Wonder varandah or oceanview room? Help please?

[Babysaurs]

Hi looking at the 10/4 wonder cruise can far a 9c or a 5b for $500 more is the verandah worth it? Will be 2a 2c and are they safe for kids aged 5 and 8 will be our first ever cruise and not sure if worth spending the extra $ or not?
Thankyou

 

[cats mom]

Hi looking at the 10/4 wonder cruise can far a 9c or a 5b for $500 more is the verandah worth it? Will be 2a 2c and are they safe for kids aged 5 and 8 will be our first ever cruise and not sure if worth spending the extra $ or not?
Thankyou

There's no right or wrong answer to your question because it's a matter of personal preference.

There are a few people who will only cruise concierge, and others will never experience that level.

Some people must have a verandah.

Others won't cruise without a porthole.

Still others are perfectly fine with an inside cabin and probably think those of us who pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more for higher level cabins are nuts.

As for safety I'm going to assume at age 5 & 8 either your children won't be unattended in the cabin, or if they are, you trust them enough to follow your instructions and not be goofing around out on the verandah without supervision. There would be no way for them to accidentally fall overboard. They would have to be actively climbing on something for that to happen. HTH's

 

[ibouncetoo]

Morning coffee, evening adult beverage after the kids are in bed, read in the sun while the little one naps (yeh, right), a spot to 'get out of the way' while the females are grooming, these are some of the nice things about a veranda. Only you can determine the $ value of that.

 

[egesicki]

For our next cruise we have actually discussed "downgrading" from deluxe family oceanview with veranda to a porthole cabin. We didn't spend much time on either of our cruises on our veranda. As long as we can get close to the square footage, and not way down on deck 2, we would welcome saving a little $ giving up the verandah.

 

[rentayenta]

Morning coffee, evening adult beverage after the kids are in bed, read in the sun while the little one naps (yeh, right), a spot to 'get out of the way' while the females are grooming, these are some of the nice things about a veranda. Only you can determine the $ value of that.

This exactly. To me, it's totally worth it.

 

[ibouncetoo]

I'm actually in the process or getting a price to upgrade my 2015 Panama cruise to a veranda. Big sis and I like to lounge about a bit in the morning and having a veranda to drink tea in our jammies is worth $$ to us. (She is also the one who wants me out of her way while she is getting ready...LOL)

 

[Kim&Chris]

We've had both verandahs and portholes, and I think the value of each depends on the length of the cruise. If we book a cruise that's 4 days or longer, we try to book a verandah. Sitting out on that verandah on sea days is just a little slice of heaven.

But if we're doing a short cruise, then it's a porthole for us. There's just no sense in spending all that extra money for a verandah when we probably won't have time to use it at all.

 

[ibouncetoo]

This exactly. To me, it's totally worth it.

Looks like we're on the 10/18/15 Baja together! I'm looking at upgrading to a 5B on that one also....might just end up down the hall from you on deck 6!

.

 

[rentayenta]

Looks like we're on the 10/18/15 Baja together! I'm looking at upgrading to a 5B on that one also....might just end up down the hall from you on deck 6!

.

Very cool! My friend Pam will be on it too. I am just thrilled for this cruise even if its 17 months away. We have a 5C and a 7A right next to each other. I tried to book the verandah with inside cabin across but knew my kids wouldn't leave my cabin if I did that. They'll be 18, 16, and 14 when we cruise.

We chose second dining, how about you?

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Our first DCL cruise was on the Magic (sister ship to the Wonder) and we had the large porthole room on Deck 2 for 14 night transatlantic cruise. I really liked the room, my kids liked sitting on the little bench looking out the porthole.

My last cruise on the Wonder was 14 night Panama Canal and I got a balcony so that my mom would be able to sit outside without having to walk around the ship so much, which is difficult for her.

I liked them both. Balcony is safe for kids, but I wouldn't let them stay out there unsupervised if they are little monkeys like my kids, as there is a little table and chairs they can climb on.

For first cruise, I would do the porthole window. I wouldn't do it if it is the double portholes on deck 1 though. We visited our table mates in one of those rooms and IIRC the portholes have heavy glass and metal "doors" on them that swing open and I was thinking my kids would surely hit their head on those.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I sail many cruise lines and have had all types of rooms. I do like to have a balcony - it is my stateroom category of choice. However, I decided that I wanted to save a bit of money and choose a family ocean view stateroom on the Disney Fantasy (my first Disney cruise in 14 years... first was on Magic in a verandah room). I have never been more pleased with a stateroom! The window is huge - nearly floor to ceiling - and has a window seat. My sister (who is by all means a balcony snob) LOVED the window and didn't miss a balcony at all. She said that she might even like it more than a balcony from sitting inside the room because there are no handrail or chair obstructions, and you have a clear view of the ocean.

