Covered balcony mini suites on Coral Princess

We have just put a hold on Coral Princess mini suite C214 for a Panama Canal cruise in January 2011. We definitely want a covered balcony but the Princess representative told us that there are no mini-suites with covered balconies on Coral Princess -- not just unavailable, they do not exist. This contradicts everything I've been reading on this message board as well as "Tom O's" deck plans. Did we get bad information from Princess?

We just got off the Coral on Saturday - Tom O's write up is completely accurate. I would go by that.

You got bad info from Princess. :(

Call Princess back and you'll get a different answer... :p

Absolutely bad info - we have stayed in mini-suites on Coral and Island and each time we have had fully covered balconies. Dolphin Deck aft.

We have just put a hold on Coral Princess mini suite C214 for a Panama Canal cruise in January 2011. We definitely want a covered balcony but the Princess representative told us that there are no mini-suites with covered balconies on Coral Princess -- not just unavailable, they do not exist. This contradicts everything I've been reading on this message board as well as "Tom O's" deck plans. Did we get bad information from Princess?

We had mini suites, D706 - D710, on the Coral, and they absolutely have a completely covered balcony. It is a great location on the ship. I highly recommend it. It is only few steps from the 2 aft viewing decks on the Coral. So you have access to both sides of the ship. The only drawback was it was longer to walk to the forward buffet.

Tom O's site is accurate.

I just checked on line and there are plenty of mini's (AC mini suite) in that area available. Only one on the starboard side though. Princess gave you the wrong information.

If I remember correctly, the Caribe deck minis are half covered, half not. The best of both worlds.

Thanks everybody for your advice. Almost everyone seems to really like the aft on Dolphin deck. Maybe we should change from Caribe?? Any thoughts?

Thanks everybody for your advice. Almost everyone seems to really like the aft on Dolphin deck. Maybe we should change from Caribe?? Any thoughts?

We have has a few minis in the 200 range on both Caribe/Baja. And on Dolphin deck in the 700's.

You can't go wrong with either aft/forward.

In December we were in C228 on the Coral for the Canal cruise. We loved the location.

Thanks everybody for your advice. Almost everyone seems to really like the aft on Dolphin deck. Maybe we should change from Caribe?? Any thoughts?

One of the things we liked about the Dolphin aft mini's was that you looked right down into the water. They felt a little more private.

On the Caribe Deck you look down onto the balconies on the dolphin deck and if you stand at the rail you are uncovered and the decks above also look down on you.

If you look at photo E on Tom O's site you will see what I mean.

Thanks everybody for your advice. Almost everyone seems to really like the aft on Dolphin deck. Maybe we should change from Caribe?? Any thoughts?

I was in C204 and I loved being more forward, so I'd say stay where you are. I really like being able to easily stumble (it was 5am so it was definitely stumbling rather than walking!) out to the forward viewing deck to watch our approach to the Canal. Although I love aft views, in the Canal, I found myself more often wanting to see where we were going than I wanted to see where we had been: I spent some time on the aft but not as much as I did forward. Plus I preferred the convenience of being more near the buffet, the pool, the Wheelhouse/Crooners, and the dining room. Just my $.02 . . . whatever you decide, you'll have a fabulous cruise on a fantastic ship!