What is your favorite NCL Cabin and why?

[hallux]

2 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Well they let other solos not staying in studios in at 5pm gatherings.

Also one time a grandmom let her whole family in for snacks. But my only wish is for ice machine.

Yeah, I know they let non-Studio solos in at 5, I did that on my second cruise when I was in a balcony.  But in general only those with cards coded for a Studio can access the area or let people into that area.

[farmersfight]

On 8/28/2020 at 11:21 AM, Oceansaway17 said:

My favorite rooms are the solo rooms on newer ships. They are up high and near front of ship with a quiet inside hallway. Lobe the lounge and I get a pass to Spa for a week.

 

No other cruise line does as good a job with solo rooms. Did solo on Epic,Escape, and Bliss. For Dawn had regular inside.

Some cruise lines won't sell suites to a solo. Oh well.

 

I will have my first solo balcony on new Odyssey of the seas next year(hopefully).

I will finally do an aft balcony on new Carn Panorama in 2022.

 

 

I was just about to embark (pun intended) on solo cruising last Dec 2020. Then, Covid hit and shut down the cruise industry. I was looking at a 12 day southern Caribbean cruise out  of NJ on the Odyssey OTS and was looking to book one of those solo balcony cabins (love me a balcony!).

 

I give credit to NCL for being solo friendly with, as you pointed out, the solo rooms up front, up high and on 3 decks on the newer, larger ships. The only thing that I don't think I would like about those studio cabins are how small they are and being interiors, they don't have an OV or balcony. Even solo, I love me a balcony so that is why I am interested in RCL's ships that have solo balcony rooms (i.e. Odyssey OTS)..

 

Another option I will look into are deals on solo supplements (zero or reduced) so I can get a regular balcony room.

 

[bobsfamily]

We had the aft suite 9276 on the Sun.  Last August just in time for hurricane Dorian, It was supposed to be a cruise thru the Bahamas including  GSC.... but instead we headed to Cozumel for 2 days and then instead of coming back to PC we went to NO. Having that suite and the perks was a dream for many reasons but was really nice during that cruise.  Sadly we got hooked and have booked a Haven suite on the Escape for Feb.  Sure hope we go!

 

We also have had a mini-suite on the Sun and for the money I think they are the best value... Huge tub, great bathroom and nice balcony.

 

For those that want to try the aft suites 9276 had a great balcony but there was a bit of a soot problem... the cabin steward was on top of it though. At least twice a day he cleaned and the white covers were removed during the night and put back on the morning.

[jamminlion]

Absolutely love the aft facing mini on the Sun. The space inside! The bathroom layout! The balcony! 

 

 

[FLcruisergrl]

The owners suite on the Sun. Large, comfortable room and living room, HUGE bathroom and large balcony with a jacuzzi. The view is from the front of the ship and it is very quiet and relaxing.

[slavetoabunny]

13 minutes ago, FLcruisergrl said:

The owners suite on the Sun. Large, comfortable room and living room, HUGE bathroom and large balcony with a jacuzzi. The view is from the front of the ship and it is very quiet and relaxing.

We have the owners suite #1003 booked on the Sun.  I can't wait!!!

[FLcruisergrl]

28 minutes ago, slavetoabunny said:

We have the owners suite #1003 booked on the Sun.  I can't wait!!!

We’ve stayed in 1203 1.5 times now. The .5 time was March 13th of this year. Everyone got kicked off 30 minutes before we were to sail. It was going to be a great cruise! 

[slavetoabunny]

Our last sailing was March 8-15 in the Owners Suite with double balconies on the Dawn.  It was a great cruise!

[SeahawkSiren]

Another vote for the aft mini suites on the Sun.  We were in 9278 back in 2016 and absolutely loved it!  And that was prior to the Sun's refurbishment so I can only imagine how nice it is now.

 

Nice large cabin with plenty of storage and room for a full size couch and table.

 

 

 

 

Large balcony with room for two loungers.

 

 

Full size tub in the bathroom with a separate toilet room (door to the right).

 

 

Also a large closet with loads of storage and drawers and a sitting area across from the closet.