Here is an album of photos that I took of the room - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vshingleton/sets/72157644776229632/

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I sail many cruise lines and have had all types of rooms. I do like to have a balcony - it is my stateroom category of choice. However, I decided that I wanted to save a bit of money and choose a family ocean view stateroom on the Disney Fantasy (my first Disney cruise in 14 years... first was on Magic in a verandah room). I have never been more pleased with a stateroom! The window is huge - nearly floor to ceiling - and has a window seat. My sister (who is by all means a balcony snob) LOVED the window and didn't miss a balcony at all. She said that she might even like it more than a balcony from sitting inside the room because there are no handrail or chair obstructions, and you have a clear view of the ocean.

Here is an album of photos that I took of the room - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vshingleton/sets/72157644776229632/

I saw the pix in your trip report (great report BTW, can't wait to see the rest of it). But OP should know that the windows on the Wonder, though large, are not as large as those on the Fantasy.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I saw the pix in your trip report (great report BTW, can't wait to see the rest of it). But OP should know that the windows on the Wonder, though large, are not as large as those on the Fantasy.

Good to know! On DCL's website, you can't tell the size of the window because they have the curtains closed (and it's also all artist renderings for Magic and Wonder at the moment.... speaking of which, there are currently some really bad renderings of the re-imagined Disney Magic on their website).

Is this photo more accurate?

Still rather large, but no window seat.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Good to know! On DCL's website, you can't tell the size of the window because they have the curtains closed (and it's also all artist renderings for Magic and Wonder at the moment.... speaking of which, there are currently some really bad renderings of the re-imagined Disney Magic on their website).

Is this photo more accurate?

Still rather large, but no window seat.

That's it! The strip of wood underneath the window is actually kind of a bench (if you are a kid with a little butt!).

 

[Babysaurs]

Choice was taken out of our hands veranda room were all booked so oceanview it is we got room 2510 which sound like it may be a good one can't wait

 

[PCMama]

I can't believe they booked up so fast!

 

[pepe3penelope]

I sail many cruise lines and have had all types of rooms. I do like to have a balcony - it is my stateroom category of choice. However, I decided that I wanted to save a bit of money and choose a family ocean view stateroom on the Disney Fantasy (my first Disney cruise in 14 years... first was on Magic in a verandah room). I have never been more pleased with a stateroom! The window is huge - nearly floor to ceiling - and has a window seat. My sister (who is by all means a balcony snob) LOVED the window and didn't miss a balcony at all. She said that she might even like it more than a balcony from sitting inside the room because there are no handrail or chair obstructions, and you have a clear view of the ocean. Here is an album of photos that I took of the room - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vshingleton/sets/72157644776229632/

We had this category on Fantasy last June and loved it, too!

 

[COASTIEandMATE]

Choice was taken out of our hands veranda room were all booked so oceanview it is we got room 2510 which sound like it may be a good one can't wait

We have done two 14 day cruises in a porthole cabin and really enjoyed them both!! Deck 2 is a short elevator ride to the kids clubs and is very peaceful! As the Passporter guide says "Affordable elegance is yours with some natural sunlight and the ability to see whe you are!" BTW, we just booked our 10 day Hawaii cruise in a porthole cabin!!! Aloha, Karen

 

[mmbl]

Hi looking at the 10/4 wonder cruise can far a 9c or a 5b for $500 more is the verandah worth it? Will be 2a 2c and are they safe for kids aged 5 and 8 will be our first ever cruise and not sure if worth spending the extra $ or not? Thankyou

For safety reasons, we NEVER got a veranda when our kids were under 16. It's just one less thing to worry about when traveling with kids. When the youngest was 16 we got a balcony for our 18 night Alaska adventure, land and sea tour (7 sea nights). By then, I felt they had enough sense to treat the balcony with respect and be safe!

 

[ibouncetoo]

I sail many cruise lines and have had all types of rooms. I do like to have a balcony - it is my stateroom category of choice. However, I decided that I wanted to save a bit of money and choose a family ocean view stateroom on the Disney Fantasy (my first Disney cruise in 14 years... first was on Magic in a verandah room). I have never been more pleased with a stateroom! The window is huge - nearly floor to ceiling - and has a window seat. My sister (who is by all means a balcony snob) LOVED the window and didn't miss a balcony at all. She said that she might even like it more than a balcony from sitting inside the room because there are no handrail or chair obstructions, and you have a clear view of the ocean.

Here is an album of photos that I took of the room - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vshingleton/sets/72157644776229632/

Aren't the Cat 8's on the Dream & Fantasy wonderful! I've sailed in them several times now and I LOVE the round tub/shower with the seat too! Twice when I've booked these they have been CHEAPER than the going rate on the Cat 11's!! (Because there are so few 11's on these two ships the price jumps right away.)