Balcony on a TransAtlantic Cruise

[Girl of the South]

Considering a TransAtlantic cruise on the Magic in September 2022. 12 night Westbound from Dover to NYC via LeHavre, Plymouth, Vigo (Spain), lots of sea days, an odd stop in Bermuda and then NYC. I did a WBTA in 2018 with several staps in Canada. Oceanview last minute WGHY . . YTG . whatever it is that they pick your cabin for you. Ended up on Deck 1 with two small portholes. I was a little bummed. Had not signed up for ANY shore excursions and figure that's why I didn't even make it to Deck 2. As it turned out, it was perfect for me. Not many cabins down there. Mostly quiet (some weird clanging at times) and empty elevators. Cabin was clean and bright (well lit) and it was a very memorable peaceful trip.

Anyway, the difference in Oceanview vs. Verandah on this upcoming TA cruise is $2,000. Supply in demand. Suspect more people want the fresh air. Here's the thing . . I didn't miss having a veranda at all. The weather, also in September, was OK but up on deck it was very windy and chilly. No one spent much time up there. We huddled outside the coffee shop where there were some windbreak shields but everyone was wrapped in blankets. Don't remember anyone swimming and although there wasn't really any rain, it was overcast most of the time.

So, would a veranda be worth it? If you have done a TransAtlantic did you spend a lot of time out there? The only plus for me would be the light but even then it would be a diffused light . . . The fun thing was gaining an hour of time nearly every day at sea. But there's very little to see on Sea Days. Thanks in advance!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We always get a veranda on the TA’s, we are on both in 2022. I like to read outside and watch the ocean. Yes I have always used it. However if you didn’t miss it I would bet you will be fine with OV.

We were sat on the WBTA in 2019,when we missed theCanada ports but docked in NYC so we had a NYC port day and that was special!

 

[GPaLarry]

We were on a WBTA in 2016 as the second leg of a B2B Med. cruise. Had a port-side porthole on the 6th deck forward. Have booked the same one you are considering, again as a B2B with British Isles. This time we are bringing our 54-year-old son with us (with his wife's approval) and staying in a verandah stateroom on the same deck, starboard, near the aft stairs. The weather seems to be a guessing game with each of the nine cruises we have been on at different times of the year. I like to sit outside, read or watch the waves...sometimes with dolphins and flying fish. We'll make it work for us.
Now, is there a kid's club for our son...he is very opinionated, a picky eater and light sleeper? But, as long as we get a towel animal each night, he should be OK.

 

[sethschroeder]

What if you were sent to the room for quarantine purposes. Could you spend you whole trip in that room?

You don't know what the rules will be and people are getting quarantined on other ships.

 

[DCLMP]

I've done 2 TA's in inside rooms. Of course, I'd prefer a verandah, but I do what fits in the budget. We used to cruise a lot usually three times a year. My thinking is the cost difference would pay for another cruise. I have a lot of vacation time though if I only got one vacation a year I'd book the best room I could.

 

[Girl of the South]

Bobbiwoz - what deck were you on? Every time I went up to the pool deck it was very windy. I thought the veranda would be the same? I love reading too and read 6 books on that cruise. Thank goodness I didn't rely on buying one along the way or any sort of reading materials on the ship. We did 3 port stops in Canada - none of which were particularly memorable. A port day in NYC would have been great!

GPaLarry - with a 3rd person, particularly a light sleeping "little boy" - a verandah would help a lot, just in terms of square footage. That curtain divider is kind of nice. Maybe you could ask your cabin steward to put the towel animal on the extra bed to make it ultra special. Unless you are giving him the 'big bed' and taking the bunks?

If I go with the Ocean View I think I would go to a higher deck. Disney offered me a cabin with one big porthole since I complained about the clunking noise - but it was very close to the theater and you could hear the music quite clearly. I stuck with the clunk. As I recall, they also gave me some chocolate covered strawberries. Really went out of their way and I really appreciated it. I think I must have been over the engine room?

I took all the cooking classes - and they were really good fun. Skipped dinner in the MDR and in fact, requested no turndown service so I could just keep reading. Don't tell anyone but I also watched Parent Trap a few times on the TV.

 

[Girl of the South]

I would hope cruising would be "smoother" a year from now. If not, I would probably cancel. But yes, I could spend (and did spend) a lot of time in that room. It's a lot of space just for one person. If the price difference was $600 (or $50 a night) I would do it. $2000 would cover airfare and a room in London for a couple of nights. Maybe the price will change? At this point it's roughly $4000 for ocean view and $6000 for veranda. THANKS!

