Lido deck on Sapphire?

[Kybabe]

:)We are booked on the Sapphire to the Mexican Riveria in a balcony on the Lido deck. I can't find much info on these boards about these cabins. My DH and I are in L231 and are friends are in L228. I really only want to hear good things about this location, so hopefully some wonderful person will tell me how great these cabins are and how much we will enjoy this cruise in April! This is our 2nd cruise, first time on Princess.

[catmand]

It looks like you have balcony cabins both starboard and port side. We have friends who were just about where your starboard cabin is and they loved the location. Although it is so close to many things it is also quiet as that hall doesn't get much traffic. Be careful though, you are so close to the buffet you may find yourself there more than you realize.:D

[rico]

We did the Mexican Riviera cruise aboard the Diamond in January 2005. The Diamond and Sapphire are carbon copies of each other. We were in L209. It's been the most interesting cabin of any of our cruises.

 

We enjoyed it. Here are a few pluses.... very little foot traffic on the Lido. It's a short passageway with few cabins and no public areas, so not many people moving through there. It was also very convenient to just walk down the passageway and be out at the main Lido pool & grill. Very convenient for those late night hot tubs!! Every once in a while the bridge officers would walk through to go to their shift. Neat to see them and talk. And standing on our balcony, we could watch the captain on the bridge wings as we came into ports and pulled along side the piers. Kind of fun.

 

The only downside I saw, was being that far forward on a ship, when the ship is pitching you notice it more than any where else on the ship, and I'd bet money coming back North you will be pitching as you fight the southerly currents. The feel of the bow of the ship rising and dropping with the waves was definitely more notable than when we've stayed in cabins mid-ship. It wasn't unpleasant for us, just more notable.

One thing I'm not sure about..... Diamond did not have MUTS. If Sapphire has MUTS, with Lido cabins that close to the Neptune area where MUTS is installed, you'll probably hear some of the audio while you're out on your balcony. Again, this isn't experience but supposition on my part.

 

 

I wouldn't hesitate to stay in a Lido cabin again. We've also stayed in balconies on Aloha and Baja, both roughly mid-ship. I wouldn't say one was better than the other. But the Lido cabin had more unique and interesting aspects to it.

[Susie444]

;) My husband and I are going on the Caribbean Princess in April. It will be the first cruise for both of us so we are really excited. Our room is on the Lido deck as well, room L215 to be exact. We were also wondering about the Lido deck, and if the location is any good. My concern about this location was actually about the traffic going to the buffets and the pool. I was thinking that alot of people use the elevators to get to these places. Is there anyone who has stayed on the Lido deck on any of the ships similar to the CP and can give me some advice. My mom is our travel agent, so we can switch our room at any point. We just don't know what it is like to be on a cruise! Please help. Thanks! :)

[gvb]

What is this? We are on the Sapphire on 3/4 in L311--right next to the pool! I hope there is a sound wall there--but our balcony looks to be a little bigger than most, so we are happy no matter what. I don't think there are any bad cabins on a cruise!

[Kybabe]

MUTS is Movies Under the Stars and I don't think that we have it on the Sapphire:(

[rico]

My concern about this location was actually about the traffic going to the buffets and the pool. I was thinking that alot of people use the elevators to get to these places.

 

You shouldn't have to worry about that. The Lido deck cabin passageways are probably the least travelled passenger areas on the ship.

 

The buffet is mid-ship. You won't get any buffet traffic. All the Lido deck cabins are well forward of the buffet and separated by two pool areas.

 

The majority of people making their way to the Neptune or Calypso pool areas are going to use the main mid-ship elevators, the ones that go down to the atrium. The only people who be using the forward elevators to get to the pool would be the people in the forward cabins on the lower decks. No many in relation to the whole ship.

 

L215 is right next door to the cabin we had, L209. It's the 4th cabin from the bow of the ship. Since it's a deadend passageway, there are only 7 cabins that would have any reason to walk past your L215. There are 12 cabins between you and the forward elevators. 12 cabins is quite a ways on a ship. That part of the ship will be very low traffic and quiet for you. Enjoy!

[Susie444]

Actually, now we are thinking of staying on the Caribe deck instead. Bigger balcony, and hopefully we can get a mid-ship room. Time to call my travel agent!:)

[FredS]

The Lido deck rooms at near the bow. There are no public rooms forward of the staterooms so people very seldom walk the hallways that do not have rooms on that deck. Some use the hallway to get to the forward elevator/stairs but not too many. The balcony are nice as they look down on the open balconies below but are difficult to see into themselves since they are covered. The pizzaria and buger bar and some open space provide a buffer between the pool and the rooms. Rooms are so well padded you do not hear much of anything, even you neighbors; at normal sound levels. Sapphire does not have MUTS. When I came back from Mexico in mid-Dec there was very little noticeable pitch to the ship. Depends on your weather. It is convienient to all the outdoor activities, pools, and a long way from the main dining room. When going to dinner in the main dining room go through Horizon Court and pick up a sanck to hold you over until you get to the dining room.

