Obstructed View Cabin

[Orangeguy]

We just booked our first cruise ever to head to Alaska on the Westerdam on May 26th out of Seattle.

We had planned on booking an Interior Cabin, but didn't want to be over the dining room. It turned out that we could get an Obstructed View for the same price as the Interior. We ultimately selected a H level cabin (4107), but now I'm thinking I would be just as good off to take guarantee room since I would have a better chance of getting an upgrade. I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

[Roz]

I've had a couple of obstructed view cabins, and enjoyed them. None of them were totally obstructed (I could see the water if I sat on the bed at an angle), and I had light and dark in my room. With an interior cabin, you wake up and don't know if it's 2 am or 9 am!

Enjoy your Alaskan cruise regardless of the cabin. The first time I had an interior cabin (good for Alaska as it's light out 18-20 hrs. per day) and the second time an obstructed view outside. Both were spectacular cruises.

Roz

[SwissMyst]

Some related thoughts: Inside cabins are premium when visiting the "Land of the Midnight Sun" when you want your curtains closed pretty tight anyway if you have a window room - creating a de facto "inside cabin" or even an "obstructed view" cabin at least at night when you want to sleep.

During the day, the views in Alaska are so sweeping that you really need to be out on deck for the 360 horizon rather than what you can see from a cabin window or even a verandah deck limited to one side of the view only. Consequently, any window cabin is for natural light only as its primary benefit, of which you may not want so much of it at midnight after all.

[George C]

we had a obstructed view balconey once , it was in front of life boats, still had nice view, better than inside.

[CowPrincess]

I was in a similar quandry on my last cruise on the Oosterdam. I eventually went with a gty "E" because I was afraid I'd get upgraded to one of the "F"s by the showroom on Main Deck if I booked an H gty. I was fairly certain that the foot traffic going to and from the showroom would have bugged me beyond words :)

imagine the worst possible room in that category

To me one of the Fs by the showroom would have been worse than an H. JMHO, YMMV.

[OVgirl]

I have to agree with CowPrincess. I would not want one of the forward cabins on Main Deck. I think the location of the Obstructed Oceanview cabins are in a very nice location. It would make more sense to book a specific cabin and indicate 'no upgrade'.
Just my opinion.

[tcook052]

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

I also opted for an obstructed on Eurodam as it was cheaper than an inside and quite liked the cabin. There was a bit of a view through the lifeboat and the natural light was nice.

I'm all about the value and were it cheaper again to go with obstructed would do it again without hesitation.

[IRL_Joanie]

We just booked our first cruise ever to head to Alaska on the Westerdam on May 26th out of Seattle.

We had planned on booking an Interior Cabin, but didn't want to be over the dining room. It turned out that we could get an Obstructed View for the same price as the Interior. We ultimately selected a H level cabin (4107), but now I'm thinking I would be just as good off to take guarantee room since I would have a better chance of getting an upgrade. I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

I have photos and comments (Thanks to Cruise Critic members) of 4106 and 4090, 4106 so you can see the interior of your stateroom and 4090 to see what the view out the window will be from 4107.

The photos and comments are here http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HAL/Westerdam/Deck-4.html

Joanie

[Vic The Parrot]

I was fairly certain that the foot traffic going to and from the showroom would have bugged me beyond words :)



To me one of the Fs by the showroom would have been worse than an H. JMHO, YMMV.



To me, foot traffic outside the cabin door is more tolerable than actually being above, or below the showroom.

I was stuck in a cabin like that 2 of my trips, and now I completely avoid those areas.

[Sandi3667]

We had cabin 4077 on the Oosterdam when we sailed her May 22, 2011. Loved the floor-to-ceiling windows. May is early enough that you still have darkness at night. We kept the main blinds open, even at night, but kept the sheers closed, since you could look up from the promanade deck up into our cabin.

Looking at the deck plans, you'll have a little more obstruction than what we did, but still got lots of light in from those windows.

I would sail in our cabin again, any day of the week.

[CowPrincess]

To me, foot traffic outside the cabin door is more tolerable than actually being above, or below the showroom.

I was stuck in a cabin like that 2 of my trips, and now I completely avoid those areas.

Hi Vic the Parrot, so good to "see" you :D

I wasn't worried about getting upgraded to a VH or similar from my E gty :) so didn't spend a lot of time even considering being ABOVE the showroom.

