Bow Cabins on Vista Class Ships

[drush]

Has anyone had one of the cabins at the very front of the ship on any of the Vista class ships (5001 or 5002)? If so how is the "ride" and what are the balconies like?

Thanks,
drush

[Fblack]

I have had bad experiences with cabins very far forward. Any rough water and rocking of the ship will be magnified several times. Plus, you will hear the anchor and equipment very early in the morning any time the ship has to tender in a port. I had a problem with my cabin on the Oosterdam a year ago and they moved me to a cabin that was 4 from the front, instead of my normal middle of the ship cabin. We were awakened at 4:30AM twice by that anchor.

[DougK]

Has anyone had one of the cabins at the very front of the ship on any of the Vista class ships (5001 or 5002)? If so how is the "ride" and what are the balconies like?


I was on the Westerdam a few weeks ago in cabin 5002. One thing you should know right off is that this is a handicapped cabin, which I think means both that it's a little larger, but also that it is configured differently than other cabins. (We got assigned to it a few days before the cruise because it was not needed for a handicapped passenger.) We had pretty calm seas, so I can't really comment on the "ride" -- it just wasn't an issue. The balcony was a tiny bit of disappointment; due to the unusual configuration of the cabin, the balcony is the same size as a normal verandah, rather than the somewhat larger one in most verandah suites. What this means is that there's room for two chairs (not loungers) and one tiny table roughly the size of a dinner plate, and that's it. But that's about all we needed in the balcony anyway. Two other small disappointments, again I believe due to being a handicapped cabin: the tub is not a whirlpool tub, and the TV is still the old tube one, rather than a new flat panel.

But those disappointments are more than compensated by the benefits (such as extra space). One of the coolest benefits is that there's a window out to the bow, so you can actually see where you're going. Plus, the small bow area was almost always deserted, except while at the glacier, so we could use it almost as our own private, huge balcony. Incidentally, the window is designed so that it's very difficult to see in, so you keep most of your privacy even if somebody is on the bow.

I wouldn't hesitate to take this cabin again if given the opportunity.

Doug

[Tinknock50]

I was on the Westerdam a few weeks ago in cabin 5002. One thing you should know right off is that this is a handicapped cabin, which I think means both that it's a little larger, but also that it is configured differently than other cabins. (We got assigned to it a few days before the cruise because it was not needed for a handicapped passenger.) We had pretty calm seas, so I can't really comment on the "ride" -- it just wasn't an issue. The balcony was a tiny bit of disappointment; due to the unusual configuration of the cabin, the balcony is the same size as a normal verandah, rather than the somewhat larger one in most verandah suites. What this means is that there's room for two chairs (not loungers) and one tiny table roughly the size of a dinner plate, and that's it. But that's about all we needed in the balcony anyway. Two other small disappointments, again I believe due to being a handicapped cabin: the tub is not a whirlpool tub, and the TV is still the old tube one, rather than a new flat panel.

But those disappointments are more than compensated by the benefits (such as extra space). One of the coolest benefits is that there's a window out to the bow, so you can actually see where you're going. Plus, the small bow area was almost always deserted, except while at the glacier, so we could use it almost as our own private, huge balcony. Incidentally, the window is designed so that it's very difficult to see in, so you keep most of your privacy even if somebody is on the bow.

I wouldn't hesitate to take this cabin again if given the opportunity.

Doug

Do you have any photos of this cabin?

[jtl513]

If so how is the "ride" ...

I think that depends more on sea conditions than anything else! We were higher up, in 8010 (just a few back from the bridge) on the Baltic, and the first night we felt a little rolling ... but after that either we got used to it or the seas calmed ... or both.