Thinking of upgrading for a veranndah.

[septbride2002]

First let me say I am horrible at spelling so I'm sure I spelled Veranndah wrong - please excuse me.

Currently we are booked for a gurantee of Category 12 - but the more I think about it the more I would like a Veranndah - for a number of reasons. One my hubby is not a breakfast eater and would rather sleep the extra hour then get up and go for breakfast. Since we can do the room service thing for me I would like to be able to sit on the veranndah while I enjoy my breakfast and coffee. But I am wondering if the cost is really worth it. I have a call into our travel agent to see what the cost difference will be. This is going to be our only vacation in 2005 and I'm pretty sure I don't want to spend it in a closet. If we don't do the veranndah I think we will definately book an outside 11.

~Amanda

 

[ivanova]

category 11 is still inside. You'll need to book a cat 10 or cat 9 to get a porthole room.

 

[jel0511]

Actually there are a FEW (actually 6) category 10's that are considered seceret portholes. They are VERY popular and book up pretty far in advance. Based on what I've experienced in pricing out cruises, the price to upgrade to a veranda usually is $1200 and up, depending on cruise date. Now, that's the pricing fora 7 night cruise, so your milage may vary if you're going on a shorter cruise. For us, it's completely worth it! We use our veranda A LOT, and it was nice the morning I did eat breakfast out there. It was nice during the day to open it up and get the fresh air in, etc. We're paying a $2000 upgrade from a category 10(our original idea) for our West Coast Cruise in July, for me it's worth the money, becasue we totally use it!! We're not the type of people to hang out on deck, we like hanging out in our room.

 

[DrCavin]

You will read different opinions on if veranda's are worth the $$ or not. My theory is, if you have the money to try it why not??? If you then don't think it was worth it, your next cruise will be cheaper.... well at least the room portion will be

Personally I would not like an inside room, need some daylight in the room, but that is just my weirdness

 

[dclwdwlover]

I always vote for getting a verandah, if possible. Had outside with portholes before & they were very nice, but nothing beats a verandah, in my (& DH's) opinion. You have a great point there about sitting out relaxing while waiting for your DH to wake up. It is very relaxing & listening to & watching the seas is something we can't do at home in the early am or in the pm.

 

[soleglo]

I had an outside stateroom last time with the larger porthole, and it only made me wish I had a verandah, so I paid the extra and will have one this time. I am an early riser and can't wait to sit out there in the a.m. and late night.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

once you go verandah you wont go back to inside again. something about looking at the blue ocean while eating breakfast from your stateroom. we just enjoy it and wont do any other type of stateroom.(well if you pay for cat 1 ill do it)LOL

 

[hopelea]

I haven't had a verandah yet. For the main reason as posted above. "once I have one, I'll never go back!" On our first cruise we booked an 11 on deck 6. It was nice. Didn't feel cramped or in a dark cave. We actually like being in the darkness. We could sleep longer without the light coming in. Truly, we didn't spend much time in our room and so I don't know if a verandah would be a good deal for us or not. The only time we were in our room was to sleep, change clothes & drop things off.

We are booked into a Cat 10 on our next cruise. I might try for an upgrade at the port but I am not sure yet.

I am just thrilled to be on the ship. I don't care if I am in a broom closet. When my eyes are closed all the rooms look the same

 

[cruisenewbie2004]

We did not eat out there or anything, but we enjoyed the fresh air, the fact you can go out and check the weather before getting dressed, and just the fact that it was plain cool to have. We all enjoyed it.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

We started with a "navigator's" veranda and really enjoyed it. It is the most economical if that helps. Looks like the large port hole but its open and you get the extra patio deck area. We really loved it too. I know I won't cruise without at least that, now. (spoiled). They are considered category 7.

MKY

 

[DVCconvert]

As my "friend" advised me just prior to my booking our first cruise....'go for the verandah, it will be easier to dive off in case you hit an iceberg!'.

