Discovery Princess Cabins: The Best & Worst Rooms on the Ship

Discovery Princess is the newest ship in the Princess fleet, and the last to be built in the Royal class, which has spanned a decade of ship-building for the cruise line. She is an outstanding ship packed with features and offers some really comfortable accommodation.

While the Royal class ships are all pretty similar, there are a few differences between them. However, Discovery Princess is an identical sister ship to Enchanted Princess, providing the same great options for cabins as well as the same entertainment.

But as with any cruise ship, some cabins are better than others. There are some that you should make sure you book if they’re available, and others that you may want to avoid, depending on your preferences.

I’ve spent over eight hours looking over all the deck plans for Discovery Princess, as well as checking in with thoughts from the first guests to have sailed on her via cruise forums and social media.

So, here’s a handy guide to Discovery Princess rooms to help you find the perfect one for your cruise.

Discovery Princess Cabin Types

When selecting your cabin, there are six main types to choose from on Discovery Princess. While some have sub-classes, these are broadly how the cabins are categorised.

Accommodation	Sleeps	Size (incl. balcony if it has one)
Interior	2 to 4	166 to 175 sq ft
Premium Oceanview	2	172 sq ft
Balcony	2 to 4	222 to 251 sq ft
Deluxe Balcony	2 to 4	233 to 312 sq ft
Mini-Suite	2 to 4	299 to 558 sq ft
Suite	2 to 5	440 to 1507 sq ft

Not sure which is the best cabin for your holiday? There’s no single right answer, because it depends on how you prefer to cruise, what your budget is, and who you’ll be sailing with.

So, let’s dive into the details of the different cabin types so that you can make an informed decision.

But before we do that, make sure you grab a copy of my checklist, so you can always avoid booking a bad cabin when you book a cruise, no matter the cruise line or ship.

Discovery Princess Inside Cabins

If you’re looking to spend the least amount of money on your cruise holiday, consider an inside or interior cabin. These rooms are completely enclosed on all four sides – there are no windows.

They’re also usually the smallest rooms on the ship, although not always – some of the rooms are a little bigger, so if space is important make sure to pick one of those.

No windows of course means no natural light – you’ll spend all of your cabin time under the artificial glow of a lightbulb. This may not bother you at all – especially if you’re the kind of person who uses their cabin just as a place to sleep and get ready.

There’s always an open deck with plenty of natural light just a short walk away, after all. But for others, it may be too off-putting to not have any window or outside view.

In an inside cabin, the beds are laid out as twin as default, but they’re called zip and lock beds, meaning they can be zipped together to create a large double if you prefer.

Some inside cabins can sleep up to 4 people, and they’ll have Pullman beds as the extra beds. Pullman beds are extra beds that are either attached to the wall and fold down, or they’re hidden in the ceiling and can be pulled down. While adults could in theory use these, they are really better left for children.

On Discovery Princess, the Pullman beds in inside cabins are the wall-mounted kind, but in higher cabin grades you may get the ceiling ones. 

The ceiling ones are preferred because, in the limited space of a cruise cabin, it’s easy to bump your head on a wall-mounted one even when folded away. Many people on cruise forums recommend taking along some colourful tape to stick to the corner, just as an extra warning to stop you from hurting yourself as you sit up from the main beds below.

Discovery Princess Inside Cabin Grades

On every Princess Cruises ship, the cabins are given a grade that consists of two letters, to tell you more about the room. The first letter is the type of room, and the second lets you know where it is on the ship.

Inside cabins are, helpfully, given the first letter of I. The second letter then runs from A through to F, with IA being considered the best interior rooms and IF the least desirable.

In reality, there’s not a lot of difference between the actual rooms, it’s more to do with their location, and how close they are to different amenities.

And that does have a bearing on the cost. An IF cabin will be cheaper than an IA one. If you want the best location for your inside cabin you will need to pay a little more.

Grade	Sleeps up to	Average size (sq ft)
IA	4	166 – 175
IB	4	166 – 175
IC	4	166 – 175
ID	4	166 – 175
IE	4	166 – 175
IF	2	166

Discovery Princess Oceanview Cabins

Most of the Royal class ships in the Princess Cruises fleet don’t have oceanview cabins – they tend to instead skip straight from inside to balcony. However Discovery Princess, like her sister ship Enchanted Princess – does have a handful (just six!).

And they’re pretty cool too. These aren’t the small windows you’ll get in a lot of other cruise lines’ oceanview cabins, but instead are huge floor-to-ceiling slanted windows, giving you a ton of natural light.

