Aft balcony cabin or SS cabin?

[baja mama]

Is it worth a $1000 more for SS cabin on a 16 night Panama Canal cruise? We are now booked in a aft balcony cabin but have a chance to upgrade. I was told the aft cabins have a larger balcony was wondering what everyone thinks?

 

Thanks

[DaveOKC]

I like the SS cabins (much larger), but going through the canal an aft cabin is great as you get to see the lock operations and view the entire process from your cabin. Tough choice.

[canadianbear]

I love the extra room in an SS cabin. I've only been in one aft and I absolutely loved it-however, my husband suffered from the rough seas so won't try one again.

 

I think I'd save the $1,000 and keep the aft. Like DaveOKC said, tough choice but that's my opinion.

 

 

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[zookiebird]

Is it worth a $1000 more for SS cabin on a 16 night Panama Canal cruise? We are now booked in a aft balcony cabin but have a chance to upgrade. I was told the aft cabins have a larger balcony was wondering what everyone thinks?

 

Thanks

 

Don't know which ship and deck you're on. However, our deck 5 aft balcony on the Zuiderdam was huge, much larger than the other afts we've had. They're not totally to scale but you can get a pretty good idea by reviewing the deck plans.

[VermeulT]

For Panama - I'd go aft also.

For any other itinerary - I'd suggest the SS.

[I_r_a]

An aft cabin is great for the canal.

 

Ira

We did the passage in 2016.

[Lizzie68]

I love the SS - best value on HAL ships. We usually book one and often get an upsell to Neptune.

This year we switched after one week on a 4-week cruise to an aft wrap, through the Panama - and hated it. Wished we hadn't given up our SS. Each to his own.

If it were me, I would spend the extra and go to the SS.

[RocketMan275]

Wouldn't book anything except an aft, preferably an aft wrap. I too sometimes have a bit of queasiness when in an aft but nothing a couple of pills won't handle. BTW, the queasiness would come from the up and down motion which maybe magnified in an aft cabin. I would expect calm sailing in the canal, wouldn't you?

[Tampa Girl]

Wouldn't book anything except an aft, preferably an aft wrap. I too sometimes have a bit of queasiness when in an aft but nothing a couple of pills won't handle. BTW, the queasiness would come from the up and down motion which maybe magnified in an aft cabin. I would expect calm sailing in the canal, wouldn't you?

 

The Canal, yes. But don't forget getting there and the return. Never having been in an aft, I would think that an aft would be a perfect cabin for a canal viewing. If it were not for the canal, I would recommend an SS. I think they are the best bargains on HAL ships. And, BTW, I don't see why an SS cabin, in general, would be more vulnerable to seasickness. I think it is more the location of the cabin that is relevant, and the forward cabins are more susceptible, so I have been told.

[VermeulT]

I would expect calm sailing in the canal, wouldn't you?

 

The day at sea crossing the Caribbean Sea was roughest. We were in an aft wrap and our friends in a mid-ship neptune felt the rocking same as us.

[baja mama]

Thanks everyone. I think we will keep our aft cabin. We are on the Westerdam and it is on deck 5.

 

Zookiebird, I hope ours is bigger then normal also. Do you have any pictures of your cabin.

[zookiebird]

Thanks everyone. I think we will keep our aft cabin. We are on the Westerdam and it is on deck 5.

 

Zookiebird, I hope ours is bigger then normal also. Do you have any pictures of your cabin.

 

Hi Mama, Sorry don't have a picture for you. The aft facing balconies on deck 5 have the standard width but are quite a bit longer (deeper) so they're almost all in the shade. This was great for our Panama Canal cruise. You can see the difference by comparing deck 5 to those on 6, 7 and 8 on the Westerdam's deck plan. Hope this helps.

[Crew News]

Thanks everyone. I think we will keep our aft cabin. We are on the Westerdam and it is on deck 5.

 

Zookiebird, I hope ours is bigger then normal also. Do you have any pictures of your cabin.

 

Deck 5 aft stateroom verandas are completely covered and very deep. My guess would be 15 feet from the door to the railing.

[canadianbear]

 

These are from our deck 5 aft balcony cabin on the Zuiderdam from a few years ago when we tried the aft cabin. As I said I loved it but my husband didn't so unfortunately we have to always try to book mid ship now.

 

 

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[Marigold252]

We had an aft wrap for our Panama cruise. Loved it. I'm very prone to motion sickness and had to eat light a couple of days - in the narrow part off Nicaragua and when leaving Cartagena, Columbia, but otherwise no problems. Had soot on the railing sometimes, but our stewards did a fine job keeping the balcony clean. Enjoy your cruise!

 

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[baja mama]

Canadianbear, Thanks so much for the pictures. Two lounges on the patio is great. That is where I will spending sea days!!!!!

[canadianbear]

It truly was a great, protected balcony and in the rough seas I gathered myself in a blanket & enjoyed the wake while hubby was not well. Sat out there for hours with my earbuds in and music playing.

 

I had to dig for those photos as we are up at our boat & trailer but luckily had them on my FB album.

 

Hope you enjoy the balcony too and of course your cruise.

 

 

 

 

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[djhsolara]

We had an aft-wrap for the Panama Canal and loved it. There was something incredible about watching the locks open and close right behind you.

 

That being said, if it wasn't the Panama Canal, I'd tell you to jump at the SS.

 

 

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