Choosing a room on Spirit

[LakeGoddess]

Another question from a Newbie....

 

I found good prices (I think) and now need help selecting a room. We will be going with a balcony room.

 

Choices are decks 9, 10 and 11. I've eliminated deck 10- where the kids pool and child care are located.

 

Is it best to be higher up (11 vs 9)?

 

Some rooms show max of 3 and some 2 guests. Is either more spacious? Is it best to not have the upper bunk if you don't need it?

 

It seems like it would be nice to be closer to an elevator- true?

 

I guess I don't understand the system - BA is the cheapest, but BE is less than BD.

 

Any advice is appreciated!

[garycarla]

In the eyes of the cruiseline, BA is better than BB, etc. In reality, this is not always true. Cruiselines and many people seem to think a higher deck is better. Never quite figured that out.

 

As far as motion is concerned, midships and lower are the best, if that is an issue with you.

 

Being close to elevators might be nice. But, sometimes you are heading in the opposite direction. By the way, some of us rarely use the elevators and take the stairs - only exercise we get for the week of eating.

 

As to the 2 vs 3 rooms - this is most often due to extra bunk that comes down from the wall or ceiling. Room will be the same size.

 

Which deck? I would look at deck plans and try to not be under something that could be noisy. A deck between other cabins is our best bet.

 

In summary, midships is best, avoid noise above you, location near stairs or elevator are of marginal value.

[red lobster]

I have learned to look above and below the area I want to book, just to make sure there isn't a bar or casino where there will be late night activities going on.

[luddite]

I have learned to look above and below the area I want to book, just to make sure there isn't a bar or casino where there will be late night activities going on.

 

Exactly. deck 10 will only have staerooms above and below. 9 or 11 could have something to wake you up or keep you up above or below. Look at the layout.

Elevators create foot-traffic. It's not that bad, but there is always the chance of noise affecting your sleep. That would be the only drawback.

[itzmered]

We were in cabin 9126 last week. Close to the elevators so making it quick to get around the ship. I also loved the fact that the pilot boats pulled up right under our cabin to pick up the pilot. That was a lot of fun to see.

[snedecor]

Cabin 9196 was not pleasant for us. We got it on a GTY, so we paid less than a "pick your own" cabin.

 

It is below the kids club on deck 10. In the afternoon and evening, you can hear the kids romping around.

 

It is above and next to the theater Decks 7 and 8. In the evening, you can hear (and feel) the music from the shows.

 

It is also a connecting cabin with the cabin forward. The cabin occupants were *HEAVY* smokers and the smoke infiltrated into our cabin at all hours of the day and night.

 

The vent cover in the bathroom over the toilet wound up twice laying in the toilet, thankfully not when we were using the toilet.

 

 

Other than that, it was fine!

[AWEST84532]

We were on the Spirit the first week of 2010 midship on deck 11. There was a lot of noise from the deck above; people walking, chairs moving, cleaning and the like. The DW snores, so I wear earplugs, so the noise didn't bother me too much. My wife's snoring doesn't bother her, so she doesn't wear earplugs and the noise did bother her. It wasn't a deal breaker or anything. We had a great cruise and would go again. However, I would choose a cabin on deck 9 or 10, mid-ship, and several cabins around the corner and down the wall from the elevators and the stairs and away from the immediate area of the kid's club.

[oldfeller]

We were in Cabin 9089 at Christmas and even with a full ship and lots of kids on board, it was quiet with no issues.

[WELLDOITAGAIN]

We had cabin 11160, Deck 11 right under the aft wall of Raffles. I think it's a BC. It was quiet, and very convenient to the magnificent aft of this ship, kids pool, Raffles (indoor and outdoor) buffet and bar, plus the stairs and aft elevators. I would shoot for something in that general area.

 

I'm pretty sure most balcony rooms on the Spirit have a fold out couch/loveseat for the third bed.

[Toyz711]

BA is usually the most expensive, BD less. on our cruise the BD was a lot less then any of the other balconies. our cabin was 9636. it's a connecting room, but we never heard a peep out of our neighbors (no smoke smell either) the great thing about this cabin, there are no inside cabin across the hall. it's a crew area (but no noise). the hallway traffic, well, there was none. the cabin is between the mid and aft elevators. very easy to get either direction.

all the balconies cabins (except the few that were just created at drydock) are the same size. when the loveseat/couch is folded out...it blocks the way to the balcony.

[newt98]

we had a room by the elevator last year, and people like to hang out around the elevators and b.s. plus we could hear the dong of the elevator also.

[sottovoce]

I have learned to look above and below the area I want to book, just to make sure there isn't a bar or casino where there will be late night activities going on.

And this is why deck 10 is the most desirable on Spirit. There are staterooms above and below. I wouldn't "eliminate" it.

[Coasty]

We were lucky to select 11000 on a 13 day Spirit cruise. Forward of us were Officer quarters and when we were on the Balcony we could look right into the bridge. We were concerned about the Galaxy Room above us, but only heard a few sound from there during the evening. Would book again or 11500.

