Beware Suite Passengers on Caribbean Princess

[srqcruiser]

Just got off the CP yesterday and I will be brief. Here are some of my thoughts.

The CP is a beautiful ship. Decorated just like all of the other Princess ships with classic elegance. The service and food were very good with nothing to complain about.
But there are 2 things worth complaining about. We stayed in a PS suite on the Riviera deck. If you are going to book a suite on this ship do not book anything on the Riviera deck. The Riviera deck is right below the pool deck and it was like having a herd of deer on the roof all day untill 2 AM. The herd then came back at 5AM to drag lounge chairs across the deck. Now, if I didn't pay the high price for a PS Suite I wouldn't complain. I am not a demanding person but it was awful. The second thing about this ship is by adding an extra floor which means an extra 500 people, you can't find a chair on the pool deck unless your out there by 8 AM. Besides these problems it was a great cruise, good enough to book a future cruise in a suite, just not on the Caribbean Princess

[Justmetalkin]

We loved the CB also. Note to self: Stay off Riveria Deck. Thanks for the info. We had a BA balcony on Caribe. It was really nice and I would be happy with the same cabin again.

[marktac]

One of the gifts God gave to us was the ability to locate things around our cabin that may be negatives BEFORE we booked that particular cabin. Why would anyone book a cabin under the pool area, the casino, the disco, the...well, you get the idea....and then complain about the noise coming from above?

This is like the story recently in the paper about the main complaining that he hadn't had a good night's sleep since he bought his house two years ago....right next to the main line of the railroad passing by. And then he goes on to complain about the railroad blowing its horn at the crossing, implying that they are doing it just to upset him.

Is common sense unavailable anymore? Check the cabin before you pay the cash. If you book guarantee, that is what you sign up for, and you have no room to complain. IMHO.

Mark T.

[CruiseFever]

Thanks for the info, that's good to know and the first time I've seen that mentioned. Also making note to self on that.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the ship otherwise, sorry the accomodations were not to your liking though

[Toto2Kansas]

I don't blame you for being upset about this. That is a lot of $$$ for absolutely no peace and quiet at all. Sorry to hear of your experience but it will alert others to the problems with this suite location.

[Freedom55]

To: Mark T.

I think that this complaint was to help FUTURE cruisers! I appreciate the fact that the OP took the time to give us the info. This kind of info is what these boards are all about!

[roe2ship]

I don't blame you for being upset and don't see it as a complaint just a warning for other passengers (exactly like your title stated) There are plenty of tips on the boards about cabins locations good and bad and wish you had noticed some of them before your selection. As far as not being able to find a deck chair near the pool, this is basically a problem on all lines and ships especially right near the pool, sometimes at any given hour.

[Ella2]

If you are going to book a suite on this ship do not book anything on the Riviera deck.

EXACTLY why I booked an aft suite on the Aloha deck. I've been on other ships with a suite underneath the pool deck, and it was miserable. I'm a VERY light sleeper and the noise was a great distraction.

Thankfully Princess has suites on OTHER decks, with no noise issues from above.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise anyway. I'm sailing 12/4 and can't wait!

[Mary Jane 711]

This is not really a secret, but has anyone ever tried earplugs? I sleep with them in hotels and on cruise ships and I always get a perfects night sleep no matter what goes on around me. My husband will tell me if there is a fire or something...besides he snores. I couldn't sleep with out the earplugs anyway...I learned this in a stay at the Circus Circus Hotel in Vegas once. We got a room next to the elevators and a supply room...remember..ear plugs work!! ANd they are cheap!!!!

[Princess Di]

I guess the OP didn't have a Deck Plan.
Earplugs are a great idea.
I have an eye masque that I wear on the aircraft.
If this were my predicament, I would use the eye masque as it is equipped with 2 AA batteries which drive the 2 very small speakers, through which I have my choice of sounds: waves, birds, music, etc.
Puts me to sleep immediately.

[Charlene]

srqcruiser,
Sorry about your cabin location on the CP ship, but thank you for the helpful tip!!

[Justmetalkin]

Originally Posted by Mary Jane 711

This is not really a secret, but has anyone ever tried earplugs? I sleep with them in hotels and on cruise ships and I always get a perfects night sleep no matter what goes on around me. My husband will tell me if there is a fire or something...besides he snores. I couldn't sleep with out the earplugs anyway...I learned this in a stay at the Circus Circus Hotel in Vegas once. We got a room next to the elevators and a supply room...remember..ear plugs work!! ANd they are cheap!!!!

Hear Hear!!!!!! DW says get the foam ones, not the wax ones!!!!!

[srqcruiser]

Correction: it was a PH category suite, not a PS.

Thanks for the comments! As I posted, the cruise itself was very enjoyable and will most certainly be traveling on Princess again (in fact, have already booked three more!)--Just wanted to give those who might be booking a PH suite a heads up! Trust me, we did look at the deck plan first, but didn't expect the noise level to be that high. Just my opinion, but it's a serious ship design flaw to place your third highest-priced staterooms (#1. Grand Suite; #2. Owners Suite; #3. Penthouse suites) in a position where they'll echo like Taiko drums for 18 hours a day.

Out of 22 suites on the ship (not including the Grand Suite), 12 of them are on the Riviera deck; if you miss out on one of the 10 rear facing suites, you're pretty much out of luck. On all the other Grand Class ships the PH suites are on the Caribe deck.

[StarskysmyMINI-Suite]

Originally Posted by srqcruiser

Just got off the CP yesterday and I will be brief. Here are some of my thoughts.

The CP is a beautiful ship. Decorated just like all of the other Princess ships with classic elegance. The service and food were very good with nothing to complain about.
But there are 2 things worth complaining about. We stayed in a PS suite on the Riviera deck. If you are going to book a suite on this ship do not book anything on the Riviera deck. The Riviera deck is right below the pool deck and it was like having a herd of deer on the roof all day untill 2 AM. The herd then came back at 5AM to drag lounge chairs across the deck. Now, if I didn't pay the high price for a PS Suite I wouldn't complain. I am not a demanding person but it was awful. The second thing about this ship is by adding an extra floor which means an extra 500 people, you can't find a chair on the pool deck unless your out there by 8 AM. Besides these problems it was a great cruise, good enough to book a future cruise in a suite, just not on the Caribbean Princess

Quick question....Did you book your cruise through a Travel Agent?
If so, did your Travel Agent warn you about the location of the suite? If they did not then shame on them.
If you book things on your own, I would encourage you to scan the deckplan above and below your intended cabin.
Just my Travel Agent "Two Cents" Worth.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

sorry to hear of the unwanted noise.

My in laws were booked in a PH suite on the Caribbean Princess. I think it was 404. My SIL spent many hours in her cabin as she just had cancer treatments before the cruise. She never said a word about noise from above.

What was your cabin #?

Bill

[cruisnfool]

Thanks for posting the tip......one would wonder why they put the high priced suites under the pool just as I wonder why the minisuites on the Dolphin have a totally exposed deck that is smaller than the caribe bb's. We wanted the larger room but were not happy the balcony is smaller than a less expensive room.

[spongerob]

I wondered how well moving the PH suites from Caribe to Riviera would work out. At least the balcony is private, but the trade-off of late-night and early-morning noise doesn't balance very well. Thanks for the comments.

[GE Mom]

I always look at the deck plans above and below to see what's there that might disturb us. (I bet you will, too, next time!) I also try to stay away from the elevators, laundry, anchors and any other discernable source of noise. I'm not always successful, but at least that cuts down on the noise. Sorry you had a hard time!