Star Princess Review
Star Princess, California Coastal, Oct 11 - 18, Cabin C-502
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We sailed on Saturday, October 11, which happened to be the Saturday of Fleet Week in S.F this year... Blue Angels, etc. We got to watch the aerial acrobatics from the top deck of the ship after arriving early... prior to sailing. Amazing air-show, great vantage point! There were passengers on board that said they chose this cruise in part due to the departure date and the Fleet Week show vantage point.
We were upgraded from a cabin near the bow, deck 8, or Emerald deck, two days before we sailed. We received an email that we could trade up (no added cost) a cabin on deck 10, Caribe Deck, mid-ship. It turned out to be an excellent upgrade. The bow of the ship is prone to more motion in high seas (though admittedly the ship is so large, the motion is minimal)... mid-ship you tend not to feel it so much, and that was our experience. We ventured forward during the little bit of rough seas we encountered, and there was a difference, though seemingly nominal. The best part about our location was the closeness of elevators and stairs to the entire ship... that and the large balcony and better than average room-size.
This ship was designed to have more balcony cabins than most. My wife has been on two cruises before this, and can attest to the huge difference having a balcony can bring. We loved being able to leave our sliding glass door open to the air at night, to listen to the waves against the hull, and the ability to venture out at 6:00 AM as the ship reached port and set up for docking without needing to dress to go up on deck. It adds an entire dimension to your cruise... well worth the added cost in our opinion... and she would never have expected it after two cruises with inside cabins. Caribe deck is known for bigger balcony's, and better than average sized cabins. This is the deck where most of the suites are, so it stands to reason it's the most spacious and comfortable. We were in C 502, just aft of a string of suites, and close to the central elevator/stairway, which makes for great access to all parts of the ship. The room was more than adequate as far as stowage, a comfortable queen bed, room to move, and a huge balcony with a table and two lounge chairs. The balcony was also 50% covered, adding a measure of privacy.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Comfy Queen Bed, good sized room, plenty of amenities. Large balcony with semi-privacy (many balconies on Star Princess and her sister ships are viewable from the balcony above). Room included shampoo and conditioner dispenser in shower, excellent closet and storage space, hair dryer, refrigerator (though the shelves to hold items on the door was missing, limiting usable cold storage space). The TV worked adequately, and the daily previews of activities and inter-ship programming was very helpful. The fit and finish of the cabin was good, though a little unpolished. Loved the coziness, and access to the entire ship via the central elevators and stairs was outstanding. Perfect balance of cost and great amenities.