I'm obessing about HUMP V AFT

[Zubsin]

We are booked on the Solstice Nov 3, 2014 Australia/NZ. I have cabin 9241 booked. Looking at the photos I can find on line of the balcony it appears sort of cave like (I've been aft on the Summit and found it cave like). I do like to get some sun but DH is sun averse. There are aft cabins left and I'm debating about spending the extra $300 for the aft cabin. I get we give up some privacy. Is any part of the aft balcony "shady" (given the direction of the ship I know)? And I guess also is any part of the hump balcony sunny? Sorry for the obession.

[jomf]

We have done both.

The Aft cabin had some privacy unless you stood next to the handrail. We had more sun than with the hump cabin.

The walk to the aft cabin is something to think about though. If you are fit and well it is no problem but my OH had a knee problem and it was a very long walk.

 

We loved the aft cabin, very quiet, lovely views.

 

Hump cabin is closer to the lifts.

[Zubsin]

jomf, thanks for your thoughts. I have to admit I like being aft as it gives me a sense seclusion from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the ship.

[rjrpar]

We had our first aft after about 15 cruises and did not like it at all. Long walks but what we disliked the most was the view. The view never changes, it's always the wake. When arriving or departing ports, the view is very limited

[Zubsin]

Thanks rjrpar... we actually love the aft cabins...but some afts are less sunny or less private and that is what I'm really hoping to find out. Hump versus aft for sunny/private....

[akowilm]

We were aft on Reflection this year. Nice view and plenty of sun, but much smaller that the M-class aft balconies. As long as we didn't lean on the rail, we had privacy. Long walk, but not a big deal. A hump balcony would be bigger, but ours suited us just fine. So much to do on the

S-class ships that we didn't spend as much time on the balcony as we did on the smaller ships.

[Mercruiser]

I'm on the Solstice cruise after you. I was originally booked in one of the oversized hump balconies. I switched to one of the wider CC1 aft balconies after realizing the temperatures are going to be pretty cool. This is not a warm weather cruise.

 

The Aft balcony will have more sun and less wind than the side balconies.

 

This map shows the sea surface temperatures around New Zealand. When cruising off shore, the air temperature is going to be close to the sea temperature.

 

Temperatures near the shore may be warmer.

[Zubsin]

akowilm....thanks...great information. Donna

[Dr. Cocktail]

I loved my angled hump verandas on the Equinox - sun at the front, shade at the back but HATED my aft veranda on Solstice.

 

The hump veranda is much larger and the aft veranda is completely uncovered - you fry in the sun and can't sit out if it rains. The sun also heated the cabin to the extent that we had to keep our drapes closed.

 

The deal breaker for us was the soot - the aerodynamics of the ship dictate which aft verandas are literally covered in soot. Ours looked like someone had emptied a fireplace on our veranda each and every morning. Our neighbours two cabins down - no problem.

 

Save your money and buy more duty free!

[wv4891]

The aft cabins on deck 12 (resort deck) are totally covered and have no soot issues. The downside is that all but 2 cabins are suites, the other 2 are c1. There is some noise from the chairs in the outdoor area of the buffet. Just stayed in an aft s2 on Solstice and loved it. Forgot to add, no sun issues either.

[Zubsin]

Lots to consider. I have 9241 booked. $300 to move aft. Thanks for all the information. Donna

Edited October 30, 2013 by Zubsin

[Mercruiser]

Lots to consider. I have 9241 booked. $300 to move aft. Thanks for all the information. Donna

 

I mis-read your original post. You are on this cruise a year after me. We leave in 10 days for a 5-night stopover in Tahiti on our way to Auckland. We then board Solstice on Nov 16, 2013 for the Auckland to Sydney cruise.

 

Good luck with your decision. Either way, it's a great cruise. By the way, we are practically neighbors.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Mercruiser

[jtravel777]

Lots to consider. I have 9241 booked. $300 to move aft. Thanks for all the information. Donna

 

Check out this youtube of your exact room and balcony. We are booked in this room on the Silhouette transatlantic in a month and are looking forward to it:)

 

[Austrian]

Lots to consider. I have 9241 booked. $300 to move aft. Thanks for all the information. Donna

 

It matters which cabin you choose.

I was in 9380 on the Silhouette on the April Transatlantic. We had no soot and lots of afternoon sun (eastbound), I brought a shade, attached with magnets.

 

The first balcony from the outside is small, the second large. Works that way on most decks.

