Choice of Stateroom

[Arielles]

Greetings Everyone. How does one figure out where to pick a stateroom? Thanks!

 

[darnheather]

First by members in your party then how much you want to pay then by what's available. Somehow, I've always gotten deck six starboard rear. Love it.

 

[southerngirl528]

Greetings Everyone. How does one figure out where to pick a stateroom? Thanks!

One consideration for lots of first time cruisers (sounds like you are??), is if anyone in the party gets motion sickness. Though most people do very well on cruises, lower decks and mid-ship locations are known to have a little less movement should the ship get into some rougher weather.

Sometimes those with children that will be in programming onboard prefer to be nice and close to the Kids Clubs for ease of checking the kids in and out.

As a rule, the higher the deck for a stateroom, the higher the price. There are a few exceptions of course.

 

[YawningDodo]

In all honesty, I let my TA pick my stateroom on my one cruise so far--but I feel like I have a better idea now what I like. A few thoughts to take into consideration:

• Forward vs. Aft: if anyone in your group is prone to motion sickness, you may find that aft staterooms have less noticeable motion. On the other hand, some people have reported engine vibration in the aft of some ships.
  
• Top, bottom, or middle: I was on deck 6 on the Magic and thought that was perfect, since the public spaces on that ship go from deck 3 to deck 10. Being on deck 6 meant that I only had three flights of stairs to go up or down. I found that the elevators were often crowded, but I've heard that if you go low (say, deck 2) you at least have first chance at the elevator before it fills up. My preference would still be to be somewhere in the middle.
  
• Sound: Some people have reported being able to hear the music and sound effects from the theater if their room is directly above it. That may not be a problem if you don't go to bed early, but if there are any rehearsals or special midnight screenings there may be sound outside of normal show hours.
  
• Laundry rooms: I've also read some reports that being across from a laundry room can be annoying, as there may be extra noise from foot traffic and the door opening and closing.
• Proximity to high-use areas: the one thing I thought could have been better about my location was that my aft room was positioned near the dining rooms but far from the adults-only lounges--and I ended up spending more time in the adults-only areas than anywhere else. Consider reading up on different areas on your ship on DCL's website, then look at a deck plan to see what rooms are near the spaces you expect to access the most often (as southerngirl528 pointed out, convenience to the kids' clubs might be a factor if you have children).

Or...if you're booking through a TA, just pick your category and let them figure it out. At the end of the day, you're on a Disney ship one way or another. I might prefer deck 6 over switching to deck 2, but deck 2 is still the same cruise.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Greetings Everyone. How does one figure out where to pick a stateroom? Thanks!

Different people have different preferences. It just depends on what is most important for you. What type of room do you want: inside, oceanview, or verandah? Does anyone in your party get motion sick? Do you want to be closer to the pool deck, the main dining rooms, the kids clubs, or some other location? Do you want an extended verandah?

We've had inside, oceanview, and verandah staterooms. We've been aft, midship, and forward. We've been on decks 2, 6, 7, and 9. Over time, we've developed some preferences. We prefer midship or forward and a middle deck. While our staterooms on decks 2 and 9 were great, I enjoy a location where we are more equally distant from the restaurants, theatres, and pool deck. And we find the movement of the ship is much more noticable (at least for us) in the aft of the ship so we now avoid those staterooms. But I know a lot of people that really enjoy the aft rooms. To each their own.

 

[GPaLarry]

Once again, if you are doing an Alaska cruise, do not get the first five or six 8000 or 7000 staterooms. During our glacier day (dead calm in the water) we were in 8004-6 (adjoining with daughter's family) and the smoking section was just above us and smoke and ashes came down on our verandah like snow...kind of like the Frozen deck show. Yuck! If smoke is an issue with you, be sure to check where these areas are on the ship before you select your stateroom.

 

[Ravenne]

Once again, if you are doing an Alaska cruise, do not get the first five or six 8000 or 7000 staterooms. During our glacier day (dead calm in the water) we were in 8004-6 (adjoining with daughter's family) and the smoking section was just above us and smoke and ashes came down on our verandah like snow...kind of like the Frozen deck show. Yuck! If smoke is an issue with you, be sure to check where these areas are on the ship before you select your stateroom.

