Planning Alaska Cruise on Wonder - Room ???'s

[guarn3md]

We just got off a 4 night Dream cruise and while onboard we booked a dummy cruise. I know what I want to do now that I am home and have thought about it... I want to do a cruise to Alaska July 2013. I am trying to decide which stateroom category. There are only three of us - me, DH and DS who will be 11 at the time of the cruise. I know that I definitely want a verandah but can't decide between 7A (Navigator's verandah), 6A (white wall verandah) or 5C (normal verandah). Is it worth the extra money to book a 5C or not? The difference is - $336 more for 6A versus 7A and $532 for 6A versus 5C and $868 for 7A versus 5C!!!! All of the rooms appear to be AFT with the 5C's being more towards the middle of the ship but not much! Is there a difference of being on the left or right side of the ship? 7A and 6A we can get a room on the 6th or 7th floor and 5C's are only available on the 6th floor. My TA said the 7A, navigator's verandah, might be best because of the Alaska weather and the verandah being enclosed.
Any advice would be really helpful!
Debbie

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We just got off a 4 night Dream cruise and while onboard we booked a dummy cruise. I know what I want to do now that I am home and have thought about it... I want to do a cruise to Alaska July 2013. I am trying to decide which stateroom category. There are only three of us - me, DH and DS who will be 11 at the time of the cruise. I know that I definitely want a verandah but can't decide between 7A (Navigator's verandah), 6A (white wall verandah) or 5C (normal verandah). Is it worth the extra money to book a 5C or not? The difference is - $336 more for 6A versus 7A and $532 for 6A versus 5C and $868 for 7A versus 5C!!!! All of the rooms appear to be AFT with the 5C's being more towards the middle of the ship but not much! Is there a difference of being on the left or right side of the ship? 7A and 6A we can get a room on the 6th or 7th floor and 5C's are only available on the 6th floor. My TA said the 7A, navigator's verandah, might be best because of the Alaska weather and the verandah being enclosed.
Any advice would be really helpful!
Debbie

Having a verandah for Alaska isn't all that great. The views are not on just one side of the ship. You'll get the best viewing on deck, where you can take in the whole scope of the view.

That being said, we were upgraded on our Alaska cruise (HAL, not DCL) from an obstructed view to a verandah. The verandah is nice, if you're in the room and you want to pop out for a second, but we actually spent most of our time on deck, forward, and both sides.

We're going to Alaska again, and we've again booked an oceanview room.

 

[AZMermaid]

Having a verandah for Alaska isn't all that great. The views are not on just one side of the ship. You'll get the best viewing on deck, where you can take in the whole scope of the view.

I have read just the opposite, that Alaska is the one cruise you really want a verandah. To each their own I guess! I am curious too, I read there is one side that is better for Tracy Arm, but I couldn't find it!

 

[sissy_ib]

We plan to sail Alaska in the next few years and if we go with DCL we will be in a 7A. We like to go on the verandah and get fresh air every now and then, (late at night, early mornings) but we will probably be spending more time on deck in Alaska. So to us the 7A will be perfect, a great view when we are in the room and a great savings. Plus I get cold very easily so it will be nice if I cant stand to be on deck or if it is raining, I can just go back to the room but not miss seeing everything.

 

[richmo]

...I read there is one side that is better for Tracy Arm, but I couldn't find it!

Nope. The view is good from both sides, and... the ship turns around when it gets as close as it can to the glacier and goes back the same way. So, any view you'd miss going in, you'd get coming back out.

Which leads to a kind of off topic tip... After breakfast on Tracy Arm day, you'll see people claiming chairs on decks 9 and 10 (some just leave their stuff on the chair and leave) at least a couple of hours before heading into Tracy Arm. It gets crowded. As you get further and further into the Arm, it also gets colder and colder (it can easily drop 20 degrees or more). So when you get to the turn around point, easily 90 percent of the people leave. The decks empty out...if you go up on the decks then, you'll have views just as spectacular and all the room in the world to roam around.

 

[TweedleDee/Dum]

Nope. The view is good from both sides, and... the ship turns around when it gets as close as it can to the glacier and goes back the same way. So, any view you'd miss going in, you'd get coming back out.

Which leads to a kind of off topic tip... After breakfast on Tracy Arm day, you'll see people claiming chairs on decks 9 and 10 (some just leave their stuff on the chair and leave) at least a couple of hours before heading into Tracy Arm. It gets crowded. As you get further and further into the Arm, it also gets colder and colder (it can easily drop 20 degrees or more). So when you get to the turn around point, easily 90 percent of the people leave. The decks empty out...if you go up on the decks then, you'll have views just as spectacular and all the room in the world to roam around.

Thanks for the tip!! I have heard that people really flock on deck while traveling through Tracy Arm. I am glad to know that most of them leave when the ship makes it's turn.

 

[jlwhitney]

WE had a veranda in Alaska and really never used it much, other then to step out and take some picture. Too cold to just sit there. Plus so many ways to be outside...top deck, deck 4 and such.

 

[sabrecmc]

We had a verandah for Alaska and actually did use it quite a bit. Wouldn't do it any other way. We spotted whales several times just sitting outside watching the world go by. Yes, you can go up on deck, but sitting on the verandah with some room service coffee and snacks, blankets from the bed and the gorgeous views was awesome! I mean, how can you beat getting ready for dinner and your daughter alerting you to whales right outside? I guess if you don't go out on it, it isn't worth it, but we really used it.

 

[marciemouse]

If you're sure you want a verandah, I would book a 7A on deck 7. (as deck 6 potentially gets noise from theater, kids clubs, etc.) Save the extra money for excursions, which aren't exactly cheap on the Alaska voyage!

