I'm confused... aft balcony vs hump balcony?

[russianmom]

I haven't been on Celebrity in about 14 years. I was recently on NCL Jewel and Dawn where everyone raves about aft balconies... so I booked one for my upcoming cruise on the Eclipse.

 

Now I see posters on the Celebrity boards talking about "hump" location.

 

What does this mean?? Could someone give me the pros and cons of each?

 

Thanks so much!

[jerseygirl3]

I haven't been on Celebrity in about 14 years. I was recently on NCL Jewel and Dawn where everyone raves about aft balconies... so I booked one for my upcoming cruise on the Eclipse.

 

Now I see posters on the Celebrity boards talking about "hump" location.

 

What does this mean?? Could someone give me the pros and cons of each?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Aft cabins are very sought-after, desirable cabins...but only on certain classes of ships. Alas, Eclipse is not one of them. The M-class ships have wonderful aft balconies, but not the Solstice class, of which Eclipse is one. A hump cabin has larger balconies, so if one is available on Eclipse, I would recommend going for that. We booked a hump balcony cabin on Eclipse for our February cruise.

 

Jo-Ann

[merprincess]

We booked an aft balcony on the Solstice and am looking forward to being there! I think sometimes you have to try it out for yourself instead of going by what people say on these boards.

[Gonzo70]

Many people enjoy afts because of the views to both sides, the view of the wake and less foot traffic in the hallway. Also the ship blocks a lot of the wind, so that can be a plus too. On Celebrity the M-Class ships are highly coveted as they have massive balconies - about 6x or so the size of a side balcony. However on S-Class ships they are not really much bigger than side balconies and there are sporadic reports of the aft balconies sometimes getting soot on them. Other negatives of afts (for all ships) include longer walk to a lot of the common areas than if you are mid-ship, long walk to stairs/elevators on ships with no aft stairs/elevators, and you feel more motion than a mid ship location. On some ships, the afts also have significant vibration, especially while docking (i.e. Century).

 

On the S-Class the staterooms on the slanted portion of the hump (see for example 1610, 1608, 1606 on the Penthouse Deck for example) have balconies ranging from just under triple to just under double the size of a normal balcony. They are also near mid-ship, so convenient location, near stairs/elevators, and less movement. Most people see the afts on M-Class but the slanted portion of the hump on S-Class in terms of getting the best stateroom for your money.Though for some the appeal of the view off the aft still trumps the larger hump balconies on S-Class.

[russianmom]

Thank you everyone. I will try to change in the am. I also just realized that the "kids club" is at the absolute opposite end of the ship. That's a mighty loooong walk with a tired/sleeping 4 year old!!;)

[royalcruz]

I think the cabin numbers are the same as Solstice. We booked 1247 on Solstice because we read here that the balcony is huge and gets a little less wind because it is in the back of the hump.

[consumerliaison123]

Aft cabins are very sought-after, desirable cabins...but only on certain classes of ships. Alas, Eclipse is not one of them. The M-class ships have wonderful aft balconies, but not the Solstice class, of which Eclipse is one. A hump cabin has larger balconies, so if one is available on Eclipse, I would recommend going for that. We booked a hump balcony cabin on Eclipse for our February cruise.

 

Jo-Ann

do you know where I can purchase a cabin on s hump on celebrity silhouette for caribbean in march?

[royalcruz]

do you know where I can purchase a cabin on s hump on celebrity silhouette for caribbean in march?

 

What do you mean by where? If you are asking which cabins have the largest balconies, it is the first and third angled cabins from the straight section of the hump.

Edited August 19, 2011 by royalcruz

[kitkat9438]

You will love the Eclipse. It's my favorite ship. I thought about one of those aft cabins, but there aren't any rear elevators so it's a long walk as others have mentioned.

 

Here's the list for the cabins that are larger.

 

Resort Deck (C2): 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110 (Also good, but not as large: 2107, 2108, 2111, 2112)

Penthouse Deck (Aqua): 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610 (Also good, not as large: 1599, 1603, 1604, 1608)

Sky Deck (C2): 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck (1A): 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9266, 9270, 9292

Panorama Deck (C2): 9241, 9296

Vista Deck (1A): 8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8230, 8226, 8279, 8283, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck (1A): 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck (2C): 6155, 6156

Continental Deck (1A): 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

 

 

Here's a picture of the aft balconies on S class ships:

 

 

Side view:

 

 

I had 1606, Aqua class, which is one of the largest cabins on the hump. Here's a picture:

 

 

[MochaZen]

We traveled on the Equinox last year and had a ball.