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

I am always team verandah. Lots of fresh air is good for the soul. Especially when you’re at sea for five to six days straight.

 

[Amunet]

I have the trip report from my WBTA 2018 in my signature, if you'd like to read that to see how it went I actually spent about half the cruise confined to my cabin because I caught a cold. It wasn't fun but all the room service really made it easy to get better.
I had the lowest category inside stateroom (sideways! My favorite!) and I was just fine. It would have been nice to have a Verandah but it's also not bad, particularly for a $2,000 price difference.
I also had the same kind of stateroom on the EBPC 2016 and, again, it would have been nice for a Verandah but was able to experience the locks while dining in Triton's for lunch (we were right by the window), spent time on deck, but the best was in our stateroom where they streamed the live feed from the front of the ship. We had a front row view to all the locks without dealing with the humidity!
If you already have a porthole booked, really, for $2k more, I think you'll be just fine and won't miss out on too much

 

[GPaLarry]

Bobbiwoz - what deck were you on? Every time I went up to the pool deck it was very windy. I thought the veranda would be the same? I love reading too and read 6 books on that cruise. Thank goodness I didn't rely on buying one along the way or any sort of reading materials on the ship. We did 3 port stops in Canada - none of which were particularly memorable. A port day in NYC would have been great!

GPaLarry - with a 3rd person, particularly a light sleeping "little boy" - a verandah would help a lot, just in terms of square footage. That curtain divider is kind of nice. Maybe you could ask your cabin steward to put the towel animal on the extra bed to make it ultra special. Unless you are giving him the 'big bed' and taking the bunks?

If I go with the Ocean View I think I would go to a higher deck. Disney offered me a cabin with one big porthole since I complained about the clunking noise - but it was very close to the theater and you could hear the music quite clearly. I stuck with the clunk. As I recall, they also gave me some chocolate covered strawberries. Really went out of their way and I really appreciated it. I think I must have been over the engine room?

I took all the cooking classes - and they were really good fun. Skipped dinner in the MDR and in fact, requested no turndown service so I could just keep reading. Don't tell anyone but I also watched Parent Trap a few times on the TV.

Our son is 6'4" so we have to squeeze him in wherever he will fit. Actually, he is a great companion...loves wine (wife doesn't)...loves to travel (she does, but mostly with family in Calif.)...has done DCL before and will be retired by the time we go (he was/is a very thrifty "kid.") And his Pirate Night outfit is to die for...last time he wore it many people thought he was Jack Sparrow and wanted a picture with him...a real kid at heart. This will be great fun!!

 

[braysmommy]

We have done a few TA cruises and always on deck 2 oceanview cabin. The only time we have splurged for a verandah was on our Panama Canal cruise. I'd save the money and book OV.

 

[Girl of the South]

Braysmommy - where on Deck 2 were your cabins??? I don't think I would mind as long as I wasn't near the theater. I went through the Panama Canal but not on Disney. And we had a verandah room for that very reason BUT the thing about the Panama Canal is that the experience is so much more than what you can see out your balcony! You really need to be on top of the ship to see the process which is amazing. It's a HUGE experience! If I went again I wouldn't bother with the balcony - I'd be up on the highest deck I could, preferably at the front!

Thanks everyone for your experiences . . I was just thinking what else I could do with the $2,000 to enhance my trip. . . . and I eventually was happy with my two little portholes, got to watch the waves and some birds that follow the ship??? One BIG porthole would be much nicer I think? In terms of light and view?

 

[braysmommy]

Braysmommy - where on Deck 2 were your cabins??? I don't think I would mind as long as I wasn't near the theater. I went through the Panama Canal but not on Disney. And we had a verandah room for that very reason BUT the thing about the Panama Canal is that the experience is so much more than what you can see out your balcony! You really need to be on top of the ship to see the process which is amazing. It's a HUGE experience! If I went again I wouldn't bother with the balcony - I'd be up on the highest deck I could, preferably at the front!

Thanks everyone for your experiences . . I was just thinking what else I could do with the $2,000 to enhance my trip. . . . and I eventually was happy with my two little portholes, got to watch the waves and some birds that follow the ship??? One BIG porthole would be much nicer I think? In terms of light and view?

We usually are midship on Deck 2 and I look for cabins under Guest Services or Port Adventures. The bigger window really lets a lot of light in and Deck 2 is typically a quiet area.