Help!! Verandah or No Verandah!!

[flyersfan1129]

My DH gets easily "crowded" so we chose the verandah so that he would have a place to chill if he did get overwhelmed. It was so worth the extra expense for us...all three of us were out there a ton. Amazing views, peace and quiet and fresh air, we loved it.

 

[ksagan]

After experiencing both options, I vowed never to cruise without a verandah again.

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

The real question is - if you don't get the veranda, what can you spend the $200 on?

Rebooking
Photo CDs cost that (or a little more) for a short cruise
Remy
Spa Treatment
Excursions
Jewelry
Bingo
Drinks/Smoothies
Arcade?
Palo

If it were a 7n cruise, I'd add the $200 for the veranda - but for anything shorter, I'd probably skip it. You're not in your room very much on the short cruises, and with a 16yo, there's no worries about being nearby for naptime. Unless you would prefer to sit on your veranda by yourself if your teen wants to spend tons of time in the Vibe, stick with the inside (which is more than enough room for 2!).

This is what I keep thinking!!! Although we have never been on the Magic and she is concerned about Vibe that weekend on the Magic. 1/17 sail date.
Right now we have stateroom 7563 (Cat. 11A) and it is midship and means she can go out the room and up the stairs or elevator to the Vibe quickly. I mean I guess that is $200.00 worth of souvenirs I can buy...or a piece of artwork in the gallery that has the Disney Magic on it.

 

[Grandma Rainbow]

After more than 20 cruises, mostly Celebrity, we almost always have a verandah and we do utilize it a lot. Really love it BUT on that line smoking is not allowed on verandah, so it's clear breathing. This will be our first DCL cruise and we chose 8D with the large porthole simply because they do allow smoking on verandahs and we will not take the chance. We're already planning on our next DCL cruise and may try the Navigator's Verandah. Seems enclosed enough that smoke won't billow onto the verandah and into the room. Perhaps you can use the $200 to book your next cruise.

Good luck with your decision. From what I've read on the boards, you cannot go wrong with Disney!

Jennie

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

We have had verandahs on 9/10 cruises.

That being said, we routinely sail with last minute discounted rates in the offseason. Since verandahs are the largest % of cabins, that's what we've wound up with. The upcoming cruises we have booked do not have verandahs. Unless a great deal comes out we will be sailing without. We use it when we have it, but I'd rather cruise more often.

On a short cruise I would rather spend the money elsewhere or save it for next time. I'd book it again for the Panama Canal cruise because 14 nights is a lot of time to take advantage!

We booked a verandah, aft 6688 (love that room, well we actually had 6188 on the Dream), for our 7 night Eastern Caribbean for just my hubby and I, I know we will use it quite often.

 

[Dogsambam]

We love having a veranda, but wife has a fear of veranda with the kids. Until she gets over her fear, we have been getting the largest cabin possible without a veranda. Our next FAntasy, we have a 8a.

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

After more than 20 cruises, mostly Celebrity, we almost always have a verandah and we do utilize it a lot. Really love it BUT on that line smoking is not allowed on verandah, so it's clear breathing. This will be our first DCL cruise and we chose 8D with the large porthole simply because they do allow smoking on verandahs and we will not take the chance. We're already planning on our next DCL cruise and may try the Navigator's Verandah. Seems enclosed enough that smoke won't billow onto the verandah and into the room. Perhaps you can use the $200 to book your next cruise.

Good luck with your decision. From what I've read on the boards, you cannot go wrong with Disney!

Jennie

We just got off the Dream Thursday and we had 5 people in our party, so we booked 2 adjoining category 8C staterooms with the large porthole windows....they were great!! But I did miss that ocean air on my face. I cruised in category 6B in room 6188 in December 2011 and I loved it.

1st Cruise - Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas - Verandah midship
2nd Cruise - Disney Wonder - Category 10C Inside Stateroom 2601
3rd Cruise - Disney Dream - Category 6B - Aft awesome verandah 6188
4th Cruise - Disney Dream - Category 8C - Family Ocean View Staterooms
(they were both aft, great location
near the aft elevators) 8666/8668

*Just Booked these two onboard
5th Cruise (4th Disney): Disney Magic - Category 11A midship - 7563
6th Cruise (5th Disney): Disney Fantasy - Category 6B AFT - 6688

I am one ahead of DH, so I will achieve Gold Status before him
Not that it is seriously a big deal

 

[MikeAndNick]

We never pay the extra. It is not worth it because we are never in our room except to sleep.

 

[JimGA]

Guess I am looking for justification!! lol!!

We have stayed inside, oceanvew with large porthole & verandah!!!

One thing I don't think I read in the thread was also, not only do you get a verandha, but you also get extra square footage with the upgrade in rooms, I think it goes from 178 to 256 sq ft. Not much, but that is a bonus, especially with 3 adults.

