Balcony or mini suite

I am looking at the 11/2 Emerald Princess cruise out of Ft L. For roughly the same price, I can book a premium balcony on Caribe deck, or a mini suite. If Im understanding, they dont tell you where the mini suite will be located until close to the sailing date. I could use some advice on the pro's and con's of each choice. Thank you

IMHO both would be great.

Caribe deck minis have a larger balcony and a nice bathroom.

Aft balconies are wonderful. Great aft view.

Your decision really comes down to...do you want to know where you will be on the ship.

With a guarantee (assignment later, no telling what you will get), you could be mid, forward or aft.

In short, I'd probably go for the mini. It's a bigger room and has a bigger bathroom and a sitting area. The Caribe balcony (9 by 9) is the best non-suite balcony on the ship (unless there's an aft-facing balcony that's bigger), but there's no sofa.

The only drawback to the mini-suite is that most are on the Dolphin deck and have no cover over the balcony. Mini-suite balconies are 9 by 7. It looks like you can get a guarantee balcony on Emerald deck (deck 8) and those are fully covered. Only problem with the Emerald deck mini-suites is that the ones on the port side often have noise issues from the nightclub below.

Jim

I am looking at the 11/2 Emerald Princess cruise out of Ft L. For roughly the same price, I can book a premium balcony on Caribe deck, or a mini suite. If Im understanding, they dont tell you where the mini suite will be located until close to the sailing date. I could use some advice on the pro's and con's of each choice. Thank you

If no specific cabin is currently available in a category (example MD mini-suite), then a GTY is all that can be booked unless marked sold out. If cabins are available, you have a choice of booking a specific one or a GTY.

A GTY cabin can be assigned anytime from an hour after you have booked it up until the day of the cruise although the latter rarely happens. Most GTYs are assigned by the last week before the cruise and many earlier in the process.

A mini-suite will have more space, two TVs and a bathtub/shower.

If you aren't particular about where your cabin is, and the cost is the same then I would book the guarantee mini -your cabin could be anywhere on the ship but the room type will the category you booked or better.

If location is very important to you, you might want to book the balcony so you are in the location you prefer.

I hope you are able to drive to the port. That is Boat Week in Fr. Lauderdale and there is not a hotel room to be had. We were hoping to book that cruise as a surprise honeymoon gift for our son. But they would have to fly down the day of embarkation since there are no rooms available if they fly down Nov 1.

Caribe deck minis have a larger balcony and a nice bathroom.

There are no Caribe deck minisuites on the Emerald & a full deck of them on Dolphin and a few aft on Emerald.

OP...if I planned to spend a lot of time on the balcony then the larger Caribe balcony would be my choice to have the partially covered balcony. If spending more time in the cabin then a minisuite would be my choice with the seating area & 2nd TV.

Both are great cabins. Get a mini suite if the price is right.

Yes as noted both options are great but as stated if you are OK with a mini with a balcony thats uncovered take that.

Word of caution - a mini suite can make it very difficult to go back to a balcony for your next cruise. :)

On the Grand class, we always get a mini-suite. A certain one, towards the back. Love the extra room and the balcony.

Word of caution - a mini suite can make it very difficult to go back to a balcony for your next cruise. :)

We adjusted after our only minisuite years ago preferring to have more cruising days in less expensive cabins. ;)

Daughter insists on her own "space" in the sofa/pull out bed area. Wife insists on a bathtub. So it's always a MS for us.

I am looking at the 11/2 Emerald Princess cruise out of Ft L. For roughly the same price, I can book a premium balcony on Caribe deck, or a mini suite. If Im understanding, they dont tell you where the mini suite will be located until close to the sailing date. I could use some advice on the pro's and con's of each choice. Thank you

It sounds as though the Caribe balcony is a reserved (choose your own) cabin, and the mini is a guarantee with location unknown. I see that you are fairly new to CC, but not sure how experienced a cruiser you are. I recommend a midship location, with the smoothest ride, to new cruisers until they can determine how well they handle the seas.

The premium Caribe balconies are generally midship or aft, IIRC. With the mini guarantee you have no idea where you will end up. I would therefore recommend a selecting a midship Caribe balcony cabin, and having it marked "no upgrade" with Princess or your TA (whichever you book through) so you don't get "upgraded" foreward or aft.

If you are a seasoned cruiser new to CC, please disregard the above :).

have a mini suite on CB in February2016. western caribbean. uncovered balcony? completely?

have a mini suite on CB in February2016. western caribbean. uncovered balcony? completely?

If it's on Dolphin deck all of them are completely uncovered; Emerald deck aft have a few covered balconies.

Mini Suites are larger than standard balcony cabins. They also have a larger bathroom.

I would choose the mini suite.

Princess MiniSuites are one of the nicest cabins in the industry. I would choose this over the balcony cabin anytime.

Once upon a time, we booked only mini suites, then we discovered the aft balconies.....now an aft balcony is the only way we go.....just love the sight and sound of the wake.

eclue:rolleyes:

I appreciate all the assistance! thank you. I am leaning toward the mini suite despite not knowing where they will put us.

One concern is, is there a chance that we would get an obstructed view balcony with the mini suite?

One concern is, is there a chance that we would get an obstructed view balcony with the mini suite?

No chance whatsoever.

Worth noting: This morning, it looks like the Caribe balconies are quite a bit cheaper than the minis.

Jim

I appreciate all the assistance! thank you. I am leaning toward the mini suite despite not knowing where they will put us.

One concern is, is there a chance that we would get an obstructed view balcony with the mini suite?

Emerald Princess does not have mini suites with obstructed balcony views! :)

We'd go with the mini suite because of the larger cabin space and having a tub in the bathroom which makes the shower area larger. :)

LuLu

I prefer mini suites for the larger sitting area. Only problem I can see is possibility of mini suite on Emerald deck above Club Fusion.

I hope you are able to drive to the port. That is Boat Week in Fr. Lauderdale and there is not a hotel room to be had. We were hoping to book that cruise as a surprise honeymoon gift for our son. But they would have to fly down the day of embarkation since there are no rooms available if they fly down Nov 1.

We have started renting a car and driving North of Fort Lauderdale to Stuart Florida when we go down early. Rooms are less expensive, area is nice and some great restaurants.

I appreciate all the assistance! thank you. I am leaning toward the mini suite despite not knowing where they will put us.

One concern is, is there a chance that we would get an obstructed view balcony with the mini suite?

No chance at all :) Go for the mini. you will love it.