Is it worth the extra cost for a verandah?

[elle21]

I never thought I'd want to cruise, but after looking at the Disney ships and reading trip reports in this forum, I really want to try it.

I am looking at a spring 2020 cruise on the Magic. We have five kids though, so we would need two staterooms. It's already pricey and I'm wondering if it's worth the cost to have a verandah? It would be approximately $2k more. (I would not be okay with some kids sleeping in an inside room across the hall - too young. We would need connecting rooms).

I know this is subjective, but I just want to hear people's opinions. Does it significantly add to your enjoyment of the cruise?

 

[dcassetta]

I never thought I'd want to cruise, but after looking at the Disney ships and reading trip reports in this forum, I really want to try it.

I am looking at a spring 2020 cruise on the Magic. We have five kids though, so we would need two staterooms. It's already pricey and I'm wondering if it's worth the cost to have a verandah? It would be approximately $2k more. (I would not be okay with some kids sleeping in an inside room across the hall - too young. We would need connecting rooms).

I know this is subjective, but I just want to hear people's opinions. Does it significantly add to your enjoyment of the cruise?

Some people will only sail with a verandah, some never get one. They are enjoyable, but $2000 will get you a lot of shore excursions and souvenirs.

You may be looking at 2 rooms for more space, but there are verandah cabins that sleep 5. You want to look for category 4 (verandah) or 8 (oceanview).

 

[Quellman]

Only if you plan on spending time on them. This is a matter of how you travel. We have little ones who need nap time. They can nap while I can be on the verandah catching the sun or reading or otherwise enjoying what I paid for. We also spend meals out there,either from room service or cabanas. If you realistically think that with 3 kids you are going to be spending more time on the decks enjoying all there is to offer, a room with a large porthole would be a great way to save money but still see the sights when you arrive into a port. Some people, us included, won't sail interior due to claustrophobia concerns.

Remember there are decks on the boat that are already included in your cruise fare, so that is a great way to not miss anything.

 

[cadien]

It really depends on the people. I never use one. But my parents never leave theirs. Not helpful, I know! With kids, you'll likely only use it at nap time, so that is a consideration.

 

[Love2Cruise2015]

I never thought I'd want to cruise, but after looking at the Disney ships and reading trip reports in this forum, I really want to try it.

I am looking at a spring 2020 cruise on the Magic. We have five kids though, so we would need two staterooms. It's already pricey and I'm wondering if it's worth the cost to have a verandah? It would be approximately $2k more. (I would not be okay with some kids sleeping in an inside room across the hall - too young. We would need connecting rooms).

I know this is subjective, but I just want to hear people's opinions. Does it significantly add to your enjoyment of the cruise?

I personally think it is worth it for cruises longer then 5 days as I like to sit out on it in and read while we are sailing or just enjoy the ocean view. But to each their own so do what you think your family would like.
Have fun

 

[FSU Girl]

When I sailed as a kid my parents always put me and my brother either in an inside cabin or ocean view. I never sailed in a verandah until I went on a cruise with a friend. I absolutely loved sailing with a balcony, it was so nice having a spot to watch the water go by. I haven't booked anything but a balcony since then. I think if it was a port intense cruise and I didn't intend on being on the balcony much I'd get an ocean view. My Fiance's parents only sail in an indoor though, they prefer it because it is super dark and they don't get woken up in the mornings by the sun.

 

[southerngirl528]

I never thought I'd want to cruise, but after looking at the Disney ships and reading trip reports in this forum, I really want to try it.

I am looking at a spring 2020 cruise on the Magic. We have five kids though, so we would need two staterooms. It's already pricey and I'm wondering if it's worth the cost to have a verandah? It would be approximately $2k more. (I would not be okay with some kids sleeping in an inside room across the hall - too young. We would need connecting rooms).

I know this is subjective, but I just want to hear people's opinions. Does it significantly add to your enjoyment of the cruise?

