Category BA - Grand Princess

[magnumcoog]

How cramped would a Category BA cabin be for 4 (two adults, 2 teenage girls)? Are the bunk beds configured so that you can walk around at night?

 

I usually go to the spa showers to get ready. So this would help for getting ready.

 

I know that another option would be to book an inside, but that may not be possible.

[roohound]

I would think it would be a bit on the cramped side. You may be able to do that with a minisuite and even then I think you'd be pushing it.

 

But that's just my comfort level speaking :)

[Toto2Kansas]

I agree with roohound. Although there will be places for 4 people to sleep, there won't be a lot of room for anything else. There won't even be any place to sit except on the beds for two of you and the balcony. Remember, Princess balcony cabins and inside/outside cabins are not large by todays standards when comparing to some of the other lines.

I don't think I would consider four in a balcony cabin, now a mini suite, that would be doable.

[Druke I]

I don't think I would try 4 in a standard - but would opt for a balcony opposite an inside as a reasonable alternative.

[West Coast]

Keep in mind the OP was asking about a cat. BA on the Grand Princess.

 

These cabins are on the Caribe deck and have very large (9 X 9) balconies. So, in good weather it is do-able, as the extended (half-covered) balcony does provide some great extra room for lounging around.

[Lady L]

We're in C501 (quad on the Caribe deck). I don't think it's going to be overly spacious, but doable. There's a large balcony on the Caribe deck and if you shower in the spa area that leaves 3 to get ready for dinner. You've cruised before so I'm sure you have experience...one can shower and another can use the desk area for the hair dryer/makeup routine. Don't know about walking around at night since we haven't been on the Grand yet. I say, unless booking 2 cabins is an option, then go for it!

 

Lisa

[FamilyGuy1010]

You might want to look at getting the inside cabin across the hall! The third/fourth person fare might be more than the fare on the inside cabin. Example:

We're going on the Star Princess next March. The mini suite 3/4th rate was $50 more than the rate for an inside across the hall. I ended up saving money by booking the inside cabin! Talk to your TA.

[roohound]

Keep in mind the OP was asking about a cat. BA on the Grand Princess.

 

 

I had friends who cruised in a BA on the Grand a few years back so I'm quite familiar with the set up...while the balcony was very nice, for straight up living area, I still contend that having 4 people in that room would be very tight.

 

Love Familyguy1010's suggestion. If that's feasible, I'd go that route over getting even a mini for 4.

[magnumcoog]

The issue that I have is that my daughter wants to take a friend, but can not decide who she wants to take. I have told her she has until the end of October even though final payment is not due until Jan 10. I would much rather book the BA and an inside, but can not get anyone to commit. If time constraints come into play that is why I asking about putting 4 into one cabin. I had a mini-suite booked but changed to the category BA just in case I needed to pay for daughter's friend.

 

What we do for our children :-)

[roohound]

what a cool mom :)

[BJS]

Have had a BA on Caribe and with 2 adults it can get "tight" at times. I can't even imagine sharing the same limited space nor the very small bathroom with two teenage girls.

 

If you now have a BA that accomodates the 3 of you why not see if an inside is available near you and book it? I'm sure your daughter will decide on who she'd like to take before you'd have to make final payment. If she decides not to take anyone you can always cancel the inside cabin. Make sure of the exact date that you would loose your deposit should you cancel because it could be before final payment is due.

[magnumcoog]

I am a "cool dad" not a "cool mom" LOL

 

Problem with getting an inside now is that I have to have a name (which I could change if before final payment is due) however I would have to give up 4 person cabin now as Princess will not allow us to keep the cabin if only 2 are booked in the cabin.

 

I would like to go ahead and book a BA for 2 and inside for 2, but then if for some reason I can not find a friend of my daughter's that can go, I could get shut out on a 3 person cabin.

 

I keep getting from all parties that this is still 6 months away and nobody plans vacations that far out like we do. Well we all know the answer to that statement. :-)

[roohound]

oops...mea culpa

 

Big thumbs up to the cool dad...didn't mean to be accidentally sexist there...my face is red.

 

Are you booking directly through Princess or a TA?

 

I say try to book a balcony room that will accomodate 3 people (they have ones that do 3 or 4 or just three according to the deck plans. Say for example, try asking if you can have B422 (balcony room) and B424 (inside). That shouldn't be an issue. On my upcoming cruise I'm booked in a room that says it can accomodate a third person even tho there are just two of us.

[RK+2]

Your right, the things we do for our teenage daughters. We had a catagory D, outside Quad with 2 teenage girls. The tricky part was juggling the showers before dinner. We would get dressed first and then go have a drink while the girls got dressed. The hardest part was tripping over the 10 pairs of shoes they each brought.

[magnumcoog]

I called Princess this afternoon and ask how many Cat BA's are still open. There are only 9. I am having a father/daughter talk tonight :-)

[scperk]

You might need to ask about the two teen-agers being in an inside cabin by themselves. I know some cruise lines do not allow cabins without one person being 21...Dennis

[magnumcoog]

I know about teens but going to get cabins near to each other, another reason I wanted to keep the 4 person cabin as I could put women in the balcony cabin, and I would hide out in the inside.

[ourlol]

You might need to ask about the two teen-agers being in an inside cabin by themselves. I know some cruise lines do not allow cabins without one person being 21

The way we've got round this in the past is to have one adult assigned to each cabin i.e. mum and one teen in the balcony... dad and one teen registered to the inside. Once on board you reconfigure to suit. The only problem, of course, is that your pass keys don't match the cabins, but a visit to the pursers desk for spare keys sorts that.

 

I was really worried the first time we did it thinking we were 'in breach of the rules' but it seems lots of people do it and Princess don't appear to object. Indeed it's almost viewed as routine. Last year Princess were quite happy for my 18 year old son to be consigned a cabin with his 16 year old brother. For whatever reason, the 21 age limit did not seem to apply. Next year they will be 20 and 18 and again... no problems with the booking.

 

 

Magnumcoog

I know where you are coming from - since we are taking a friend along to accompany our daughter. We've got 10 months to go - so am just hoping they don't "fall out" in the intervening months!! BTW, we've opted for a BA (twin) with 2 x JJ's immediately opposite.

 

I'm sure you already know, but don't forget you'll need a notorized letter giving you authority to take your daughter's friend on the cruise.

[magnumcoog]

Well I talked with my daughter last night and have her preferences for a friend that she would like to invite. Now I have to get parents to agree.

 

That is what I was going to do on booking, split the adults up. The kids are good, so discipline will not be an issue.