 

Here is an example of decks 6 and 7 (Sunset Veranda) cabin 7319 pic.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=37223876&postcount=521

 

For other pics of S-class ships use this listing by cruisetrail

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=37227834&postcount=537

 

Cheers

Harald

[celebritydave]

We had a hump cabin on a westbound TA. The cabin was on the port side of the ship. The balcony was awesome, you could have shade if you moved back or sun if you move forward. No problem with wind.

 

We have 9241 booked on a westbound TA next year on the Silhouette.

 

We love the hump cabins. Close to the elevators but not noisy.

[Boston lab girl]

We love the aft cabins and usually book it. Last year had a hump cabin and loved it also. We do not like the aft cabins on the s class ships. We took the solstice the first year she sailed and our balcony kept getting covered with soot. since I haven't seen comments recently I am sure they have fixed the problem. The aft balcony on most ships are big and private but on the s class there is no advantage and less privacy so this year we booked another hump cabin. If it had been on the millenium class I would have taken the aft.

[wallie5446]

We are in 9241 on the Reflection, I will book mark your post and let you know.

[Zubsin]

Thanks everyone!

 

wallie5446 ... that would be great!

 

Boston lab girl...we had an aft cabin on the Summit... the balcony is large and private but too cave like for me. So I'm hoping the hump will be less so.

 

Austrian...thanks for the pics

 

Mercruiser... in the big world of Cruise Critic we ARE neighbors. Have a great trip. I tried to do almost the same cruises you are but DH wants wine country in OZ and I'd like to see the GBR so we land based for 13 days before the cruise.

 

celebritydave... have a great cruise. Thanks for the description of the balcony.

 

It is a LONG time until our trip. Looking forward to all the research about things to do in port. We are DIYer's mostly so I'll be asking way more questions. Donna

[islandchick]

I loved my aft cabin. No soot and very spacious/private. Search aft cabin locations to make the right choice, some are very large and others are normal size. There is a long walk to the aft but helps to burn off some of the food and drink:D

[Mercruiser]

I'm on Solstice now. We just started our 12-night Auckland to Sydney cruise. We are in #1206, aft, no soot. These balconies have no shade - I consider this a good thing on a cool weather NZ cruise. It's about 60 F here in the bay of islands. So too much sun is not an issue here. I would not want an AFT cabin on a tropical cruise. It would be too sunny and hot for me.

 

# 1206 is in the column with extra wide balconies. I really like the view and the shelter from the wind while underway.

[Presto2]

Love the aft cabins on the Silhouette so much so that we have booked the same one 3 times - 8353. All cruises mid August in the eastern Med so hot, hot, hot but a good mix of sun and shade for us ----- some soot last year but that was soon sorted out by the Cabin Steward. :) a great retreat on a sea day.

 

Wish I was there now :(

[upwarduk]

Plenty of sun/ shade on TA on Infinity (M class) corner aft 9156.

Great for watching the partial Eclipse on Nov 3rd.

But I wished I hadn't upgraded to the FV, too much movement for my liking, especially as we had 40ft waves in the Bay of Biscay in October.

I will stick to mid - ships in future.

We had 9237 on Eclipse- 1A larger angled cabin off the hump, shade if we sat near room door, sun if we were near the balcony rail.

[riclop]

We are booked on the Solstice Nov 3, 2014 Australia/NZ. I have cabin 9241 booked. Looking at the photos I can find on line of the balcony it appears sort of cave like (I've been aft on the Summit and found it cave like). I do like to get some sun but DH is sun averse. There are aft cabins left and I'm debating about spending the extra $300 for the aft cabin. I get we give up some privacy. Is any part of the aft balcony "shady" (given the direction of the ship I know)? And I guess also is any part of the hump balcony sunny? Sorry for the obession.

Hump it is.

[Cruise Raider]

....wait for it....

 

 

The HUMP!!

[Mercruiser]

Here are my pictures taken from the balcony of #1206, aft, on the November 16, 2013, Celebrity, Auckland to Sydney cruise. We had picture-perfect weather in Dusky, Doubtful, and Milford sounds. The aft balcony provided a wonderful view. I would pick the aft again for this particular itinerary. But honestly, any balcony would be fine as long as it in not directly below the pool deck overhang. In the New Zealand sounds, a lot of the scenery is "up". Some of these cliff faces are 3000 feet high, almost straight up from the water. So I'd avoid the recessed cabins on the Penthouse and Resort decks due to being under the pool deck overhang.

 

View of Bowen falls in Milford Sound

 

View of Mitre Peak in Milford Sound

 

 

Edited December 1, 2013 by Mercruiser