 

To the OP: We were in 2153 (aft) and loved the location on the ship.. NO foot traffic and we were on the pool deck.

 

I admit noticing a bit more motion than I prefer, but some may not mind it. We visited a friend in aqua class mid ship. To me, it was like sailing on glass.... smooth. It felt as if we were on a totally different ship.

 

My next S class cruise.... I think I will try the hump! ;)

[stickks]

Kat,

 

Judy and I were on the cruise with you last year. I think we saw you guys at that beach in Cozemel. Too bad it was so cool that day, otherwise, nice beach there. We rebooked on the eclipse for 12/10 this year. Loved the ship. We are booked in CC room 9382. Aft cabin. We both thought it would be cool to have a different vantage point on the balcony. I thought about booking a sky suite, but in reality, the cost is just too high to justify an extra 100 or so square feet of room. Also thought about an aqua class, but again, we thought an aft cabin would be cool.

[ORV]

You will love the Eclipse. It's my favorite ship. I thought about one of those aft cabins, but there aren't any rear elevators so it's a long walk as others have mentioned.

 

Here's the list for the cabins that are larger.

 

Resort Deck (C2): 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110 (Also good, but not as large: 2107, 2108, 2111, 2112)

Penthouse Deck (Aqua): 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610 (Also good, not as large: 1599, 1603, 1604, 1608)

Sky Deck (C2): 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck (1A): 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9266, 9270, 9292

Panorama Deck (C2): 9241, 9296

Vista Deck (1A): 8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8230, 8226, 8279, 8283, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck (1A): 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck (2C): 6155, 6156

Continental Deck (1A): 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

 

 

Kathy,

 

Thanks for posting that list. I am considering a TA for fall 2012, and am thinking of booking while on board our Panama trip this fall. I am thinking my best bang per dollar is to book the Concierge Class to get the double dip credit toward Elite.(actually I would earn a triple with the length of the TA) With the 2 category upgrade for booking on board, I could go up to the C1 by paying for the C3. If I'm not mistaken all of the C1's are aft. I personally feel since none of the balconies are larger on the aft I would be better off just going up 1 cat and getting one of those larger C2s. Just a couple of questions for anyone that might know.

 

1. Are these numbers also the same for the other S class ships?

 

2. Are the C1's in the middle, 1206 and 9382 wider than the others, or is that just the angle of the picture? I don't think I noticed them in your post as a larger room.

 

3. Given my situation above, in the CC category, what would be the top 5 or 10 rooms I should try to book for this trip?

 

Sorry for the threadjack but felt this might be the best place for this question since it was already being discussed here. Anyone with any thoughts on this feel free to pass along your advice. Thanks

[Turtles06]

I have a question about applying the "first" and "third' off the hump rule for figuring out the largest balconies when you are looking at the Sky Deck (Deck 10), where, instead of 4 cabins on the forward slant off the hump, there are only three, because of a suite (eg. 1110 in Kitkat's picture above) that occupies the same space taken up by cabins 1 and 2 off the hump on the deck below.

 

Is it correct that on the Sky Deck, the middle of the three cabins on that forward slant off the hump (for example, 1108 in the picture above) is the same as the "third cabin off the hump" on the deck below (eg. 9266) -- in other words, one of the largest balconies (for a non-suite)?

 

Put another way, going by the rule of thumb, the balcony of 1108 is bigger than the balcony of 1106, correct?

 

I'm a newbie to Celebrity, and all this cabin info is very helpful. I did look at the Solstice cabin sticky, so I think I'm correct, but this thread seems a good place to get confirmation. TIA for guidance here!

Edited August 19, 2011 by Turtles06

[bob278]

Judith, I can only guess based on the picture. It looks like 1108 is directly in line with the other cabins so I would say that it follows the rule of thumb and is larger than 1106.

 

Depending on the itinerary where wind could either be a good thing or a bad thing, keep in mind the additional wind sheltering on the back side of the hump.