 

 

 

This cruise was originally supposed to be an 11 night Mexican Riviera but NCL cancelled that and turned it into a 14 night full transit Panama Canal cruise from Miami to San Diego.  I had secretly upgraded us from a side balcony to this aft mini suite prior to the itinerary change to surprise DH.  When I told him about the itinerary change he was initially concerned about how much more time off he'd have to take from work and was reluctant to go.  So then I had to spill the beans about the aft mini suite to convince him!  There was no way I was giving up an aft mini suite for a Panama Canal cruise so of course we went!  Priceless views from the aft. Still in my top 2 of best cruises ever!

 

[kismet618]

We love Aft Balcony cabins. There is nothing like staring out and just seeing our wake 😊. 

[BayouDoc]

Garden Villa on the Dawn.  Over 5,000 sq ft.  2 of the 3 bedrooms are more like owners suites with large rooms, big windows, and huge bathrooms.  The 3rd bedroom is also nice, more like a penthouse room.  There is a large living area with a player baby grand piano, dining table for 8, and a kitchenette or bar depending which GV you have (we had the kitchenette).  Large tinted one-way windows overlook the pool deck.  The room is 1/2 the width of the ship.  There is a large open patio area with outside table for 8 and another table for 4,  a full size hot tub, and a steam room.  This area opens via a locked door to the sports deck.  From this outside patio area there is a stairway up to your private sundeck which is about 1/2 the size of a tennis court.  A full bar with blender, ice, mixers, and 6 bottles of liquor was included.  We were treated like royalty wherever we went on the ship.  At the end of the cruise we were personally escorted past all the lines to customs and then to included minibus (with refreshments) for transportation to our hotel.  This was in 2016 and the cost per person for 7 of us was about the same as if we were in 3 penthouse suites.  The prices now seem to be 30-40% higher so most likely this was a one off for us.

 

[complawyer]

you are absolutely correct, the garden villa  suites on any of the ncl ships are amazing, and with 7 people sharing the costs it's certainly doable.

 

for any group less than 4 people it's probably way out of reach 

[Waverunner1]

18 hours ago, kismet618 said:

We love Aft Balcony cabins. There is nothing like staring out and just seeing our wake 😊. 

Agree! Memorizing! 

[gymbomb]

That is a tough question! I really like aft facing balconies. But I also really like the family suites with balconies on the Star (there are only a few of them on Deck 12).

[complawyer]

2 bedroom family suite, any ncl ship

[FLcruisergrl]

On 9/2/2020 at 9:13 PM, BayouDoc said:

Garden Villa on the Dawn.  Over 5,000 sq ft.  2 of the 3 bedrooms are more like owners suites with large rooms, big windows, and huge bathrooms.  The 3rd bedroom is also nice, more like a penthouse room.  There is a large living area with a player baby grand piano, dining table for 8, and a kitchenette or bar depending which GV you have (we had the kitchenette).  Large tinted one-way windows overlook the pool deck.  The room is 1/2 the width of the ship.  There is a large open patio area with outside table for 8 and another table for 4,  a full size hot tub, and a steam room.  This area opens via a locked door to the sports deck.  From this outside patio area there is a stairway up to your private sundeck which is about 1/2 the size of a tennis court.  A full bar with blender, ice, mixers, and 6 bottles of liquor was included.  We were treated like royalty wherever we went on the ship.  At the end of the cruise we were personally escorted past all the lines to customs and then to included minibus (with refreshments) for transportation to our hotel.  This was in 2016 and the cost per person for 7 of us was about the same as if we were in 3 penthouse suites.  The prices now seem to be 30-40% higher so most likely this was a one off for us.

 

We’re in a GV on the Dawn next month and can’t wait!  This is definitely a once in a lifetime trip.

[SpainAlien]

12108 forward facing Haven suite on the Joy suited us perfectly. It is very similar to the two bedroom suite but without the second bedroom. If there are only two of you the second bedroom is pointless anyway

[ChiefMateJRK]

Inside.  I can give the extra $$$ to somebody who has more need and may never have the privilege of setting foot on one of these floating fun ships.  I still have a nice place to sleep and shower and have a fantastic time, possibly more fun than some others who think cruising is all about what cabin you're sleeping in.

