Measuring Cabin Size

The recent thread on Prinsendam's tiny inside cabins and my experience in one brought up a question. How do they measure the square footage in a cabin? I had assumed it would be the carpeted floor area that you can walk around in. Does it include the bathroom and closet area too? The Prinsendam inside cabins are listed at 150-269 square feet. So the small ones must be 150. But if they are talking about the floor area of that cabin, I would guess that it is less than 60 square feet. Maybe 4X8 feet next to the beds and 5X5 for the space next to the bathroom door. If you look at the deck plan of any HAL ship at a particular class of cabin it will give you a range for all cabins of the whole class such as 150-269 square feet. You can't just click on one cabin to see it's size.

What am I missing here?

The recent thread on Prinsendam's tiny inside cabins and my experience in one brought up a question. How do they measure the square footage in a cabin? I had assumed it would be the carpeted floor area that you can walk around in. Does it include the bathroom and closet area too? The Prinsendam inside cabins are listed at 150-269 square feet. So the small ones must be 150. But if they are talking about the floor area of that cabin, I would guess that it is less than 60 square feet. Maybe 4X8 feet next to the beds and 5X5 for the space next to the bathroom door. If you look at the deck plan of any HAL ship at a particular class of cabin it will give you a range for all cabins of the whole class such as 150-269 square feet. You can't just click on one cabin to see it's size.

What am I missing here?

I would assume it is length x width, since all of that includes usable space. You don't walk on the area taken up by beds, or the desk, but it comes in handy.

A HAL PCC can give you any cabin's indoor square footage. Typically the "foot print" determines sq. footage.

Don't forget that the given square footage of Vistas INCLUDES the veranda.

I've been know to pack a very small tape measure, the one you get from a Swedish home furnishing store, to see for myself how big/small the cabins are.

My numbers have always been very close to what HAL says the square footage is, measuring length by width, including the balcony.

I have always assumed it the the total sq ft of wall to wall, including bath and closet and fixed furnishings. I agree it is annoying when HAL identifies such a large range of sq ft to any one particular cabin class, without linking the actual square footage to the actual cabin numbers.

That is where CC members can help - point out the puny ones from the grand ones within a particular class. It is nice to know what you are signing up for ahead of time, so one can plan accordingly.

But since we ourselves have gone down to as much as 116 sq feet and recently in a 130 sf on another cruise line, we have found it does not matter much if you just use the cabin to clean, change and sleep. However, once having a grand Neptune Suite on the Prinsendam, we rarely left its spacious and gracious charms.

Don't forget that the given square footage of Vistas INCLUDES the veranda.

That's why I mentioned PCCs can give you inside sq. footage. Deck to deck comparisons of aft SB Neptunes, for instance, can get tricky with the large verandas.

That's why I mentioned PCCs can give you inside sq. footage. Deck to deck comparisons of aft SB Neptunes, for instance, can get tricky with the large verandas.

Seems a pity that if the PCCs have that type of exact cabin by cabin information that it isn't made available on the website.

Seems a pity that if the PCCs have that type of exact cabin by cabin information that it isn't made available on the website.

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I don't believe the PCCs have such information. Some insist that all balconies in the Verandah class on Vistas and Sigs are the same size, and we know that isn't true. I wouldn't fully trust what they say about cabin size inside either.

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I tend to agree. I suspect that HAL might be concerned with passengers complaining that they measured their cabin, finding it smaller than advertised and demanding compensation.

A HAL PCC can give you any cabin's indoor square footage. Typically the "foot print" determines sq. footage.

I wouldn't bank on it. I had one tell me every balcony on the Westerdam is the same size. I was able to tell her about depth on decks 4 and 5 and double-wide balconies.:rolleyes:

Another point to remember is that the largest square footage for regular cabins (insides, OV an balcony) are the wheelchair accessible cabins.

The majority will be the smallest square footage.

Fairly certain the square footage includes the bathroom and closets so exterior wall to exterior wall.

Bathroom is included....ship's cabins are SMALL!

Never ASSUME...or you make an ASS of U and ME!

I guess RuthC's answer describes it. The 150 square feet is the inside space before they put anything else in. Add beds, 50 square feet, desk and refrigerator area, maybe 40 square feet on Prinsendam or closets and desk like on Amsterdam and you end up with maybe 60 square feet of walking around area. The inside on Prinsendam are 182 feet and small inside on Amserdam are also 182, so that 32 more square feet makes all the difference.

