Does size matter - Atrium wise?

[TedC]

The size of a ship's Atrium has never made it to the list of things I judge my cruise on.

 

Perhaps I haven't been paying attention

 

Perhaps I need to get a life.

 

Or maybe I've never felt the size of the Atrium impacted my cruise one way or the other.

 

What am I missing?

[sail7seas]

Doesn't much matter to me if it is very large.

 

I particularly like Rotterdam's and Noordam's......more so than, for instance, Zaandam's. ;)

 

I like for there to be that atrium area but it doesn't have to be huge or 10 stories high for me to find it attractive.

 

I know others disagree and that's fine.

 

 

 

 

[RuthC]

Ted, I don't know that you're "missing" anything. If what you are looking for in a cruise involves interesting people, good food, a refreshing swim in an outdoor pool (I know it does), interesting ports, a few hearty laughs, and the inside of the ship is of little consequence, then there is nothing to miss.

 

Personally, I like an expanse of outside decks. I go to sea to go to sea. I want to look outward. The big, Big, BIG, ships that bring the focus inward---and frequently have a large atrium---do not provide what I am looking for.

To each his (her) own.

[RuthC]

The WSOD is alive and well.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Our first cruise was on Monarch of the Seas a RCL ships and their atrium was beautiful, with glass elevators and all. We were WOWed but it also reminded of of Las Vegas where we live. Then we went on the Zuiderdam and were expecting the same and was probably a bit shocked but we also found they had so many nice private lounges. Plus it felt more like a real ship. Not all the glass, brass, bright lights and glitter. We realized we felt more at home on HAL. I suppose if DH and I still lived in Iowa and did not travel much we would prefer the glitter of the other ships but since we can see it any time we want here in Vegas. I would much rather have a ship be a ship and not a floating Mega Resort.:)

[nealstuber]

The Three Great Lies:

[dakrewser]

I like an open atrium, but only because that's where the wireless access points are located. So if the atrium is also tall enough to reach to my deck, and if I get a cabin that's midship, then I can get internet connections from the cabin.

 

Otherwise, the size of the atrium doesn't mean a whole lot.

[MattOsprey]

We personally like the large atruims on ships. We find it a great central spectacular meeting area. We have met a lot of interesting people prior to going into dinner. Whilst congregating in the atrium areas we get the feel of being in with a big happy family.

 

2 cruises ago we met some crazy crazy Americans who taught me how to play craps (Fun). It was part of being in the atrium, how we met them.

 

We love all the ships we have been on, but for us the atrium is another special feature.

 

P.S. People from the UK are rubbish at craps (it may just be me!!!)

[Pudgesmom]

I liked the atrium on the Statendam, but not on the larger Oosterdam. All of the public areas on the "O" felt claustrophobic to me.

 

Beth

[cactuslady]

No atrium at all would suit me fine, if that's what it would take to keep the wrap-around teak Promenade Deck with all those nap-inducing teak steamer chairs, the endless people-watching parade, the ever-changing whitecaps and occasional whale or bird passing by, and the steward bringing the iced tea around at the stroke of 3:30.

 

Why bother going to sea if you're only going to stay inside and miss it?

[the2ofus]

The wonderful wrap-around, sheltered teak promenade deck on HAL ships trumps an atrium every time as far as I am concerned.

 

You can get a soaring atrium like on the RCCL ships in any mid-priced hotel in any city in the US, glass elevators included. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. IMHO the tall atrium just allows the sound to rebound and resonate creating an unpleasant din 24 hours a day. Who needs it! On Adventure of the seas, the open floor area in the atrium was mostly a big sidewalk sale from the adjacent shops. What is great about that?

[kryos]

The size of a ship's Atrium has never made it to the list of things I judge my cruise on.

 

Perhaps I haven't been paying attention

 

Perhaps I need to get a life.

 

Or maybe I've never felt the size of the Atrium impacted my cruise one way or the other.

 

What am I missing?

