Did I mess up? I requested a Port Side room.

[SCPixie]

Auuggh. We are sailing the Disney Dream (first time cruisers). I booked a Family Oceanview Stateroom on Deck 9. I looked at my options and selected stateroom 9162, simply because it wasn't right outside of the elevators and I was concerned I would hear the constant "dinging" and people chattering as they got off the elevator all night. We are all light sleepers. Anyway, now I think I should have asked for a Starboard side room. Does it truly matter? I hear the views are blocked when you dock at Nassau and CC anyway.

Help!

Is it too late to change my selection? I don't cruise until March 2016.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Rooms are soundproofed very well your unlikely to have any issue.

People say starboard as you get a nice view in castaway, not everyone can be starboard, it's one small issue, many great views on port it all balances out.

 

[bumbershoot]

It doesn't matter. Views aren't blocked at CC, but one side will get ocean and one side will get CC views. As for Nassau, you'll see another ship, you'll see Nassau, or you'll see water.

The rooms aren't right next to elevators, FWIW. There is some space, even though it doesn't look like it on the maps.

 

[Four Swampers]

The Dream backs into CC. You should have a great view of the island from your room. Well done!

 

[KristiMc]

On the Port side you will not have views of the CC beach but you will have a view of the dock. It is neat to watch them pull in and to see how organized it is when they are getting everything off the ship in preparation for the cruisers. In Nassau you will probably have a view of another ship no matter which side you are on.

 

[undertheradar]

Not much difference. As others have posted, in Nassau you will probably be docked alongside other cruise ships, so not much of a view. At CC, you are off the ship and on the island, so view is not a priority there.

Relax and enjoy your cruise.

 

[chirogrrl]

The Dream backs into CC. You should have a great view of the island from your room. Well done!

Yes, I am pretty sure we have had a port side room on the last 2 cruises and we had a beautiful view of the beach at Castaway! On our first cruise we were starboard and we stood on our balcony and watched the Cast Members get the ship ready to leave Castaway. They all put on Mickey hands and waved us off when we set sail! The last 2 cruises we have gone down to Deck 4 starboard to watch!

 

[MouseMomx2]

I don't think it matters much, but if you want to change staterooms just log into the DCL website and pull up your reservation. You can Modify your reservation and select a new stateroom. They will show you a selection of what is available and you can also put in a different stateroom number to see if that room is free. Once you have selected the new room just make sure you confirm the changes. Of course if you change categories the price of your cruise will change, but if you stay within the same category there should be no charge.

 

[Weedy]

The view on the port side at Castaway is beautiful

 

[hanscarlet]

I don't think it's a big deal... imo port side was nicer this time on The Wonder than starboard... we were on starboard and everything was water except for CC... the port side got better shots of other islands heading towards GC

 

[PhillyCruiser]

We were port side, fwd on Dream & were very happy!

 

[darkwing818]

We sailed with Disney 15 times (Caribbean & Bahamas) with staterooms on both side of the ship & in the words of William Shakespeare it's "Much AdoAbout Nothing". On the other hand; we prefer certain decks more than other decks.

 

[cheribelle]

I like to do the opposite of the "popular" opinion just so I can find some positive to it.

Read a lot of suggestions to book starboard. We booked port and loved it. Had fantastic views of the dock at Castaway Cay and watched the cast members wave goodbye with big Mickey hands. Very touching and fitting end to a beautiful day
(FWIW I also booked one of those "skin" balconies that everyone seems to find not so good. It was just wonderful - the "skin" added some privacy to our balcony with absolutely no obstructions.)
Its a beautiful ship and its Disney - you will find something positive about almost anything you do if you can look past the negative

 

[bumbershoot]

In October we had a port side cabin.


This was our Nassau view:

Until this:

And this:

...happened.


And this was our view while docked at Castaway.

Since most people are ON Castaway or enjoying the fun on the ship, not in their rooms for Castaway, having the above view is perfectly OK.

 

[MelSpees]

I think maybe some are confused as to port and starboard. Port is left, facing forward. Port and left both have four letters, which is an easy way to remember.

 

[tup1830]

i say book a room in the back/aft...get best of both worlds

 

[JavaHound]

No. You didn't mess up. No matter what you picked, you'll have great views of something and will probably not spend that much time in your room while in a port in any event. Have a great cruise!

 

[E ticket rider]

Auuggh. We are sailing the Disney Dream (first time cruisers). I booked a Family Oceanview Stateroom on Deck 9. I looked at my options and selected stateroom 9162, simply because it wasn't right outside of the elevators and I was concerned I would hear the constant "dinging" and people chattering as they got off the elevator all night. We are all light sleepers. Anyway, now I think I should have asked for a Starboard side room. Does it truly matter? I hear the views are blocked when you dock at Nassau and CC anyway.

Help!

Is it too late to change my selection? I don't cruise until March 2016.

Nassau will depend on how many ships are in port that day. The ship normally backs into the berth, but sometimes they change it up (crew lifeboat drills etc) and go bow in. If the Dream is the only ship in town, your choices are ocean or town. The more likely case is that your view will be of the ship across the pier. CC will either be of the developed bit of CC or a view of the undeveloped portion of CC and the pier. Either way, it will be a beautiful beach view. Some people get too worked up over port or starboard side. When the ship is in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, your view is ocean on either side.

 

[Kimosabe]

We were on port side a few years ago and very much enjoyed watching the whole docking process at Castaway Cay. You don't typically think much about how a huge cruise ship attaches itself to a dock....you just assume it happens, walk off the ship and go about your merry way, assuming it will still be attached when you get back! It was pretty neat to watch the ropes get shot out of the ship holes ("ship hole" is a nautical term...right!) and then get tied up. Or maybe I'm just easily entertained. A few weeks ago, our port side oceanview room (big porthole rather than veranda) was right up next to some ridiculous private yacht (rumored to be in the neighborhood of $200 to $250 million) while we were in port (St. Thomas, as I recall).

If there is ever anything you really want to see that is on the other side of the ship, there are plenty of other decks that provide you with viewing options (e.g., the walking track, pool and other top decks). There are so many other things that you should be worried sick about (e.g., early or late dining, how much to tip, whether to wear shorts in the dining room on formal night, etc., etc.), that where your room is should be really low on the priority last. Hee hee...ho ho.

 

[SCPixie]

Ha! Ha! Or worrying if my husband will wear socks with Crocs. KIDDING!