 

[disneyworld1977]

We just booked for June 2013. You should go then too!! I just got a regular inside room, first because I cant afford more than that plus i figure we would be on deck more. Plus temps during that time of year aren't that bad really. Avg high is like 60 and low in mid 40s. I can survive that!

Anyone been on the WONDER? Tips and suggestions what to do on the ship? Its our first Disney cruise, so I am very excited!

 

[TDC Nala]

Went to Alaska on the Wonder last year. I didn't have a verandah (had a porthole). Saw plenty, through the porthole and up on deck. So I'm not going to be one to say that a verandah is an absolute must. I'm also not one to spend a great deal of time in the stateroom on any cruise; your mileage may vary if you like to hang out in your stateroom.

 

[Aby]

I absolutely LOVED the Navigator's Verandah when we sailed to Alaska last August - in fact, we are booked again for August 2013 and have requested the exact same cabin! The fact that it was enclosed gave an element of protection from the wind and cold, and it was quite cozy out there with a light sweater even late at night.

Although we didn't spend a LOT of time on the verandah, the time we did spend there was breath-taking. It was nice to be able to walk out on the verandah in the morning and see the beautiful scenery and to just watch the land float by. It was nice pulling into some of the ports and being able to watch, and it was great to have a warm place to observe the glacier and scenery on Tracy Arm day.

If you can afford it, I would definitely go for the 7A verandah!

Aby

 

[disneyholic family]

i would never do alaska without a verandah!
i love being able to look outside any time i want - and remember that the sun is up for a very long time each day, so you'll have wonderful views from your rooms..
and in 2013, DCL is returning to the inside passage, where you have views on both sides of the ship in both directions (sailing up and back down again)..

however, having said that, i prefer a one way cruise of alaska so that a land tour to Denali and other points of interest can be added on at either the beginning or end of the cruise...
DCL only offers round trip cruises...

 

[DisneyBasket]

We had a 5C in 2011 on the Alaskan Cruise, and it was worth every nickle we spent. If you want to sit and enjoy the passing scenery (and Alaska is where you can do that for HOURS), you want the plexiglas verandah wall rather than the white wall, since the white wall verandah's require you to stand at the railing to see anything. If it was me, I would scrimp and save to buy the 5C.

 

[trimix]

Alaska, as prior posters have made clear, gets cold. And that's a big reason why I want a balcony stateroom. It doesn't matter where you are outside - on a private balcony or on decks 9 or 10 - it will be cold. If I have a balcony stateroom I can duck inside to warm up, but leave my binoculars and camera on tripods on the balcony so I can get to them in a hurry if I want to see something up close or take a picture. I wouldn't be comfortable leaving my stuff on deck while I am staring at it from inside the Outlook Cafe.

Regarding what balcony stateroom, here are my observations. I was able to look inside a navigator's veranda stateroom when housekeeping was in the room, and I thought the view from inside the room was VERY limited.
I have no personal experience with the solid wall balconies, but others here have said you cannot see the water when seated inside your stateroom when seated inside. The sky and mountains are nice, but I also want to see water.

I will happily take a 7A or 6A if that is all that is available or if I can't afford cat 5. But I would much prefer the cat 5 over any lower category.

 

[Wshop]

I absolutely LOVED the Navigator's Verandah when we sailed to Alaska last August - in fact, we are booked again for August 2013 and have requested the exact same cabin! The fact that it was enclosed gave an element of protection from the wind and cold, and it was quite cozy out there with a light sweater even late at night.

Although we didn't spend a LOT of time on the verandah, the time we did spend there was breath-taking. It was nice to be able to walk out on the verandah in the morning and see the beautiful scenery and to just watch the land float by. It was nice pulling into some of the ports and being able to watch, and it was great to have a warm place to observe the glacier and scenery on Tracy Arm day.

If you can afford it, I would definitely go for the 7A verandah!

Aby

Which one..if you mind sharing?

 

[sissy_ib]

If you're sure you want a verandah, I would book a 7A on deck 7. (as deck 6 potentially gets noise from theater, kids clubs, etc.) Save the extra money for excursions, which aren't exactly cheap on the Alaska voyage!

I was in a deck 6 7A and we had no noise from below. They are aft of the theater and clubs.

 

[guarn3md]

You all have been so helpful and I really do appreciate all the tips! Keep them coming...
I contacted our TA this afternoon and asked her to look into a category 7A with adjoining room for my parents. We'll see what she comes up with...
I do like the idea of a 5C with a regular plexiglas verandah but not sure that I want to shell out another $800+ dollars.

Aby - Do you mind sharing your stateroom # on deck 6 that you liked and requested again?

Thanks!
Debbie

 

[Aby]

We were in stateroom #7126 on deck 7. It was aft, and it was very close to the back of the ship. We found the area nice and quiet, and it was only a few rooms away from the "secret" deck at the back of the ship on that level. We spent most of our time there on Tracy Arm Day and it was great! We were on the port side and we had great views in both directions.

Aby

 

[mmmears]

We were in 7550 for our Alaska cruise. I had read that the more protected balconies might be better for the weather in Alaska, but we chose a plexiglass veranda and we so, so glad we did. The room felt so open to the scenery and it was so nice to be able to sit inside and see everything when it was chilly or windy outside.

It's always just an opinion, but I wouldn't want to cruise Alaska without a balcony. And I would get the nicest one that you can afford without stressing yourself out about it. There are lots of viewing places on deck, as well.

As for side of the ship, there was gorgeous scenery anytime we looked -- on either side. It's a wonderful journey -- enjoy!