Does size matter - Atrium wise?

[HeatherInFlorida]

................... I don't need to be fooled into thinking I'm not aboard a ship when I cruise. If I want Vegas, I'll go to Vegas. If I want a shopping mall (RCCL, with their central mall-like atrium), I'll go to a mall. If I want a ship, I'll go to HAL.

 

.........

This part of your post, noblepa, really says it all. Some of us are drawn to ships because we want to cruise on the sea with some wonderful ports thrown in. Some are drawn to the glitz and the glamour.

 

So both are provided. My only hope is we continue to have the affordable choice and the latter is not shoved down our throats.

[Atomica]

The first ship I was on, the Norwegian Wind, had no atrium at all - just a small (though nice) single story reception lobby.

 

I have to admit I like the atriums - bigger isn't necessarily better though. The Oosterdam's still ranks as one of my favorites, as does the NCL Sun - it was large and let in a huge amount of natural light from wraparound windows on the sides, and a skylight above. It was a great place to sit just for the light alone.

[gizmo]

I don't want a ship that might be mistaken for a Las Vegas hotel/casino. I like ships. I don't need to be fooled into thinking I'm not aboard a ship when I cruise. If I want Vegas, I'll go to Vegas. If I want a shopping mall (RCCL, with their central mall-like atrium), I'll go to a mall. If I want a ship, I'll go to HAL.

Mr. Gizmo has said this same thing many times. :)

[Copper10-8]

The look of the atrium or atria (thanks Noblepa, learned a new word;) ) doesn't pay any role in deciding a cruise or cruise ship for us. Having said that, the atria on some RCI and Princess ships with all the glass and natural sunlight coming in, are very impressive. HAL is not into large atria and took a more subdued approach. My favorite HAL atrium is the carillon (carrillion) that "plays" on the hour complete with moving parts, I believe on Zaandam but could be wrong. Please correct me if you can verify!

[jhannah]

My favorite HAL atrium is the carillon (carrillion) that "plays" on the hour complete with moving parts, I believe on Zaandam but could be wrong.

You got it! She's the one.

[Giorgi-one]

I believe that different cruise lines sell different products. For example, RCL and Carnival sell glitzy ships with atriums and promenades. I have never been on Carnival, but we were on the Freedom of the Seas last month. It is a beautiful ship with atriums at either end of the Promenade. They are obviously looking to attract families and people who love to do lots of activities on the ship. It is impressive (I am an engineer) but that's not what we look for on a cruise. We much prefer Celebrity which has very attractive ships and really great food. I think that HAL is closer to Celebrity but the Vista class ships do not compare with Celebrity Millenium Class in design or food. Both have great service. We are booked on Princess in January 2007 and it appears that they are somewhere between RCL/Carnival and Celebrity/HAL.

[bepsf]

Have stayed in a few hotels w/ big atria such as the Omni International in Atlanta (the one w/ the ice-skating rink), Luxor in Vegas & the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero here in SF (Remember Mel Brooks in High Anxiety - he could barely get from the elevator to his room w/ out having a panic attack due to his fear of heights!) - and I must say that Portman's Atruim-style is impressive when there is nothing else to recommend the place.

 

I prefer the smaller/more intimate hotels like The Clift here in SF, On The Ave in NYC and Hotel Max in Seattle - interesting yet cozy hotels in interesting places - and that's how I like my ships too.;)

[herb]

The size of a ship's Atrium has never made it to the list of things I judge my cruise on. Or maybe I've never felt the size of the Atrium impacted my cruise one way or the other.

 

I think most people use the atrium in order to get from place A to place B. Yes, the high atriums will get your attention and if you suffer from fear of heights you may want to avoid the area, but I don't think I've ever ever heard anyone choose a cruise based on the atrium.

 

Even those ships with huge atriums have cozy areas to relax. A big atrium does not automatically indicate huge cavernous public rooms. There are smaller public venues for those that seek peace and quiet. And even on the big ships there is a promenade area to gaze out at the open ocean and let your mind wander.

 

I'm sure that no matter which ship you choose you'll find your own "special place" to enjoy.. :)

[noblepa]

... A big atrium does not automatically indicate huge cavernous public rooms. There are smaller public venues for those that seek peace and quiet...

 

True, but I'll bet that a large atrium influences people's PERCEPTION of the public spaces on the ship. I was on the Carnival Glory, which has a huge 7 or 8 deck atrium. It is by far the most memorable public area on the ship. I'm sure that some of the posters who make negative comments about how claustrophobic HAL ships are, are being influenced by their memory of the enormous atrium on a CCL or RCCL ship. The rest of the public areas take a distant second place in your memory, so its easy to forget that the dining rooms and other public areas on HAL ships are just as big (or at least proportional to the passenger capacity) as on others.

 

OTOH, what some find "claustrophobic", I find cozy and intimate. I prefer the latter. I, too, am a victim of the phenomena I described. While you are absolutely right that ships like the Glory have their share of small nooks and private crannies, my mental image of her is of Grand Central Station.

 

Just my $0.02 worth. YMMV.

 

Paul Noble

[RevNeal]

A a "landmark" the Atrium serves a purpose. i.e. ... if you've gone through it you know you're either going the right or the wrong way. :) It's also a place to meet others before "going ashore." Etc.

 

However, for the most part I find it a waste of perfectly good space ... space that could have been alloted to make the Piano Bar, the Ocean Bar, the Pinnacle Bar, or the Crows Nest larger. :D

[herb]

I guess we're all guilty of wishing the areas we enjoy most were larger and don't quite understand why those areas we don't care for much are even there! :D

[karen2cruz]

Thanks for posing the question. An Atrium is not important to our cruise. It can be a distraction if too big, like on the Voyager class of RCCL, as well as their promenade (ie mall).

 

Right now itinerary is probably most important and then the total cruise "experince" (60%/40%). We loved everything about our first HAL cruise- ship, service, staterooms . What a wonderful time we had. I hope HAL keeps everything as is. Look forward to future cruises on HAL ships.

 

Maybe when my husband gets tired of diving:rolleyes: , the ships will outweigh the ports and we can just relax on HAL ships in our retirement.

[babyher]

I feel the same way, the atrium is a way to get from point A to point B. Most of the ones I have seen are very pleasent to look at while you are walking through. But I don't actually spend any time in them.

[Vic The Parrot]

It's just a multi-deck lobby ..... nothing special about it.

[RevNeal]

Noodam's atrium has 2 great bars - the Atrium & the Ocean. ;)

 

Actually, THREE great bars -- The Atrium, the Ocean, and the Pinnacle. :)