Cat. 6 vs Cat. 8 ?

[Ker-Bear]

I finally have talked my DH to cruise again. We went on RCL in 2002 on Soveriegn and we were quite disappointed. The DCL DVD helped me seal the deal with the verandah rooms. He loved them. However, when I found that the extra cost to have one of those rooms is about $700-$900 more I wasn't sure it was worth it. Thoughts or Comments?

 

[AnnMorin]

And I can tell you that I personally LOVE it! That said though I am a "homebody" type of person, I tend to get a bit overwhelmed in crowds and like to be able to retreat to my own private viewing of sail aways and sunsets, I personally spend about three hours a day on it at sea days and even on port days am always out there first thing in the morning and right before bed, and any time we enter the cabin.

 

[Yankee914]

Last August, our friends booked a category 6 and our family had a category 8. They paid about $1,000 more for their room. They used the verandah a few times but we were never in the room much. When we go back on the cruise next year, we have both booked category 8 rooms. Our friends felt that they couldn't justify spending the extra $1,000 on the verandah that they hardly used and spend that money on board ship or on excursions. I think it is a personal preference, but honestly, we didn't spend much time in the room -- on a Disney Cruise, there are too many fun things to do!

 

[colormouse]

Ker-Bear,
I think it is a personal preference. I had a cat 9 on our 1st cruise and a cat 6 on our 2nd cruise. We love the veranda and we have our next 2 cruises booked with a veranda. If you have the money I say go for it. To me spending $700 or $900 is worth it to have a veranda to get away to, even if it is only for a few minutes. You can have breakfast or coffee in the morning, or have a glass of wine at night out or just sit out , relax and enjoy the fresh air. It is a beautiful view. My fiance and I will never sail again without the veranda.

Colormouse

 

[DznyDreamer]

We also waivered with this decision. It is a good chunk of money. We're taking our first cruise in October. It finally came down to "Well, we're already spending 'x' amount of dollars, what's another ______ more?" Kind of silly I know, but I also didn't want to be thinking the whole week 'I wish we would have booked the verandah". I think it will be neat to sit out there with coffee in the morning and hubby and son can entertain themselves out there while the girls are getting beautiful for dinner every night ... LOL. If you can do it, I say go for it!

 

[ivanova]

if there's one available, why not book a category 7 navigator's verandah ... not as much $$ difference from cat 8 to cat 7 as there is from cat 8 to cat 6. The only difference between cat 6 and cat 7 is the verandah configuration - the actual rooms are identical. The cat 7 verandah is partially enclosed (the good thing about that is you are protected from the elements in a cat 7).

 

[lowkat]

My one request at WDW is a balconey.
So in planning our first ever cruise, we were talking a cat 8.
Our TA put it to us this way, If you love a balconey so much, why would you not even consider one on a cruise. I told her $900.00.
Well she got us thinking (bad) and we leave in 5 weeks for the airport and our crusie on the Wonder in a cat 6 (what a sales person). I am getting so excited

 

[TinkHappy]

It also depends on what time of year you are going (my opinion). If you are going in the "off season" then you could get bad weather and NOT use your verandah. If you are planning on a time of year with no hurricanes or colder weather, then maybe a verandah is for you.
We did a Cat.5 the last time in October, it was chilly and the the verandah was always wet because the waves were pretty high and the splash made it all the way up . This time we are doing a Cat.8 in Novermber, I am taking the $1000.00 "extra" and buying Christmas presents with it on the Islands
I guess everyone has their own opinion, just thought I would share mine.

 

[WDWLVR]

We are very much like Ann - homebodies that love our veranda.

We've done Cat 5, 6, 7, & 8. The cat 7's are our favorite. We love the cozy feel of them.

 

[MrsPete]

The length of your cruise may be a determining factor as well.

If you're cruising for 3-4 days, you'll be on the go constantly. Board, dinner time, deck party time, stop in Nassau, wow it's Castaway Cay day . . . where'd the time go?

On the other hand, if you're crusing for 7 days, you'll have a great deal more "down time". You'll likely enjoy time on the verandah on the at-sea days. You'll have more time for a leisurely breakfast in the cabin. I'd pay for the verandah on a 7-day!

 

[firsttimemom]

We're trying to decide the same thing. We had a cat 6 on the 5/23 Wonder and did use the balcony a couple times. But we were on the go so much that we really didn't spend much time in the room (much less than we do when we're at WDW, in fact).

We rebooked a cat 6 on the 1/22 Magic but now that we're looking at the cost differences...

I spoke w/ our TA and the only Cat 8's left are very far forward and I've read that you feel the motion much more from that position. Or TA recommended an Aft Cat 9 on deck 2 would be better than a forward Cat 8 on deck 5. The difference btwn the Cat 9 and the 6 we have booked is about $1000. The responsible part of me (a very small part) says to get the 9, but there's that other (larger) part that says we should stick w/ the 6.

Decisions decisions...

Liz

 

[PiperG]

Originally posted by firsttimemom

We rebooked a cat 6 on the 1/22 Magic but now that we're looking at the cost differences...


Liz

Hi LIz,

You are on the 1/22 Magic with us!!!!

I agree with the other posters, in that it depends on what you want out of the cruise. Our lives are so hectic, that we REALLY spend a lot of time relaxing and doing nothing out on the verandah. During the day, if DS goes to the club, we will get a couple of drinks and hang out there until he pages us. At night, after DS goes to bed, we sit out there until the wee hours of the night (we usually order some room service about midnight).

We can't imagine cruising any other way.

 

[firsttimemom]

Piper- you're not helping! I had just about decided not to get the verandah...

What was the weather like on your 1/2003 cruise? I saw the prev post about the weather affecting their verandah usage. I was wondering if it got too chilly in January to use it late at night.

Liz

 

[PiperG]

O.k. . . . . here is the skinny on the weather.

We sailed on 1/29/03, and it was suprisingly cold for FL. When we were at our hotel Saturday morning before the cruise, all the staff members were complaining about the cold. On the ship, the wind at the port was quite brisk. We are not talking freezing. . . . just cool for FL. Of course, being from MN, we didn't have anything to complain about. LOL.

Some folks probably would have stayed inside. However, when it came time for DS to go to bed, DH and I simply put on a sweatshirt and wrapped our legs in a bath towel. It was great! As described in my earlier post, we ordered room service about midnight.

That cool weather only lasted about 1 day. Once we got farther south, the Florida cold front was long gone.

In St. Thomas, the ship tendered in the bay. Our verandah looked out onto the shoreline. We went ashore for about 1-hour, but hightailed it back to the cabin after we went to a few shops. DS fell asleep watching Tarzan on the couch, so DH and I sat out on the verandah all afternoon drinking margaritas and watching the tenders, party boats and sea planes. It was truly magical!

O.k. . . one more thing! Our verandah is on the starboard side of the ship this time (last time we were on port side). According to other dissers, we will be able to see the Wonder coming back from Castaway Cay about 11:00 Sat night. So, unless its pouring rain, DH and I will be out looking for her.

Liz, I am sorry if I am making it harder for you.

Regardless, I am glad we are sailing together.