First Time Cruisers

[schange]

My fiancee and I are going on our first cruise on the end of September and we're about to book on the Mariner of the Seas. If we have a choice of cabins, what should we try to pick?:confused:

[powelweb]

Welcome to cruising and to CC,

 

You might want to read some of the CC articles on cabin selection, as many people have many reason for their preferences, so a little research might help you determine your preferences.

 

Once you have an idea of cabin type, then the boards under RCCL or cabin selection might help you narrow your selection based on the cabins available.

 

Keep in mind there may be more cabins available then are showing on RCCL's website, so you may want to call and speak with their vacation planner to know all the cabins available.

 

Good luck, and I hope you have a wonderful time- both planning and enjoying your first cruise.

Wendy

[PKB]

Whatever type of cabin you choose - inside, outside with a window, or balcony, or suite, select one in the middle of the ship. Also, the lower decks feel less ship motion than the higher decks.

[Worn out mailman]

My fiancee and I are going on our first cruise on the end of September and we're about to book on the Mariner of the Seas. If we have a choice of cabins, what should we try to pick?:confused:

When I cruised on Adventure, sister ship of Mariner, the cabin was as far aft as an interior can be. I would have to walk what seemed a mile to cross the promenade for a cup of coffee and a cookie. If I went to the pool and realized I left something important in the room, more walking. I heartedly suggest (unless you're getting a balcony) to get something toward the middle of the ship, somewhat close to the elevators. Supposedly there's less motion midship also.

[gnparend]

Personal opinion but we think Oceanview & Balcony are overrated. We have been in them and we do not enjoy sitting and watching the water pass by. There really is not much to see after you are out 12 miles. That being said if you are not afraid of enclosed spaces (no window) the inside cabin are about the same size minus the Balcony and they also have on the Mariner a promanade cabin on deck 6, 7 8 that overlook the Royal Promanade with a bow window. You will save a few hundred and the room is big enough. Most of your time will probably spend outside on deck of the ship. If you get seasick invest in a drug called Meclazine 25 mg and pick a cabin more toward the center of the ship.

 

Welcome to the world of cruising best vacation for your $$ and very adictive.

[QTMichele]

My first, and only :(, cruise to date was on the Mariner this past February. I absolutely LOVED our cruise experience!!! From these boards, I learned that the most desirable cabins tend to be the balcony hump cabins (mid ship on the "bump") and the balcony aft cabins. After looking at photos of the aft cabins, we decided they were not for us (the view is partially obstructed by the superstructure of the ship - i.e. steel). Our 9th deck hump was wonderful - we had a great view from inside and out of our cabin, and we were centrally located to EVERYTHING.

 

Good luck chosing YOUR perfect cabin!!! :D This is definitely a personal preference so take the time to look at photos & ask questions before you book.

[willysgrandma]

Personal opinion but we think Oceanview & Balcony are overrated. We have been in them and we do not enjoy sitting and watching the water pass by. There really is not much to see after you are out 12 miles. That being said if you are not afraid of enclosed spaces (no window) the inside cabin are about the same size minus the Balcony and they also have on the Mariner a promanade cabin on deck 6, 7 8 that overlook the Royal Promanade with a bow window. You will save a few hundred and the room is big enough. Most of your time will probably spend outside on deck of the ship. If you get seasick invest in a drug called Meclazine 25 mg and pick a cabin more toward the center of the ship.

 

Welcome to the world of cruising best vacation for your $$ and very adictive.

 

I can't say I agree with that. You don't know if it's day or night in an inside cabin. And if you get seasick, it sometimes helps to have a window so you don't feel so enclosed. Having experienced all three types of cabins, once we went with a balcony, we never wanted to sail in anything less.

 

OP, I'd say it all depends on your budget. Remember, there are a lot of extras you'll be paying for on the ship, like excursions, drinks, gifts, etc. that can add to hundreds more to your total cruise price. Choose your cabin based on your overall budget.

[birdylady]

First - Congrats on your upcoming nuptuals.

Second- Everyone has their different opinions. You will need to decide based on you and your fiance's preferences. Hubby and I cruised for the first time ever this year (May) on Mariner and absolutely LOVED it. So much so we are booked again on her for next March. Given the fact that I can tend towards motion sickness, I was amazed at how smooth the trip was (not counting the first night with 70 mph winds). Even so, what was suggeseted to us was mid ship, both top/bottom and front/back. We also wanted to make sure that there were not facilities above/below us that would cause noise problems. We always love to get an ocean front room when we stay by the ocean so for us it was worth the extra money for a balcony. And now that we have done it, we won't do anything else. It was so nice in to be able to sit out on the balcony and enjoy the sounds of the ocean or watch us coming/going into/out of port. We were in cabin 8602 and it is such a convenient location.

