BD Balcony Question?

[LegalEagle2012]

We have just booked a BD Balcony on the Crown Princess on Baja deck.

 

We are travelling wtih two children - 16 and 10 - and have been told that they will sleep on a sofabed - not pullman beds.

 

Cannot seem to find a photo anywhere showing the sofabed - anyone have one?

 

Karen

[dforeigner]

We have just booked a BD Balcony on the Crown Princess on Baja deck.

 

We are travelling wtih two children - 16 and 10 - and have been told that they will sleep on a sofabed - not pullman beds.

 

Cannot seem to find a photo anywhere showing the sofabed - anyone have one?

 

Karen

 

Who told you that? Regular balcony rooms do not have sofas unless maybe a handicapped room.

[LegalEagle2012]

The brochure and the website and the Travel Agent - our cabin has an icon next to the number which shows that it accommodates a third and fourth person.

 

Quoting Travel Agents have confirmed this too.

 

K

[dforeigner]

Yes, it will accomade additional people but this does not mean it has a sofa. Depending on the room, it will have either one or two pullmans.

 

This is the configuration for a balcony type room.

 

[dforeigner]

Here are some pictures I found. Hopefully it works. Click on the picture to see a larger size.

 

[chrysalis]

The brochure and the website and the Travel Agent - our cabin has an icon next to the number which shows that it accommodates a third and fourth person.

 

Quoting Travel Agents have confirmed this too.

 

K

 

yes...but they are beds that fold out of the wall or pull down from the ceiling...there is no sofa bed, unless you book a mini-suite

[willysgrandma]

The brochure and the website and the Travel Agent - our cabin has an icon next to the number which shows that it accommodates a third and fourth person.

 

Quoting Travel Agents have confirmed this too.

 

K

 

That doesn't mean it is a sofa bed - there are quad rooms that have beds that pull down from the wall.

 

Here is a suggestion - to to http://www.webshots.com. Do a search on the Crown Princess and input the cabin number. I would bet someone who stayed in your room may have a picture of a room for you.

[dforeigner]

I found a better picture:

 

[LegalEagle2012]

Now I am confused. My TA said it was a sofa bed!

 

Also - if my husband and I want to sleep together in the "double bed" where are the pullmans situated then?

 

And - are the pullmans put away during the day?

 

K

[dforeigner]

Now I am confused. My TA said it was a sofa bed!

 

Also - if my husband and I want to sleep together in the "double bed" where are the pullmans situated then?

 

And - are the pullmans put away during the day?

 

K

 

Yes, if not, simply make the request. Please bare in mind that normally when there are three booked in a room. The bottom beds are not put together to make a queen size bed. There have been exceptions but not always.

[LegalEagle2012]

Thanks for the info -guess a call is needed from the TA tomorrow to confirm the exact layout.

 

Considering it is an anniversary cruise for my husband and I there is no way we will want to sleep apart for 12 nights!!!!!

 

K

[dforeigner]

Thanks for the info -guess a call is needed from the TA tomorrow to confirm the exact layout.

 

Considering it is an anniversary cruise for my husband and I there is no way we will want to sleep apart for 12 nights!!!!!

 

K

 

If you can afford it, go for mini suite. The ones on the Dolphin deck have a fully exposed balcony. The ones on the Emerald deck have a fully covered balcony.

 

Here is a picture of a mini suite set for four people (two on the bed, one on the sofa bed and one on the upper berth). You cannot see the bed though.

 

[mpdahmer]

There are only eight cabins on the Baja deck that can accommodate 4 PAX. Two of these are handicap rooms. I believe the only ones with couches are the handicap ones. You may want to make sure it is not as the bathroom and room are setup for wheelchair access. This may make it uncomfortable as the shower has no walls along with other differences. The room is wider then a normal BD Cat. which may be a benefit.

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[Whimsy]

Have you considered pricing a balcony room for yourself and an inside room for the children? You are going to be very crowded and no privacy. I would price it out both ways and if the difference isn't that much you will appreciate the extra room and the extra bathroom. See if you can find a balcony cabin with an inside room across the hall.

[LegalEagle2012]

Called in to see my TA and she had my Booking Confirmation which states

 

"PAX 4 Rollaway Bed. Beds Twin configuration. Rollaway bed requested - limited quantity"

 

I understood a rollaway to be a floor level bed? Does not say if single or twin rollaway?

 

TA called Princess and they stated two lower berths and two upper. When we later referred to the icons on the Deck Plan form Baja B 501 it shows a yellow circle which signifies "Will accommodate 4th person using a rollaway" also has a black triangle icon which signifies "Will accommodate 3rd person - Queen bed only" - so totall conflicting information.

 

Checking out Princess website too to see what that shows.

 

Brochure also states that lower berths can be converted to Queens in Mini Suites - but the TA said that she was told by Princess in London that this was not possible either when asked to upgrade to a Mini?

 

I feel I am receiving conflicting information here and just want to get the matter sorted out. Off to surf the cruise sites for more info?

 

Karen

[LegalEagle2012]

Seems like there are several mini suites still up for grabs - although not in such a good midships position. Have priced them but cannot get the child discount fare online - so will need to wait until Monday to sort this all out.

 

I really do appreciate the advice and help received on here - thanks all.

 

Also noticed that some of the other BD grades that are still available on Baja in a midships position show a red icon - 3rd and 4th person accommodated.

 

I am assuming therefore means that those rooms with the two icons could be a 3 person or 3rd and 4th person room? If three in a room they keep the bed as Queen and use the single pullman. If four in the room they bring in a rollaway? So this means that the bed could possible be moved into a double? Have to do some furniture removals LOL!

