Royal Princess Penthouse Suites Alaska

[TCTXCruiser]

I am a first time cruiser going to Alaska on the Royal Princess round trip from Seattle in September.  We are debating upgrading to a Penthouse Suite from the mini suite we have booked.  I noticed there aren't very many of these rooms on the Royal but most are still available.  Is this common?  Do people wait and try bidding for these rooms or are these room just not a great option? The amount to upgrade is a lot so I just want to make sure it would not be a waste of money to move.  The extra room and large balcony are the biggest draw.  Though the priority disembarkation at the ports seems like it would be huge add too.  Which room is the best in those available in you opinion? Appreciate any insight anyone has one these room!.  

 

[memoak]

We prefer the corner aft wraparound balconies. The ones on Dolphi n deck have huge balconies 

[TCTXCruiser]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

We prefer the corner aft wraparound balconies. The ones on Dolphi n deck have huge balconies 

 

I saw those too and the balcony does look amazing!  As my first cruise I am worried about motion in the aft.  Do you find you feel more motion there vs mid? 

[Cruise Raider]

16 minutes ago, TCTXCruiser said:

 

I saw those too and the balcony does look amazing!  As my first cruise I am worried about motion in the aft.  Do you find you feel more motion there vs mid? 

There is more motion in the aft vs the middle but the large balconies make it well worth it.  You can’t go wrong with any of the suites, though.  You will be able to use that concierge lounge and it is really something very special.  
I’d go for any one of them but just make note that the balconies are quite shallow on the side cabins .. longer but shallow.  

[memoak]

48 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

There is more motion in the aft vs the middle but the large balconies make it well worth it.  You can’t go wrong with any of the suites, though.  You will be able to use that concierge lounge and it is really something very special.  
I’d go for any one of them but just make note that the balconies are quite shallow on the side cabins .. longer but shallow.  

We find the side balconies just too narrow

[Clampram]

We just did a 15 day Hawaii cruise on the Royal in early April. We did have a minisuite but then when I saw the upgrade initiative offered I made a bid and it was accepted for a suite. I wanted R603 and that's what we got.

This suite was wonderful and the extra room and balcony size was very much appreciated. I wanted the proximity to the concierge lounge because I like to have a coffee early. The lounge is open 24 hours and it always has coffee.The bed was very comfortable and there's lots of closet and drawer space. We really enjoyed the balcony ( we didn't find it too narrow)  and the size was wonderful compared to the minisuites. The first perk that we enjoyed was the concierge person. We met her on the first day and she explained everything and was helpful with dinner reservations. After that she was such a timesaver.....any issue and she can take care of it - no more trips to the service desk...she cancelled tours for us, booked new tours, made dinner reservations and a host of other items. In the future, we will probably always book a suite as we are now spoiled!

The breakfast at Sabatini's was great...very excellent service. We ate in the club class dining and that was also very good with very good service. Please ask if you have questions

[TCTXCruiser]

50 minutes ago, Clampram said:

We just did a 15 day Hawaii cruise on the Royal in early April. We did have a minisuite but then when I saw the upgrade initiative offered I made a bid and it was accepted for a suite. I wanted R603 and that's what we got.

This suite was wonderful and the extra room and balcony size was very much appreciated. I wanted the proximity to the concierge lounge because I like to have a coffee early. The lounge is open 24 hours and it always has coffee.The bed was very comfortable and there's lots of closet and drawer space. We really enjoyed the balcony ( we didn't find it too narrow)  and the size was wonderful compared to the minisuites. The first perk that we enjoyed was the concierge person. We met her on the first day and she explained everything and was helpful with dinner reservations. After that she was such a timesaver.....any issue and she can take care of it - no more trips to the service desk...she cancelled tours for us, booked new tours, made dinner reservations and a host of other items. In the future, we will probably always book a suite as we are now spoiled!

The breakfast at Sabatini's was great...very excellent service. We ate in the club class dining and that was also very good with very good service. Please ask if you have questions

Thank you for the details! Being right across from the lounge to grab coffee seemed like a great perk.  When you disembarked at the ports where you able to bypass a lot of waiting? 

[Clampram]

Well, yes and no...sorry...

There was no waiting at all when we were in port but in the 2 ports that we used tenders, we got into tenders as part of an early  tour so we had priority for that reason, not because of our status. This won't be your problem but those tenders get very warm inside when you are waiting for them to fill up! Good luck with the suite if you decide to do it but watch out.....it's very addictive!!! Don't bother making dinner reservations for your free specialty restaurants... the concierge does that....she does everything!It was also nice being close to the laundry room...I sent out a lot for the "free" laundry but some of my more delicate clothes I like to wash myself so that was handy too

[jeromep]

Those Rivera deck balconies are narrow, but wide.  However, being somewhat amidship you'll be in about the a good position to avoid excessive ship motion.  But remember, you are on a ship, if the sea is rocking, the ship will be too no matter where you are located, it is a matter of how much motion you feel.  Those suites are mid-ship aft, not really in the amidship location.  If you must have a midships located cabin, look for the ones that are underneath the seawalk area.  A few of those cabins have larger balconies which follow the shape of the seawalk.  Those get snapped up pretty early in a booking because they are either balcony cabins or mini-suites, so they aren't as expensive as full suits.

 

You'll have very nice furnishings on the balcony, even though it is a bit narrow.  You'll have wooden, presumably teak, loungers, and a wooden table and chairs.  On the larger balconies, especially those aft corner balconies you'll have more space than furnishings.  With the Rivera deck suites the furnishings are squeezed into place but suite balcony furnishings are much nicer and much more comfortable than what you get in a regular cabin.  You'll also have great glacier viewing, no matter what side of the ship you are on, they turn the ship about halfway through the visit to the glacier face.  Typically port side will view the glacier first and then that will flip to the starboard side for the remains of the glacier visit.

