Nautica Penthouse cabin ?worth it

[texasskier]

Am considering Oct 8, 2020 Dublin to Barcelona on a soon to be refurbished Nautica.  The PH1-3 cabins are only 322 square feel (?including the balcony).  The increase in price is about $3000 over a veranda cabin.  Would someone please give their opinion re: the value of a PH 1-3 cabin vrs. the smaller verandas.  I realize this is a personal value choice but it seems to be a lot of $ for the increase in square footage.  Also we have sailed on the larger Riviera and got an upsale offer to a PH cabin.  Any chance on the smaller Nautica?  Thanks for your input.

[1985rz1]

23 minutes ago, texasskier said:

Am considering Oct 8, 2020 Dublin to Barcelona on a soon to be refurbished Nautica.  The PH1-3 cabins are only 322 square feel (?including the balcony).  The increase in price is about $3000 over a veranda cabin.  Would someone please give their opinion re: the value of a PH 1-3 cabin vrs. the smaller verandas.  I realize this is a personal value choice but it seems to be a lot of $ for the increase in square footage.  Also we have sailed on the larger Riviera and got an upsale offer to a PH cabin.  Any chance on the smaller Nautica?  Thanks for your input.

My notes show the PH cabins on R-ships are about 260+/- sq ft plus about 60+/- sq ft for the balcony.

Similarly, the Veranda cabins are about 173+/- sq ft plus a bout 43+/- sq ft for the balcony.

 

The source is one of the independent sites that provide specific data on staterooms, but I don't remember which one.

 

We like the bigger size of the PH cabins  as the smaller Veranda cabins are too crowded for our taste.  But that a personal preference.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by 1985rz1

[LHT28]

Compare what you get with the PH vs A or B cabins  & if  you would value the upgrade or not

 

We are perfectly happy in an A, B or C cabin  but that is us  & you may feel differently

It really is a personal choice only you can answer

Enjoy

 

[RJB]

17 minutes ago, texasskier said:

Am considering Oct 8, 2020 Dublin to Barcelona on a soon to be refurbished Nautica.  The PH1-3 cabins are only 322 square feel (?including the balcony).  The increase in price is about $3000 over a veranda cabin.  Would someone please give their opinion re: the value of a PH 1-3 cabin vrs. the smaller verandas.  I realize this is a personal value choice but it seems to be a lot of $ for the increase in square footage.  Also we have sailed on the larger Riviera and got an upsale offer to a PH cabin.  Any chance on the smaller Nautica?  Thanks for your input.

The veranda cabins are so small that we would only sail in a penthouse.  Mostly will only go on the newer O ships because of the bigger cabins.  And the extra choices in dining.  The R ships seem to be a little out dated in what they offer that we avoid them as much as possible. O still does a great job with what they have but it is not enough for us. 

[Jancruz]

26 minutes ago, RJB said:

The veranda cabins are so small that we would only sail in a penthouse.  Mostly will only go on the newer O ships because of the bigger cabins.  And the extra choices in dining.  The R ships seem to be a little out dated in what they offer that we avoid them as much as possible. O still does a great job with what they have but it is not enough for us. 

I still love the R ships and travel on them all the time but that said I only travel in a PH, I am most comfortable in them and I like the extra service and butler

Just MHO

Jancruz1

[Mura]

We enjoy both class of ships but also definitely prefer a PH to the veranda.  The one thing where we may differ with some -- I think some because I've seen posts saying much the same thing -- is that I actually prefer the PH on the "R" ships to the PH on the "O" ships.  The reason is that I don't like the placement of the dining table at the foot of the bed on the "O" ships.  The larger suites, which definitely are larger!, are much more comfortable for dining in the suite.

 

But cost is cost and I'd never suggest spending more than you can easily afford.

 

I'll also say that we took a downsell from a PH to a B2 on Nautica a couple of years ago, and I expected to suffer (despite the vast refund we received which paid for our next cruise).  I had remembered being very unhappy with the tiny bathroom in the veranda suites on the "R" ships when we first started out on Renaissance and then Oceania.  But we were pleasantly surprised.  Despite the fact that most of our cruises in the prior 2-3 years had been in top suites, we found the B2 (which ended up being a B1) just fine.

 

 

Mura

 

We have been lured to the VS and OC on the "O" ships -- once spoiled as we were, it's hard to go back!

[RJB]

15 minutes ago, Mura said:

We enjoy both class of ships but also definitely prefer a PH to the veranda.  The one thing where we may differ with some -- I think some because I've seen posts saying much the same thing -- is that I actually prefer the PH on the "R" ships to the PH on the "O" ships.  The reason is that I don't like the placement of the dining table at the foot of the bed on the "O" ships.  The larger suites, which definitely are larger!, are much more comfortable for dining in the suite.

 

But cost is cost and I'd never suggest spending more than you can easily afford.

