Deck 1 - category 9 room

[TLHB70]

We just confirmed our cruise last week. It is our very first cruise. My husband surprised me with it! However, because it was last minute we were limited in our room choices. The only rooms available to sleep four (which we HAVE to have) were a category 9 room on deck one or a category 4 room. (I have forgotten which deck.) The price difference in the two rooms is HUGE!!!! The category 4 is more than we had hoped to pay. So we picked the category 9. I am getting a bit concerned since I have been reading these boards. I am worried that we may feel closed in and isolated. Have any of you ever stayed there? What is deck one like? Will we feel like we are part of the magic? Or will we be isolated? I know that Disney does everything right. I guess that I shouldn't be concerned. But by looking at the deck/cabin pictures it looks like we will not be in much company there.
Any helpful information will be appreciated!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

We have stayed in a cat 9 on deck 2 before, and will be (hopefully . . . knock wood) be doing so again on Saturday.

You will feel like you are part of the ship! I found the room to be plenty big for 3 of us -- we'll see how it is for 4 of us now. We liked deck 2 because it was a quick hop to the embrakation deck, and we didn't need to wait for elevators to get off the ship or to go to dinner. (Not that you ever have to wait for elevators, but my kids took forever to walk down from deck 9, for example.)

My sister stayed in a cat 11 last time, and it was also a nice size and did not feel claustrophobic.

 

[goofyforlife]

You'll have plenty of room.

Just not much of a view. On deck 1 they have two mini portholes in each cabin (about 18" diameter or so each).

(If the seas are a little rough YOU WILL see the waves quite literally.)

The location is great though for getting on/off and the various ports.

I didn't like to distance up to the pool deck.

(pools are on deck 9 which makes for 18 half flights of stairs or waiting for the elevator. We tended to go up on deck...and stay up.)

We joked the entire time about being steerage passengers but felt better when our waiter from palo told us that his quarters were two below ours and that he "slept with the fishes."

 

[TLHB70]

I did have one friend tell me that I should be thankful for the deck 1 room because I will not feel the motion of the ship there.
Is that true?

 

[goofyforlife]

I feel better on higher levels....

Maybe it was because you could hear more engine noises on the lower deck. (not loud or anything, just like rocking type noises)

(was on deck 5 2-nd cruise, was deck 6- 3rd cruise, were on 7 this time. I'll let you know it it feels worse/better to me.)

But you will find people with varying opinions on this...

 

[lovethattink]

We always book 2nd floor middle of the ship. Seems to me the lower and more center you are, the less rocking you should experience. This time we are going on the 7th floor, so I guess I'll find out if my theory is true.

 

[mickeyboat]

We were on Deck 1 in March and loved it. Stairs were not an issue for us, we were willing to walk up to Deck 5. We took the elevator when we went higher than that.

It was very quiet down there, no hall traffic to speak of, no kids running up and down the halls.

Very convenient to getting on and off the ship - which was much appreciated when we boarded, hot and tired from being in port.

We also saw a lot more CM's than we otherwise would have. There was a crew quarters door near the midship lifts so the kids socialized with a lot of people. They were also doing a fire drill there one day. Everyone was dressed in fire gear, and the leader made everyone kneel down and stay still when we passed by.

You will have a wonderful time on Deck 1.

Denae

 

[TLHB70]

Thanks so much for this information! I am feeling better already!