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

We never pay the extra. It is not worth it because we are never in our room except to sleep.

So you think that my daughter 17 and myself will have enough room in a category 11A cabin on the Magic? I mean to get ready....are the bathrooms really tiny, basically just showering in there anyway, I always get ready in the room.
I just want that balcony, but $210 more is a piece of artwork, but I enjoy it during sail away.....docking.....at night...etc.,. I guess I could promise my hubby I just will not buy anything and get the balcony...LOL

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

One thing I don't think I read in the thread was also, not only do you get a verandha, but you also get extra square footage with the upgrade in rooms, I think it goes from 178 to 256 sq ft. Not much, but that is a bonus, especially with 3 adults.

Only my 17 year old daughter and myself (Special Mother/Daughter short weekend cruise)

 

[DisFanJen]

We booked a verandah, aft 6688 (love that room, well we actually had 6188 on the Dream), for our 7 night Eastern Caribbean for just my hubby and I, I know we will use it quite often.

We're going to be in 6688 on our 7 night Eastern Caribbean in Jan!

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

We're going to be in 6688 on our 7 night Eastern Caribbean in Jan!

Take pics....PLEASE!!!! And then email me....can't wait to see views from 6688...to see how much starboard I can see. 6188 was great, but more port side.

 

[tlynk]

We have stayed in Cat 11 inside, Cat 9 OV, Cat 5 (veranda) and Concierge. We prefer a veranda (or of course concierge) for cruises over 5 nights, but will adapt according to our budget at the time of sailing. For a 3-4 night cruise I would definitely save the $200 and use the money on the ship towards something else. We actually slept like babies in the inside cabin.

We tend to spend more time on the veranda on longer cruises. We are doing a cruise out of Galveston in October and are currently booked in a 9A GTY. The cruise was such a bargain that we couldn't pass it up, so this will be our economy trip. DH is going to miss his veranda mid-way through the cruise though.

 

[love5pets]

We love having a veranda, but wife has a fear of veranda with the kids. Until she gets over her fear, we have been getting the largest cabin possible without a veranda. Our next FAntasy, we have a 8a.

We will be cruising on the Magic in November with a toddler. I was assured that there is no way the little guy could open the door to the veranda by a Disney TA. Did I get correct information? I am wondering why your wife is nervous about having the veranda with kids, though we're on a different ship (our first Disney cruise).?

 

[JimGA]

We will be cruising on the Magic in November with a toddler. I was assured that there is no way the little guy could open the door to the veranda by a Disney TA. Did I get correct information? I am wondering why your wife is nervous about having the veranda with kids, though we're on a different ship (our first Disney cruise).?

Not sure about the Magic, but the Dream had a lock at the top of the door, the handle was in the usual location but had a locking mechanism at the top so little kids could not reach.

 

[owensamo]

So you think that my daughter 17 and myself will have enough room in a category 11A cabin on the Magic? I mean to get ready....are the bathrooms really tiny, basically just showering in there anyway, I always get ready in the room.
I just want that balcony, but $210 more is a piece of artwork, but I enjoy it during sail away.....docking.....at night...etc.,. I guess I could promise my hubby I just will not buy anything and get the balcony...LOL

You should have plenty of space. The one thing to consider, though, is that the cat 11s don't have the split bath, so there's only one bathroom. If you upgrade to a cat 10 you'll have the split bath (shower/vanity and toilet/vanity) so you could both do your makeup at the same time.

That said - I usually do my hair/makeup at the desk, so it hasn't been an issue. We've often cruised in Cat 11s with 3 (DH, DD 5-9 and myself) and never had an issue with space.

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

You should have plenty of space. The one thing to consider, though, is that the cat 11s don't have the split bath, so there's only one bathroom. If you upgrade to a cat 10 you'll have the split bath (shower/vanity and toilet/vanity) so you could both do your makeup at the same time.

That said - I usually do my hair/makeup at the desk, so it hasn't been an issue. We've often cruised in Cat 11s with 3 (DH, DD 5-9 and myself) and never had an issue with space.

I do my makeup at desk also!!!
My only concern, is if I will miss the balcony.... but it is only 3 nights/2 days.....so I can probably miss it, right?!

 

[expeditioneverestgrl]

Do the verandah!! It's really nice to watch the beautiful sunsets at night looking at the water and the stars! You will enjoy it a lot and if its just a $200 difference, then I'd say go for it!

 

[NancyIL]

In 24 cruises, I've had 4 verandah cabins - and 2 of them were free upgrades. It hasn't been true for me that once you have a verandah - you can't go back to an OV or an inside.

Since 3-night cruises have no sea days, I'd save the money. For me - $200 is several nights at a hotel at WDW!