[Dothemath]

So, from what I am reading...I am going to be hearing the casino all night...hmmmm. Can anyone with experience with these cabins tell me just how bad it is?

[CTCruisers]

We prefer deck 9. It is a few flights up to topside and the buffet. And.. a few flights down the stairs to the main decks for the show and dining rooms.

[JPAU]

We were in 11560 in 08 which seemed to be under the gym. One morning awoke to the sound of a treadmill at around 0600 and one late night the same thing. This year we're in 11570.

[dfwguy62]

I just left cabin 11590 on the Spirit. It was close to the middle elevators and only a short walk to the buffet, which I liked. But not so close to it that I heard the noise of people traffic at the elevator/stairs. However, as others have noted, I was below the pool deck and heard the arranging of deck chairs early every morning above me. It wasn't awful, and I was usually awake that early anyway getting ready for the day, but if you plan on sleeping in, you will likely hear the pool deck noises to some extent. I would probably opt for a floor with cabins above and below. I also would not rule out the entire deck with the kids center/pool on it. That's near the rear of the ship, and anything mid to front on that floor really wasn't affected as near as I could tell.

[mactrio]

We were in rm 10160, right at the door opening to the elevator and stairway area. The kids crew area was 3 doors away and we never heard a peep from the kids crew. Every now and then we'd hear someone by the elevator but it was a clean,comfy room. The balcony was nice and we didn't ever hear anyone above us.

[kittymommax4]

Cabin 9196 was not pleasant for us. We got it on a GTY, so we paid less than a "pick your own" cabin.

 

It is below the kids club on deck 10. In the afternoon and evening, you can hear the kids romping around.

 

It is above and next to the theater Decks 7 and 8. In the evening, you can hear (and feel) the music from the shows.

 

It is also a connecting cabin with the cabin forward. The cabin occupants were *HEAVY* smokers and the smoke infiltrated into our cabin at all hours of the day and night.

 

The vent cover in the bathroom over the toilet wound up twice laying in the toilet, thankfully not when we were using the toilet.

 

 

Other than that, it was fine!

 

Hello. What does GTY stand for? I've been on cruise critic since last July, but still can't figure it out.

[dfwguy62]

Hello. What does GTY stand for? I've been on cruise critic since last July, but still can't figure it out.

 

GTY = Guarantee

 

A GTY cabin is purchased at a (usually slightly) lower price for a guarantee of a certain cabin class OR BETTER. You'll get the category of cabin you pay for, or better. But you don't get to pick which cabin and it might not end up being a better category than your guarantee. It all depends on what's available. So the risk is that you might be in in undesirable location in a better class than you paid for. Or in a bad location for the category you paid for. Or you might get lucky and get a great location that is 2 categories above what you paid for. You roll the dice.

[pengu1n]

Also, about guarantees: when you are booking, GTY is not always an option. It seems to me it doesn't show up until most of the rooms in that category are gone, and then I guess they only book a certain amount, because it stops being available. If you book the lowliest room, one that maybe there are only 4 or 8 cabins of, you're fairly likely to get upgraded. But, as dfwguy said, you may get a higher category, but it may not be better in your mind. For example, if you booked the lowest outside room, you could end up with an obstructed view outside. It's considered an upgrade, because it's on a higher deck.

[kittymommax4]

GTY = Guarantee

 

A GTY cabin is purchased at a (usually slightly) lower price for a guarantee of a certain cabin class OR BETTER. You'll get the category of cabin you pay for, or better. But you don't get to pick which cabin and it might not end up being a better category than your guarantee. It all depends on what's available. So the risk is that you might be in in undesirable location in a better class than you paid for. Or in a bad location for the category you paid for. Or you might get lucky and get a great location that is 2 categories above what you paid for. You roll the dice.

 

Thank you for your excellent & detailed explanation. I think I'd rather pick my cabin and not chance getting stuck at the front of the ship (not sure I'd like that) or with an obstructed view (are there obstruced views in the balcony categories?)

[kittymommax4]

We were in rm 10160, right at the door opening to the elevator and stairway area. The kids crew area was 3 doors away and we never heard a peep from the kids crew. Every now and then we'd hear someone by the elevator but it was a clean,comfy room. The balcony was nice and we didn't ever hear anyone above us.

 

Thinking about booking this exact cabin, and wondered about the child care center down the hall being a noise issue. Nice to know it wasn't for you.

[CRAFTCRUISER]

We have been on deck 10 2x already ...once in an inside forward,,,and the a aft Balcony in the new section...... we have an inside in the new section this yr for the repo again in Oct. very quiet there,,,but not many kids on the repo cruises...you have to take that into consideration...what time of the yr you are booking your cruise.

[kittymommax4]

We have been on deck 10 2x already ...once in an inside forward,,,and the a aft Balcony in the new section...... we have an inside in the new section this yr for the repo again in Oct. very quiet there,,,but not many kids on the repo cruises...you have to take that into consideration...what time of the yr you are booking your cruise.

 

June. Now thinking of saving money & booking an inside cabin. Oh the decisions one has to make!