Caribbean Princess Window Suite v. Vista Suite

[Selion]

We just got off the Regal last Sunday (March 19) and are already looking to book the next cruise. This time on Caribbean Princess for September 2018 in a pretty port-intensive Eastern Caribbean itinerary (5 ports, 7 days).

 

We had a suite on the Regal and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially the breakfast at Sabatini's. Not to mention same-day laundry service. :D Needless to say we are looking to book a suite again. On the Caribbean Princess, we saw the Window Suite category which is considered a full suite but at a price that's barely more than standard mini suites. It's currently a couple hundred bucks lower than the Club Class minis. The other category we are looking at is the Vista Suites. Princess's website states they are 460 to 495 sq. ft. with balcony. Not sure how the Vista Suites' interior compares to Window Suites'. Can someone share their experience on this?

 

One of the reasons we are considering Window Suite is because we barely got any chance to use the large balcony on Regal (we had the Dophin 726, one of the largest balconies on the ship). It was a 5 ports, 7 days Western Caribbean cruise. Window Suite is appealing because at 60% cost of a Vista we still receive all of the sweet perks for a full suite. Besides not having a balcony, are there any other negatives of booking a Window Suite? Based on the deck plans the Windows Suites are located under the casino. Are noises a concern?

 

Getting ready to put my Future Cruise Credit to use, but wanted to hear some insights.

 

Thanks in advance!

[cr8tiv1]

NO negatives in a Window Suite. I like the location much better than all of the other suites offered. It is centrally located and easily walkable for everything in the piazza. Stay away from F301 (a little smaller).

 

Other advantages: "Extra bathrooms" are just around the corner for "emergencies". You can stop on the way to the Princess Theater. Very quiet, very private. More drawers than you will know what to do with. Easy on, Easy off. I am guessing it's on the same deck as the Club Class dining. Rough seas friendly.

 

Wish more ships had Window Suites.

[dtb55]

I love Window Suites, but then I never use a balcony when I have one. I love the location, the size, all the storage and the price. I've never had a problem with noise. My next three cruises are in Window Suites. I wish more ships had them.

 

 

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[yoyosma]

I love Window Suites, but then I never use a balcony when I have one. I love the location, the size, all the storage and the price. I've never had a problem with noise. My next three cruises are in Window Suites. I wish more ships had them.

 

 

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I just booked my second Window Suite a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed mine last fall and am looking forward to it next January. I do miss a balcony a bit, I love to go out at night and look at the stars. But I also love the space and the more comfortable living arrangements in the Window Suite.

 

However, please be aware it can get kind of noisy in there when the seas get rough and the captain deploys the stabilizers. It is a strange sound, maybe like chains scraping the sides of the ship in a rhythmic coming and going with the movement of the ship. It didn't bother me too much and I was able to sleep though it. It did bother my husband because he said something had to be wrong although he slept through it as well. Last cruise on the Royal Princess we heard it in the public areas on deck 6. We asked the maitre'd in Alfredos if the noise was the stabilizers and he said it was indeed.

 

Bottom line, I booked it again and will seek it out at times in the future.

[waltd]

The Window Suites are great especially if you don't use a balcony much. I don't remember hearing the stabilizers but we did hear some noise from the promenade deck above. It might have been joggers in the morning.

[metairiegal]

We loved, loved, loved our window suite, F305, on the Caribbean Princess last Christmas! Fantastic location. Very convenient to atrium areas, Guest Services, and it was almost like we had our own private entrance to the lower level of the Theatre. We did not hear any noise at all. Enjoyed the 2 big windows and for the price difference, but still getting all the suite perks, we did not miss a balcony at all. We would book a window suite in a heartbeat.

[Selion]

Great! Thank you all for sharing your experience with the Window Suite. Sounds like a win-win situation for the guests who are in the Window Suites. Just checked this morning and three were already sold for the sailing I'm looking at. Going to make the booking quick.

 

Count down starts again... :)

[Kenswing]

Window Suites are horrible. If you have never stayed in one, don't. It will ruin you for life. You will never want to go back to a regular cabin again.

