Princess suites VS, PS on Sapphire

[jam82]

Has anyone stayed in these cabins and do you have pictures? I'm interested in staying in a cabin on the front or the back of the ship and would appreciate opinions about what you think the best options are. Are the front cabins going to be too windy?

[critterchick]

I've stayed in the VS and LOVED it. There are pictures of a PS on the Island Princess in the link in my signature - the VS on Sapphire is virtually identical, except for the balcony. The balcony on Princess is enormous. There are 2 teak loungers and a full size teak table with 4 chairs. There is a column/beam that blocks your view a bit from the living room area, but it's a non-event IMHO. The balcony is very private - the only people who can see onto it are your next door neighbors. Nobody can look down from above or up from below.

 

I have not stayed all the way forward, but from what I've heard I wouldn't do it - the cabin stewards lock the front part of the balcony while you're at sea because of the wind, and the bridge officer may call you to ask you to turn out your lights at night because they create a visual distraction (that happened to some friends of ours).

 

We weren't able to get Wifi in our cabin (D-738, starboard side), but the people who had the same cabin portside had no trouble. I had to stand in the hall to get reception.

[jeeper2]

We were in PS C752, and loved the location at the stern. No wind, and no obstructions to the wake view. Oh, and an added bonus at the time...our Steward, Marion, was one of the best!

[jam82]

We were in PS C752, and loved the location at the stern. No wind, and no obstructions to the wake view. Oh, and an added bonus at the time...our Steward, Marion, was one of the best!

 

C7?52 is one of the cabins I was thinking about, do you have any pictures? Can anyone see down on the balcony?

 

I'm also intersted in A104, B104, and C104. Thoughts?

[jerryr]

We sailed in the opposite VS from critterchick on Sapphire. We were the ones with great wireless coverage in D739. Here is a link to our Suite pictures.

 

http://www.jerrybeth.com/Vacations/2009/sapphireprincess/images/tahitisuite/index.html

 

and from our Cruise Critic party in the suite:

 

http://www.jerrybeth.com/Vacations/2009/sapphireprincess/images/cruisecritic/index.html

 

Jerry

[delondin]

We originally booked a PS suite B104 on Diamond (sister ship) and after researching changed it to a PH suite on Caribe deck as soon as one became available. I was so pleased I did.

 

I spoke to the people in the suite at the front and they said never again. In fact they cancelled a suite on their next cruise because of it. They said that the anchors were very noisy and would make you jump and the bow slap was noisy. Also there is a beautiful large verandah which was the main reason I originally booked it but it was unusable whilst at sea because of the wind. The steward didn't actually lock it (but I have seen lots of people on these boards say they did) but they said you wouldn't want to go out there.

 

I think a lot depends on the itinerary. We were in the Southern Ocean and it was quite windy and bouncy, and we had 11 sea days. The view is amazing though.

 

The other thing which may or may not be important to you is that the layout is different to the other suites with regard to the bathroom. In the VS and PH suites the bathroom is in two parts ie in one room is a jacuzzi tub and separate shower then through a door to a toilet and sink. So one of you can be in the toilet while the other is showering etc. Good timesaving on port days. Also there is no jacuzzi in the PS - in fact it is the same bathroom as the mini suites - bathtub with shower over, toilet and sink all in one room.

 

We had a lovely time in our suite and would definitely recommend it.

[Colo Cruiser]

Stay away from any forward facing suite or balcony room.

Wind is a major factor.

[jeeper2]

Jam82, unless the neighbors looked around the partition, there seemed to be total privacy in C752. However, we do tend to sleep with our drapes open and I was quite shocked one morning to see a man sipping coffee on his balcony on the Golden, quite close to ours! The Golden and Sapphire were docked stern to stern. Fortunately, you can't see through the windows in the daylight!

 

Another benefit of the location is that there is not a lot of foot traffic in the halls. That has never really been a problem for us, but this location was exceptionally quiet.

 

I will check to see if I have any of the balcony, but I am pretty techno-challenged and make no guarantees about attaching them to a post! The suite itself, looks identical to other PS/PH suites I have seen posted.

 

I was able to see B107 in November, when one of our Cruise Critic Members hosted a wonderful get together in his suite. In my opinion, the layout made it seem more confined, with a totally separate living area and bedroom area, and the bath was more similar to a mini-suite bath. It did not have a separate shower stall and the tub was not a jacuzzi-type. The wrap-around balcony was nice, but it could get quite windy at times, while underway.

 

If I were given an upgrade to one of these cabins, however, I wouldn't be unhappy! The extra room and the suite benefits are wonderful!

 

Uh-oh, I didn't get this post finished in time and see that you have already received similar information. I'll post it anyway!

[JPRLHR]

The other thing which may or may not be important to you is that the layout is different to the other suites with regard to the bathroom. In the VS and PH suites the bathroom is in two parts ie in one room is a jacuzzi tub and separate shower then through a door to a toilet and sink. So one of you can be in the toilet while the other is showering etc. Good timesaving on port days. Also there is no jacuzzi in the PS - in fact it is the same bathroom as the mini suites - bathtub with shower over, toilet and sink all in one room.