They’re forward-facing, so your window faces the front of the ship, which isn’t really the best view on board. Most people prefer to look out over the wake. But, the angled window and extra light make the rooms feel much bigger than they actually are.

However, that slanted window has a drawback – there’s no option for Pullman beds in these rooms, they’re designed for only two people. If you’re travelling with family then you’ll either need to book more than one of these rooms or choose a different class. There’s also one of the six that is wheelchair accessible.

Discovery Princess Ocean View Cabin Grades

The Ocean View rooms on Discovery Princess are grade O6.

Grade	Sleeps	Size
O6	2	172 sq. ft.

Discovery Princess Balcony Cabins

Most people who want to enjoy a bit of natural light on their Discovery Princess cruise are going to book a balcony cabin. These give you your own private area to enjoy the views and fresh air, as well as a little bit of extra space for your room in general. Your balcony is connected to your cabin via sliding doors.

The vast majority of cabins on Discovery Princess have a balcony, but not all balconies are created equal. There are suites with much larger balconies, while some cabins just have slightly bigger ones due to the layout of the ship. If you choose the cheapest balcony cabin, don’t expect to have loads of room to relax outside.

And a balcony cabin doesn’t guarantee you an amazing view, either. Some have obstructed views, though you’ll be told of this when you book, so you won’t get a surprise.

There are five different types of balcony cabin on Discovery Princess:

• Balcony
• Balcony with Obstructed View
• Deluxe Balcony
• Deluxe Balcony with Obstructed View
• Premium Deluxe Balcony

The cabins with obstructed views are situated on Deck 8, which is where the lifeboats are hung. Every balcony cabin that’s close to a lifeboat is considered to have an obstructed view, even if you actually have a view between the lifeboats. So, you can be clever and save some money if you book one of these – more on that later.

Discovery Princess Balcony Cabin Grades

Grade	Type	Sleeps up to	Average size (sq ft)
D4	Premium Deluxe Balcony	4	242 – 312
DA	Deluxe Balcony	3	233
DB	Deluxe Balcony	4	233
DC	Deluxe Balcony	4	233
DD	Deluxe Balcony	4	233
DE	Deluxe Balcony	4	233 – 252
DF	Deluxe Balcony	4	233 – 255
BA	Balcony	2	222 – 237
BB	Balcony	4	222
BC	Balcony	4	222 – 231
BD	Balcony	4	222
BE	Balcony	4	222
BF	Balcony	4	222
DW	Deluxe Balcony (Obstructed)	4	233 – 360
BW	Balcony (Obstructed)	4	222 – 251

While I said that the Discovery Princess is identical to Enchanted Princess, here’s where there is actually a very slight difference. Discovery Princess has a DD grade of cabin, while Enchanted Princess skips this for some reason. It’s a little odd.

Standard Vs. Deluxe Vs. Premium Deluxe Balcony

There are two main differences between Standard, Deluxe and Premium Balcony cabins on Discovery Princess.

The first is simply the space that you get. A Deluxe Balcony cabin is around 5% bigger than a Standard, while a Premium Deluxe Balcony is normally around 5% bigger than a Deluxe, though some have even more room.

The second difference is in the sleeping options for the 3rd and 4th berths. A Standard Balcony cabin has the Pullman beds, while in a Deluxe and Premium Deluxe you’ll get a sofa bed for the 3rd berth. Any that sleep 4 still have one Pullman, but the sofa bed is preferable especially if you have young children that you don’t want to risk rolling out of the bed.

Take a look at this video to see what you can expect from the top grade of balcony room on Discovery Princess – the Premium Deluxe Balcony…

Discovery Princess Mini-Suites

If you like the idea of booking a suite for your cruise holiday but your budget isn’t going to stretch all the way to a full-blown suite experience, then a Mini-Suite could be ideal.

They’re essentially a stepping stone from Balcony to Suite, getting you some (but not all) the benefits you’d get with the ship’s more expensive rooms, including extra space.

Discovery Princess Mini-Suite Perks:

• A separate sitting area, where you’ll find the sofa bed and a coffee table
• A dividing curtain to turn the sitting area into a separate, second bedroom
• A second TV – as well as the one facing the sofa, there’s one facing the bed(s)
• A bigger bathroom that includes a better shower and a bathtub
• Space for four chairs on the balcony (instead of two)
• A glass of Champagne when you first board at the start of your holiday

Discovery Princess Mini-Suite Grades

Grade	Type	Sleeps up to	Average size (sq ft)
M1	Club Class Mini-Suite	4	299 – 329
M6	Premium Mini-Suite	3	319
MA	Mini-Suite	4	299 – 329
MB	Mini-Suite	4	299 – 329
MC	Mini-Suite	4	299
ME	Mini-Suite	4	299
MF	Mini-Suite	3	299

Club Class Mini-Suites

If you’ve got a little bit more left in the budget when looking at a Discovery Princess Mini-Suite, consider a Club Class Mini-Suite or a Premium Mini-Suite. Despite the name, the Premium Mini-Suite is considered part of the Club Class.

