Please explain why SUNSET VERANDA cabins cost more than other rooms in same category.

[Forabruisin]

This is my very first question on cruise critic. I'm shaking in my boots (bedroom slippers). I don't want to commit any faux pas but I'm sure I will. We're sailing on Solstice in early June for a 7 day inside passage cruise (our first cruise evah!) I'm still trying to understand the difference in Concierge Class and Aqua Class and I guess it's just a different set of amenities right? But I'm really puzzled about the SV cabins at the stern. (See, I used a nautical term, yay!) How are they different, other than location? Is it nicer to view the scenery from the back of the ship? Are the balconies bigger? What gives? I understand that the movement of the ship is greater, the farther you get from the center, so will the SV cabins be bumpier? When searching for a cabin, I notice that SV are significantly more expensive than even A or C cabins. I await your wisdom with trembling anticipation. Be kind. :confused:

[simon stingray]

Don't worry-we're all friendly here (well usually).

 

SV staterooms are in their own category and are therefore not the same category as other balcony staterooms. All of the balcony staterooms on Solstice class ships are identical (except Aqua class which have a fancy shower and footstools) but the reason for the different category and prices are due to their location on the ship. The more desirable location, the higher the category and price.

 

SV staterooms (facing aft) are more expensive but not all here agree that they are the best. The aft view is nice but on Solstice class ships they have little privacy as they are overlooked from above and offer no shade. Ther are also reports of soot falling on these balconys.

 

Concierge class are identical to other balcony staterooms but with a few little extras thrown in. Aqua staterooms are regarded as higher that concierge as they have their own restaurant Blu.

[sunshine nana]

We prefer the aft and want to be more in the middle decks, not right under the bar.

[TeaBag]

Welcome to cruise critic and the world of cruising. You sound like a wonderful and humorous person to cruise with. Most of the people on here are very friendly and many give great advice. I have learned a lot on CC but do be warned, it is addictive!!

 

As has been said AQ class has its own restaurant called Blu where you dine at breakfast and dinner. You also get 2 bottles of water in your SR/day and a flask of herbal tea with apertifs (which are not all that great).

 

SV is quite popular because it is mesmerizing to sit on your deck and see the wake. The SV decks are much bigger on the M class of ships but not on S class which you are considering.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[helpthejuggler]

Save your shaking for the party band.

 

On Solstice Class ships Verandah, Concierge, Aqua and Sunset rooms are almost identical in size and layout. Some rooms 'on the hump' have larger balconies.

 

Concierge and Aqua have more amenities.

 

SV rooms are limited in number but share the amenities of verandah rooms. Some find the rear facing view a bonus, overlooking the wake.

Small number, they are sometimes in higher demand so sell for higher prices.

 

Obviously there is less wind and you can see port and starboard sides to some degree. They are overlooked by rooms above and the terraces so may not be to all tastes.

 

There is no rear stairwell which some see as a disadvantage.

 

I suspect for Alaska they would be a good choice, but have not been there myself so far. But it depends upon how much you use your balcony.

[Forabruisin]

Great advice for this noob. I have other questions about location which I have not been able to find answers to on other forums (maybe I'm just not doing it right) For a cabin that is located on an angle (I'm learning that this is just fore or aft of the "hump"?) are these rooms bigger, better configured, larger decks with better views? Just for an example room #2107 on the Resort Deck. Also, can you still have dinner at Blu if you pay a surcharge? One more...I think I would prefer the bed closer to the balcony but what say you? Much thanks!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

As others have said, all balcony cabins are the same size on the S class ships.

 

The 1A category staterooms on the slant off the hump have larger than normal balconies. Starting from the hump (the part that sticks out) and counting away from that, the first and third cabins in either direction have a 3X size balcony. The second & fourth cabins have a 2X size balcony. These are great cabins and they are located close to the elevators, so no long hallways to traverse.

 

As far as the location of the bed, I've been in both. Doesn't make much difference to me. It's a bit easier to access the closet when the bed is next to the balcony.

 

Dining in Blu is only for those in Aqua Class cabins and suites if space is available. Never had a problem when I was in a suite.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[RickT]

My personal rule of thumb is that there are no bad cabins... just get me on the ship! That being said there are some that are better than others but that ultimately depends on your personal preferences.

 

To further confuse you, this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1751328&page=27 provides more information (and opinions) that you can probably handle :p

 

On an S-class ship I personally tend to book a 2B balcony. Most have no obstruction of view and are generally priced well below most other cabins.

 

Another good thread to review is the S-Class cabin information thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=911018

 

It contains a spreadsheet where fellow cruisers have listed details and comments on the cabins they have stayed in.

