Does the Sky have OV cabins?

[tjcletzgo]

Looking at the New England cruise in 2021 and it's showing Ocean View cabins.  I thought that the Sky was identical to the Royal and Regal.

 

Thanks! 

[shanecindy21403]

Yes if you go look at the deck plans you will see that the Sky and the Enchanted both offer some OV cabins.

[fishywood]

Sky has a lower berth capacity that is 100 persons higher than Royal and Regal. Thus approximately 50 more cabins. Which includes six forward facing OV cabins, plus two window suites. All on Deck 17. I assume when you surveyed the deck plans to find the answer you may not have gone all the way to the top of the ship.

 

Thus the reason Oceanview is a selectable cabin class on Sky. For those eight cabins alone. 

Edited July 15, 2019 by fishywood

[Jeter02]

Each of the royal class ships have little things there are smidge different from one another. On the Sky there are Oceanview cabins on the sundeck all the way forward. You are correct this is not on the Regal or Royal.

 

[weedpindle]

Well, Princess web site shows OV cabins, so perhaps the ship will have them.

[fishywood]

The differences in the public rooms both surrounding the Piazza and on the highest decks (above Lido) are considerably more than a smidge. Though admittedly 50-ish more cabins on a ship that large is a mere drop in the bucket. Honesty I don't know why the architects didn't find a way to add balconies on those eight Sun-deck cabins. (Guess they just wanted to be just distinct enough from Royal & Regal to add some confusion)

[Jeter02]

9 minutes ago, fishywood said:

The differences in the public rooms both surrounding the Piazza and on the highest decks (above Lido) are considerably more than a smidge. Though admittedly 50-ish more cabins on a ship that large is a mere drop in the bucket. Honesty I don't know why the architects didn't find a way to add balconies on those eight Sun-deck cabins. (Guess they just wanted to be just distinct enough from Royal & Regal to add some confusion)

With how forward and high they are, you most likely wouldn't be allowed to go on the balcony while at Sea. I knew someone once who had a forward Mariner balcony all the way up front and that was the issue they encountered due to wind.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Jeter02

[tjcletzgo]

Thank you! :)

[BarbinMich]

There are OV cabins on Deck 8 of the Royal/Regal/Sky, but many of them are obstructed by a tender/lifeboat below the balcony.  We stayed in E222 on the Royal and the tender was below the balcony so the view straight down was of that tender; but looking straight out was unobstructed.  So I think they're a good bargain.  Traditionally, we booked OV forward (of the Piazza) on Plaza (5) deck on the older ships.  These cabins have no obstruction and are extremely handy IMHO (except to the buffet).  We were extremely disappointed when the Royal came out without those cabins!  Replaced by the massage rooms, etc.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Looking at cruises and prices. I do not see an OV cabin prices at all.

[Astro Flyer]

There are 6 outside Deluxe Oceanview cabins on the Sky & Enchanted (Outside O6 Premium) located at the forward end of Sun deck which on our Sky cruise were quickly reserved.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[Astro Flyer]

56 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

There are OV cabins on Deck 8 of the Royal/Regal/Sky, but many of them are obstructed by a tender/lifeboat below the balcony.

 

The OP asked about Ocean View cabins listed for the Sky which does have 6 Premium Oceanview (O6) cabins on Sun deck forward.  

 

We’ve enjoyed staying in the obstructed view balconies like the ones you described.  Those are good options but the few oceanview cabins they asked about do exist & on my Sky cruise were expensive & quickly booked.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[dockman]

2 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

There are OV cabins on Deck 8 of the Royal/Regal/Sky, but many of them are obstructed by a tender/lifeboat below the balcony.  We stayed in E222 on the Royal and the tender was below the balcony so the view straight down was of that tender; but looking straight out was unobstructed.  So I think they're a good bargain.  Traditionally, we booked OV forward (of the Piazza) on Plaza (5) deck on the older ships.  These cabins have no obstruction and are extremely handy IMHO (except to the buffet).  We were extremely disappointed when the Royal came out without those cabins!  Replaced by the massage rooms, etc.

  I think the OP is asking if there are any NON BALCONY ocean view rooms ....there are none on the Royal.  E222 is an "obstructed balcony" i do believe.

[Astro Flyer]

14 minutes ago, dockman said:

  I think the OP is asking if there are any NON BALCONY ocean view rooms ....there are none on the Royal.  E222 is an "obstructed balcony" i do believe.

 

Yes & this shows the location on Sun deck forward for those 6 Deluxe Oceanview cabins on the Sky & Enchanted.

