Are all interior cabins the same? What makes one better than another?

We are looking to book an interior Fantastica stateroom on the MSC Seaside and since we have never cruised before, I'm looking to get some advice from the experts. Here are my questions:

Are all of the interior staterooms the same or are there specific ones I should be looking to target that might offer something a little better?

Are any specific floors better or worse than others? If so, why?

Any other advice or things that I should consider?

We are looking at rooms towards the middle of the ship to hopefully limit the amount of movement we feel since neither of us have ever cruised before and don't know how we will handle it. If we are in the middle of the ship will a higher or lower floor really make that much difference?

Thanks for any help that you can provide. Dan

We are looking to book an interior Fantastica stateroom on the MSC Seaside and since we have never cruised before, I'm looking to get some advice from the experts. Here are my questions:

 

Are all of the interior staterooms the same or are there specific ones I should be looking to target that might offer something a little better?

 

Are any specific floors better or worse than others? If so, why?

 

Any other advice or things that I should consider?

 

We are looking at rooms towards the middle of the ship to hopefully limit the amount of movement we feel since neither of us have ever cruised before and don't know how we will handle it. If we are in the middle of the ship will a higher or lower floor really make that much difference?

 

Thanks for any help that you can provide. Dan

looking at the deck plans most of the inside cabins seem to be the same size, ignoring the "H" accessible cabins, thief are a few cabins which are a different shape and look to be a bigger sq. footage

9072

9202

10078

10208

13067

13205

14065

14066

14069

14194

14201

15177

15178

I would advise that cabins on decks with public spaces above or below them could be sources of disturbing noise. The same can be said of cabins which share a common wall with staircases or lift shafts.

It is true that higher decks can move more in rough seas but large modern ships tend to be well stabilised so that movement is not such a problem these days.

Pete

How about on the Divina, Pete? I am booked in 13034. Is that decent or should I try to move to another room?

It's a quad cabin and will be nice and roomy - but you will have bunks mounted on the side walls:

If you do not need a quad cabin and choose to move, avoid any of the inside cabins in the hump area (on deck 13 they are 13133-13176) or any interiors in the same area on any other deck. They are smaller (I know, I stayed in 13147). EM

Thanks for the info! We do need the quad cabin. Does anyone have pics of the interior room with the bunks down?

Thanks for the info! We do need the quad cabin. Does anyone have pics of the interior room with the bunks down?

This is an OV with the bunk down. It is even larger than the inside, and for some reason, they put the bunks in the OV cabins in the ceiling. Why couldn't they do that in the insides? EM

THis a quad OV to give an idea of what the bunks will look like down

Pete

Here is a picture of an inside on Poesia .

My experience of a quad with bunks on the wall, on Opera, was that they make the cabin seem minute when set up as a double as you keep bumping your head on them.

far better to set up as a twin, with a central aisle, as it makes far better us of the available space

Pete

Uh oh, what is 9266 on Divina? We booked with the basic (bella) package but were able to choose this room. last year we had Fantastica and was able to choose 10257 which did not have bunks mounted to the walls like that.

What are some interior rooms with Bella experience I might be able to switch to that does not have those upper berths. We are three in the room, but youngest gets a crib, which in 10257 actually fit no problem and we could move around decently.

Uh oh, what is 9266 on Divina? We booked with the basic (bella) package but were able to choose this room. last year we had Fantastica and was able to choose 10257 which did not have bunks mounted to the walls like that.

 

What are some interior rooms with Bella experience I might be able to switch to that does not have those upper berths. We are three in the room, but youngest gets a crib, which in 10257 actually fit no problem and we could move around decently.

9266 has double bunks, presumably wall mounted but that is purely a guess on my part based on posts made on this forum.

Pete

9266 has double bunks, presumably wall mounted but that is purely a guess on my part based on posts made on this forum.

 

 

Pete

Thanks. 10257 had two uppers but mounted in the ceiling

looking at the deck plans most of the inside cabins seem to be the same size, ignoring the "H" accessible cabins, thief are a few cabins which are a different shape and look to be a bigger sq. footage

 

9072

9202

 

10078

10208

 

13067

13205

 

14065

14066

14069

14194

14201

 

15177

15178

 

I would advise that cabins on decks with public spaces above or below them could be sources of disturbing noise. The same can be said of cabins which share a common wall with staircases or lift shafts.

 

It is true that higher decks can move more in rough seas but large modern ships tend to be well stabilised so that movement is not such a problem these days.

