To Verandah or not to Verandah.. That is the question?

[mindy327]

I have been thinking a lot if I want to get a verandah for our next cruise in September on a 7 DAY.

For those of you who have cruised inside staterooms for 7 days with kids, tell me how it went.

For those of you who have cruised verandah style for 7 days with kids, tell me how it went.

I want to know if getting one is worth it.! Thanks bunches.

 

[kcashner]

I've done it without a verandah many times and I've done it with a verandah twice. In one case, I was able to upgrade at port.

OK, I loved the ocean breezes, being able to read on my verandah, just having a private place. It would be especailly good if you have a little one who needs to nap. That said, is it worth doubling the cost of the cruise--not to me. I'll happily accept some pixie dust or a chance to sail in luxury for a bargain price, but I'd rather have two inside cruises than one with a verandah.

 

[MouseLovinMom]

Any room on a Disney Cruise is a good room! Our first cruise we were upgraded to a verandah room. Now 5 cruises later we're hooked!

We love the verandah for the additional space it gives our family. When we're getting ready for the day, dinner, whatever, we can put the kids out there with breakfast or a snack. Also, we generally do a scuba excursion and like to have some of our own gear with us. The verandah houses our big, wet, icky dive bag until we get it cleaned and dried up. We stow it on the floor behind one of the chairs.

Whatever you decide, have a great cruise!

 

[cats mom]

And for the opposite perspective... Our first cruise was in an isndie cabin and it felt incredibly claustrophobic to me. (In all fairness it was not on DCL though, so the cabin really was tiny) No, we did not spend a lot of time in the cabin, but of course we spent some, and I really hated it.

Personally I think I'd be OK as long as I had some natural light, but DH has decided he's a verandah kind of guy, so I gladly go along with his wishes.

We do book an inside cabin for our kids and I'm OK popping in for short visits, but I love going back across the hall to my verandah cabin. I love early mornings watching the sun rise across the water out there. Granted you can do that on a public deck too, just not in your PJ's while still hanging with the later risers in the family.

 

[tracyz]

We did a 3-day with no verandah and it was fine, but recently we sailed for 7 days and decided to spring for the verandah...LOVED IT! It was so nice to have the extra space, and on the couple of afternoons when DD was just overwhelmed and exhausted it allowed us to have a place to go to relax while she slept. Also allowed us to sit outside while waiting for people to get ready for breakfast and dinner. We won't sail without it from now on!

 

[MaryKLady]

A warning...one you get one, you won't want to sail without one!

We've only done two cruises, neither on DCL, but the first we were upgraded to a balcony as a Christmas gift from my parents an the second was upgraded from the cruise line. When I originally booked our DCL cruise, I didn't want to spend the extra on it. But then I thought it would be worth it because, 1-I've had one before and are quite accustomed to my extravagent travel lifestyle , 2-my DD is a napper and I thought a balcony would be nice to be out on when she naps, 3-I justified it because I booked a secret verandah room (a cabin with a slightly obstructed varandah and priced lower).

 

[MicraPIP]

We are booked on the xmas cruise 2010 and I booked a cat 4... 2 reasons...

1. we are sailing with a 12 and 5 yr old... big age difference so the added space is nice!!

2. this is our first cruise and I want the family to have a great time...

I did look at the price difference between the the inside and outside and porch (verandah) and the difference between the Outside (portal) and the Verandah... wasn't that much (based on how many mounths I have to Pay for it)


So I can't speak from experience but I'd rather be able to watch the sunrise then have no clue what the weather is...

Just my thoughts

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

I have had an inside category 12, a portal window category 8, and a verandah category 5. Out of those, I choose the verandah hands down. Though I agree with others, I had a great time on DCL even in the category 12. I like the verandah over the portal because I can have the private space for my husband and I to enjoy a mimosa in the morning or the breeze as we sail along the ocean. I may do a portal room if the price difference was huge, but I know I could never do an inside room again. Just be warned, that once you have one, it will be hard to go back. I say, as long as your budget can handle it, go for it! But, you will be sure to have a great cruise as long as you are with Disney!

 

[lbgraves]

We have cruised for 7 days in a cat 8 [was upgraded from an 11], cat 10, cat 4 [was upgraded from an 8], cat 10 and on a 15 day in a cat 8. Dh has decided he prefers a cat 8 instead of a 10 so that is what I book now. While I never would have paid the price for a verandah it was nice to have, though we had to make ourselves make time to go out on it. We started cruising when the kids were 3 and 5 and last time they were 8 and 9. I prefer the set up of the cat 10s over the cat 8s because the bed is in the back of the room and you have a double steamer trunk which gives you more storage room.