I agree with Dcassetta in post #2. Since you've never sailed and you have a large family ( I LOVE big families! ), unless you really NEED a verandah and in your case you need TWO verandah connecting rooms, why not just do 2 connecting OV staterooms? While I love verandah staterooms, and usually do get them, I have also sailed in Ocean View as well as Inside staterooms. And I was very happy to know I loved them all! There are advantages to them all. Inside staterooms are crazy awesome for taking naps! But set an alarm or you could big time oversleep! And more times than not, they save you money (but not always a lot depending on when you book). Ocean views are great because you have the views but not the price of verandahs. My family loves the Classic ships and we did 2 connecting OV staterooms on the Wonder in Alaska 4 years ago on Deck 2 (which has the large portholes. Deck 1 OV rooms have 2 small portholes.), and they were great.

My best advice to you is to book soon so you have your choice of connecting rooms in the location you prefer. If you're a Costco member you can get a Costco cash card back after you sail equal to about 7-8% of the cruise base fare.

 

[MomOTwins]

We've sailed oceanview and verandah. My husband vastly preferred verandah as he liked to read on it in the morning while the kids were snoozing. I liked oceanview better (my kids kept trying to climb up on the plexiglass railings, which stressed me out). For $2,000 less, I think ocean view rooms are no brainer, but just pointing out that this is one of those things that is so personal no advice is really going to be helpful to you.

 

[Zippidee5]

We have done 2 verandah Cruises and one ocean view. For a 3-5 day I’d go OV and for 6+ I’d go verandah. We travel with 7 and always get connecting rooms. On one hand, I was WAY more comfortable when kids were Littles with OV. No need to be vigilant about having a door to the verandah. (FWIW the lock is up high, but if you climbing/wandery type kids, be mindful). The large porthole is the perfect size for them to sit in and they loved it. Plus, on a short cruise there’s just not as much down time to sit in a private verandah very long (unless all the kids go to clubs for awhile).
On the other hand... the lovely views from the verandah and the peace of sitting there with an adult beverage and fruit and cheese just relaxing is like nothing else! For a cruise with more than two sea days, I’d recommend it!
Enjoy your first cruise!!!! So exciting.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Our next cruise we are doing verandah because we have learned that it is needed with my younger child. But with two rooms, you will have space to move or stick sleepers on one side.

OV. Save the $$

 

[mmouse37]

For a first time cruiser you will probably be taking advantage of many activities onboard so don't how much time you will actually be on your verandahs. I suggest two O/V (which are great for naps too as the curtains close and make it very dark) which connect. When you book ask for CONNECTING cabins not ADJOINING. In DCL's world connecting has the interior door leading to each cabin. Adjoining cabins means next to each other but no interior door to the other cabin.

We have done both and I can take or leave a verandah. My husband and I just sailed with one two weeks ago and in November I am sailing in an O/V on Deck 2 with friends. We love the Magic!!!

Deck 2 will give you one large porthole in each cabin. Deck 1 will give you two smaller portholes in each cabin. We have done both but we prefer Deck 2 with the larger single porthole.

MJ

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

My husband would never want to sail without a verandah. I, on the other hand, have no problems sailing without one.

We've stayed on all different levels of the Disney ships to see where our comfort level is. We actually started in an inside cabin on deck 1 (or maybe 2?) of the Magic on an 8 night out of Galveston on our very first Disney cruise. We all get sea sick - so we weren't sure how deck 5 or 6 or deck 1 or 2 would impact us, if at all (even though we'd been on other cruise lines). Honestly, if you have the money to spend and you enjoy early mornings or late nights when the rest of your family is sleeping, I would encourage it because we really do love the balconies. That said, if I were in a room without one - that would not be a deal breaker for me by any means.

 

[rcchello]

First couple of cruises were Oceanview, then we got a deal on a Verandah and my wife loved it, so the next was a Veranda. Then we took a room a last minute cruise and did an inside which we also loved. We now cycle back and forth between inside and verandahs. When we are in an inside we spend more times at events and sitting out on the decks. I wake up early and Get in my walking and then come back for my wife for breakfast when Cabanas opens.

All the cabins are equally nice, you get the same service, food excetera. Only concierge give you more oomph with special perks. The only difference being is you can get a split or non-split bathroom in an inside cabin.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

We used to be all inside. Then we tried OV and it was nice. Then we tried Verandah and it was niiiiice.

