Vista Suite- Dolphin or Emerald Deck?

[Bilyeu5]

I've decided to change my booking from a mini-suite to an aft Vista suite for our May cruise to Alaska on the Star Princess. There are 3 available:

D737, E732 & E733. Any advantages/disadvantages to location? Are the balconies covered on both? My "googling" suggests that the rooms are bigger on Emerald (527 sq ft vs 495 sq ft), but on the deck plan the balcony looks larger on the Dolphin Deck. We are in our 60's- celebrating both my retirement and our anniversary. For us, it's a big splurge, so I want the perfect room!

[vince_g]

I've decided to change my booking from a mini-suite to an aft Vista suite for our May cruise to Alaska on the Star Princess. There are 3 available:

D737, E732 & E733. Any advantages/disadvantages to location? Are the balconies covered on both? My "googling" suggests that the rooms are bigger on Emerald (527 sq ft vs 495 sq ft), but on the deck plan the balcony looks larger on the Dolphin Deck. We are in our 60's- celebrating both my retirement and our anniversary. For us, it's a big splurge, so I want the perfect room!

 

 

If the category PS are within about $50 more per person, I'd book one of them. They are larger for not much more money.

[bhopal21]

We love the aft vista suites on Dolphin deck. The Emerald deck VS are located next to a ventilation system that makes a bit of noise.

 

You will be spoiled by the huge balcony.:)

 

Mike:)

[Bilyeu5]

We love the aft vista suites on Dolphin deck. The Emerald deck VS are located next to a ventilation system that makes a bit of noise.

 

You will be spoiled by the huge balcony.:)

 

Mike:)

 

Mike:

Thanks. This confirms my decision to reserve D737. I got a great Princess rep on the phone who gave me dimensions of the 3 suites I was considering:

Balcony Room

 

D737, VS Dolphin 16x10 335 sq ft

E733, VS Emerald 13x10 397 sq ft

C749, PS Caribe 14x11 330 sq ft

[bhopal21]

Mike:

Thanks. This confirms my decision to reserve D737. I got a great Princess rep on the phone who gave me dimensions of the 3 suites I was considering

 

We just had D737 on The Grand and it was super. I love the quietness at the stern, no passengers going by your door, or cabin doors closing.

 

The balcony is so large we actually hosted the ultimate balcony dinner for 8 persons on it. We really had a cruise to remember.

 

Have a great vacation!

 

Mike:)

[Tinwoman]

We just had D737 on The Grand and it was super. I love the quietness at the stern, no passengers going by your door, or cabin doors closing.

 

The balcony is so large we actually hosted the ultimate balcony dinner for 8 persons on it. We really had a cruise to remember.

 

Have a great vacation!

 

Mike:)

 

Wow I was glad to read your post!!!

We have the D737 on the Grand after the first of the year, it is our first cruise on Princess, and even thought I googled it for pics, I couldn't glean much info on the cabin.

Good to hear!:)

[vince_g]

Mike:

Thanks. This confirms my decision to reserve D737. I got a great Princess rep on the phone who gave me dimensions of the 3 suites I was considering:

Balcony Room

 

D737, VS Dolphin 16x10 335 sq ft

E733, VS Emerald 13x10 397 sq ft

C749, PS Caribe 14x11 330 sq ft

 

 

That's funny since Princess told me that C749 is 524 square feet. I tried to tell you that the PS are larger than VS, but to no avail. Also someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure 16 x10 is 160 square feet. The dimensions seem wrong.

[bhopal21]

Couild those be the dimensions of the respective balconies?

 

Mike:)

[bhopal21]

Coral has the best pictures of the aft Vista suites I have seen and she is the reason we first started reserving them. We have stayed in both D736 and D737 on both the Grand and the Golden.

 

I am sure that she will not mind me posting a link to her photos. D736 and D737 are the same Vista suites, just reversed.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum21.html

 

 

Mike:)

[jamu]

I am leaving next week for a cruise and am booked in E733. They didn't tell me about the noise, Mike (bhopal21). Have you actually stayed in that suite? Now I am nervous about it...I hope it's not too bad.

 

We had a Penthouse Suite last cruise - it was great. I was told E733 was a bit bigger than that, but the balcony is a little smaller. All the penthouse suites were booked, so we booked this one.

 

:confused: ...:)

[Bilyeu5]

That's funny since Princess told me that C749 is 524 square feet. I tried to tell you that the PS are larger than VS, but to no avail. Also someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure 16 x10 is 160 square feet. The dimensions seem wrong.

 

 

The column headings didn't line up right on my post. The balcony sizes are the first set of numbers, and the room size is the second set of numbers (not including balcony). Total square footage is the 2 combined, so for D737 it's 160 balcony+335 room=495 sq ft. I was able to find photos of both the VS and PS; they both look wonderful.

