Extended verandas at the aft, worth it?

[Kaleea]

I LOVE these cabins on deck 7. The hall is a little wider back there, plus you feel so secluded. We had adjoining 7192 and 7194. Loved them so much, we booked them again for an upcoming trip in April. Heaven!

We have these two plus 7191 for our July sailing. I am so glad to hear good things about them!

 

[plethera1]

3 years or so ago we had room 6188 on the Dream. I have to admit that there was a bit more vibration when pulling into port but didn't bother us too much and kept us from over sleeping. The extra balcony in our room was minimal as we were the first room as the curve of the boat starts in the back. The extra balcony really provides depth and not width so to me not a huge deal either way.

With that said, I loved being able to look off the back of the boat. Just really loved this perspective from our room. Lastly, the room hallways were very quiet since you are all the way at the end of the hall so that was nice. Still close to the stairs which led to the kid's club which was perfect for us.

 

[Mdktf]

When i say they are more than worth it, i mean it. Of course everyone has different opinions, but wow i am specifically looking for aft rooms on our may cruise. We went on one in july and were assigned a deck 7 aft extended and we were skeptical; worried about seasickness, etc. Honestly, as strange as this may sound, i believe that staying in the back actually helped with motion (I think being in the back from start of the cruise, and during downtime tones down movement as opposed to being used to mid, and moving aft. I felt MINIMAL movement and i am prone to motion sickness). I say take the leap and go for it. Only issue we slightly had was vibration but it was minimal and easy for us to get over.
edit: also we experienced minimal soot. We were worried about this as well, and saw almost none. The crew did a great cleaning job. And not to mention.. Castaway Cay views and any other port views are amazing. We feel that staying midship the view just isn't the same as being on the back with a "private" feeling view, all to yourself (not shared with the hundreds to the left and right, up and down)

Would you go for deck 10 or6? I've seen on YouTube that the flag blocks the view on deck 6 in those rooms?!

 

[Mdktf]

The 5e category on the Dream ad the Fantasy are decks 6-10.
Sea sickness is subjective. The more central you are to the ship the less likely you will encounter it.

People like them for many reasons. Seclusion so you don't have kids running up and down the halls, oversized verandahs, sometimes have chair loungers or full loungers, has a large covered area in case of bad weather. Generally favorable views of ports and the ship wake as it sails. Close to adult venues, cabanas, palo and remy, animators palate.

Some cons include reports of soot being deposited as a result of the smoke stacks, far from the front of the ship, extra vibration during docking maneuvers.

Neutral things include: the bed faces side to side of the ship instead of front to back (this matters to some people).



I have had two 5e cabins in my time with DCL. Enjoyed both immensely for different reasons. We tend to spend more time in our cabin than most and appreciated the extra outdoor space. Once because we traveled with family and liked having them come hang out. The second time because it was the huge wraparound the side of the ship which allowed a great view of fireworks and castaway cay.

It is not a MUST room, and isn't on our upcoming trip, but they are very nice if you know what you want out of your space.

Would you go for deck 10 or6? I've seen on YouTube that the flag blocks the view on deck 6 in those rooms?!

 

[Quellman]

Would you go for deck 10 or6? I've seen on YouTube that the flag blocks the view on deck 6 in those rooms?!

The flag only matters while in port. It only impacts room 6192. The flag issue has also decreased in recent years since they have reduced the size of the flag.
I have not stayed in an aft room on either of those decks. I would likely choose deck 6 just to avoid the perceived noise from deck 10.

Here is a site that has photos of the balcony with the flag link 1 and the exterior view, link 2.

 

[disny_luvr]

We love the AFT rooms. We sailed in 8188 on the Fantasy last year and have the same room booked next year on the Dream. We loved the extended balcony, the quiet hallway and the gorgeous view when pulled into CC.

 

[Mdktf]

The flag only matters while in port. It only impacts room 6192. The flag issue has also decreased in recent years since they have reduced the size of the flag.
I have not stayed in an aft room on either of those decks. I would likely choose deck 6 just to avoid the perceived noise from deck 10.

Here is a site that has photos of the balcony with the flag link 1 and the exterior view, link 2.

So do u think 6690 will be ok? And this video is outdated?

Thanks

 

[JoRollo]

Hi we have booked 9672 extended veranda on the Dream, has anyone stayed in that room what did you think. Thanks.

