Veranda Stateroom vs Suite?

[sailor5552]

Husband, wife and 14 yr old son are traveling on the 4/11 ten day Noordam cruise and have a VC booked.

 

Honest opinion from all of you in "the know" out there......would it be worth the extra $1000 to $1500 (or whatever it is) to upgrade to a suite? Has anyone traveled with a teen in the VC category for that long without the need for family therapy, or pharmaceuticals?

 

We are pretty easy going and have cruised 5 times as a couple before, without any children with us. We've always found that there is so much to do and see on board, and room size was never an issue. But, we're realists......help.

[bepsf]

Call the TA and get at least an SY - you won't regret it.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Hi, we sailed on the Noordam on 12/27 and had a VA with our 6 year old son. If you can, I suggest you upgrade to a suite. It gets a little cramped in there with 3 people, especially when all are trying to get dresses at once. Have fun

[caviargal]

I agree with the other posters that it is money well spent.

[madelinerose]

I just checked a website and the difference between a VB (VC is gone) and an SY is $400 - $4588 vs $4988. I would choose the SY in a heartbeat. ;)

[kryos]

Hi, we sailed on the Noordam on 12/27 and had a VA with our 6 year old son. If you can, I suggest you upgrade to a suite. It gets a little cramped in there with 3 people, especially when all are trying to get dresses at once. Have fun

I was in a veranda stateroom with a cabin mate on my last cruise as well. And, yes, it is a bit tight with two adults. With a teen it will be even more so. Personally, I don't think the standard veranda staterooms are much bigger than a larger inside cabin. The extra square footage they boast is pretty much taken up by the balcony.

 

I believe the suites are close to twice the size of the Veranda staterooms ... I am assuming you're talking the larger suites here. So you will have much more room.

 

But, if money is an issue, don't sweat it. The veranda stateroom will work out fine. People have traveled in even tighter quarters and were none the worse off for it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[senator6]

We were on the Oosterdam in December and were in an SY, our son and his fiance were in a VB next door. There is a great deal of difference in space between the two. To each his own but if you can I would go up to an SY.

[irv54]

Check with HAL they have been offering SY guarantee upgrades for 150 a person on several sailings.

[Sale Away]

Don't worry about the floor space in the sleeping area. Look at the difference in size in the bathrooms between a VC and SY. As generously sized as the HAL cabins are compared to some other lines, a smaller cabin generally means a small bathroom. And in getting ready, you'll want the extra bathroom space.

 

We took our then 2 year old on a 10 day Alaskan cruise on Celebrity in a Family Ocean View which has a lot of living area floor space but I would have traded it in a heartbeat for a smaller cabin with a larger bathroom. You won't regret it if you decide to upgrade. That can be an awfully long 10 days if you're not comfortable.

[SCBSKTSD]

Just returned from the Zuiderdam with 4 family members in a quad verandah--had no problems--guess it depends on how you all get along in tight quarters, but assume you have taken family vacations before and shared a room successfully. The sleeper sofa was quite comforable for my 21 year old son.

I have noticed your posts before and see you have a newly diagnosed insulin dependent diabetic son. Don't want to give unsolicited medical advice(assume you have received more than enough of that!), but my above-mentioned son has been a type 1 diabetic for over 15 years. The pump, which he resisted for many years , has made all the difference in the world and has made his diabetes so much easier for him to deal with. Your son might not like the idea at first--but my son now eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants and easily controls his blood sugars--the "lows" that he used to have occasionally are pretty much non-existent now. Of course, he carb counts, but that is almost a thing for a teen-ager to do that gives him some control over this disease. We made absolutely no deal out of his diabetes on the ship, as with carb counting and a pump, no deal really has to be made-I am sure our dining room steward would have been surprised to hear that my son, who eats like a 21 year old would, was a diabetic! LOL! Good luck. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them.

[hammybee]

First off, you need to make certain that there are any suites available for your sailing that will accommodate 3 pax. My guess is that you are going to blow through the lower suite categories into a full blown SA or SB and the cost differential could be some serious money on a PER PERSON basis.

 

At this level, you are talking about going from 249 to 510 square feet, inclusive of veranda space. And yeah, it's going to be a much better cruise experience all the way around if you can and want to pop for the difference. That difference however, can go a long way towards doing more on shore or even another cruise.

 

We are having a similar debate at home, right now, as we are also 3 pax to a cabin. We have sailed together in everything from an inside through an SY category and gotten along just fine. Having said this, the older a child becomes, the more SPACE available is not a bad thing.

 

So it really comes down to how much you want to spend for an increased level of comfort and how much time all three of you will spend in the cabin, while awake. Let us know what you decide to do and why and maybe it will help me decide :)

[sailor5552]

Thanks to all who have posted so far.

 

The update is that we upgraded to an SS category from a VC for approx. 23% more......given the length of the cruise (10 days) and the possibility of more time to hang near the end of the cruise, Bill and I thought it was wise to go for the bigger bathroom and larger room. Also, Greg will enjoy the included video collection. I am so excited!!!!! (Kudo's also to Brian, and congratulations on your new employment position....hope we are a cruise with you in the future.)

 

An honorable mention to "SCBSKTSD" for the appreciated info regarding our recent challenge with Greg's diagnosis. This cruise and these boards have been my savior as far as good stuff to look forward to, and your message was a moment of grace. Good luck to your son, and to you for much deserved peace. Thank you and please continue your sharing ......

 

Does anyone have any personal pictures of the SS category rooms on the Navigation deck? I've seen the ones on line with the company, but they are distorted.

 

Cheryl, Bill and Greg

[sailor5552]

Thanks to all who have posted so far.

 

The update is that we upgraded to an SS category from a VC for approx. 23% more......given the length of the cruise (10 days) and the possibility of more time to hang near the end of the cruise, Bill and I thought it was wise to go for the bigger bathroom and larger room. Also, Greg will enjoy the included video collection. I am so excited!!!!! (Kudo's also to Brian, and congratulations on your new employment position....hope we are a cruise with you in the future.)

 

An honorable mention to "SCBSKTSD" for the appreciated info regarding our recent challenge with Greg's diagnosis. This cruise and these boards have been my savior as far as good stuff to look forward to, and your message was a moment of grace. Good luck to your son, and to you for much deserved peace. Thank you and please continue your sharing ......

 

Does anyone have any personal pictures of the SS category rooms on the Navigation deck? I've seen the ones on line with the company, but they are distorted.

 

Cheryl, Bill and Greg