Mini-Suite on Emerald or Dolphin?

[lcstraveler]

Hi! My family booked through a TA and got a mini-suite on the Emerald deck (aft-ish & starboard) along with an interior room across the hall. A good family friend of ours recently began a career as a TA with a different agency and offered us a mini-suite on the Dolphin deck with an interior room across the hall for about $1000 less total. Should we switch to the Dolphin deck? Are there downsides to having a covered or uncovered balcony. From what I've read, people really love their mini-suites on Emerald deck. Thanks for any input.

[Off2China]

Which ship and where are you going?

[Tophat4321]

Hi! My family booked through a TA and got a mini-suite on the Emerald deck (aft-ish & starboard) along with an interior room across the hall. A good family friend of ours recently began a career as a TA with a different agency and offered us a mini-suite on the Dolphin deck with an interior room across the hall for about $1000 less total. Should we switch to the Dolphin deck? Are there downsides to having a covered or uncovered balcony. From what I've read, people really love their mini-suites on Emerald deck. Thanks for any input.

 

 

For 1k savings Dolphin works for me. I have had Dolphin mini and on my next trip I am in a Emerald mini. If price was the same. I would prefer a covered balcony. I like to be out on the deck so for me cover is great in the rain. The Dolphin mini was unbearable at times. The again where is the sun and time of day.

[lcstraveler]

off2china, we'll be on the Ruby Princess sailing the Grand Mediterrenean itinerary.

[Off2China]

off2china, we'll be on the Ruby Princess sailing the Grand Mediterrenean itinerary.

We just did that same cruise in May and had E731 which has the elongated balcony. I booked the same cabin on the Emerald for our Baltic cruise next year, so I guess that tells you which deck I prefer--LOL! I like having the covered balcony but Tophat makes a good point about saving $$$, which could be used for excursions, etc. No one can tell you which would be better for you--you just need to decide what's more important to you.

[stoneharborlady]

We had a covered aft mini on Emerald, and I prefered covered, but for that price difference, I would go Dolphin.

[Pam in CA]

I am very surprised that a mini-suite on Dolphin deck is $1,000 less than an Emerald deck mini-suite. The AD is almost always cheaper than an AC-AA on Dolphin. If the TA can get you a better price for the Dolphin deck cabins, what is their rate for the Emerald deck cabins? That's the first thing I would check before making any changes. There's no reason why the TA can't give you a comparable or close rate for the Emerald deck cabins unless the inside cabin is the more expensive cabin between Emerald and Dolphin deck.

[lcstraveler]

I was surprised the Dolphin deck was cheaper too! They have a group rate or something on the Dolphin deck. I inquired about their price on the Emerald deck, but it's the same price as what we're getting from the TA we've got. My concern is the balcony will be especially hot in the Med sun on Dolphin... haha. I don't know if that's worth $1000 haha.

[katisdale]

I would ask the new agent if I could transfer my current booking to her at the same cost.

[Colo Cruiser]

I am not surprised at the price difference. AD mini's are high!

 

If you need the money then change if not you will love the Emerald deck mini's.

[Cruise Raider]

I would ask the new agent if I could transfer my current booking to her at the same cost.

 

we are currently booked on an Emerald deck mini but for a grand, would gladly switch to a Dolphin deck mini!! I say go for it!!!!

[hydrodriver831]

That would be a tough choice. The Emerald Mini's covered balconies are great, but the money savings would also be very tempting. Good Luck and have a great cruise.:)

[12Cruise]

Besides the savings in $$'s...ask yourself if you want a balcony that is totally covered - Emerald Deck or totally uncovered - Dolphin Deck.

 

For us, we would never take a balcony that is uncovered. But that is just us, others love the fact that the balcony is open to all elements. We are shade dwellers. ;)

[CTGirl]

We love the Emerald deck minis (but only on Starboard side) not only for the covered balcony but also for the location. However, I would go for price as I don't mind the uncovered balcony. I have found on two or three ocassions where the AC minis were cheaper than the AD minis. I went with the ACs.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I only do the minis on the Dolphin deck even when given a choice. I don't care for having a totally covered balcony but that's our personal choice.

