New balcony furniture on Caribe deck on Grand

[Gettingwarmer]

got it now, here's the new balcony furniture

 

A recent thread showed the new furniture on Caribe balconies on the Grand. It was very good of the person to provide the photos. I have travelled on the Grand several times and like the ship. I am very upset at the size of the table on Caribe balcony as this is so small compared to previously, no room at all. The chairs, although reclining slightly, are not as good as before as there are only two and not four.

 

I think it is a pity that Princess are making their deluxe balconies less attractive to their customers? Why do they not make improvements rather than reduce satisfaction? Is this furniture reduction going to continue throughout the fleet?

[jackieo]

I totally agree with you. We were on the Crown when our furniture was replaced. The table is too small for the two of you to have breakfast! The furniture looks lost on the Caribe balcony. What a shame no loungers just two part reclining chairs. The mini suites have two small stools with their chairs and as their balcony is smaller it looks crowded! Lol.

[lexyplexy]

Definitely don't like the table. Does not seem practical for the the cruisers. Probably better for Princess. Weighs less.

[PrincessMelody]

Oh, that is way too small for anything but a drink or two!! :(

[joanne1]

Absolutely, and unfortunately forgot to add it to our review . . . we loved everything about the new Grand renos - the dessert stations in Horizon (very much like the International cafe set-up), the back of the deck on 15, the One5 lounge, etc.; however, the rooms still need to be done and the balconies are very unimpressive - no need to upgrade to Caribe deck and no one will be sad about getting an ocean view room now.

 

The furniture looks very cheap and is not at all functional. You are only allowed 2 chairs, even if you are on Caribe deck so we were forever hauling out the chairs from inside so that our friends could join us for a drink.

 

Also, they have removed the rubber liners from the floor and now everything sticks to it and then onto your shoes to track around the room. Not pleased with these changes and they could be easily fixed if Princess wanted to!!!!!!!!

[shoreham01]

When I first saw the photo I thought it was a joke. How ghastly, only two chairs and a childs table. We were on Caribe deck and really loved the large balcony with four chairs and a table. What were Princess thinking to change to this furniture.

[bbum]

We were on the Crown in January in a mini suite and they replaced the balcony furniture as stated with 2 chairs and 2 stools, but the table was a regular sized full height table, much like the old one. We then went over to the Grand and had a caribe balcony, which they also came along and replaced balcony furniture and as stated and pictured they replace it with 2 chairs and a very tiny pint sized table. On the Crown we thought it was a good setup with the stools, as if you have company people can sit on the stools,and the table was pretty much the same as the one they replaced. The stools also fit under the chairs which is nice if there are only two on the balcony and you want more room. On the Grand with the Caribe balcony we used the itty bitty table as a footstool. Seemed that was the only real use for it. As always, not sure about Princess's reasoning. Can never figure out some of the ideas they get.

 

Beachbum

[bighairtexan]

One of the nicest things about a balcony to me is sitting there and having breakfast! It doesn't look as if you could get 2 plates, 2 juice glasses and 2 cups of coffee on that table. What were they thinking?

[Britter16]

absolutily, thst's why I posted that pic, we had breakfast on the abreviated!

[coops]

Great now I have to add packing a table with the rest of the stuff I bring. Hope the mini suites on Emerald on Grand aren't this small. That is crazy.

Dawn

[RickEk]

I wonder if they are providing four chairs on the balconies of quad cabins? :confused:

[resordanis]

We were on Diamond Princess in November 2011 when the furniture on the deck was replaced whilst we were in Bangkok! Could not believe it when we came back to our room and found 2 (uncomfortable) chairs and 1 very small table. We tried and tried and tried to obtain an ottoman or 2 recliners for our very large Caribe balcony but to no avail! My DH has a back complaint and could not sit at the chairs for any period of time. He said that the old furtniture (prior to Bangkok) was great. It was also impossible to each breakfast on the deck. Very strange decision!

[calbabe]

When I first saw the photo I thought it was a joke. How ghastly, only two chairs and a childs table. We were on Caribe deck and really loved the large balcony with four chairs and a table. What were Princess thinking to change to this furniture.

Oh my! What a shame! We cruise on the Star next month, SF-Hawaii RT. If they've changed our Caribe balcony furniture, I think I'll place the round table from our room on the balcony. :D

[Spendogirl]

We just finished sailing on the Grand and we had the aft BB cabin D734, here is a comparison of the old furniture with the new. We asked the cabin steward to bring us more chairs for our friends when they visited, and he brought the old chairs. They were promptly removed on the last day of the cruise.