 

That's only the case in the forward PS suites. The aft PS suites have both the jacuzzi bath and seperate shower cubicle in the same layout as the VS & PH. We stayed in B753 on Sapphire and it's most definitely a split bathroom.

[delondin]

Yes - sorry I forgot there were PS suites at the aft. I don't really understand why the front suites are PS ie a higher category than the VS at the aft. They have a larger balcony but that's no good if you can't use it all the time. The cabin size doesn't appear to be much different.

[KarenCL]

We have been in bow suites a couple of times. Very quiet for sleeping. I don't recall anchor noise (maybe we are sound sleepers!). We were on the starboard side both times. The Aloha deck suite was right under the wing of the bridge, which gave us nice shade. The balcony has metal partitions, rather than the clear ones on the sides and aft of the ship, so view was limited if you were sitting down, however, the balconies are very long and wrap to almost the middle of the bow of the ship, so pulling in and out of the ports was very interesting. The Baja suite had a separate balcony (like a mini suite balcony) that could be closed off for windy conditions so we could still enjoy sitting outside. I don't recall if the Aloha deck suite was the same. The "living room" area of the bow suites is huge! The bedroom is completely separate and has a door to close off the area. As previous posters mentioned, you need to keep your curtains closed at night so that the light from the cabin does not interfere with the bridge. Not a problem, really. Closets are not walk-in type, but have doors on them and we had tons of storage. Bathroom is definitely just like a mini-suite bathroom, so this was the only negative about the cabin. Service was a little dismal the first time we were in one of these suites, but great the second time. Since suite service is a little more comprehensive, I was wondering (the first time)if the location of the suites, so far apart from other suites, was the problem with regard to getting some of the special services. However, the second time, we didn't encounter the problem. We probably prefer the aft suites just because of the big bathrooms and the nice balconies with the great views, but I wouldn't be too disappointed to get a bow suite, either.

[BrynnP]

C7?52 is one of the cabins I was thinking about, do you have any pictures? Can anyone see down on the balcony?

 

I'm also intersted in A104, B104, and C104. Thoughts?

 

Hi jam82,

 

Here is a link to cabin B104 on the Diamond. My husband and I cruised this past summer in Alaska in that suite. My views and feelings of the forward cabin are not the norm on these boards. We have, however, only been in this forward facing cabin while cruising the protected waters of the inner passage. I do not doubt that open seas would be extremely windy. As far as our experience was, booking (yep we chose that cabin!) this room and balcony was the best thing, hands down, that hubby and I have ever done (excluding having kids, of course)! It was so quiet up front that we felt we'd booked the entire ship to ourselves. It seemed like it was only the two of us and the captain, directly above us! We spent every waking moment on the balcony enjoying the scenery and wildlife. The views were incredible, as you can see forward and also along the port side.

 

I never noticed the people above us on the Aloha deck. I could see the crew up in the bridge. I would imagine, thinking back, that when we were up at the railing, those directly above us could see us, if they happened to be standing there. You can see in the photos that the balcony has some width to it, and you can sit under the overhang and not be seen.

 

Here are some photos of the cabin and the balcony.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/cinco4200

[jam82]

Thank you to everyone for all the great info. The pictures are worth 1000 words. I really appreciate everyone's help.

[Ashley8053]

Hi jam82,

 

Here is a link to cabin B104 on the Diamond. My husband and I cruised this past summer in Alaska in that suite. My views and feelings of the forward cabin are not the norm on these boards. We have, however, only been in this forward facing cabin while cruising the protected waters of the inner passage. I do not doubt that open seas would be extremely windy. As far as our experience was, booking (yep we chose that cabin!) this room and balcony was the best thing, hands down, that hubby and I have ever done (excluding having kids, of course)! It was so quiet up front that we felt we'd booked the entire ship to ourselves. It seemed like it was only the two of us and the captain, directly above us! We spent every waking moment on the balcony enjoying the scenery and wildlife. The views were incredible, as you can see forward and also along the port side.

 

I never noticed the people above us on the Aloha deck. I could see the crew up in the bridge. I would imagine, thinking back, that when we were up at the railing, those directly above us could see us, if they happened to be standing there. You can see in the photos that the balcony has some width to it, and you can sit under the overhang and not be seen.

 

Here are some photos of the cabin and the balcony.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/cinco4200

 

Hi BrynnP,

I know this post was from back in February, but I hope you will get to read this. My family and I just booked B107 on-board Diamond Princess for a Northbound Inner Passage to Alaska. I am so thankful for the pictures you posted and your review. I have read quite a few negative comments about the forward PS category suites and I was starting to get worried. I called Princess to inquire about these "locked balcony" posts I've been reading, and it seems that does not effect the B104/B107 suites. Is that true? I am looking forward to sitting on my balcony for most of my Alaskan cruise, as it sounds like you did. I've also read there are some problems with the B104/B107 bathrooms/closets not being as nice as the other PS category suites. Did you have any problem with that? Also, are there 2 doors leading out to the balcony in B104, as the layout of the PS category shows? I'm having a hard time getting an idea of how things are laid out with the corner room. Any help you may be able to offer would be great, Thank you!

