Aft Balcony/Mini Suite Cabins

[tapia]

Thank you for the info!

[serene56]

:D

Actually, these are for Alaska 2007--the rates aren't even let out yet. So, I'm planning on getting the cabins as soon as they are released. So, that makes them all available-Thanks!

 

 

VERY good planning strategy. Hats off to you. :D

[wasup254]

HOw do you check on the availablity of a cabin that you have heard is a good cabin? I have checked on the Princess web site, even entered the cabin numbers to see if available. but not listed. Do the cabin numbers change as people cancel or change their cabin? I check once a day, is there a certain time Princess web updates cabin availablity?

 

Thanks

Marlene

[DanJ]

 

 

@DanJ: Kind of a weird question, but for Alaska I have to ask. How's the temperature in A746? It looks odd right by the Terrace Pool there. Is there a hallway or anything??

 

Thanks!

 

I've never been to Alaska yet. I would think, though, that while at sea, these aft balconies would be a little more comfortable since you don't have the breeze blowing across you. Our friends were mid-ships on the same deck, and when we went down to their room, when they opened the cabin door while their balcony door was open, it was like a wind tunnel. Our cabin, we left the balcony open most of the time and didn't get any type of wind in the cabin.

 

As for location, when you walk down that corridor on the port side, the door to the pool is right directly at the end of the hall, but angled, something like 45 degrees. The cabin door is just to the right of the pool door, but perpendicular to the corridor, and offset a bit to the right. There is a little hallway going to A748 and then the emergency exit stairs are just beside that door. Like I said earlier, there wasn't a lot of traffic outside our door, since most people used the other pools, or went to the Terrace Pool from the Lido deck. I would imagine the same type of thing would happen on an Alaska itinerary, where most people would use the pool with the roof, so it wouldn't be too busy down that hall.

[tapia]

HOw do you check on the availablity of a cabin that you have heard is a good cabin? I have checked on the Princess web site, even entered the cabin numbers to see if available. but not listed. Do the cabin numbers change as people cancel or change their cabin? I check once a day, is there a certain time Princess web updates cabin availablity?

 

Thanks

Marlene

 

I'm not sure actually. I would call Princess and ask them directly. Cabin numbers don't change, but sometimes people do cancel or change their cabin, so the numbers available does change.

 

No idea about the Princess web updating daily. Sorry

 

 

 

@ Dan: It almost looks that from the plans in the book that there is no corridor, so I'm glad to see their is one.

 

 

 

 

I decided that the below look like good cabins in the order listed:

 

Diamond/Saphire:

Minis—E728 –BEST

After; minis: E731,

Caribe: C748, C753—1/2 covered, half not (TOTALLY private)

Aloha: A746, A751—right by the terrace pool

Emerald: E735, E732—732 may have some issues of sound b/c of club fusion

Aloha: A744, A749

Coral/Island:

E736 & E737: Best on the whole ship

B734 & B737: Not covered

Thank you everyone for your help!!!

 

[Tom O.]

HOw do you check on the availablity of a cabin that you have heard is a good cabin? I have checked on the Princess web site, even entered the cabin numbers to see if available. but not listed. Do the cabin numbers change as people cancel or change their cabin? I check once a day, is there a certain time Princess web updates cabin availablity?

 

Thanks

Marlene

 

Besides the Princess site you can check availability at some on-line TA's There is one in particular that shows all of the deck plans and what rooms are available. We are not supposed to mention a TA by name here, but it is something like this O****Z. I don't recommend that you book with them, I find their prices too high, but I use their site all the time for checking availability.

A good time to check is 75 days before embarkation. That is when payment in full is required. Up until then only a deposit is required and that can be refunded. A lot of people make a reservation far in advance in order to hold a good room, but end up canceling before the payment in full is required.

[CRUISAYEAR]

We just got off the Sapphire Princess March 4th. We had cabin E735, an aft BB catagory. There are only 4 aft cabins on this deck. The ones on the aft corners are suites. Inboard of them are the BB's. If I go on this ship again or it's sister the Diamond, I would kill to be able to have it again.

It is totally covered. The balcony is 10' wide by 12' deep ! It was like having another whole room! It is not windy on this balcony, even while at sea at 22 knots ! There were two plastic chairs to go with the small table, and two padded reclining chairs.

It is totally private. On the inboard side there is no cabin. On our left was the balcony of the "Hong Kong" suite.

Now if the people next door were to lean out while standing next to the divider. they could see onto your balcony. But who does that ? If they did, you could poke them in the eye ! LOL

The divider itself is made of opaque white glass. Under most conditions you cannot see through it. There is a flourescent light inside the valance for the drapes. There is a light above the slider door outside. If you have one or both of these lights on and your one neighbor has theirs off at night, they could see you but the image would be cloudy.

