Royal Princess cabin question, please help me

We are planning a cruise with my parents, who are 92, on the Royal Princess in November. My father uses a walker. I am trying to decide if the regular balconies near the elevators (mid-ship) allow enough room for him to get his walker around the bed and out to the balcony. Several cabins down, there are deluxe balconies for just a few hundred dollars more. Even though they have more square footage, I don't know if they allow more clearance for the walker at the bottom of the bed. It would be ashame to pay the extra money and be further from the elevators if getting around the cabin were still a problem. If you have stayed in these cabins, your input would be very helpful.

As an aside, we stayed in a Royal Family Suite on Rhapsody of the Seas, and he could not get his walker around the bottom of the bed. I know it's another cruise line, but we don't want to repeat that experience.

Have you checked out handicapped cabins?

Yes, they are all taken

Yes, they are all taken

Did you call Princess? Sometimes some are kept behind the scenes.

Also, check with your medical supply shop. My dad has narrow doorways in his home and we were able to get a very stable, sturdy walker that has a smaller profile than the one he was originally given, and it works great.

If you will look on the Princess website at the deck plans for the cabin you are considering you will see that the bed is not next to the balcony door so there will be plenty of room.

It's tight between the end of the bed and the wall, so clearing the walker will be tight. Basically, two people cannot stand next to each other at the end of the bed in the space between wall and bed. One person standing sideways, aka facing entrance or balcony door, is it. Maybe 2-3 feet? If he can get his walker around that no problem. Space at end of bed is the same whether it's a regular balcony or deluxe balcony. The extra space in a Deluxe Balcony comes into play in the length of the room, giving a little extra space, enough to fit a small loveseat sofa rather than a chair...

Thank you everybody for your help. Thank you Reedprincess for the information. If the clearance between the foot of the bed and the wall is the same, we're better off close to the balcony.

We are planning a cruise with my parents, who are 92, on the Royal Princess in November. My father uses a walker. I am trying to decide if the regular balconies near the elevators (mid-ship) allow enough room for him to get his walker around the bed and out to the balcony. Several cabins down, there are deluxe balconies for just a few hundred dollars more. Even though they have more square footage, I don't know if they allow more clearance for the walker at the bottom of the bed. It would be ashame to pay the extra money and be further from the elevators if getting around the cabin were still a problem. If you have stayed in these cabins, your input would be very helpful.

 

As an aside, we stayed in a Royal Family Suite on Rhapsody of the Seas, and he could not get his walker around the bottom of the bed. I know it's another cruise line, but we don't want to repeat that experience.

The only difference between a balcony and a deluxe balcony is (drumroll please)...

a couch instead of a chair.

Thank you everybody for your help. Thank you Reedprincess for the information. If the clearance between the foot of the bed and the wall is the same, we're better off close to the balcony.

I agree. My brother had a deluxe balcony on the Regal. With the loveseat it was tight in his cabin.

It's tight between the end of the bed and the wall, so clearing the walker will be tight. Basically, two people cannot stand next to each other at the end of the bed in the space between wall and bed. One person standing sideways, aka facing entrance or balcony door, is it. Maybe 2-3 feet? If he can get his walker around that no problem. Space at end of bed is the same whether it's a regular balcony or deluxe balcony. The extra space in a Deluxe Balcony comes into play in the length of the room, giving a little extra space, enough to fit a small loveseat sofa rather than a chair...

Agree. Deluxe Balcony is longer by about the width of a side table.