, and I promised a report regarding aft balcony. . .

We sailed in R732 (deluxe balcony) on the Royal Princess to the Eastern Caribbean, 9 April 2018. I love the outdoors, so we choose this room for the large balcony, but I'm not sure we'd choose the same cabin location again, at least on this ship.

Cruise was great overall, but I'll try to be extra-picky here, just to provide info.

So, the mixed review regarding aft balcony:

 

Pros

• Balcony Size: Aft cabins have larger balconies than most others on the ship. All aft balconies are extra-wide, but many are also very deep. Ours was approximately 10x12.
  
• Sound: We loved the sound of the wake. (Some people won't.) From our 14-floor cabin, the wake noise was loud but relaxing, like a white noise machine on high volume. I had no trouble falling asleep out there. :-) Excessive vibration was never an issue.
  
• Semi-Privacy: Great to have private outdoor space for sail-away. Plenty of room for three people to enjoy breakfast on a return sea day. Note, the aft cabins on Marina Deck sit directly below the bar and, therefore, have less privacy than lower decks. Our Riveria cabin was just one level lower, and although we could be seen from above, it was never intrusive. Some lower level aft balconies have partial overhangs and greater privacy.
  

Cons

• No Shade & No Breeze: Our deck had no overhang, and the sun baked us during the day -- especially as the ship headed east, with afternoon sun beating down. There was also ZERO breeze. (No joke, I had a tablecloth and my beach umbrella out while we were underway on the Atlantic.) Leaning out over the rail afforded a slight breeze, but in general our aft balcony was absolutely still, adding to the heat. This was a negative for us but may be a perk for others.
  
• Plume & Fumes: The ship's exhaust plume, obviously, trails to the rear while underway, meaning it hung directly overhead or slightly aside our balcony. The plume only slightly discolored the sky during the day, but at night, it considerably hazed over the sky and hindered star-gazing. Fumes were sometimes noticeable -- and when they were, smelled less like fuel than old soot (e.g., cleaning out the fireplace). The smoking deck was two floors above us, and we did get occasional whiffs of cigarettes but nothing overly obtrusive.
  
• SOOT: For us, soot was the primary fault of our aft balcony. (We read this had been an issue in the past but, understanding the problem had been mitigated during dry dock, took the chance and booked for the extra space.) I believe the issue has to some degree been lessened, but it has certainly not been altogether fixed. Let me emphasize that soot was not an overwhelming issue -- but, it was bad enough to make me reconsider our cabin choice. The details:
  
  • Soot fell on our aft balcony the entire time we headed to windward/east. It was never an issue on the return trip.
    
  • The soot mostly fell in small flecks, like cracker crumbs, although occasional chunks were the diameter of quarters.
    
  • When we remembered, it was easy enough to wipe down the furniture and rails and put towels on chairs. Our feet and slippers were perpetually filthy. (Before learning to wipe down the chair, I blackened a favorite skirt and white blouse. Neither cleaned on first wash, but I'll keep trying. Grumble.) Our room steward was very kind and did what he could to clean after we made the request. But clearly, this is a design issue, not a housekeeping miss.
    
  • If you are on the ship and want to see a "soot sample", pay attention to the public track on Sports Deck. Our balcony looked much the same way, although Sports Deck seemed to get a more regular swabbing.
    

Again, overall this was a great cruise -- any complaining above undertaken with intent to inform, rather than whine. :-) We would do the same cruise again in a heartbeat. Next time, however, I'd look for a different cabin, avoiding aft, or ship, with larger standard balconies. (Others may be giddily happy aft, with the heat, sun, and extra space!)

 

Thank you so much for such a great review! We are booked for our first cruise ever this November on the royal. We were put in an aft cabin on the marina deck and were very concerned until reading this thread! It's hard to find any info at all about these cabins, and we were seriously considering trying to move until reading this thread.

Thank you again. You've put us at ease 😀 we'll just remember to always bring a towel onto the balcony.