Connecting Rooms

[Oca]

I just noticed that on an upcoming cruise (on the Nieuw Amsterdam), we are booked in a connecting room. We are not traveling with anyone else.

 

My questions are: Are there any negatives to being booked in one of these cabins? Is there a connecting door in your cabin that can open directly into someone else's stateroom (and maybe because of this would noises travel more easily?) or are the cabins just 'connected' by means of the balcony? And is there a barrier between the balconies -- as there are on the others -- or are the 2 balconies actually 1?

 

I am assuming that a connecting room on any of the HAL ships would be pretty much the same, so I would appreciate anyone's input. However, if these cabins differ across the fleet, then I guess this question is directed more towards those who are familiar with the Eurodam.

 

Obviously the ship in question being the Nieuw Amsterdam, there is still time to change our cabin but I would rather not if there is really no problem.

 

Thanks for your help!

[DS Voyager]

I was booked into a connecting cabin on the Veendam (120 on Verandah Deck) back in May 1997, and I had very few problems with the door (it was about as soundproof as the walls, so depending upon how rowdy your neighbours in the adjacent cabin are, it won't be too much of a problem). The connecting door is only unlocked and opened if you have booked the connecting rooms. I do not believe the verandah barriers between the verandahs can be opened (please correct me if I am wrong). They may have an "opening" (about a couple inches or so) at the bottom of the barrier, but this isn't too much of a problem, since its mainly for drainage purposes.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the Nieuw Amsterdam -- like the Eurodam -- there is a small door on the balcony that can be opened between the 2 cabins.

But you do not have to request them to be opened since your neighbors are not your friends or family.

I haven't seen the those rooms myself, but someone mentioned that the sofa is a little smaller to allow for the connecting doors in those cabins.

Other than that -- no difference in cabins.

[K&RCurt]

We had a 'connecting" room on the Westerdam and had absolutly no issue with noise.

 

The door was on the wall that did not have the sofa, basically at the foot of the bed. I have no idea what might be in theat area in a 'non connecting' room, but whetever it might be, we didn't miss it!.

 

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe ALL of the verandas on the Vista ships / Eurodam have the little area that can be opened up between adjoining verandas.

[SarasMommy]

We had a connecting room on the Volendam in April and also had no issues with sound. I believe order to open into the next cabin you would have to open the door and your neighbour would have a door as well to open, so really there are two doors between the cabins. I actually found it handy to have the door handle as an extra place to hang things like my purse!

[Boytjie]

We have had conencting cabins on the Amsterdam, Zuiderdam and Eurodam. In the case of the last two we had friends next door so we had the balcony partition opened between the two and we used the connecting doors. It did not infringe on seating area as it was around the foot of the bed. We never heard much noise through the set of double door; not anymore than we have heard in a non-connecting cabin (some loud voices or TV late at night) or noise from loud people right outside the cabin.

[RuthC]

I've was in a connecting cabin on the E-dam (inside; Main Deck). The poster who thought there are two doors is correct. There is a doorknob and deadbolt lock on each door, but one side of the door only.

The sides of the doors that face each other have no knobs or lock. Each party must open from their own side. It's as quiet as walls.

[bigwally]

We had a connecting cabin and could definitely hear noise from the door opening in a "directional" manner, if you understand what I'm getting at. Had the doors been as quiet as the walls we wouldn't have been able to distinguish or pinpoint where noise was entering our room.

 

Now as to if the noise was any more amplified than a room without connecting doors, that I couldn't say, since we weren't able to make a comparison.

 

Edit: I should probably point out that I'm very sensitive to ambient noise, and have to sleep with earplugs to get a decent night. Otherwise night-time "white noise" will keep me awake (not to mention the wife's snoring).

[elycelynne]

Before I finally decided on which cabin to book for my upcoming December cruise, I was advised that if the occupants on the other side of the doors were smokers that there was then the possibility of the smell of cigarette smoke drifting into my cabin from under the doors. Just something else to consider in case you're especially sensitive to smoke.