I sailed on one of Princess Cruise's biggest ships. Look inside my 233-square-foot deluxe balcony room with 2 closets and a tiny bathroom. (2024)

Advertisem*nt

When I booked my 11-day voyage on the Sky Princess, I knew I wanted my own balcony.

I used a cruise credit to book my 11-day voyage through the Caribbean aboard the Sky Princess, a 3,560-guest shipthat joined Princess Cruise's fleet in 2019.

I wanted to ring in the new year on the water, but I also wanted to be able to relax in a private outdoor spaceaway from crowded pool decks.

Advertisem*nt

I opted for a 233-square-foot deluxe balcony stateroom and paid extra to choose its location.

I paid an extra $100 to choose my own cabin location, and it was well worth the money.

I selected stateroom M201, which faced forward on the ship's right side, also known as the starboard, near the front of the vessel. I didn't hear any noise the entire time, not even from neighboring guests or the captain's daily announcements.

A touch screen outside of my door informed the cabin stewards when I was in my room, so there was never intrusive knocking when I was inside. Also, the keypad used technology to automatically unlock the cabin door as soon as I approached it.

Advertisem*nt

My room's main hallway had just enough room for one person.

To the right of the entrance, the stateroom had a generously sized closet and a slim wardrobe.

To the left, there was a full-length mirror.

The main area had a queen-sized bed flanked by nightstands.

Each nightstand had two large drawers and one shelf. The drawers were spacious enough to store extra clothing, but I kept mine empty.

Advertisem*nt

The bed was very comfortable, which made my stay extra enjoyable.

I slept on an exceptionally thick mattress with four king-sized pillows and linen sheets.

A TV was mounted on the wall at the foot of the bed.

I could watch live satellite television, movies, TV series, or the Bridge Cam, which tracks other Princess Cruises' locations. Alternatively, I could listen to music or audiobooks that were preloaded on the TV.

Advertisem*nt

My room also had a sitting area with a twin-sized sofa bed and an oval-shaped coffee table.

Above the sofa, there was the room's lone piece of art: a photograph of king penguins at Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands.

I noticed that the ship was filled with similar destination photography that resulted from Princess Cruises' Sea to Sky Princess photo contest.

Advertisem*nt

There was a vanity, a mirror, and a cushioned chair across from the couch

There was a small wet bar with a mini fridge, tray with two glasses, paper co*cktail napkins, and bottle opener. I noticed that my room didn't have a wine opener.

Above the mini fridge, I saw a large drawer that contained a blow-dryer.

Advertisem*nt

The covered balcony measured 70 square feet and had plenty of room for two people.

The outside area featured two reclinable chairs and a white plastic table that was large enough to accommodate a plate and a couple of glasses.

The main closet was so massive that my clothing only took up a minor fraction of it.

When I opened it, I found around 40 hangers, including some skirt hangers. There was also a long shelf at the top that stored life vests and a decorative bed runner.

Advertisem*nt

The second closet didn't have a door, which made the stateroom feel larger.

I was able to easily store my suitcase, carry-on bag, and large purse in the closet area and was relieved I didn't have to stash them under the bed.

I used the space as a dressing area when I emerged from the cramped bathroom.

I could also take advantage of the shelves in the narrow wardrobe.

Perpendicular to the second closet, a narrow wardrobe featured six shelves, which offered more than enough space for all my clothes. One shelf had a safe that was wide enough to accommodate my 13.6-inch MacBook Air.

Advertisem*nt

I had to climb a stair to enter the bathroom, which had a tiny walk-in shower.

The bathroom's corner shelves provided plenty of space to store my toiletries, but I also could've used the shelf beneath the sink.

Advertisem*nt

The shower was so narrow that the curtain clung to my body when it got wet.

The handheld showerhead wasn't centered, which meant I had to lean on the shower wall to stand beneath the water stream. Because the space was so narrow, the shower curtain frequently clung to my body.

On the plus side, the shower had a grab bar, a soap shelf, and a shaving pedestal.

Advertisem*nt

The bathroom had full-sized bottles of soap and lotion, plus extra paper products.

The shower had full-sized bottles of shower gel, lotion, and a mixture of shampoo and conditioner. They were nice, but I didn't like the scent.

I ended up buying travel-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner at the duty-free shop.

Advertisem*nt

The service was so reliable that it made me feel like I was in a concierge-level accommodation.

Whenever I left my cabin in the morning, whether it be for an excursion or a coffee, my cabin steward cleaned my entire room and bathroom. They completed this service twice per day.

Housekeeping didn't leave any animal-shaped towels or chocolates at turndown, but they did leave the next day's Princess Patter, a double-sided sheet with all the ship's activities and important announcements.

The service was exceptional and made it feel like I was staying in a concierge-level accommodation. For example, I requested a bucket of ice through the Princess MedallianClass app. After that, my steward kept bringing ice, and I never had to repeat the request.

Advertisem*nt

When I did leave my stateroom, there was so much to see and do.

I hardly had any incentive to stay in my stateroom, as the Sky Princess offered endless activities including jazz shows, ballroom dancing, comedy, and more.

My favorite places on the ship's 19 decks were The Enclave— the Lotus Spa's thermal suite that features hydrotherapy, steam rooms, and heated beds — and The Sanctuary, an adults-only deck space with cabanas and al fresco massages.

Advertisem*nt

Despite its tiny bathroom, the stateroom had impressive storage, a fantastic bed, and a lovely private balcony.

Even though the shower was very narrow, the rest of the deluxe balcony stateroom's features made up for it.

I loved having my own private balcony to get away from the crowds, and it ended up being the perfect, most peaceful way to welcome in the new year.