 

Being so close to the concierge lounge is a huge benefit.  Not only are snacks and beverages easy access, but the concierge really can take care of just about anything for you and you don't have to stand in line at guest services, even if you are only standing in line on the suite/Elite passenger side of guest services, and you don't have to wait on the phone with the dine line, either.  Also, if there is a pastry, snack, or beverage you'd like to see in the lounge, just let the concierge know and they will get it stocked the next day.

 

Most of the benefit of being in a suite are all the extra perks, but the cabins are very nice.  Lots of storage, lots of closet space and drawers, and the bathrooms are wonderful.  I hate the shower curtain in Princess regular cabins.  No shower curtain in suites, you have both a tub and a glass enclosed full stand up shower.

 

The laundry perk is great.  We send out a bag of laundry every day, it comes back pressed and clean.  We've sent everything from casual clothing to items that need to be dry cleaned, like formal or business wear, woolens, etc.  We have never had any issues with how laundry is done or the condition it is returned in.  We have also not experienced any issue with the washing of delicates by the ship's laundry, however your own experience may vary.  Maybe our delicates aren't that delicate.

 

I've had great cabin stewards over the years on Princess, however the cabin stewards that take care of suites are especially accommodating and friendly.

 

You'll probably enjoy all the dining perks.  Suite breakfast in Sabatini's (or another specialty restaurant on board, they will tell you where in your welcome letter that is in your cabin when you arrive).  Full suites are part of the Reserve Collection cabins (formerly Club Class mini-suites).  You'll have access to the Reserve Collection MDR dining option.  No reservations necessary and it is unlikely that you'll have and wait to be seated when you are dining in the MDR.  This is for all meals offered in the MDR.  They also offer suite passengers a complimentary specialty restaurant meal on embarkation night.  The concierge can get you reservations or you can call the dine line when you get on board.

 

Once you book suites, it is very difficult to go back to regular cabins.  Even a Reserve Collection mini-suite is a bit of a drag.

[Cruise Raider]

21 hours ago, memoak said:

We find the side balconies just too narrow

They are really small unless you get one midship in the bump out section .. but not sure if there any full suites like that on the sides of the ship.  

Edited May 26, 2023 by Cruise Raider

[TCTXCruiser]

16 hours ago, jeromep said:

Those Rivera deck balconies are narrow, but wide.  However, being somewhat amidship you'll be in about the a good position to avoid excessive ship motion.  But remember, you are on a ship, if the sea is rocking, the ship will be too no matter where you are located, it is a matter of how much motion you feel.  Those suites are mid-ship aft, not really in the amidship location.  If you must have a midships located cabin, look for the ones that are underneath the seawalk area.  A few of those cabins have larger balconies which follow the shape of the seawalk.  Those get snapped up pretty early in a booking because they are either balcony cabins or mini-suites, so they aren't as expensive as full suits.

 

You'll have very nice furnishings on the balcony, even though it is a bit narrow.  You'll have wooden, presumably teak, loungers, and a wooden table and chairs.  On the larger balconies, especially those aft corner balconies you'll have more space than furnishings.  With the Rivera deck suites the furnishings are squeezed into place but suite balcony furnishings are much nicer and much more comfortable than what you get in a regular cabin.  You'll also have great glacier viewing, no matter what side of the ship you are on, they turn the ship about halfway through the visit to the glacier face.  Typically port side will view the glacier first and then that will flip to the starboard side for the remains of the glacier visit.

 

Being so close to the concierge lounge is a huge benefit.  Not only are snacks and beverages easy access, but the concierge really can take care of just about anything for you and you don't have to stand in line at guest services, even if you are only standing in line on the suite/Elite passenger side of guest services, and you don't have to wait on the phone with the dine line, either.  Also, if there is a pastry, snack, or beverage you'd like to see in the lounge, just let the concierge know and they will get it stocked the next day.

 

Most of the benefit of being in a suite are all the extra perks, but the cabins are very nice.  Lots of storage, lots of closet space and drawers, and the bathrooms are wonderful.  I hate the shower curtain in Princess regular cabins.  No shower curtain in suites, you have both a tub and a glass enclosed full stand up shower.

 

The laundry perk is great.  We send out a bag of laundry every day, it comes back pressed and clean.  We've sent everything from casual clothing to items that need to be dry cleaned, like formal or business wear, woolens, etc.  We have never had any issues with how laundry is done or the condition it is returned in.  We have also not experienced any issue with the washing of delicates by the ship's laundry, however your own experience may vary.  Maybe our delicates aren't that delicate.

 

I've had great cabin stewards over the years on Princess, however the cabin stewards that take care of suites are especially accommodating and friendly.

 

You'll probably enjoy all the dining perks.  Suite breakfast in Sabatini's (or another specialty restaurant on board, they will tell you where in your welcome letter that is in your cabin when you arrive).  Full suites are part of the Reserve Collection cabins (formerly Club Class mini-suites).  You'll have access to the Reserve Collection MDR dining option.  No reservations necessary and it is unlikely that you'll have and wait to be seated when you are dining in the MDR.  This is for all meals offered in the MDR.  They also offer suite passengers a complimentary specialty restaurant meal on embarkation night.  The concierge can get you reservations or you can call the dine line when you get on board.

 

Once you book suites, it is very difficult to go back to regular cabins.  Even a Reserve Collection mini-suite is a bit of a drag.

Thank you for all the details!