Should I Go For the Verandah????

[antmaril]

Here's the situation. I booked the 2/13/05 Wonder for myself, DH, DS (18) and DS's girlfriend (17) as a "senior trip" for them. At the moment I have a Category 9 cabin booked through Costco. I recently learned that the cabin we have (#2626) is a very noisy cabin. After giving it some thought, I may want to upgrade us to a verandah cabin just because it's nicer.

Do you think it's worth the difference in $$? We cruised once on the Carnival Destiny with a balcony and, unfortunately, because of the weather, we were unable to actually use it. It was nice that it was there, but we never sat on the balcony. (This was a cruise to Canada in the middle of July and it was cold and rainy the entire cruise).

Of course, the other scenario is to spend the extra money and get two cabins, which would give us another bathroom and more space (obviously). We would probably do one inside cabin and one oceanview cabin. My husband and son will sleep in the inside cabin and DS's GF and I will get the outside cabin (I'm making all the plans, I get the better cabin LOL).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[TooPure4u]

I cruised in Jan of this year and I was in a room with a Verandah. My cruise was a Make-A-Wish for my 16 year old son who has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma so I didnt pay for it. Having the verandah was wonderful. It was wonderful to wake up to and wonderful at night when you just wanted a minute or two alone. I got many beautiful sunset pictures as well as sunrise pictures from the verandah. I am going on another Disney Cruise in Jan 05 and because I am a single parent, I cant afford the verandah. If you have the money....go for it...it is well worth it.....I would have booked one myself if I could afford it.... Have a great cruise!!!!!

 

[westjones]

Personally, I think 2 connecting cabins would be nice. That way you can 'interact' freely between the two cabins when you want to, but you can also have more privacy (for you and your DS's girlfriend) when getting dressed. Two bathrooms would be very nice.

We have never had a veranda. I always figured it would be just our luck to have a smoker next door blowing smoke our way whenever we wanted to be outside or there could be bad weather. It is SO expensive to get the veranda, we just can't justify it for ourselves (but we are on a tight budget--maybe one day when our kids are grown and it is just the two of us we can do that).

Another thing to consider is just how much time you think you will spend in your room. We use our room for sleeping and changing. There is so much to do on the ship that we were usually out and about. Deck 4 is SO nice to sit on and relax (with the comfy chairs), that we consider that deck 'our veranda'.

Anyway, I vote for 2 cabins for the extra space and extra bathroom.

DJ

 

[NJ Cruisers]

We always book inside rooms (except one cruise to Alaska where we had scenery ALL the time). We are almost never in the room - except to sleep and change clothes. Of course, it might be different with very young children.

I could afford a verandah if I didn't take so many vacations, the money I save on an inside room pays for a lot of the next vacation. I guess if the cruise was my "trip of a lifetime" then I'd go for it all. Or if money was no object at all (like when I win the Mega Millions Lottery) then I'd go for a verandah.

Be assured that your cruise will be just as great if you have an inside cabin.

Diane

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Personally we go for the verandah every time. We just use it so much that we can't imagine what it would be like without it. It's just so relaxing sitting there watching the world go by while waiting for everyone else to wake up or if the kids are napping, DH and I can go out with some wine and a cheese platter. In your situation I would evaluate if you want more privacy and the extra bathroom or if you really want the verandah. Everyone has brought up good points but you have to see how you feel. Have you discussed this with your DH or DS? What do they think?

 

[mmorizio]

I have to vote for the verandah as well. I'm an early riser, and on our last cruise on the Magic, I spent many a wonderful early hour sitting on the verandah with a cup of bad coffee in my lap staring at the big water. Ditto for the late evening.

There's less than a month to go before I'll be sitting there again!

 

[westjones]

Really? You guys really think it is better to have 1 room with a veranda for a husband, wife, teenage son and the teenage son's girlfriend, than it would be to get two rooms?

I guess I just don't see it. Maybe because I don't have teenagers yet. But I think I would prefer to have more space for sleeping and changing than for sitting outside in this situation. AND if it were my teenage daughter with her boyfriend's family, I know I would like the idea of two seperate rooms much better than the one room with a veranda. (Maybe I am just a prude).

DJ

 

[natdencro]

If you have enough $, then have a verandah - although you will be surprised how little time you will actually spend on it really - unless you have small children who doze during the day.Personally, I would have ANY cabin right now - given half a chance! Nat

 

[SchultzFamily]

I agree with Westjones. I think having the extra space with the 2 teenagers is better spent money.
We had a veranda on our cruise, LOVED IT, booked another with an inside room across the hall for our next cruise. It was great for us and DD made friends with the kids at the next table at dinner and they ended up being next door too so they could visit on the veranda. But having said all of that my DD is only 10 so smaller than 2 teens (DS is 15) and I think the extra space and bathroom would be worth it!
Vickie

 

[antmaril]

Thank you all for your thoughts on this. I know it is unusual to take my son's girlfriend with us. She is a very nice girl - has not traveled AT ALL - and we enjoy her very much. If we decide to go with one cabin my son and my husband will sleep in the beds. I will sleep on the sofa bed and my son's girlfriend will sleep above me on the pull down bed. I know it will be tight, but we really will only use the room to sleep and to change. I think it can be done - it may not be ideal - but it's probably doable.

