Those Horrid Aft Cabins

[CptSticky]

It's scary how many of these stories there are lately. And always it's the first cabin holder that has to fight to get their cabin back. Lots of people losing their afts. *goes to check mine again*

Yes it is. After reading this, I went right to the Royal site and checked all my cabin assignments. I have no upgrade checked, but who trusts them these days? The sad thing is that according to the cruise contract that you sign, they can move you to any room that they want. It's not just Royal and not just cabins. A couple of weeks ago, some in my family took a week cruise with Carnival. We had linked all of our reservations via our TA's. When we boarded, we found that the DW and I along with my sister and her friend were together, but my brother and his wife were seated at a table of 12 (all strangers). On my last Royal cruise TA last month), they were doing construction in the hallway outside our cabin. Two or three times a day, there was a message on our phone wanting to move us to a "better" cabin. I finally went to customer relations and told them "over my dead body".

[mommabean]

Gina...a few is three! You have more then a FEW afts booked:eek::eek:, but who is counting...LOL!

 

BILL

 

Sneaky Bill!

 

Have you been breaking into my account again?! :eek:

 

Gina

[blacksheep2]

Please keep telling everyone how badddddd the aft cabins are-so that we can save everyone from them-We are there for you--don't feel you have to suck it up for anyone-we will do it--33 days from now to be exact! Brilliance here we come!

[Lost_in_BC]

"Public service" nothing. OP is trying to dissuade others from booking them so she/he doesn't have to book a year in advance.

 

Yes, and I am trying to encourage that line of thinking. I've only cruised once, and it ruined me. 16 nights in a corner aft family suite. Yeah, there's no going back from that. :D

[CptSticky]

Yes, and I am trying to encourage that line of thinking. I've only cruised once, and it ruined me. 16 nights in a corner aft family suite. Yeah, there's no going back from that. :D

I can see why. I'd be right back on, but that's me.

[Driftwoodgal]

I think most are comparing standard balcony/aft balcony, standard JS/aft JS etc. 1100 on the Radiance is a JS, I would not give that up for a GS. I've been in 1600 next door. That balcony is smaller.

 

I have 8168 in Alaska, looking forward to it.

 

Would I give up 8168 (D2 corner aft) for a GS anywhere on the Radiance? Yes probably. But not for a JS anywhere ;)

 

Sorry, I meant 1600 as the GS cabin. Thanks for pointing the correct number out.

[ssb]

Freedom

 

[msjaxson]

I must admit, to save anyone else from being seduced by the evils of Cabin 9256, I have humbly volunteered for certain misery.

 

My all time favorite followed by 8168 !

[bigkauhuna]

You will love the an AFT cabin but not deck 8 on freedom class. I know we loved ours and we were on deck 8. There was no privacy and the wonderful crew deck below.

There were many benefits to the RFS but with no privacy or overhead cover from the soot and cruisers over looking the balcony. Best sleep ever and the extra few feet we had to walk allowed for the extra dessert.

Enjoy cruising the Aft Cabin with all that extra room.

[ehfl]

The soot has always been a worry for me...never tried an aft.

 

As for distance...I don't really care. I don't mind walking, and I don't use the elevators....stairs work perfectly fine for getting between decks with no lines and no waiting.

[CptSticky]

The soot has always been a worry for me...never tried an aft.

 

As for distance...I don't really care. I don't mind walking, and I don't use the elevators....stairs work perfectly fine for getting between decks with no lines and no waiting.

We love aft's. The soot has been a problem a couple of times, but not that often. I'll take my chances.

[NoobCruise]

What category are the aft cabins? I'm just starting to look at FOS and we're looking to take our 2 young adult kids. I know it will be crowded, but we'll be 4 in one cabin. Do any of the aft cabins hold 4? DH and I just had a week in an aft suite on the Westerdam with the balcony that wraps around the back corner. To die for!!! But I think our kids will enjoy the activities on the FOS more than the sedate HAL ships. We loved the aft and would love to book another cabin back there, but I'm getting confused on categories and trying to find a balcony with either 2 pullmans or a convertable sofa and a pullman. Any advice?

