PelicanLvr

The main sights of Venice will be on the port (left) side as you sail out and starboard (right) as you back into Venice.

Since you say you are sailing "rt out of Venice" I understand that to be your embark/disembark port. You can best decide which direction you want the sights to be on "your" side.

Enjoy....it's one of the best sights of cruising.

Noise is not the problem. 7142 is one of the WORST staterooms on all M-class ships because of it's tiny balcony. There are posts and photos on these boards about the subject, but all balcony cabins right next to the circular suites are to be avoided. The circular suite cuts off some of your balcony.

Here's the quote right from the X website:

Note: Staterooms 6016, 6018, 6020, 6021, 6023, 6025, 7014, 7016, 7017, 7018, 7019, 7021, 8006, 8007, 8010, 8011, 8047, 8048, 8049, 8050, 8051, 8052, 8053, 8054, 9004, 9005, 9008, 9009, 9034, 9039, 9041 and 9090 have partially obstructed views.

Staterooms 6102, 6108, 7136, 7142, 8102, 8108, 9094 and 9100 have smaller verandas that are semi-private.

Do yourself a BIG favor.....Don't book this room, or if you already did....CHANGE ROOMS NOW!

Sorry to bring the bad news....but better you find out now than on embarkation day.

Good luck!

Had 17 points now 510......Remain smack in the middle of Elite...which is just fine by us.

X represents great vacation value and the elite perks are "icing on the cake". Love the free internet & laundry!

It's the C1 cabins that have the large balconies on M class ships.

Several years ago we had a late afternoon flight on disembark day. X offered a good tour of an Airboat ride in the Everglades. Neat way to experience a real everglades tradition...airboats!

One bus of passengers then went on to MIA airport and another to FLL. Easy, no stress, luggage is with you under the bus etc.... May not "kill" all the time you have, but it was lots of fun.

Maybe you would like to look into that one.

Enjoy!!

Themwl: Good "move". You will be so glad you moved. 9079 is a much better cabin.

PL

Gig103: These cabins are not discounted by being categorized in a lower group. For instance the Deck 9 are AQ; The deck 8 are CC etc....

You know the old saying....."Buyer beware".

ALL balcony rooms immediately next to the rounded Celebrity Suites on M Class ships are notoriously AWFUL rooms. There are many threads with photos of the tiny (hardly 2 people fit) and non-private (windows of the suite next door look right on you) balcony.

Don't book these rooms and if you get them in a GTY call and try to move! These rooms are:

Deck 9 - 9094 & 9100

Deck 8 - 8102 & 8108

Deck 7 - 7136 & 7142

Deck 6 - 6108 & 6102 (6102 is an Sky Suite and must have a larger balcony, but in view of this ship design issue I would not book 6102 but rather an S Suite elsewhere).

Note: I have not been on an M class ship since celebrity suites got balconies added. But I don't see how that is going to help these adjoining rooms.

7072 is directly opposite the elevator lobby and there is no door or wall separating this room from the elevators (like at the atrium of S class ships). I would expect noise from both passengers getting on/off the elevators (possibly late at night) as well as maybe hearing the "dinging" of the elevators.

Personally, I would call X and try to move, even if only slightly. The opening to the elevator is only opposite rooms 7070, 7072 & 7039, 7041.

I have personally stayed in 8040 which is only 2 rooms from the elevator (on deck 8) and that was fine. But I would not want to stay in any room that directly opens to the elevator lobby.

Sorry, but I don't see any "pros" to having that room.

I too highly recommend GTI. We learned about them here on this board and used them for a 5 day land private tour of Israel. We had the same guide all 5 days and she was great!

To Travelbug 2225: We found GTI very reasonable to deal with. We paid between $650-700 per day for my wife and I to have a private guide/driver. We were able to use a "regular car" so a mini-van/bus may be a bit more. So talk to Leo (by email) tell him exactly how many you have and get a price. If you can swing it, it will be a great experience.

We found Israel to be perhaps the most historically significant destination we have been to. GTI made the trip for us!

The M-Class ships do have great aft cabins. The super-large balconies, the wake view and the evening music from the oceanview Bar above are all great. We were in 7208 on Connie for a 14 day cruise in 2011. Loved it!!

When booking try to get an aft on Decks 7 or 8. There have been reported issues concerning the Deck 9 cabins with moving furnature noise, falling debris and privacy issues due to the bar one deck above on Deck 10.

So, try to book an aft on Decks 7 or 8 first. If none of those is open, by all means book one on Deck 9. Also, don't forget about CC1 cabins 6143 & 6144 which are in "suiteland". We had 6143 on Summit and that was also a great cabin with an oversized balcony. Would probably book one of those before a Deck 9 aft. But that's a close call and my opinion only!