 

Because we are generous people, those of us who have stayed in Window Suites will continue to bite the bullet and book them just to help fill the ship.. :p

[Selion]

Window Suites are horrible. If you have never stayed in one, don't. It will ruin you for life. You will never want to go back to a regular cabin again.

 

Because we are generous people, those of us who have stayed in Window Suites will continue to bite the bullet and book them just to help fill the ship.. :p

I'll see just how horrible it is. Just applied my FCC on the September 2018 sailing, F305! Start the countdown!

 

Too bad Princess doesn't have more of them across the fleet. I guess bottom line is the bottom line. If I could use the space of 7 window suites and make it into 10 balconies or so, that's more revenue for the company. Guess we have to enjoy them while they are still around.

[NavyVeteran]

I'll see just how horrible it is. Just applied my FCC on the September 2018 sailing, F305! Start the countdown!

 

Too bad Princess doesn't have more of them across the fleet. I guess bottom line is the bottom line. If I could use the space of 7 window suites and make it into 10 balconies or so, that's more revenue for the company. Guess we have to enjoy them while they are still around.

 

They could not use this space on the Fiesta deck for balconies. This space is directly below the Promenade deck and there is no way structurally that they could have balconies. If they were not suites, they would be outside cabins.

 

One disadvantage is that these suites are directly underneath the Promenade. If joggers are running on the Promenade late at night or early in the morning, you may hear them.

[Selion]

They could not use this space on the Fiesta deck for balconies. This space is directly below the Promenade deck and there is no way structurally that they could have balconies. If they were not suites, they would be outside cabins.

Right. I was talking purely from the space utilization perspective. Here's what I came up with:

 

7 window suites, let's say 330 sq. ft. on average. That's 2310 sq. ft total available.

Let's assume outside/oceanview staterooms are 180 sq. ft. each. 2310/180 = 12.8. Let's round down to 12 oceanview rooms.

 

On the sailing I booked, Princess is charging $1769pp for window suites and starting at $1199pp for oceanview.

Total revenue for window suites, based on double occupancy, would be $1769 x 7 x 2 = $24766.

Total revenue for oceanview (if they occupy the same space as the window suites), based on double occupancy, would be $1199 x 12 x 2 = $28776.

 

That's extra $4000 in revenue generated just from the stateroom spaces, not to mention 10 extra paying passengers who will spend more on drinks, specialty dining, gift shops, excursions, and everything else Princess has up charges for. The revenue potential probably at least doubled by now. That's why I was saying we need to enjoy the window suites while we can, lest Princess starts to replace them with other rooms.

 

Maybe I should delete this post.... :confused:

[Eagle_and_hawk]

That's a good choice for the window suite as F305 was remodeled a year or two ago. We stayed in it last month and enjoyed it, although we did miss having a balcony at times. It's not as large as the Vista suites on the older ships. The location is a plus too, as a quiet area to be in with it's own hallway. They usually go quickly, since they tend to not be much more than a mini-suite.

[caribill]

Too bad Princess doesn't have more of them across the fleet. I guess bottom line is the bottom line. If I could use the space of 7 window suites and make it into 10 balconies or so, that's more revenue for the company. Guess we have to enjoy them while they are still around.

 

When Princess introduced the window suites on a couple of ships, it was with the expectation they could charge prices just below a full suite that has a balcony.

 

That plan never worked well as you tell by pricing that can be less than a mini-suite.

 

Without getting the premium prices they wanted, there is no incentive to add window suites to other ships.

[bl413]

We had window suite on the Caribbean. Loved the suite. But runners on deck at all hours --especially in the early morning, ruined it for days.

It took 5 days for Princess to do anything about the runners (who weren't supposed to be running) So be aware that this is an issue.

Otherwise it was great.

[metairiegal]

We must have been lucky. I am sensitive to noise. But, we did not hear runners at all - and we were in F305 for 13 nights (it was a BTB).

[Selion]

When Princess introduced the window suites on a couple of ships, it was with the expectation they could charge prices just below a full suite that has a balcony.

 

That plan never worked well as you tell by pricing that can be less than a mini-suite.

 

Without getting the premium prices they wanted, there is no incentive to add window suites to other ships.