I'd say nothing, but that's just my personal opinion. I'm sure a large towering atrium would be an impressive sight, but in reality, I rarely spend any time gazing at the atrium during my cruise. I'm more concerned with the comfort of the lounges, the food in the dining room, the activities offered onboard. If those are top notch, the ship could have no atrium as far as I'm concerned. I only specifically visit the atrium if I need to go to the purser's desk or the shore excursions office, etc. So, it's appearance really has little effect on my cruise experience.

 

But, then ... maybe others feel differently. To each his own, I guess.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

We personally like the large atruims on ships. We find it a great central spectacular meeting area.

What I loved about the Amsterdam's atrium was not necessarily its size or splendor, but rather that awesome clock tower displayed there.

 

At least for me, a piece of unique artwork or sculpture makes for a dramatic atrium, not necessarily how large the area is.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[obriendan]

We've stayed in several hotels with atriums, most recently at the Hyatt Regency in Houston. It is quite impressive to whiz up the elevator to the thirtieth floor and watch the people at the lobby bar get smaller quickly.

 

But that's not why I go to a hotel and it certainly is not why I go on a cruise ship!!

[crystal808]

I honestly use the atrium more as a landmark...from one end of the ship to the other. Other than the Pursor's office down, the Pinnacle Grill up, I really don't spend much time there, except "in passing"!

:)

 

Paul

[HeatherInFlorida]

Atriums are of no importance to me at all. We spend no time there. I will admit I adore the onyx grand staircase on the M class Celebrity ships, but if they took it away tomorrow it wouldn't turn me off Celebrity.

 

On the contrary, if they take up too much space with open atriums running 7 decks or something, that's a lot of space lost.

 

Agree with Ruth, open decks are far more important. I'm there for the sea. If I want a fancy atrium, I'll go to a fancy hotel.:)

[jhannah]

While impressive, I prefer ships to not look like the towering atriums of Grand Hyatts or Embassy Suites. Those are fine hotels, but I prefer a more ship-looking ship. Also, just think of all that area that could be better put to use with liveable space.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The first cruise we took was on an 18,000 ton ship --- no atriums!!!

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Atriums being 10 or 12 stories is not what attracks us to a ship!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

For some unknown reason I am not able to edit anything - keep getting weird messages.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Of course we always look at whatever is in the atrium on any ship - but that is not why we book a cruise.

We book because of itinerary or ship we may have cruised on in the past and like.

[Sunshine91]

Ted - My first thought when I saw the title of this thread was No he didn't!

Noodam's atrium has 2 great bars - the Atrium & the Ocean. ;)

[noblepa]

Before we discovered HAL, we went on two cruises on Carnival; one on the 70,000 ton, 2,000 passenger Paradise (during its non-smoking days) and one on the 110,000 ton, 3,000 passenger Carnival Glory. The Paradise has an atrium that is five or six decks high. The Glory's is, IIRC, eight decks high, with four glass elevators and a piano bar at the base.

 

Both atria were impressive, all bright lights and polished brass and chrome.

 

But the Carnival ships were too crowded. Even the Paradise, which is fairly comparable to the Vista class ships, was simply a mass of people, elbow to elbow. The Glory was even worse.

 

I don't want a ship that might be mistaken for a Las Vegas hotel/casino. I like ships. I don't need to be fooled into thinking I'm not aboard a ship when I cruise. If I want Vegas, I'll go to Vegas. If I want a shopping mall (RCCL, with their central mall-like atrium), I'll go to a mall. If I want a ship, I'll go to HAL.

 

In short, when we first saw the atrium on the Glory, we craned our necks to see the top, said "Wow!", and then forgot about it.

 

Its not important at all.

[Cath66]

since I spent 0 time in the atrium, no, it doesn't matter to me at all and you're not missing anything. I'm there for the food, the drink, the company and the relaxation. The atrium doesn't impact the experience in any way.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Ted - My first thought when I saw the title of this thread was No he didn't!

 

;)

 

Thank you, Sunshine, I'm glad to know mine was not the only mind running along, ahem, certain lines......;)