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[AF-1]

I booked one of those rooms and am excited to see what it looks like when the ship sails. 

[BarbinMich]

On 7/15/2019 at 12:57 PM, Astro Flyer said:

 

The OP asked about Ocean View cabins listed for the Sky which does have 6 Premium Oceanview (O6) cabins on Sun deck forward.  

 

We’ve enjoyed staying in the obstructed view balconies like the ones you described.  Those are good options but the few oceanview cabins they asked about do exist & on my Sky cruise were expensive & quickly booked.

I stand corrected although my main point is that there are essentially no OV cabins on the newest ships.  Those mentioned on the Sun deck come at quite a premium, not to mention the problem with the wind in their location.  I probably said this above, but the pre-Royal design ships had a lot of OV cabins on Plaza and now there are none in that location or anywhere else except those fwd on Sun.  As someone who used to cruise up to 3 times a year and who liked having a window as many of our cruises were TAs and thus 12-17 days long, I was deeply disappointed when such cabins were eliminated in the Royal etc.  I can't imagine it was for lack of selling such cabins on the older ships.  I feel that it was to make more money by only having balcony cabins even if there was a lifeboat blocking the view.  Occasionally we have booked an obstructed cabin on Deck 8 on an older ship if no OVs were available on Deck 5, but we were always tried to get one that had at least a "slice" of a view.  We are not "balcony" people (husband has to stay out of the sun) and were extremely happy with Princess (30 cruises/340 days onboard) and their OV cabins on Deck 5 (Plaza); they were a good value for doing 3 cruises/year.  And they were convenient to so much that we rarely needed to use an elevator (except to access the buffet).

 

At least HAL, the other line we've often sailed on, has such "window" cabins on their equivalent of Princess' Plaza deck at least thru the Zuiderdam--we haven't been on their newer ships.  But that line tends to be a bit more expensive than Princess.

 

I guess we're in a "dying" demographic for the cruise business.

[Jeter02]

5 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

I stand corrected although my main point is that there are essentially no OV cabins on the newest ships.  Those mentioned on the Sun deck come at quite a premium, not to mention the problem with the wind in their location.  I probably said this above, but the pre-Royal design ships had a lot of OV cabins on Plaza and now there are none in that location or anywhere else except those fwd on Sun.  As someone who used to cruise up to 3 times a year and who liked having a window as many of our cruises were TAs and thus 12-17 days long, I was deeply disappointed when such cabins were eliminated in the Royal etc.  I can't imagine it was for lack of selling such cabins on the older ships.  I feel that it was to make more money by only having balcony cabins even if there was a lifeboat blocking the view.  Occasionally we have booked an obstructed cabin on Deck 8 on an older ship if no OVs were available on Deck 5, but we were always tried to get one that had at least a "slice" of a view.  We are not "balcony" people (husband has to stay out of the sun) and were extremely happy with Princess (30 cruises/340 days onboard) and their OV cabins on Deck 5 (Plaza); they were a good value for doing 3 cruises/year.  And they were convenient to so much that we rarely needed to use an elevator (except to access the buffet).

 

At least HAL, the other line we've often sailed on, has such "window" cabins on their equivalent of Princess' Plaza deck at least thru the Zuiderdam--we haven't been on their newer ships.  But that line tends to be a bit more expensive than Princess.

 

I guess we're in a "dying" demographic for the cruise business.

The lack of OV cabins in the new builds, is simply because according to Princess, most people prefer to have a balcony. hence the percentage of number of balconies on board the royal class ships. it once in a while I take an Oceanview just to save a little bit here and there. I did look up the Oceanview cabin on the enchanted figuring maybe I'll give it a shot until I saw the price was identical to a balcony cabin. At that rate I would prefer to have a balcony.

[AF-1]

I booked one of those rooms and am excited to see what it looks like when the ship sails. I actually book a window suite; so that is an oceanview.  I figured, since we will be cruising in October to New England and Canada; we won't need to sit out on balcony.   We shall see.  Can't get too excited, since it's over a year away. 

Edited July 16, 2019 by AF-1
added txt

[fishywood]

The Deck 8 Obstructed Oceanview cabins on previous Princess builds have been replaced by Obstructed-view Balcony cabins.

That is simply the new norm in shipbuilding. And not some "conspiracy" to replace OV cabins with higher priced ones--I have seen Caribbean sailings on the Royal-class ships where the fare difference between Inside and Obstructed Balcony was little more than $5/pp/pd. So more or less the same cost as the OV cabins in the same location on the older ships.