 

[American Scrapper]

I loved our verandah! As an earlier poster said, once you have a verandah you wont go back to one without. My DH used it in the morning while I slept in to drink his coffee and the kids ate breakfast there. I used it at night before heading off to bed. This was one of my favorite spots to relax after a long busy day.

kathy

 

[bubbasmom99]

Ditto what everyone else said. We were fortunate enough to be upgrade to a verandah room on our cruise last month and now we can never go back to plain porthole! It was amazing to just open the door and watch us dock in the morning, check out the scenery from our own private balcony... we didn't spend a lot of time out on the deck because we were always checking it out from our room!

Another thing you can do besides room service is go up to Beach Blanket/Topsiders and grab a tray and fill up with a variety of stuff... and bring it back to your room while your hubby snoozes.

 

[Chattyaholic]

We had a category 6 veranda room on our Disney cruises and wouldn't want to cruise without one. I like "quiet time" so having a veranda makes it great so I can be outside, watching the ocean, and not be with the crowd.

We loved having early morning coffee and croissants on the veranda, reading out there in the afternoon, gazing at the stars in the evening, and we almost always left the door open at night so we were lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean.

The price is definitely worth it, to us.

 

[UGAFan0829]

Next week will be our very first cruise and we decided to go with the verandah. At first I had thought about the Navigators verandah, but that was before I found this wonderful website and found out exactly what they are. Anyway, at first we were debating on it because of the price difference, but I love to look out over the ocean, so I figured that I'd be disappointed without it. When we go to the beach we always go out on the balcony first thing in the morning and right before we go to bed. A lot of times we even sleep with the door open, so I imgaine that it will be the same with the verandah on the cruise. I would have to say that if you can afford it...THEN GO FOR IT!!

 

[Dreamer04]

For price differences, check out www.allseastravel.com . Personally, I love the verandah. I drink my morning coffee there. If one of my kids is sick, then the verandah is like an extra space I can go to relax, yet still be with my kids.

All that said-if I had to choose between an inside cabin and not going at all, I'd go for the inside!

 

[JC Butterfly]

I've never had a verandah room but am looking forward to trying it for the first time next year. I don't know what your situation is financially. I don't know if you are only taking one vacation this year because you intend to go all out or because it takes a lot of discipline just to get the one.

I believe having a verandah would be wonderful! But I have enjoyed being in my category 11 rooms too. It is nice and dark for sleeping and you get all the same dining options and shows of people paying much more. There is a "secret deck" on deck 7. If you find you don't want to spend the money to upgrade to a cagegory 6, you might try a category 11 on deck 7. Then while hubby is sleeping you can slip to the secret deck and look out over the water (and have plenty of money left over for shore excursions, spa appointments, etc).

I already have the mindset when I finally get my verandah that I have to make it "worth it". I have to commit to spending some time out there or I'll be mad at myself for spending the money and not taking advantage.

you are going to have such an amazing experience no matter what you choose, good luck!!

 

[logan1_2000]

In case the availability/cost of the upgrade don't allow for a verandah, you need to remember that at 184 square feet, a DCL Cat. 12 has as much interior room as verandah or even junior suite staterooms on other cruises. We had 139 square feet on RCCL (and that was oceanview, though obstructed) and the friends with whom we sailed were shoe-horned into a 108 sq. ft. cubby hole. But I agree w/ other posters when they say if you have the means, then go for it and book the verandah.

 

[rocketralph]

Our first cruise we booked a cat 6 and now I will never book anything less.

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

I guess I'll be the black sheep on this one.

I have had a verandah and did go back. Last years cruise we sailed in a CAT 11 this year we have CAT 12 gty. I just don't want to spend all that extra $$$$ (of course it's all in what you want)

I can think of a lot of other things to do with the extra $$$. If I need fresh air, I go up on deck. I like the aft inside rooms, deck 7 secret deck is not far away.

If you've never had one and $$$$ is not the issue, go ahead and try it. That was our thoughts when we booked our 1 and only verandah room. I just find the insides perfect. Great for sleeping in or napping. Where else can you have a completely dark room @ 2:00 pm for a great nap.