Is the extra $$ worth it for verandah?

[Briarmom]

OK, can't spell verandah Anyway, right now I have a 4 day booked over Thanksgiving 2005 and am in a cat 10. I have called to get a room w/verandah and looked online. Last night I saw a cat 4 available, but it was around $1000 more. Is it worth it, or should I just stay in our cat 10 room?

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi there

You don't have to go up to a category 4 to get a verandah. How about a category 6?? or a category 5?? The category 4 cabins are called "Family" cabins because they sleep 5 people. Unless you need that extra bed, I think you're better off with a category 6. Unless of course there were no category 6's or 5's available???

We had originally booked a category 9 for our cruise last August then decided we wanted to try the verandah so we changed our cabin to a category 6. We absolutely LOVED our cabin and the verandah and we felt it was more than worth every penny. But ours was a 7 night cruise and the price difference was $800.

Is there any way you can change to a category 6, which I assume would cost less than $1000??? If so, then I'd highly recommend it

 

[Briarmom]

Yeah, cat 4 was the only thing they have a available. I am going to keep my eyes open for cancellations. I am just not sure if we will love it $1000 worth. I think the Thanksgiving time is a bit pricey.

 

[ImMarcik]

We are on the 4 day Thanksgiving Wonder too. We booked one of the Category 7 secret Verandahs. You could see if they had anymore of these available there are 4 of them. 7120, 6134, 6634 i believe are the other 3.

 

[Melrosgirl]

We just rebooked and I asked dh (who was hesitant about booking a $5000 cruise) about doing a regular "outside" room (category 8 or 9) and dh said he can't go back to a non-verandah room. Alrighty then I said with a smile!

 

[travel with kids]

On our first cruise (Wonder), we had a cat. 10. We were just happy to be on the boat. On our second cruise (Magic), we had cat. 5. We loved the verandah and felt that it was worth the extra $$$. On our last cruise (Wonder) we had a cat. 6. A person somewhere (we could never figure it out) was a chain smoker and the smoke floated onto our verandah. It was so bad that our cabin actually started to smell of smoke. We had to keep the verandah door closed. So on that cruise, it was not worth the price. However, I think the smoking thing is very unusual. On our upcoming cruise (Wonder), we are in a cat. 8. We are splitting the bill with my DBIL to take DM on a birthday cruise (she gets the verandah!!)

To answer your question...I think you should book what you can comfortably afford and still go on the cruise. An extra $1000. for the upgrade for 4 days is $250. per day. Is it worth $250 per day to have a verandah?

We had a great time on all of our cruises, even the one with the smoker. We are in our cabin for such small periods of time. This too, would make a difference on how often you would use your verandah.

ok...enough....

 

[3redheads]

In one word: YES!

Since they only have a category 4, book it. When it gets close to the time people have to pay (is it 60 or 90 days from cruise), people will start to cancel their reservations and maybe a 5 or 6 will open up.

Enjoy your cruise!

Kim

 

[jnoble]

i just went on the 3 day cruise and was in the one bedroom suite. my kids loved looking over the side to see what the water looked like while we were moving. The sunrises and sunsets are just gorgeous to watch with or without the kids. the extra money is well worth the view

 

[WDWLVR]

As my tag says "Have Verandah Will Cruise" so yes it is worth it to us. I tend to spend a lot of time relaxing on my verandah. Others don't spend much time even in their rooms. Only you know if it is worth it for you.

 

[mommasita]

I think this is a very personal decision, based on needs, and financial situation....There are some who need it, some who don't, and others you love it, but are not willing to pay for it..

I have done an inside, a porthole, and a verandah...WE loved the verandah, it was great, but it also was a great SALE...I would not spend the money on it, but that is what works for us...I would rather take the $$ and spend it onboard, or in the ports....

We always take more than full advantage of deck 7 aft..And that has been our verandah on more than one occasion...We love to eat here, take sun here, rest here, etc...

We do know people however who absolutely need it, so that is what is right ofr them...I think you should think about how much time is spent in your cabin, and then see if it is worth it...
'
Just my 2 cents...

 

[walczak4]

I think it really depends on each family's situation & how often they will use the verandah. Our first cruise we had a cat 8...that was me, DH & DD who was 4 at the time. This past cruise it was me, DH, DD & DS (just turned 2) so I went ahead with the verandah knowing that when DS was taking his nap, I could sit out on the verandah with a book.

 

[kplatt]

We also had a nearby smoker on our first cruise, so didn't get much use out of the verandah of our Category 6. We have since had a Cat. 11 (too small for our family of 4) and an 8. My favorite was the 8, with its big round window. We just don't spend enough time in the cabin to justify paying for the balcony.