 

We have been in 2105 (back side, port) twice and booked in the same cabin two more times next year (can't give a better reference than that :D) because we have found it gets enough to be comfortable but not enough to be a bother. We also had an aft cabin on the Sostice and won't do that again. We would change dates for an aft on M-class but prefer the hump on S-Class.

 

I would think your cabin on the Eclipse TA is a very good one.

 

ORV, the S-class, starting with the Silhouette, added one cabin on each side behind the last hump so the aft cabin numbers are different. I think the hump cabins remain the same. The cabins are essentially the same (of course there are exceptions throughout the ship, but nothing related to bigger balcony = bigger cabin). The 2 aft cabins you mention have wider balconies but not wider cabins (I think there are some cabin attendant closets that take the space). In answering your other question about top 5, I would say

 

Back side of the hump: 2105/2106, 1243/1120, 2107/2108, or 1247/1124

Front side: 1247/1108. That's 5 on each side.

 

That is my opinion and is based on the larger balconies, but any of the hump cabins would be good ones. It isn't often my preferred category costs less than a comparable cabin in another location.

[Wine-O]

I have a question about applying the "first" and "third' off the hump rule for figuring out the largest balconies when you are looking at the Sky Deck (Deck 10), where, instead of 4 cabins on the forward slant off the hump, there are only three, because of a suite (eg. 1110 in Kitkat's picture above) that occupies the same space taken up by cabins 1 and 2 off the hump on the deck below.

 

Is it correct that on the Sky Deck, the middle of the three cabins on that forward slant off the hump (for example, 1108 in the picture above) is the same as the "third cabin off the hump" on the deck below (eg. 9266) -- in other words, one of the largest balconies (for a non-suite)?

 

Put another way, going by the rule of thumb, the balcony of 1108 is bigger than the balcony of 1106, correct?

 

I'm a newbie to Celebrity, and all this cabin info is very helpful. I did look at the Solstice cabin sticky, so I think I'm correct, but this thread seems a good place to get confirmation. TIA for guidance here!

Yes, that is correct. The suite takes up the 1st and 2nd balcony off the hump, so 1108 would be the 3rd, corresponding to 9266 below and 1606 above. They are all mirror images on both the port & starboard side, up & down.

 

The same is true of bed position. 1108 has the bed by the bath, and so does 9266 and 1606. But, the corresponding stateroom on the Port side is the exact opposite -- bed by the balcony.

 

Here is a thumbnail to show how the balconies are configured. It shows the Port side -- the Starboard side is the same. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=24259746&postcount=14

[Turtles06]

Bob and Wine-O: thanks so much!

 

We are very excited about our upcoming TA, which will be our first, as well as our first Celebrity cruise -- and our "slant of the hump" cabin! This board is great.

[kitkat9438]

Kat,

 

Judy and I were on the cruise with you last year. I think we saw you guys at that beach in Cozemel. Too bad it was so cool that day, otherwise, nice beach there. We rebooked on the eclipse for 12/10 this year. Loved the ship. We are booked in CC room 9382. Aft cabin. We both thought it would be cool to have a different vantage point on the balcony. I thought about booking a sky suite, but in reality, the cost is just too high to justify an extra 100 or so square feet of room. Also thought about an aqua class, but again, we thought an aft cabin would be cool.

 

Hi Brian. Lucky you getting to go on the Eclipse again! She is my favorite ship. I haven't sailed in an aft cabin yet. I'm on the Summit in December and that was my dilemma. I have a C1 6143 which has a larger room and balcony than the regular CC class, but there's also one of those huge balcony cabins, 7203 open. Decisions, decisions. The heat here in Texas is unbearable isn't it? I am so ready for a cruise!!!

 

Enjoy your cruise and tell Judy hello.

[ORV]

 

ORV, the S-class, starting with the Silhouette, added one cabin on each side behind the last hump so the aft cabin numbers are different. I think the hump cabins remain the same. The cabins are essentially the same (of course there are exceptions throughout the ship, but nothing related to bigger balcony = bigger cabin). The 2 aft cabins you mention have wider balconies but not wider cabins (I think there are some cabin attendant closets that take the space). In answering your other question about top 5, I would say

 

Back side of the hump: 2105/2106, 1243/1120, 2107/2108, or 1247/1124

Front side: 1247/1108. That's 5 on each side.