That being said, for a shorter cruise, we don't see the value in the verandah as there isn't much time for it. Longer cruises, sure especially for sea days. Shorter cruises we do inside or OV at the most, as the cost difference between those 2 categories is often negligible.

The only thing we have left to try is concierge.

 

[Geomom]

We've only stayed oceanview (deck 2) so far on both the Magic and Wonder. We're not willing to spend thousands more to get a verandah--that amount covers the cost of excursions! The Magic/Wonder have fewer verandah rooms, so they're at a higher premium. The Dream/Fantasy cost difference between oceanview and verandah is in the hundreds...that I might be willing to do someday. I'd say go for connecting oceanviews, especially for a first cruise. We are rarely in our room--if we want to go outside, we enjoy the deck 4 promenade!

 

[southerngirl528]

For a first time cruiser you will probably be taking advantage of many activities onboard so don't how much time you will actually be on your verandahs. I suggest two O/V (which are great for naps too as the curtains close and make it very dark) which connect. When you book ask for CONNECTING cabins not ADJOINING. In DCL's world connecting has the interior door leading to each cabin. Adjoining cabins means next to each other but no interior door to the other cabin.

Good advice here.

 

[GPaLarry]

We are a retired couple and have been on eight DCL cruises (three without kids/gkids), some with verandahs and some with portholes. To us it makes a difference what kind of cruise you are on when determining yes/no on verandahs. When we did the Med./WBTA we selected a porthole stateroom because the first cruise was so port intensive we would not have much time to use the verandah. The second cruise was ocean, ocean, ocean and many "at sea" days where you could go to the top deck to get your live ocean view any time. However, for Alaska, EBPC and a couple of Caribbean cruises we had a verandah and loved them. They were great with adjoining staterooms (with kids & gkids along) where you could open up the verandahs as well as the stateroom doors to make a mini-suite...more room for seven. I like to sit out there and watch the water...saw flying fish and dolphins that would be hard to see from a porthole. Expense and availability are certainly considerations when planning your cruise. Look at the views of cruisers above, what makes sense to you and happy sailing!!

 

[masylimed]

If you've never sailed before, you won't miss what you don't have . We had connecting rooms on our last cruise with our 3 kids and opted for the rooms with the large porthole but no balcony. The kids LOVED to sit in the large porthole, and I didn't have to worry about them wondering on (or off) the veranda! The porthole was large and let in a ton of natural light and really helped open up the room. By having the connecting rooms, we had plenty of space for our family of 5. If someone was napping on one room, someone could hang out in the connecting room and not bother them. IMHO, we didn't spend enough time in our room to justify $2k on a veranda as we were usually out of our room doing an activity or exploring the ship. I guess it might have made a difference for us on the itinerary. We did the Caribbean and didn't feel that we missed out by not having a veranda.

 

[Naterfan]

We have to have one...the wife wants two ways out of our cabin in case of an emergency. From that height, she'd probably break a bone if she jumped, but she wants the option.

 

[Impromark]

We had a verandah on our only previous (Honeymoon) cruise and are going inside this time out (next weekend!). It was just my wife and I last time, and this time we'll have our DD8 along with us.

We did use the verandah a bit when we had it, but not really to relax and read and so on. I remember using it more to dry stuff, actually. In our case, we spent more of our sea days exploring the ship and more of our shore days exploring the ports. We did nap, but you don't need a verandah for that.

In our travels around the world, most often our hotel rooms are merely the home base for our trips out of the building and I expect the same here... We only have one excursion planned, and otherwise expect to be actively outside the room for most of our time on the ship, so we don't mind the savings of the inside stateroom. We also have the magic porthole in our room, and do like the true darkness being inside affords us.

Still, YMMV. If we do another cruise in the foreseeable future and book far enough ahead, I totally see ourselves trying OV or Verandah if the price is right. But if you expect just to sleep in the room and be doing stuff primarily outside the room, then I see no reason not to stay out of direct sunlight when you're unconscious.

Mark