I think if I decide to spend the extra money, I will go with two cabins - it's probably the best choice. If we love this Disney cruise, my husband and I will go again next year when my son is away at college and then we'll get the verandah.

Thanks for your honesty.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I think 2 connecting rooms would be nice. This way you and your husband have some privacy space and 2 bathrooms are always nice when there's 4 adults.

 

[travellady]

I just cruised (on Voyager of the Seas) with my husband, 10 year old, and one of my 25 year old twin sons. My huband and I had an outside balcony and my sons shared an inside across the hall. I was so glad we had this extra space- especially with the adult son.

 

[antmaril]

Fantasia:

My husband and I will not have any privacy on this trip, as we will be with my teenage son and his girlfriend. Connecting rooms would be fine for convenience, but my husband and son will be in one room and the girlfriend and I will be in the other - not interested in privacy for anybody on this trip!!!!

 

[ohMom]

one more thing to consider??? is anyone in your party prone to motion sickness? the lower decks are said to be less wavy

all my other points were already brought up! I would vote two cabins - for two bathrooms and you said it yourself in that you will mostly be in the room to sleep and change. We had a verandah on the 4 day last Dec; next Nov we are Cat 9 b/c we just didn't use the verandah enough to justify the cost.

 

[lookingforward]

I think it is wonderful that you are doing this trip with your son's girlfriend. My thinking is that you should book two rooms for all of the stated reasons, privacy (when dressing), two bathrooms, etc. Four nights of sleeping on the pull out couch and pull down bed might be a bit uncomfortable. I have cruised many times and have always had a verandah. However, there have been times when we just did not use them that much. On several occasions our "neighbors" smoked a LOT! That was it for me on the verandah. Other times they were just plain noisy. Of course there are times I have loved the opportunity to sit outside and relax. It is a hit or miss situation, though.

We are sailing on the Wonder in four weeks and have two connecting Cat 5 rooms booked. We are traveling with two of our children and our son's friend. I don't think they will be aro und in the cabin much to take advantage of the balcony. You son and his girlfriend are going to have the time of their lives. What a generous gift.

 

[antmaril]

Lookingforward:

Thank you for saying that. We feel that this cruise is a safe and fun way for them to celebrate their graduation from high school next year. Since they are young and have college ahead of them, it is hard to say if she is the "one". However, she could be. My husband and I have been together since we were 15 years old and we have been married for 30 years! If she is not the one, it will have been the right thing to do at the time. If she is the one, how great will these memories be for all of us. He is our only child and fortunately we can afford to take her with us.

I already have some experience with this, as I took her and my son to Disney World in February. My husband could not go at the last minute and I decided to take her instead. They behaved beautifully. We had big fun and I was very proud of both of them.

I think the cruise is going to be great fun as well.

Thanks again.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

Personally I would go for the verandah. We had one when we cruised in May and I don't think I could ever cruise without one. It is definetly worth the money. It was nice to sit there late at night and watch the water and also to look out at the ports during the day and see all the activity before you venture off the ship.

 

[TMTIP]

We (family of 4) sailed this past May on the 7 day Eastern, had a veranda and loved every minute of it. Husband and I only (kids stayed with Grandma) sailed about two weeks ago and had an inside room. The room was fine but the only thing is you can never tell what time it is in the room--it is always dark unless you have the lights on. I don't think I will ever do that again. Now, in January we are taking my family and my parents on a 3 day cruise and we getting cat 9, window rooms. I think for 3 days we can do without the balcony but will still have a window for light. For me I guess it depends on the circumstances of the cruise to decide window vs veranda--not strictly an all or nothing situtation. Hope this helps!

 

[antmaril]

I just got off the phone with Costco. I went with adjoining Category 9 cabins (oceanview). The difference between one oceanview and one inside cabin was only $90, so I decided we all get a window. I think this will work out best.

Next time we'll go for a verandah. This time I need the separate cabins and the extra bathroom.

Thanks for your help!

Looking forward to 2/13/05 on the Wonder!!!

 

[westjones]

I think you will be very happy with your decision. And by having 2 split bathrooms, you will actually have 4 sinks! Everyone can brush your teeth at the same time!

DJ