Onward Verandah stateroom video raises alarms

[audobon_tx]

Just watched a YouTube video of an Onward V3 room tour.  The ship was a work in progress as it was filmed during and after the maiden voyage. 

 

The stateroom mini fridge is behind the closet door in the clothes closet sitting on top of the built-in drawers, thus rendering all the short rod hanging storage unusable.  The room desk is tiny, a carryover from Princess I suppose, so the fridge cannot be built in to the desk.  There is thus very little storage in the room.

 

For anyone who has sailed Onward, is this a temporary situation brought on by the fact that the ship was far from finished or is this just the way it is?

 

The reduced storage would be a deal killer for us as we always take multiple segment B2B voyages and are booked on the 2024 WC.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

 

Edited June 14, 2022 by audobon_tx

[Host Jazzbeau]

You can't post videos or images with a TA logo, sorry.  As far as your question:  the R ships R what they R.  I don't believe that Azamara – or Oceania – has changed the layout of the cabins on any of their R-ships.

 

Azamara Veranda room layout:

 

Oceania Veranda room layout:

 

[aussie travel bird]

2 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

Just watched a YouTube video of an Onward V3 room tour.  The ship was a work in progress as it was filmed during and after the maiden voyage. 

 

The stateroom mini fridge is behind the closet door in the clothes closet sitting on top of the built-in drawers, thus rendering all the short rod hanging storage unusable.  The room desk is tiny, a carryover from Princess I suppose, so the fridge cannot be built in to the desk.  There is thus very little storage in the room.

 

For anyone who has sailed Onward, is this a temporary situation brought on by the fact that the ship was far from finished or is this just the way it is?

 

The reduced storage would be a deal killer for us as we always take multiple segment B2B voyages and are booked on the 2024 WC.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

 

Had all of May on the Onward B2B2B, didn't see an issue in the V3 staterooms for storage.  If you need to go somewhere else for better stateroom storage so be it but that's not a deal breaker for me.

[Grandma Cruising]

Never had a mini fridge in the desk on Azamara. It’s usually been in a corner cupboard next to the wardrobe.

[audobon_tx]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

You can't post videos or images with a TA logo, sorry.  As far as your question:  the R ships R what they R.  I don't believe that Azamara – or Oceania – has changed the layout of the cabins on any of their R-ships.

 

Azamara Veranda room layout:

 

Oceania Veranda room layout:

 

Not interested in Oceania.  Onward came from Princess.  And the other ships in the Azamara fleet do not have the mini fridge in the clothes closet.  

[audobon_tx]

42 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Never had a mini fridge in the desk on Azamara. It’s usually been in a corner cupboard next to the wardrobe.

Pursuit has them in the desk.  Corner cupboard is fine.

 

Hey folks, I have 300 nights on Azamara.  I am not making any of this up.

Edited June 14, 2022 by audobon_tx

[audobon_tx]

1 hour ago, aussie travel bird said:

Had all of May on the Onward B2B2B, didn't see an issue in the V3 staterooms for storage.  If you need to go somewhere else for better stateroom storage so be it but that's not a deal breaker for me.

Does that mean that you travel light?  It certainly doesn't answer the question.  I have 300 nights on the other 3 ships and they do not put the fridge in the wardrobe.

Edited June 14, 2022 by audobon_tx

[Grandma Cruising]

50 minutes ago, audobon_tx said:

Pursuit has them in the desk.  Corner cupboard is fine.

 

Hey folks, I have 300 nights on Azamara.  I am not making any of this up.

Must depend on the cabin you are in. It wasn’t in the desk in our cabin on Pursuit.

[lisiamc]

1 hour ago, audobon_tx said:

Pursuit has them in the desk.  Corner cupboard is fine.

 

Hey folks, I have 300 nights on Azamara.  I am not making any of this up.

You’re right, Pursuit has them under the desk, at least in the cabins I’ve been in. Maybe some are different?  Quest and Journey both have them in the lower part of the corner cupboard, I think.

 

Edited June 14, 2022 by lisiamc

[Marmaduke]

I have travelled on Pursuit when she was Minerva 2 (Swan Hellenic) Royal Princess (Princess Cruises) and Adonia (P & O).  Originally the fridge was in the wardrobe, hence the small holes in the door for ventilation.  It was then moved to under the desk where a certain degree of rebuilding of the desk was needed to accommodate it.  I can't remember under which ownership this work was carried out.

[excitedofharpenden]

It’s a silly place to put the fridge.  It wouldn’t be so bad of they'd put a shelf in above it because that is wasted space.  It certainly cuts down on the useful hanging space though.  They've just left the old hanging bar there, which adds insult to injury because it's useless. I think what has happened is they've bought new fridges that won't fit in the usual cabinetry under the desk or in the corner cupboard next to the long mirror.  Hopefully enough people will mention this shortcoming because storage space is at a premium in those cabins. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

It’s a silly place to put the fridge.  It wouldn’t be so bad of they'd put a shelf in above it because that is wasted space.  It certainly cuts down on the useful hanging space though.  They've just left the old hanging bar there, which adds insult to injury because it's useless. I think what has happened is they've bought new fridges that won't fit in the usual cabinetry under the desk or in the corner cupboard next to the long mirror.  Hopefully enough people will mention this shortcoming because storage space is at a premium in those cabins. 

 

Phil 

I have to agree.  I am not a heavy packer but as a couple we will struggle with that space now that the hanging space is so reduced.  So on onward can someone tell me what is in the space the fridge was in on Journey/Quest (in the wedge shaped unit) or in the desk as it was on Pursuit.  Looks like a corner cut here in the refurbishment which in my mind is a daft move if its supposed to be a premium line - we know about the shower limitation and accept that, but why throw in a hanging space challenge as well

[excitedofharpenden]

5 minutes ago, uktog said:

I have to agree.  I am not a heavy packer but as a couple we will struggle with that space now that the hanging space is so reduced.  So on onward can someone tell me what is in the space the fridge was in on Journey/Quest (in the wedge shaped unit) or in the desk as it was on Pursuit.  Looks like a corner cut here in the refurbishment which in my mind is a daft move if its supposed to be a premium line - we know about the shower limitation and accept that, but why throw in a hanging space challenge as well

I like to be organised admittedly, but I'd find it a pain too. Maybe for a week or so I could do it, but often I'm on the ship for longer than that (sometimes much longer). For a cruiseline that promotes staying onboard for a while it's a failing. No matter how well thought out that small bathroom is (which I think it is)!

 

Phil 

[excitedofharpenden]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

You can't post videos or images with a TA logo, sorry. 

 

 

It's frustrating because the guy does many  good new ship video reviews, but they are all heavily promoting his travel company at the beginning and end. Just have to leave it to the readers here to search YouTube for Onward ship tour. I found it very easily. 

 

Phil 

Edited June 14, 2022 by excitedofharpenden

[uktog]

I have found the videos now and yes that lack of hanging space is a challenge but we will think of a work around (luckily when we go to Onward its only for one cruise).  I do find the bulky hangers are a problem, we pack some wire ones to help and we can get more in that way.  

Last year on Quest the hangers were awful, I do not thing they had done well in cold storage, they were all warped so took up more space than needed.  In the end I took the warped and bent ones out but there were no more available to replace them with so our wire hangers were a godsend

[tgg]

The video is easy to find. It shows clearly that all the short hanging space is gone. My tee shirts and blouses usually get hung in that space as well as my husband's shirts - when the fridge is in the corner cabinet. We don't want those things folded. 

 

When a ship is being refurbished, doesn't anyone who actually sails on these ships walk through a mockup of the design and notice things like this?

 

I'm glad that our January Onward cruise is only 12 nights.  

[norn iron]

Is there a chance the fridge hadn't been finally fitted to its correct location in the desk? Thats the first thing that went through my mind - work in progress.

 

ps bringing wire hangers should be added to Tips for newbies. I've been bringing them for years.

 

pps I'll take a look on Saturday when we board Onward. I don't think 'the advisor' will be very happy if she has lost hanging space.

Edited June 14, 2022 by norn iron

[uktog]

23 minutes ago, norn iron said:

 

 

pps I'll take a look on Saturday when we board Onward. I don't think 'the advisor' will be very happy if she has lost hanging space.

Hope you have a great cruise and that "management" is happy with their quarters

[rsverdier]

We've been on the Onward in May and for us, it was no issue. There is ample long hanging space that you can also use for your shirts, blouses, t-shirts and pants. Bringing the fridge to the place it is in now means there is extra storage space for folded clothing, which we were very happy with.

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, norn iron said:

Is there a chance the fridge hadn't been finally fitted to its correct location in the desk? Thats the first thing that went through my mind - work in progress.

 

ps bringing wire hangers should be added to Tips for newbies. I've been bringing them for years.

 

pps I'll take a look on Saturday when we board Onward. I don't think 'the advisor' will be very happy if she has lost hanging space.

No need to bring any hangers, including wire ones. I always ask the room steward for more hangers & they usually produce loads of wire hangers (from the laundry I think).

[aliaschief]

I would ask to speak to head of housekeeping and ask if there is any alternatives. Like removing the fridge if you hardly use it.

[uktog]

35 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

No need to bring any hangers, including wire ones. I always ask the room steward for more hangers & they usually produce loads of wire hangers (from the laundry I think).

Thats not been our experience, and the delay in them coming back with things on embarkation, easier and quicker to have the hangers which add no weight or take up space in the case so as soon as we open the case we can get going.  I had miscalculated how many to bring post pandemic and the attendant (who was very good so its not down to him) said they did not have any other than the ones to return laundry on. Maybe they disposed of a lot during layover

[uktog]

17 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

I would ask to speak to head of housekeeping and ask if there is any alternatives. Like removing the fridge if you hardly use it.

Great idea, we hardly use the fridge so thats something I will think about if we are struggling for hanging space

[laurieb]

8 hours ago, rsverdier said:

We've been on the Onward in May and for us, it was no issue. There is ample long hanging space that you can also use for your shirts, blouses, t-shirts and pants. Bringing the fridge to the place it is in now means there is extra storage space for folded clothing, which we were very happy with.

We've always kept all of our hanging clothing in the large closet with the exception of coats.

[Baynanno1]

We usually cruise for between 20 and 30 days.

There are some items that I prefer to not ever place in a clothes dryer.

The short hanging space is where those items go on my plastic coated wire hangers after a turn in a washing machine.

The fridge would have to go!