I believe that if one does just a little research on the web by looking at the deck plans,pictures and videos presented by the cruise line and asking questions about the exception cabins on Cruise Critic one can get a very good ideas of what they are getting prior to booking. If the room has only one chair and perhaps an absence of a couch you can pretty well bet is it is a small cabin. If the room has two beds which can be separated or joined. a couple of chairs and a couch you in all likelihood will be getting a fairly decent size cabins. Do your research and consider not only the cabin but where it is located. Bow cabins or cabins on upper decks tend to be more subject to wave actions Aft cabins tend to be subject to more vibrations. Cabins directly above or below public areas and kitchens are subject to more noise. All of these things needs to be considered in your cabin selection. Another important factor is affordability. Nothing is worse than have to pay for a cruise long after the cruise is over. Just my opinion.

After 'cruising' on a canal barge, every cabin looks huge. On the barge our cabin (all of them, actually) was 6' by 8' - into which two beds, a sink and a 'closet' were put leaving about 2' by 2' to stand in. Only one of us could be up and getting dressed at a time!

But the cruise itself, through the Loire canal in France, was well worth it.

I guess RuthC's answer describes it. The 150 square feet is the inside space before they put anything else in. Add beds, 50 square feet, desk and refrigerator area, maybe 40 square feet on Prinsendam or closets and desk like on Amsterdam and you end up with maybe 60 square feet of walking around area. The inside on Prinsendam are 182 feet and small inside on Amserdam are also 182, so that 32 more square feet makes all the difference.

Exactly. It's the LxW rectangular space of the interior. It's the same for hotels. You should always question a space # when it is "including the balcony." You want to base your comparison on the usable interior living space.

Everyone: on your next cruise I really suggest doing what I was noting in my post #5: take a tape measure and measure the cabin. It takes all of 3 minutes and then you know.

If you wish you can write it down and have it for reference to make comparisons to HAL's info, deck plans and photos.

Patrick65 gives the best info...REALLY look closely at those deck plans and you'll see huge differences in the size of cabins and balconies...check the "spacing of the lines" on the balcony from one cabin to another and you'll see differences. Check the comparative size of one cabin within a category on the deck plans and you can discern small variations.

Also, within the various ships there is a big difference in a category vs a different ship.

I noticed that verandah cabins vary quite a bit if you check them out on the various ships (on smaller ships are classified as "Vista suites"). On larger ships, a "basic verandah" which looks awfully similar to the Vista Suites on the smaller ships are definitely different...they have a small oversized loveseat, vs. a larger couch as well as only 3 drawers on the "desk" vs. 9 on the smaller ships. The side tables next to the beds are also smaller. So, to get a larger cabin on a larger ship you have to upgrade to an SY, SS, SZ which are excellent cabins with a lot more room. IMO, on the larger ships, if money is an issue...you would do better with a "J" inside cabin and save the money for another cruise!

Patrick65 gives the best info...REALLY look closely at those deck plans and you'll see huge differences in the size of cabins and balconies...check the "spacing of the lines" on the balcony from one cabin to another and you'll see differences. Check the comparative size of one cabin within a category on the deck plans and you can discern small variations.

Also, within the various ships there is a big difference in a category vs a different ship.

I noticed that verandah cabins vary quite a bit if you check them out on the various ships (on smaller ships are classified as "Vista suites"). On larger ships, a "basic verandah" which looks awfully similar to the Vista Suites on the smaller ships are definitely different...they have a small oversized loveseat, vs. a larger couch as well as only 3 drawers on the "desk" vs. 9 on the smaller ships. The side tables next to the beds are also smaller. So, to get a larger cabin on a larger ship you have to upgrade to an SY, SS, SZ which are excellent cabins with a lot more room. IMO, on the larger ships, if money is an issue...you would do better with a "J" inside cabin and save the money for another cruise!

Or compile a list of cabin numbers you have an interest in, and a HAL PCC can provide inside and/or total sq. ft. including veranda for each exact cabin to eliminate the guess work.

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... if money is an issue...you would do better with a "J" inside cabin and save the money for another cruise!

Keeping in mind that not all J's are created equal. Not by a long shot.

Another point to remember is that the largest square footage for regular cabins (insides, OV an balcony) are the wheelchair accessible cabins.

 

The majority will be the smallest square footage.

Not true. I had 4090 on Westerdam and it was puny:( except bathroom which was large since it is wheelchair accessible.

Not true. I had 4090 on Westerdam and it was puny:( except bathroom which was large since it is wheelchair accessible.

That cabin looks like the same size as a regular cabin. I looked at the deck plans, it seems the VA and VB category wheelchair accessible cabins are larger than regular cabins in the category.

It is always good to do research on cabin sizes and locations!

Or compile a list of cabin numbers you have an interest in, and a HAL PCC can provide inside and/or total sq. ft. including veranda for each exact cabin to eliminate the guess work.

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Right, 'cause Seattle always knows the correct answer :rolleyes: