Fantasy??

[wallawallakids]

Hi. We are looking at booking a cruise while on board the Magic this April. The cruise I am looking at is on the Fantasy. Does anyone have a recommendation on rooms? I am thinking of booking two 8A or two 7A connecting rooms. I know a lot will depend on availability but I like the idea of those rooms. They seem to have a bit more space to them, is that correct? There are 6 of us so more space is always a plus! Are the 8A's a bit bigger than the 8B/C? I know they are sideways so they look bigger but maybe that is an illusion? I am looking at a 7 nt cruise so I want to make sure I pick a nice room for it. As far as an ocean view or veranda, thoughts? I think the larger verandas, for whatever reason, seem to be a great price vs. standard veranda. Is that because they are at the back of the boat? The rooms are the same size, is that right?
Also when booking on board it is 10% off, 10% down and 200 OBB credit for sailings of 7 nights. Is that right? Lastly, if you book two rooms is it still only one OBB credit? Thanks so much!

 

[Meghatron]

7As on the Dream/Fantasy are not anything like the 7As on the Magic/Wonder. The latter is a partially enclosed verandah (open air porthole) specifically designed to be that way, including theming. The 7As on the Dream class ships are classified that way because the verandahs are undersized and/or obstructed, but without the intentional design and theming of the true Navigator's Verandah on the Magic class ships.

The OBB credit is per room, as each room has its own reservation number.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

We have booked connecting aft balconies (7192 and 7194) on deck 7 of the Fantasy in September. I am soooo looking forward to it! I think they are cat 5E but I'm not sure (not well versed in that.) I am so looking forward to a big balcony where they can remove the divider. Also aft balconies have a great view in port and are less windy. I do plan to spend a lot of time here, because I'll have a 3 month old to hang out with and a 2 year old that will go to bed early. I also like that the Oceaneers club is just two decks down and also aft. We spend a lot of time droping off and collecting our older kids from the club.

 

[wallawallakids]

Thanks for your help and explaining the differences between the 7A category on the Dream class vs the Magic.
I think I have it narrowed down to 8A or 8C in the interest of saving a little bit of money. Are the 8A's larger than the 8C or do they just seem that way based on the square layout of the rooms? I think the highest we could get is 6th floor vs. 8th floor with an 8C. I am scared about how big the ship is. Is there any benefit towards being on a lower floor vs. the higher floor? Thanks again for your help.

 

[lbgraves]

If there are connecting rooms that you want now, book them and reshop onboard...especially if they are 8As.

 

[MikeAndNick]

Reminder, when you do a booking on the cruise for your next you do not have to pick the rooms and room level then. I booked a 3 day cruise out of PC, cheapest room they had as far out as they could go for one person. Then when I found the cruise I wanted I changed it to a 7 day cruise out of Galveston, Deluxe inside room for two people. All the OBC were based on the changed cruise but the original deposit was based on the 3 day cruise.

 

[Meghatron]

Reminder, when you do a booking on the cruise for your next you do not have to pick the rooms and room level then. I booked a 3 day cruise out of PC, cheapest room they had as far out as they could go for one person. Then when I found the cruise I wanted I changed it to a 7 day cruise out of Galveston, Deluxe inside room for two people. All the OBC were based on the changed cruise but the original deposit was based on the 3 day cruise.

The OP needs connecting rooms, so she DOES in fact need to pick them now to make sure they are available if that's the cruise she wants to sail on. If it's a dummy booking, then she doesn't need to be booking a category higher than inside, either.

 

[wallawallakids]

If there are connecting rooms that you want now, book them and reshop onboard...especially if they are 8As.

Thanks. I guess I just need to decide if I really want 8A, or if I should go for 8B, or 8C instead. Does the floor make a huge difference on the big ships? I am trying to maximize our space but they all look about the same size floor plan. Maybe I will just try to book the 8A and if I can't I will go for the 8B. How do I transfer it to an OBB if I book it with my TA before I get on the ship? Can I still even get the same rooms? Do you put a deposit down twice then and they refund you one? Thanks.

 

[mickey2000]

We have booked connecting aft balconies (7192 and 7194) on deck 7 of the Fantasy in September. I am soooo looking forward to it! I think they are cat 5E but I'm not sure (not well versed in that.) I am so looking forward to a big balcony where they can remove the divider. Also aft balconies have a great view in port and are less windy. I do plan to spend a lot of time here, because I'll have a 3 month old to hang out with and a 2 year old that will go to bed early. I also like that the Oceaneers club is just two decks down and also aft. We spend a lot of time droping off and collecting our older kids from the club.

These two rooms are GREAT!! I booked them a second time! 5e

 

[lbgraves]

Thanks. I guess I just need to decide if I really want 8A, or if I should go for 8B, or 8C instead. Does the floor make a huge difference on the big ships? I am trying to maximize our space but they all look about the same size floor plan. Maybe I will just try to book the 8A and if I can't I will go for the 8B. How do I transfer it to an OBB if I book it with my TA before I get on the ship? Can I still even get the same rooms? Do you put a deposit down twice then and they refund you one? Thanks.

Take your TA's contact info with you along with the reservation number. Fill out the form at the desk the first afternoon and put it in the box advising that you would like to reshop your existing reservation and name your TA. You will get a note in your room that night usually with the amount and asking you to call and confirm to charge to the same card. When you get home, contact your TA and they should have already transferred the reservations so that you have the same rooms and the OBB benefits attached. You won't get refunded the extra 10% deposit, but that has to be paid anyway eventually. You will have the 10% cruise fare discount and OBC.