[ARCruisinNana]

What category are the aft cabins? I'm just starting to look at FOS and we're looking to take our 2 young adult kids. I know it will be crowded, but we'll be 4 in one cabin. Do any of the aft cabins hold 4? DH and I just had a week in an aft suite on the Westerdam with the balcony that wraps around the back corner. To die for!!! But I think our kids will enjoy the activities on the FOS more than the sedate HAL ships. We loved the aft and would love to book another cabin back there, but I'm getting confused on categories and trying to find a balcony with either 2 pullmans or a convertable sofa and a pullman. Any advice?

 

There are aft cabins in several different categories. Pull up the deck plans (6-10)) and it will have a legend for how many passengers are allowed. If there are no extra symbols, the cabin will only sleep 2. I agree that aft balconies are the best!

[cathep]

The soot wouldn't be a problem in port, right?

[mommabean]

The soot wouldn't be a problem in port, right?

 

The soot is a problem when it's laying there on your table and chairs. You don't generally notice it while it's falling. So yes, if you have a soot problem, it will be there while you are in port until you clean it off. I've only had the problem on an aft balcony with no roof or overhang above it.

 

Gina

[LarryL]

Several months ago I had to cancel and change our AOS cruise, booked for this, month and I wanted to balance other vacations so found the Jewel was open for 2014. While talking to the RCL agent about a balcony towards the aft I was mindlessly looking at the available cabins. That's when I spotted 1104. I asked and she told me it was the same price as the one I was looking at but that "some people" don't like aft cabins. The "good samaritan" in me kicked in so I told her I would spare other people the misery and will take it. Usually, when we try to be nice and take one there are so many kind people who always seem to volunteer ahead of us.:p

[Let'sGo!]

Thank you for the chuckle, OP.

 

I must confess, I have fallen on the sword and taken several aft cabins in my day... including our last cruise on Serenade.

 

Horrible, horrible experience.... right up there with those awful "hump" balconies!

 

Ann

[cathep]

The soot is a problem when it's laying there on your table and chairs. You don't generally notice it while it's falling. So yes, if you have a soot problem, it will be there while you are in port until you clean it off. I've only had the problem on an aft balcony with no roof or overhang above it.

 

 

I was thinking that if the engines aren't running you won't have a soot problem, which would mean in port. Or does it run all the time?

[Clarea]

I was thinking that if the engines aren't running you won't have a soot problem, which would mean in port. Or does it run all the time?

They run a diesel engine to generate electricity while in port.

[GTO-Girl]

We have only had an aft balcony once (on Princess) and we did not like it at all. The cruise was a rough ride all 7 days and being on the aft made it ten times worse. It was all I could do not to roll out of the bed every night. Cabinets slamming, hangers in the closet going up and down the racks.....:eek:

 

I understand the weather is going to be what it's going to be but the other problem we had is we could not even use our balcony due to the horrible smell (like rotting food).

 

I had read on the Princess boards about "the infamous smell" on some of the afts and had even asked about our specific room. One poster said they had stayed in that same room and there was no smell on the balcony........WRONG!!! The further into the week we got, the worse it got. We could not sit out there without gagging.....it was truly that bad.

 

We are pretty laid back folks and try to take all situations in stride, but after our experience we have decided the aft is just not something we want to try again........:o.

[cathep]

They run a diesel engine to generate electricity while in port.

 

Makes sense. So there's no escaping the potential soot. We'll just hope for the best!

[CptSticky]

Makes sense. So there's no escaping the potential soot. We'll just hope for the best!

Yes and no. Depends on the cabin and the ship. Some ships make a lot more soot than others. Some aft balconies have an overhang above them and get no soot, rain or sun. But as others have said, if you have never tried one, please don't. You will hate it. Just leave it for those of us who volunteer to suffer an aft for your sake.:D

[mailmama]

Crying crocodile tears for my aft 7408 on Independence. Do you think therapy would help or is it too late? I have the worst addiction to the afts!!!

[mgus1]

Has anyone been in 9256 on Brilliance. I am booked for 2014.

[shutterbug63]

I am so dissappointed. I got stuck with one of those horrid aft balconies on the Serenade out of NOLA in 3/2014. It's a suite - #1100; and I'm also stuck in 1702 on IOS this March. Somebody help me... LOLOL