Looking at aft facing cabins on Nieuw Amsterdam

[Pacificlander]

We are looking to take our first cruise on HAL. Can anyone give me some input as to whether an aft facing balcony in the Mediterranean is a good pick?

[Pacificlander]

This is the first time in all my years on CC that I haven't gotten one response to a question I asked! Guess no one here has ever had an aft facing cabin on the Nieuw Amsterdam....

[APDMOM]

I am interested in the feedback about aft facing balconies in the Med and Northern Europe too.  I love them for Caribbean cruises, but don’t know if they will afford the views that we would love to see in Europe...

[Overhead Fred]

5 hours ago, Pacificlander said:

Can anyone give me some input as to whether an aft facing balcony in the Mediterranean is a good pick?

 

There have been several threads about aft facing cabins over the last year or two. It seems that people either love them or hate them!

 

We had an aft facing cabin on a circle Hawaii cruise and it was wonderful. But that cruise had 5 sea days over and 5 sea days back with rough seas and high winds for most of them. The Promenade was closed several times do to the conditions and people with "normal" verandahs could not use them much. We were on ours for extended times every day - no wind!

 

It is unlikely that you will get such weather conditions in the Med and it is probably a fairly port intensive cruise. For myself, I think I would not pay the extra for an aft facing room on a Mediterranean cruise. I think the aft views would be fine and an aft facing cabin would not be a bad choice, but I would rather save a few $$ and spend more time walking the decks for panoramic views. 

[Tom O.]

5 hours ago, Pacificlander said:

We are looking to take our first cruise on HAL. Can anyone give me some input as to whether an aft facing balcony in the Mediterranean is a good pick?

 

We love Aft Facing rooms

We took a Caribbean Cruise a couple of years ago on the Nieuw Amsterdam and had an aft facing balcony cabin. It was great, the balcony was much larger than usual. I like these cabins because you can see things on both sides of the ship.

Last summer we had an aft facing cabin on the Noordam, it was great too, but not as great as the Nieuw Amsterdam. This was because we were higher up on deck 8. We were right below the Sea View Pool area. Our balcony stuck out a little more than the railing for the pool area. People would gather at that rail and they could see down into our balcony, but they could only the outer edge of it. Nevertheless I would have appreciated a little more privacy. The other balconies below us did not have that problem.

So I would definitely go for an aft facing cabin, but just make sure you have at least one deck of cabins above you. Avoid any cabins that have a public area directly above.  I believe you will be OK on the Nieuw Amsterdam if you take a aft facing balcony on deck 7 or below.

[Pacificlander]

Thanks so much for the input! The balconies are on deck 4. I realize we won't utilize them like in the Caribbean but we enjoy sitting out there as we sailaway from each port. 

[Crew News]

14 hours ago, Pacificlander said:

We are looking to take our first cruise on HAL. Can anyone give me some input as to whether an aft facing balcony in the Mediterranean is a good pick?

 

Aft staterooms are the only way to go for photographers since you can see both sides of the ship from your balcony.  With less wind, you can enjoy your balcony even when the ship is cruising at 19 knots.  Room Service breakfast  in aft staterooms is always hot since it is right above the kitchen.  You will be only a two-minute elevator ride up to the Lido Market to grab a quick bite and down to the MDR.

 

I will only sail in aft staterooms unless the upgrade fairy gives me a Neptune Suite (only happend once to me).

[Vineyard View]

8 hours ago, Pacificlander said:

Thanks so much for the input! The balconies are on deck 4. I realize we won't utilize them like in the Caribbean but we enjoy sitting out there as we sailaway from each port. 

Wouldn’t how much you use it likely depend on the season you are sailing?  For instance, the non-winter Mediterranean weather   Would that not provide you a good possibility of using the aft balcony as it would in the Caribbean? 

[Pacificlander]

17 hours ago, Tom O. said:

 

We love Aft Facing rooms

We took a Caribbean Cruise a couple of years ago on the Nieuw Amsterdam and had an aft facing balcony cabin. It was great, the balcony was much larger than usual. I like these cabins because you can see things on both sides of the ship.