So, hypothetically speaking of course, a couple could do the bareback balcony boogie in this space without being seen.

Looking down from the railing at night, you'll enjoy the churning wake. There are lights below that shine on it at night, yet not enough to spoil the incredible view of the stars on a clear night.

Club Fusion is right below this cabin. We did not hear anything from it. Other posters who had the cabin on the port side said they were bothered by booming bass from a speaker that must have been under their cabin.

The only drawbacks that we noted to this cabin were that wake noise is a little less than conversation friendly, and if you like to lay out in the sun, this balcony does not get any unless the sun is astern or low on the horizon to port or starboard. We found the wake noise to be soothing, like waves at the beach. Step inside and close the slider, and you could barely hear it.

Your at the end of the hallway, so there is no hallway noise. Getting from your cabin to anywhere else on the ship is a cinch, just walk forward to the elevator that would take you closest to where you want to go. Or the stairs. Princess Theater ? all the way to the forward elevator or stairs and down 1 deck ! Club Fusion ? forward to the first elevator, down one deck ! Restaurants ? forward to the midships elevator, down two decks ! simple !

[tapia]

Wow, that really made me change my mind!!!!

Diamond/Saphire:

Minis—E728 –BEST

After; minis: E731

Emerald: E735

Caribe: C748, C753—1/2 covered, half not (TOTALLY private)

Aloha: A746, A751—right by the terrace pool

Emerald: E732—may have some issues of sound b/c of club fusion

Aloha: A744, A749

 

Coral/Island:

E736 & E737: Best on the whole ship

 

B734 & B737: Not covered

Just one more question:

On the Diamond/Saphire, does E728 have noise???

[tapia]

Covered or Uncovered?

 

How important is this on an Alaskan cruise? Personally, I like the covering because of the privacy, but I'm mostly talking about rain here......... I know that's a weather question, but how much does it really rain? Downpour? I would be sitting on my balcony an aweful lot to look at scenery--but, is that even possible in the rain?

 

I'm using the Dolphin deck aft cabins (Diamond / Saphire Princess) as my last choice because of the coverings, even though the balcony is huge. Is that a good choice?

 

Also, by any chance, do people know if the same ships will be sailing Alaska in 2007?

 

Help? Thanks!

[bjkTX]

We had a minin on Dolphin deck to Alaska and we were glad we did. I knew it wasn't covered, but privacy wasn't a big issue for me - whatever I do people are welcome to watch :-) The obvious concern was weather, but on our Alaska trip (May) the weather was perfect and we were laying out on the balcony in t-shirts as we sailed around the glaciers - drink in hand. If the weather had been bad - it wouldn't have made much difference if the balcony was covered or not - we probably wouldn't have been sitting out there in a cold rain anyway.

 

Tough decisions - and no matter what you decide you'll be happy!

[tapia]

Privacy certainly won't make or break the issue for me at all.

 

But, since I'm going to Alaska for the scenery, I'd love to be able to stand/sit on my balcony and see it, even if it is raining.

 

I guess my question is: During the end of June/early July are there HEAVY rainfalls? (Too much to sit outside under something and watch.) Or....is it lighter where you would be able to sit outside and watch (as long as your covered)?

[elmtree]

E 728 is totally covered...We went last May and had lovely weather...it was so pretty while we were in the glaciers that they sent out little boats with photographers in them to get some publicity shots..and the one day it did drizzle we still used the balcony because of the roof..so good luck with your plans...sometimes the planning is as much fun as the actual trip..Ha..

[tapia]

Thanks!

 

Dolphin is really my 4th choice. I'm just worried at how fast the aft cabins will sell out.....

[Casshew]

I have the end minisuite on the emerald deck for an upcoming cruise and the pics (I have seen online) show how awesome this balcony is :)

 

 

 

[tapia]

My issue with the Emerald is that I need 2 cabins close together (same floor--both aft cabins) is that I hear there is noise from the club below on the left side of the ship. So, that would only leave me with 1 cabin (noise from speakers really bother me!).

 

Thank you for the great picture though!

 

(even so, these are choice #3....)

[Casshew]

I am so exhausted after a day of cruising nothing would keep me awake, not even music until 2am:)

[tapia]

I am so exhausted after a day of cruising nothing would keep me awake, not even music until 2am:)

 

LOL~It's sad.....but, it would keep me up *cry*

[Casshew]

A live band playing in my room wouldn't keep me up :)