That means that no matter which you book, you’ll get the same extra perks as well as much more space than a typical Balcony cabin.

Discovery Princess Club Class Mini-Suite Perks:

• Priority queuing for embarkation and disembarkation at the start and end of your cruise
• A half-bottle of red and half-bottle of white wine waiting in your room on the first day
• Complimentary canapes in the evening, if you ask for them
• A better bed with more premium sheets and a thicker duvet
• Your own luxury bathrobes to use during your cruise
• Priority reservations for speciality restaurants on-board
• Club Class Dining – a reserved area of the Main Dining Room that has an extended menu

To see how the Mini-Suite and Club Class Mini-Suite perks compare to the full Suite benefits, don’t miss my guide to Princess Cruises Suite Perks.

Discovery Princess Suites

Looking for the absolute best accommodation that you can possibly enjoy for your Discovery Princess cruise? Then you’ll be wanting to know more about the Suites. These spacious, luxurious rooms also unlock a heap of perks to make your stay even more comfortable.

Here are just some of the perks you can enjoy with your Suite booking on Discovery Princess, although these do vary by the type of suite you pay for.

Discovery Princess Suite Perks:

• Priority queues at the shore excursions desk – beat the rush!
• A fully-stocked mini-bar that is free to enjoy
• Special events reserved for Suite guests
• Upgraded room service menu options
• Free laundry and dry cleaning services

To see all the perks you get for every type of Suite, check out this guide.

Discovery Princess Suite Grades

There are seven different Suite grades on Discovery Princess, with six different types of Suite to choose from.

Grade	Type	Sleeps up to	Average size (sq ft)
S0	Sky Suite	5	1727 – 1792
S2	Owner’s Suite	4	587 – 682
S3	Penthouse Suite	4	587 – 682
S4	Penthouse Suite	4	440
S5	Premium Suite	4	554
S6	Vista Suite	3	484 – 527
S7	Window Suite	3	710

Window Suites

It’s very rare to find a suite on any cruise line that doesn’t have a balcony, but Discovery Princess does things a little differently. And you don’t miss out too much with a Window Suite, since the windows wrap around the room and offer stunning views over the front corners of the ship.

This video shows a Window Suite on Sky Princess, but they’re sister ships so the suite is identical:

Vista Suites

Vista Suites are another slightly quirky option, in that they’re bigger than a Club Class Mini-Suite but they just have one room, without a separate sitting area (and so no second TV either).

But, you do get a large wardrobe, which isn’t too common on a cruise ship – ideal for properly hanging your formalwear.

This video shows a Vista Suite on Enchanted Princess which is identical to the Vista Suites on Discovery Princess:

Premium Suites

Premium Suites are essentially the same layout as a Club Class Mini-Suite, but bigger. There are eight of these, situated at the front corners of the ship on Decks 9 to 12, with a good-sized balcony.

Here’s what a Premium Suite looks like Again, the video is from sister ship Enchanted Princess, but the Suites are identical.

Penthouse Suites

Penthouse Suites are found in two different locations on Discovery Princess – the aft corners on Decks 9 to 15, and mid-aft on Deck 14.

Penthouse Suites all sleep up to 4 guests and are really luxurious. If you want the biggest balcony on a Penthouse Suite, then choose one on Deck 9.

Here’s a fantastic video of an S3 Penthouse Suite on Discovery Princess for you:

I suggest also taking a look at this video of an S4 Penthouse Suite, to see how they compare.

Owner’s Suites

Often on a ship, the Owner’s Suite is considered the best accommodation possible. While that’s not true on Discovery Princess, they are still incredibly special.

Large wrap-around balconies offer stunning views across the wake of the ship. Just be aware that they are located directly above the Vista Lounge, but you shouldn’t hear much of the live music below.

Sky Suites

The Sky Suites on Discovery Princess are genuinely amazing. They each have a massive balcony – more than 1,000 square feet of space – without an outdoor TV and various decking furniture including your own cuddle chair where you can relax.

The insides of the room are pretty special too. Overall, they’re very expensive, but if you can afford it they will make your cruise even more special than you ever thought possible.