 

And as far as everyone being friendly, 99% are. The others you can ignore or block.

 

Lastly, to get the most from this forum, use the search function before asking a question. You'll find most topics have been discussed and you can usually find your answer. Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[sddsddean]

One other point...on S class ships, the cabins to the starboard of the centre line have a slightly larger balcony (about 4 feet wider). If you look at this photo you can see a white 'stripe' running down the ships back end, just to the right of centre.

 

The cabin is no larger!...just the balcony. On the Eclipse we had 8344 (so you can look on a deck plan and work out which line of cabins it is), but check cabin numbers on different ships as the number sysytem varies slightly.

As said, there is effectively no shade from a 'roof'...it only sticks out about 4", so the balcony can be a real sun trap if you are the right way round. We had very little problems with soot and our steward hosed and wiped down the balcony every day.

 

Simon

[dkjretired]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. When you decide on a cruise make sure you go to the roll call for your cruise. Just click on Find your Celebrity Roll call, then the ship and then your cruise by date. These will be the people on the cruise with you and may be helpful for shore excursions, etc. Since so many referred to S class ships I thought I would explain what they are talking about.

 

Solstice class ships are named after the Solstice which is the first ship in the class, they are Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and Reflection. Millenium class ships are older and are Millenium, Infinity, Constellation and Summit. Century class ships now consist only of the Century. One final ship is the Xpedition which is actually a big yacht and does special cruises in the Galapagos islands.

[akowilm]

We have always preferred the aft cabins on the M-class ships so we booked a sunset verandah on the Reflection (same class as your ship). While the cabin was very nice, several things made us decide that we wouldn't book one again:

 

1. Unlike the M-class, the balconies are not any bigger

 

2. It was a VERY LONG walk to the elevators; not that I don't like the exercise, but after a few cocktails, being forgetful (and blonde....) meant a lot of return trips down that long a winding hallway, for say, lip gloss or sea pass:)

 

3. There were so many places to relax and enjoy ourselves (we LOVED the Lawn) that we spent very little time in our cabin or on the balcony.

 

4. We found the Specialty restaurants to be stellar, and would suggest saving the money from switching to a regular verandah for a visit to one of these!

 

No matter what you choose, you will have a great time! Enjoy your trip!!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I have a question about aft verandas that I've never seen addressed. Walking the promenade deck on Coral Princess [i know: different ship, different line - but Summit doesn't have a full promenade so we didn't get a chance to check this], when you get to the stern the noise gets incredibly loud. Can you hear this on the aft balconies? It would totally disrupt any zen feeling from the wake view!

[akowilm]

What sort of noise? Depending on which deck we booked, we have heard the blender from the ocean view bar (referred to as our morning rise and shine call), and lite conversation throughout the day, but nothing out of the ordinary or distracting. Our next 2 trips are on M-class ships, aft, and we booked a year in advance on each to ensure we got what we wanted!

[hulamoon]

I have had staterooms on the aft of solstice, silhouette and the equinox. We did not experience noise.

[sunshine nana]

I know what you mean about the noise when walking across the aft on a Princess ship. It is almost scary! But we have never heard that in an aft balcony on either NCL (Gem and Jade) or Celebrity (Equinox). I had not thought about that until you brought it up. Don't worry, we love the aft and think you will too.

[Going Coastal]

Like Akowilm, we book way out to secure an aft on the M class. We try for deck 8 so that we have cabins both above and below and never hear noise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited February 11, 2014 by Going Coastal

[CathyCruises]

BUT the OP is talking about S Class!

 

My $.02 is to book a standard veranda midship, and save your money! Been in all categories and honestly these are the best value, plus the location can't be beat. As mentioned, it is a VERY long walk to the aft since there are no aft elevators or stairs. A long time aft-cabin cruiser on M class said he'd never book aft on S class again, not worth it.

 

So save your $$ for fun things and if you want an aft view, the sunset bar is great!

[cpj]

It is 128 steps from the elevator to your room. I counted them one day and it's a long walk.

[jomf]

It is 128 steps from the elevator to your room. I counted them one day and it's a long walk.

 

Which is fine if you are fit and healthy!

We booked an aft cabin, only for my OH to put his knee out on our second day on board. The walk then was extremely far!!

Any other time and we would have been fine with the walking.

[CathyCruises]

We are fit and healthy, but when we booked the FV all the way forward, I despised the walk to anywhere on the ship! If I forgot my book, it was a 15+ minute round trip. Go get a coffee for my daughter who has migraines? 20 minute trip. I am a person who is always in a hurry, no matter if I really am or not. That walk made me crazy!!

 

Next trip, we booked at the midship elevators--aaahhhh, I was in heaven!!