 

[pillow]

Hi we have booked 9672 extended veranda on the Dream, has anyone stayed in that room what did you think. Thanks.

Here is a review of the room right next door - 9674 . . . http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...stateroom-with-huge-aft-verandah-9674-review/

 

[Quellman]

So do u think 6690 will be ok? And this video is outdated?
Thanks

Yes, that video is outdated being 5 years old. I had read reports from cruisers since that time that the flag is smaller link. Others say that it can still block the view quite effectively. I think it just boils down to the direction and strength of the wind.

This is the criteria I would use to make the decision:
1. How much time do I realistically plan on spending on the balcony while in port? (Easier to consider if you have cruised DCL before or been to those ports).
2. What is my reason for choosing a 5e room? (Extra space for guests, plan on sun bathing, want to look at ships wake while sailing, privacy, hall noise, proximity to common areras I plan on using a lot)
3. Are there any other room categories that might be an acceptable substitute? Is there a GTY rate for 5e rooms?
4. How much would the flag impact my enjoyment of this space? (May depend on length of cruise and number of port days)

My answers would be like this (I have 5 cruises in various rooms from small portholes on the magic, to whitewall verandahs, to 5e deck spaces, and 4a family suites):
1. At least 4-5 hours. Port arrival, port departure, lunch from cabanas taken to go and eaten on my balcony, maybe an hour or so of reading, time during his nap.
2. I like the extra deck space for my toddler, I like being out there while he takes a nap, I like the proximity to the aft areas of the ship.
3. Any verandah could work as a substitute. 4e has the extended verandah, though lacks privacy from above and costs more.
4. I think it would greatly impact my enjoyment of the space and I would not book this room.

I think it is a fine room and the flag is a minor issue for most people. If you really want to book a 5e you should. Worst that can happen is that the flag bothers you and you go find a quiet spot on the pool deck or the deck 4 loungers to enjoy for a few hours.

 

[1926Moon]

We had 9176 this past April/early May on the Fantasy. It is the extended balcony right in the middle of the peak on the back of the ship, which I thought was kind of neat.
Anyways, I LOVED it - I thought it all of the deck space was amazing, I spent more time out there than I expected, in fact I had the best nap out there one afternoon in the warm shade.

My husband, however, was not as crazy about it. The weather for the cruise that we were on was very calm, almost no breeze and what little breeze we did seem to have was blowing from behind the ship (tailwind?), this resulted in the ship exhaust being blown into our cabin when we had the veranda door open, which is what drove my husband nuts. He works with chemicals often, which has made him pretty sensitive to smells, and the exhaust smell drove him insane...he actually said he could taste it!
I did not really notice it until he pointed it out to me. I did notice that whenever he pointed out when the exhaust was bugging him was when we would end up with soot on our deck. I do think it was because of the weather while we were on the cruise, the tailwind ended up blowing the exhaust back into our room.

So, on our next cruise in Dec 2017, we are booked on a forward/side balcony. I really think I am going to miss the view and watching the the ports fade away as we sail on, as well as the loungers. I actually kind of think I am a little spoiled for future, regular sized verandas!!

 

[Mdktf]

Yes, that video is outdated being 5 years old. I had read reports from cruisers since that time that the flag is smaller link. Others say that it can still block the view quite effectively. I think it just boils down to the direction and strength of the wind.

This is the criteria I would use to make the decision:
1. How much time do I realistically plan on spending on the balcony while in port? (Easier to consider if you have cruised DCL before or been to those ports).
2. What is my reason for choosing a 5e room? (Extra space for guests, plan on sun bathing, want to look at ships wake while sailing, privacy, hall noise, proximity to common areras I plan on using a lot)
3. Are there any other room categories that might be an acceptable substitute? Is there a GTY rate for 5e rooms?
4. How much would the flag impact my enjoyment of this space? (May depend on length of cruise and number of port days)

My answers would be like this (I have 5 cruises in various rooms from small portholes on the magic, to whitewall verandahs, to 5e deck spaces, and 4a family suites):
1. At least 4-5 hours. Port arrival, port departure, lunch from cabanas taken to go and eaten on my balcony, maybe an hour or so of reading, time during his nap.
2. I like the extra deck space for my toddler, I like being out there while he takes a nap, I like the proximity to the aft areas of the ship.
3. Any verandah could work as a substitute. 4e has the extended verandah, though lacks privacy from above and costs more.
4. I think it would greatly impact my enjoyment of the space and I would not book this room.