We started out with a Cat 10 for our cruise this August, but upgraded to a 9, thinking that while I didn't mind an inside cabin for a week, it might get a little claustrophobic over two weeks. Even a Cat. 9 is throat-tightening big bucks!!


Karen
Wonder 11/01
Magic 3/02
Magic 11/02
Carnival Destiny (don't ask) 12/03
Booked on Magic Repositioning 8/05

 

[tvguy]

Well, we got upgraded to a Verandah for free, so it WAS worth that

I figure it would have cost me $1600 over what I already paid, and it WASN'T worth that.

We did use it, but $1600 will buy a 7 day cruise for 2 in the off season on other lines.

 

[Lisa F]

I'm going to offer a differing opinion. I don't really think it's worth it. We upgraded at the port to a verandah on our 3rd cruise after having two outside rooms on our first two and on our 4th cruise we got an inside stateroom. Honestly, for us, the extra cost is not justified. We much prefer to be out and about on the ship rather than in our own room, even if you're out on the verandah. There are much more comfortable places to enjoy the view and the breeze on the ship than those tiny little balconies IMO. We loved our cat 11 just fine and booked one on the 14 day repo cruise (but it's right next to the aft 7 verandah so the best of both worlds, plus they have lounge chairs out there!)

Now if money were no object in our lives I would go for the verandah but I just can't get over the fact that we could be doing a LOT with that extra couple of thousand $$ or so for the two of us on a 7 day cruise for a verandah vs. a cat 11. On the other hand, if I had kids and were going to be spending a lot of time in the room with napping children, a verandah would be a MUST.

 

[lovemickeyworld]

This will be our first Disney cruise and we decided to save our money and not get a verandah, we went with outside category 9.

I have had verandahs in the past though on Royal Caribbean. They are wonderful. The last time our daughter was only 20 months old and although she usually took a nap in her stroller during the day, we were still up early in the morning and the verandah was nice to have. Also when she went to bed early, we would sit outside with a glass of wine. We couldn't have done so otherwise.

This year, however, she will be 5-1/2 by the time we cruise. She will be involved in a lot of the children's activities and can stay up later now. I just didn't feel it was worth the money or extra DVC points that we used. It was still extremely nice to open the doors and feel the nice ocean breeze, but I'll go up on deck for that now.

Honestly, eve with the verandah, we still felt claustrophic being in the room all that time. I'm looking forward to "really enjoying" the full cruise this time around since she is older!

 

[pearlieq]

I always though I would HAVE to have a veranda to cruise, but we had one on our September cruise and didn't get that much mileage out of it. It was too hot and humid to be out there long, plus it was just enough room for a few chairs--there's only so long you can just sit there.

On sea days, it was nice to sit outside for a couple of minutes to look at the ocean but after a few minutes you say to yourself--yup, it's still blue--and go find something to do.

We're happily booked into a cat 9 now--if I want to be outside, I'll go up on deck. I can find better things to do with the extra money!

 

[wide awake]

We had a cat 6 our first time, two connecting 9s last time, and a cat 7 booked for the August repo. It is a different cruise w/o the verandah...you make an effort to go to the sail away party and be on deck when you arrive/leave the ports. I loved our cat 6, the verandah is great...I spent lots of time out there, but the 9 was nice too...you can sit on the couch, put coffee or a drink on the shelf under the window and watch the ocean. And I have seriously looked at the 10s...would much rather go an inside cabin and have more spending money than not go at all...am trying to talk DH into a holiday cruise with a 10, but he isn't going along with it. I'd stick with the 10 and have more spending money...for some reason DH and I lose all spending inhibitions while onboard...though he was a little miffed when I said I'd done wine tasting twice, was going to concentrate on spa treatments for the repo...he said "Why can't you just get drunk to relax, it is cheaper !"...tough darts buddy !!!

 

[buster478]

We have always had a room with a window. They are nice and the windows are large. We have tossed the idea around about a verandah but would rather spend our money on other things. However, I do think if we had one we would never go back to a window. We also thought the only time we would really enjoy it is in the morning on at sea days. Otherwise we are out late most nights and gone to shore early in the morning. Good luck.

 

[Briarmom]

Thanks so much to all!! It appears as though there are no rooms available for my cruise at all right now, so I will stay put. I will have a (then) 2 year old dd who will not sleep unless in a bed, so I will keep looking. I love this board. So nice, no rude people! You can ask a question without getting ripped a new one

 

[dzneprincess]

I havent read all the replies but I am going to vote no. We have always had on inside room. Last cruise (11/04) we opted for a cat 6 with a verandah....dont get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but the price difference, was almost the cost of an extra 4 day Wonder cruise in Sept for only DH and I! I would rather sail more often in a cat 10,11 or 12. Than to sail once a year or every other year in a verandah room.