 

 

Pete

Hey Skier,

Thanks for all of the information you provided me with. Any idea why these rooms might be larger than the regular interior rooms? I was looking at the floor plans for some of the rooms like 13067 and notice an empty space to the left of the room, any idea what that would be? Getting a larger room would be awesome but not if the location or noise would be an issue. Thanks, Dan

Hey Skier,

Thanks for all of the information you provided me with. Any idea why these rooms might be larger than the regular interior rooms? I was looking at the floor plans for some of the rooms like 13067 and notice an empty space to the left of the room, any idea what that would be? Getting a larger room would be awesome but not if the location or noise would be an issue. Thanks, Dan

Some of them are mirror images of "H" rooms but not designated as such so will be the same size as an H

don't know what the empty space is but what looks like crew access goes around the cabin to it.

I'd look at the cabins I listed on deck 9 and 10, the mirror images of the H cabins as my first option. then I wouldn't really know what to choose next with out massively expanding the deck plan and actually measuring the areas and comparing them to standard cabins just to make sure they are larger

Pete

Some of them are mirror images of "H" rooms but not designated as such so will be the same size as an H

don't know what the empty space is but what looks like crew access goes around the cabin to it.

I'd look at the cabins I listed on deck 9 and 10, the mirror images of the H cabins as my first option. then I wouldn't really know what to choose next with out massively expanding the deck plan and actually measuring the areas and comparing them to standard cabins just to make sure they are larger

 

Pete

Thanks Skier,

I did click on the rooms you mentioned and they are coming up at 172 square feet compared to a normal one at 150 sq.

Some of them are mirror images of "H" rooms but not designated as such so will be the same size as an H

don't know what the empty space is but what looks like crew access goes around the cabin to it.

I'd look at the cabins I listed on deck 9 and 10, the mirror images of the H cabins as my first option. then I wouldn't really know what to choose next with out massively expanding the deck plan and actually measuring the areas and comparing them to standard cabins just to make sure they are larger

 

Pete

Hi,

I am looking to book an inside cabin Fantastica on the Orchestra for next April. Any decks to avoid? One of the cabins said it has a sofa bed. That's instead of bunk beds, right? I mean, it has a real bed too?

Sorry to sound stupid, but it's hard to navigate around the MSC website.

I may end up using an online TA just to have someone run interference for me. Seems like the cost is the same as booking myself...

Thanks for your help. I have enjoyed reading all your comments. You certainly seem to know a lot about MSC!

Hi,

I am looking to book an inside cabin Fantastica on the Orchestra for next April. Any decks to avoid? One of the cabins said it has a sofa bed. That's instead of bunk beds, right? I mean, it has a real bed too?

Sorry to sound stupid, but it's hard to navigate around the MSC website.

I may end up using an online TA just to have someone run interference for me. Seems like the cost is the same as booking myself...

Thanks for your help. I have enjoyed reading all your comments. You certainly seem to know a lot about MSC!

Yes it would have a bed in addition to the sofa bed.

The most important thing is to avoid a room that has public space above or below, as it can be noisy. Above the theater, for example, you can hear the music/show. Below a dining room or kitchen you hear that noise.

Also try to avoid rooms that are shown on the deck map to be connecting rooms - the noise leaks through the connecting door.

Look on the deck plan for stairwells, elevators, and "unknown" spaces which are often for cleaning supplies/housekeeping. Avoid those.

I always book through a cruise line because then you can deal with them directly if there are issues. If you book through a TA, they can only deal with the TA.

Pick a couple of rooms that meet these criteria and then also do a google search, eg ship xx cabin xxxx and you will often pull a thread from CC or elsewhere.

Thanks for the advice! I filled out an online form to get estimates and have been speaking with a TA. I haven't used one in the past, since I love doing the research, but I am wary about the time difference from California and language issues with MSC. Do you think this is something to worry about? The price and benefits seem to be the same. Although I will say the MSC website can be stubborn to work with.:')

The pictures that Skier provided are exactly what we had in 13034. For what it's worth, there was virtually no movement at all in our cabin. You really couldn't tell that you were on a ship. Less noise than any hotel room I've been to recently as well. We slept well. One more point, I looked inside 2 different Bella class rooms and they appeared to be exactly the same as my Fantastica room only on a lower floor.

This is 11012 on MSC Poesia - I definitely recommend splitting the lower bed into twin beds to maximise floor space to move around the cabin.

Confirmed with our PVC that there are 4 (total) "inside large" rooms on Seaside that are about as large as a handicapped room without the higher price. Will have pics of 14066 and 14069 when we sail in January.

How about on the Divina, Pete? I am booked in 13034. Is that decent or should I try to move to another room?

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/youtube.php?id=6907

Youtube video of Davina Cabin 13034 ... 2 bunk beds are up in the ceiling ... so completely out of the way when closed up. Unlike wall mounted ... they stick out some. So I think this design is better.

Any idea what the 4 rooms are? We have 13067 in February which according to the deck plans should be larger. It's listed as 172 sq feet.

He said just 4 on the whole ship. I had him search for availability because I wanted one! there are two on 14 and two on 15. The deck plans do look deceiving.

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