We recently sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas and splurged on a Junior Suite Ocean View Balcony Cabin. While we normally sail in ocean view balconies or inside cabins, this trip was to celebrate my husband Brian’s 50th birthday and I wanted to surprise him with something extra special! But, was it worth it?
In this post, I’ll share the overall look and space of the junior suite, the perks and the rough cost involved with book this cabin category.
Related Post: Symphony of the Seas Cruise Review
The Junior Suite on Symphony of the Seas
If you’ve been in an ocean view balcony on a cruise ship that’s a great place to start the comparison. The junior suite is essentially a wider version of the ocean view balcony cabin. Instead of squeezing between the bed and the cabinet/desk area, you can easily walk by your partner.
Instead of moving things around to sit on the small couch, there are two seating options which is typically a couch and a chair. I believe in many cases the couch folds out to a bed which would be great for young families! The junior suite features a single serve coffee machine…and a walk in closet. The bathroom is also larger and has a tub/shower combo.
Junior Suite Bathroom and Closet
For many people, the biggest benefit comes in the larger bathroom and closet. This can be especially true if you are sailing with small children. On Royal Caribbean, I do not believe any non-suite cabin categories have bathtubs which can be a big hurdle for parents with little ones.
Additionally, the closet space could easily accommodate a family of four. It was so large that it could also easily be used as a changing room for families needing a bit more privacy.
I recall this being a big deal when our kids (boy and girl) were at the age when they were wanting more privacy. Due to budget, we opted for two connecting rooms. At the time, the cost was less than splurging on a suite and gave us two bathrooms and two rooms to accommodate everyone’s privacy needs.
Junior Suite Balcony
If you’re considering a junior suite balcony on Symphony of the seas then you may not need to consider any further than, well, the large balcony!
There is so much usable space on the balcony of a junior suite. You can actually lounge and get some sun right on your own personal space. However, there were still only two chairs. I suppose little ones could sit on the foot stools. The balcony is a great for morning coffee, afternoon rays and a private sail-away from any port. We always have a bit of work to take care of while we cruise and the balcony makes the perfect out of office, office!
Related Post: 5 Reasons to Splurge on a Junior Suite
The Perks of a Junior Suite
- Double Crown and Anchor Points – This perk may or may not be important to you but we have always enjoyed this perk. We are very close to Diamond Plus status which offers many onboard perks that we enjoy on each cruise that we enjoy – whether we are cruising in an inside cabin or a suite.
- Priority Seating at select shows – This perk does not seem to be 100% consistent but on Symphony of the Seas, Junior Suite cabin occupants were allowed in special sections of the main theater and Studio B (ice show) which was unexpected and nice!
- Suite lounge, etc. – Many subscribers have asked if Junior Suites are eligible for priority check-in or access to the suite lounge and dinner in Coastal kitchen – unfortunately, that answer is no. However, I am quick to check-in and on this particular sailing our check-in time was the earliest available – 10:30 a.m. We didn’t need the priority check-in at all.
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Cost of a Junior Suite on Symphony of the Seas
As you may already know, the cost of a cruise, is primarily based on supply and demand. While the cost of an inside cabin will always be less than a balcony or suite on that same sailing, the price per cabin on various sailings can vary greatly.
Very generally speaking, you can expect to pay twice as much for a junior suite per person as you would for a standard balcony cabin. So, if your 7 night cruise in a balcony is approximately $1,000 (double occupancy/per person) you should estimate paying approximately $2,000 (p/p) for the junior suite version.
While double the price is a big splurge, compare this cost to a grand suite (or larger) that can start on some ships at around $10,000 for that same sailing. While a grand suite does come with a couple of additional perks, I don’t think it’s worth the much higher price tag.
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Is a Junior Suite Balcony on Symphony of the Seas Worth it?
Truth be told, the junior suite category on Royal Caribbean is our favorite cabin category. It isn’t nearly as expensive as some of the other family, grand, aqua-suites, etc., but offers a lot more space than the standard balcony room.
It’s the perfect balance of splurge and practicality for us. It rarely fits within in our cruise budget, but, if we are going to splurge for a special occasion the junior suite hits the sweet spot. 😉
Have you sailed in a Junior Suite Cabin?
If so, let me know in the comments below or join the conversation on social media.
Happy Cruising!
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