Best Aft Verandah Stateroom on Noordam

[innlady1]

We're thinking of booking the 11/10 cruise on the Noordam. I'm suffering from PCD, and need to book something fast! LOL!

 

We had a VC verandah stateroom on the Verandah deck on our recent cruise, but we'd love to try an aft stateroom (neither of us are prone to motion sickness! ;) ).

 

Which decks have the largest verandahs....from the top down, I assume. But why is the price the same on the Upper Promenade as it is on the Navigation deck?

 

I feel really dumb asking this as I peered down on the aft cabins from the Lido Pool area on our recent cruise, but I can't remember if any of the aft verandah's were partially covered!

 

I'd love some photos if anyone has them!

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks!

[innlady1]

Best Aft Verandah??? :D

[waiting2retire]

Nooooooooo, not the VA aft cabins!! :eek:

 

Hi Innlady1, I have booked a VD guarantee on that sailing, and I am really hoping for an upgrade to one of the VA aft cabins. I'm not counting on it, but it seems many people here on the CC boards have recently been upgraded to an aft VA. If you book one, that would be one less chance that I have :(

 

I'm sure you would be much happier in an aft suite, don't you? :D

 

No, really, I'm sure I saw something about this in a recent thread, but I can't find it now. I think that all aft balconies got some shade, but if I'm not mistaken, the biggest shady area was on the highest level right under the pool, because of an overhang there. I could be wrong (frequently am), but I am sure those in the know will pop in soon.

 

If you book an aft VA, and I don't get an upgrade, can I come and drool on your balcony for a while? :D

 

Bonnie

[mamaofami]

Sheila, there's another thread on these aft cabins on the board right now.

From what I read this fall, November is hurricane season, and although the sailing and the ships were fine, sometimes the captains have to change the itineraries to keep out of harm's way.

 

Sounds like you're seriously planning another cruise. How great! We're just talking.

[waiting2retire]

Found the post I was looking for, so I will copy it here. Hope it helps!

 

"I personally love the aft cabins!

 

I'm going to assume you are in a VA? We were in 6165 on the Zuiderdam a few years ago and fell in love! It's very true, unless you are on deck 8 (which is completely covered by the lido pool area) there is minimal privacy. The trade off with choosing on aft cabin on deck 8 is that while you get privacy, there is no sun. Deck 7 would be the most easily viewed by fellow passengers, followed by decks 6, 5, and 4.

 

Decks 5 and 6 are the largest in the VA Aft and offer 2 chaise lounge chairs. Deck 4, 7, and 8 are still PLENTY big, but only have one chaise lounge. Each of the aft balcony cabins have 2 small chairs, an arm chair with ottoman, and a small table.

 

Upgrading to a S category on the aft gives you a MASSIVE wrap around balcony. Were they guaranteeing you an Aft "S"?? That is a fabulous cabin indeed!

 

If it were up to me, I'd take a VAaft over a S (not aft); but I have no issues with privacy and like the fact that I can sun myself on deck without having to take a chair by the pool. There are downsides to aft balconies mentioned in plenty of threads; but personally, we had minimal 'debris' float down on our last Aft and will gladly trade off privacy for space any day. Plus, there is something simply magical about watching the wake :).

 

Here's a link to a photo I took on my last Zuiderdam cruise. The balcony with the empty chair and towel is cabin 6165. I took this photo from a public area, so you can see that privacy is definitely lacking. You can't see deck 8 in this photo because it is directly underneath where I was standing for the picture (thus offering privacy and shade). But, you can easily see how exposed deck 7 and 6 are. If you look at the deck plans from HAL, and work off this photo you can pretty much figure out what the balconies look like on the majority of VA aft cabins:

http://chris-n-cheryl.com/images/logo/AftBalconies.jpg "

[innlady1]

Sheila, there's another thread on these aft cabins on the board right now.