 

For $1000 less, I would take which ever was cheaper.

[tjaker11]

we had E731 on the Emerald and loved it, the Balcony was almost double a regular mini, The bad part for us about the uncoverd balconies is no privcacy as you are exposed to all above you.

[doublemm16]

I have been in Dolphin Deck minis on both of my cruises and did not mind the open balcony a bit. I actually liked talking to my neighbors above me.;)

 

As far as privacy, with all of the ship cameras, there really isn't any anyway. I personally would opt for the $1000 savings.

[mtaylor04]

I'd take the money and use it for shore excursions and to put down future cruise credits. :D

[Nana G]

I'm with Pam. We always book AD cat on either deck usually aft cabin but have never seen AA,AB prices cheaper. It is surprising but not impossible I quess. We have no preference, Dolphin or Emerald. Both are ok but we do prefer the extended balcony on last mini cabins. I would take the $1000.00 and go on more shore excursions!

[freetocruise]

I'm with Pam. We always book AD cat on either deck usually aft cabin but have never seen AA,AB prices cheaper. It is surprising but not impossible I quess. We have no preference, Dolphin or Emerald. Both are ok but we do prefer the extended balcony on last mini cabins. I would take the $1000.00 and go on more shore excursions!

 

I think Princess is catching on to the desirability of the AD minis as expressed so often here on the boards. My TA gave me a price for an AC mini for a TA in Oct. 2011 that is about 1/2 what Princess has on their website. That makes it 1/2 the price of all AD minis also. She said Princess did not give her any break for the AD minis at all - only for AA-AC. Proof again that Princess reads this forum.

[jagoffee]

I think Princess is catching on to the desirability of the AD minis as expressed so often here on the boards. My TA gave me a price for an AC mini for a TA in Oct. 2011 that is about 1/2 what Princess has on their website. That makes it 1/2 the price of all AD minis also. She said Princess did not give her any break for the AD minis at all - only for AA-AC. Proof again that Princess reads this forum.

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Or perhaps the pricing is capacity controlled and the AD cabins get booked early and often with little availability.

The OP does not have this option because they have kids, but you can book the Sanctuary and get all the shade that you want with some of the $1K savings. We cruised in a mini with the open balcony and it was not as much of a problem as we had anticipated, but we did spend a lot of time in the Sanctuary.

 

The bottom line for me is that I would not spend $1K more just to have the shade although the bigger balcony would be nice.

 

OP, have a great cruise.

[kymbakitty]

$

 

Or perhaps the pricing is capacity controlled and the AD cabins get booked early and often with little availability.

The OP does not have this option because they have kids, but you can book the Sanctuary and get all the shade that you want with some of the $1K savings. We cruised in a mini with the open balcony and it was not as much of a problem as we had anticipated, but we did spend a lot of time in the Sanctuary.

 

The bottom line for me is that I would not spend $1K more just to have the shade although the bigger balcony would be nice.

 

OP, have a great cruise.

 

I just booked my cruise this afternoon.

 

The minis on the Emerald Deck were $250 than the Dolphin Deck, but we agreed that we wanted the Emerald Deck. We had the extended mini in March on the Grand, but of course, those are taken. We will be on the Star in the spring, and even though my husband will be giving up his full sun, we'll both get so much more usage out of our balcony. I try very hard to stay out of direct sun....no thank you. And hubby gets plenty of sun--even on the covered balconies!

 

For $250, it was a no brainer. For $1,000....ouch.....that would be much more difficult.

 

As for the Sanctuary, one of the main reasons we get a balcony is so we don't have to go to something like the balcony to get sun!

 

To each his own....something for everyone for sure!!!

 

Dawn

[Colo Cruiser]

I think Princess is catching on to the desirability of the AD minis as expressed so often here on the boards. My TA gave me a price for an AC mini for a TA in Oct. 2011 that is about 1/2 what Princess has on their website. That makes it 1/2 the price of all AD minis also. She said Princess did not give her any break for the AD minis at all - only for AA-AC. Proof again that Princess reads this forum.

 

They have for the last couple of years at least.