[BrynnP]

Hi Ashley,

 

I just stumbled on your reply from July. Yes, since this is an old post, I wasn't watching it anymore. I see that my photos have received hundreds of views, so I decided to check back.

 

You didn't say when your Alaska cruise was. Have you gone, or is it in 2011?

 

Brynn

[cruiznagainandagain]

Hi Ashley,

 

I just stumbled on your reply from July. Yes, since this is an old post, I wasn't watching it anymore. I see that my photos have received hundreds of views, so I decided to check back.

 

You didn't say when your Alaska cruise was. Have you gone, or is it in 2011?

 

Brynn

 

Hi Brynn, there has been several requests for room #B104 #C104 and the other bow PS Suites. No one seems to answer all questions. I'm so glad you decided to check in. I've booked C104 on the Sapphire for a sail away in Oct. 2011. Amazingly, all mini suites & full suites were already booked. I grabbed the last available one. My questions are the same as above. Are there two doors that lead out to the balcony. (We've heard that they sometime close off the front part of the balcony, but not the side. So the question is, how does one get to the side balcony if the front is closed off? Is there a bar sink in the main part of the cabin as in the aft PS suites? Do you have any pictures that show the bathroom inside? Thank you for any information you can give.

 

Suzie

[Ashley8053]

Hi Brynn,

 

So glad you checked back and found this post! My Alaskan cruise is in August 2011. We leave August 22 for the cruise Northbound, and then we do a 4 day land tour. We did book B107, and I'm looking forward to it. Any information you can share would be great, Thank you!!

 

- Ashley

[BrynnP]

Suzie,

 

Oh my goodness, your Oct 2011 cruise is on my dream list!!!

 

You are sailing on the Sapphire, and we were on the Diamond. Also, your cabin is on the Caribe deck, while we were on the Baha deck. I don't know if the cabins are completely identical. Maybe your t.a. could answer that question. I'll answer your questions as far as how my cabin was set up. There were not two doors that led to the balcony. The one and only door that led outside was off of the living room. This door is on the port side of the ship (in 104 - starboard side on 107). In the bedroom, there is a window. This window faces the front of the ship. I'm not sure if my photos show the floor plan very clearly or not. (Have you read my comments under the photos?) The cabin has a living area that is totally separate from the bedroom. When I say totally separate, I mean totally. The bedroom is actually down a little hall off the entrance. There is a door to the bedroom....not an accordion partition or a curtain, a door. If you entered the cabin, closed the door, and put your back to the door, you would be facing the living room. The sliding glass door would be directly in front of you on the other side of the living room. If you looked to the right you would be looking down this little hall to the bedroom. Walking down this hall, you pass two closets on the left and the entrance to the bathroom on the right before coming into the bedroom.

 

As far as closing off the front part of the balcony. I do believe that this is the case with the four cabins in between 104 and 107. These rooms face directly forward and do not have the curved balcony as the two end suites do. (You can see these cabins next to ours in my photo # 2702.) Closing our balcony off from use was never an issue or even a topic of conversation. But again, we were in protected waters. You can see how calm it is in our pictures. As far as an ocean-going cruise, I truly don't know. I would not understand why the door would have to be closed off because it faces the port side of the ship, as do all of the other cabin balconies all the way down the side of the ship.

 

In our cabin there was not a bar sink in the living room. The mini bar and frig were in the living area of the cabin, but no sink. I've added pictures of the bar set up. One of the suite perks was a one time consumption of the liquors and the mixers and sodas. We traded in the booze that we didn't want for some that we did. They were very accommodating with this request.

 

I have added more pictures to my webshots site, including three of the bathroom.

 

If you think of more questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

 

Brynn

[BrynnP]

Hi Ashley,

 

Read my post to Suzie for more details about the cabin. If you have any other questions, I'll be glad to ask. I will say that leaving at the end of the cruise was NOT easy! I honestly believe I could have stayed in that cabin for the rest of the summer.

[BrynnP]

I've added 13 pictures to my webshots.

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/576594025jlNwnX

[Colo Cruiser]

Great shots, thanks for posting them.

[Debde]

There are pictures of a PS on the Island Princess in the link in my signature -

 

Thanks for the great pics.

I've been over here at the Princess board gathering all information I can on the Island Princess and the partial panama canal cruise.

[cruiznagainandagain]

Thank you so much for the detail about your cabin. The pictures are awesome. I've been in front cabin suites on other lines and know pretty much what to expect on sea days with the wind factor. We only use the balcony while sailing around the islands and calmer seas. The view is the best I feel. I've also been in the aft suites but I do prefer to see what the captain is seeing! lol.

There was so much negative writings on the boards about these front cabins, and I knew what we had in the past. I'm sure we are going to love that cabin. But then, I hang out in my cabin a lot.

Thanks again for the pictures. I am going to viewing them a lot in the upcoming months.

 

Suzie:D