From what I read this fall, November is hurricane season, and although the sailing and the ships were fine, sometimes the captains have to change the itineraries to keep out of harm's way.

 

Sounds like you're seriously planning another cruise. How great! We're just talking.

 

We're just talking, too, but it's I like to do my homework. We had told our friends, Tom & Margie, the ones who had to cancel because of his surgery, that we would go on another when he was ready. We (and they!) felt badly that they had to miss our Noordam cruise. Late fall is a good time for us, because at that point, we've closed the inn for the season and a vacation would be lovely!

 

I've always wanted to sail to Bermuda, too. We've never done that....have been there several times but not for 10 years or so. Celebrity just bought a small ship from someone else and have named it Celebrity Journey. It looks quite nice, and they're sailing to Bermuda this summer and fall. Summer's "out" for us, but we could do their last one at the end of October.

 

When is hurricane season over officially? Sometime in November, I think. Good point, Carol.

[innlady1]

Found the post I was looking for, so I will copy it here. Hope it helps!

 

"I personally love the aft cabins!

 

I'm going to assume you are in a VA? We were in 6165 on the Zuiderdam a few years ago and fell in love! It's very true, unless you are on deck 8 (which is completely covered by the lido pool area) there is minimal privacy. The trade off with choosing on aft cabin on deck 8 is that while you get privacy, there is no sun. Deck 7 would be the most easily viewed by fellow passengers, followed by decks 6, 5, and 4.

 

Decks 5 and 6 are the largest in the VA Aft and offer 2 chaise lounge chairs. Deck 4, 7, and 8 are still PLENTY big, but only have one chaise lounge. Each of the aft balcony cabins have 2 small chairs, an arm chair with ottoman, and a small table.

 

Upgrading to a S category on the aft gives you a MASSIVE wrap around balcony. Were they guaranteeing you an Aft "S"?? That is a fabulous cabin indeed!

 

If it were up to me, I'd take a VAaft over a S (not aft); but I have no issues with privacy and like the fact that I can sun myself on deck without having to take a chair by the pool. There are downsides to aft balconies mentioned in plenty of threads; but personally, we had minimal 'debris' float down on our last Aft and will gladly trade off privacy for space any day. Plus, there is something simply magical about watching the wake :).

 

Here's a link to a photo I took on my last Zuiderdam cruise. The balcony with the empty chair and towel is cabin 6165. I took this photo from a public area, so you can see that privacy is definitely lacking. You can't see deck 8 in this photo because it is directly underneath where I was standing for the picture (thus offering privacy and shade). But, you can easily see how exposed deck 7 and 6 are. If you look at the deck plans from HAL, and work off this photo you can pretty much figure out what the balconies look like on the majority of VA aft cabins:

http://chris-n-cheryl.com/images/logo/AftBalconies.jpg "

 

Thanks so much. What a great shot! I took one when we were on the Noordam recently but it's no where as good as yours!

 

We haven't booked yet....we're still in the "thinking stages!"

 

I'm perfectly happy in a verandah stateroom. My DH says he would be perfectly happy in an outside, but he spends more time on the verandah than I do!

 

I think it would be great to have an aft cabin, but my reasoning is that you have a panoramic view of everything. When it's really hot, a little shade is nice, so I wondered if any of them had partial covering.

 

The Noordam is a gorgeous ship. You will love her!

[cruisinbulldog]

Was in VA4176 on the 1/27 sailing.. Veranda was approx. 10' X 10'..

About 6' of it was covered by the deck above..

 

The thing I liked about deck 4 is that you look directly into the wake..

The promenade deck is below it and starts the backward slope of the ship..

 

It was also nice to have common areas of the ship,deck 2 & 3, right below us.

 

Remember the other 3 Vista ships have a different deck layout than the Noordam.. The Noordam has a steeper aft and the verandas are not as deep as the others..

 

IMO the aft verandas are the best locals for sailaways..:)

 

Bulldog