Photos of Mercury Aft Balcony 8224

[newbiefromvancouver]

Just back from our cruise on Mercury. Here are some photos of aft balcony 8224.

 

Balcony was 8x8 (?) - small table and 2 chairs - nicely sheltered, minimal wind. Open from above - remember people on deck 9 could be watching you.

 

We kept balcony door open till we went to bed at night - nice fresh air with no wind coming in.

 

The storage space in the cabin is great - 3 large floor to ceiling cabinets near entry (2 are closets, 1 has shelves & safe), 3 low drawer cabinets and 2 cabinets with shelves.

 

Double bed was comfortable. (photos have been posted previously of this bed-against-the-wall)

 

Lower fold-out bed was ok for a 4-night cruise. Bedding provided was skimpy - we asked for a real comforter (not just the blanket given)

 

Upper bunk was very comfortable.

 

Noise/vibration woke us when docking.

 

We had a rough sea day and the motion was much worse in the cabin than elsewhere on the ship.

 

Would be happy to answer any questions.

[elena7seas]

We are on the October 26th three-day on the Mercury, and I am bringing 2 new cruisers with me. I'm really hoping that they have a good experience with cruising.

 

I had originally read on these boards that the 3 and 4 day PNW cruises were in fairly sheltered waters, and rough seas really weren't a problem, but lately I've read in at least two reviews that these short cruises have encountered some rough waters.

 

How bad was it? Do you know if it was better or worse at the front of the ship? Where, geographically, were you when the seas were rough?

 

What time did you cross the border, and how was the lineup?

 

(I had the grave misfortune to have to cross the border on the Saturday of the July 1st long weekend, and spent 4 hours and 55 minutes in the broiling sun. You can be sure I'm never leaving home without water in the car ever again!)

 

How was the entertainment? How was the food?

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences :) .

[wa.mama]

Just back from our cruise on Mercury. Here are some photos of aft balcony 8224.

 

Balcony was 8x8 (?) - small table and 2 chairs - nicely sheltered, minimal wind. Open from above - remember people on deck 9 could be watching you.

 

We kept balcony door open till we went to bed at night - nice fresh air with no wind coming in.

 

The storage space in the cabin is great - 3 large floor to ceiling cabinets near entry (2 are closets, 1 has shelves & safe), 3 low drawer cabinets and 2 cabinets with shelves.

 

Double bed was comfortable. (photos have been posted previously of this bed-against-the-wall)

 

Lower fold-out bed was ok for a 4-night cruise. Bedding provided was skimpy - we asked for a real comforter (not just the blanket given)

 

Upper bunk was very comfortable.

 

Noise/vibration woke us when docking.

 

We had a rough sea day and the motion was much worse in the cabin than elsewhere on the ship.

 

Would be happy to answer any questions.

 

Newbie, sounds like your reviews of the room are mixed. Would you book this type of cabin again, or go for a veranda midships?

[newbiefromvancouver]

Newbie, sounds like your reviews of the room are mixed. Would you book this type of cabin again, or go for a veranda midships?

 

I know that aft cabins are noisier and have more movement than mid-ship but mistakenly assumed that on this itinerary it wouldn't be an issue.

 

Regular noise/vibration was ok - kind of soothing to put you to sleep. Docking noise/vibration was 30-45 minutes and we just fell back asleep after.

 

We LOVED the cabin till that last sea day.

 

For the 3-day PNW cruises (no sea day) this cabin would be fine.

 

I would recommend leaving the cabin and spend time mid-ship in rough water. (which 2 of us did do)

 

I'll choose mid-ship cabins in the future.

[Cruise Arizona]

Thanks for the pics of the lower bed folded out!!!! We've stayed in 8259 twice and never even knew that the lower bed could fold out. We played musical bed and everyone tried a different bed at different times. We had the seating cushion on the lower bed made into a bed with a "egg crate" on it and it was not too bad, I would have loved a chance to try out the fold out bed.

[newbiefromvancouver]

We are on the October 26th three-day on the Mercury, and I am bringing 2 new cruisers with me. I'm really hoping that they have a good experience with cruising.

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences :) .

 

Very happy to answer your questions - will post info later today (now that I'm back, all well-rested and relaxed, my husband is making me do some work in the yard today!)

 

Beth

[elena7seas]

Very happy to answer your questions - will post info later today (now that I'm back, all well-rested and relaxed, my husband is making me do some work in the yard today!)

 

Beth

 

I'll be looking forward to your reply. I am so READY to get on that ship that I am spending an inordinate amount of time haunting these boards. :rolleyes:

 

Outdoors is a good idea today...take advantage of the nice weather!