 

[indigodisney]

For us, an inside or outside cabin would be fine for the shorter cruises....but we need a balcony for longer cruises, 7 days or more. I think the balcony and the ability to have fresh air when I need it really helps with my seasickness the first night.

 

[dta87]

Just put me on the ship and I will be happy. That being said, we have an SVR and CAT 11 booked for our next cruise in May. For our B2B last May we had to move from a CAT 11 for the first cruise to the CAT 5 for the second (a move in the other direction may have hurt a little). We enjoyed having the verandah for the 3 nt but didn't use it near enough so this 7 nt will be the decision maker for us on whether a verandah is worth the extra cost.

 

[nurselisa1124]

I like the outside cabins with a porthole, rather than the veranda...we rarely used it. some of the port hole outside cabins also have the drop down twin bunk bed from the ceiling which is great with teens or younger kids..I always do that ..i think it's o nly on deck 5 and there are only a few cabins that have it...otherwise the couch jsut turns into a twin bed wtihout the ceiling drop down..

 

[SLK1]

We have kids and the verandah is very nice, especially when the baby needs to nap - the person with her can still feel like they're on a cruise sitting on the verandah rather than just sitting there staring at the walls. Also, I have an early riser, so he gets up and goes outside to read so he doesn't wake everyone up. Lastly, my husband believes the verandah is a necessity to combat seasickness. I'm not sure it's true, but if he believes it and can overcome feeling ill, more power to him!!!

 

[Im_A_Princess]

After having a verandah... I can not go back to no verandah.
Not even sure I would take a non-verandah if i was desparate to be on the ship and all that was available was a non-verandah.
That is just me and the DH though
I use it all the time. I do not smoke but I use it for breakfasts, lunches, reading, chillin',watching the fireworks on Pirate Night when the kids are not sailing, ...the list goes on.

 

[lbgraves]

The category 8 rooms on deck 5 are the same on decks 6 and 7. There are more rooms that have the drop down bed than not.

 

[tvguy]

Disney is the only cruise line we have had a verandah on, and it was a free upgrade. We all agreed it was great, and we all agreed it would not have been worth the extra it cost ($1,200) if we had booked a verandah and had to pay for it.

 

[CBEB]

Verandah for sure! One of our favorite past times is to sit out there on sea days and read or enjoy a glass of wine. It would be tough to give that up!

 

[jrabbit]

We got upgraded to a Handicaped veranda room on our last cruise. The veradanda was HUGE - 25+ feet long (we were in the really big room almost all of the way at the back of the ship). It was so cool!! we spent 10 minutes on it before we left port going "this is so cool" and we spent at least 2 minutes out on it every day saying "this is SO cool".

On our first cruise we had a 9yo and in inside room - and didn't have any issues. THe next cruise was with an 11yo and we were in a inside room again - and we had no issues - other than it was a little disorienting without any natural light. We then had an SPH room and decided that we will always sail with natural light and we have been content with that decision (cat 9's).

If I am paying, I'm stayin' in my Deck 2, cat 9 room. I will not say no to a free upgrade but I WILL NOT PAY FOR IT!! For us it really would not be worth the extra money. Just like the Disneyland hotel - have never stayed there and I don't imagine that I ever will - but I really enjoy the Disneyland resort - and all of that is OUTSIDE my room, just like a cruise - "everything " - all of the activities are outside of the room (at least most are) in the common areas.

 

[jbm02]

Mindy
We had a cat 9 on deck 2 for 7 days for our first DCL cruise and it was awesome. We loved the big port hole. There was more than enough room for me. 6'5 DH and DS and DD (as compared to the cruise we took for our honeymoon where one of us had to sit on the bed so the other could dressed). Our 2d cruise is scheduled in August. We have a veranda this time - but only because the military rates made it accessible to us. We would have been fine without one but decided to splurge. I'll let you know how it goes!!
Jude

 

[MelissaE1]

As you can see, to verandah or not is pretty subjective. I have only sailed with a verandah with my family (me, DH, 2 kids), although I have sailed DCL with a porthole with just two adults before. For us, it's worth the extra cost and/or time saving up the money. Sunlight and water are a big part of the experience for us and we sit out there with breakfast, reading, afternoon cheese tray, or just watching the water go by, and enjoy it enough to warrant the extra cost. It's almost like having an extra "little room" sometimes. That said, I would consider just a porthole if it was the only way I could get on the ship. I don't think I could personally handle an inside, although a friend of mine actually prefers it. If you have the money, I say go for it. If funding it would limit your vacation in other ways, consider a porthole or inside.