Ocean View vs. Verandah

[runnergirl71]

I'm currently booked in an ocean view cabin for the Alaska cruise I'm taking on the Westerdam. I've gone back and forth about upgrading (there are still verandah rooms available with the (small) group I'm with - but it's about $1000 difference), mainly because of the smoking being allowed on verandahs. But over the weekend, I was looking at videos on youtube (what I could find), and the difference in appearance of furnishings and just environment between the inside and ocean view rooms and those with verandahs was striking. Like, striking enough to make me consider upgrading and just dealing with the potential of a smokestack next door.

 

Has anyone stayed in both a regular ocean view and a verandah? Is the difference really that great? (I'm just edgy because I've only cruised Disney, and I am already braced for a difference...it's just looking more and more like the difference may be bigger than I anticipated. I'm on HAL because this is the line my coach and her husband use for their running cruise in Alaska - I know I'll have fun because of the group, so I'm not on the verge of canceling or anything...just trying to make some decisions.)

 

Thanks!

[OlsSalt]

Verandahs on Alaska cruises are dicey primarily because the weather is often too cold or inclement to enjoy them fully. $1000 is a big price to pay in my opinion for what might be very limited use.

 

In fact for Alaska with its long bright nights I believe the inside cabins which you can get fully dark at night are at the premium, not the more glass walled verandahs which let in a lot of light leaks even behind closed curtains.

 

Personally for Alaska I would forgo the verandah but only if you save that $1000 and get something really special for yourself instead. :cool:

 

There is plenty of outdoor viewing spots on the ships so you won't miss out. The covered Lido Pool area particularly is like a toasty sun room during the Alaska runs and all the chairs were facing out towards the views on our Zuiderdam trip, instead of directed towards the pool which one normally sees.

[runnergirl71]

Thanks!

 

I guess I can also look at it as I'm not going to be in the cabin that much anyway, so I shouldn't get so wrapped up in the decor either.

 

I know - total first world problems! :rolleyes:

[Alberta Quilter]

If you are thinking of upgrading from an outside view to a VA - VH, then I would not spend the $1000. I might spend the extra money to upgrade to a suite.

 

With the suite, you get basically a double wide stateroom (or larger). With a VA - VH, you would get a different layout but still approximately the same width of space as an outside. The extra square footage comes from the balcony.

 

I find the outside cabins to have a better use of space because the bed is up against the outside wall. In a verandah, the bed is on one of the inside walls to allow for the full window/door to the verandah.

 

IMO, take the $1000 and spend it on a shorex that you really want to do, or a special souvenir to remember your cruise.

[Cruising-along]

There are those who will tell you that a verandah on any cruise is worth it, but I agree with OlsSalt. We book both outside and verandahs, depending on the itinerary. For Alaska and $1000 more, I would go with the outside cabin. Save the verandah for a warm weather cruise. :)

[OlsSalt]

My two best extra expenditures in Alaska were the White Pass Railway shore excursion, and some real wool fleece-lined moccasin slippers.

[runnergirl71]

Thanks for the advice! With the running (it's a staged marathon), I'm not sure other than Victoria if I'll be able to do any other excursions, but a nice souvenir would be awesome to get!

[lindaler]

I agree with the other posters. We have had both on our trips to Alaska and would never pay more for a veranda again. The furniture is about the same, just arranged differently. In the verandas you have to squeeze between the bed and the wall any time you want to sit or look outside. In the ocean view the bed is out of the way for sitting and dressing. This last trip I enjoyed being able to just look out the window from our bed or sit in the window, and being closer to the water we were able to see a lot more sea life. Too cold for me to sit out and when there was a view, you wanted to be out on deck to see all of it not just what you can see from your little area. Like others have said, the 1k can go a long ways to great shore excursions.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Well I am on the other side of the spectrum. We use our balcony far more in Alaska than even Caribbean itineraries. The problem with a non obstructed ocean view those on Main deck is that the head of the bed is up against the wall for the window and to me making a window absolutely worthless. :o I love the Alaska Wildlife and especially with it staying light till quite late makes it ideal to use the balcony for whale watching or just animal watching in general. The late sunsets are amazing. Those Humpbacks and Orcas love to play in the later evening. Depending on which side you are on the day in Glacier Bay I spend a good portion on my own verandah viewing Glacier Bay. And while yes there have been comments about having a smoker near by your balcony only once in the past 5 years can I recall having a problem and truthfully it was not that big of a deal. Alaska is just one of those itineraries that the verandah for us is used far more :)

[Loreto]

Our first Alaska cruise on the Oosterdam, we had a verandah which we hardly used. For our 2 14 day Alaska Explorer cruises we had ocean view staterooms with easy access to the promenade deck. I don't think we missed anything by foregoing the verandah.