Have Fun.

Erika

[cb at sea]

We won't sail in anything less than a JS--I like my space and the regular cabins are waaaay too tiny for me! I like to be able to walk around my room and in a basic cabin, that's just not possible! I also like having a tub (which makes the bathroom larger!) and the storage space the JS provides. JS balconies are wider, because the rooms are wider. All in all, a JS is most like a hotel room. The standard cabins are like closets with furniture!

[Vicariously Cruising]

My fiancee and I are going on our first cruise on the end of September and we're about to book on the Mariner of the Seas. If we have a choice of cabins, what should we try to pick?:confused:

 

Here's my advice in a "General Decision".

Look on the web site for the prices of all the different catagories. Pick the catagory that you can afford (fits your budget if you have one) They are priced by how good they are, so you want the best you can afford.

THEN:

GO UP ONE MORE CATAGORY.

Believe me, when you get there, and expecially because it's your Honeymoon and should be special, you will be glad you spent the extra $2 or $3 hundred.

After selection of catagory, then look for "Midship" location, or all the other advice previously given.

Hope This Helps.

[critterchick]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and welcome to cruising and Cruise Critic!

 

Here's a link to a photo album of the Mariner, with real pictures of cabins, not the "stretched" ones you see on the RCI website: http://travel.webshots.com/album/100140191zECpsq

 

As the others have said, what you "should" pick depends a lot on you and on your budget. We honeymooned in 1995 on the Nordic Empress (now the Empress of the Seas) in an oceanview cabin. DH didn't want to book a balcony because there were only aft cabins available and he was worried about soot and vibrations. It was extremely cozy, but we were on our honeymoon and that suited us just fine! We were only in there to sleep;) , shower & change clothing.

 

Our next cruise was 7 years later & we booked a balcony guarantee on the Vision. We ended up in 8088, which is a JS on the stern, portside corner with a wraparound balcony. We had found our slice of heaven on the seas, and now we always try for that kind of cabin. We need the exercise going down the hall and back and we never get bored with the wake/water view.

 

We also spend a lot more time in our cabin because we've done most of what the ships have to offer, and would rather have some solitude than be in the middle of a crowd on the pool deck.

 

On the other hand, it's not worth flirting with insolvency to book that kind of cabin - if there's a killer deal on an oceanview we'd book that for a shorter cruise. On Mariner, they have a sitting area with a small couch or loveseat and plenty of room to move around in. But there's no denying that a balcony enhance the experience for us - fresh air on demand, extra space that makes the cabin look larger and a place to hang out on a sunny day when all 3000 passengers onboard want a deck chair by thte pool.

 

Good luck choosing, and have a wonderful cruise!

[RetireeWannabee]

Believe me, when you get there, and expecially because it's your Honeymoon and should be special, you will be glad you spent the extra $2 or $3 hundred.

 

After selection of catagory, then look for "Midship" location, or all the other advice previously given.

 

Hope This Helps.

 

I didn't see that this was for the Honeymoon. If it is, I agree: Go up one level from what you can afford.

 

I've been on only two cruises, both booked inside (super econo!). We got a huge upgrade to balcony right before the Alaskan cruise, which was great! But, I can't see spending the money on it for most cruises. Glacier Bay is special, as is Alaska. But, I would not pay balcony prices because it simply is not a must-have for me. The cruise is a must-have and I can be plenty happy in a tiny cabin without a window. That's just me. I don't make enuf money to do much more than book a cruise and that's a huge expenditure for us.

 

Book what you can afford that meets your minimum requirements. This will give you more money to spend in port and on the inevitable extras onboard.

 

Save your money for the wedding and honeymoon and THEN Splurge!

[Vicariously Cruising]

I didn't see that this was for the Honeymoon. If it is, I agree: Go up one level from what you can afford.

 

You're Right!

I guess I read about the "fiancee", and then by the time a had read all the other posts, my brain had made an assumption.

