Royal Princess Interior Cabin

[Cheller1973]

We are looking to book our first Princess cruise on Royal Princess in September - LA to San Fran, San Diego, Monterey and Ensenada.

 

We have always cruised RCI. Is there anything we should know? Booking entertainment? Good and not so good? Food choices etc. We have the drink package included - what does that cover? 

 

Finally, we are going for an interior cabin (always do as prefer more £ for spending). I’m thinking mid-front deck 9 or 10, cabins D125, 129, 130, 134, 137 and 138 are available as are C236, 237, 240, 241, 244, 245, 248 and 249. Any that we should avoid? It’s just the two of us.

 

amy advice would be greatly appreciated.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

We really liked our midship sideways interior cabin.  The door opens near the bed instead of by the closet/bathroom area. This room is set up differently and to me it feels like it has a lot more room than a standard interior. I will attach some photos so you can see.  If you look at the deck plans you can see how these cabins are laid out in a different direction (north/south instead of east/west).  

[MsSoCalCruiser]

9 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

We really liked our midship sideways interior cabin.  The door opens near the bed instead of by the closet/bathroom area. This room is set up differently and to me it feels like it has a lot more room than a standard interior. I will attach some photos so you can see.  If you look at the deck plans you can see how these cabins are laid out in a different direction (north/south instead of east/west).  

 

 

 

 

The bathroom is behind this desk area.

Edited February 16, 2020 by MsSoCalCruiser
Wanted to add that the bathroom is behind the TV/desk area.

[snoozecrooze]

Hello and welcome! Hope you'll enjoy Princess!

I'm going to take part of a response I posted for another similar question, because it applies to some of your questions here:

 

"Decor has a lot more emphasis on wood and brass and beige, as opposed to modern and sleek. Activity level is considerably more subdued compared to RCI. It largely depends on what type of cruising experience you prefer/actively seek out. Shows are your classic revues, with one having kind of a story line, and you will not find aqua shows, rock climbing walls, ice-skating, etc, but you'll find a comedian and guest vocalist at night when there's no show." 

 

"The theater is often packed, so arrive early if you want a seat. There's no grand atrium, but just a three-deck one which is called the "Piazza." Lots of live music options -- Crooners Bar, Wheelhouse Bar, Piazza, Crooners, etc."

 

Elaborating on the Piazza: the Piazza is not a Royal Promenade or Royal Esplanade, but there's always some form of live music and a lot of people love to dance, so there are either dance classes or people are going out on the floor grooving to it.

 

Royal's dining:

• FREE: Alfredo's Pizzeria, Trident Grill, ice cream on Lido, three dining rooms (same menus in each), buffet, a pub lunch on last sea day
• UPCHARGE: Crown Grill (steakhouse), Sabatini's (Italian; NOT trattoria menu), Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar
• ALSO: Ultimate Balcony Dining, Chef's Table Lumiere, Winemaker's Dinner (lots of threads on these three in this forum)
• Please visit here for the overview.

Additional things (sort of a stream of consciousness, so sorry for the disorganized nature):

• No reservations for entertainment anywhere on Princess
• A lot of people do like to reserve the Sanctuary (seats at the top/front where you get pampered) and the Enclave (thermal suite) so if you're interested, do it ASAP after embarking
• Buffet is huge, but I'm not sure which RCI ship you've sailed, so I can't compare to Windjammer overall. But I appreciate the huge assortment; whether or not you like the food is largely subjective.
• I like the interior cabins on Princess, as you get a great walk-in closet and it's "separated" from the bedroom area. Sideways cabins (like the above poster has mentioned) are also available; they're easily identifiable on the deck plan when booking. Avoid any rooms with a big white thing next to them on deck plans, as you never know what could be in there and it could bother you if noise arises (no guarantees).
• If you want to guarantee a great sleep, bring ear plugs, in case others are stomping down the hall or slamming a door. It happens and light sleepers can get jostled around.
• Bring a night light for the bathroom if you need it
• Bring non-surge protection extension cords or power strips as there's no outlet or USB next to beds. Good to know if you have CPAP or wanted to charge phone by bed.
• All movies are free! Stateroom TVs are excellent.
• All towels can be rented out whenever you want, however many you want.
• There are different beverage packages and you have not specified which: https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/ -- read the terms and conditions to know exactly what is covered in each. 
• Alfredo's Pizzeria is good and should be better than Sorrento's
• Trident Grill (burgers/dogs/tacos) is fine and could be comparable to Johnny Rockets but maybe not; not a huge burger fan so can't comment too much
• If outside promenade decks are important to you, Royal doesn't offer much in the way of a promenade -- your only accessible spots are port/starboard midship/aft and that's basically it. 
• If you like a piano bar, I think Crooners is great
• Anytime dining can incur long waits, so make reservations with headwaiter/Maitre'd or switch to traditional dining
• If you're interested in a water fountain show at sea, look out for "watercolor fantasy" at 9pm every night at the lido deck pool ("Fountain Pool")
• September weather can make seas a bit rough/skies a bit dreary traveling along the California Coast
• Muster drill is quick and easy; based on your preferred location, it will be in the Princess Theater and there is ample seating. Sit in the back if you want to leave first.
• Book the Ultimate Ship Tour when you get onboard ($150/person) if you're interested in behind-the-scenes stuff --- super great value IMO.
• For air fare, consider using Princess EZAir -- usually cheaper and they'll reroute you when needed

For the ports themselves, please visit the CA Coastal forum here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/142-california-coastal-pacific-northwest/ 

Hope this helps!

