Crown Princess Cabins And Cruise Staterooms To Avoid

After 20 sailings across different cruise lines, I took my first solo voyage on the Crown Princess cruise ship. In this review, I share the different Crown Princess cabins and what I thought of my balcony cabin.

Since there are no studio cabins, I booked a balcony guarantee, paying the single supplement. Surprisingly, I was assigned an aft balcony B750 on the Baja deck. 

While aft staterooms provide calming wake views, they require more walking, and you’ll feel more movement during rough seas.

Crown Princess Balcony Stateroom

Crown Princess balcony cabins are 186 sq. feet with a queen bed, a desk, a mini fridge, and a large walk-in closet. The décor felt dated, unsurprising since the ship’s been operating since 2006.

There was no sofa; you must book a mini-suite to get one. So, my cabin could only accommodate two people.

The bedside tables have two drawers and a shelf, but there were no USB plugs by the bed.

I found my queen-sized bed too soft, and it sank in the middle, but the pillows were fantastic. In the corner above the mini fridge, a large 40” flatscreen TV offered TV shows and on-demand movies.

One of the features I liked the most is the under-cabinet lighting on the bedside tables. Activated by motion, they provided just the right amount of lighting when I got up in the middle of the night.

I enjoyed these night nights in my Majestic Princess mini-suite and appreciated the addition to my standard balcony cabin.

The desk contained two large shelves, a phone, and the hairdryer was attached to the wall above it. Next to the phone were the only two North American plugs in the room. Oddly enough, they were so close together that I couldn’t use both.

If I used the one next to the light switch, the plug would hit the switch, keeping the light on.

The walk-in closet had 30 hangers, the most I’ve ever received in a cruise cabin. Next to it, a thin cabinet had six roomy shelves and a small safe, which wasn’t big enough for a laptop.

I found the temperature gauge perfectly set during my voyage and didn’t have to adjust it.

It was my first time cruising in an aft cabin. During rough seas, I could feel more motion, but I’m not prone to motion sickness. 

I liked the location on deck 11 aft. I could walk up four flights to reach the Horizon Court buffet and down five decks to access the Botticelli dining room.

The Bathroom

Adjacent to the walk-in closet, the small bathroom provided enough space for one. Open shelves were on one side of the mirror and storage below the sink area. At the sink, there was body lotion as well as liquid soap.

I liked the separate shower gel and shampoo and conditioner combo. However, the shower was tiny and had a shower curtain instead of a glass door. It did have a clothesline if you needed to hang bathing suits.

The water pressure was good, and I always had abundant hot water during the cruise.

The Balcony

My stateroom was considered an obstructed balcony cabin due to a steel support on my balcony, about 8 feet from the sliding door. Honestly, it didn’t bother me, and since I was cruising the Pacific Northwest in mid-October, it was too cold to sit outside.

The balcony was about 10 feet deep, and the two chairs and small table seemed lost in such a large space. 

Due to the location on my deck, I had the most oversized balcony, probably three times the size of a standard balcony. It surprised me that the balcony didn’t have any loungers.

In a warm weather destination, it’s a great space to enjoy room service while you take in the views. While I didn’t order room service on my cruise, you can read about my Crown Princess dining experience.

Initially, I couldn’t open the sliding door to get outside. So, I asked a room steward if the captain had locked the door. He said the doors were stiff at the aft, and I’d have to put my knee against the wall and yank on the door hard to open it. Really?

When the engines started, there was a noticeable vibration. However, once out of port, the cabin was quiet. While I was on deck 11, I wondered if it was noisier further down. 

I spoke to one guest who was on the deck below me and moved to another location due to the noise. Luckily, there were plenty of empty staterooms due to the vessel sailing at 50% capacity.

The Medallion

Another loved feature is the Medallion panel outside the room. It unlocks as soon as you approach.

Princess Cruises added a feature called ‘Princess Prizes.’ You can opt-in for a fee, with a chance to win prizes each time you open your stateroom door. If you have Princess Plus or Premier, you’re already participating.

On previous cruises, the ‘opt-in’ fee was USD 20 a day for the entire cruise. So, a 7-day cruise costs USD 140. For my 3-day cruises, the cost was USD 10 a day. 

I wondered why there was a price difference, so I asked my room steward. He said Princess only awards prizes on a sea day, which I had only one.

With the Medallion panel outside the door, I could see the number of empty staterooms. It even surprised me that one of the largest suites sailed empty.

Mini-Suite Staterooms

A mini-suite stateroom provides more square footage than a balcony cabin and has a large sofa bed. Some can accommodate four guests with pullman beds, but most sleep up to three. A privacy curtain separates the separate seating area and bedroom and has two flat-screen TVs.

