Mini Suites on Sky Princess

[upwarduk]

I have been searching for cabins on a Princess cruise.

Its a while since we sailed on Princess and Google tells me mini suites are a new catagory.

Can anyone give me their opinion please.

Any pictures would help.

We are also Platinum on Princess, so wondering if we would need to upgrade to All inclusive, as I believe we should get 240 minutes free Wi-Fi.

Edited September 13, 2022 by upwarduk

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

I have been searching for cabins on a Princess cruise.

Its a while since we sailed on Princess and Google tells me mini suites are a new catagory.

Can anyone give me their opinion please.

Any pictures would help.

We are also Platinum on Princess, so wondering if we would need to upgrade to All inclusive, as I believe we should get 240 minutes free Wi-Fi.

We like the mini suites.  Slightly larger seating area than standard cabins with a curtain divider, two TV's and a bath with shower over, rather than a cubicle.

Not sure what you mean about AI. We opt for the Princess Plus package at £40pppd (buy in advance) which gives you wifi, autotips,  15 alcoholic drinks a day,  plus unlimited sift drinks, speciality coffees etc.

[sloopsailor]

We book mini suites for the extra space in the seating area. The wife especially likes the bathtub instead of only a shower. 

[Mara4166]

20 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Its a while since we sailed on Princess and Google tells me mini suites are a new catagory.

Mini suites have been available since I started with princess in 1999.   Club Class mini suites are new.  I think these are the same rooms but in the better locations (based in princess standards) and come with club class dining.  We do like the extra space available in mini suites.

[JimmyVWine]

25 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

We are also Platinum on Princess, so wondering if we would need to upgrade to All inclusive, as I believe we should get 240 minutes free Wi-Fi.

Not any more.  Since Princess upgrade (insert joke here) its wi-fi, "free" wi-fi" was converted to "half-price wi-fi".  So instead of paying $10/day, you would pay $5/day (per person for one device each.)  Factor that into your calculation as to whether Plus or Premier work for you.  Under most circumstances, the Crew Appreciation will be $15.50 per day.  The wi-fi will be $5 per day.  So use those numbers to compare the basic fare with the Plus fare.  In all likelihood, you will see that if you typically purchase 3 drinks per day, you will break even under Plus.  More drinks that that and you come out ahead.  Fewer drinks that that and you are better off going a la carte.  But you have to look at your specific cruise and your specific pricing to be sure.

 

MiniSuites are definitely not new.  Not sure what Google is showing you.  Club Class MiniSuites have been around for at least 5 years.  Same square footage and layout.  The difference is that they are 95% mid-ship cabins, many with extended balconies on the Royal Class ships that have that mid-ship feature.  No difference in balcony size on Grand Class or Gem Class ships.  The benefits come in other forms.  Earlier boarding (which you will already receive) and a special section of the dining room where tables are set aside for Club Class passengers so that there is no wait whatsoever for a table.  I have found that the "perks" are nice to have, but not ones that I am willing to pay for.  I have only done Club Class on a upcharge upgrade where my cost per day was very low.  But when I price out the difference for published cruise fares, the difference can be quite a bit.  And more than I am willing to pay.

[Lady Arwen]

Mini suites have been around for years and we love them.  Standard balcony cabins have no sofa, you have to book either a deluxe balcony with a love seat or a mini suite with a full sofa.  There is also a Club Class mini suite and some of them have a larger balcony, especially the far forward cabins on Lido deck and Marina deck.  You are also offered a different section of the MDR where you do not need a reservation. There is also one additional dish offered at dinner.  You either feel it’s overpriced or you love it.  As for free internet minutes for Platinum members, sorry but that’s gone.  You do get a 50% discount off of the original price.  You have to call Princess to get it added to your booking, unless you have chosen Princess Plus or Princess Premium.

[skynight]

Basically if you book or add the plus fare it takes on average between two & three alcoholic drinks per person per day to break even depending on how many of the unlimited specialty coffees, sodas, waters etc you consume each day. With the plus fare you also receive unlimited internet (wifi is really free) as well as the daily gratuities. As mentioned platinum & elites no longer receive free internet minutes.

[cruisingrob21]

One nice thing that the Sky has (and presumably other Royal Class minis) compared to the older ships Mini suites are a full width dividing curtain between the bed area and couch/extra berth area.  If travelling with 3rd/4th and you want to reduce the light on one side of the cabin vs the other, this is now doable.

