Noordam - J inside cabins (standard vs. large)?

[drblue]

We are planning to sail on the Noordam for a 10 day itinerary in the Southern Caribbean. We are 2 adults and 1 child (4 yrs old). Our son is well behaved but quite restless. Hence, we do not want to book a balcony cabin.

 

Does anyone know for sure if there is an actual difference in SIZE between STANDARD vs LARGE inside cabins in the J category? The price is not much of a difference. We just need help with selecting an appropriate cabin.

 

HAL CLub for kids? Anyone with recent experience travelling on the Noordam with young kids? I will appreciate any advise you might have as parents (ports, kids club, menu, casual dining,etc). We'll visit Turks/Caicos, Samana, the ABC islands, and the private island in the Bahamas.

 

Thank you in advance.

[Essiesmom]

There is a definite difference between the 'standard' J cabin, and the J & K cabins on Main deck. The square main deck cabins are larger. I know, I spent two weeks in one, and it was larger than my E OV cabin (that I spent 26 days in). EM

[IRL_Joanie]

We are planning to sail on the Noordam for a 10 day itinerary in the Southern Caribbean. We are 2 adults and 1 child (4 yrs old). Our son is well behaved but quite restless. Hence, we do not want to book a balcony cabin.

 

Does anyone know for sure if there is an actual difference in SIZE between STANDARD vs LARGE inside cabins in the J category? The price is not much of a difference. We just need help with selecting an appropriate cabin.

 

HAL CLub for kids? Anyone with recent experience travelling on the Noordam with young kids? I will appreciate any advise you might have as parents (ports, kids club, menu, casual dining,etc). We'll visit Turks/Caicos, Samana, the ABC islands, and the private island in the Bahamas.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

drblue, I have a bit of info at the link below, but also wanted to post to your question info from RevNeal regarding the differences in the J&K staterooms:

 

The Vista Class J & K Staterooms found on MAIN DECK are "Larger" inside cabins, being about 200 - 210 square feet in size, depending upon if they're handicapped accessible and/or connecting with other cabins. These Main Deck inside J's and K's are larger than the upper deck J's and K's by as many as 60 square feet (depending upon which J's and K's you're talking about). Many of the more experienced HAL cruisers tend to avoid any upper deck J or K in the forward section of the ship, while they might accept an upper deck stern J or K if there was no other alternative (i.e., if the obstructed outside cabins are taken). Those upper deck stern J's and K's will not have a couch, but will have two chairs. Some say they would never book anything bellow a J or a K on a Vista, and would not accept an inside cabin running length-wise with the ship.

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The only inside cabins larger than the J's on Main Deck (and, indeed, the largest inside cabins in the fleet) are the "I" category cabins up on Navigation Deck 8: "I 8037" (which is handicapped accessible), "I 8041", "I 8045", and "I 8049. These four "I" category cabins are larger than the Js bellow them on Rotterdam Deck 7, and larger even than the five I category cabins amidships on Upper Verandah Deck 6. These Deck 8 "I" category cabins are only slightly narrower than the SS category cabins across the hall, and only a little shorter (not counting the SS's Verandah, of course). "I 8049" is the queen of all of the inside cabins, being a luxurious 233 square feet, which means that it is larger than ANY non verandah ocean view stateroom (which max out at 180 square feet). These Is are not quite as square as the J's and Ks on Main deck, but they're just as wide and a little deeper (i.e., more rectangular). Reports are that, "it feels larger than even a V cabin on the Vistas, which might be due to configuration but may also be a reality given that the smallest V's are 212 square feet, and that includes the verandah!"

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If you can get a J or a K on Main Deck you can't go wrong. These are wonderful cabins in an excellent location and on the Vista ships, if you can get a K on deck 6 astern or a J on deck 7 astern, you'll find that they're small but acceptable (again, they won't have a couch but they will have two chairs). If you can't get one of those, and if you can't get an I on Deck 8, then go with an outside obstructed view cabin on Deck 4 (G or H). These are nice cabins, and even though they're smaller than the J's on Main Deck their configuration makes them feel comfortably sized. Indeed, other than lacking a verandah they're the same size as the inside portion of the V cabins on that deck (other than those facing astern).

