Category 9 vs. 11

[dtuleya]

Ok, need some help. Going with a group of friends and we have the option of booking cat. 9 or 11. For our family of four there would only be a $200 price difference between the two. Now of course, if DS's friend comes with us, we'll have to book two cat. 9 rooms and it won't be an option.

Is the porthole worth it? Does it make the room feel more spacious and less "closed in"? It's not that the $200 would make that much of a difference, but we'd like to do the dolphin excusion and that would pay for someone's trip. What other differences are there?

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

The main difference between category 9 and 11 (other than the ocean view), I think, is the split bathroom which the 9 has, but the 11 doesn't. In the "deluxe" staterooms (anything above cat. 11), there are actually two bathrooms. One has toilet and sink, the other has the shower and another sink. This makes it a lot easier to get everybody ready for dinner, etc. Other than that (and again, the view), the rooms have the same amenities, with the category 9 rooms having 20 more sq. ft. than the 11's.

I would vote for the oceanview room, as I tend to sleep later than I plan to when there's no window to let the sun in.

 

[lbgraves]

We are a family of 4 also and were booked in a cat 11 for our first cruise. Thanks to lots of Pixie Dust we were upgraded to an 8. We found out that there was a difference in the amount of room to move around as well as the shelf/storage space for our clothes. We would have never been able to unpack in an 11. We are rebooking in a cat 10 for the split bath & the extra storage room. I think that is what we will do from now on.

 

[alexandrew]

I would overwhelmingly recommend cat 9 over the cat 11....no matter how little time you spend in stateroom, it is well worth it to see the outside i.e weather conditions....also, the split bath is worth the extra cost as well.....

 

[dtuleya]

Thanks everyone. Looks like Cat 9 for us!