TP - MINI SUITE or BALCONY- WHICH ONE?

[Nikkibird]

We will be booking the TP and cannot decide between a mini suite or balcony room. We have heard it is really noisy under the pool area on the mini suite floor and that the balcony is really small. Sounds like the balcony room has a balcony double the size of a mini suite but ofcourse the room itself is much smaller. What are the benefits to a mini suite other than size?? Which would you go for and what location on the ship?

[sprinkles]

Hi,

 

Actually the mini-suite balcony is double the width over a regular balcony. The big plus for the mini-suite (other than size) is it has a bathtub. Our friends had a mini-suite (aft) and they never complained of any noise. Their cabin was really nice and I would have killed for that tub. We had a balcony 6024 and LOVED our location. It seemed we only had to run down a couple of flights of stairs and the gangway in port was always right there and we never heard anything from above. I also don't remember having a refrigerator in our balcony cabin (maybe they've since added them as the book I have now says that they have them). If you are really concerned with possible noise and choose not to go with a mini, deck 7 would probably be your best bet. Have a great time - we can't wait to go back.

 

Tammy

[Hulagirl]

We were in 8033 (mini suite) on the Tahitian this past summer for 22 days. Never heard any noise from the deck above. Don't let that impact your decision at all. The mini suites on this ship are very nice. There were 3 of us in the cabin and we had so much room. The bathtub was very nice!

 

Being mid ship is also good since there will definitly be movement. We loved the ship and would go again in a heartbeat.

 

Hulagirl

[CrazyCat=^..^=]

Thanks Hulagirl,

 

We are booked on the TP in minisuite 8035 - right next to the one you stayed in. I was kinda nervous about the noise myself but thanks to you I can relax about that part of the trip. We have a 2 day pre-cruise planned in July 2007 in Tahati. Any suggestions on things to do/see while we are there?

[dog]

We had the mini suite 8052. No noise really. The mini suite balcony is not twice the size of the balcony cabin but it is bigger. The railing on the mini has 3 panels and the balcony cabin railing is 2 panels. It is a nice size. They are not completely private from the neighbours beside you but no one looks down on you.

For 10 days it was worth the mini.

[SaveMeJebus]

for the bathtub alone the mini-suite was worth it. As mentioned, the balcony is not double the size of standard balconies, but more like 1 1/2 the size.

 

 

As to pre-cruise activities for your two day stay, if you're staying in a nice hotel, like the IC, my vote is just to enjoy the hotel and let your body adjust to the beating it took by flying 8+ hours to get there. We stayed at the IC and the various pools/fish pond/"other" honeymoon activities kept us busy enough for two days.

[Hulagirl]

CrazyCat: You made a good choice for location. It is so close to the stairway to go up to the pool and buffet area which was nice. Also down one level and around the corner is the laundry room. Being we were on the ship for such a long time, I was actually forced to do laundry. Even though I'm Elite and had it free from the ship, they didn't do a good job and I ended up doing quite a bit myself.

 

We stayed 2 nights at the InterContinental in Papeete before our cruise. Our flight landed at 6:30 PM, so it was very dark when we arrived at the hotel and we ended up just going to bed since it had been a very long day. We didn't leave the hotel that next day and just enjoyed the grounds and the pool. Felt so good to relax and just have the day there. I had joined the IC Ambassador club, so we were allowed to stay later than the normal check out time. We boarded the ship around 2:30 PM the next day which worked out perfectly. There was nobody checking in but us at that time and we sailed on through.

 

You will love your time on the ship. I was concerned that 22 days would be too long, especially since our 16 year old daughter was with us and I was afraid she would get bored. Well didn't need to worry at all. We loved the ship and our time on it. Nikki will still be in the jewelry shop when you are onboard next summer, so be sure and stop and talk to her. She is so nice and has all the info you might need on pearls. We got to know so many of the ships staff on this ship which was fun. On the larger ships that doesn't happen too often. Because of this we were able to see and do things that normally we wouldn't have.

 

I'm excited for you and your cruise. We will be sailing on the Royal Princess next July in the Med and wish we had a minisuite for that cruise. They didn't put any mini's on that ship and being in the balcony cabin will be so much smaller, but worth it.

 

If you have any other questions, ask away.

 

Hulagirl