Seriously, I wouldn't pay extra to get a Club Class mini with a balcony while I could get a full suite w/o balcony with all the suite perks. This is probably the best "secret" in the Princess fleet.

 

521 days to go until the cruise on the Caribbean Princess.

[waltd]

Seriously, I wouldn't pay extra to get a Club Class mini with a balcony while I could get a full suite w/o balcony with all the suite perks. This is probably the best "secret" in the Princess fleet.

 

521 days to go until the cruise on the Caribbean Princess.

I remember when the Window Suites were first offered. No one wanted them. Now you have to be on top of your game to get one. Not much of a secret any more. :(

[wheezedr]

Best bump I ever got years ago was from a top end OV to a window suite on a Fall New England Canada cruise.. I assume balcony people all turned them down so they dropped to us. It was before we became Elite so my wife loved the free laundry and we both appreciated breakfast at Sabatinis. Really not a cruise where a balcony mattered so much.

[Babr]

I like the bathroom better in the window suite. There is a tub and a separate glassed-in shower. Also there is a long vanity with two sinks and plenty of shelves and storage. There are plenty of closets and drawers in the cabin itself. I found the layout to be convenient and functional.

 

The bathroom in the aft suite we had (D737) had only one sink with no shelves. We had to keep all our toothpaste, etc. in a plastic box on the counter next to the sink. Also, I thought the walk-in closet in the aft suite was cramped and awkward.

 

Those things don't matter to people who place priority on a balcony or who are on a short cruise, but I found them to be a bit disappointing in the overall suite experience.

[waltd]

I like the bathroom better in the window suite. There is a tub and a separate glassed-in shower. Also there is a long vanity with two sinks and plenty of shelves and storage. There are plenty of closets and drawers in the cabin itself. I found the layout to be convenient and functional.

 

The bathroom in the aft suite we had (D737) had only one sink with no shelves. We had to keep all our toothpaste, etc. in a plastic box on the counter next to the sink. Also, I thought the walk-in closet in the aft suite was cramped and awkward.

 

Those things don't matter to people who place priority on a balcony or who are on a short cruise, but I found them to be a bit disappointing in the overall suite experience.

 

Agree about the Window Suite bathroom. Especially the shower. It had room for someone who is extremely tall.

[caribill]

Best bump I ever got years ago was from a top end OV to a window suite on a Fall New England Canada cruise.. I assume balcony people all turned them down so they dropped to us.

 

I do not think they even offer the window suite as an upgrade to anyone booked in a cabin with a balcony.

[justafem]

We LOVE our window suites. A balcony to me isn't important, especially on a port intensive cruise. Truth is the balcony space is included in the interior space in a WS and it's fully usable at all times. And the bathroom, the bathroom!

 

We did hear the stabilizers several times, a whomp whomp whomp noise and we did have some sort of noise above on the night before the planned crew safety drill, sounded like moving chairs. A quick call to the desk and POOF the scraping noise was gone.

 

The full suite perks for less than a mini-suite, let alone a club class. Most of the time *if you catch them right* they are less than a premium balcony.

 

WOOT for Window Suites!

[seamwoman]

Thanks for all the information on this thread. We are looking at a seven day cruise on the Caribbean in August. We usually book a mini suite but the window suite looks appealing. Can you tell me if there are two tv's? DH likes to watch ESPN and I like chick flicks! Karen

[metairiegal]

Thanks for all the information on this thread. We are looking at a seven day cruise on the Caribbean in August. We usually book a mini suite but the window suite looks appealing. Can you tell me if there are two tv's? DH likes to watch ESPN and I like chick flicks! Karen

 

Only 1 tv.

[GRAYTech]

...The bathroom in the aft suite we had (D737) had only one sink with no shelves. We had to keep all our toothpaste, etc. in a plastic box on the counter next to the sink. Also, I thought the walk-in closet in the aft suite was cramped and awkward...

 

We love the aft Vista Suites but agree the lack of bathroom shelves and dumb layout of the closet space is, just dumb. They could easily add the bathroom shelves, at least one on each side would be nice.

 

This thread has me thinking more about a Window Suite next time.