 

Unfortunately our girls will not sleep in an inside cabin - they love their balcony and when we downgraded on Carnival to just a window they were not at all happy!!

 

Thanks again

 

Karen

[Guest Spo]

We had a room that acomodated four. There were two pullmans out of the ceiling. They did have the lower beds put together to form a queen as we requested.

 

At 16 and 10 I think I would look for an inside very near the balcony. I can't imagine that it would be that much more than four in a balcony.

[rdsqrl]

One thing you need to keep in mind is that Princess's cabins are quite small -- I've not sailed on Carnival as you have, but my understanding is their cabins are larger. So even if you DID have a rollaway, I can't honestly imagine where the heck you'd put it -- there's really barely any floor space at all. On another note, four people (three of them adult size) are going to be really tight in one balcony cabin. If you don't book the minisuite, then I'd definitely book the balcony plus inside: I understand your daughters not liking an inside, but, hey, it's a bummer sometimes to be a kid: you just have to put up with indiginities like the kiddie table at Thanksgiving and the inside cabin. We all went through it and survived. . .

[rjack22]

We did four in a cabin one on Carnival. Never again. We had two lowers, an upper, and a roll away. But the biggest problem was four people in a very small space. My kids were 18 and 15 at the time.

 

On Princess, if you have a cabin with two lowers and one upper, and you are planning on a roll away for the 4th, be aware that you are going to have very little floor room to manouver. Even getting out to the balcony would be like an obstacle course.

 

I have to agree with the others, either upgrade to a mini suite or get two cabins. And with the extra cabin you get a second bathroom!!!

[Sandytoes]

Thanks for the info -guess a call is needed from the TA tomorrow to confirm the exact layout.

 

Considering it is an anniversary cruise for my husband and I there is no way we will want to sleep apart for 12 nights!!!!!

 

K

Happy Anniversary!!!

Not sure if this is an option. - what about two cabins? One for your children and the other for the happy couple ;) :p ?

You can assign one cabin in your name and the other in your DH's.

[cdngrl]

we have cruised four to a cabin and been fine. but we were only in it to sleep and shower. would do it again in a heartbeat to cruise all together and save a bunch of money.:)

Unfortunately our girls will not sleep in an inside cabin - they love their balcony and when we downgraded on Carnival to just a window they were not at all happy!!

would they use it just to sleep in it if they could hang out in the balcony with you most other times?

[hubofhockey]

We did four in a cabin one on Carnival. Never again. We had two lowers, an upper, and a roll away. But the biggest problem was four people in a very small space. My kids were 18 and 15 at the time.

 

On Princess, if you have a cabin with two lowers and one upper, and you are planning on a roll away for the 4th, be aware that you are going to have very little floor room to manouver. Even getting out to the balcony would be like an obstacle course.

 

I have to agree with the others, either upgrade to a mini suite or get two cabins. And with the extra cabin you get a second bathroom!!!

 

The Carnival standard balcony rooms are also bigger than the Princess ones. I originally booked the Princess Quad balcony and freaked out when I saw those pictures. We have done four in a Carnival Liberty balcony room and it was fine. But our kids are 10 and 8. In any case, we upgraded our Crown Princess room to a mini-suite. It's an extra few hundred, but I felt it was something we had to do.

 

When we originally booked the quad, both the TA and Princess people told us that it would not be a problem moving the beds together and the steward would do this on request. But then I read here that when the beds were pulled out, you couldn't even watch the tv. It just made sense to upgrade.

[LegalEagle2012]

On Carnival we had an oceanview guarantee - was an awful little cabin and the ship itself was not very nice - seemed dirty too. In total we had a most unpleasant experience

 

My daughters have both experienced inside cabins and never want to do so again - thanks for all of the suggestions regarding insides.

 

I have emailed Princess and await a response tomorrow - I will let them have a rest today!! Also I will visit my TA and see if there is anything they can do for me regarding the Mini Suite. I have the name of the person my TA spoke to at Prncess who stated that there were no Minis available to sleep four - despite there being loads available on their own website.

 

I really did not want my first Princess experience to be a bad one and hope that matters will rectify themselves. They have our deposit so we are in a difficult position. We so want to do this trip and it is the only one we can do - it only sails once this season and, as I work in education and do not believe it taking my girls out of school for holidays, we are quie restricted on timings.

 

Thanks again for all of your assistance - watch this space.

 

Karen

[LegalEagle2012]

Just so that I can have this matter clear in my head before I speak to Princess tomorrow:-

 

1. In a BD - whether ours is four single pullmans or one single pullman , a rollaway and singles - it will be possible, although cramped, to have the cabin steward move the singles together to make a double bed for me and my husband?

 

2. In a Mini Suite - the beds are configured as queen, upper pullman and single sofa bed or queen and double sofa bed? And all Minis sleep four persons?

 

Karen

[LegalEagle2012]

Visited the TA again today and had her call Princess with the phone on loudspeaker. She voiced my concerns to Sienna at Princess, who seemed to appreciate the conflicting detail in the UK brochure.

 

She then confirmed that the cabin that we have is a "permanent" three berth - i.e with twins that CAN form a Queen and one ceiling pullman. A rollaway is to be brought in for my 10 year old to make up the child bed.

 

This is our preferred option.

 

A Mini suite upgrade would cost £600 ($1200) - unaffordable at present we are afraid. This was for an AD on Emerald Deck aft. We prefer to stay with our BD on Baja midships - unless, of course, Princess want to offer us a free upgrade LOL!!

 

Thanks, once again, for all your help and assistance and let us all look forward to a great Princess experience??

 

Karen