Family Suite info please

[matthewL]

We are sailing this Saturday on the CP along with a brother and his dw and two kids. We were all booked into inside quads. Received a call from TA today asking if we would both give up our rooms to take a family suite as an upgrade. My initial reaction was wow.....sounds great but was concerned about privacy or lack there of and the noise of now having all these people and kids in this family suite.

 

Hopeing someone can shed some light on the details of a family suite, what to expect, how private is the room within a room and what other features or services come along with this.

 

Many thanks in advance for any info, and dont worry about being blunt as I agreed to take it.

[calikak]

I've heard (but don't know for sure) that the family suite is actually two staterooms, one like a minisuite and one like an inside cabin, that happen to have a door connecting them, and that Princess is able to sell them as two separate cabins and just lock the door between them if they can't sell it as a suite. If this is true, then your upgrade would be a really fabulous one, since you'd be going from two insides, to a minisuite and an inside. But, like I said, that's what I've heard, I don't know from personal experience.

[seattlekckckc]

Hello! I can speak from experience, as I just vacated CP Family Suite D106 on Saturday. We loved it! We went from one inside and 2 outsides, to this family suite. We were all friends, so no problems on privacy issues. Mostly all positive, but let me break it down...

 

Negative...

~When viewed as a inside and a minisuite seperarte, we now have 4 people sharing the Mini bathroom, instead of 2 per bathroom we had before.

 

But Positive...

~It is a larger bathroom with the bonus bathtub none of us had before the upgrade.

 

Negative...

~The balcony is unusable while at sea, as it is SO SO SO windy (we actually lost a table somewhere along the way). Seriously, kids could fly over board.

 

But postitive...

~None of us had a balcony at all before, so what ever time we got in port was a BONUS!

 

Negative...

~When the couches are opened up in the living room area, it is near impossible to traverse around the cabin in the part.

 

Positive...

~That was totally overwhlemed by the rest of the postiives for being in a suite.

 

-champagne greeting by room steward upon arrival

-flowers waiting in room

-corsage and boiutinnere on formal night (one of each - first night only)

-Suite amenities (larger bottles for mini suite are only - regular packets in inside

-free internet for all in cabin

-canapies delivered to room every night

-extended breakfast room service every day

-slippers for all in cabin

 

I know there is more, but I have to go. I have some pictures if you would like!

 

Casey

[Coral]

Casey - I would be interested in the pics.

[can786]

To elaborate on what Casey said, there are two bathrooms in the family suite. One is a minisuite type bathroom with a tub and the other is the same as found in the standard cabins with just a shower. The inside cabin sleeps four - two twin beds (they cannot be converted to a queen as the doorway to the closet/hall/bathroom is between them) and two bunks over the twin beds. This room opens into the living room area of the suite and there is a door that can be closed. The minisuite side has twin beds that can be converted into a queen. There is no physical separation between the sleeping area here and the living room area, it is open so there is no privacy for anyone sleeping on that side if someone is in the living room. the two couches in the living room area each fold out to sleep one person. We were upgraded to the family suite on the Star Princess in 2003 and it worked out great for us as it was just my DH and myself along with our two boys. Each side of the cabin has a separate door with its own key so you don't have to enter and disturb someone who may be sleeping. Hope this helps.

[matthewL]

Thanks very much to both of you. And yes, I would luv to see the pictures too. I will take your advice about the wind on the balcony and sea days with the kids as they are all under the age of 7 and dont want anyone flying away.

 

One more question, do you remember if the door to the living room of the inside locks from the inside?

 

I was very surprised to get this call today and receive such a huge upgrade offer. Im guessing they must have over booked the ship and need the two individual cabins.

 

Thanks again for you insights and for taking the time to share this.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree with the windy part. We were upgraded to the family suite on the Grand last March and I say if you have 6 or less people in the suite it is not too bad. It is supposed to hold 8 but I think that is too many. I say go for it. The door from the living room into the secondary cabin is a sliding door that locks from both sides. We did not want our teens to lock it so we tied it open with a bathrobe tie when we were at sea as it kept opening and closing with the ship motion. There is no door to the mini suite as it is open to the living room.

:)

[eljaydj]

We were in one of the Grand Princess Family Suites two years ago. If you had the chance, I would take it. We too, were upgraded to this from a mini-suite (for us) and an inside for our daughter, her husband and twin 5 year olds. While the balcony is windy, it wasn't too bad. Obviously, it is the first balcony on the ship, so if the ship is going 22mph, that is at least what the wind is.

Anyway, it was great for all of us to get together in the big connecting room and watch tv and visit. Good luck

Larry.

http://www.Castaway-Cruises.com

[seattlekckckc]

I am still trying to load my trip pics, but will post the link here when I get it up and running. As far as the door from the living room area of the mini suite to the inside suite, I believe it locks from both sides. When the couches/ beds were extended for sleeping, we were not able to open the inside door as there was various pieces of furniture in the way. Also, the inside is a little different than others, with two smaller closets instead of one large closet in regular cabins.

 

As far as the wind on the balcony, I would definately keep the kids off of the balcony while at sea. For a comparision, I flew into hurricane Isable in Atlantic City, NJ (100+ MPH) in 2003, and this seriously seemed like stronger wind to me. Once you get the door opened, you will have trouble walking around out there. I tried to pick up a chair to stack it and I had absolutely no control over it, it was flying around above my head until my roomie grabbed it from me. My clothes literally flew up and over my head. We made the mistake of not stacking our chairs the first night, and it was my worst night ever. They were banging around there something fierce, but becasue of the beds spread out I could not get to the door. MAKE SURE you stack them up EACH NIGHT before it gets dark and windy. I can't stress this enough. It seems like such strong wind becasue it is funneling off of the front of the ship. You are far forward so be prepared for some rocking. Tell everyone it is a like a carnival ride, thats what I did!

 

Please do not let this scare you off from this great room however! I loved the suite amenties, even as a ELite, I was so happy everyone was able to enjoy the stuff I normally get! I dont think you will regret it, especially when you enjoy the balcony on port days! BONUS!

 

Casey