Star Family Suite (SJ) - Cabin 12018

We just returned from a CTN on the Star and had a great weekend trip.

It seems like many others (just like me) were interested in some views and details about these cabins on the Star, so I thought I would post a separate thread with cabin details. (I will post my ship review on another thread.)

Here are some interesting details about 12018.

Deck 12 Forward - Starboard Hallway

Entrance to the room

Vanity / Desk area. There is a nice backlight behind the wall mirror.

Coffee machine and supplies, DVD player and TV. You have a binder of DVDs available from the library.

The sitting area. The wooden slat divider opens out to separate the couch from the main bed; curtains complete the privacy.

From prior pics of this room that we have seen, I could never figure out what these things were....They looked like hampers or coolers. :o

Actually they are extra storage drawers with a marble top; you can sit on them. The drawers come in very handy...nice idea.

 

Eating / Meeting area

Bathroom. Besides the tub, there is a separate rain-head shower area.

 

Close up of the coffee bar... I believe we set a ship record for the most expresso pods used per day.

Folks always ask about outlets when looking at different cabins; here is the panel layout at the desk.

We always travel with the 2-pin international adapter and a 6-outlet extension strip.

There was no need for the adapter, since the panel had two 110v USA outlets.

We had no trouble setting up our gear...laptop and all the chargers.

The WiFi signal in this part of the ship was robust...a 5-bar experience...just fine

Internet speed was standard-issue pokey.

The cabin hair dryer is not in the bathroom; it is stowed (and hard-wired) in the top drawer of the desk.

Here's a caution.... this is the only outlet in the bathroom

If you bring your own hair dryer or curling iron, this is NOT the place to use it.

The outlet is rated at 20VA, which in non-techie terms, is 20 watts. Hair dryers and heating devices draw much more current.

If you try, you will pop the breaker...It is meant for electric shavers only.

The refrigerator is hidden behind a cabinet door at the desk.

Here is a picture of it empty, with just a pitcher of apple juice in there, so you can gauge the size...it is not that big or cold, but it did just fine.

Bedtime turn-down

We had two children, ages 8 and 6, in the fold out and it was just perfect.

With the privacy curtains in place, one could let the others sleep while you stayed up late.

So to summarize, for two adults and two kids, we found the SJ to be a perfect room. Since we like elbow room and space for the kids to do their thing, the layout works quite well.

Although the room is rated for 6 (with the Murphy bed providing two more sleep spaces), I think it will start to feel crowded at that capacity, but that's just my opinion.

The fold out couch, BTW, was wider that the Murphy....and you can only watch TV from bed on the foldout.

There is more storage than any other cabin we have been in. Walking towards the bathroom there are four large closets with shelves and full-length hanging areas.

Nothing ever needs to be "hanging out" in this room; you can "move in" comfortably, which would be great for a long voyage.

Hope this gives a good overview of the room and, if you are planning a trip in an SJ on the Star... I say go for it.

It really was a neat cabin and we sure will look to book it again in the future.

I would be glad to answer any questions about the room.

Thank you very much for the extremely well-written review of this room!

How was the view out the windows? I've been thinking this would be a perfect room for an Alaskan cruise... You wouldn't need to be in the cold on the balcony to glacier-gaze.

Thank you very much for the extremely well-written review of this room!

 

How was the view out the windows? I've been thinking this would be a perfect room for an Alaskan cruise... You wouldn't need to be in the cold on the balcony to glacier-gaze.

We figured kind of the same...not needing a balcony for a chilly CTN.

The views are breathtaking with all the drapes open... BUT, it is not so good for taking pictures out the windows, due to the normal salt water spray/streaking that you get on the outside of the windows.

I had to search to find a "clear" spot to shoot through as we returned to port.

We figured kind of the same...not needing a balcony for a chilly CTN.

 

The views are breathtaking with all the drapes open... BUT, it is not so good for taking pictures out the windows, due to the normal salt water spray/streaking that you get on the outside of the windows.

 

I had to search to find a "clear" spot to shoot through as we returned to port.

Oooooh... critical flaw in my plan! And it isn't like I could clean the windows myself. *hrmmm* Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it!

Thanks for the great and detailed pictures.! Have this category booked for August.

Do you think this room would be tight for a family of 4 with two older teenagers (19 & 18, boy and girl) who each would need their own beds?

Thanks for the info -- it is the best detail of that cabin category so far!!

Thanks. We'll be staying in an SJ on the Dawn - these pictures are helpful. Does anyone know if the Dawn has the same curtain to divide between the windows and the wooden panel? I have seen pics but haven't noticed the curtain that partitions that area completely off.

Do you think this room would be tight for a family of 4 with two older teenagers (19 & 18, boy and girl) who each would need their own beds?

Actually, no. I think it would be fine. The cabin steward will stow the fold up beds in the a.m., so you will have the full use of the room during waking hours.

I think with the Murphy bed down, they have to jockey the rest of the furniture around, so it would be a little tight at night to navigate the room.

Like I mentioned earlier, I think 6 in the room would be "close" but, for four, it should be more than OK.

Thanks so much for posting the pics. We're in an SJ for 2 cruises. One on the Star and the other on the Dawn. Can't wait!

Thanks so much for all the great pictures. Was the fold out couch uncomfortable? I'm trying to decide between it or the murphy bed for our upcoming cruises in SJ's. It would just be one person, so the size of the murphy bed would be ok. Although I would prefer to be able to see the TV at night, it is the mattress I'm more interested in comfort-wise. Oh, and did you have a menu for pillow choices?

These pics made my day. We are booked in 12028 on star in novemer. We are taking 3 grandkids. They have been in a suites on carnival many times and I know we will all enou this better.

The 8 yr. Old is looking forward to the DVD library. The 10 yr. Old loves her morning coffee and she will flip with the neat selection of coffee's. The 16 yr. Old will just be happy to be on a cruise.

You did a fab job of the pics.

Thanks so much for posting these GREAT pictures! We are in one of these suites for our upcoming cruise on the Dawn. Can't wait!

Thanks for the pictures. My mother and I are staying in the Family Suite w/ Balcony (SJ) 12510 on the Star for the T/A out of NOLA on 4/21/13. This will be the first time in a Suite so we are looking forward to all the perks that this comes with.

Thank you very much for the extremely well-written review of this room!

 

How was the view out the windows? I've been thinking this would be a perfect room for an Alaskan cruise... You wouldn't need to be in the cold on the balcony to glacier-gaze.

Might I suggest a balcony for an Alaska cruise?

I did the Alaska cruise with my mom and sis and we had a balcony and OMG! to just stand out there and look at and HEAR the glasiers is the best ever! :D

I would suggest an aft/corner balcony.

My last cruise my DH and I had two balconies/two bathrooms in the OS on the Jewel but I sure can't wait to see this SJ cabin next week. ;)

Big thanks to computerworks for taking the time to post the pics.

Thanks for the review and all the great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

Thank you for all the pics! I just can not wait until December.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the pictures. My mother and I are staying in the Family Suite w/ Balcony (SJ) 12510 on the Star for the T/A out of NOLA on 4/21/13. This will be the first time in a Suite so we are looking forward to all the perks that this comes with.

Have to correct the above. We are staying in cabin #12510 but it is SG and not SJ. It is one of the four cabins that does have a balcony. Two are on the starboard side and two are on the port side. It is our first time in a suite and we are looking forward to it and the perks that goes with it.:)