 

[wallawallakids]

Take your TA's contact info with you along with the reservation number. Fill out the form at the desk the first afternoon and put it in the box advising that you would like to reshop your existing reservation and name your TA. You will get a note in your room that night usually with the amount and asking you to call and confirm to charge to the same card. When you get home, contact your TA and they should have already transferred the reservations so that you have the same rooms and the OBB benefits attached. You won't get refunded the extra 10% deposit, but that has to be paid anyway eventually. You will have the 10% cruise fare discount and OBC.

Great! Thank you. I will do that.

 

[wallawallakids]

These two rooms are GREAT!! I booked them a second time! 5e

Wow! Thanks for the pictures! Those verandas are huge! If you don't mind me asking, how was the noise from the back of the ship? I have read on here that some people say it is loud and lots of vibrations are felt from the propulsion? Did you have any issues with that? Also, how many does each room sleep? Is is just three and three or could I put all 4 kids in one room? Thanks!

 

[mickey2000]

Wow! Thanks for the pictures! Those verandas are huge! If you don't mind me asking, how was the noise from the back of the ship? I have read on here that some people say it is loud and lots of vibrations are felt from the propulsion? Did you have any issues with that? Also, how many does each room sleep? Is is just three and three or could I put all 4 kids in one room? Thanks!

Don't believe what you read! NO noise, or vibrations! I have been on 12 different ships and these Aft rooms were perfect! Backing into CC was great!
Connecting rooms and verandas were huge!....
Sofa and upper bunk ceiling .....

 

[wallawallakids]

Don't believe what you read! NO noise, or vibrations! I have been on 12 different ships and these Aft rooms were perfect! Backing into CC was great!
Connecting rooms and verandas were huge!....
Sofa and upper bunk ceiling .....

Thank you so much!!! Sounds great.

 

[jennyjuops]

We just got off the Fantasy last Saturday. Our room was midship, 7094. It was a great location. Our last cruise, on the Dream, we were aft, 10185. At the time I agree, the room in the back was amazing with a HUGE balcony.

After this cruise on the Fantasy, I was VERY HAPPY to have a room midship. The first 3 days it was unbelievably rocky. You couldn't walk straight down the hall! My 8 yr old was scared to sleep on the upper bunk because of all of the rocking. We met people who were in a cabin in the aft. They were miserable. They spent as little time in the room as they possibly could. Once we weren't rocking, they were fine.

I never thought I would want a midship room but it worked out well. We had connecting rooms/balconies with our friends. It was great! It was a family stateroom that slept 5.

Hope this helps!

 

[deanimal]

We just finished a cruise on the Dream in an 8C and we loved the room. Basically it's the same layout as the standard verandah rooms with the verandah enclosed. The window was HUGE, almost floor to ceiling, and it was amazing the difference the little bit of extra room made. We filled an empty carry on with all the kid's toys and put it in that space and called it "the playroom". It was also quite cold for three of the four days of our cruise, so I'm sure we used the extra indoor space more than we would've used a verandah. I booked another 8C for our next cruise without any hesitation
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[wallawallakids]

We just finished a cruise on the Dream in an 8C and we loved the room. Basically it's the same layout as the standard verandah rooms with the verandah enclosed. The window was HUGE, almost floor to ceiling, and it was amazing the difference the little bit of extra room made. We filled an empty carry on with all the kid's toys and put it in that space and called it "the playroom". It was also quite cold for three of the four days of our cruise, so I'm sure we used the extra indoor space more than we would've used a verandah. I booked another 8C for our next cruise without any hesitation
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THank you. THis is good to know. I do feel like larger interior space would be used the most. It would be nice to have a spot to divide the kids for sleeping and such. If you do not mind me asking, what floor were you on? Did you like the location? I am wondering if it is worth it to be up higher on the larger ships? Thank you for your review, it does make 8C sound great for us.

 

[lbgraves]

We just finished a cruise on the Dream in an 8C and we loved the room. Basically it's the same layout as the standard verandah rooms with the verandah enclosed. The window was HUGE, almost floor to ceiling, and it was amazing the difference the little bit of extra room made. We filled an empty carry on with all the kid's toys and put it in that space and called it "the playroom". It was also quite cold for three of the four days of our cruise, so I'm sure we used the extra indoor space more than we would've used a verandah. I booked another 8C for our next cruise without any hesitation
,

Actually, the cat 8s on the new ships has more floor space than the verandahs up until cat 4. I found that out after booking a cat 5 for our next cruise thanks to a pricing glitch opening day. I had no idea there would be half the storage cabinet space and less floor space than the cat 8 we had last year. Will stick with 8Ds from now on.

Regarding the floor, if you have young kids who take naps, you might be bothered during matinees on sea days on deck 5. Deck 6 wouldn't have that issue at all. We like the forward location for the rooms, where the 8As are. We don't feel nearly as much motion there and have experienced several 20+ foot swell days.

 

[wallawallakids]

Actually, the cat 8s on the new ships has more floor space than the verandahs up until cat 4. I found that out after booking a cat 5 for our next cruise thanks to a pricing glitch opening day. I had no idea there would be half the storage cabinet space and less floor space than the cat 8 we had last year. Will stick with 8Ds from now on.

Regarding the floor, if you have young kids who take naps, you might be bothered during matinees on sea days on deck 5. Deck 6 wouldn't have that issue at all. We like the forward location for the rooms, where the 8As are. We don't feel nearly as much motion there and have experienced several 20+ foot swell days.

Thank you! I think I will go for the cat 8 then. I would rather have more floor space and I don't have the budget for two cat 4 rooms. I will avoid the fifth floor too. 6 or higher sounds better for us. Thank you for your help.