Take a look at this video of one of the two Sky Suites on Discovery Princess and you’ll see what I mean…

Special Cabin Types

Here are some more rooms that you may wish to consider on Discovery Princess…

Discovery Princess Aft Rooms

Most cruise ship passengers who’ve tried a few different ship locations will say that their favourite location is the aft of a ship. Because you’re at the rear of the ship you get a great view over the wake as you sail, and you’re also more shielded from the wind. Aft rooms tend to be larger too.

Discovery Princess has these options for aft-facing rooms:

• Premium Deluxe Balconies – Located on Decks 8 to 15
• Penthouse Suites – Located on Decks 9 to 15
• Owners Suites – Located on Deck 8

Discovery Princess Connecting Rooms

Connecting rooms are pretty self-explanatory – these rooms are connected together by a door that remains locked unless a party books both and asks for it to be unlocked.

There’s a good option for traveling in a larger group, since you can essentially turn two separate rooms into one larger one.

On Discovery Princess, there are various different combinations of room available with connecting doors:

• Two Interior rooms
• Two Standard Balcony rooms
• A Standard Balcony and a Deluxe Balcony
• A Standard Balcony and a Mini-Suite
• Two Deluxe Balcony rooms
• Two Premium Deluxe Balcony rooms
• Two Mini-Suites

Not every room can sleep up to 4 guests, some are only suitable for 2 people. So don’t assume that, as a party of 6 people, you can book two rooms and be fine. Make sure to check the rooms before you call to book by looking at the symbols on the Discovery Princess deck plan.

Discovery Princess Accessible Rooms

Generally, cruise ship rooms aren’t huge, especially if you want to book an inside room. So, if you’re a wheelchair user, you’ll definitely want to buy one of the accessible rooms that has been designed with wider doors, a little extra space and a wet room with handrails.

There are only a handful on the ship, so make sure you only book one if you use a wheelchair or scooter, or are travelling with someone who does.

On Discovery Princess you’ll find accessible cabins on these decks:

• Interior – Decks 8 & 9
• Oceanview – Deck 17
• Balcony – Decks 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15
• Mini-Suite – Deck 10
• Club Class Mini-Suite – Decks 11 & 12
• Penthouse Suite – Deck 14

Discovery Princess Cabins to Avoid

OK, now that you’ve got a good understanding of the different cabins on Discovery Princess, here’s the info you really need – which rooms should you be avoiding?

Some of these are still down to personal preference, but here’s a quick rundown of some of the cabins that have downsides.

1. Balconies That You Can’t Use While at Sea

L101 to L108, M101 to M108

Some of the cabins at the front of the ship forego a balcony in favour of a window (Deluxe Oceanview cabins and Window Suites), but there are some that have balconies. You need to be aware that you can’t use these balconies while the ship is sailing, because of the high wind speeds.

To compensate, the balconies tend to be larger, so when you’re in port you have more space to enjoy. But avoid booking these rooms if you want the freedom to use your balcony while sailing.

2. Obstructed View Rooms

L109, L110, L114, L115, Most balconies on Deck 8 (Emerald Deck)

Obstructed view rooms will split opinions. They’re cheaper, so if you don’t mind then you can save money, but a lot of people want a balcony to be able to properly enjoy the view of the ocean, and not of a lifeboat or the bridge.

If you’re wondering exactly how obstructed are the obstructed views on Discovery Princess, then I recommend that you take a look at these photos.

3. Rooms With Beds That Block the Balcony Doors

L122, L123, M130, M131, M505, M511, M512, M620, M621, R107, R108, R234, R235, R511, R512, R735, A511, A512, A738, A739, B511, B512, C518, C519, C620, C621, C742, C743, D151, D152, D224, D225, D517, D519, D520, D522, D618 to D621, E123, E128, E218, E219, E522, E523, E620, E621, E707, E708, E711, E712

Some of the Balcony cabins that sleep up to four guests have Pullman beds that will block access to the sliding balcony doors.

This isn’t a problem when they’re folded up during the day, but if you wanted to nip outside to enjoy the sunrise while your kids are asleep, make sure not to book one of these rooms.

4. Rooms That Can Make Seasickness Worse

S101 to S215, L101 to L129

While most large ships don’t tend to be too bad for sufferers of seasickness, as they mask the motion, it’s still better to avoid a cabin in a high location near the front of the ship if you do get sick. You’ll feel the least movement in a mid-ship location on a lower deck instead.

5. Cabins That Can Be Noisy in the Morning

S114 to S221, M310 to M421, M701 to M725

If you’re the kind of person who appreciates a long lie-in, don’t pick one of the cabins directly underneath the decked areas by the pool. Early risers will be happy to go and claim a lounger, often scraping it across the deck, which can be very audible below.

6. Cabins That Can Be Noisy in the Evening

E123, E125, E128 to E227

Rooms on the Emerald Deck are directly above the Promenade Deck, which has some of the late-night entertainment venues. There may be some noise that creeps through the floor through until the later hours, so if you’re someone that is normally asleep by 10pm consider a different location.

7. Cabins Near the Laundry Rooms

M622, M623, R611, R612, A622, A631, B622, B623, C622, C623, D622, D623, E622, E623

The laundry rooms on Discovery Princess are well insulated, so booking a room close to them isn’t going to mean you’re stuck listening to the whirring of a dryer. But you will have to put up with a lot of traffic outside your room since a lot of people can visit the laundry facilities, especially on a longer cruise.

8. Cabins With Interconnecting Doors You Don’t Need

If you don’t need cabins with connecting doors, try to avoid booking them. That’s not just to keep them free for people who do need them, but also because the doors themselves aren’t as soundproof as an actual wall. If you don’t want to hear your neighbour’s TV, choose a non-connecting cabin.

9. Cabins With Pullman Beds You Don’t Need

Some of the Pullman beds do stick out of the wall when folded away, so if you’re only travelling as a party of 2 then you can avoid any accidental head bumps by leaving these rooms free for families.

10. Cabins That Are a Long Walk From Anything

S101 to S115, L101 to L129, M101 to M131, R101 to R108, A101 to A129, B101 to B133, C101 to C139, D101 to D151, E101 to E130

Discovery Princess is an impressive ship with tonnes to see and do. A lot of the main facilities are on the lower decks, near the aft. If you intend to make regular use of them, try to book a mid-ship location so that you’re near the lifts. That way, you aren’t hiking back and forth all of the time.

11. Balconies With No Privacy

D145 to D277, D701 to D725

On Deck 9 (Dolphin Deck) some staterooms have double-size balconies. While this can certainly be seen as a positive, it’s important to note that these balconies are overlooked by the balconies above.

The reason why these Deluxe Balconies are so large is that they jut out further than all of the rest. So, while you might enjoy the extra space, anyone above you looking down will see right onto your balcony. There’s no privacy unless you stand right at the back.

Here’s the view that anyone looking down from the deck above will see…

The Best Cabins on Discovery Princess

So now you know which rooms to avoid on Discovery Princess, let’s take a look at the best rooms on the ship.

1. Sky Suites

It’s usually hard to recommend a cabin type on a cruise ship that costs as much as the Sky Suites do. But they’re so awesome that, if you have the budget to spare, then you should absolutely go for it. The outdoor space alone is worth it.

2. Rooms With Extended Balconies

While a lot of the balconies on Discovery Princess are the same size, sometimes you can get a little bit extra just down to how the ship is laid out. In fact, there are even some Standard Balcony cabins that will have a slightly bigger balcony than a Deluxe or Premium Deluxe one.

The Discovery Princess balcony cabins that have a little extra space are:

• Standard Balconies: L301, L302, D226, D227, D701 to D710, E112, E114, E118
• Deluxe Balconies: E111, E115, E117
• Premium Deluxe Balconies: R732 to R735, B736 to B739
• Mini-Suites: M407 to M410, M422, M423, M426, M427, R409, R410, R414, R415, R428, R429, R432, R433, A409, A410, A414, A415, A428, A429, A432, A433, B409, B410, B414, B415, B428, B429, B432, B433, C409, C410, C428, C429, C432, C433, D407, D408, D410, D411, D424, D425, D428, D429

3. The Cheapest Cabins

Cruising on a budget? Then you’ll want to keep costs as low as possible, especially if you’ve got a larger family to take along.

Booking two interconnecting inside rooms is the best way to make sure you’ve enough space for everyone without completely emptying the holiday fund. Your options are:

• C240 & C244 – Sleeps 6
• C241 & C245 – Sleeps 6
• C715 & C717 – Sleeps 8

Say no to upgrades

It’s not completely uncommon for a cruise line to offer to upgrade you as the holiday gets nearer – they might think that it’ll be easier to sell a cheaper cabin grade last-minute, so want to reward you for booking early.

But you can say no to the upgrade if you’re happy with your choice. Always check, because if you’ve followed the tips in this guide, you might have your perfect room already, and your upgrade may be into one of the rooms best avoided.

When you book your cruise, you’ll be asked if you want the option of a free upgrade should one become available. Don’t be afraid to say no to this. If you say yes, you won’t be able to change your mind later once you see that your upgraded room isn’t actually better.

Discovery Princess Accommodation FAQs

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