Penthouse questions

[07rubicon]

I have booked R417 on CB. This is our first princess cruise and first cruise in over 15 years. I have read that there might be noise above the room from the chairs. Is this really a problem? This is the only area the penthouse suites are available. I like the perks of the suite but wondering if we made the wrong choice in rooms. Any insight is appreciated

[Toto2Kansas]

Friends had one of these PH Suites on the CB in August. They said the noise was quite significant. But what they did was contact the purser and they had the area right above their cabin roped off during nitetime as they were having problems sleeping. They said it did help. She said if she ever booked this PH suite again, she would definitely bring along earplugs. I can't remember the number of their cabin, but they were almost directly under the scoops ice cream area.

I was in their cabin for tea one afternoon and I could definitely hear what they were talking about above. Sorry, just what I heard and they told me. They were upgraded to this PH at no charge by Princess, so they were still quite happy with what they received when they had orginally booked a category AB mini suite.

[beckcab]

Toto, they were in R 411.

[Toto2Kansas]

Thank You, I couldn't remember the cabin number. ;)

[vince_g]

I wouldn't book the category PH on Riviera deck. The category PS on the stern are much better in my opinion, as long as it's located between 2 cabin decks. Same size room, same perks, much less hallway traffic, and not right below the pool deck.

[Toto2Kansas]

One thing I have noticed on this class of ship is that the PH suites seem to sell last. All of the other suite categories seem to really sell out quite quickly but on many sailings, these are available until Princess upgrades passengers to them. Even on our upcoming Star cruise I think almost every PH suite is still available for booking. That alone tells me they can't get passengers that are aware to pay the price for these because of the noise level. So, to fill them, they end up upgrading passengers to them.

 

Personally, I would love to be upgraded to one, but would never consider paying Princess price for one of these suites.

[vince_g]

One thing I have noticed on this class of ship is that the PH suites seem to sell last. All of the other suite categories seem to really sell out quite quickly but on many sailings, these are available until Princess upgrades passengers to them. Even on our upcoming Star cruise I think almost every PH suite is still available for booking. That alone tells me they can't get passengers that are aware to pay the price for these because of the noise level. So, to fill them, they end up upgrading passengers to them.

 

Personally, I would love to be upgraded to one, but would never consider paying Princess price for one of these suites.

 

Totally agree... they sure aren't the choice of most people who book early. I too have noticed that they are all that was left on my upcoming cruise. Even PS suites L106 and L107 finally sold. Glad I booked my category PS on the stern back in April.

[jrw]

Totally agree... they sure aren't the choice of most people who book early. I too have noticed that they are all that was left on my upcoming cruise. Even PS suites L106 and L107 finally sold. Glad I booked my category PS on the stern back in April.

 

Yep, we have noticed the same thing. The PH category sits, as do the L106/107 -- which are awful due to being at the bow and literally right by the bridge. On our cruise a few weeks ago, we went to the "secret" deck over the bridge and the poor people with L106/107 had everyone looking at them (they retreated inside). Zero privacy and very windy.

 

As for the PH category, I can't recall reading where ANYONE has been happy, due to the noise. We met a couple during disembarkation, they had a PH and this was on a Canada/New England itinerary -- very little pool action -- and they said the noise was unbearable at night. The crew are up there cleaning & moving chairs, they were furious about having paid that price (they booked it, not an upgrade). They said (and I agree) that Princess should locate the suites in a premium area. Granted, midship is "premium" (in the industry classification), but they should have placed them on Aloha/Baja/Caribe instead of Riviera.

 

We just booked the same room again (Crown, A751) because we liked it so much and it was so quiet. A bit more motion at the stern vs. midship, but no money would get me in a PH room, even as an upgrade from a better-located mini-suite. I am a light sleeper and would be miserable. When we booked this room again, we were questioned "why not just get the PH, it's not much more than PS"...no thank you! We also made certain to mark our booking "no upgrade"!

 

PH category (533 sq ft) is the same size cabin as PS category (Aloha is 531 sq ft, Caribe is 495-524, Lido is 568). So one pays extra for the luxury of being in a supposedly better location, which most people feel is actually worse. Go figure.

[kcb]

Friends had one of these PH Suites on the CB in August. They said the noise was quite significant. But what they did was contact the purser and they had the area right above their cabin roped off during nitetime as they were having problems sleeping. They said it did help.

 

We were in PH R402 on the CB in December 2005 and we were miserable from the noise. Towards the end of the week, we did convince Princess to rope off the area above the suite. However, the noise continued. The Purser's desk thought we were crazy. Finally, I was able to get a Purser to join me, on deck, to figure out where the noise was coming from...

 

Kids were finding it entertaining to jump the ropes and make a raucous within the roped off area. Princess promised to post a deckhand in the location to keep passengers out of the area. When the noise started again sometime later, we were told the deckhand was called away for other duties...

 

Premium certainly does not apply to the location of these PH suites. I wouldn't book one again for anything, and after our experience, I wouldn't even take one as a courtesy upgrade from the cheapest inside. Not a chance!

[flacity49]

We were upgraded to one of these suites last November. Only noise we heard was early AM and late PM (just a little chair scrapping) when we were on the balcony. Never heard anything inside the cabin. Loved it!

[whale-watcher]

We have an aft VS booked on the dolphin deck of the Emerald, and marked our reservation "no upgrade". We prefer the aft location the the Riviera PH, even thogh this is a lower catagory of cabin. Perks are the same.