[Lady Arwen]

2 minutes ago, cruisingrob21 said:

One nice thing that the Sky has (and presumably other Royal Class minis) compared to the older ships Mini suites are a full width dividing curtain between the bed area and couch/extra berth area.  If travelling with 3rd/4th and you want to reduce the light on one side of the cabin vs the other, this is now doable.

Except for forward facing minis (different configuration) on Royal class,  all minis have a dividing curtain on all Princess ships. 

[cruisingrob21]

39 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Except for forward facing minis (different configuration) on Royal class,  all minis have a dividing curtain on all Princess ships. 

On all princess ships?  It's been a few years since I've been in a mini on the crown - but there was no dividing curtain - was it added later?

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Lady Arwen said:

You do get a 50% discount off of the original price.  You have to call Princess to get it added to your booking, unless you have chosen Princess Plus or Princess Premium.

Luckily, you don’t have to call to get the 50% discount, as you can book it on the Medallion App.  It should automatically show your discount price.  

[Lady Arwen]

48 minutes ago, cruisingrob21 said:

On all princess ships?  It's been a few years since I've been in a mini on the crown - but there was no dividing curtain - was it added later?

You may be right!  I’ve not sailed on Crown, so I should not assume that all ships have the curtain.  Sailed in many minis and they all had the curtain.  I’m sure someone will chime in and set it straight.

[Lady Arwen]

12 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Luckily, you don’t have to call to get the 50% discount, as you can book it on the Medallion App.  It should automatically show your discount price.  

Not for me!  Tried on the app and no discount shows up.  Perhaps it’s me and I’m doing something wrong.

[PacnGoNow]

14 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Not for me!  Tried on the app and no discount shows up.  Perhaps it’s me and I’m doing something wrong.

Really?  They fixed that problem. Well, for most of us. Maybe this was a few weeks ago?

Shut down your phone and back up. 
Delete App and reinstall, see if that helps.

If you have another cruise booked, you could check that.

 

If you’ve already called in…does it show on the App now?  It definitely should show on your travel summary as purchased.

 

 

 

[EDDY0827]

25 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

You may be right!  I’ve not sailed on Crown, so I should not assume that all ships have the curtain.  Sailed in many minis and they all had the curtain.  I’m sure someone will chime in and set it straight.

AFAIK, Royal class ships are the ones with the curtain.

[Lady Arwen]

5 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Really?  They fixed that problem. Well, for most of us. Maybe this was a few weeks ago?

Shut down your phone and back up. 
Delete App and reinstall, see if that helps.

If you have another cruise booked, you could check that.

 

If you’ve already called in…does it show on the App now?  It definitely should show on your travel summary as purchased.

 

 

 

I haven’t called in yet.  Our cruise is not until September 2023, so no hurry.  I will try delete and re-install.  Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

[Lady Arwen]

4 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

AFAIK, Royal class ships are the ones with the curtain.

I need my wrist slapped!  You are so correct!  We’ve only been sailing on Royal class ships for the past few years and completely forgot that the other ships d not have the curtains.  This senior brain needs a tuneup!

[Lady Arwen]

7 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

I haven’t called in yet.  Our cruise is not until September 2023, so no hurry.  I will try delete and re-install.  Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

Yes!  Reinstalled app and voilà there it is!  Thank you!

[sloopsailor]

50 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

You may be right!  I’ve not sailed on Crown, so I should not assume that all ships have the curtain.  Sailed in many minis and they all had the curtain.  I’m sure someone will chime in and set it straight.

 

There were no curtains on our last Grand cruise before the pandemic. 

[villauk]

3 hours ago, upwarduk said:

I have been searching for cabins on a Princess cruise.

Its a while since we sailed on Princess and Google tells me mini suites are a new catagory.

Can anyone give me their opinion please.

Any pictures would help.

We are also Platinum on Princess, so wondering if we would need to upgrade to All inclusive, as I believe we should get 240 minutes free Wi-Fi.

 

Well, they are not the same size as FVs on M class (I know you like these) 😆, but they are similar to X’s standard balcony cabins on S class, complete with a bath 👍. We have just returned from sailing in a mini suite on Enchanted, the same class of ship as Sky, and have recently booked another one for 2023 on Sky. They definitely feel much larger than standard Princess balcony cabins (remember, no sofa unless you go to deluxe).

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Lady Arwen said:

Yes!  Reinstalled app and voilà there it is!  Thank you!

Glad it worked for you. Just needed to be straightened out!  Lol

[wowzz]

The op has gone very quiet!