Ended up in a VA, so it was all good :eek: ;)

[RMLincoln]

We just booked our first cruise ever to head to Alaska on the Westerdam on May 26th out of Seattle.

We had planned on booking an Interior Cabin, but didn't want to be over the dining room. It turned out that we could get an Obstructed View for the same price as the Interior. We ultimately selected a H level cabin (4107), but now I'm thinking I would be just as good off to take guarantee room since I would have a better chance of getting an upgrade. I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

My Emphasis: If you think you wouldn't be as happy in a room here or there on the ship then a guarantee may not be for you. We usually do a guarantee and have always found that there are advantages to every location on the ship... and we've managed to easily overlook any disadvantages, but it is your vacation and you should do what makes you most comfortable. Have a grand cruise. m--

[Vic The Parrot]

Hi Vic the Parrot, so good to "see" you :D

I wasn't worried about getting upgraded to a VH or similar from my E gty :) so didn't spend a lot of time even considering being ABOVE the showroom.

Ended up in a VA, so it was all good :eek: ;)




Great to "see" you, as well! :)

Hope you and yours are enjoying the holiday season. :cool:

[Barrheadlass]

We have an obstructed view on the Statendam in Feb and it is under the showroom. I'm trying to get it changed. I guess the showroom issue is a lot more annoying than the obstructed view. On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a lot of shows that go very late.

[Shmoo here]

We just booked our first cruise ever to head to Alaska on the Westerdam on May 26th out of Seattle.

We had planned on booking an Interior Cabin, but didn't want to be over the dining room. It turned out that we could get an Obstructed View for the same price as the Interior. We ultimately selected a H level cabin (4107), but now I'm thinking I would be just as good off to take guarantee room since I would have a better chance of getting an upgrade. I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

Our first cruise on the Zuiderdam to Alaska we selected a specific room (partially obstructed - G). We were upgraded to a VB 2 days before the cruise.

:)

[RuthC]

I had an obstructed view cabin on my first Noordam cruise. I loved the natural light, and being able to tell if it was sunny/rainy/just cloudy when I got up in the morning. I kept the heavy draperies open, but the sheers closed. That let in enough light to get around the cabin in the middle of the night, without turning on any lights.

The cabin was spacious, and well configured.

[vbmom87]

I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

That is not exactly how you look at it. Not only should you consider the worst stateroom in the category you are booking, but also the worse stateroom in the categories above the category you are booking. Sometimes all the staterooms in the guarentee category you are booking could be satisfactory. However, in any of several categories higher there could be staterooms that are less than desirable.

We do not book guarentees anymore because we discovered that we do not do well at the front of the ship. For us to book a guarentee and then end up with a stateroom at the front could make for a long and unpleasant cruise. We now book specific cabins and mark "do not upgrade."

We have been in two obstructed view cabins. On the NCL POA we had a tender boat in front of our window. For my DH it was better than an inside. He is really so afraid of having an inside cabin. He wants to see light of some kind.

Our other obstructed view cabin was on the HAL Amsterdam. We had an obstructed view on the Promenade deck. This ended up being quite nice. The window looked out on the deck. When you stood near the window you could see a view off to the side. For the price, we were very satisfied. We would book it again.

[HigleyFlow]

We have been in cabin 4107 and it is poor. The lifeboat is right in front of the window. Go for an interior or spend the money to upgrade to an outside full view or balcony - especially in Alaska where you might want to see the view. Do not rely on an upgrade with a "guarantee" It has never worked for us.





We just booked our first cruise ever to head to Alaska on the Westerdam on May 26th out of Seattle.

We had planned on booking an Interior Cabin, but didn't want to be over the dining room. It turned out that we could get an Obstructed View for the same price as the Interior. We ultimately selected a H level cabin (4107), but now I'm thinking I would be just as good off to take guarantee room since I would have a better chance of getting an upgrade. I've seen where everyone says to imagine the worst possible room in that category, but I'm not seeing any rooms that would be worse than the current room.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or thoughts, especially from those who have stayed in an obstructed view cabins.

[HigleyFlow]

I agree with Orangeguy. we do not go with Guarantee any more. We just did a Transatlantic on Ruby Princess and took a guarantee and it was in the front with the stairway right in front of the window and it was in the front of the ship with 2 overhead beds that we had to duck under everyday. the rocking front of the ship was very bad. Never go with Guarantee is our suggestion.