Suite Pictures - Golden & Gra...

[bhopal21]

I am leaving next week for a cruise and am booked in E733. They didn't tell me about the noise, Mike (bhopal21). Have you actually stayed in that suite? Now I am nervous about it...I hope it's not too bad

 

No I have only stayed in the Dolphin deck VS. I remember several postings about the VS on Emerald deck and they described the space between the two suites as being something like an AC exhaust. Not really noisy; but more like that of an exhaust fan constantly humming.

 

Maybe someone who has stayed in E733 will chime in.

 

Mike:)

[vince_g]

I am leaving next week for a cruise and am booked in E733. They didn't tell me about the noise, Mike (bhopal21). Have you actually stayed in that suite? Now I am nervous about it...I hope it's not too bad.

 

We had a Penthouse Suite last cruise - it was great. I was told E733 was a bit bigger than that, but the balcony is a little smaller. All the penthouse suites were booked, so we booked this one.

 

:confused: ...:)

 

I think you heard some bad info... with PH suites the cabin areas are larger than VS, but they have a smaller balcony, and the VS cabin areas are smaller than PH, but the balcony is bigger (aft balconies are the biggest).

[Tinwoman]

Coral has the best pictures of the aft Vista suites I have seen and she is the reason we first started reserving them. We have stayed in both D736 and D737 on both the Grand and the Golden.

 

I am sure that she will not mind me posting a link to her photos. D736 and D737 are the same Vista suites, just reversed.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum21.html

 

 

Mike:)

 

Thanks for the photo link, looks wonderful, we are looking forward to a good time.

[whale-watcher]

I think you heard some bad info... with PH suites the cabin areas are larger than VS, but they have a smaller balcony, and the VS cabin areas are smaller than PH, but the balcony is bigger (aft balconies are the biggest).

...I was told by my TA that these suites are very similar in layout and cabin size, and that the difference in price was based more on location than anything else (which was fine with us, as we prefered the location of the aft VS on dolphin to any of the other higher priced suites)...I know that this is the case on the coral/island, but have no experience with the grand class ships.

[jamu]

I think you heard some bad info... with PH suites the cabin areas are larger than VS, but they have a smaller balcony, and the VS cabin areas are smaller than PH, but the balcony is bigger (aft balconies are the biggest).

 

Thanks for the info...

 

The Princess Agent told me that the Suite we booked (VS - E733) was 527 square feet (includes balcony) and that the balcony measured 13 ft x 10 ft (making the room 397 sq. ft.)

He told me the PH suite was 468 square feet (inc. bal.) with the balcony measuring 14 x 11.5 (making the room 307 sq. ft.)

There was a VS suite on Dolphin (but I didn't write down the measurements so I can't quote them, but it was smaller than the one on Emerald) We took the Emerald Deck "Venice Suite" because we thought it would be larger...we'll see soon enough. He probably got it wrong...and I tried to ask all the right questions...Oh, well...

 

I do wish they had more detailed info on the cabins online...

[Bilyeu5]

Thanks for the info...

 

The Princess Agent told me that the Suite we booked (VS - E733) was 527 square feet (includes balcony) and that the balcony measured 13 ft x 10 ft (making the room 397 sq. ft.)

There was a VS suite on Dolphin (but I didn't write down the measurements so I can't quote them, but it was smaller than the one on Emerald) We took the Emerald Deck "Venice Suite" because we thought it would be larger...we'll see soon enough. He probably got it wrong

...

 

I think he got it right. The info on Emerald suites & Dolphin suites agrees with what we were told. We went with the smaller room/slightly larger deck on Dolphin. There are only 2 of us, and we won't be doing any entertaining. The PS sq footage varies a bit by room # as the layouts are slightly different. We didn't ask about all of them, or the PH's, as we wanted the aft location, lower deck and lower price.

[Ontario Traveller]

The aft suites sound great but I was wondering if there is much vibration or noise from the engines in these rooms or on the balconies? While the ship is moving, what is it like (noise/vibration-wise) out on the aft balconies?

[4cats4me]

I have stayed in E733 on the Golden, sister ship to the Grand/Star,

and there was no noticable noise from the supposed exhaust system

at the rear of the ship. The only exhaust problems i've ever heard about

are on the Diamond and Sapphire on Dolphin deck, and that's if you're in

a regular cabin, but not a Vista Suite.

 

I have also heard of the exhaust intake system noise problem on some

of the ships if you're on Caribe deck [possible C748 or C750] or which ever

cabins are closest to the middle.

But definitely NO PROBLEMS with E733 on the Golden.

