Gourmet Flyer Among all the balcony staterooms that I have enjoyed across different cruise lines through the years, this one on the Royal Princess is special – because it is forward-facing – giving me an almost exclusive perspective of the vessel moving forward. There is certainly excitement in the air during the ship’s sail away or arrival at a port, as I get to witness every detail of its navigation. However, there are also some drawbacks to this cabin’s location. Let me share with you a complete review of this mini suite, including both its pros and cons, as well as a list of similar options that you might want to look into for your next cruise.
Table of Contents
Location
My forward-facing stateroom on the Royal Princess numbered L106 is on the Lido deck (16), two floors above the bridge, on the port (left) side of the ship. You cannot have a better forward view than the 16 balconies on these two decks as shown in the picture above. (I’ll go into more details on the different and similar cabins later in this article). Right above us on deck 17 is the Sanctuary, a quiet, adults-only, paid area so there is absolutely no noise from above.
It is on the same level as the pool and buffet restaurants. If you love to hang out by the pool, this is the perfect floor. This is also where the hamburger grill and pizzeria are located. And guess what? The buffet is just steps away from the pool area. At first, I though this might be noisy, but no, the soundproofing of the double doors separating the open deck and the living area do a great job. Being at the front of the vessel, our room is also far enough from the party area. I could not hear a thing even with the music at the pool blasting.
The Stateroom
The category of L106 is a mini suite, which means a larger room with a sofa as well as an oversized balcony. The layout, however, is a bit different from the other mini suites. The sofa is opposite the bed instead of in a separate seating area extending beyond the bed. In other words, this particular mini suite is wider, while the other ones are longer.
There are two TV’s, so you can enjoy a show either lying down in bed or sitting on the sofa. Under the TV shown above is a refrigerator inside a cabinet, as well as drawers for your clothes. What I forgot to take some pictures of are the large double closets with plenty of hangers and drawers, so there is absolutely no lack of storage space.
Another difference in the layout is that the bathroom is opposite the bed versus the typical location that is by the front door near the entrance to the room.
It has a shower and tub setup versus just a shower compartment in most other cases.
I love the three-tiered shelves which hold all of the toiletries that my wife and I share. Maybe it is just my own imagination, but I feel that there is much more counter space in this bathroom than a standard cabin.
The Balcony
This open-air space overlooking the forward path of the ship is certainly the star of the show! Above is the view from the room with the door open. As you can see, there is plenty of personal space outside and it can literally fit 10 or more people in there. There are two adjustable lounge chairs which can go to a completely lie-flat position and are paired with footrests. The small round table is large enough to hold two drinks and small plates of snacks.
Princess Cruises classify these as “obstructed” because you are facing a metal barrier instead of a glass panel. I am 5’ 11” and when sitting in an upright position, I can still see the ocean, and even occasional dolphins tagging along the way. However, when laying down, all you can see is just a wall of steel, so this is where the “obstructed” designation comes from.
I want to clarify some incorrect information posted on many travel forums that you cannot access the balcony when the ship is at sea. This is completely not true. There is no restriction to its use or access, however, due to strong winds, you are advised to keep the door closed.
CAUTION: When the ship is at sea, the balcony door must be closed before you open the door to your cabin (for room service delivery or guests visiting, for example). Otherwise, you will create a wind tunnel that could be strong enough to topple glasses and even large objects.
Another note is that at night you must close the curtains so that the lights inside you room will not interfere with navigation. However, when you are in bed with lights out, you can certainly open the curtains to enjoy the stars in the night sky or to let the early morning sunrise awaken you.
Pros and Cons
The biggest pro is of course the almost exclusive forward-facing perspective, with the same view as the captain and the officers on the bridge. During the ship’s arrival at a port, you get to see every detail of the captain’s maneuver. You also have the best vantage point of every sail away. Moreover, the size of the open space mentioned above is certainly another advantage.
Wind is a two-edged sword. I love standing at the front of the ship with the wind blowing against my face. But of course, to a certain degree. If the vessel is sailing at 20 knots and there is a 20-knot headwind at the same time, it is certainly not fun to be out there.
These mini suites are great for warm weather, such as Mexican Riviera, Caribbean, or Mediterranean cruises. However, during cold weather, for example on an Alaska cruise, depending on the person, this may or may not be the ideal location.
Lastly, you can expect a lot more motion than the midship section, especially on lower decks. In fact, this particular location has more motions than anywhere else on the ship. On rough seas, you can almost feel every wave hitting the hull. While I personally enjoy riding the waves, it is definitely not suitable for someone prone to seasickness.
Similar Options
There are a total of only 16 forward facing balconies on the Royal Princess, with 8 on each Lido (16) and Marina (15) decks. That certainly makes you feel like you are in a somewhat exclusive club! My wife and I were in L106, and you can see from the deck plan above that L105 is an exact duplicate of our stateroom, but only on the starboard (right) side. M105 and M106 downstairs from us are also almost identical, but they have a slightly larger space that extends further out.
The ones at the corners – L107, L108, M107, M108 – are suites with a wrap-around that is really nice because that gives you a sideway view as well. These are classified as full suites and are a lot more expensive but come with plenty of additional enviable perks.
The other 8 stateroom in the center – L101, L102, L103, L014, M101, M102, M103, and M104 are great bargains if you enjoy being upfront and have the wind blowing against your face and lifting your hair. These are classified as “deluxe obstructed” and you actually get the same amenities as a deluxe cabin but with a small discount, due to the obstruction mentioned above.
Last but not the least, although this article is about the Royal Princess, the deck plans and configurations of all Royal Class ships of Princess Cruises are almost identical with only slight variations. The other ships in the same class that you can apply this review to are: Regal, Majestic, Sky, Enchanted, and Discovery.