[sunshine426]

Wow, this is great to hear as we are in L234 and L237. I am not worried in the least about the motion of the boat, as we all have past experience bare boat chartering in much smaller water craft!! However, I was somewhat concerned regarding the noise level, being on the Lido deck. Does anyone have any idea regarding the size and configuarition of the balcony cabin, or actually the balcony itself?

[Kybabe]

Glad to hear so many positive comments about being on the Lido deck.

Sunshine426, when will you be on the Sapphire? Our cruise is April 2nd.

[rico]

Sunshine -

The Lido balconies are the standard size you'll see on the Aloha and Baja decks. I'd say 4 feet from the door to the rail, and probably 9 feet side to side. There should be one round table about 2 feet in diameter and two arm chairs.

[sunshine426]

Thanks for the information. Do you think that four armchairs would fit around the table comfortably. Our two daughters are traveling with us, they have the inside cabin, and I know they will be spending time with us, particualy for cocktails or wine befor dinner. We are actually on the Star, not the Sapphire, I realize they are different class ships, but thought the info on the Lido deck would be similar.

[rico]

We were on the Grand Jan 14 sailing. The Grand, Sapphire and Star are all Grand Class ships, so same arrangement. You won't get 4 chairs on that balcony. We had the same set up as you; our boys were in an inside cabin across the passageway from our balcony cabin. They came over for breakfast on the balcony almost every day. We let them sit and eat, the wife and I stood. 4 chairs just won't fit on a regular size balcony. Go down to the Caribe or Dolphin deck and you can get 4, but not Baja, Aloha or Lido.

 

Here's a photo (not a good one) of the boys on the balcony. You can see on the right side of the photo is the sliding door handle. That will give you an idea of the size of the balcony. My oldest is sitting near the right balcony divider and Ian is right in front of the sliding door. There's probably only another 2 feet to left of Ian that doesn't show on the photo.

[sunshine426]

Rick, Thanks for the info, and for posting the photo. It helps to visualize the space. We were on the Caribe deck on the Island Princess and were rather spoiled with that balcony. Still, really looking forward to this trip, and have no complaints whatsovever about this cabin assingment, especially as we booked a GTY in the balcony category and GTY inside. Feel like we owe the upgrade fairy a cocktail!

[nancyox]

we just returned yesterday from the sapphire and were in L311....the first cabin on the starboard side. there is a short hallway to the door, so the cabin is NOT right next to the entrance. this is a GREAT location!! ur right next to the pool and the burgers and pizza.....and a short walk to the buffet....we love this location. no noise...our cabin had a slightly larger balcony, being the first it had a slight angle to it and was large enough to put a chaise lounge on....i asked the steward and he brought one on the 2nd day...on the first 2 sea days we got great afternoon sun on the balcony with no breeze which was great, because it was chilly and windy out on deck.

 

you'll be pleased with ur cabins on lido...the elevators are just a few cabins back and they take u directly to the theater/casino/wheelhouse bar area.....at dinnertime...take these elevators to deck 7 (promenade) and walk thru the atrium to the back and take the elevators or stairs down to deck 6 for international dining or 5 for anytime dining. kind of inconvenient, but u get used to it.

 

enjoy!

[nancyox]

oh, one more thing....we didn't notice any pitching whatsoever in this location...it was smooth sailing for us!!!

 

nancy

[Kybabe]

Thanks, Nancyox!:) that's a great report. We are looking forward to our cruise. Are you posting a review of yours?

[malibu]

WE are going in march and staying on the aloha deck in the baconys 518 is this a good room im worried about above noise??? help... also we are on the saphire princess??? anyone??//////

[DanJ]

Our friends were in A508,510 and 514 last week and didn't have any complaints. You are right near the mid-ship elevators, and one flight of stairs up to the pools and buffet. We stayed in A746 which is an aft facing cabin. Loved that location, and slightly larger balcony.

[gvb]

Thanks so much for your review of L311. We are in that cabin in early March and I'm glad to hear it is a great location. Also excited that a lounge chair will fit on the balcony. We are thinking of Ultimate Balcony Dining on the second night--March 5th--was it cool for you going south out of CA?

 

Gail