Now that I read this again... I accidentally stumbled upon the port side, forward smoking area and thought of you, and what you said. I went back to look, and the area was mostly enclosed...shielded is perhaps a better word, with glass. I don't know if that's new or not since it was my first time on the Wonder. I mean, I wouldn't think it's new. People were sitting down in the red circled area in the attached pic to smoke. I don't know if and how it would affect the verandahs on decks 8 and 7 since it's somewhat shielded?

 

[DietCokeMommy]

We stayed aft (but as far forward as you can be and still be aft) on deck 7 of the Wonder and loved it. It was a quick 2 flights up to deck 9 where you’d be right at Cabana’s and the drink stations. Even with Cabanas there, we found it much easier getting an aft elevator vs a mid ship elevator. It was also a quick trip down to the dining rooms.

Our particular room was also directly across from the laundry room, though the entrance was a little further down. I thought it was great. I didn’t notice much traffic and I didn’t even plan on doing any laundry but it was so convenient.

It was a verandah room which also totally spoiled us. Every morning we’d open the doors and see what the weather was like. And we spent time out there while our kids napped and after they went to bed. And it was starboard so no issues with smoke and we even had a prime spot for fireworks and no notice not to go out on the verandah.

We plan to cruise again on the Wonder in 2020 on a B2B and I’m super tempted to get the same exact room. Just not sure I can justify the verandah price for 11 days of cruising

 

[FigmentSpark]

Which ship?

I found this to be a good place to start:

For the Fantasy:
https://cruiseadvice.org/CruiseShips/BestCabins.aspx?ShipName=disney+fantasy

Dream:
https://cruiseadvice.org/CruiseShips/BestCabins.aspx?ShipName=disney+dream

For the Magic, try here:
https://cruiseadvice.org/CruiseShips/BestCabins.aspx?ShipName=disney+magic

Wonder:
https://cruiseadvice.org/CruiseShips/BestCabins.aspx?ShipName=disney+wonder

 

[southerngirl528]

OP, you still there?

 

[GPaLarry]

Now that I read this again... I accidentally stumbled upon the port side, forward smoking area and thought of you, and what you said. I went back to look, and the area was mostly enclosed...shielded is perhaps a better word, with glass. I don't know if that's new or not since it was my first time on the Wonder. I mean, I wouldn't think it's new. People were sitting down in the red circled area in the attached pic to smoke. I don't know if and how it would affect the verandahs on decks 8 and 7 since it's somewhat shielded?

When we were on it, last June, that area of the Wonder was open, smokers were lined up hanging over the railing and we had a trashed verandah below. Notified Guest Services and they put a pole/rope barricade up that kept smokers away from the railing. We still got smoke but no ashes, slight improvement. When you are moving you don't notice it, but when stopped with no wind, beware. There was no shield at that time. I yelled up at the smokers to move back which helped for 10 minutes. If they would move all the smoking areas aft, into engine room or on a dinghy hauled behind the ship I would be happy. DCL stated at the time that the smoking areas were, "for the convenience of all of our guests." They didn't add, "at the expense of a few others."

 

[k3chantal]

Greetings Everyone. How does one figure out where to pick a stateroom? Thanks!

First by members in your party then how much you want to pay then by what's available. Somehow, I've always gotten deck six starboard rear. Love it.

This is perfect and true. For us, because of our family size (5) and the fact that we want a verandah, DCL usually gives us two choices to pick from. The cost difference is usually around $300 dollars. We do tend to want to be higher and more mid-ship. We have always been happy with what we have been assigned.......

 

[ChicosWife]

Greetings Everyone. How does one figure out where to pick a stateroom? Thanks!

Our first cruise, it was solely based upon price, so we got an inside stateroom with a magic porthole (so we felt like we had an "ocean" view). Our next cruise, we wanted the large (real) porthole to look out of, so we looked at our options for that and stayed at the lower cost end of oceanview rooms. Some people prefer higher decks, for some reason, which means higher price, but our oceanview room was on deck 2 and we loved it.

