Choosing a Stateroom

Why Do Stateroom Prices vary so much?

 

Cabin Pricing is subject to many variables, Each of the following variables has an impact on cabin pricing:

• Whether it is a suites, mini-suite or standard cabin
• Balcony Stateroom – Balcony Staterooms attract a significant surcharge
• Cabin Size – Some cabins are slightly bigger than others and attract a higher price.
• Window size – On the Sun Princess there are some cabins on Dolphin Deck that have quite large (almost beck to deck height) windows. These also slope outwards towards the top and provide impressive views. The remaining cabins with windows are all of a reasonable size.
• Decks above the waterline – the higher the deck the higher the price Position relative to the bow & stern (cabins amidships are more expensive). We are unclear why this is so, but perhaps cabins between the foreward and Aft lifts probably have better choice of routes when moving between decks.
• Position relative to the amenities – see comments about access above. Position relative to the lifts/stairwells – see comments about access above.
• Cabins are sold as twins.
• Single cabins are just twin cabins occupied by one person.
• Triple and quad cabins are just twins with a bunk above each bed.
• Triple and quad cabins cannot have a double bed.

Consider also the following:

Noise.

• The closer to the lifts the more passing traffic and potential for people noise will occur.
• Cabins with promenades or public open areas above could be subject to noise of joggers.
• Cabins near the waterline may suffer from wave noise in rough weather, particularly those close to the bow
• Cabins near Laundromats have a lot of traffic nearby and also as people talk while waiting their turns

Views.

Obstructed view means it is possible to see daylight out the window. It does not mean visibility of the ocean.

Inside cabins receive no natural lighting whatsoever. (Some like this for sleep ins) however there is no distinguishing between night or day so you may not wake up naturally as you would normally do.

The higher a balcony cabin is the further you will be able to see, particularly in ports.

Access to the open air.

If you are in an inside cabin you will want to have ready and quick access to open air spaces, or spaces where it is possible to see outside of the ship.

The major open spaces are the Riviera Deck and above, or the Promenade Deck. No deck on the Sun Princess is more than 2 decks from these open spaces. Which means a trip in the lifts (Sometime with quiet a wait) or 4 flights of steps. If you are amidships it can be a significant distance to the lifts and stairwells at the bow and stern of the vessel, thus a more time consuming exercise just for a quick look outside.

Inside cabins on the Rivera Deck are the best placed in this regard with only a short walk to the swimming pools and open spaces.

Access to facilities

The major facilities on the Sun Princess are on the Promenade Deck, and the Rivera Deck and above. If you are near the stairwells access to either of these deck is simple and quick if you wish to take the stairs.

Ride.

The higher the cabin is above the waterline the more rolling movement will occur in rough weather. The bigger cruise liners has cabins as much as 30 metres 100 feet above the waterline. Although the stabilisers work very effectively limiting rolling to less than 5 deg each side of the vertical (even in 8 metre swells and Force 9 gales) the movement can be as much as 6 metres from side to side as the ship rolls. Fortunately the rolls very slowly, about 4 times a minute so the movement is not as noticeable as one would expect.

Cabins in the middle of the ship do not suffer as much “pitching” movement in rough weather or big swells. A ship the size of the sun Princess can straddle 2 deep ocean swells, but does not travel as fast as them. This means that when travelling Northwest from Fremantle towards SE Asia the swells are usually on the Port Quarter (left rear) and thus the ship has a slow pitch up and down lasting about 17 seconds or roughly 3 cycles per minute as the swells slowly overtake the ship.

Conversely when sailing towards Fremantle from the Sunda Straight the ship is heading into the swells and the pitching movements become much more pronounced as the ship is doing 20 kts South, and the swells are doing 25 kts northwards. This the ship will impact each swell every 7 seconds or so.

 

The difference in pitching is very evident in the upper deck swimming pools where a significant slop develops and the pool levels are lowered or closed on the south bound voyage after passing through the Sunda Straight.

There are no swells of any significance in the Indonesian Archipelago or the Malacca Straights.