Can't decide on Category or Deck--HELP!

[amtmommy]

HELP!
Getting ready FINALLY to book this trip.
I am having trouble deciding on Deck and Category. Cat 5,6 or 7?

I would love to hear from past cruisers about what Category and what decks were most conveint.(Sp)

Thanks sooooo much.

 

[AnnMorin]

Cat. 5 and 6 are EXACTLY the same, the only difference is that all Cat.5's are on deck seven while cat. 6's are on decks five and six. We have stayed in both and have not noticed any difference what so ever except price. Cat. 7's have a partially enclosed veranda, some people really like them, I prefer the open veranda - although to be honest we have never stayed in a seven -just love the open veranda. You can see what the comparison is on Barb and Tony's site www.castawayclub.com
click on the photos and you will see the different types of veranda.
As to Deck, we have stayed on five, six and seven and all were really about the same. One flight of stairs one way or anouther did not make a difference to me. I didn't notice and difference in the ships movement either.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

My favorite is category 7 on deck 7. I like being close to the top of the ship, and I like being close to the aft balcony on deck 7. As far as the cabins, the only difference (other than price) between categories 5 and 6 is the deck. Category 5 is on deck 7, cat. 6's are on decks 5 and 6. There are category 7's on all three decks.

I like the category 7 rooms because they're cheaper than the others. The verandah is a bit enclosed, but open enough for me, and is a fair trade-off for the savings, in my opinion. The rooms themselves are the same as the cat. 5 and 6 rooms.

 

[professorandmom]

Careful - not everyone can enjoy a cat. 7 since they all only sleep three

I booked a 6 and got a 5 and don't know why anyone would pay the additional amount unless there were no 6's available - it is the same just a different deck
Barbara

 

[inkkognito]

I am a major fan of deck 5. I like it because only part of the deck is guest rooms vs. all guest rooms on 6, 7, and 8, meaning that there is usually less hallway traffic/noise. Also, you are centrally located for going either up or down. I've never understood why the verandahs on deck 7 are a higher category that 6 or 5. I find the lower deck verandahs more desirable because I like to be as close as possible to the water. I am also a major aft fan because there is less traffic (in case you haven't guessed by now, I hate hallway noise!), so it's always very peaceful. My favorite stateroom is 5650, which is as far aft on deck 5 as you can get. Not everyone likes the farthest aft rooms because they have solid metal verandahs, but the verandah size on some is larger than the norm and they are the most peaceful rooms on the ship.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[jrabbit]

Barb,
On our recent Western cruise we were in room 5520 (SPH). With two crew doors across the hallway it was by far the noisiest room we have had to date. There were doors slamming all of the time (well all of the times we were in our room). I don't really know if it was the crew making all of the noise or just very noisy neighbors when they came and went.

We also thought it odd that our room steward had rooms to service on both sides of the ship. On our previous cruise we really enjoyed chatting with our room steward as we came and went. We didn't see this one too much because he had rooms down both seperate hallways.

 

[inkkognito]

We've been in 5520 many times, and I've noticed more hallway noise there than aft due to the stateroom being at the head of the hall. However, I've never noticed noise from the crew. We've never been in it on a 7-day cruise, just on the Wonder (usually 3 day, but also on our three-peat), so maybe there is a difference. But I do think the SPRs tend to be noiser than the rooms farther down that forward hall because they are at the head of the hall and also because you are next door to two connecting staterooms, which makes you more likely to end up with a large family split among two staterooms as neighbors. With all our cruises, we've learned that this ups the potential for people running in and out the hallway door a lot, even though they have the connecting door. I figure that the free porthole is worth it, but if I were going to book a true inside stateroom on deck 5, I'd make sure it was farther down the hall. Also, I would avoid the rooms that are laid out longways, because that means you have a lot more outside (on the hall) wall, which means you will hear more.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Mjasp]

Jrabbit...I too enjoyed speaking with our room steward. UH OH,
I am also booked in 5520 next year on our Western cruise.

Did you notice what was in the rooms of the doors they kept going into?

 

[gail1771]

We are sailing on the 12/18/04 10 day Christmas cruise. We are in cabin 5024. We are the first cabin in the forward hallway. I was told this was a quiet area not a lot of traffic. I am know reading differently. We also have a room that connects but we are not using the second room. I am concerned about the noise. I do not want to give up the Secret Porthole which is a plus. Any suggestions from past cruiser's?????? Please feel free to e mail me. Thanks-Gail