Coral Princess- Obstructed View Emerald or Non obstructed Plaza?

[pdp15]

Hello,

I already have a booked obstructed ocean view cabin but now have an option to upgrade to non obstructed at a lower deck. The obstructed is on Emerald, deck 8; while non obstructed is Plaza, deck 5. The Emerald room is midship while Plaza room on the rear below photo gallery. I am a first time cruiser traveling with a 1 year old this July.

Which cabin would you recommend? Of course I would prefer unobstructed view, but going on Plaza deck is something I'm not sure about. Experts, could you please advise?

[Colo Cruiser]

Plaza room on the rear below photo gallery.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Not sure what you mean by this?

[pdp15]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Not sure what you mean by this?

Basically, the deck above plaza is casino and bar and photo gallery. Room we are getting is not below those but below photo gallery instead

[Essiesmom]

The area on deck 6 is carpeted, so should not present a problem as far as noise. We were in P531 (interior) and did not have any noise. EM

[Sea Hag]

I like the obstructed cabins on Emerald, especially the ones that aren't very much obstructed. These cabins are pretty convenient to most things, and it's a short trip down a flight of stairs to the Promenade Deck. You don't say which cabin you're in, but if you're lucky enough to have one of the cabins next to one of the small boats, the view out the window is pretty good.

[Renmar]

Hello,

I already have a booked obstructed ocean view cabin but now have an option to upgrade to non obstructed at a lower deck. The obstructed is on Emerald, deck 8; while non obstructed is Plaza, deck 5. The Emerald room is midship while Plaza room on the rear below photo gallery. I am a first time cruiser traveling with a 1 year old this July.

Which cabin would you recommend? Of course I would prefer unobstructed view, but going on Plaza deck is something I'm not sure about. Experts, could you please advise?

 

The views from the obstructed cabins are not the greatest on the Coral. Click this link to see some pictures.

https://sites.google.com/site/coralislandprincess/home

 

Take the Plaza deck cabin if the view is important otherwise stay where you are, JMHO.

 

Theo

[Essiesmom]

If all you want from your window is light, then either is fine. If you want to really observe the passing scene, neither is fine. Why? Because unless you are traveling solo with your child, you will have a cabin for more than two, and the head of the bed will be below the window. You will have to kneel on the bed to get any view out.

 

This is an OV quad (E520) on Coral. If you push the beds together, you have to kneel to see out.

 

EM

[BumperII]

I think either choice is probably pretty well suited to your circumstances. As first time cruisers we spent very little time in the stateroom other than sleep and bathroom duties.

We found many fine sightseeing opportunities all over the ship, bow and stern and in between. We also took advantage of the onboard activities.

Either of these staterooms is a great starting spot. These staterooms allowed us time to figure out what cruising style gave us the best deal for the money. Bon Voyage

[pdp15]

Thanks for the responses! I got a flash fare pricing on the unobstructed oceanview and after cancelling my previous reservation and getting this one, I will save $140 after cancellation charges and everything. I still have around 12 hours to either confirm the unobstruced view room or be with the same obstructed view room.

[NavyVeteran]

I recommend you look at the deck plans on the Princess website. You will find Plaza deck more convenient to public areas on the Plaza and Fiesta decks and Emerald deck more convenient to public areas on the Promenade deck. Which is more important to you depends on what public areas you are more interested in getting to and whether you will be taking stairs for one or two decks or always taking lifts.

 

The Emerald deck has no public areas. To get to any public areas, you have to take a lift or stairs. It is one deck down to the Promenade deck. It is two or three decks down to the dining rooms.

 

The Plaza deck is the bottom of the Atrium with Passenger Services, La Patisserie, and some public restrooms. The public restrooms can be convenient if you are traveling with another adult or older child and two of you need to use it at the same time. The Bordeaux Dining Room is on this deck and it is one deck up to the Provence Dining Room on the Fiesta Deck. It is also one deck up to the International Café.

[pdp15]

I recommend you look at the deck plans on the Princess website. You will find Plaza deck more convenient to public areas on the Plaza and Fiesta decks and Emerald deck more convenient to public areas on the Promenade deck. Which is more important to you depends on what public areas you are more interested in getting to and whether you will be taking stairs for one or two decks or always taking lifts.

 

The Emerald deck has no public areas. To get to any public areas, you have to take a lift or stairs. It is one deck down to the Promenade deck. It is two or three decks down to the dining rooms.

 

The Plaza deck is the bottom of the Atrium with Passenger Services, La Patisserie, and some public restrooms. The public restrooms can be convenient if you are traveling with another adult or older child and two of you need to use it at the same time. The Bordeaux Dining Room is on this deck and it is one deck up to the Provence Dining Room on the Fiesta Deck. It is also one deck up to the International Café.

 

Thank you, this really helps!

[fishywood]

I recommend you look at the deck plans on the Princess website.

[...]

The Emerald deck has no public areas.

