Just Booked Two Aft Rooms on Navigation Deck of Westerdam

[don512]

We just booked the two center aft rooms on the navigation deck of the Westerdam for a Carribean cruise next spring. What can we expect from these rooms? Are they different from the other standard veranda rooms on the sides of the ship? How about any difference between them and the aft rooms on the other decks?

[Majika]

Don,

If the Westerdam is like the Zuiderdam, we will be in those exact two room in 20 days. Navigation deck, center two rooms. 8129 and 8122. If in fact they are the same I can take pictures for you and post them when I get back in the middle of August.

[don512]

Thanks Majika, those are the exact room numbers that we have booked on the Westerdam.

[Giorgi-one]

We just booked the two center aft rooms on the navigation deck of the Westerdam for a Carribean cruise next spring. What can we expect from these rooms? Are they different from the other standard veranda rooms on the sides of the ship? How about any difference between them and the aft rooms on the other decks?

 

I have 8122 booked on Nordaam for next July Med cruise. Balconies are larger than side verandas and completely covered. Aft balconies on decks 5, 6, and 7 are larger but completely uncovered. I believe rooms are same size as side verandas around 190 square feet. The aft pool is on deck above but according to posts here only noise is around 7 PM when they rearrange chairs. Search this forum for cabin 8122 and cabin 8129 for more info. You will also find some good aft photos when you search.

[Majika]

Im back from my Zuiderdam cruise in those aft cabins 8122 and 8129. IMO and the opinion of my DH,DB and SIL, the deck on those cabins is bigger then the side cabins but (and this is a big BUT) there is no air getting into those balconies and we found them extremely hot. its like being in a box with only the lid off. closed on all sides except one. the room itself was narrower as well. you did get 2 nice loungers, 2 wicker chairs, an ottoman and a small table but we hardly used them due to the extreme heat.

 

If you are traveling to Alaska or a Carribean cruise in the winter..go for it but the Carribean in the summer in those cabins...i dont recommend it.

 

Another down side was that it was a hike to the shows and casino every night. An upside.. lunch and breakfast was one flight up and the dining room only a few floors down. We did get a good view of Costa Maya while in port but we truely longed for an ocean breeze.

 

 

Just my opinion.

[Majika]

Oh yea..I forgot about the noise. The moving chairs were really no problem because that only happened twice a day for about half an hour. It was the other noises that really got to me. One night from about 2am til 5 am it sounded like elephants roller skating up there and banging into metal. I called the front desk and they told me no one was up there. They insisted the noise was coming from my room. My DH went out on the balcony and heard someone yelling and screaming but couldnt identifiy where it was coming from. In the morning when I spoke with several people in nearby cabins they told me they also had been awakened by these noises.

 

There was also a LOT of vibration going on in those aft cabins. And in the dining room as well. The vibration subsided somewhat once we started heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

 

IMO i'd rather a smaller balcony on the port or starboard side.

[TidePrideGA]

This is very interesting, Majika, thanks for sharing! We're in 4183 and I hadn't thought about the heat issue, although that makes a ton of sense. But since we're sailing 12/11/05 that *shouldn't* be too much of an issue for us. I think some of the "noise" you heard (yelling, etc.) can happen on ANY cruise in any location (think George Smith IV). Also, as I understand it, 4183 is next to the corner SS and is a little shorter, and a little wider, than xx22 and xx29.

 

We are three adults (me, DH and DS - 20) .... would you say we will be comfortable, tolerable or unbearably cramped?

[doone]

We had an aft corner suite 5187 on the Zuiderdam in March. While only one day was it hot enough where it was a bit uncomfortable out there, we fully enjoyed this suite and the balcony. We utilized that balcony and got our monies worth out of it.

[Majika]

We are three adults (me, DH and DS - 20) .... would you say we will be comfortable, tolerable or unbearably cramped?

 

I'm going to said you will be tight not unbearably so but it will be tight. Make sure you look for extra storage drawers under the bed. We also had some under the sofa but I think those are only there if the cabin is a double and not a triple.

 

The 'yelling' issue I could certainly understand but when it was combined with all the other noise it makes me wonder. And the front desk telling me it was in my cabin and not above my head really ticked me off.

 

I just wanted to make future cruisers aware that there are definately noise and vibration issues going on in those aft cabins.

[Majika]

We had an aft corner suite 5187 on the Zuiderdam in March. While only one day was it hot enough where it was a bit uncomfortable out there, we fully enjoyed this suite and the balcony. We utilized that balcony and got our monies worth out of it.

 

 

Any of the aft balcony cabins, with the exception of the navigation deck, do get some sun and some air. The roof of the navigation cabins is completely closed off by the floor of the lido pool deck. Perhaps in winter or cruising to Alaska those cabin would be ok. But it really is like a box with the top off. Closed completely off on 5 sides.

 

Oh yea..and the partitions CAN NOT BE OPENED ON THE NAVIGATION DECK AFT CABINS.

[TidePrideGA]

I'm going to said you will be tight not unbearably so but it will be tight. Make sure you look for extra storage drawers under the bed. .....

I just wanted to make future cruisers aware that there are definately noise and vibration issues going on in those aft cabins.

