Minsuite vs. balcony - golden

[luvmykidz]

After having seen the minisuites on the Sun, my husband and I decided that we would splurge and book a minisuite on the golden.

 

After looking at a map of the golden, I noticed that the minisuites appear to be much different and smaller (smaller balcony, bathroom, closet space, etc) than the minisuites on the sun. I am now wondering if I should save a little money and change my reservation on the golden to a balcony room.

 

Is the minisuite worth the extra $, or will a balcony suffice (I am mostly looking forward to evenings and mornings on the balcony)??

[bruce-r]

For a couple, I think a balcony would be fine. We are a family of 4 and I felt that the money was well spent for us to go with the mini. It is true that the catagory "Mini-suite" isn't directly comparable between the Grand class ships and the Sun class ships.

[Coral]

The mini-suites on the Sun are comperable to some of the suites on the Grand class ships.

 

You are right - the minisuites on the Grand are NOT going to be as large as on the Sun class. Though depending on the price, it may be worth keeping the minsuite on the Grand. There is a sailing I have a cabin on hold for in which the balcony cabins and minisuites are the same price.

 

The mini-suites on the Grand class have a tub (verses just a shower on the balcony cabins), you have a couch - sitting area, 2 tvs and a little bit more room.

[Toto2Kansas]

I totally agree Coral. The Sun Class mini's are more like the VS minis on the Grand Class.

But the Grand Class minis are wonderful and they are truely a home away from home for us. I like that sitting area and the bath tub, which you don't get in any of the regular balcony cabins.

[DoniaG]

Two of us had a balcony cabin on the Caribe deck of the Golden last month - largely because the mini-suites were sold out when we booked. In the end, I felt like we had the same amount of living space as a minisuite - our sitting area was just outside instead of inside! (BTW, the Caribe deck balconies are among the largest on the ship.)

[mringenoldus]

I reserved a VS on the Coral in May 2006. I thought that VS was a full suite with amenities. You noted it as a mini. Was I incorrect??

[Coral]

The VS is a full suite with amenities.

 

I think Toto is still recovering from her Caribbean cruise :)

[Toto2Kansas]

No, I am here with my brain unscrambled. What I said, I thought was, The minis on the Sun Class are MORE LIKE THE VS SUITES ON THE GRAND CLASS. Or didn't I?

Opps, just re-read that post, sorry had that one silly word wrong. Meant the VS suites, not the VS minis.

Thanks Coral (blushing)

[traveller99]

We were on the Golden the first week of August. DW and I had a Minisuite on Dolphin and the kids had a balcony on Caribe. The balcony on Caribe was larger that the mini - go figure. Another couple we met had a suite - now that was a nice unit and a HUGE balcony on the Caribe deck. A great resource for comparasons is - http://www.cruisestateroom.com/. Check it out. Also feel free to read my review of the Golden on my website - http://members.cox.net/rridgely/Review.htm.

[Coral]

Toto - I knew what you meant :)

[mringenoldus]

Thanks...I was worried for a minute!

[Toto2Kansas]

Sorry, didn't mean to scare anyone. Just goes to show that one little word wrong in type can chance the entire meaning. I claim PCD and jet lag. LOL

Another cruise outta fix me right up though, I am sure. :)

[CruiseFever]

I don't know why this occured to me right now but I am compelled to thank both Coral and Toto for the great, accurate and extensive information they provide to us. You're two of the people who always seem to have the best answers to our questions.

 

Thank You

[PeabodyNVL]

We were on the Golden the first week of August. DW and I had a Minisuite on Dolphin and the kids had a balcony on Caribe. The balcony on Caribe was larger that the mini - go figure. Another couple we met had a suite - now that was a nice unit and a HUGE balcony on the Caribe deck. A great resource for comparasons is - http://www.cruisestateroom.com/. Check it out. Also feel free to read my review of the Golden on my website - http://members.cox.net/rridgely/Review.htm.

Not really a "go figure" with the Caribe balconies being bigger than Dolphin. Look at it this way: Dolphin balconies begin where Caribe balconies end...which means the space the Caribe balconies take up is actually part of the cabin on the Dolphin deck. So, when someone is walking on their "huge" balcony on Caribe, they are walking over the sitting area of someone on Dolphin! :)

 

Caribe balconies are twice as large as the balconies on Lido, Aloha and Baja. Dolphin balconies are 50% larger than the balconies on Lido, Aloha and Baja, which means Caribe balconies are 25% larger than Dolphin balconies, but that Dolphin cabins are larger than Caribe's cabins by the size of Caribe's balcony. I'd trade that anyday! :)