 

I hope the folks on the Mercury today are getting good weather, wherever they are. :)

[hydrodriver831]

Thanks for the pics of the lower bed folded out!!!! We've stayed in 8259 twice and never even knew that the lower bed could fold out. We played musical bed and everyone tried a different bed at different times. We had the seating cushion on the lower bed made into a bed with a "egg crate" on it and it was not too bad, I would have loved a chance to try out the fold out bed.

We were on Mercury Aug 2007 and were in Cabin 8226. After reading some of the reviews about these cabins (including yours) we were convinced that the sofa in the rear did not pull out. We were quite surprised when we returned to our cabin the first night to find the rear sofa pulled out to a near queen size bed. I asked our cabin steward (Edwin) about it and he said they were installed during the drydock in April. Our DD was very happy as she thought she would be sleeping on the sofa.:D

 

Mike and Candi

[Drew B]

I asked our cabin steward (Edwin) about it and he said they were installed during the drydock in April. Our DD was very happy as she thought she would be sleeping on the sofa.:D

 

 

I had Edwin, too. He's great, isn't he?

[Jorinda]

I was on the Mercury last week on the 3-day (Oct 5 sailing) in aft cabin 8230. I would recommend the aft cabins to anyone - we had a great time. 3 single ladies (I got the upper bunk as I'm the most flexible) but the beds were comfortable and we had little down comforters. The fold out sofa turned into a queen, the only down side was that where the cushions met together, there was a little dip, which the occupant said was slightly uncomfortable, so she slept sideways across the bed and it was no problem. The storage space was incredible, and the balcony was large enough for a table, two chairs and three people to stand comfortably hanging over the railing watching the world go by. The food was spectacular, and the service equally impressive. The second night may not have been an official formal evening, but lots of people dressed for it.

 

There was noise and vibration during docking, but not any more than I've noticed on other cruises. I personally like being awakened by the shift in engine sounds, as it makes a great alarm clock to get up and be ready for another day being waited on hand and foot!

 

The only time I noticed motion (and I'm a poor sailor) was in the early evening after leaving Victoria enroute to Nanaimo. We were getting ready for dinner, and it was about 7:00 - not sure where that would put us, but maybe you can judge the distance. It wasn't a lot of movement, more like a couple of swells that made you readjust your stance. We had a fabulous time - if you have any other questions I'll try to answer them, it's already fading away like a wonderful dream, as I sit here at my office computer...

[jmb4534]

newbiefromvancouver,

 

We were assigned cabin 8224 for Aus/NZ cruise in January after booking a 2A guarantee. I am really excited about having one of the new aft balconies.

2 questions:

 

It looks like there is only a table and 2 chairs on the balcony. Is there anything for lounging? Like to prop your feet up on?

 

Being on the end near the stairwell.....was that a problem? Noise, etc?

 

Thanks for the pictures. I see you are also a fan of Aussie Yellow Tail wine.

 

Janelle

[newbiefromvancouver]

It looks like there is only a table and 2 chairs on the balcony. Is there anything for lounging? Like to prop your feet up on?

 

Being on the end near the stairwell.....was that a problem? Noise, etc?

 

Janelle

 

 

Hi Janelle,

 

Yes, just the table & 2 chairs. Nothing to prop your feet up on.... but........right beside the cabin there is a door for public access to a deck area. There is a nice sheltered area that has 6 or 8 chaise lounges..... maybe you could move a lounger over to your balcony?

 

Our cruise had cool weather so there weren't any kids using the kids pool up on deck 9 - probably will be noisier for your summer :p cruise in January!

 

Beth

[Carlene]

Beth,

 

Thanks for posting some pictures, now some more questions:

We have a Family Oceanview on the Galaxy which has not had the conversion to balconies.

A question about the middle bed... it looks smaller than the beds, width wise, would it be more of a single bed or for 2??

And the fold out under the bunk, how comfortable??

Is there other seating between the fold out be and the door to the balcony, which would be our window wall????

Are there 2 desks?? or One desk and a very long counter top??

 

Thanks, 38 days until the start, we are on an Eastern Med and TransAtlantic B2B starting 11-24 out of Athens and it's the TA that we have the FO cabin.

 

Happy Cruising,

Carlene

[newbiefromvancouver]

A question about the middle bed... it looks smaller than the beds, width wise, would it be more of a single bed or for 2??

And the fold out under the bunk, how comfortable??

Is there other seating between the fold out be and the door to the balcony, which would be our window wall????

Are there 2 desks?? or One desk and a very long counter top??

 

 

 

Hi Carlene,

 

I don't know how the Galaxy FOV's compare with Mercury - the middle bed is a double (smaller than queen)

 

The fold out is a little bigger than the middle bed - looks like a queen - feels like a sofa bed - I've seen other posts where they asked for a foam pad.

 

I added another photo showing the 2 padded chairs but I think you may have a long sofa under your window.

 

There is a desk area near the middle bed and then a long counter near the fold out.

