Star Princess Cabins to Avoid: Specific Rooms & Better Picks

A gorgeous cabin photo can sell me on Star Princess in about three seconds, but I still want to know who can see my balcony and what is happening above my bed.

These are the rooms I’d reconsider for privacy or better sleep, plus the places I’d spend my cabin budget instead.

Star Princess cabins to check first

• 9244, 9245, 9314 and 9315: Cabana rooms facing the shared Cabana Deck, rather than a completely secluded outdoor setting.
• 17420, 17422 and 17424: port-side rooms beneath the fitness-studio section of Deck 18.
• 16332, 16340, 16335 and 16343: Deck 16 examples beneath the main Lido pool-deck area.
• 17610, 17614, 17615 and 17619: aft Deck 17 rooms beneath the Sanctuary outdoor area.
• 6208, 6210 and 6212: forward oceanviews beneath the Princess Arena area.
• 10508, 10510 and 10512: rooms above The Eatery area, with a different setting from a fully residential deck.

The privacy differences are built into the layout; the noise concerns are possible consequences of the neighboring venues, not a promise of a noisy cruise. Match your room to the Star Princess deck plan for your sailing before paying.

9244, 9245, 9314 and 9315: shared Cabana Deck frontage

Skip these Cabana Deck Mini-Suites if my main reason for upgrading was private balcony time. Their outdoor spaces face the shared Cabana Deck, so other eligible guests can relax and move around beyond your own little sitting area.

Cabins 9244 and 9245 sit in the forward part of that shared-deck-facing section, while 9314 and 9315 are farther along it. They are examples within the section, not a claim that only four rooms have this arrangement.

There is still private space attached to your room, and restricted access keeps this from being an ordinary public promenade. What you do not get is the same separation from other passengers as a conventional balcony several decks above the public areas.

My alternative: choose a regular side balcony on Deck 11 or 12 when privacy comes first. For a Cabana room that does not front the broad shared section in the same way, compare the layouts of 9324 and 9325, just aft of it, before deciding which outdoor arrangement you prefer.

I actually like the shared-deck idea for someone who wants a small social neighborhood close to the room. Book it for that convenience, not for the fantasy of being completely alone with my coffee.

17420, 17422 and 17424: fitness studios overhead

These three port-side Deck 17 rooms are the upper-deck choices I’d remove first when shopping for a light sleeper. The Deck 18 fitness-studio footprint sits above this side of the accommodation.

The concern is exercise-related impact and movement, rather than simply being near a busy hallway. A lovely room is less appealing to me when its ceiling is part of someone else’s workout space.

Here is an important distinction: starboard rooms 17421, 17423 and 17425 line up with the Lotus Salon side instead. They should not inherit the same fitness-studio warning just because their numbers look similar.

My alternative: compare a suitable room lower in the ship with passenger accommodation overhead. When choosing a premium category, keep the benefits you actually need on the comparison sheet instead of treating a move to the highest cabin deck as an upgrade by itself.

16332, 16340, 16335 and 16343: beneath the Lido area

These Deck 16 rooms sit in the central accommodation section below the main Deck 17 Lido pool area. Choose a different location for late mornings, afternoon naps or a trip where the cabin needs to be a dependable retreat.

Pool-deck activity is not limited to swimming: furniture gets moved, people circulate around the pools, and the area needs preparation and cleaning. Those are the overhead activities I am trying to move away from, rather than assuming a pool basin itself is noisy.

My alternative: compare Deck 15 rooms such as 15334 and 15337. They illustrate the useful middle-deck arrangement of accommodation above and below, while still keeping the upper facilities within a manageable elevator ride.

Not reject all of Deck 16, because accommodation on Deck 17 protects some aft sections from a public-space ceiling. The central pool section and those aft room stacks are different purchases, even when the booking screen puts them on the same deck.

17610, 17614, 17615 and 17619: Sanctuary above does not mean silence

These aft Deck 17 examples sit beneath the Sanctuary outdoor footprint on Deck 18. Approach them differently from the fitness-studio rooms, but I’d still prefer bedrooms overhead for someone who wakes easily.

A relaxing sun deck still has guests walking, loungers being adjusted and crew getting things ready. Its exclusive atmosphere is a benefit for people using the retreat, not an acoustic guarantee for the accommodation underneath.

