Mini-Suite?

[Nicolette]

I have a question for "Barbarah33" who said they "had a regular balcony cabin on the Grand".
We are booked in cabin C218 on the Grand and have never had a balcony before. How roomy is it compared to an inside cabin?

[f-mattox]

I'll jump in here if you don't mind, since barbarah33 hasn't responded yet; per their brochure, an inside cabin is 160 sq. ft. and a regular balcony cabin is 232 to 274 sq. ft.; much of that extra square footage is the balcony itself. But besides the extra space, the floor to ceiling glass door and windows give the balcony cabin an incredible feeling of openess and space and light--which, of course, is why they are so popular. You will love it. And the Grand is just a magnificent ship. I'm not normally a fan of the bigger ships but I love this one. Not once in twelve days did we feel crowded or rushed. You didn't mention your destination(s) but you are sure to enjoy the ship and your cabin.

[Nicolette]

Thanks for responding. I'm just learning to post, so it's good to hear back from SOMEBODY! We're leaving out of Galveston on Dec.30/06 and going to Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel. If you have any suggestions regarding excursions or other "things to do", I'm all ears!

[LisaP]

Nicolette, we'll be on the same ship and itinerary, only in April. As I research the ports, I'll let you know. Although we've been cruising for years, we've been to just one of these four ports (Cozumel). What type(s) of excursions interest you -- beaches, general touring, Mayan ruins, something more adventuresome?

BTW, your cabin choice is excellent. The balcony cabins on Caribe Deck have a huge balcony that is partially covered by the balcony from the cabin one deck above, giving you both sun and shade. The interior cabin space is fine for two, a bit cozy for three, but the space on the balcony makes it a roomy cabin overall.

[Nicolette]

Thank you LisaP for letting me know the Caribe balcony is a good size. We've never had a balcony before and really deliberated over the extra cost... your comments made my day!
As for excursions, we're open to anything people recommend as being a good choice.

[mob122906]

Since we are on the topics of mini-suites....I have a few questions.
Firt time cruisers, so we wanted a mini suite with a balcony. We will be on board the Island Princess going to Alaska. It was quite expensive, in my opinion for this type of room. Was it worth it? Does anyone know if the balconies are private? How large are the balconies and if there is seating provided?
Thanks for the help.

[BJS]

Originally posted by mob122906:
Since we are on the topics of mini-suites....I have a few questions.
Firt time cruisers, so we wanted a mini suite with a balcony. We will be on board the Island Princess going to Alaska. It was quite expensive, in my opinion for this type of room. Was it worth it? Does anyone know if the balconies are private? How large are the balconies and if there is seating provided?
Thanks for the help.

We do not feel the need for the extra room in a Mini Suite but definitely feel the need for a Balcony. For the two of us a Balcony room provides plenty of space for a lessor cost.

The balconies have a partition between them so side to side they can be semi- private but..that will depend on where you are located. The "bump" out sections are more private, except from the bridge and from above. Depending again where you are located and on which deck your balcony may be covered, uncovered or partially covered. http://mysite.verizon.net/res76zxu/p...onies/id7.html
A small table and two chairs are provided on the balconies.

[mob122906]

Thanks for the reply. That was very helpful info...especially the pics of the balcony situation. We are on the Dolphin deck...toward the center of the ship.

[Bob & Bev]

We just returned from Hawaii on the Island Princess. We were in cabin D518 which is a mini-suite with a balcony. We have been on many cruises and always try to get a similar cabin on a lower deck near mid-ships, which cuts down the rocking in heavy seas. The balcony is not covered, and overlooks the promenade deck. No obstruction. Room for 4 chairs and a table.

The balcony is fully exposed from above and from the higher decks on each side. Who cares!

At out age, we do not plan any hanki-panki on the balcony.

Works for us!

Originally posted by mob122906:
Thanks for the reply. That was very helpful info...especially the pics of the balcony situation. We are on the Dolphin deck...toward the center of the ship.

[Bob & Bev]

Correction,

I suggested in my earlier post that Dolphin deck "overlooks" Promenade deck. That is not correct. Dolphin is deck 9, and Promenade is deck 7. You cannot see the promenade from the balcony on Dolphin. If you lean over the rail, you can see a small portion of a tender which is secured above the promenade. I still maintain a cabin on Dolphin near midships is an excellent choice. Sorry about the error.

Originally posted by Bob & Bev:
We just returned from Hawaii on the Island Princess. We were in cabin D518 which is a mini-suite with a balcony. We have been on many cruises and always try to get a similar cabin on a lower deck near mid-ships, which cuts down the rocking in heavy seas. The balcony is not covered, and overlooks the promenade deck. No obstruction. Room for 4 chairs and a table.

The balcony is fully exposed from above and from the higher decks on each side. Who cares!

At out age, we do not plan any hanki-panki on the balcony.

Works for us!

quote:

Originally posted by mob122906:
Thanks for the reply. That was very helpful info...especially the pics of the balcony situation. We are on the Dolphin deck...toward the center of the ship.