C706 on Coral or upgrade?

[vacation fool]

Booked Panama Canal on Coral for 4/5/2008. Booked mini-suite on caribe deck. T/A asked if we wanted an upgrade if Princess gives one as sail date nears. Said yes, but wondering what they consider an upgrade to be? Our is cat AB and there is only AA in the mini-suites which are on Baja and at bow. Don't think we would be upgraded to a full suite from reading posts. Am I better off not saying yes to the upgrade (once you say yes, you have to take it) and keeping mine in back of ship vs taking chance I may get upgrade to front of ship? :rolleyes:

[Charliesmom]

I think I would go for the upgrade. If you look at the bookings for the Panama Canal for this coming April, you will see that 10 out of 16 suites remain. I think that gives you a good chance to get upgraded to a suite for your 2008 trip.

 

Several of the online agencies show availability of staterooms when you pretend to book. I used to be afraid to do this, but you do not actually book until you give them your name and credit card number.

 

Roberta

[vacation fool]

Thanks, Roberta. I spoke with my T/A who said it is highly unlikely that i would be upgraded to a full suite. Says more likely an AA which is on bow and not on Caribe Deck which everyone says has the best balconies. So I think for now I am going to keep my cabin. I just hate to take a chance and then be disappointed with where we end up.

[vacation fool]

Thanks, Roberta. I spoke with my T/A who said it is highly unlikely that i would be upgraded to a full suite. Says more likely an AA which is on bow and not on Caribe Deck which everyone says has the best balconies. So I think for now I am going to keep my cabin. I just hate to take a chance and then be disappointed with where we end up.

[cwestbrook]

C706 is a nice area. It's a quiet area, in a bump out, fairly close to elevators and the back deck. That's a great place for viewing and it has quite a few loungers. On the ships with aft cabins, those are very sought after. All you'll have to do is walk a few feet to access the same view.

 

You're also very close to the laundry room which I found very handy.

 

http://www.princess.com/ships/co/deck/co_caribe_index.html

[vacation fool]

Thanks, Connie. Your info makes me feel even better about my decision. Have you stayed on the Coral?

Andrea

[Ethel5]

We stayed in that exact cabin for a Panama Canal cruise and loved it. A bit of a walk from the elevators but not bad. It was near the laundry which was very convenient, and on a bump out which was great for viewing the transit. It is also near the back deck which we also enjoyed.

[vacation fool]

I am so happy to hear from someone who actually stayed in the cabin! Thankyou. Looks like we will be cruising the same month-you on the full transit, me on the partial. I have read alot about trying to go to certain decks to view the transit. Did you do that or was the view awesome enough from your balcony? Andrea

[teachergal29]

I agree about not wanting an upgrade to an AA mini on the Baja bow area. We are currently booked on the Coral's sister ship, the Island, for an Hawaiian cruise this Oct 21st. We are in Cabin C728. When booking, they asked us if we wanted an upgrade if it became available and we said no. The only thing we would accept is a full suite as and the likelihood of that was very slim. I think we will be happy especially with that back deck right outside our cabin door. C706 looks just as good.

[vacation fool]

I'm with you on that teachergal-thanks. I wrestled for the past few days as to what to do and am now sure that I made the right decision.

[cwestbrook]

Thanks, Connie. Your info makes me feel even better about my decision. Have you stayed on the Coral?

Andrea

 

We stayed in C626, which is closer than it sounds to your cabin on the Island, which is identical to the Coral.

[Ethel5]

I am so happy to hear from someone who actually stayed in the cabin! Thankyou. Looks like we will be cruising the same month-you on the full transit, me on the partial. I have read alot about trying to go to certain decks to view the transit. Did you do that or was the view awesome enough from your balcony? Andrea

 

We were very lucky that we were facing inward through the locks rather than outward. There was a container ship going through the locks with us and it was awesome to compare our ship with the container ship going up and down. We stayed on our balcony for most of it and ran out to the aft deck for a different view. They have a photographer on the locks that takes pictures of you on your balcony looking down. Mine came out kinds crummy so we didn't buy them.

[vacation fool]

What do you mean you were facing inward rather than outward? Not understanding -the cabin itself is portside. Please explain, thanks...

[Ethel5]

Two ships can go through the locks at the same time, so depending on if your ship is on the right or left side your cabin will either be facing inward or outward. Picture two busses traveling side by side. If you are on the port side of the right bus, then you are facing inside.

[vacation fool]

I just said a big "ooohhhh" out loud-thanks for explaining. So even though we are on port side if we are in the "wrong" lane so to speak, then we will not be able to see from our balcony and have to relocate? Does the ship know in advance which "lane" it will be in?