Best Cabin for Panama Canal Cruise

[cruisingbarb]

Perhaps someone can clarify this for me. I was chatting with someone from HA yesterday and asked about the deeper verandas on Deck 4. He said that the Westerdam underwent a refit in July 2015 and that the verandas on Deck 4 were now all the same size. Unless I misunderstood him. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

[cruz chic]

Perhaps someone can clarify this for me. I was chatting with someone from HA yesterday and asked about the deeper verandas on Deck 4. He said that the Westerdam underwent a refit in July 2015 and that the verandas on Deck 4 were now all the same size. Unless I misunderstood him. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

 

So did they do this refit while at sea :D? The ship was in dry dock in April of 2014. I'd be shocked if the rep was correct. I'd put money on jtl's info.

Edited December 17, 2015 by cruz chic

[feathersandnananose]

OK, you're getting verandas/balconies.... but just in case other folks are reading this. We had an ocean view on a lower deck, and it was great....

 

So you go up on the public decks to see things from the top. But we went back and forth, because we REALLY enjoyed sitting on the bed (under the window!) and watching the walls come up and down. The distance from ship to canal wall is AMAZINGLY small!!! And we had many fun moments waving to men on the canal while we were rising and falling. The transit takes a long time and there are multiple locks. You've got time.

 

Barb in so cal ("feathers")

[ellieanne]

OK, you're getting verandas/balconies.... but just in case other folks are reading this. We had an ocean view on a lower deck, and it was great....

 

So you go up on the public decks to see things from the top. But we went back and forth, because we REALLY enjoyed sitting on the bed (under the window!) and watching the walls come up and down. The distance from ship to canal wall is AMAZINGLY small!!! And we had many fun moments waving to men on the canal while we were rising and falling. The transit takes a long time and there are multiple locks. You've got time.

 

Barb in so cal ("feathers")

 

My parents have been through the Canal three times and always had an ocean view cabin. Dad loves seeing the walls out the window. And because it's usually hot & humid, they prefer to be in air conditioned comfort -- so they are either in their cabin or somewhere with A/C and windows.

[jtl513]

... a refit in July 2015 and that the verandas on Deck 4 were now all the same size.

I don't understand what you (he) are saying. To my knowledge there has never been any alterations to the Westerdam that would change the size of any of the original balconies. (A stern refit some years ago added cabins to decks 6 through 8 of the Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, and Westerdam, and a later refit added cabins to deck 10 of the N'dam, O'dam, and Z'dam.)

 

BUT - I'll wait for the expert (in my mind) on all-things-HAL, Copper10-8, to answer your question definitively. :)

Edited December 17, 2015 by jtl513