Taking the DCL Plunge!

[KaystotheKingdom]

Hello all!
Looking to book for the Vancouver to San Diego September 2020 in the next few days. It is just my husband and I and neither of us have cruised. I’ve really managed to confuse myself with decks and room categories. Having never been on the wonder ( or any ship for that matter) I don’t know if we are prone to sea sickness, if certain sections are closer to the more adult specific areas and entertainment, Wjat being on a higher floor means as opposed to a lower etc.

my husband would prefer an ocean view, and probably not the 2 port hold set up if we can avoid that. Th veranda rooms are a bit more than I think I can convince him to spend without him seeing the quality I have read so much about first hand.
Any suggestions? We were quoted for a 9b but again, I’m not really understanding what that means exactly.
Also, does the meal time you are assigned have anything to do with your room category?

thanks for all of your help, I am SOexcited and hope this is a first of many DCL adventures for my family.

 

[tink1970]

This might help you a bit from dcl website about the Wonder oceanview staterooms!

Deluxe Oceanview Staterooms classifications and locations are as follows:

• Category 9A: Decks 5, 6 and 7
• Category 9B: Deck 2
• Category 9C: Deck 2
• Category 9D: Deck 1

Rooms on Decks 1 and 2 offer Guests convenient proximity to shipboard restaurants and nightclubs while Decks 5, 6 and 7 are upper decks with more commanding views.

I'm fairly sure the 2 portholes are on deck 1 (so category 9D), whereas the larger ones are decks 2 and 5, 6, 7. Subcategories (A, B, C, D) are assigned based on location, so the higher decks and location on the decks determine the letters.

Here's an old disboard thread that might be interesting for you:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/wonder-cat-9b-deck-2.3291037/
Finally, dining time has nothing to do with stateroom category-early v. late dining can be requested at the time of booking although early tends to fill up sooner.

Enjoy planning!

 

[Mommb]

You can get a sense of where places are on the ship by looking at the deck plans on the Disney Cruise website.

The restaurants are on decks 3 and 4 (main dining rooms), deck 9 (breakfast/lunch buffet), and deck 10 (Palo adult dining), toward the Aft end of the ship.
The adult clubs on a deck 3 and adult pool and spa on deck 9 are toward the Forward end of the ship.
The Walt Disney Theater with evening shows is on Deck 4 Forward.
The Buena Vista Theater with movies shown throughout the day is on Deck 5 Aft.
The kids' clubs are on Deck 5.

I've heard that upper decks tend to move less (and therefore cause less sea sickness) than lower decks, but I don't tend to feel sea sick anyhow.

As mentioned above, the meal time you are assigned, Main or Second seating, does not depend on your room category. You can select the time when you book, but sometimes, especially if the cruise has been available for booking for a while, only Second seating is available.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

If you are concerned about seasickness and are looking at an oceanview room, I'd suggest deck 2 midship on the Wonder. Lower decks, midship have the least amount of motion. That doesn't mean you won't get seasick in that location if you are prone to it, but it does help lessen the chance. That would be the 9B category you are quoted.

The adult nightclub area is deck 3 forward on the Wonder so deck 2 midship would be relatively close. The main dining rooms (MDRs) are decks 3 and 4, midship and aft. The Walt Disney Theater where the main shows are is deck 4 forward. The spa and adult pool area are deck 9 forward.

We were in a 9B (deck 2 midship) the one time we were on the Wonder and loved the location. I would book it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I've heard that upper decks tend to move less (and therefore cause less sea sickness) than lower decks, but I don't tend to feel sea sick anyhow.

Actually, higher decks have more motion than lower decks, but for me, I find the higher versus lower deck less of an issue with seasickness than midship versus forward/aft. Some people prefer verandah rooms on the higher decks for seasickness because they find being able to get fresh air by stepping out onto the balcony helpful.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I'm taking the plunge too (but 2021).

Regarding Main Dining Room dining times, I strongly suspect at least for first timers they put people in the second dining. However, you can request the earlier dining time when you make your reservations or after. They gave me the option to make the request but I'm keeping the later dining time since I read it MIGHT be the quieter meal (parents with kids tend to want that earlier time).