A big factor also, was stateroom reviews and which side of the ship we wanted to look out of and see the ports.

Hope that helps.

 

[RedSox68]

In 16 cruises, we have always stayed aft or mid-aft. Only on one cruise, the Wonder 10-night Southern Caribbean cruise, did we have a forward room and it did not work well. I got seasick and the motion of the bow going up and down was not fun (for me).

 

[Frozen2014]

In 16 cruises, we have always stayed aft or mid-aft. Only on one cruise, the Wonder 10-night Southern Caribbean cruise, did we have a forward room and it did not work well. I got seasick and the motion of the bow going up and down was not fun (for me).

Was just going to comment that I think the higher and more forward you go, the more motion. We try for mid ship (top to bottom) and will book mid or aft. Actually, first time trying aft in August so hoping movement is minimal there too.

 

[Ravenne]

When we were on it, last June, that area of the Wonder was open, smokers were lined up hanging over the railing and we had a trashed verandah below. Notified Guest Services and they put a pole/rope barricade up that kept smokers away from the railing. We still got smoke but no ashes, slight improvement. When you are moving you don't notice it, but when stopped with no wind, beware. There was no shield at that time. I yelled up at the smokers to move back which helped for 10 minutes. If they would move all the smoking areas aft, into engine room or on a dinghy hauled behind the ship I would be happy. DCL stated at the time that the smoking areas were, "for the convenience of all of our guests." They didn't add, "at the expense of a few others."

Wow, I guess they did listen to feedback. I'm guessing people complained enough about it, which if I had your experience, I would be very upset considering I'm allergic to smoke (not just cigarettes, but wildfires, etc too.) I appreciate DCL trying to please everyone, and giving smokers options at forward and aft, but it's really rough when it affects non smokers and verandahs that are at a pricey premium in the first place.

 

[RedSox68]

Was just going to comment that I think the higher and more forward you go, the more motion. We try for mid ship (top to bottom) and will book mid or aft. Actually, first time trying aft in August so hoping movement is minimal there too.

We have been almost all the way back on several ships and the motion never caused me any problems in aft. Only one ship (one of the HAL ships) had a weird vibration, but you could feel that all throughout the ship, even in the dining rooms. They say if you are prone to being seasick, you should book a mid- mid room -- mid ship and mid deck, but I have never had a problem being close to the water line or 8 decks above it. I don't feel any difference in movement. Only that forward room got me that one time.

 

[Frozen2014]

We have been almost all the way back on several ships and the motion never caused me any problems in aft. Only one ship (one of the HAL ships) had a weird vibration, but you could feel that all throughout the ship, even in the dining rooms. They say if you are prone to being seasick, you should book a mid- mid room -- mid ship and mid deck, but I have never had a problem being close to the water line or 8 decks above it. I don't feel any difference in movement. Only that forward room got me that one time.

Thank you for commenting. I've never been in aft but have 3 cruises booked all in that section (but made sure not to book forward). Mid is not available in our stateroom categories. The rooms are not super aft....about mid way so hopefully no strong vibrations (tend to feel some vibration even mid ship)

 

[southerngirl528]

Is our OP still around? Hope so! Lots of good feedback in answer to their question....

 

[RedSox68]

Thank you for commenting. I've never been in aft but have 3 cruises booked all in that section (but made sure not to book forward). Mid is not available in our stateroom categories. The rooms are not super aft....about mid way so hopefully no strong vibrations (tend to feel some vibration even mid ship)

I think you will love it, plus that location tends to be out of the way of foot traffic, and is convenient to restaurants above and below.

Tip: If you are on the Fantasy or Dream, we discovered a tip that lessens the mind-boggling length back to your room if you embark forward at ports. Go up to the guest services deck, then walk aft to the elevators. Rather then walking down what seems like endless hallways of rooms, you will be out in an open space with windows and an easier walk to aft.