[Jeter02]

4 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

I booked one of those rooms and am excited to see what it looks like when the ship sails. 

The cabin views look gorgeous. I keep telling myself on several occasions sometimes I just want a peek at what some of these cabins just look like, I don't need to sail on them, I just want to take a peek at them. I remember my college years working for HAL port side as a weekend gig, and the first thing they did was give us a tour of one of their newest ships that I was going to be working for, and of course the room they show us, so we would understand the brand was their biggest possible suit they had on board. Not reality but ever since then I strive to experience to have such cabins. 😂

Edited July 16, 2019 by Jeter02

[BarbinMich]

2 minutes ago, Jeter02 said:

The lack of OV cabins in the new builds, is simply because according to Princess, most people prefer to have a balcony. hence the percentage of number of balconies on board the royal class ships. it once in a while I take an Oceanview just to save a little bit here and there. I did look up the Oceanview cabin on the enchanted figuring maybe I'll give it a shot until I saw the price was identical to a balcony cabin. At that rate I would prefer to have a balcony.

Did they take a survey?  They already had many, many more balcony cabins than they ever had OV cabins on the older ships since we've been cruising (early 2000s) so I guess eliminating OV cabins came down to replacing OV with the spa etc. as a higher revenue producer or something.  Finally, they also eliminated many inside cabins at the same time and I don't think they replaced those either.  Bottom line:  they replaced cabins on 1/2 of a deck with different facilities and forced their loyal pax who booked those cabins to book a balcony or an inside in a less convenient location.

[Jeter02]

4 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

Did they take a survey?  They already had many, many more balcony cabins than they ever had OV cabins on the older ships since we've been cruising (early 2000s) so I guess eliminating OV cabins came down to replacing OV with the spa etc. as a higher revenue producer or something.  Finally, they also eliminated many inside cabins at the same time and I don't think they replaced those either.  Bottom line:  they replaced cabins on 1/2 of a deck with different facilities and forced their loyal pax who booked those cabins to book a balcony or an inside in a less convenient location.

No point in surveying us on what we want. They already don't listen to the surveys we fill out post cruise. 

[Colo Cruiser]

On 7/15/2019 at 9:30 AM, Jeter02 said:

With how forward and high they are, you most likely wouldn't be allowed to go on the balcony while at Sea. I knew someone once who had a forward Mariner balcony all the way up front and that was the issue they encountered due to wind.

Other than a warning blurb on some forward facing balconies in the cabin details 

Princess does not restrict  forward facing balcony use on their ships.

[fishywood]

38 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

 Bottom line:  they replaced cabins on 1/2 of a deck with different facilities and forced their loyal pax who booked those cabins to book a balcony or an inside in a less convenient location.

 

My preferred location on all Princess ships is Emerald Deck near the aft elevators/stairs.

On the different iterations of the Grand-class I take an Obstructed Balcony.

When I was on Royal Princess in November 2017 I booked an Obstructed Oceanview in the same location.

 

Nobody is being forced to choose a cabin location they do not want (subject to what has already been booked up of course). To argue that simply replacing the Deck 8 Obstructed OVs with Obstructed Balconies does so is irrational. 

[BarbinMich]

20 hours ago, Jeter02 said:

No point in surveying us on what we want. They already don't listen to the surveys we fill out post cruise. 

Probably not, but one would think that a business that depends on customer satisfaction and loyalty for their success, they would be more sensitive to those past pax who routinely booked OV on Inside cabins on Plaza.  Since they eliminated those cabins on the Royal etc., one could conclude that either they don't care about those past pax and/or they're only looking at their bottom line.  However, in looking at the numbers there are only 95 cabins on Plaza on the older ships with a capacity of 190 to 264 pax (I believe the IS cabins have those drop-down "bunks").  So even on the older ships with 3,000 capacity like the Star,  etc., that's a real drop in the bucket so probably the new design starting with the Royal wasn't that much of a gamble for them.  Nor, apparently, was "dropping" the wraparound promenade--another one of my favorite features on the older ships.  IMHO, there's nothing like sitting in a deckchair in the shade and gazing out to sea hoping to see flying fish or just the huge beds of seaweed when crossing the Atlantic (we've done a number of TAs from FL to Southampton so have had a lot of sea days).  And a number of pax like to walk or jog laps on that deck.  Nothing comparable on Royal etc.  The emphasis on the new ships seems to be more geared to the inside of the ship rather than to the outside, not counting the pool areas.

Edited July 17, 2019 by BarbinMich