 

[lklgoodman]

We've sailed twice on the Wonder. Both times we had a mid-ship oceanview cabin and loved the location. We spend very little time in the cabin, so having a verandah isn't important to us. I am prone to seasickness. I take Bonine and wear seabands. I always carry ginger candy with me and use it if I start to feel sick. You may want to get some to take with you, just in case you may need it. I order it from Walmart/Amazon. Hope you have a great first cruise.

 

[lklgoodman]

I'm taking the plunge too (but 2021).

Regarding Main Dining Room dining times, I strongly suspect at least for first timers they put people in the second dining. However, you can request the earlier dining time when you make your reservations or after. They gave me the option to make the request but I'm keeping the later dining time since I read it MIGHT be the quieter meal (parents with kids tend to want that earlier time).

If you book your trip yourself on DCL site it automatically assigns everyone to second seating, has nothing to do with being a first time cruisers or not. I always book our cruises myself and always have to remember to change it to main seating after I book the trip. Glad you mentioned that it can be changed after booking. Some people may not realize this and get stuck with second seating because they didn't know to switch it. DCL really should change the set up. Have a great cruise!

 

[miss0033]

Hello all!
Looking to book for the Vancouver to San Diego September 2020 in the next few days. It is just my husband and I and neither of us have cruised. I’ve really managed to confuse myself with decks and room categories. Having never been on the wonder ( or any ship for that matter) I don’t know if we are prone to sea sickness, if certain sections are closer to the more adult specific areas and entertainment, Wjat being on a higher floor means as opposed to a lower etc.

my husband would prefer an ocean view, and probably not the 2 port hold set up if we can avoid that. Th veranda rooms are a bit more than I think I can convince him to spend without him seeing the quality I have read so much about first hand.
Any suggestions? We were quoted for a 9b but again, I’m not really understanding what that means exactly.
Also, does the meal time you are assigned have anything to do with your room category?

thanks for all of your help, I am SOexcited and hope this is a first of many DCL adventures for my family.

We have cruised twice on the Wonder and Twice on the Magic, as 2 adults and no children. Two of those cruises were on Deck 2 and we didn't care for them as much... The rooms seem to be very hit or miss, and we swung and missed twice...

On one particular cruise we were directly above a loading/unloading door (Room 2128 - 9C). If the side thrusters from docking don't wake you up, the loading/unloading below sure as heck will! Holy cow, it sounds as if they were rolling carts directly into and out of our room. It was the worst on Castaway Cay day, where around 4:45-5:00am we were woken up. For me the side thrusters, even on deck 7 or 8, can usually wake me up but I am able to fall back asleep if I want to. There was no covering the noises below us in that room. It was LOUD.

We decided to try a 9B (2542) on our next cruise and were right below Fathoms... No thanks. While quiet in the morning it was too loud at night for us. Moving chairs, bass from music, occasional click-clacking from feet (high heels maybe?)... After that we decided to not do Deck 2 anymore.

We loved our Navigator Verandah on the Wonder. At the time (4 years ago) the price difference from an Oceanview to a Navigator Verandah was much smaller, than the price difference from a Navigator Verandah to a full-on Verandah. That appears to have changed more recently though.

If you decide to go Deck 2, I would do my best to get one that has rooms below on Deck 1, and below guest services or atrium. Id say the block of rooms from 2042 to 2072, that would be my best recommendation for deck 2. But that is my personal opinion based on my experiences. Other people may have had much different experiences.

Also, I echo what another poster said, I believe the 2 porthole setup is only deck 1. Deck 2 has larger portholes, but again even larger portholes will be up on decks 5, 6 and 7 in the 9As near the front of the ship. And for 2 adults by themselves, I would recommend 2nd seating. We've never done first seating, and first seating always seemed too early for us.

 

[Karin1984]

As you have never cruised before, you do not know what will work for you and your family. What one family loves, the next one hates. And there is no such thing as perfection.

Just pick between the four main categories: inside, oceanview, verandah or concierge.
You can study the subcategories after your first cruise, when you know better what works for you.

The only thing with a floor I looked at for my first cruise was, what is directly above my cabin. More cabins or restaurant, entertainment, deck, etc.

 

[Tikibear]

We’ve done the same cruise twice on the Wonder in September ‘18 and ‘19. We too were concerned with motion sickness. The midship deck 6 verandah rooms are well worth the extra money. They are centrally located, beautiful views and fresh air was readily available. We didn’t notice near the motion in our stateroom as compared to when we were fore or aft.