 

I'll also say that we took a downsell from a PH to a B2 on Nautica a couple of years ago, and I expected to suffer (despite the vast refund we received which paid for our next cruise).  I had remembered being very unhappy with the tiny bathroom in the veranda suites on the "R" ships when we first started out on Renaissance and then Oceania.  But we were pleasantly surprised.  Despite the fact that most of our cruises in the prior 2-3 years had been in top suites, we found the B2 (which ended up being a B1) just fine.

 

 

Mura

 

We have been lured to the VS and OC on the "O" ships -- once spoiled as we were, it's hard to go back!

I guess different strokes for each other.  We love the table at the foot of the bed in the PH  on the O ships.  Can eat breakfast and watch TV at the same time and do the same at happy hour.  Just what we like, not for everyone I guess.  The bigger size makes it for us including the walk in closet.  Makes unpacking so easy.  No fighting for space like sometimes in the R penthouse.  Either way being on an O cruise is special whatever   way you go.

[Mura]

Different strokes indeed.  I would never argue with your preferences!

 

I find that small table on the "O" ships uncomfortable as opposed to the "real" dinner table in the "R" PH suites.  But I do agree that the walk-in closet on the "O" ships is a big improvement although, we've never had to fight for space on the "R" ship PH closets.

 

I like watching TV during the meal (especially breakfast) as well which is why I prefer the VS living room over the OC, but that's not enough for us to forego the wonderful aft OCs ... I turn the TV on in the bedroom in that case and just listen!

 

Mura

[pinotlover]

I’m nearly 6’2” and my wife 5’11”. On R ships we always book PH because of the tiny bathrooms in the regular cabins. If we were doing a 10 day cruise or less, we might opt to save the money and move down. All of our R ships cruises, past and future, have been 15 days plus. 

 

I still go to the Spa and take at least 50% of my showers on R ships. If in a regular cabin it’d be 100%! At 6’2” and 185 I barely fit into a R PH shower!

 

My advice is to 1st book a PH , then on the cruise visit a regular size cabin and determine if it will work for you. 

 

I believe the answer revolves around body size. I have friends that are 5’6” and 135 lbs that do just fine in economy seats on long haul international flights. We don’t fit into those seats! At my age, it would take a chain saw to get me out of one of those seats! You have to decide what works for you!

[RJ2002]

14 hours ago, pinotlover said:

My advice is to 1st book a PH , then on the cruise visit a regular size cabin and determine if it will work for you. 

 

I agree with this advice.  If the PH is within your budget, go for it this time and take a look at the smaller stateroom while onboard as a comparison.

 

We really like the size of the PH and feel it is worth the extra expense, for us.

[Mura]

One way I see the difference is this:

 

This has to do with the main living space, not the bathroom or the veranda.

 

On an "R" ship, the width of the cabin is pretty much the length of the bed plus enough space for one person to pass by.  So if you want to head for the veranda from the bathroom and your partner wants to do the opposite, one of you has to wait.  In a PH, both can cross at the same time.  The bathroom is significantly larger than the veranda bathroom (although not humoungous by any means).  I believe changes have been made so that the tub has been removed and replaced by a large shower -- BUT in the veranda room there would be no way to fit in a bathtub.  It has a very small shower.  At least the shower curtain has been replaced with a door ... or so I understand.

 

Likewise the veranda is larger in that in a PH you can have two loungers whereas the veranda on the "A", "B" and "C" cabins has two chairs. 

 

 

[Rob the Cruiser]

I'm 6' 2" and my wife is 5' 11" also. We have no problem with the small bathroom but I can understand why many people would hate it. Affordability isn't the issue for us. We just don't see the value of a PH. We're fine with an aft-facing Concierge cabin with the oversized veranda on R ships.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

Likewise the veranda is larger in that in a PH you can have two loungers whereas the veranda on the "A", "B" and "C" cabins has two chairs. 

 

 

Mura

C cabins  are Ocean view  no chairs or balcony  other than the chair at the desk 😉

Not sure if the Nautica bathrooms have been  changed yet

The NEXT  overhaul is in June 2020 for Nautica

[Mura]

😃  You can see how often I've sailed in a "C" ... sorry about that!  I think I was momentarily back with Renaissance when a "C" was what an "A" is on Oceania.

[Meldrum]

If you book a concierge level veranda, you can always shower at the Spa deck. My friend, who is not so tall, prefered this instead of the cabin shower. The shower in the lower cabines is very small also on the refurbished ships. And sitting on the toilet is also very uncomfortable, with your knees hitting the wall. Despite that, we still prefer a Concierge level Veranda before a Penthouse. We do not need the canapés in the afternoon or the services of a butler or the extra space in the room and balcony.

 

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, Meldrum said:

If you book a concierge level veranda, you can always shower at the Spa deck. My friend, who is not so tall, prefered this instead of the cabin shower. The shower in the lower cabines is very small also on the refurbished ships.

 

you can use the showers  there for any cabin Cat