 

So the Internet Cafe, Library, and Card Room are not considered public areas :confused:

 

We did a full Panama Canal transit in an Emerald Deck obstructed OV cabin and thought the location was perfect. If you a close to midship there is a set of two elevators (adjacent to that "non-public" Internet Cafe :rolleyes:) that only go to Decks 5 through 8 and will take you directly to the MDR doors on Decks 6 and 5.

 

Our one experience in a Plaza Deck cabin was on Star Princess and was not good: constant pounding noise from the waves and vibration of the stabilizers. The mid-aft location on Coral may be a bit better than mid-forward on Star, but I am concerned with the OP's belief that the non-obstructed view will be a huge difference over the obstructed. Because from Plaza deck--the lowest of the passenger accessible decks--you view will be mostly confined to the waterline.

[pdp15]

So the Internet Cafe, Library, and Card Room are not considered public areas :confused:

 

...I am concerned with the OP's belief that the non-obstructed view will be a huge difference over the obstructed. Because from Plaza deck--the lowest of the passenger accessible decks--you view will be mostly confined to the waterline.

 

So if one is on plaza desk, you are saying that the view won't be that huge of a difference as compared to obstructed (by a boat) cabin on emerald?

 

Also, where are the dining areas usually?

We may also have to get confined to cabin whenever the baby gets fussy

[fishywood]

So if one is on plaza desk, you are saying that the view won't be that huge of a difference as compared to obstructed (by a boat) cabin on emerald?

 

Certainly the view of the waterline is an upgrade over a view of nothing but the side of a lifeboat.

But if you are expecting panoramic views of the Glaciers, or when sailing in and out of each port, its just not possible from a cabin that low on the ship.

[NavyVeteran]

So the Internet Cafe, Library, and Card Room are not considered public areas :confused:

 

Oops. I looked too quickly and missed them.:o

 

I still recommend that OP look at the deck plans (and not rely on anyone else's interpretation ;)) to see which public areas it is important to be close to. Also the Emerald deck does not have any public restrooms, which can be an issue depending on how many people are in the cabin.

Edited April 22, 2017 by NavyVeteran

[NavyVeteran]

Also, where are the dining areas usually?

 

The main dining rooms are the Bordeaux Dining Room on the Plaza deck and the Provence Dining Room on the Fiesta deck. One of them will be for traditional fixed early and late seating and the other one will be for anytime dining. These are both more convenient to the Plaza deck and you may not need to take a lift.

 

The other dining area is the Horizon Court buffet on the Lido deck. You would probably be taking a lift to this deck if you wanted to eat at the buffet.

[pdp15]

Thanks for all the responses. Based on your suggestions, I am thinking that a move to Plaza deck would be better since I get easy access to dining and public areas. Also, I save $140 and get unobstructed oceanview!

Have anyone of you booked in a flash sale? Not sure what the chances are of getting an upgrade on the ship when the room is booked on a flash sale... I am not counting on it though since I am travelling in July, which I believe would be peak time for Alaska cruise

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for all the responses. Based on your suggestions, I am thinking that a move to Plaza deck would be better since I get easy access to dining and public areas. Also, I save $140 and get unobstructed oceanview!

Have anyone of you booked in a flash sale? Not sure what the chances are of getting an upgrade on the ship when the room is booked on a flash sale... I am not counting on it though since I am travelling in July, which I believe would be peak time for Alaska cruise

 

 

You have just as much chance of an upgrade as anyone else.

You never know, just make sure your booking is marked "will accept upgrade".

I would imagine your booking comes along with a non refundable deposit?

Did you book with Princess direct or a TA?

[pdp15]

I booked with TA. It does not say "will accept upgrade" on the plaza desk reservation (which I still have 12 hrs to finialize on, its held for me). However, my previoous reservation with obstructed view says "ANY OTHER CABIN UPGRADE"

[Host Jazzbeau]

So the Internet Cafe, Library, and Card Room are not considered public areas :confused:

 

They haven't been high on the priority list of most of the 1-year-olds I know!

 

None of the cabins on the Plaza deck are really in the rear -- the one you are describing would be described as "mid-aft" which is a fine location for stability [and the lower deck adds to that]. It is also conveniently located near the aft elevators/stairs and not very far from the Plaza/central elevators/stairs and the Bordeaux dining room. If you can get your dining reservation in Bordeaux, that would be an excellent location if you need to take the baby out to calm down, change etc.

[pdp15]

They haven't been high on the priority list of most of the 1-year-olds I know!

 

None of the cabins on the Plaza deck are really in the rear -- the one you are describing would be described as "mid-aft" which is a fine location for stability [and the lower deck adds to that]. It is also conveniently located near the aft elevators/stairs and not very far from the Plaza/central elevators/stairs and the Bordeaux dining room. If you can get your dining reservation in Bordeaux, that would be an excellent location if you need to take the baby out to calm down, change etc.

Thanks for the input, appreciate it!

[IECalCruiser]

We were in a Plaza deck oceanview cabin on the Island for a 15 day Panama Canal cruise and enjoyed the location. Early ATD is in the Plaza deck DR.

 

 

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