Cabin size question

[mrsrocster]

Hello,

 

My husband, son and I will be in a cat VD on the Westerdam this coming week before Christmas. We are thinking of adding a 4th person (adult) to our room and are wondering if it will be cramped for us. We all get along just great etc..., but the last time we cruised together, our cabin was 75 square feet larger (including the balcony).

 

Opinions from past pax that stayed in a cat VD on the Westerdam would be much appreciated! Even if it was only two people, I'd like your opinions.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Michelle

[seadrifter]

For what it is worth... My DH, son and I were in an SS on the Westerdam last summer. You don't state how old your son it, but I would suspect that a VD for three adults and a child would be rather cramped, and the bathroom situation would be difficult. The SS was adequate for the three of us; I wouldn't have wanted a smaller space. Hope this helps. Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise. The Westerdam is wonderful.

[FlorenceItaly]

in December, and imo, it is too small for 4 people.

 

Marie

[flapr]

I tend to agree with the others -- kind of cramped for 3 adults & a child. This is based on our Oosterdam experience last October in a VA (2 adults).

[grannynurse]

A regular veranda outside on a vista class ship only has a single fold-out sleep sofa. Look to see its designation (sleeps 3) as some veranda cabins do not have sleep sofas.

The vista veranda cabins are smaller than the S and R class by about 30 sq ft and are approx 250 sq ft. IMO way too small for 4 people, especially with 1 bathroom. The bigger suite cabins have an extra shower stall as well as a tub and shower. It may be just as inexpensive to book an S suite with the promos they have now for 3rd and 4th passengers in a suite. Have your TA check for you, the prices are good until 2/28/06.

GN

[bepsf]

You know the old saying "2's company and 3's a crowd"?

They were referring to a VD stateroom...

;)

 

I'd find a 5th, get an adjacent stateroom and let your son bounce around between the two.

[mrsrocster]

Thanks all for the quick replies! My son is 14. I will do some checking on larger cabins and see what happens. Lets hope the deals are there for us, cross your fingers!

 

Michelle

[flashdog_1]

Some people live with a smaller space on an inside or an ocean view with 4 people, so if you have the desire, I'm sure you'll find a way, whether you keep your current cabin or upgrade to a larger one. Have fun. Don't forget that some men will use the shower in the pool dressing room while the ladies use the one in the cabin, to save space. Just a thought.

 

No, I personally have never had more than 3 in a cabin, which worked with a pull out sofa in a concierge class on Millenium (192 sq ft only). It was tight, but we didn't have bathroom issues, although I booked a cabin near enough to use the pool shower just in case we did (no one did that, though).

[mcduck]

We were in a VC on the Westerdam last Christmas. I think that it would be tight, but manageable for three, but four adults would be HAL's version of a sardine can.

[goldenshroom]

What if one adult is small anf the other is real skinny? Would that make it less crowded?...

JUST KIDDING.

I see that some of the VD cabins are Quads, I imagine by sofa bed and a bed that drops from the ceiling or wall?

I wish there was someone that has posted a picture of a cabin like that.

[dsawyer]

We have a VH guarantee on the new Noordam 3/25/06 cruise. First, I find out we may very well have an all steel balcony. Then I find out I might not have a bathtub. Next, I find that we will probably be over a lounge which will provide noise until midnight. Now I find that those cabins are very small.

 

Are Verandah cabins large enough for 2 people? :eek:

 

If I wind up with a VF forward cabin on the Upper Promenade Deck, am I going to be miserable? :confused: Is there anything GOOD about those cabins?

[goldenshroom]

According to the HAL website, http://www.hollandamerica.com/fleet/deckPlan.do?ship=no&deck=up&year=next

the VH and VF cabins have the steel veranda railings. All 4 of the VH cabins and only 4 of the VF do not have bathtubs, just a shower. However the overall room size appears to be the same and should be plenty large enough for two people.

Odds are very good that will not end up in either one of those without the bathtub, but could end up in one with the Steel railings as there are 26 of them (not counting the other 8 without the the bathtubs).