For an early riser who loves upper-deck access, this may be a perfectly sensible compromise. For someone who expects to sleep through breakfast, I’d compare a lower location before spending extra on the room.

Keep the balcony view and the ceiling on separate lines in your comparison. An attractive outdoor space can be worth paying for, but it does not cancel the location of the public deck above it.

6208, 6210 and 6212: Princess Arena above the oceanviews

The forward Deck 6 oceanviews include 6208, 6210 and 6212 beneath the Princess Arena area on Deck 7. The corresponding forward section on the other side includes 6207, 6209 and 6211, which deserve the same entertainment-overhead consideration.

Pass over those positions for an early bedtime, particularly when another oceanview costs about the same. Evening performances and rehearsals are a more relevant concern here than the generic idea that lower decks are always quiet.

My alternative: Deck 5 oceanviews such as 5210 and 5212 put a cabin deck between the bedroom and the entertainment level. They remain forward rooms, so someone who prioritizes a central position over daylight may prefer an interior farther toward midship on a residential deck.

Do not apply the Arena warning to every Deck 6 cabin. Farther along the ship, the surroundings change to other venues, Guest Services, Firefly Park and spa areas, each with a different relationship to the rooms.

10508, 10510 and 10512: dining activity below

These Deck 10 examples sit above The Eatery section of Deck 9. Farther aft, rooms such as 10608, 10610 and 10612 belong in a separate comparison against Americana Diner and the aft public-deck area.

The issue is dining preparation, furniture movement and the activity below your balcony, rather than the same sound profile as a theater or exercise studio. Give this more weight on a trip where sleeping late is part of the plan.

My alternative: compare rooms such as 11510 and 11512 on Deck 11 for a residential level underneath. You are changing the floor below your room, not simply paying for a higher number on the elevator button.

A downward view toward a promenade or restaurant structure is also different from an officially obstructed horizon. Compare the actual outlook before paying a premium, without calling every Deck 10 balcony obstructed.

My floor-plan guide explains how to align the elevators and hull when comparing neighboring decks. Matching similar cabin numbers alone is not enough on Star’s curved layout.

Cabana, Sanctuary and bigger balconies: buy the right benefit

A Cabana Mini-Suite’s indoor-outdoor sitting area and Sanctuary Collection privileges are not interchangeable upgrades. Compare the room descriptions for the category on your actual booking.

Pay for Sanctuary when its included spaces improve the way I plan to spend the trip. Not give up a room location I prefer merely because another category sounds more exclusive.

The projecting balconies around the Sphere also need a privacy decision. Extra outdoor floor area can be lovely, but an angled position can create more sideways sightlines toward neighboring balconies.

For hours of scenery watching, that panorama may be the whole point. For pajamas and a private breakfast, I’d favor a straightforward side balcony over an interesting shape that leaves me feeling on display.

Choose your walking route and room layout together

I like a cabin a short turn from an elevator, rather than one opening directly toward a gathering area. On a ship this size, a convenient route is worth more to me than following a blanket rule to stay far from every elevator.

When I do not need a connecting room, I favor an otherwise comparable non-connecting choice. Families booking both sides may sensibly make the opposite decision, so confirm the connection and sleeping arrangements for the exact rooms.

For wheelchair access or specific bathroom requirements, use the accessible-route map and have Princess confirm the room’s features. A suitable room and practical route take priority over a theoretical noise saving.

For movement concerns, my seasickness guide is a useful companion to room shopping. Favor a central position over a high forward panorama when comfort at sea is the deciding factor.

The Star Princess cabin choice that makes the most sense

For a straightforward balcony booking, I’d start near midship on Deck 11 or 12 with accommodation above and below. Then choose the balcony shape, connection status and elevator route that suit the people sharing it.

The numbered alternatives above give you useful comparisons: 15334 and 15337 instead of the central Deck 16 pool area, or 11510 and 11512 instead of sleeping immediately above The Eatery. For a lower oceanview, 5210 and 5212 add separation from the Arena, while keeping the forward-position compromise in mind.

Pay to choose a room when shared-deck frontage or public space overhead would spoil the bargain. My cabin-selection guide helps with that guarantee-fare decision.

This guide covers the Sphere-class Star Princess, not the former ship with the same name. When comparing its closest sister, use my Sun Princess guide alongside that ship’s own layout rather than transferring room numbers automatically.