 

The whole cruise we used the old chairs, as the new ones are so uncomfortable. They are too tall and too narrow. Horrible! They still had the old table though.

 

Also note on this balcony, it's not painted blue.. it had the teak deck.

 

[Sea Day Cruiser]

It's the same on the Sapphire now. I don't know what was there before the drydock, but now it is two chairs and a very small table.

[gcvt]

Oh my! What a shame! We cruise on the Star next month, SF-Hawaii RT. If they've changed our Caribe balcony furniture, I think I'll place the round table from our room on the balcony. :D

 

We're on Star for Mexico in Sept on Baja deck, starboard aft. Please take pictures! Will these tables fit a couple of...anything?! :eek: It's our first time on Princess - just trying to figure out what we're in for.

 

To be fair, we had a small table on RCCL's Freedom this January but we had two chairs and two loungers.

[CFD130]

Same on Caribbean Princess- Hard to believe that you pay a little extra to enjoy the larger balacony and there is no loungers or even a table- I brought the chair outside from the cabin so my wife could have a place to put her legs up and relax- perhaps if a few chairs get ruined they may put some reasonable furniture out there. Does somesone have a good email address to customer service at Princess. Perhaps email them that picture- It is worth a million words

[john_galt]

I'm in a Vista Suite (D736) on the Grand in a couple of weeks. I'll take some pictures. It will be interesting. I assume suites get the 'luxury' balcony furniture. :) Some said they removed the loungers because people were sleeping on the balconies at night.

[jackieo]

I would love to hear from anyone on a Caribe deck balcony who had a balcony breakfast on this very very small table - No way you can get six plates on there - i wonder if they bring you a separate table like they do for the balcony dinner?

 

I am travelling on the Caribbean Princess in October with friends, we have the balcony cabin so booked caribe as it has the bigger balcony thinking the four of us could relax there on sea days - i may need to bring some chairs down from the lido deck if we only have two chairs on the balcony - i wonder if Princess will object?!

[mafig]

Thank you OP for posting your picture. I like a large balcony and I was looking at Grand for later this year....(was).

Seriously, what good is that large balcony if you can't have a recliner and a larger table?:confused:

[Spendogirl]

I'm in a Vista Suite (D736) on the Grand in a couple of weeks. I'll take some pictures. It will be interesting. I assume suites get the 'luxury' balcony furniture. :) Some said they removed the loungers because people were sleeping on the balconies at night.

 

I can definately tell you D736, which is the cabin beside the one we had (D734) has great furniture. When I peaked around the balcony divider, you have teak furniture with striped cushions. I believe as far as I could tell, you have two chairs and two loungers, or it was a couple of chairs with foot rests. (I can't be 100% sure which it was) Either way.. you will be much more comfortable then the standard new furniture they are using on the other balconies. :D

 

Also, if the room steward Denys is still assigned to those aft cabins, he is awesome!

[saintgeorge]

Did I miss something ?????

 

Did Princess have a garage sale and remove all the furniture ????

 

I think we shall become proficient as jugglers - plate in one hand coffee in the other, desert balanced on the knees.

 

We spend a lot of time on the balcony enjoying the views - having meals al fresco - reading and relaxing.

 

Perhaps we shall have to start packing tables and chairs next !!!!!

 

I hope they didn't sell the beds !!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

[Dietemann]

A great disincentive to spend the extra money for Caribe deck. You might as well be uncomfortable on a lower priced balcony.

[Spendogirl]

I hope they didn't sell the beds !!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

 

I hope they DO sell the beds and get something decent. Our bed took 4 eggcrates, just to make it worth sleeping in. (I have pictures)

 

It sunk in the middle so bad, when my husband sat down his knees hit his chin. After 9 days, a new mattress arrived, only to be taken away and put back in the suite it came from. (The old mattress was waiting outside the door on the day we disembarked to be put back)

 

I guess when we were in San Juan, passengers from a suite disembarked and they "borrowed" the bed until the end of the cruise.

 

Our room steward did all he could, the night maintenance manager put in a plywood backboard on the boxspring for support, and I still to this day cannot believe they didn't have a single spare mattress on board.:mad:

 

But like all cruises.. you go with the bumps, do what you can, go with the flow and have fun!:D

[Gettingwarmer]

A great disincentive to spend the extra money for Caribe deck. You might as well be uncomfortable on a lower priced balcony.

 

Exactly as I think. The table and chairs look lost on that balcony and why pay extra for no added convenience. The photo of the new chair next to the old shows how narrow it is and looks too tight.