Veendam cabin decision - Anarctica

[doctork]

We're booked in an aft ocean view (corner cabin - D420) on the Promenade Deck on the Veendaam for cruising between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso. We have booked balcony cabins for previous HAL cruises to Alaska, Norway and Western Caribbean.

 

I was thinking for most of this cruise it would be too cold to go out on the balcony much, but if we did want to go out for views and pictures, it's a few steps out the door to the Promenade Deck. So why spend a lot more on the balcony? Or maybe it is worth it for the warmer ports? I don't know. So far aft it should be pretty quiet, not so much foot traffic right outside the door. We are certainly mobile enough that we're not worried about long walks to the bow, the shows, etc.

 

Our previous cruises have been charters where you just pick a class to be assigned, not a specific cabin, so this choice option is new to me.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[dfish]

I am booked in an ocean view cabin as well for that cruise. The past two cruises I had balconies. I found on the Alaska cruise that the bow and aft decks were better for the scenic cruising because of having views of both sides than what we got on the balcony. On the last cruise, while the balcony was nice, we didn't use it much as I was determined to do more on the ship as a whole.

 

I think it comes down to an individual preference. I'll find out how I feel about it on this cruise and if I miss the balcony. Like you, I can easily walk to get outside.

 

Debbie

[Gablin]

My best friend and I are booked in two outside cabins on the Veendam in November, cruising from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. We chose D cabins, but wanted to be more toward the middle of the ship. I have only struggled with motion sickness twice in my long life, but I never want another experience of it.

 

The waters "rounding the horn" are supposed to be some of the roughest in the world. Midship and low as possible seemed the wisest choice for me. We are in D578 and D580 on Main Deck.

 

It does look like it would be nice to be on Lower Promenade for the ability to slip outside quickly when there is something to photograph. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[doctork]

Thanks for the ideas!

 

I've had the same thoughts about seasickness (low and amidships is better, but I haven't had much trouble with seasickness so far), and then the thoughts of aft or bow as good locations to see both sides, not just one's own balcony side.

 

Still contemplating whether I should change...

[cnbfrank]

We chose a DA ocean view cabin one deck below the promenade deck. My husband the sailor wanted low and midships. We are a little aft, but realize we can easily walk out of the cabin, aft a few feet and then right up one flight of stairs to the open deck.

 

We're also on Veendam, departing Buenos Aires in January 2011.

[obriendan]

We just returned from the 28 day Veendam Rio-Fll Amazon cruise. We prefer the veranda cabins but the cost differential between the veranda and oceanview was huge so we opted for a lanai as a substitute. We found that we liked the lanai just as much and maybe more than the veranda! It has quick access to the promenade and two reserved loungers. Theview is better than the veranda because there are no partitions to hinder a wide-angle view. And from the outside or inside they are great cabins for people watching!

 

Dan

[doctork]

You know, I looked at those lanai cabins as a compromise, but the reviewed the threads with complaints about them: others using the "reserved" chairs, the doors being hard to open and close, also leaking hot or cold air, and wondering if they would leak water in rough seas, cabin size "too small" or less efficiently arranged because of the sliding lanai doors. I'm gathering you didn't experience any of those problems?

 

Some complained about how you have to close the curtains at night or people outside on the promenade could see in. Well that is the case with any window at night when you are inside with the light, so I can sure live with that.

 

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments!

[ScottishMaid]

We were on the Veendam last November round the Horn and had D572. It had motion but much less than further forward or backwards or higher up. From Valparaiso to Puerto Montt we had lots of heavy swell and wind, and I think it was there that passengers were not allowed outside on the promenade deck for safety. In the calm inland waters when viewing glaciers we were out on the bow or out in front of the gym, or in the Crow's Nest for warmth, as one wants to see in all directions. There was a howling gale at Cape Horn so people went outside briefly. On the way to the Falklands I actually slept on our sofa as the ship was rolling and I was uncomfortable with my head to the far outside. I realized an inside cabin would be more to the center. I was very glad to be sleeping on Main deck not deck 10 or 9. The ports and scenery are great though.

[Gablin]

ScottishMaid,

Thank you. I think you have confirmed for me that we made a good decision in choosing our cabins.

I don't want an inside cabin for this cruise, so outside low and middle is the best I can do.

 

If I am offered an upgrade or inexpensive upsell on this cruise, I might not want it due to the motion issue. Does the ship have enough green apples and ginger candy to make a higher deck worth it?;)

[obriendan]

You know, I looked at those lanai cabins as a compromise, but the reviewed the threads with complaints about them: others using the "reserved" chairs, the doors being hard to open and close, also leaking hot or cold air, and wondering if they would leak water in rough seas, cabin size "too small" or less efficiently arranged because of the sliding lanai doors. I'm gathering you didn't experience any of those problems?

 

Some complained about how you have to close the curtains at night or people outside on the promenade could see in. Well that is the case with any window at night when you are inside with the light, so I can sure live with that.

 

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments!

 

I'd have to say that we experienced none of these complaints. The only minor issue was the reserved chairs. At the beginning of the cruise, many cruisers were not aware of the fact that they were reserved. But we found that if you put the bottom of the lounger up, exposing the reserved sign so that it was easier to see, no one bothered them. DW did this early in the morning just after the cushions were put out and we never had a problem.

 

Dan

[doctork]

Thanks for all the advice. I am going to have DH read this thread to be sure he is OK with the aft location on the promenade deck. He initially said "No problem," but I am remembering that he had never sailed ever until our first cruise in 2006.

 

I grew up in a Coast Guard family (dad's career), and had sailed all my life growing up, though not cruise ships. However, military ships have far fewer comforts than cruise lines. I remember my mother joking that she shouldn't bother to eat, as she was tired of "being the middle man" and she might as well just throw the plate of food overboard. I wondered what was her problem, I had no seasickness!

[ScottishMaid]

ScottishMaid,

Thank you. I think you have confirmed for me that we made a good decision in choosing our cabins.

I don't want an inside cabin for this cruise, so outside low and middle is the best I can do.

 

If I am offered an upgrade or inexpensive upsell on this cruise, I might not want it due to the motion issue. Does the ship have enough green apples and ginger candy to make a higher deck worth it?;)

 

I used a wristband, Nature's Way ginger root powder capsules and Trader Joe's crystallized ginger. Also seasickness pills containing Meclizine HCl but these made me very sleepy although they work. The sea day out of Valparaiso when I got really sick I thought I'd tough it out without the pills. So I went to an exercise class in the gym, trying to do balance with the rolling ship forward deck 11. Then we had a Meet and Greet in the Crow's Nest forward deck 12. Maybe the champagne and mimosas did it ! Since then I've tried the behind ear patch. Also someone told me to get my ears syringed out before the trip as ear wax makes things worse. It is interesting to walk around the ship on a really rough day and feel the considerable difference between the different decks and forward/aft.