D deck -- Vista or Family Suite on Golden Princess

[Jeanne]

Am in the process of booking a Med cruise for July 2002 on Golden Princess. One of the options we're considering is the Vista (VS) suite, which is aft on the Dolphin deck. Anyone been in these suites before? Are the balconies big enough for more than 2 adults to sit comfortably?

Also, considering the Family Suites (XS), which are all the way forward on the dolphin deck.I understand that these have one interior cabin with two upper and two lower berths, and then a connecting stateroom with Queen beds and balcony. Is the stateroom about the size of a mini-suite? Or, larger? How's the balcony?

Any comments would be appreciated. We'd be wait-listed for all of these choices, but would like to know what we're getting into.

[Marci]

Hi, We just sailed on the Grand April 29-May 6. We were in Dolphin 115 which is the 3rd cabin from the front, so when were were out on our balcony we could see our neighbors who were in the first cabin on Dolphin which is the family suite. The only thing I can say from what I could see of there balcony is that I would have been disapointed if I were in there and didn't know that that balcony has a solid wall to the sea. You can not see out to the ocean without standing and looking over.

[norm]

Jeanne,

The "family suite" basically is two minisuites with one large sitting room and one large balcony. It retains two complete heads. On one side, the bedroom is a standard bedroom configurable as either two twins or a queen. On the other side, the bedroom has twin lower and upper bunks.

If you have two or more children, the "family suite" probably be the better arrangement. If you have four adults in your party, get adjacent minisuites instead and have the steward(ess) open the partition between the two balconies. In the Vista Suite, the accommodation for more than two passengers is a sofa bed in the sitting room -- certainly not an ideal arrangement!

Norm.