 

hope this helps

 

Beth

[Carlene]

Yes Beth, your info has helped. It's not like we would change cabins anyway, the TransAtlantic will be good to have the extra room.

 

Even though Celebrity has taken one major port out, Casablanca, none of us are happy.

 

I know being on vacation will be the most important and any cruise anywhere is worth just being gone...

 

Happy Cruising,

Carlene

[The Londoners]

Just back from our cruise on Mercury. Here are some photos of aft balcony 8224.

 

Balcony was 8x8 (?) - small table and 2 chairs - nicely sheltered, minimal wind. Open from above - remember people on deck 9 could be watching you.

 

We kept balcony door open till we went to bed at night - nice fresh air with no wind coming in.

 

The storage space in the cabin is great - 3 large floor to ceiling cabinets near entry (2 are closets, 1 has shelves & safe), 3 low drawer cabinets and 2 cabinets with shelves.

 

Double bed was comfortable. (photos have been posted previously of this bed-against-the-wall)

 

Lower fold-out bed was ok for a 4-night cruise. Bedding provided was skimpy - we asked for a real comforter (not just the blanket given)

 

Upper bunk was very comfortable.

 

Noise/vibration woke us when docking.

 

We had a rough sea day and the motion was much worse in the cabin than elsewhere on the ship.

 

Would be happy to answer any questions.

 

 

Thanks for this post - we are booked in 8263 for next November 2008 to Hawaii, but having read your review I don't think this cabin is suitable for me as I'm not the best sailor and don't want to spend what this holiday is goung to cost us to be unwell! Trouble is we managed to get a really good price, so even a 2A would cost more for us as we have to pay the difference between what we paid and the current price - does anyone know if Celebrity would let us 'swap' if we found willing partners in another verandah category?

Would be grateful for any suggestions!

 

With very best wishes to all from unseasonably (again) sunny London!

[jmb4534]

Thanks Beth. It is really nice of you to share this information about these newly remodeled cabins. I think all of us who are assigned to them are a little anxious about it. They look great to me.

 

If I can get a cabin steward to move a chaise for me, is there room for it on the balcony? We were on the Galaxy last summer and people were moving chaise loungers all over the place in that aft area, so hopefully it won't be a big deal.

 

Thanks again for sharing. Janelle

[newbiefromvancouver]

If I can get a cabin steward to move a chaise for me, is there room for it on the balcony?

 

Hi Janelle,

 

There would be plenty of room for 1 chaise with the table and chairs. (You could probably get 2 in if you push the table & chairs into corner)

 

There is no cover/shelter above the balcony at all - people up on #9 may be checking you out (wandered out in my jammies at midnight and oops... someone was up there!)

[weweresad2]

Did you notice much wear & tear on the Merc? I've heard it was refurbished somewhat but wanted to get opinions of recent guests:p We will be travelling on her in 2008 but one deck above yours in an ov (9195).How did you find the entertainment?food,etc.etc ? My wife & I travelled on the Constellation & had a wonderful time.Will be looking forward to your trip report. Will it be on this thread ?

[jmb4534]

Well, I don't like the fact that the balcony is totally in the open at all. We booked this cruise last December, 13 months ahead, and all that was available was a 2A guarantee. We ended up with this large cabin for just the 2 of us, so I guess I can't complain. At least we have a balcony! We'll bring our umbrellas.....and try to be aware that we may have an audience at times.

 

Thanks again, Beth. Your posts have been a great help. Janelle

[elena7seas]

We are on the October 26th three-day on the Mercury, and I am bringing 2 new cruisers with me. I'm really hoping that they have a good experience with cruising.

 

I had originally read on these boards that the 3 and 4 day PNW cruises were in fairly sheltered waters, and rough seas really weren't a problem, but lately I've read in at least two reviews that these short cruises have encountered some rough waters.

 

How bad was it? Do you know if it was better or worse at the front of the ship? Where, geographically, were you when the seas were rough?

 

What time did you cross the border, and how was the lineup?

 

(I had the grave misfortune to have to cross the border on the Saturday of the July 1st long weekend, and spent 4 hours and 55 minutes in the broiling sun. You can be sure I'm never leaving home without water in the car ever again!)

 

How was the entertainment? How was the food?

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences :) .

 

I know you've been really busy answering questions...so many people travelling on these sold out 3 and 4 day cruises....but I was wondering if you have a minute to answer the above questions (she asked sheepishly).

 

Thanks!

[newbiefromvancouver]

Will be looking forward to your trip report. Will it be on this thread ?

 

This is the thread ...(sorry it got so long)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=644046

[elena7seas]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post your trip report. It answered all of my questions.:) Sorry you had such rough weather on that one day.

 

I'm just wondering if the folks on the Mercury got any rockin' and rollin' today. I sure hope they were somewhere sheltered.

 

I'm crossing my fingers for good weather for next weekend. :o