Need quick help please...Zuiderdam

[Alaska_2012]

I am at work and cannot study the deck plans. My TA has sent an email saying she can either keep VB6038 (deck 6) on hold or put VF5062 (deck 5) on hold. Can anyone give an option which is better? Thanks!!

[SuiteTraveler]

VF5062 is more midship but still in the front third of the ship. It is fairly convenient to get to the fore elevators - about 8 doors away. There are staterooms above and below it. However, it is on the indented part of the side of the ship - therefore, those cabins with balconies that slant towards the middle of the ship may be able to see into your balcony in this cabin. VF5062 is 3 cabins away from the begining of the slant which starts at cabin VF5056.

Hope this helps.

[Alaska_2012]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate it!! Do you think VB6038 would be more private?

[SuiteTraveler]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate it!! Do you think VB6038 would be more private?

VB6038 is on the flat side of the hump out - so there are no balconies looking towards that balcony, so yes, I think it would be a bit more private.

It is hard to tell from the ship's layout how far the cabins on the angle can see into VF5062's balcony, but my guess is that VF5054 could at least see partially into your balcony if you chose that cabin. I don't think they could see into your windows, however, if the layout is at all accurate.

[Alaska_2012]

SuiteTravaler, I appreciate your research. I don't like the idea of someone possible seeing into the room. I think we will stick to VB6830. I thought it was hard picking the ship/iteneary. Didn't know it would be so hard to pick a room. :p

[SuiteTraveler]

SuiteTravaler, I appreciate your research. I don't like the idea of someone possible seeing into the room. I think we will stick to VB6830. I thought it was hard picking the ship/iteneary. Didn't know it would be so hard to pick a room. :p

You're welcome. From the deck plan, it looks like if they were standing on the fore part of the slanted balcony cabin they would only be able to see the aft side wall of your balcony and kind of a pie slice of the floor of it - so maybe the person in one of the chairs out there, but not into the windows of the cabin. IMO, I'd stick with the original choice VB6830 because it just seems more private since there is no balcony angled where people might be standing out there looking towards your balcony. If there are cabins available a bit further midship, I don't think this would be an issue at all. You might ask your travel agent about other cabins available - heck ask about cost to upgrade to a suite - you never know - I upgraded on our last cruise after final payment for only a few hundred more per person and it was totally worth it! We went from 189 sq ft balcony to over 500 sq ft, 2 bedroom, living room, dining room. Never hurts to ask if you can afford to pay a bit more...

[Alaska_2012]

I had wanted a suite but apparently all of the Superior Verandah Suites are booked :( According to HAL's site it would be over $8000 for a Deluxe Verandah Suite :eek:. I think we will have to stick with the balcony room.

[SuiteTraveler]

If your cruise is in Alaska in 2012, there is still plenty of time before final payment, etc. for there to be a price drop. Check daily. You never know - various options may become available to you!

[Alaska_2012]

SuiteTraveler, can I reserve a balcony room now and if the price drops on a suite change? Can you tell I've never been on a cruise before? :rolleyes:

[SuiteTraveler]

SuiteTraveler, can I reserve a balcony room now and if the price drops on a suite change? Can you tell I've never been on a cruise before? :rolleyes:

As long as the suite is more expensive than the balcony (which it always will be) most cruiselines will allow you to upgrade if you are willing to pay the difference! That's what I do. I book the cheapest cabin that would be acceptable to us (a balcony), then I hunt, hunt, hunt for a deal on a suite. Last time my dh yelled at me because I was on the internet so much - I was checking every 6 hours 24x7 because I noticed the cruiseline (Celebrity) was loading data at various times on their website, then 2 days later, an incredible deal popped up and I grabbed us the huge 2 bedroom 500sq ft cabin for $600 more total. At that point he was WOWED and said, keep doing what I was doing. LOL! Then I helped someone on our roll call make a similar deal for the other cabin like the one we got - so I had a new best friend before we even boarded the ship! LOL! It was great!

[Alaska_2012]

SuiteTraveler, I wish I could be that lucky. That's amazing!! Would I be checking HAL site for these deals or elsewhere. And if I find a deal, do I just contact my travel agent? Thanks for taking your time to help me :)

[SuiteTraveler]

SuiteTraveler, I wish I could be that lucky. That's amazing!! Would I be checking HAL site for these deals or elsewhere. And if I find a deal, do I just contact my travel agent? Thanks for taking your time to help me :)

I've found deals both ways, but you would need to do any upgrading through your travel agent since that is who you booked with. On the Celebrity cruise, I had booked with Celebrity so I would have to upgrade through them, but my new best friend had booked through a travel agent so she had to upgrade through her travel agent. I found the great deal on the Celebrity site. We were both able to get the same deal, though - me going direct through Celebrity and her going through her travel agent with the information I gave her.

In another situation, I booked through an online travel agency which was cheaper than the original cruiseline's site and later found a great upgrade deal on their site. I called them and they called the cruiseline and upgraded me.

[Boytjie]

VF5062 is more midship but still in the front third of the ship. It is fairly convenient to get to the fore elevators - about 8 doors away. There are staterooms above and below it. However, it is on the indented part of the side of the ship - therefore, those cabins with balconies that slant towards the middle of the ship may be able to see into your balcony in this cabin. VF5062 is 3 cabins away from the begining of the slant which starts at cabin VF5056.

Hope this helps.

There is no way anyone on the slant is going to see into a cabin with three 3 balconies in between , they won't even see much (if any) of that balcony.