StaTerooms or Cabins?

Stateroom Classes

Modern Cruise Lines do Not have Classes, yeah well!

Your Cruise experience will be influenced by your choice of cabin, but nothing like the range in fare structures offered on the same ship.

First Class

Officially all passengers on the cruise are considered First Class and 5 Star and we have observed that once outside your Suite/Mini-suite, Balcony Cabin or 4 berth cabin on Deck 5 no one would know whether you had paid $20,000 or $2,000 for your cruise.

About the only difference we noted in the treatment of Cruisers who chose suites and mini-suites was in embarking and disembarking, although this was limited to choice of lounge and priority. Those passengers that had accumulated sufficient cruise days as a Elite member of the Captain's Circle Club also have these privileges, so its possible to rack up 2-5 cruises to obtain this membership status virtually for the same price as a cruiser who paid $20,000 for a Suite.

Second Class

In terms of traditional cruising (and fare structure) Balcony staterooms could be considered the equivalent of 2nd Class in the days of the "Grand Liners," purely because of cabin size and the "mini-balcony." All staterooms and cabins on the Sun Princess (and most other modern cruise ships we have heard of) have en-suite shower and toilet facilities which is hardly second class in the days of old when showers and toilets were almost invariably shared except in 1st Class.

Steerage

In terms of the traditional cruising once again and the fare structure a vary significant overall cruise experience would be enjoyed by those sharing a 4 berth inside cabins on the lower decks compared to those that travel in the more expensive staterooms with views and balconies.

Staterooms with Balconies

These “staterooms” are set out with a comfortable queen size bed (nice feather doona) a desk/dressing table combination, an armchair and also a flat screen TV and mini bar fridge.  The balcony was compact – 1 & 1/2 metres by 2 & 1/2 metres long with an small table and 2 outdoor chairs.  In our room we have a shower and toilet and hand basin.

Staterooms with "Ocean Views"

Some of these cabins on the Sun Princess have lovely large windows (on Dolphin Deck) giving almost panoramic views from the cabin with having to go outside in to the heat, wind or humidity.

Staterooms with "Obstructed" views

These are all on Deck 8 "Dolphin Deck" and are basically cabins that have a window that overlooks the lifeboats. We did here of complaints from some of these passengers about the lifeboats banging against the davits and mounting point in rough weather.

Inside Staterooms

Mean exactly that. The Staterooms themselves are furnished the same and offer all the facilities of every other stateroom on the ship, the only difference being there is just no natural light. Some can handle this - others can't.  I use a small lamp connected to a timer to switch on at about the same time as the Sun rises so that I can wake up at the appropriate time.

Triple/Quad Staterooms (Cabins?)

Inside cabins with 4 bunks.

Cabin Staff

Stateroom staff are mostly from the Philippines and are generally mature married men with children left behind in the Philippines that they only get to see after 9 – 10 months at sea. They are discrete and seemed to watch your cabin as the moment you leave they would enter and tidy up, cleanup, or turn down the bed at the appropriate time.