Verandah heartbreak. . .

[jellymoon]

Oh, I am just so sad. All this verandah discussion helped me figure out exactly where our rooms are on the ship. We will be in 8090-8092--- the first rooms in the aft section to have the totally metal verandahs.

So, here is my question for those educated on these matters. I think we are really unlikely to get moved to another pair of staterooms (they must be connecting because we have 4 kids!). So, I think I just have to realize this is it.

Does this mean no view from the bed? No view from inside the room? No ability to watch the ocean while having breakfast on the verandah? No ability for the kids to see out? (I don't want to lift them and give them the idea of pushing furniture up there!)

Don't get me wrong. I'm so grateful we get to go, and I feel so lucky we get to have a verandah at all. I'm just devastated that I didn't do my homework and that it isn't going to be what I imagined. I'm just wondering how bad it really is.

 

[peagreenid]

I understand that you have the 4 kids.......and you need a larger room, but, I guess I'm curious why you got 2 Cat 4's. Instead of 2 Cat 5's or 2 Cat 6's. I work as a travel agent part-time, and the Cat 4's are nice if there are 5 passengers, but they are identical to the Cat 5's and 6's with the exception of the pulldown murphy bed and a few extra sq. ft. It might be easier to try and get adjoining cat. 5's or Cat 6's and it would certainly save you some money. What date are you sailing? Is the sailing sold out?

I would certainly call your Travel Agent and see what they can do.

smiles Patty

 

[jellymoon]

Thanks Patty!

I will check with the TA to see. I'm wondering that myself. I do believe the ship was basically sold out of adjoining rooms. We looked for any date with adjoining Cat 4 or 5s, in Aug, Sep, or Oct and 9/28 was the only one. And they said these were the only ones available. I checked with two TAs and directly with Disney at the time of booking, and all three reported the same availability.

We also needed to avoid a bunk style bed. Our kids are all little--- 1, 2, 4 and 7. The seven year old is developmentally disabled and therefore couldn't safely sleep in an upper bunk.

I will double check with the TA on these issues tomorrow, though!

Thanks!

 

[peagreenid]

As long as the room has available beds for all kids you are okay, doesn't mean that you have to use them all. I have 14 year boy/girl twins. They shared a womb, bassinette, crib and twin beds for years and years. They always had their own, but they didn't mind sharing. Your kids are small enough that you could put the 1 year old and the 2 year old together on the sofa bed in your room and the other two could use the 2twins/king in the other room. They would never have to use an upper berth bed.
I would also check about a week before final payment is due. A lot of people book, but change their minds when the payment is due. Last year on our cruise, many of the Categories were sold out, until 2 months out, and then they had openings in every one.
There is a thread for the 9/28 sailing. Wonderful bunch of people, many of whom I sailed with last year. You'll have to check them out.

smiles Patty

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jellymoon
oes this mean no view from the bed? No view from inside the room? No ability to watch the ocean while having breakfast on the verandah? No ability for the kids to see out? (I don't want to lift them and give them the idea of pushing furniture up there!)

You really cant see anything unless you are right up a thoe veradahs looking out. What really gets me is that the handicapped rooms have those type of veandahs so if you are in wheelchair and can't stand up you can't ever see anything!! I picked my daughter up everytme to look over and made sure I et the door closed (the lock was broken!) so she couldn't get out...even with the lock broken the door was way to heavy for her to move on her own...there are only 2 chairs and a smll table on the verandahs so you won't be able to eat as a family out there anyway...

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by aprilgail2
...there are only 2 chairs and a smll table on the verandahs so you won't be able to eat as a family out there anyway...

It's true that the table is quite small . . even a bit smaller than the one on the Navigator Verandahs. But your room steward <I>will</I> gladly bring you another chair or two if needed. Just ask politely and it should be no problem.

 

[candleonwater]

My biggest fear with a small child and a metal verandah is the idea of climbing. My daughter (5) is not, by nature, a climber, but I could imagine her wanting to see the water and standing up on a chair to do so. Scary idea!

 

[disney6]

jellymoon, we too have four kids and when we cruised the first time they were 1, 2, just 4, 8. We had adjoining catagory 9's and no one had to share a bed OR use the bunk (don't even know if we had a bunk!). DCL provided a pack n play for the one year old - it was set up in our room and we never took it down - didn't need to and there was still room. The 2 and 4 year old slept in the other queen - although this time I will separate them into twins - and the 8 yr old in the sofa sleeper. We left the doors open ALL THE TIME (they put wood door stoppers at the top of the doors so they wouldn't close). We had plenty of room, never had to worry about someone falling out of bed (or off the verandah). Would love to have a verandah but all the kids LOVED the big porthole and sat in the window sill (actually both of them - 2 cabins!) the entire time we were in the cabins. I'd definately check into changing to a lower cat. if I were you, you really will have plenty of room and not need to use the bunk in a 5 or 6.

 

[aseafish]

I would also check about a week before final payment is due. A lot of people book, but change their minds when the payment is due. Last year on our cruise, many of the Categories were sold out, until 2 months out, and then they had openings in every one.

Definitely do this. Cat. 6 rooms are a good choice, too. You can check on-line with Travelocity's for room availability if you can't stay on the phone with your TA. Be sure your TA knows what you want. Good luck.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

If you want the verandah Cat 6 is the way to go from our experience. There is NO difference except for the deck of the ship you're on between that and a Cat 5. Also, it is pretty hard for kids to climb the rails as, to quote one trip report we read, Disney plexiglasses everything!

 

[pagemaker]

I'm getting confused (again!) Please help.....
Are ALL of cat 6 verandahs plexiglass?

Does anyone know if there is a quick reference list of stateroom #s and whether their verandahs are steel or plexiglass?

Dave???

thank you!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Mea culpa! I was positive that the verandah railing was steel bars and plexiglass. But after I posted DH said no that is up on deck 9, the verandahs are steel. Well rather than bicker too much we went to the photos. Sure enough - the railing is solid steel.

Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

<b><i>All</i></b> of the Category 1 and 2 verandahs have PlexiGlas-lined transparent railings. <b><i>Most</i></b> of the Category 3, 4, 5, and 6 verandahs have transparent railings, but the rooms towards the aft portion of the ship have steel railings. I have a reference as to which is which at my web site...

www.dcltribute.com/faq/outsiderooms.htm

Deck 9 is mostly enclosed with floor-to-ceiling PlexiGlas. There are a few waist-high railings lined with PlexiGlas forward and aft. Decks 4 and 10 are all waist-high PlexiGlas-lined railings.

 

[pagemaker]

You have come through again!!

deb