If the price is right, then why not, your on a ship!;)

[dsawyer]

Thanks for your encouragement. You and HeatherinFlorida are the only posters on this board who have given us the impression that we might actually enjoy our cabin. :cool:

[cruisequeen10]

Back in the 1980's I went on an Alaskan cruise (on the old Sun Princess) with my aunt, mother and sister. We all shared the same cabin. We always made a joke of when 1 person was in the cabin dressing the other 3 would be standing out in the hall waiting. I would never have more than 2 people in a cabin, unless it was the deluxe suite. Of course if it a money issue, then you have no choice. I always had the bottom bunk, so have had no experience of being in the upper bunk. My sister had to be up there and she said she would never do that again. She kept on bumping her head and was very near the ceiling.

[KalenaD]

We stayed in a VA on the Westerdam in Dec. We usually book an outside so this was our first balcony. It is just fine for 2 people. What we thought was funny is, that although the room itself is bigger than an outside, the floorspace seemed about the same because they just put more furniture in the room.

dsawyer, I think you will have no problems with a balcony room for two, we loved ours and have booked another on the Zuiderdam for this coming Dec. Have fun on the NEW ship.

[dsawyer]

Thanks so much for the info on the verandah cabins. I am once again looking forward to my cabin. :cool:

[Captain Crunch]

2 per cabin or stay home

[mrsrocster]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the comments and opinions!

 

For us, we have to take my 14yr old son, he will always be in the equation (until he moves out in about 4 more years! lol). The 4th pax would be my MIL. She has been a widow for just barely over a year and there is absolutely no one that can join her so they could get their own cabin. We have run through the list of possible choices and its just not going to happen. The cost for her to get her own cabin is just too large as she is on a fixed (very fixed) income. Our choices are slim. The cost to upgrade to a larger cabin (suite) is double what we have right now. Thats a bit steep for us at the moment (for the foreseeable future). I know we shouldn't worry about money when it comes to a cruise, buuutttt........we have to.

 

Remember, if anyone has any actual photos of a cat VD cabin, we'd love to see them. We don't want to see the artist renderings or outside shots, just actual inside shots of an actual cat VD cabin.

 

To those that have booked balconies, you will love them! Whether they have steel walls or glass walls! Really! We had a steel enclosed balcony on the Veendam a few years ago and really loved it! We also had a glass walled balcony on a Princess ship last year and loved it! The problem with the glass walls is that they are dirty from the sea spray and the stewards usually don't clean them (on the outside). Yeah, you can still see the water etc... while sitting, but c'mon....its a balcony! You will love it!

 

Thanks again everyone!

Michelle

[seadrifter]

Again, for what it is worth... I would hate for you to give up on this cruise and from personal experience I know that once you start adding to your group (i.e., a mother or mother-in-law) it is hard to go back.

 

Might you consider an inside cabin for your son and MIL to share and the VD for you and DH. That way you have two bathrooms and comfortable sleeping for everyone.

[julia]

Michelle:

There are ways for you to all enjoy your cabin, no matter how small it may be, by just establishing some ground rules up front. Plan to be in the cabin in "shifts" - showering, dressing, etc. No more than two at at time. Be quick & organized. Pack light, keep things neat and hang out in the public areas of the ship. Plan ahead to be cramped and laugh about it. Your son & MIL will both benefit from this time together. Please don't stress your budget over this... go & have a good time, ok? This does not have to be a "deal breaker".

[mrsrocster]

Julia,

 

Thanks for the advice and ideas! The good thing with us is both my husband and MIL are early risers and are out of the cabin before my son and I even 'think' of getting up! :rolleyes: It ends up working out great for us because that split schedule gets us out of each others hair. My son tends to do his own thing with the kids so he's on a different dinner schedule. That makes it just the three of us to get ready and it shouldn't be too bad.

 

By the way, I used to live in the San Diego area, my son was born there. We moved to FL in Dec. 1993 (my ex-husband was in the Navy and stationed in San Diego). I just love it there and want to go back and show my son where he was born and to show my new husband all of the wonderful things about San Diego.

 

Michelle

[flapr]

Michelle,

 

Earlier on the thread, I expressed, IMHO, that I thought it would be a bit crowded for you folks. However, after reading that your family has a plan to work around wake-up time, I believe that you folks will be just fine and have a blast.

 

Like someone mentioned, do travel light, as the storage we felt was just about right for 2 adults. We flew to the West Coast and packed light, still the storage situation was a bit tight for us.

 

Enjoy, and do not stay home just because you may not be able to swing a larger or 2 cabins.

 

Happy Sailing!!