I think it is a fine room and the flag is a minor issue for most people. If you really want to book a 5e you should. Worst that can happen is that the flag bothers you and you go find a quiet spot on the pool deck or the deck 4 loungers to enjoy for a few hours.

Thanks, a big help. Think we are going to go for it. So the flag is only up once docked in port? Would u say the equivalent cabins on deck 10 would be affected by noise from public areas above? Cleaning in the morning etc...

 

[Quellman]

Thanks, a big help. Think we are going to go for it. So the flag is only up once docked in port? Would u say the equivalent cabins on deck 10 would be affected by noise from public areas above? Cleaning in the morning etc...

Yes, the flag is up once in port. I'm not sure of the exact time they place it, but should be close to when it actually docks. There is inherent noise from above for just about all deck 10 cabins. The area above the 5e deck 10 cabins is the outdoor seating for cabanas. On port days you would expect people to go out there and look around. Also, the tables and chairs would be scraped on the floor surface, which would lend itself to the potential for noise reaching down into your cabin from above. Stateroom reviews say sometimes it is negligible, where others say it is noticeable. This LINK shows a shot from the port side looking aft to give you an idea of the outdoor cabanas dining area. It appears it was taken with a fish eye lens so there is distortion and depth problems, but it does represent the style of chairs, tables, and flooring. The far aft section of the ship is about where you see the bend in the railing off in the distance.

 

[phinz]

After having stayed in an aft cabin on our Princess Alaska cruise, we've decided it's our preferred location if not in Club/Concierge/Haven/etc. areas. This was what we saw every day on that cruise (Disclaimer: This is from the Crown Princess, but the water, icebergs and other stuff I'm pretty sure look the same no matter what line you're on.)

 

[Mdktf]

Yes, the flag is up once in port. I'm not sure of the exact time they place it, but should be close to when it actually docks. There is inherent noise from above for just about all deck 10 cabins. The area above the 5e deck 10 cabins is the outdoor seating for cabanas. On port days you would expect people to go out there and look around. Also, the tables and chairs would be scraped on the floor surface, which would lend itself to the potential for noise reaching down into your cabin from above. Stateroom reviews say sometimes it is negligible, where others say it is noticeable. This LINK shows a shot from the port side looking aft to give you an idea of the outdoor cabanas dining area. It appears it was taken with a fish eye lens so there is distortion and depth problems, but it does represent the style of chairs, tables, and flooring. The far aft section of the ship is about where you see the bend in the railing off in the distance.

Thanks

 

[noahsmom]

We stayed aft deck 10 on fantasy. Never used the extended veranda for 2 reasons.
1. Soot was awful and constant.
2. Incredibly hot! This surprised us, there was no breeze, even when the ship was moving.

Also, because we were deck 10, every morning we heard chairs being moved around at cabanas while they cleaned. This happened very early every day.

Location is great though!

 

[pillow]

I recall someone posting a while back that there is soot on the Fantasy but not on the Dream (has to do with how far the ship travels). Our experiences in the aft rooms has been on the Dream only, and we have never experienced soot. Hope that helps.

 

[Quellman]

I recall someone posting a while back that there is soot on the Fantasy but not on the Dream (has to do with how far the ship travels). Our experiences in the aft rooms has been on the Dream only, and we have never experienced soot. Hope that helps.

It was noticeable in 8682 the corner room on the Dream, but we had that on the 4 day cruise. Glad to have to slippers for going out on deck!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I sailed in deck 9 5e on the Fantasy in 2013. We were the center aft room, forget the stateroom number. It's my least favorite I've ever sailed even behind the standard inside room on the Wonder. I didn't like the vibration level. No, it wasn't just while maneuvering in port. The soot. The deep puddled water on our verandah near the door. Lack of shade when standing by the rail. All the nope. Would never book it again.

Have sailed a 4e on deck 5 of the Fantasy, forward of the forward elevators. It had an extended verandah also but I felt was a much better location and zero soot. If I was after an extended verandah this would be my choice hands-down.

As always, it's personal preference.

 

[firsttimemom]

It was noticeable in 8682 the corner room on the Dream, but we had that on the 4 day cruise. Glad to have to slippers for going out on deck!

We were in 8682 on the Dream and didn't see much soot. Might depend on speed/wind conditions?

We are booked in 9670 for 12/17. For both of these aft corners, our TA had to call DCL to book us into those cabins.