Picking the right stateroom for you and your family can be a tough job. Do you save some money and go with an indoor cabin with no view, or do you spend a little more to get a cozy balcony so you can wake up and say hi to a beautiful ocean right in front of your eyes? Cruises are just getting bigger and bigger, and this also means that there are more and more accommodation options inside these sea juggernauts.
Princess Cruise Line is a fairly classy, old-time company, and we can see that reflected in their room categories as well. They keep it simple and easy to understand, and we thank them for that. Princess Cruises offers only four category types, and they are:
- Inside
- Ocean View
- Balcony
- Suites
See? Easy! They also offer a few sub-categories, but not as many as you’d find on other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or Norwegian. Also, keep in mind that prices for Princess Cruise cabins can vary significantly, especially the ocean view rooms. Sometimes an ocean view cabin is as cheap as an inside cabin, and sometimes they are much more expensive, even costing more than a balcony!
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There are a loooot of balcony cabins onboard Princess Cruises, but very few suites. In fact, suites most of the time make up for only about 3-5% of the rooms available on their ships! Theat does increase the time of suites significantly if you don’t book months in advance. The good news? Suites are good and comfortable, but don’t rank amongst the best of the best when it comes to cruise lines, so don’t feel bad if you manage to “only” get a nice balcony.
Princess Cruise Line Cabin Types
Inside Cabins onboard Princess Cruise Line
- Good for: small groups and single passengers, those that won’t stay a lot of time inside their rooms, if you want to save a lot of money.
- Room for: 1-4 passengers
- Price: $$
- Starting price per guest for a 7-Night Princess Cays, San Juan, St Thomas cruise onboard Sun Princess: $1700
Inside cabins are some of the most popular options onboard a cruise ship. They offer the most affordable accommodation, without natural light, in an area ranging from 161 to 240 square feet, depending on your cabin sub-category and ship of choice. These cabins are simple and functional, ideal for those who don’t plan to spend much time in their rooms and prefer to explore the ship, returning only late at night to sleep.
While many agree there’s nothing particularly special about inside cabins on Princess Cruises, they are at least slightly larger compared to those of their main competitors.
Ocean View Cabins onboard Princess Cruise Line
- Good for: small groups, those that want some natural light coming in.
- Room for: 1-4 passengers
- Price: $$$
- Starting price per guest for a 7-Night Princess Cays, San Juan, St Thomas cruise onboard Sun Princess: $2100
These rooms are usually the same size as an inside room, with the main difference being that they come with a window (that cannot be opened) that allows some natural light to enter. Ocean view cabins are becoming increasingly rare, and some Princess Cruises ships don’t even have them anymore. Because of their rarity, especially on ships like Sun Princess, their prices can be unpredictable: sometimes you can find a very cheap ocean view cabin at the same price as an inside cabin, and other times they are much more expensive, costing as much as a balcony cabin.
In our example above for the Sun Princess cruise, only the Ocean View Premium room is available, which explains the high price. These are beautiful rooms, measuring around 204 square feet.
Balcony Cabins onboard Princess Cruise Line
- Good for: those that want a balcony to enjoy a nice breeze, those that want a room that will offer everything they need for a nice and romantic vacation.
- Room for: 1-4 passengers
- Price: $$$
- Starting price per guest for a 7-Night Princess Cays, San Juan, St Thomas cruise onboard Sun Princess: $2900
Balcony cabins are the most popular options on cruise lines, especially on Princess Cruises. These cabins offer all the amenities of standard rooms but come with - your own personal balcony, which is a great (and romantic) way to enjoy your vacation.
A typical balcony cabin on Sun Princess measures around 226 square feet, but Princess Cruises also offers what they call mini-suites, which are essentially larger balcony cabins measuring around 310 square feet.
Suites onboard Princess Cruise Line
- Good for: those that want a balcony to enjoy a nice breeze, if you like the perks offered, if you manage to get a great price by booking (very) early.