 

Still though - - go ahead and spend the extra money. This is AMERICA! You can always make more. :p

(I love this country)

[Davey Interweb]

I'm not sure that suggesting that one should spend more than they can afford is very good advice, honeymoon or no. It should also be noted that you're bound to encounter many charges (transfers, onboard purchases, excursions, tips, etc.) beyond the air and cruise fares themselves.

 

If you're set on a particular date and ship, chose a stateroom category within your budget and hope for a subsequent price drop and/or a free upgrade. Guarantees are also an option. Good luck.

[QTMichele]

I'm not sure that suggesting that one should spend more than they can afford is very good advice, honeymoon or no. It should also be noted that you're bound to encounter many charges (transfers, onboard purchases, excursions, tips, etc.) beyond the air and cruise fares themselves.

 

If you're set on a particular date and ship, chose a stateroom category within your budget and hope for a subsequent price drop and/or a free upgrade. Guarantees are also an option. Good luck.

 

Good advice to start a marriage - or for life in general. :)

[Parkland]

We have chosen a JS on the Empress for our 25th wedding anniversary. We have never cruised before. Does the JS have a bath tub or just a shower? Is there a fridge or a safe?

I am sure we will enjoy it whatever it is like. Can't wait.

[madforcruising]

Personal opinion but we think Oceanview & Balcony are overrated. We have been in them and we do not enjoy sitting and watching the water pass by. There really is not much to see after you are out 12 miles. That being said if you are not afraid of enclosed spaces (no window) the inside cabin are about the same size minus the Balcony and they also have on the Mariner a promanade cabin on deck 6, 7 8 that overlook the Royal Promanade with a bow window. You will save a few hundred and the room is big enough. Most of your time will probably spend outside on deck of the ship. If you get seasick invest in a drug called Meclazine 25 mg and pick a cabin more toward the center of the ship.

 

Welcome to the world of cruising best vacation for your $$ and very adictive.

 

While I personally disagree with you rpreference this is all about personal style and preference. We each prefer other types of accomodations.

 

However your statement about the size of rooms is something factual and what you said is wrong. An inside is NOT the same size like a balcony minus the balcony. On Mariner largest insides are 158 sqft. and balconies start at 184 sqft. plus the balcony.

 

Even lowest oceanviews are larger than the insides. Might be not much of a difference, but it´s noticeable.

[Little Elm]

Whatever type of cabin you choose - inside, outside with a window, or balcony, or suite, select one in the middle of the ship. Also, the lower decks feel less ship motion than the higher decks.

We haven't cruised much, but why does RCI seem to put their suites up high and toward the front?

[Spurs Fans]

I think the bottom line is that you need to research and pick the one that most appeals to you at this time. Next time, try something different. Only then will you know for sure what type cabin you prefer. Look around the ship, espcecially early on the first day when you get on and you will see many cabins with the door open. Have a peek inside and see what you like.

[runawaysoul]

My fiancee and I are going on our first cruise on the end of September and we're about to book on the Mariner of the Seas. If we have a choice of cabins, what should we try to pick?:confused:

 

My fiancee and I are going on the Mariner on September 16. We have a balcony on Deck 9, aft. This is my 6th cruise, but it will be her first. I've had 1 interior (seriously doubt I'll ever do that again) 3 oceanviews, and 2 balcony cabins. This will be my 3rd balcony cabin. After my first balcony cabin on the Alaskan cruise, I haven't sailed any other way. I'd go for an oceanview on a shorter cruise though. Another poster mentioned that there's nothing to really look at. Though I agree, it obviously depends on the person. For me, there is no better way to think about things, enjoy my time with my then wife, than to have a breeze in my face and the sound of water. Very peaceful and incredible feeling. On the flip side, very little time will be spent will be spent in your cabin, but I say why not enjoy the cabin experience also? If it's your first cruise, don't short change yourself. I've sailed on the Adventure of the Seas (Mariner sister ship) and have a good idea of what to expect on this ship.

[Vicariously Cruising]

We haven't cruised much, but why does RCI seem to put their suites up high and toward the front?

 

Hello again LITTLE ELM;

 

I think, just like hotels that put the Penthouse on the top floor, all the Cruise Lines arrange their cabins that way. The Cabins start small on deck 2 and get larger and more expensive as you go up.

WHY??

 

Better View, closer to the action - Pool, Windjammer, Viking Crown Lounge, etc.

And there's the psychology of being ABOVE everyone else. ;)

 

Off Topic:

Are you familiar with the Charter School there in Little Elm? The Education Center??

I teach there - Small World.:D