 

I have also stayed in D736 on the Golden and can attest that the

location is fabulous and very quiet. The only "noise" is from the wake,

which I don't consider noise at all. D736 is definitely larger than

E733. We had a table with FOUR chairs on the balcony, unlike E733

where we only had 2 chairs with a smaller table on the balcony.

The furniture is all teak.

The rooms are not, as others have intimated, materially larger than

the mini-suites. IN stead of long and narrow the rooms are shorter and

square, so to me, with the exception of the ginormous bathroom, the

room itself is about the same as a mini-suite.

 

There is more movement back there though, beware!

Also, having been in the PH's, the Vistas don't seem that much smaller,

microscopically smaller at best.

 

D737 is a fine choice.

[rich_cathybrock]

We just had D737 on The Grand and it was super. I love the quietness at the stern, no passengers going by your door, or cabin doors closing.

 

The balcony is so large we actually hosted the ultimate balcony dinner for 8 persons on it. We really had a cruise to remember.

 

Have a great vacation!

 

Mike:)

 

Mike - would you have any pictures you can share? I just upgraded to this suite on the Grand. We will be traveling with two couples we met on the Golden in 2006 in Sept. 2009 and I'd love to see anything you can share about "the room" - your post above really convinced me - Ultimate Balcony Dining sounds like a great way to innaugurate this cruise. Thank you so much!

 

Feel free to email me at rich_cathybrock@msn.com if you do have a few photos you can share. Thanks so much!

[critterchick]

I have stayed in E733 on the Golden, sister ship to the Grand/Star,

and there was no noticable noise from the supposed exhaust system

at the rear of the ship. The only exhaust problems i've ever heard about

are on the Diamond and Sapphire on Dolphin deck, and that's if you're in

a regular cabin, but not a Vista Suite.

 

I just switched from a VS on Dolphin to Emerald deck for a sailing on Sapphire next year - we don't often splurge on a full suite, and I did read a couple of posts where residents in the VS smelled the stuff from the vent. I don't know why it's trapped on Dolphin deck and doesn't drift upwards or downwards, but figured the odds are better on Emerald. Since it's just 2 of us we can sacrifice a bit of balcony space.

 

I would avoid the Emerald Deck portside cabins because the sound system for Club Fusion is directly underneath, and I'd be worried about the bass bleeding through.

[DrFUN]

I just switched from a VS on Dolphin to Emerald deck for a sailing on Sapphire next year - we don't often splurge on a full suite, and I did read a couple of posts where residents in the VS smelled the stuff from the vent. I don't know why it's trapped on Dolphin deck and doesn't drift upwards or downwards, but figured the odds are better on Emerald. Since it's just 2 of us we can sacrifice a bit of balcony space.

 

I would avoid the Emerald Deck portside cabins because the sound system for Club Fusion is directly underneath, and I'd be worried about the bass bleeding through.

 

Trying to decide between the Sapphire's aft corner VS on Emerald or Dolphin deck (starboard). Can you offer a recommendation?

 

MANY THANKS,

Mary-Lou

[kath00]

Me too, Mary-Lou! Any advice would be appreciated. Katherine

[nunk]

Me too, Mary-Lou! Any advice would be appreciated. Katherine

 

 

Hi Katherine,

 

Just booked C7550/750 on Sapphire for 2012 to Hawaii. Can I ask what room you booked for your upcoming cruise on Sapphire? Trying to gather all the info and saw your post.

 

Thanks,

Nicole

[kath00]

We were in a Dolphin VS last month and there were absolutely no smells or vent noise or anything. Sometimes I do wonder if I should even be reading these boards because I stressed about it beforehand and it was a waste of my mental health. ;)

 

We also noted that the Emerald VS has a larger beam than the Dolphin one. I found it a bit more intrusive and I am glad I had the Dolphin level one.

 

I also DEFINITELY felt the thrusters during docking. It was like sleeping on a giant vibrator that would turn on around 6am and go for about 30-40 minutes. I didn't mind being woken up each night till the last 2 nights, when I was really in need of sleep and found the 6am shakes a bit more annoying than at the beginning. The whole room vibrated (lamps, mirrors, drawers...) and even my deep sleeping preteen woke up to it each morning we docked. It's not a horrible experience but whomever books these aft suites needs to know about it. Also, the motion during sailing was significantly more than midship, which didn't bother me one bit but when we had guests in our room everyone commented on the "waving". We like feeling the ship move a bit but if you are prone to motion sickness...

 

I would still book this cabin in a heartbeat because it is covered and really well wind-protected, so we were able to sit out till midnight sipping wine even in the cool So Cal rainy weather of December! Watching the wake each night as we chatted outside was a wonderful way to end the evening. :)