Last summer we had an aft facing cabin on the Noordam, it was great too, but not as great as the Nieuw Amsterdam. This was because we were higher up on deck 8. We were right below the Sea View Pool area. Our balcony stuck out a little more than the railing for the pool area. People would gather at that rail and they could see down into our balcony, but they could only the outer edge of it. Nevertheless I would have appreciated a little more privacy. The other balconies below us did not have that problem.

So I would definitely go for an aft facing cabin, but just make sure you have at least one deck of cabins above you. Avoid any cabins that have a public area directly above.  I believe you will be OK on the Nieuw Amsterdam if you take a aft facing balcony on deck 7 or below.

Tom O- what deck were you on on the Nieuw Amsterdam?

[Tom O.]

3 hours ago, Pacificlander said:

Tom O- what deck were you on on the Nieuw Amsterdam?

I am pretty sure we were on deck 5.

[Vineyard View]

36 minutes ago, Tom O. said:

I am pretty sure we were on deck 5.

We are in an aft on NA on deck 5 in May. We are directly in the center rather than a wrap around. This will be our first aft cabin experience. Really glad to hear your experience Tom was so positive. I was a little concerned that without the breeze it may be too warm to really enjoy. Thank you for your post

[Tom O.]

3 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

We are in an aft on NA on deck 5 in May. We are directly in the center rather than a wrap around. This will be our first aft cabin experience. Really glad to hear your experience Tom was so positive. I was a little concerned that without the breeze it may be too warm to really enjoy. Thank you for your post

We were in the middle too. There is still some air movement just not the stiff breeze you get on the sides. And remember, on most days you are in port, so there is no difference in side or aft breeze. 

The corner wrap around cabins are suites, which we cannot afford. But, I have had a corner balcony on a Princess ship that was not a suite. The main advantage of that corner balcony was that it was the largest balcony I have ever had.

[grest]

An aft facing is perfect no matter where, in my opinion....

 

 

[Vineyard View]

Thank you for these responses. It helps me, and I hope the OP as well with all these personal experiences. 

[Pacificlander]

Yes I also really appreciate all the responses! I am very excited to have an aft cabin for our cruise!

[Iwantacruisenow]

Just returned from a Caribbean holiday cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam Cabin 7134.   This was our first Aft cabin experience.  Seems like there was more engine vibration than we are used to, the mounted TV on wall actually shook. However they had trouble with one of the Azipod propellers and were sailing with only one instead of the two.   So actual experience might be different if they have that fixed.  In rough seas we also noted the ship rocked abit more in the aft cabin than in our usual side cabin.  But I have no problem with seasickness so that did not bother me.  My wife took a bit to get used to. For me, the benefit of having a left and right view made it worthwhile.  Also, the cabin size and deck size were a tiny bit larger than the side cabins.  That little bit seemed to make the cabin more comfortable than I remember.  I would book it again but my wife wants calmer seas next time.   But she enjoyed the larger deck area.

 

Hope that helps. 

[Tom O.]

12 minutes ago, Iwantacruisenow said:

In rough seas we also noted the ship rocked abit more in the aft cabin than in our usual side cabin.  But I have no problem with seasickness so that did not bother me. 

I would bet that the extra rocking was also due to operating on only one azipod. I have been on several cruises on aft facing cabins, and never noticed any extra rocking there.

I haven't noticed more engine vibration either, but there is definitely more noise from the wake. But I find that soothing, reminds me of the sound of river rapids.

Edited January 22, 2020 by Tom O.

[TAD2005]

Because you are at the extreme aft part of the ship, when the swells are large, maybe 15 ft or bigger, and the bow goes up to climb over the swell, the aft end goes down and vice-versa.   So you will get more pitching (not rolling) in a aft cabin, but we love it.  Plus the balconies are longer, and the cabin is usually a bit longer.   We always pick deck 4, the lowest deck.   When you stand at the railing and look down, you don't stare at the tops of the heads of the passengers below you, all you see it water and the ship's wake. 

[fyreus]

What are the differences in the corner aft cabins on the new Amsterdam? I’ve combed the boards and I’m still not sure if the balconies are deeper, or the rooms different, on the different decks. Any info on them would be really appreciated. Thanks!