 

That is my opinion and is based on the larger balconies, but any of the hump cabins would be good ones. It isn't often my preferred category costs less than a comparable cabin in another location.

 

Bob, thanks for the advice. Just a couple of clarifications. You mentioned rooms 2107 and 2108 on the Resort Deck, does this deck not follow the 1 and 3 from the hump for the larger balconies or am I missing something? I'm assuming 2109 and 2110 would also work? By the same token wouldn't cabins 9241 & 9296 on the Panorama deck also be the same as the rest of these you mentioned?

 

Also would 1231 & 1108 have privacy issues being right in front of the large suite?

 

I'm curious if the location on the Resort deck might be noisy as it's by the stairs on the pool level. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Thanks again for the advice.

Edited August 19, 2011 by ORV

[bob278]

My bad. I got my eyes crossed. Yes, 2109/2110 would be the larger balconies.

 

I didn't include 9241 or 9296 because you asked for top 5 and I gave you the top 5 on both sides. But, yes, I think they would be in the group.

I haven't been in either of the cabins next to the suites so can't answer for sure. However, our cabin (2105 on the angle) could not see into the other balcony any more than normal adjacent cabins.

 

As I posted, we have had 2105 twice and have it booked for two more so noise is obviously not a factor to us. But that one is right at the front of the restaurant above so the ones further back might hear a bit more. The loudest noise we heard was the sliding glass doors but after a day or so we didn't even notice it.

 

Here is a linkto a post that has a spreadsheet with reviews of s-class cabins. It's a great reference.

[Wine-O]

 

Also would 1231 & 1108 have privacy issues being right in front of the large suite?

 

 

No privacy issues whatsoever. We were in 1606 which is the corresponding cabin one deck up from 1108. If 1608/1610 were combined as a suite like 1110 below, the only way someone could see you on your balcony is if they walked up to the rail and looked around the corner.

[stickks]

Kat, from your aft cabin picture, it looks like our cabin (9382) has a much larger balcony! that is cool!

[pmenefee]

We had a "hump cabin" on a TA and the balcony was larger. My only word of caution is that if I had it to do over I would have booked the same cabin on the starboard side rather than the port side. We were located on the port side and the designated smoking area was below our cabin which is convenient if you are a smoker, but we're not and the smoke was bothersome at times. Not a deal breaker, but if smoke bothers you book the starboard side.

[Andym]

The hump cabin picture with numbering is wrong. We had 8230 which is the last before the normal balconies, but the picture shows 8232 as the last.

[bob278]

I am really confused. You said the picture showed 8232 as the last cabin before the angle. It's a little hard to tell for sure,but the picture actually shows it as 8234. That picture was created before the Solstice was delivered based on pictures by Andreas Depping and deck plans that were available at that time. If you will recall, there was a problem on the Celebrity Vista deck plans for several months that were not cleared up until long after the inaugural. They were off by one.

 

I have since posted (can't remember where, so here it is) an updated version that agrees with current deck plans that shows 8232 as the last one on the hump before the angle. If you were in 8230 and it is the last one before the angle, then the deck plans are still wrong.

 

Edited August 20, 2011 by bob278

[FortyNinerLiz]

You will love the Eclipse. It's my favorite ship. I thought about one of those aft cabins, but there aren't any rear elevators so it's a long walk as others have mentioned.

 

Here's the list for the cabins that are larger.

 

Resort Deck (C2): 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110 (Also good, but not as large: 2107, 2108, 2111, 2112)

Penthouse Deck (Aqua): 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610 (Also good, not as large: 1599, 1603, 1604, 1608)

Sky Deck (C2): 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck (1A): 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9266, 9270, 9292

Panorama Deck (C2): 9241, 9296

Vista Deck (1A): 8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8230, 8226, 8279, 8283, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck (1A): 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck (2C): 6155, 6156

Continental Deck (1A): 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

 

 

Here's a picture of the aft balconies on S class ships:

 

 

Side view:

 

 

I had 1606, Aqua class, which is one of the largest cabins on the hump. Here's a picture:

 

 

 

How about 9298?