Postcard Labels - We keep a page of labels saved in our computer with the addresses of all our friends & family. We print it and take it on all vacations.....Makes addressing postcards a snap! We just need to remember to write USA after the address when out of the country.

To all posters: Thanks for all the great ideas!

To Oceangoer2: In 6144 you will have a the same steward as the PH & surrounding suites and his assistant. Our Stewart was Seby on Summit (in 6143) and he was outstanding. These boards say the best team is put there for the PH (that makes sense) and you will have them too in 6144.

In a CC Cabin you do not receive "butler service". But if the butler is standing in the hall and is not busy .... if you obviously need something easily done... I can't imagine him saying "I don't work for you".

I'm sure these butlers have delt with every attitude imaginable from the good to the bad. They will appreciate a simple "hi, have a nice day" from someone that they don't have to wait on.

One day we got in from port kinda late and the butler had just finished tea service to the suites. He asked me if I was hungry and gave me a plate of tea sandwitches.

To the OP: It never hurts to politely ask for a tour or an invitation to the Captain's Table. IMHO, the request may be best phrased with an understanding that it may not be possible but that it would be a highlight for you. Maybe it will happen. If you have cruised with X before I would ask the Captain's Club host or hostess.

Yes, people do turn down invites to the Captain's Table......Last January we were on a BtoB on Summit and were invited twice to the Captains Table. Having read these boards I know there are many that really hope for that invitation and to us it really didn't matter. I turned down both invites so 2 other people each time could have the chance. I hope they enjoyed it.

Tne invites came from the Captain's Club hostess and the other from a butler..... we were in 6143 (the CC class room in "suiteland") and he was the butler serving the adjoining suites & PH. We enjoyed talking to each other in the hall.

Both were pretty surprised when I politely declined. I guess it doesn't happen much!

Above poster is Absolutely Rioght--- Stay away from 9100. The balcony is tiny & semi-private. This is all due to the rounded suite next door. Not only can the suite's rounded windows look right out on the balcony, but the "roundness" cuts down the size of the balcony of 9100.

Avoid all balcony rooms directly next to the rounded Celebrity Suites. They are the WORST balcony rooms on the ship!

Suggestions:

1. Are any cabins open on deck 8? These boards contain some complaints that deck 9 rooms are subject to noise (chair dragging, table moving etc.) from the public deck above. Put some deck 8 room numbers into the booking page on the X webside and see if any are open for booking.

2. Out of the list you gave MHO is to go with 9114 (9116 & would be even better). This is because the inside rooms that look like they are across the hall are not really there...... Becasue they are odd numbered rooms, they open only to the "odd" numbered hallway on the other side and across from 9114 & 9116 is just a solid wall.

Enjoy your cruise!!

Thanks for so much great info !!!

My wife and I eat several times in the specialty restaurants. Has anyone had experience getting wine by the glass (with a premium package) during dinner there? Also, is there any problem getting a second (or even third) glass of wine at dinner in the specialty restaurant?

We are going on the Volga Dream from Moscow to St. Petersburg in August. Would love to hear from anyone who's been onboard.

Thanks......

We have stayed in rooms 8052, 8046 and 9056 all on Connie. These are all across the hall from the "blank spaces" above and next to 8044 on both decks 8 & 9.

The room stewards emerge (on both decks) to deliver room service breakfast from both those areas. Our room steward in 8046 told me there is a "concierge class kitchen" on deck 8 in the "blank space next to 8044 where he said all the hot breakfasts are prepared.

Sounds like it could be really busy in those blank spaces pretty early in the morning!

I have never stayed in 8044 nor do I remember reading anthing negative about 8044 on these boards..... But, from my personal obervations and discussion with the room steward, I would book a different room.

Happy Cruising!

JEKA is correct. I made a mistake. Yes, 8134 is the last and only non-connecting room in that long block of otherwise connecting CC rooms. It should be REMOVED from my list of "good connecting rooms". Sorry and I thank you for pointing it out. It improves this thread and the info on it.

WINE-O: Thanks for understanding that the purpose of my post was to HELP our fellow members book better staterooms. This info has certainly help me!

I have noted JEKA's correction.

If anyone else has any other corrections, additions or suggestions, please let me know...Hopefully in a more-friendly tone.

Thanks again WINE-O....

P. Lvr

Thanks to all for so many positive replies to my original post.

I must make an addition to my information and add three (3) additional crew-only service door locations that were not included in my original list. These are located approximately across from:

8150

8165

8169

Please add this info to my original post.

Here are a few specific replies to your posts:

May B: Thanks for the kind words. I am also a fan of seatguru. It does sound like we are on the same “wave length”.

Sloopsailor: 8051 – 8061 (port side) should be good rooms. I would allow an extra room as a buffer to the crew-only service doors at 8047 & 8065. I understand from my cabin steward that the white space across from these rooms is the Concierge Class Kitchen where all our delicious hot breakfasts are made.