 

And I, for one, appreciate it!!

 

It was funny how we got the aft wake cabin (4183-Westerdam). This is our first cruise and when I booked it I knew NOTHING... NOTHING. My TA sold me on the aft wake cabin - really sold me - because he and his wife love them. Then he came back and said "OOPS! NONE of the aft wakes are triples". I was like Darn, you had me all excited about it! He felt really badly.... then he called me back about 4 hours later (interrupting a business luncheon but I excused myself and took the call anyway because this was IMPORTANT ;)) and said "Guess what!! They had to replace the sofa in 4183 and this is the ONLY triple aft wake cabin on a Vista class ship, period, and it just became available". I grabbed it in a heartbeat!

 

I plan to use that balcony - we're going in December, and I can't wait to be sitting on it with a glass of champagne watching where I've been and anticipating where I'm going - noise or no noise!

[Majika]

Hello again,

 

In 4183 you should have plenty of air and sun being the bottom row of aft cabins. Your balcony will be HUGE. Im not sure how much actual shade you will have there since I dont know how much over hang there is from the cabin above. The balconies are long and narrow but ours on the Navigation deck had plenty of room for the 2 loungers 2 chairs (and not cheapie walmart chairs either) an ottoman and a small table big enough for a few drink glasses. I would imagine that the lower decks have the same set up. All I could see from my balcony was just the lounge chairs below. Keep in mind also that you CAN be seen from above. And if you turn around you can see anyone above you standing at the rail and maybe a little way back. I went out on the balcony at night in my jammies and the guy below and to the left of me looked up when my door slammed. He waved, I waved and then I went back in my room where my jammies could not be seen by all.

[TidePrideGA]

Hello again,

 

In 4183 you should have plenty of air and sun being the bottom row of aft cabins. Your balcony will be HUGE. Im not sure how much actual shade you will have there since I dont know how much over hang there is from the cabin above. The balconies are long and narrow but ours on the Navigation deck had plenty of room for the 2 loungers 2 chairs (and not cheapie walmart chairs either) an ottoman and a small table big enough for a few drink glasses. I would imagine that the lower decks have the same set up. All I could see from my balcony was just the lounge chairs below. Keep in mind also that you CAN be seen from above. And if you turn around you can see anyone above you standing at the rail and maybe a little way back. I went out on the balcony at night in my jammies and the guy below and to the left of me looked up when my door slammed. He waved, I waved and then I went back in my room where my jammies could not be seen by all.

That's what I'm thinking - the lower the level the "longer" the balcony? One of the other things I like about 4183 is that the ones next to the corner suites (VBs as opposed to VAs) are slightly shorter, but wider than the VAs. That seems like a *good* thing to me....

[MISSYLOU]

Majika did you take pictures of your aft cabin and veranda?

[KSCnCA]

TidePrideGA:

 

I doubt you will be too warm in December. We sailed the Zuiderdam last Dec. 11 in 5181 aft and it was pleasant. A day or two were damp out there, but mostly very nice. I loved sitting out there having a glass of wine, playing cribbage, or reading. We could see people above but the distance to the lido deck is far enough that if they cannot see much. And it is so much more relaxing than the crowds around the pools. Our friends would yell down to us from the lido but we couldn't hear them (although they could hear us). My sister was in 4176 and our friends were in 4174 and they also loved their aft cabins. The difference between the size of the various aft cabins is barely noticeable.

[TidePrideGA]

TidePrideGA:

 

I doubt you will be too warm in December.

 

I think you're right. I keep reading some of the posts from folks who have done this itinerary in summer and have decided I'm finally GLAD DH can only take vacation in winter (due to his particular job - summer is prime busy season)... I think it's the PERFECT time to cruise the Caribbean.

 

We've been very limited in the past with where we go. While we LOVE Key West and Mickey, we want something different every now and then and we're only interested in going South that time of year - and there aren't that many choices that are South of Atlanta!! Especially when DH is loathe to fly.

[JoshFink]

Sorry to bring such an old post but I'm on the April 2nd to the Carribean on the Westerdam and I would love some picks of the Navigation Deck aft rooms. I'm on the last cabin next to the corner cabin but would still be curious.

 

Thanks

 

Josh

[Candy]

We were in 5180-81 on Zuidy, and those dead center wake cabins are about 6 inches narrower than the others. You can feel the difference between the bathroom and closets. The verandas on 4 & 8 are the smallest. 5186-87 are the primo Deluxe Suite cabins on the wake.

 

 

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

[mim100]

we're booked in 8122 & 8129 next April 2007....disappointing to hear about the lack of air and sea breeze...we eventually decided on these cabins on the Nav deck thinking the almost-total shade would keep the verandahs cooler..hopefully, since it will be April, it won't be much of an issue ?

[shonuf]

5186-87 are the primo Deluxe Suite cabins on the wake.

 

 

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

 

I just put a hold on 5186 and 5187 for our Zuiderdam cruise next January. We had 5187 on the Oosterdam in January. We are having dinner with our friends tonite to discuss our cruise plans. They've not been on HAL yet; we think they're in for a real treat!