- Room for: 1-3 passengers
- Price: $$$$$
- Starting price per guest for a 7-Night Princess Cays, San Juan, St Thomas cruise onboard Sun Princess: $5000
As we mentioned before, suites are really rare on Princess Cruises, and tend to sell out rather fast. Demand is high, which explains the $5000 price in our simulation above. Most of the time, guests do not care to book a suite, and, with Princess, only do it in special occasions to either celebrate an anniversary or something similar.
You also get special perks if you stay in a suite, like:
- Priority Disembarkation (with an exclusive disembarkation lounge)
- Priority Embarkation (for some suite subcategories only)
- Complimentary Laundry
- Priority Onboard Shore Excursion Reservations
- Priority Line at the Guest Service Desk
- Exclusive Elite Lounge with Complimentary hors d'oeuvres on select ships
- Exclusive Reserve Dining in the Main Dining Room for breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch on sea days
- Priority Specialty Dining Reservations
- Upgraded Priority Room Service Menu with full lunch and dinner offerings
Choosing your ideal Stateroom aboard Princess Cruise Line
This is a tough one, honestly! Prices can vary significantly when it comes to cruises, especially with Princess Cruises. During my research on prices and different itineraries, I found everything from ocean view cabins costing the same as inside cabins to balcony cabins priced only $200 more than inside cabins. I also discovered that suite prices can fluctuate greatly depending on the itinerary. In our example above, the suite price was one of the highest, which could be due to it being a February trip on Princess Cruises' most hyped ship - Sun Princess.
Before anything else, you should definitely check the average prices for rooms or contact Famvia so we can assist you. Room sub-categories also vary significantly by ship and may not always be available. In our simulation above, there were very few options for balcony rooms and suites. I’m not sure if most rooms were already booked or if the website just bugged out on me. Errr I’ll let you know that the Princess Cruises website isn’t exactly known for being stable.
With all that said, I’d probably opt for a balcony cabin. They’re a safe bet and offer everything you need for a great vacation. If you’re traveling with Princess, there’s a good chance you’re also traveling with just your significant other, and balcony cabins are both romantic and relatively spacious.
Depending on the price and if you book well in advance, you might also want to check for discounts on ocean view cabins or even suites. Sometimes, suites are only slightly more expensive than a regular balcony, making it a great opportunity to book one of those amazing rooms.
Most of the time, though, I wouldn’t opt for a suite. You know what you could do instead? Skip the suite, get a balcony cabin, and use the extra money to upgrade your cruise fare to Princess Plus or Princess Premier. You’ll get some nice perks like Wi-Fi and a drink package, which might be more useful and enjoyable than what you’d get with a full suite.
Locations
Just as important as choosing your cabin category, choosing the right location can also impact the quality of your cruise. Let’s see some of them
Midship cabins
This is a safe and often considered the best option for many cruisers. Being in the middle of the ship means you're conveniently close to everything, especially the elevators. Another good perk? Cabins in the middle of the ship experience less motion, making them ideal for those prone to seasickness during a cruise.
Aft balcony
These are the rooms located at the aft (back) of the ship. Specifically, these rooms overlook the stern (back) of the ship rather than the sides. Aft rooms often have larger balconies and offer a serene view of the waves generated by your vessel. They are also generally quieter than rooms in the middle of the ship, making them a good choice for those seeking less noise. The main drawback is that they can be a bit farther from the elevators.
The Bow
The bow is also known as the front of the ship. Some cabins are actually cheaper in this location, and the reason is simple: this is the area that shakes the most. If you often feel seasick, avoid cabins located on the front of the ship at all costs. Cruise passengers prone to motion sickness should search for a room in the middle of the ship, and usually on higher levels.
Hump Balconies
These are the rooms located on the outward curves of the ship's outline. They feature larger balconies compared to standard balconies, often at the same price. Another advantage is that these rooms are typically situated in the middle of the ship, offering two good perks for a great deal.
Connecting cabins
Many rooms offer connecting cabins, which are especially common for interior cabins. Connecting cabins provide extra space, effectively doubling the size of the room and accommodating up to ten people in total. And guess what? You get an extra bathroom too!
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