5E vs 4E staterooms on the Fantasy

[Twin Cruisers]

We are new to cruising and we just booked our first cruise (7 night Eastern Caribbean in Feb 2015). After looking through the forums, I have learned that the 4E stateroom is the same square footage as the 5 class (deluxe sized, not "Family"), and since the balcony is extra large, like the 5E balconies, what is the difference between the two? Right now we have stateroom #5650 booked, which looks fantastic, but I am wondering if I should save the $300 and get a 5E, if the balcony and room is similar?
Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Silverfox97]

We are new to cruising and we just booked our first cruise (7 night Eastern Caribbean in Feb 2015). After looking through the forums, I have learned that the 4E stateroom is the same square footage as the 5 class (deluxe sized, not "Family"), and since the balcony is extra large, like the 5E balconies, what is the difference between the two? Right now we have stateroom #5650 booked, which looks fantastic, but I am wondering if I should save the $300 and get a 5E, if the balcony and room is similar? Thanks so much for your help!

It's really personal preference. Our family is 5E all the way. They are more private (no one looking at you from the higher decks), we like being on decks 8 or 9, and are big aft fans. We've stayed in a 5E on four cruises on the Fantasy & for our money, it's the best. I would even choose over a cat 4 because of the verandah.

You will find plenty of folks that prefer the 4E but I'd save $300 & switch

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Ofinn]

We stayed in a 4E once stateroom 5052. The verandah was huge probably as big as the stateroom itself. It's been my favorite stateroom by far. Very close to everything. We have never been assigned(we generally book GT rates) a 5E so I can't compare. I have read about vibration in the aft staterooms, but that is probably pretty subjective from person to person.

 

[Twin Cruisers]

Thanks for your reply! I will need to think a bit. I'm not sure if I will have seasickness since I am quite sensitive in cars, and in heard aft may be worse for this.
Something to think about in the next few months. The joy of booking early!

 

[awilliams4]

We have done 4Es twice. Loved the. Have 5052 scheduled for August 2015 on the Fantasy.

We switched our 2014 cruise to 2015 because all the 4Es were already taken on the 2014 cruise.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Another 5E fan and also aft fan reporting in! We just had a 5E cabin on our 4/12/14 Fantasy sailing and loved every minute of it. We also had a 6B (6188 - far aft) on our first cruise on the Dream and loved it as well.

So, my vote is also to save $$ and take a 5E

Heather

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are new to cruising and we just booked our first cruise (7 night Eastern Caribbean in Feb 2015). After looking through the forums, I have learned that the 4E stateroom is the same square footage as the 5 class (deluxe sized, not "Family"), and since the balcony is extra large, like the 5E balconies, what is the difference between the two? Right now we have stateroom #5650 booked, which looks fantastic, but I am wondering if I should save the $300 and get a 5E, if the balcony and room is similar?
Thanks so much for your help!

How many are in your family? If you have kids, I would consider the 4D for a little more. There is a ton more storage and sq footage. Also the cat 4s have the big round tub with a little bench so no curtain clinging to me and plenty of room to shave my legs & place shampoo bottles. It also has the rainshower option in the shower which is lovely.
The real difference between a 5E and 4E is location. Both have regular size cabin and extra large balcony.
I have also heard complaints when the Fantasy was new about vibration in those very aft cabins, and the odor of exhaust w/black dust on balcony from the ship stack. I haven't actually stayed in any of them but this is just what I've heard. Back when the 4E cabins were still rated as 5Es we had them booked (5650) but got a free upgrade to a real cat 4 which ruined me. With a family of 4, we really appreciate the extra space & storage of a cat 4, esp for a 7 night cruise. For shorter cruises, it's less packing.
If you don't want to go more expensive, I'd pick the 5E.

 

[su_A_ve]

Loved the 5e on the dream and booked it also for our upcoming fantasy trip. Nothing better than having a subtle wake up call with the little vibration in the morning when ship starts to back into port.

Maybe run to deck 11 for a cup of coffee if I forgot to get it from room service. Go to the verandah and enjoy the view...

 

[carriemp]

We stayed in 5652 and loved it. It has a huge balcony and it very close to the kids clubs. 5650 had an even wider balcony. I would not switch.

 

[jjgarv]

Not only do you get the extra length of the 4E balcony's, but 5650 (and 5150) have double wide balconies! They are huge.......we have 5150 for our upcoming cruise. 5650 is also at the end of a small hallway....very quiet...could be one of the best cabins on the ship.

 

[Twin Cruisers]

I really appreciate all of your responses! I think we will keep the room for now. I do like that it has a large balcony plus we are not longer able to choose our cabin in the 5E's soirée think I would regret giving up this room if we don't like where we are placed.

 

[Lisa Lisa]

We've stayed in a 4E but not a 5E, so I can't compare the two, but we loved our 4E. I think there are pros and cons to both, but I would not give up 5650. I agree with a PP that that particular 4E is one of the best rooms on the ship. The verandah is MASSIVE. It's also the furthest forward of the aft 4Es (if that makes sense). We were two decks above 5650 on our recent cruise on the Fantasy, and the people who had it took full advantage of all their extra space. They had friends or family in the next two rooms as well, and they opened all the partitions. They had a cocktail party out there almost every night!

 

[scottb8888]

We are booking for 2018 and can't decide between 4E and 5E. I understand the 4E has no more interior space than the 5E? Which is better for a family of 4??

 

[gizzardgoop]

We've stayed in both. I prefer the 4e. We've stayed in 5650 and it's awesome. More than half of the balcony is under other balconies. The only time anyone is looking down on you is when you are out at the railing.

We had a TON of vibration and fuel odors the two times we were in 5e aft on decks 8 and 9.

The room sizes and layouts are exactly the same.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are booking for 2018 and can't decide between 4E and 5E. I understand the 4E has no more interior space than the 5E? Which is better for a family of 4??

If you can swing a 4D, there really is so much more interior space which is much more appreciated/valuable (to me anyway) than balcony space. It provides a lot more storage too. This wasn't such a big deal when our kids were 4 & 7 but now that they're almost 17 & 20, their clothes take up more space too. Gone are the days of being able to roll up 6 pairs of 3T shorts in one small drawer.
For us it's either a 4D or 2 cabins.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

You did good! I've been in both 5E & 4E on Fantasy. I'd rather have an inside room than the 5E again. Hated it with a passion. Soot on the verandah. Insane vibration when cruising. It was not fun. Hubby & I got assigned a 4E on a guaranteed rate once and loved it. Great verandah. Excellent location. Quiet. No insane vibrating. Much much prefer the 4 to the 5.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

We love the 4E for our smile of 4, with two boys who really enjoy the clubs. The location of 5650, which we had this April, is almost isolated (in a good way) because of the path to get there. The balcony is extra deep AND wide, and we loved it! Also close to the nightclubs if you like that kind of thing. I'd often walk to a lounge and get a nightcap for my wife and me after the kids' bedtime and we'd enjoy the balcony for a bit before bed. Also a decent balcony for fireworks viewing.

Our only complaint came in the second night when the sound system in the kids clubs was spilling over into our room and we were ready for bed. A quick call remedied the situation and we heard a light din the rest of the cruise but not all out party time.