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Usually, the price differential between the inside Js and Ks and the outside H's and G's is only a few dollars -- so, if you find yourself stuck with only Ks in the forward section or even lower category cabins running length-wise with the ship, Spend the extra few bucks and go to an outside obstructed/partly obstructed view stateroom. You will hopefully not be disappointed.

http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HAL/Noordam/index.html

 

Joanie

[OVgirl]

We had a main deck cabin last year for 20 days. It is almost like winning the lottery, it's that big.

Lots of storage, large seating area. You won't be disappointed with one of those cabins.

[Sue from Canada]

We had a main deck cabin last year for 20 days. It is almost like winning the lottery, it's that big.

Lots of storage, large seating area. You won't be disappointed with one of those cabins.

 

We had booked J1073 a year before her maiden voyage and found out at check-in that we were "upgraded" to an outside cabin across the hall. Upon seeing the size difference of the two we headed up to the front desk and requested our original inside cabin back (and got it). What a difference in size.

[drblue]

:)Hello Essiesmom, IRLJoanie, OVgirl, and SuefromCanada,

Thank you for all the specific information (and links) regarding inside cabins. The details you all provided regarding your experiences will definitely allow me to make the betst choice for my family. We are coordinatiing all our schedules to see which month will be best for all of us.

Thanks a million!

[RevNeal]

We had booked J1073 a year before her maiden voyage and found out at check-in that we were "upgraded" to an outside cabin across the hall. Upon seeing the size difference of the two we headed up to the front desk and requested our original inside cabin back (and got it). What a difference in size.

 

:) I would have done the same thing ... if given a choice between a J on the main deck or one of the outside cabins across the corridor, I prefer an inside cabin! I know, that seems counterintuitive, but it's not .. not after you've seen the difference in actual size between the two. I don't need the window or the tub ... but I DO love having enough deck-space to dance!!!! ;)

 

I'm booked into I-8049 on the Noordam for my Transatlantic crossing this October. ANY upgrade from that cabin that doesn't include a verandah of some kind is, in my estimation, a DEMOTION. I don't care if it's the highest-ranked oceanview stateroom aboard the ship, it's going to be inferior to I-8049; and, I would feel the same if I were in a Main-Deck-J. The only upgrade from there that I would accept would be one that put me into a verandah cabin. If they want to move me from a Main-Deck-J or from and I-category cabin on Deck 8, it had better be to an A/B Verandah cabin or better. Otherwise, the answer is "no."

[EbayCruiser]

:) I would have done the same thing ... if given a choice between a J on the main deck or one of the outside cabins across the corridor, I prefer an inside cabin! I know, that seems counterintuitive, but it's not .. not after you've seen the difference in actual size between the two. I don't need the window or the tub ... but I DO love having enough deck-space to dance!!!! ;)

 

I'm booked into I-8049 on the Noordam for my Transatlantic crossing this October. ANY upgrade from that cabin that doesn't include a verandah of some kind is, in my estimation, a DEMOTION. I don't care if it's the highest-ranked oceanview stateroom aboard the ship, it's going to be inferior to I-8049; and, I would feel the same if I were in a Main-Deck-J. The only upgrade from there that I would accept would be one that put me into a verandah cabin. If they want to move me from a Main-Deck-J or from and I-category cabin on Deck 8, it had better be to an A/B Verandah cabin or better. Otherwise, the answer is "no."

 

Rev Neal,

 

How did you like I-8949? Please let us know. I am trying to decide between K1116, J1053 or I8045 on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

[canadarocks]

Rev Neal,

 

How did you like I-8949? Please let us know. I am trying to decide between K1116, J1053 or I8045 on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

I'm not Rev Neal, but we sailed for 22 days on the Eurodam in J1063 and LOVED it! So much so we'll stick with inside J's on the main deck from now on (and we've sailed with HAL in an outside cabin and in a double wide balcony!).

 

But know that they are very quiet and very DARK (which we loved for sleeping).We have another main inside J booked for this September! :D