Review/Photos of Family Suite on Sapphire Princess

We just returned yesterday from our Mexican Riviera cruise on the Sapphire Princess. We are a family of four and were booked in an AD minisuite and a GG obstructed oceanview. This was going to be our first minisuite and first platinum cruise. About a week before the cruise, we were offered a complimentary upgrade to the Family Suite. We decided to take it in order to get the suite perks. We knew the Family Suite was all the way forward but didn't know much else when we accepted.

The Family Suite is essentially a mini-suite (D104) that's connected to an inside room (D100) by a fairly large sitting room area. (There's another Family Suite on the starboard side which is D105 and D101 ). Each room has its own door to the hallway and its own bathroom. D104 has the standard mini-suite size bathroom and D100 has the standard inside size bathroom.

As other posters have noted, the down sides to the Family Suite are (1) its location (as far forward as you can go) and (2) the fact that the balcony is too windy to use except when the ship is not moving. If you are sensitive to motion, you would not like this location. We don't usually have a problem, and we were fine except for one day during Tropical Storm Patricia when we had an unusual amount of motion.

We really enjoyed the suite perks, such as the free laundry and internet, and the breakfast at Sabatini's. We also took advantage of the in suite dining one night since we didn't want to do the formal nights. We enjoyed the upgraded sheets/towels/robes/pillows and the deluxe canapes. We also were invited to a special reception with hors d'oeuvres in Skywalkers before dinner (we only did that once because we had early seating at 5:45 pm and didn't have sufficient time or appetite -- especially after doing afternoon tea!)

I could not see paying the full suite fare for the Family Suite, especially for four people. If we were offered the free upgrade again, would we take it? DH says definitely yes for the suite perks. I would have to think about it a little more. I guess what it comes down to is that I like the balcony more than DH, so I was more bugged by the inability to use it. So for me it would depend in the itinerary and times in port, so I could weigh the balcony issue in deciding.

Here are some photos:

Mini-Suite side:

Now the Inside Room :

I'll add more pictures in the next post.

Here are pictures of the sitting room area:

And the balcony:

View looking up from the balcony:

Here's the usual position of the balcony furniture while the ship is moving:

And the balcony during Tropical Storm Patricia:

Hi junglejane

we were in the familysuite on diamond princess in march, the suite perks were great but like you we like to use the balcony a lot,but it could not be used at sea, and as we were on tours when in port we only used it when we got back from our tours to watch the ship leave port.

I wrote to princess when we got back to the uk as we paid £12000 for two couples and they refunded £850 per couple as a goodwill payment.

They also said they were looking into putting some glass wind deflecters at the front of the balcony.

Glad to hear you got some compensation. They certainly don't warn you about the windy balcony. Otherwise, it would be a better option.:)

In the forward family suite does the inside room have a sink & shower in the room & can the bed in the mini suite side be made into 2 separate beds? Thank you, seadeck2

Thanks for posting. We were considering a family suite, but after hearing your comments about the windy balcony, I think we would rather have 2 cabins.

In the forward family suite does the inside room have a sink & shower in the room

 

YES

Just like a regular inside room but with upgraded ammenities

 

& can the bed in the mini suite side be made into 2 separate beds?

 

YES

The photo of the kids hair is priceless!

...

I know this post is three years old; however, we are booked in a family suite; so the balcony pictures are good. I think they do has some sort of glass on the balcony. Anyone who's stayed in one recently, please chime in

Thanks for the review and photos.

We did the family suite on the Grand in April- there was no glass on the balcony- if spending a lot of time on the balcony is important to you on sea days you would probably be disappointed. Our furniture was tied down most of the time- it is a very nice large balcony for port days and really calm days!

We did the family suite on the Grand in April- there was no glass on the balcony- if spending a lot of time on the balcony is important to you on sea days you would probably be disappointed. Our furniture was tied down most of the time- it is a very nice large balcony for port days and really calm days!

thanks, we will be taking Emerald in family suite to Alaska. We don't have many sea days; port intensive cruise; so balcony won't be used a whole lot. We are using the suite to house our two grandkids plus wife and I.