Upsold to aft cabin on Freedom. Yay or Nay?

[smilz]

We were upsold from interior on 9th floor to aft balcony cabin 6410 on Freedom. Not sure if I'm elated or horrified. Reviews not too good. Balcony looks large in pics. View...meh. I'm wondering about noise/vibrations from aft engines. Thoughts?

Edited March 26, 2019 by smilz
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[Clarea]

Vibration is most likely during manuvering, i.e, early in the morning when the ship is arriving at port.

 

Lots of ship superstructure in the view on deck 6.

[SakeDad]

What is your itin? I have always loved the aft balconies! It's amazing to watch the wake and horizon disappear in the distance, if there is land one either sides it's fun to see what comes into view. Great place for coffee and breakfast in the mornings or cocktails at sunset before the evening festivities. There "can be" more rocking and rolling, especially up and down back there if the seas are rough, but if you have calm seas nothing to be worried about. 

Do you enjoy being up on deck watching the oceans pass by? If so you may find a new passion. Also, many times the bakeries are back there and the smell of fresh bread can be lovely!

Hope you enjoy it!

[crilski]

YES!  Go to the aft!  Never noticed any noise.  Depending on the ship - sometimes music wafting from the bar above.  Didn't have rough water so can't answer if that would be an issue if there were waves.  No soot . . . .  my first choice of a balcony location.

Pictures are from 8168 on the Jewel.

Edited March 26, 2019 by crilski

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, crilski said:

YES!  Go to the aft!  Never noticed any noise.  Depending on the ship - sometimes music wafting from the bar above.  Didn't have rough water so can't answer if that would be an issue if there were waves.  No soot . . . .  my first choice of a balcony location.

Pictures are from 8168 on the Jewel.

The view from an aft balcony on Freedom (especially deck 6) looks nothing like this. Just wanted the OP to be aware.

[Merion_Mom]

I agree with the poster above.  The views from Deck 8 on a Radiance class ship and from Deck 6 on a Voyager or Freedom class ship are starkly different.

 

Of course, the view from a Deck 6 aft balcony is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the view from a Deck 9 interior cabin.  😉  😄 

 

That having been said, you have no choice.  That is one of the rules of "RoyalUp".

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Anything is better than an interior cabin, imo. 

[SakeDad]

Found this pic of your cabin balcony online....I would love that space!

 

[molole]

I have had aft balcony on that class before and to me the long walk was the worst part.

[AL3XCruise]

6 hours ago, smilz said:

Balcony looks large in pics. View...meh. I'm wondering about noise/vibrations from aft engines. Thoughts?

 

Keep in mind vibration that far aft is likely due to the props, not the engines.  As @Host Clarea said, it will be most prominent during maneuvering.  It is possible that if the ship needs to make frequent steering corrections (such as in inclement weather) more vibrations may be apparent than usual when out to sea.  One of the negatives of azipods.  Seeing as none of the other posters have mentioned a vibration issue, the Freedom Class may handle this problem better than some other ships.

 

I doubt you'd hear any propulsion-related noise other than the wake.  Noise from other venues around the cabin can always be an issue.

 

Given the choice, I almost always pick an aft balcony.  Great view, normally a larger balcony, and I don't mind the walk.

 

[SakeDad]

Personally I love the long walk as I also never use elevators. It makes up for all the yummy food I'm eating on the cruise!! But it is something to think about for those with mobility issues.

[Merion_Mom]

31 minutes ago, molole said:

I have had aft balcony on that class before and to me the long walk was the worst part.

 

It's good exercise.

 

Have another drink/dessert/slice of pizza!  😄 

[DISFANS3]

Cool photos..

[smilz]

Thanks for the photo! We absolutely don't mind the walk. In fact we prefer being down a "dead end" to reduce the amount of noise in the hallway. I agree... view is better than an interior cabin! A balcony with lounge chairs is a much better fit with the delux beverage package!!!

[Reader0108598]

31 minutes ago, smilz said:

Thanks for the photo! We absolutely don't mind the walk. In fact we prefer being down a "dead end" to reduce the amount of noise in the hallway. I agree... view is better than an interior cabin! A balcony with lounge chairs is a much better fit with the delux beverage package!!!

Congrats ya did good lol

[2flacruisers]

15 hours ago, smilz said:

We were upsold from interior on 9th floor to aft balcony cabin 6410 on Freedom. Not sure if I'm elated or horrified. Reviews not too good. Balcony looks large in pics. View...meh. I'm wondering about noise/vibrations from aft engines. Thoughts?

Anytime you are able to get an aft balcony cabin, I would say Yay and say "Thank you" to the cruise line!  Best views ever, in my opinion...

[ShillyShally]

9 hours ago, SakeDad said:

Personally I love the long walk as I also never use elevators. It makes up for all the yummy food I'm eating on the cruise!! But it is something to think about for those with mobility issues.

I had never taken elevators on a ship, always love the stairs, hated the crowded elevators, figured it made up for the drinking lol!  Then I recently cruised a few months after knee surgery where I still am not supposed to do stairs, etc... Sigh, suddenly I noticed the length of the halls more and ugh those crowded elevators but I made it work, did about 50% of what my doctor would approve and 50% of what I needed for sanity (stairs when elevator banks were a mob scene).  Now I'm hoping that was my most restrictive cruise and will gladly take an AFT balcony if I ever get one, the pic above looks far and away better than an inside too!

[MiniChunks]

We had the Royal Family Suite on deck 8 aft on Freedom in 2017. Like most people have said, the only vibration we felt was maneuvering in port. Being down on deck 6, your view is not going to be that good, and your balcony will not see much sun. Thats the trade off for having one of the biggest balconies on the ship. Having said that, you are way better off than looking at 4 solid walls in an interior. 

[smilz]

Not much sun is a good thing for me. Just finished radiation in January and must be careful. This a celebration cruise

[cb at sea]

"up SOLD"?  you paid more for it?  Or was it a free "upgrade".....  It's true that the lower decks don't have a fantastic view...but the balcony is quite large.  It's just the 2 of us, so a huge balcony isn't really needed.....some love the aft....some don't.    But, you're there now...so enjoy!

[MiniChunks]

20 minutes ago, smilz said:

Not much sun is a good thing for me. Just finished radiation in January and must be careful. This a celebration cruise

 

Congratulations on finishing your treatment, and I wish you well.