Judyfssw: I completely respect that handicapped accessible cabins should be reserved for those who need them. I truly did not intend to suggest otherwise.

Mimi33: I have not yet been on Summit yet. We are going in January. But as Summit is the same class ship I am hoping to find that it shares an identical or almost identical design. While I can’t guarantee Summit is the same, I think my post is a good starting point.

Clmom: Your cabin 8116 is in a very good stretch of adjoining rooms. If you don’t need an adjoining room, you might look into a good non-adjoining one. You are not sailing until next June so I hope some are still open.

Veronica Beaverhausen: The nearest Service Door is across from 8066 which I believe is an entrance to one of the Freight Elevators. You are not directly across from it…about a room or two away. That’s why I began my “recommended rooms” with 8072.

Daydreamer 16: I agree with YOU. People will be moving tables and chairs at the aft bar area on deck 10 well into the night. That could be a noise concern for the afts on deck 9.

Wine-O: 8112 looks fine. There are certainly staterooms scattered around Deck 8 that are just fine…but I didn’t want my original post to get so long and involved…so I limited my recommended rooms to larger blocks. Yes, 8112 looks very nice.

Denny01: We think alike. On our last Connie cruise we were in 8046 … right below your last cabin. The larger triangle balcony is great! We also like the forward location to get to the gym and Aqua Spa.

Cruisingforsix: 9112 (on Connie) is a nice location. No worries!

Thanks again everyone for your supportive replies and I’m glad the info was helpful.

Here is an analysis of the Concierge Class Cabins on Constellation (Deck 8) to book. So many posts here ask if specific cabins are good ones, so (even though this is only my opinion) I thought people might find this helpful.

Background: My DW and I have enjoyed several Connie sailings in recent years in Concierge Class (CC) cabins on Deck 8. We enjoy the ship (its size, dining options, etc) so, knowing we’d be back, I took some notes to know which deck 8 CC cabins to book and which to avoid. We like Deck 8 because it has staterooms both above and below. We don’t like Deck 9 due to the overhang & lido above.

Please let me know if you find this info useful. We have an upcoming cruise on Summit and I could do a little more homework. Thanks for the feedback!

CC Cabins - Constellation Deck 8:

The “Great” Rooms with larger balconies: People love the aft-facing staterooms (8170, 8172, 8176, & 8185) for the views of the wake and super-large balconies. 8045 & 8046 with larger “triangle shaped” balconies are also popular. Book these if you can! But what if they are already gone…..?

Best standard (non-adjoining) CC Cabins: 8072, 8074, 8076, 8078, 8080, 8082, 8084, & 8086 (starboard side): Good mid-ship location and non-adjoining (no interior door to the neighboring room which some complain can be the source of noise/light from the next cabin). So, why are they good? Because the inside cabins that appear directly across the hall on the deck plan are NOT really there. Well, of course they’re there, but you would never know it! Their doors all open to the opposite (port side) hall (note they all have odd cabin numbers). So there is nothing (no cabins or service areas) opposite these CC Cabins across the hall …nothing but a hallway wall.

Also good (on the port side) are 8075, 8079, 8083, 8087, 8091, 8095 & 8099: These have the same good mid-ship location & are non-adjoining, you just have a neighbor across the hall. Very good rooms to book.

Need an adjoining room? Look to book 8114, 8116, 8118, 8120, 8122, 8124, 8126, 8128, 8130, 8132, & 8134 (Starboard side): Good mid-ship adjoining rooms. Also, there also are no entrances to the “crew only” area (the large white blank space on the deck plan) across the hall anywhere in this block of cabins!

Location of Crew-Only Service Doors: I like to avoid cabins across from doors to crew-only areas (ie food prep facilities, freight elevators, mechanical equipment etc). They can be the source of noise and/or additional activity. If that matters to you, note that doors to the crew-only areas (shown as white blank space on the deck plans) are located approximately opposite the following CC cabins:

Starboard side: 8052, 8060, 8066 8090 8138, 8150 & 8176 (aft cabin)

Port Side: 8047, 8065, 8069, 8107, 8109, 8115, 8141, & 8145

Rooms to Avoid:

8094, 8096, 8111, & 8115 – Partially obstructed by the dreaded window washing equipment. NOTE: Cabins affected by the window washing equipment vary by ship. These are the rooms on Constellation ONLY. For other M-Class ships check the deck plan listed “obstructed view” rooms to avoid.

8102 & 8108 – listed as “obstructed view”, small balcony, & windows of suite next door look onto balcony.

8047 & 8048 – less private balcony which is visable from the angled balcony of the neighboring room.

Please let me know if this is helpful and if there is any other info you’d find interesting. I can be on the lookout on our upcoming cruise.

Happy Sailing!