Sky Suite - A Complete Description

This material is an addendum to my new cruise book, What Time Is the Midnight Buffet? For the whole story of the cruise on Galaxy, please see the ordering information located on my homepage.

This is a more complete description of the Sky Suite accommodation, for those who are interested in the nitty-gritty. Sky Suite 1228 is on the starboard side, about fifty feet forward of the aft stair tower. It is slightly smaller than your average hotel room but is well designed, stylish and very comfortable. Two people can maneuver about with little interference (we heard this was not the case in smaller accommodations).

There is ample hanging space in the full-length closet, and a number of hangers are built in (but bring some extra). A half-length closet provides room for hanging shirts, etc. There are shelves above the closet bays. On either side of the bathroom entry, there are cupboards, drawers and the minbar. All told, there are twenty drawers distributed between the cupboards, closets, desk, and bedside tables — plenty of space for everything including dirty laundry. All but one of our suitcases fit under the bed. The other was just a bit too tall, so it went under the desk.

The television and VCR are mounted on a permanent stand welded into the corner of the room. The TV is high enough to be viewed from bed. Channels are limited, but include CNN and CNN headline news. Reception and picture quality are marginal for broadcast stations received by satellite and fine for closed-circuit programming. There are many pay-per-view selections, and you can gamble, review your account and order room service via the television.

The walls adjacent to the bed and over the desk are mirrored, giving the illusion of more space and a view of the bed’s occupants that may not be entirely familiar (or pleasing). A loveseat is wedged into the space between the desk and the outer wall. There is a round glass coffee table that can be raised to dining height, and two compact upholstered chairs (one at the desk). There is abundant lighting, including wall sconces, recessed overhead fixtures (many on a single dimmer switch) and bedside lamps. All lighting is of the compact florescent variety. There is a thermostat in the room, adjustable from 60-80 degrees F and a telephone is adjacent to the bed. An ice bucket and water pitcher are provided, though there is no self-service — the room attendant must replenish them. The safe is in one of the closets, and it is easily programmed for a six digit pushbutton combination. There is a single 110V outlet in the wall above the desk surface. The curtains are very effective at blocking sunlight.

All other outlets (used for the TV, lamps, etc.) accept a type C plug only (two round prongs). Bring an extension cord if you need power — I had chargers for various things as well as a portable stereo which I could place on the verandah using a 15’ extension cord. On the desk there was a small literature rack and a hotel style information book. Breakfast ordering cards, postcards, and deck plans were tucked inside. A folder containing a few sheets of personalized stationery and a few business-style cards was also provided.

The bed consists of two twins locked together, with a three-drawer nightstand and lamp on each side. I could detect the joining in the middle of the bed, but it was not bothersome. Under the bedspread is a duvet, and under that a top sheet. There are four pillows on the bed and a number of small throw pillows on the loveseat. There is an extra blanket in the closet. On the bed lay a copy of the daily activity newsletter. A new version was delivered at turn down time each evening, allowing plans to be made for the following day.

In the cabinet opposite the minbar there are two umbrellas and a pair of compact 10x25 binoculars for use during the cruise. There is a charge if they are not returned to the stateroom at the end of the cruise. Large beach towels are delivered prior to the first port. Likewise, there is a charge ($28 each) if they are missing at the end of the cruise. You can also purchase your own souvenir beach towels at that price. There are always towels at the pool, but they are not supposed to be taken off the ship. The minibar holds an assortment of liquor in mini bottles, candy, mixers, and champagne (all at a huge mark-up — I think the small bag of M&Ms went for $1.90). There is room to add a few of your own cans or bottles, but the unit is not very cold. There is a bottle opener attached to the wall in the bathroom.

The all-marble bathroom is a step up from the main floor level and it has plenty of shelf space next to the sink and behind the vacuum-assisted toilet. Mouthwash, tissue, shampoo, conditioner (separate), glycerin and bath soaps, q-tips, cotton balls, and a loofah sponge are all provided. Bath towels, hand towels and facecloths as well as two very heavy terrycloth robes are also provided for use. The tub has whirlpool jets and an adjustable shower massage head. A scale is provided should you wish to monitor your inevitable weight gain. There are four hooks on the inside of the door, and a retractable clothesline is positioned over the bathtub. A close-up mirror is mounted on a swing arm over the vanity, and next to it is the wall-mounted hair dryer (negative: hairdryer is very slow and the handle quickly gets too hot to hold). There is some storage space available under the sink. If necessary, two very friendly people can utilize the facility at the same time with a little planning and patience. There is a wall phone, and a single 110V limited capacity electrical outlet is integrated into the hair dryer.

A card lock operates the entry door. There is also a deadbolt that will prevent entry by the attendants should your “Do Not Disturb” sign fall off the door handle — not an unlikely event, as a strong wind rushes through the hallway when doors at both ends are opened simultaneously. Emergency instructions are attached to the backside of the door.

The verandah is huge and we became very enamored with it. Many people say that a verandah is a waste because you spend so little time in your room. I suppose that is true for many people, but not for Kris or me. After this cruise, I consider a verandah to be a must. It was like having another room and was often much preferable to sunning/relaxing on the pool deck or some other public area. We may cruise less often to support this habit, but so be it. The views are spectacular, and the verandah is probably about 80 feet above the water’s surface.

Consult the deck plan because several of the Sky Suites have significantly larger and somewhat more private verandahs than the rest. Ours was not among the biggest — those were all booked when I made reservations — but it was plenty big for the two padded lounge chairs, two deck chairs, one foot rest, one small table and one dining-sized (five foot diameter) table — and it was no problem to set up two massage tables in addition. On a deck plan, you’ll see that the biggest verandahs are full rectangles. All others contain a cutaway section corresponding to the Oasis Buffet’s bay windows below. I chose a room where the longer verandah wall was forward and the short one aft, as I figured the other orientation might scoop the wind generated by the ship’s forward motion. The cutaway shape did significantly widen the vista seen from any position on the verandah. I also chose the starboard side, as it would have the most sun during the early part of the cruise and shady afternoons later when we were more inclined. This worked out well.

The verandah is accessed by a wide sliding door, which can be secured in any position (you can create a nice cool venturi effect breeze on the hot deck by leaving the door open a little). The deck above projects about five feet overhead, providing some shade and privacy. Much of the verandah can be seen by people standing right at the railing above (though that deck is little used) or by neighbors standing far out on their own verandah. The area of the verandah that is totally private will depend on its position and shape, but two people should be able to lounge in total privacy on any Sky Suite verandah. The partitions are well over 6 feet high, though there is a one-inch gap where the partitions meet the cabin wall and a couple of inches gap at the floor. There is cabin-controlled lighting under the overhang, but at night light from the deck above illuminates the verandah anyway. The verandah floor is wood, as is the railing top (about four feet high). Plexiglas panels between the top rail and the deck surface allow an excellent view outward. All other surfaces are painted white, which can be a bit much on bright days.

All things considered, the Sky Suite is an exceptional shipboard accommodation for two people, and I would go out of my way to book one again.