[complawyer]

chiefmate jrk: while i certainly appreciate your point of view, i think having a balcony to sit and relax on, watch the ocean drift past, observe the ship pulling into and out of the ports, and of course watching the sunrise or sunset totally enhances the entire cruise experience.

 

actually, when i pick a cruise, its for the itinerary and paying a few extra $$$ to be able to sit on the balcony and take pictures does it for me. most of the time i dont even care about the other activities, unless my wife drags me to bingo.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

chiefmate jrk: while i certainly appreciate your point of view, i think having a balcony to sit and relax on, watch the ocean drift past, observe the ship pulling into and out of the ports, and of course watching the sunrise or sunset totally enhances the entire cruise experience.

 

actually, when i pick a cruise, its for the itinerary and paying a few extra $$$ to be able to sit on the balcony and take pictures does it for me. most of the time i dont even care about the other activities, unless my wife drags me to bingo.

I had a balcony on my last cruise and never sat out there.  Sure, it was a cheap novelty, but I would honestly rather enjoy the sunset, docking, etc. from the observation lounge or buffet (Encore).  Just a contrarian view, and not meant to suggest that others shouldn't book a balcony if that means a lot to them. 😎

[complawyer]

we, on the other hand utilize the balcony a great deal.  even in the middle of the night, i'll get up go on the balcony and just watch the night. besides, its difficult to take good photos of the setting sun from the inside of the lounge (something else i rarely if ever use) 

 

but, i guess if you enjoy the cruise (regardless of the cabin type) that's what is most important, so, chiefmatejrk, on your next cruise, "BON VOYAGE" whichever cabin you may be in!

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 1/23/2022 at 10:46 PM, complawyer said:

even in the middle of the night, i'll get up go on the balcony and just watch the night.

You triggered a dormant brain cell.  Two cruises ago,  I got up in the middle of the night (around 3:00 am) and dragged my sorry butt up to the top deck.  Why?  We were sailing back into Port Canaveral and a launch was scheduled.  It may have been greatly delayed... Anyhow, some expert told the small crowd that they had to be on the left side of the ship to see it.  Huh??  We found a spot on the right railing and enjoyed a fantastic sight (while being amused by all the rats scurrying to places on the starboard side where they could see it....)

[weltek]

Just to give some variety to the discussion from someone who hasn't sailed in any room higher than a mini-suite/club balcony suite, I'll note some "unique" rooms we've enjoyed.

M6 (large balcony mini-suite) deck 8 on Escape was my fave due to the large balcony and proximity to my favorite venues: Food Republic and the District Brewhouse. It felt like it's own small wing of the ship with back door entrances to the venues. I preferred that room over the B6 (large forward balcony) on the Getaway for that factor. The other things (larger bathroom) with the M6 weren't a big deal to me. A fun thing about the B6 on the Getaway is that it was directly under the bridge that had a clear floor on the overhang, so we could check each other out at any time. LOL!

I liked our shallow/wide Inside on Deck 9 of the Star. Seemed easier to navigate the room with two people. And those inside cabin vacation naps are THE BEST.

We had a forward oceanview (I forget the ship...Dawn maybe?) that was fun, with a pretty big window seat, but it was a porthole window, so not as big of a view. 

 

But yeah, I 100% envy those of you that have enjoyed some huge balconies and big sweeping views of some of those suite staterooms! Someday I'll enjoy one...

[complawyer]

chiefmatejrk:  you see, if you would have had a balcony, you could have watched from there in your jammies, without having to drag your a** to the top deck.

 i imagine, that  once the rocket hits a certain point anyone could have observed its trajectory from either side,

 

i rest my case, but again, here's hoping you enjoy the cruise itself, regardless of the cabin category

[P_Mcruisers]

We have sailed on Balcony's, Mini Suite's and Haven Suites. All NCL cruises.

 

My favorite is the Aft Penthouse on the Gem and Dawn.

We are booked for the 2023 January-February Panama Canal cruise (12 & 11 Day) and have booked  a Mini Suite on the Gem. And we plan to bid on the Haven Suites for each cruise.

 

The only negative I have for these rooms is during bad weather the Aft tends to more rocky.