Royal or Discovery Princess room locations, 4 people

[redroses]

We have 2 kids under 12, thinking of Royal or Discovery Princess to Alaska. 

 

1.  Thoughts on the Deluxe vs regular balcony? There are rooms they say you can't open the balcony when the beds are down? Does that mean we can't open the balcony just a bit when we sleep?  So the deluxe for 4 would be 2 people on twins, 1 person on sofa bed and 1 person on pullman?    REGULAR would be 2 pullmans, 2 twins?

 

2. Is there a photo of how the bunk beds will look like when down? I saw this person's posting but the photos are gone. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2343566-regalroyal-balcony-room-for-4-dont-do-it/

 

3. I was leaning towards Royal due it going to Glacier Bay, is there a major difference between that and Discovery's route?

 

We will pay for an obstructed view since its cheaper. I've been looking on a website where people post their room photos.  Thanks so much!

[JF - retired RRT]

Try Google/YouTube. Maybe, "balcony with 4 people"?

There are photos out there, I've seen them.

[redroses]

 I google and youtube and don't see images where the beds are down.  The balcony door can't be opened per the princess website if  the bed is down, but I'm not sure how that works.  This person posted a photo with 1 bed down.  https://mycruisestories.com/2019/08/23/cruise-ship-cabins-on-royal-princess/

 

I'm looking at rooms e701, 702, found photos but without the beds down.

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by redroses
typo

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

Even a deluxe balcony is tight with more than 2 people.

I am thinking that budget, as well as keeping an eye on the kids are factors.

Would you consider a regular standard balcony with an inside right across the doorway?

 

I am not sure if some deluxe balconies have the little love-seat as a pullout?

Or if deluxe balcony cabins that take 4 actually have TWO pull down beds.

I think it is confusing how Princess shows these on the deck plans.

Hopefully somebody here has more info.

 

PS:  for myself, I am with those who highly recommend Glacier Bay sailings, unless cruisers have sailed that before and are looking for other ports.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, redroses said:

Thoughts on the Deluxe vs regular balcony? There are rooms they say you can't open the balcony when the beds are down?

yes, you can. Our kid loves the pullman beds, and we were in a regular balcony cabin with a pullman bed - you can easily walk under it.

Now in the deluxe balcony room one of the beds is a sofa bed - when it's rolled out, it's much more difficult to get to the balcony without disturbing the sleeping kiddo. You have to climb over the sofa bed when it's rolled out.

 

Please be advised that we've only been in a situation with 3 people on Regal, both in a regular obstructed balcony cabin and deluxe obstructed balcony cabin.

 

Ours was exactly like this from the link you posted: the bed dropped out from the ceiling right next to the balcony. We had no problem walking under it. This was either E502 or E504.

 

 

in the deluxe cabin for 3 the 3rd bed was a sofa next to the balcony:

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, redroses said:

Does that mean we can't open the balcony just a bit when we sleep?

you don't want to do that if you are using A/C.

 

On Discovery E701 and E702 cabins are mini-suites.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Itchy&Scratchy]

nvm

Edited August 20, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Thrak]

4 hours ago, redroses said:

Does that mean we can't open the balcony just a bit when we sleep?

 

Princess really doesn't like folks to have the balcony door open while the ship is moving. I've walked down corridors in the evening and heard loud "wailing" sounds coming from cabins where people had left the balcony door open while they were out doing stuff in the evening.

 

Having your balcony door open can mess with the AC for an entire section of the ship.

[ceilidh1]

6 hours ago, redroses said:

We have 2 kids under 12, thinking of Royal or Discovery Princess to Alaska. 

 

1.  Thoughts on the Deluxe vs regular balcony? There are rooms they say you can't open the balcony when the beds are down? Does that mean we can't open the balcony just a bit when we sleep?  So the deluxe for 4 would be 2 people on twins, 1 person on sofa bed and 1 person on pullman?    REGULAR would be 2 pullmans, 2 twins?

 

2. Is there a photo of how the bunk beds will look like when down? I saw this person's posting but the photos are gone. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2343566-regalroyal-balcony-room-for-4-dont-do-it/

 

3. I was leaning towards Royal due it going to Glacier Bay, is there a major difference between that and Discovery's route?

 

We will pay for an obstructed view since its cheaper. I've been looking on a website where people post their room photos.  Thanks so much!

This is from Royal - balcony with pullman down (couldn't use balcony when bed lowered due to it being blocked by the bed BUT if you are ok to crawl under it, it's not an issue)

[ceilidh1]

6 hours ago, redroses said:

We have 2 kids under 12, thinking of Royal or Discovery Princess to Alaska. 

 

1.  Thoughts on the Deluxe vs regular balcony? There are rooms they say you can't open the balcony when the beds are down? Does that mean we can't open the balcony just a bit when we sleep?  So the deluxe for 4 would be 2 people on twins, 1 person on sofa bed and 1 person on pullman?    REGULAR would be 2 pullmans, 2 twins?

 

2. Is there a photo of how the bunk beds will look like when down? I saw this person's posting but the photos are gone. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2343566-regalroyal-balcony-room-for-4-dont-do-it/

 

3. I was leaning towards Royal due it going to Glacier Bay, is there a major difference between that and Discovery's route?

 

We will pay for an obstructed view since its cheaper. I've been looking on a website where people post their room photos.  Thanks so much!

This is minisuite for 4 on Royal - no issue with getting to balcony 

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by ceilidh1
picture

[harryfat1]

3 hours ago, redroses said:

 I google and youtube and don't see images where the beds are down.  The balcony door can't be opened per the princess website if  the bed is down, but I'm not sure how that works.  This person posted a photo with 1 bed down.  https://mycruisestories.com/2019/08/23/cruise-ship-cabins-on-royal-princess/

 

I'm looking at rooms e701, 702, found photos but without the beds down.

 

We were on the Majestic Princess Alaska cruise last week with 3 cabins as extended family of 6 and 2 of which are inside connecting on Emerald deck (501/503/505) on the same BW category you are thinking about. 

 

Not sure what your budget is, but having 2 connecting cabins for family of 4 (double/double) makes things go so much faster especially when you are in a hurry in the morning for those Alaska excursions.  4 people sharing bathroom can be challenging.

 

Can't help you on the pics of the pulldown bed as even though we were technically in a triple but we didn't need the 3rd bed.  But I think the first picture will show you where the bed is stored when not used - next to the balcony in the rectangular box in the ceiling.  So I would guess once that bed is pulled down from the ceiling, your access to the balcony will be compromised and I think that's what the website is trying to warn you.

 

 

 

Looking AFT at rest of the obstructed balconies:

 

 

Here is the deck plan for our cabins:

 

 

With the icon that says balcony door is blocked:

 

 

But not all cabins have this restrictions so you might need to check out those other categories.

 

Depending on the weather conditions on your sailing next year and your tolerance for cold, I'm not sure you really want to open the balcony door at night as it might be rainy/cold outside in the 50s.  

 

Picture of cabins opening  - 501 on the left and 503 on the right.

 

 

You can request the cabin steward to open the outside partitions if you decide to get 2 cabins to have more space.

 

This is what it looks like with 3 cabins opened:

 

 

Glacier Bay is a whole day event with park rangers coming onboard and the ship typically spends 9 hours in the area so if you have a choice to go there, that's a definite winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[redroses]

Thanks so much! Everyone has been very helpful.  

 

Since its port intensive, I think we will just fit everyone in a balcony room.   With taxes it will cost us  $3,600  ($4K once you add in tip) for cruise only in July of next year, not sure if that is a good deal or not.  Many of the "obstructed view" actually look OK to me per deckplans photos.