[Cruise Raider]

Gosh ... forgive me if this doesn't directly answer your question but for a little over $100 more (per cabin, not per person), you can get what is referred to as an obstructed balcony on this sailing.  The ones in the middle have minimal obstruction and some very huge balconies.  

While balconies can run hundreds of dollars more than an inside cabin, I consider this a very small price to pay for having access to fresh air and natural sunlight.  

[Cheller1973]

Wow, thank you for the  replies, especially snoozecrooze! Exactly the kind of informative I was looking for.

 

We would actually be sailing in October (5 nights in Vegas first) so I presume the weather would be even worse... maybe we need a rethink on dates? 

 

Im surprised at the more old fashioned cabin given the newness of the ship. We’ve previously sailed on Freedom and Harmony and found both ships absolutely stunning.  Food options on Princess sound lovely.

 

As for the balcony, maybe we are odd balls but we LOVE a dark room - our cruise sleeps are the best we ever have.

[snoozecrooze]

10 minutes ago, Cheller1973 said:

We would actually be sailing in October (5 nights in Vegas first) so I presume the weather would be even worse... maybe we need a rethink on dates? 

Hmm, I would say that in terms of the weather, it's honestly unpredictable. California can get great weather, but the Pacific Ocean can still be fussy nonetheless, throughout the entire year. But the Royal Princess is really one of the most stable ships I've been on, and you will get some pitching but not toooooo bad. The forward cabins will feel it the most, so do note this. Bring bonine/meclizine if needed. Weather itself is what you make of it, and if it's sunny, that's amazing, but it can also be chilly, so bring layers. When it rains, it'll rain, but I wouldn't predict anything too stormy. Always check to see if anything is happening before you come. 

 

Yeah, the cabins are more traditional-looking, and don't fall in line with the trendy contemporary aesthetic, but they're functional enough. Also, cabins will come with a shower curtain - no glass doors. Dark rooms are the best for sleep, I agree. 

[Cruise Raider]

23 minutes ago, Cheller1973 said:

Wow, thank you for the  replies, especially snoozecrooze! Exactly the kind of informative I was looking for.

 

We would actually be sailing in October (5 nights in Vegas first) so I presume the weather would be even worse... maybe we need a rethink on dates? 

 

Im surprised at the more old fashioned cabin given the newness of the ship. We’ve previously sailed on Freedom and Harmony and found both ships absolutely stunning.  Food options on Princess sound lovely.

 

As for the balcony, maybe we are odd balls but we LOVE a dark room - our cruise sleeps are the best we ever have.

 

I totally get that about having a dark room for quality sleep!  

And ... September and October are our best months for weather in California ... September may even be a little too hot for some but it varies from year to year.  Our July is usually plagued with more dreary skies and fog here in San Francisco than September or October.  It is my favorite time of year!  It rarely rains in California in those months ... very rarely!!  Believe me, we watch the rain measures very carefully and they are using that dreaded 'drought' word again.  I wouldn't change the dates if I were you.  And, October is a perfect time to visit Vegas as well.  

As snoozecruise mentioned, the Royal is very stable.  I went for a week last year and never even felt like I was on a moving ship the entire time.  

Bon voyage ... enjoy your cruise!!  

 

 

 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

When choosing an interior cabin on the Royal make sure you are NOT getting a room with 3rd/4th Pullman beds installed as they are wall mounted rather than recessed into the ceiling. As a result when not in use and folded against the side walls they still protrude 10-12” out from the wall diminishing the walkway on either side of the bed (when in queen bed configuration)

Edited February 16, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[snoozecrooze]

Yes, great point mentioned about the pullman beds. Find a deck plan on cruisedeckplans [dot] com that will more clearly illustrate this, so you can avoid them. Also, when choosing cabins, please avoid connecting cabins. One other thing that is a bit more controversial, but if you like a more spacious floor plan in your room, consider a twin-bed setup, because a queen-bed setup makes it feel much more cramped. 

 

Also, another good point made about the weather -- I did forget that hotter weather tends to afflict California when it's actually closer to Fall. However, for me personally, my point still stands about the Pacific Ocean itself -- it has a lot of personalities. 

[idahospud]

Yes, avoid the quad inside cabins on the Royal. The upper beds do stick out from the wall quite a bit. 

 

Space wise, the twin set up is better for two.

Edited February 16, 2020 by idahospud

[janetz]

We had a sideways inside cabin on the pool deck forward

Loved it!!

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, snoozecrooze said:

Yes, great point mentioned about the pullman beds. Find a deck plan on cruisedeckplans [dot] com that will more clearly illustrate this, so you can avoid them.

 

You can easily see these cabins on the Princess deck plans. Just change the number of passengers in the drop down to indicate 4 passengers. Any interior cabins that are then highlighted are setup for 4 people. I avoid them like the plague.

 

The default setting for number of passengers is "Any".

 

 

Change it to 4 to see the cabins to avoid.

[BarbinMich]

On the older ships, we always booked a Plaza outside cabin for its being close to the atrium and the theater without needing an elevator.  Unfortunately, they eliminated those with the Royal/Regal.  We had an obstructed balcony on our Royal TA cruise and it was only obstructed if you wanted to look straight down to the water--there was a lifeboat just below.  We had an inside on a Royal cruise to the Caribbean and it was ok since we didn't have many sea days and I liked sitting on a lounger aft of the buffet which is totally protected from the sun, but has a nice view out the back (not crowded there either).  Enjoy!