Mini suites make a good choice for families. The bathrooms have a combination tub and shower instead of a walk-in shower, making it easy to bathe small children.

You can choose from these stateroom categories on decks 8 (Emerald) and 9 (Dolphin).

Should you book a Reserve Collection mini suite, you’ll have Club Class dining privileges, priority embarkation, and debarkation at the end of your cruise.

Crown Princess Interior Cabins

For my 50% capacity cruise, many of the inside cabins remained empty. While an interior stateroom is smaller at 162 sq. feet, it has a mini fridge, desk, chair, and walk-in closet featured in the larger balcony cabins.

Like all cabins, you can request the queen-size bed configured as two twins. If you request twin beds, the nightstands are positioned between the beds.

The bathrooms are the same size with an identical layout. The only difference was the layout of the room. You’ll find the bed (or twin beds) against the back wall and the desk, mini fridge, and TV at the end of the bed.

Interior cabins are ideal if you’re cruising on a budget, need darkness to sleep, or are sensitive to motion. In the latter, you’ll want one mid-ship on one of the lower decks.

Since I was on a mini cruise, these cheapest cabins weren’t priced much lower than a balcony, so I wasn’t surprised many were empty.

Oceanview Staterooms

The Crown Princess offers two categories of oceanview staterooms, obstructed and unobstructed. You’ll find the partially or fully obstructed cabins on deck 8, next to the lifeboats, and deck 15 at the ship’s bow.

Unobstructed cabins are located on deck 5, 8, and 14. The ones on deck 5 are below the Gatsby Casino and Princess Theater; not ideal if you’re sensitive to noise.

This category is slightly larger than an interior at 179 sq. feet. Again, the rooms have a desk, but no sofa.

Crown Princess Suites

I was surprised to learn that one of the suites sailed empty, especially since Princess Cruises has a bid to an upgrade program. However, it allowed me to view the Grand Cayman Suite 751 on deck 12 (Aloha).

At 344 sq. feet, it’s not the largest suite (others are slightly bigger at 357 sq. feet), but the suites have the same amenities and provide deluxe accommodations. All suites can sleep a third person on the single sofa bed. However, some can accommodate a rollaway bed.

Although dated, I was impressed with the spaciousness of this impressive stateroom. As you enter the stateroom, there is a large desk on one side and a storage/bar area on the other.

The large living room features a sofa bed, single chair, and flatscreen TV. The bedroom was just as roomy, with a queen bed, bedside tables, and a second flatscreen TV. This room also has a large vanity area, which could double as another desk.

A suite comes with the signature Princess luxury bed, made with Egyptian cotton linens and premium pillows.

One of the nicest features of a suite was the bathroom was separated into two spaces. From the bedroom, you have access to the jetted bathtub and shower with glass doors in one room. 

Through another door are the sink and toilet. This room was also accessible from the living room. 

Staying in a suite doesn’t just give you a larger space but special suite-only benefits. You’ll receive fresh flowers, canapes, a complimentary mini-bar setup, and access to a DVD library to play on your DVD player. 

You can also take advantage of complimentary laundry, a nice perk on a long voyage. One of the best perks is the complimentary use of the Lotus Spa thermal suite.

Guests staying in this aft suite benefit from a large outside deck with a dining table for four and two padded loungers. It’s the perfect place to dine or entertain fellow cruise guests.

Crown Princess Cabins To Avoid

Not all cabins are created equal. So, here are the cabins to avoid:

• Deck 15 – L101 to L104 are obstructed oceanview cabins. Positioned under the gym, you’ll hear the constant thumping of the treadmills when in use.
• Deck 5 – P318, P319, P322, and P323 are interiors under the Gatsby Casino.
• Deck 8 – Be aware that multiple cabins are over bars, lounges, and Club Fusion.
• Deck 15 – Suites L106 and L07 have large balconies, which may not be accessible during high winds.
• Cabins E712, D711, D712, C711, C712, B711, B712, A711, A712, R711, and R12 share a wall next to the elevator.

Crown Princess Cabin Review Conclusion

While Princess Cruises offered me a chance to bid on an upgraded cabin, I chose not to this time. I was happy with my aft stateroom. It was quiet and had very little foot traffic in the hallway.

My balcony was sheltered from the wind, and I experienced no soot or odors from the smokestack.

As you can see, you can choose from many Crown Princess staterooms. Whether you want one that is budget-friendly, need an accessible cabin, or one that is spacious enough to accommodate three or more, the Crown delivers.

If you’re taking an Alaska cruise, try to spring for a balcony to savor the pristine landscape from your private deck.