 

The seas can be rough and our verandah got a lot of motion as opposed to being down lower...something to consider.

 

Enjoy Alaska!

 

Karen

[startwin]

I've done both oceanviews and verandahs for Alaska. Quite honestly, I loved having the verandah, but with a big price difference there is nothing wrong with an oceanview! And with the so many outside deck areas, you can always find a good viewing spot.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also use our verandah a lot on Alaskan cruises.

We like to sit out there and people watch when in the ports.

On many of our cruises, the captains have kept the port side of the ship facing the glaciers the longest. That is a plus for us to sit out there for viewing.

[PatsyAnne]

On the Noordam, I've seen no difference at all in the room decor between veranda (VA-VH) and ocean view rooms. When we're in an ocean view room, we have the beds split to the sides of the window, so we can get closer to the window. When we're in a beautiful area of Alaska (and what isn't), we leave the room anyway because we want to see all sides of the ship. We did get a good upsell to a VA balcony on the back and the veranda was nice, but we still spent most of our time out and about. I don't think you can lose.

[mamaofami]

I agree with Lisa. I like the veranda rooms in Alaska.

[dreamer320]

We used our verandah in Alaska a ton, especially leaving Hubbard Glacier. And one of the magical memories was wrapping a blanket around me and going out to the balcony in the early light of dawn and watching the shore and glaciers and wildlife.

[igraf]

I agree with Lisa on this one. We always booked a verandah on our four previous Alaskan cruises with HAL, mostly for the the floor to ceiling Alaskan views through the glass doors. Time spent out on the balcony was limited for us as it is usually cold when we go (early or late season). The good thing about the cold weather was that there were very few smokers out on the adjacent balconies!

 

We never had any trouble walking past the bed in a verandah stateroom. I consider this to be a non-issue for normal healthy people.

 

Having said that, we also enjoyed an oceanview stateroom on another cruise. The money you save can be spent on more excursions. Call it a win-win choice.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

Well I am on the other side of the spectrum. We use our balcony far more in Alaska than even Caribbean itineraries. The problem with a non obstructed ocean view those on Main deck is that the head of the bed is up against the wall for the window and to me making a window absolutely worthless. :o I love the Alaska Wildlife and especially with it staying light till quite late makes it ideal to use the balcony for whale watching or just animal watching in general. The late sunsets are amazing. Those Humpbacks and Orcas love to play in the later evening. Depending on which side you are on the day in Glacier Bay I spend a good portion on my own verandah viewing Glacier Bay. And while yes there have been comments about having a smoker near by your balcony only once in the past 5 years can I recall having a problem and truthfully it was not that big of a deal. Alaska is just one of those itineraries that the verandah for us is used far more :)

Edited December 9, 2013 by igraf

[Ineke]

I noted your comment about the difference in decor and room size with the different classes of cabins and just wanted to send a caution to make sure you are looking at an actual photograph of the cabins you are considering, as those 'drawings' can be deceiving. I noted when we were planning our upcoming cruise, that the 'drawing' of our verandah cabin actually showed a suite - not so.

My personal choice would be for an oceanview for Alaska, not sure how much use the verandah would get, and you get a much wider perspective when you are viewing from one of the public decks. If you can get a verandah for not very much more, then I'd go that route. I would absolutely not choose an inside cabin - you need to be able to look outside for Alaska. Those blackout curtains really do work very well, but we actually never shut them because I love to see the light reflected on the water, even at night. But that's a personal choice. Enjoy your vacation, Alaska is spectacularly beautiful.

[JimnKaren]

A different take -

 

When you have either a verandah or an outside and you are in your cabin, you can see only one side of whatever is out there. You just might be tempted to move to a space where you have a better view of both sides of the ship! Imagine you are on your verandah enjoying the scenery as you make your way up the inside passage...and at dinner you hear about all the whales on the other side! If you were to be in an outside cabin, your view (from the bed) is not good, so you would naturally gravitate to a place where you can see more.

 

On an Alaska cruise you don't have to worry about significant ship's motion; however on the open water, you might feel a bit more roll than pitch. I sleep on my side and the movement of the ship is less of a problem for me on the inside layout (but that's me - not necessarily how others might be).

 

Keep the money and be sure you have some mittens with you.

 

Jim

[LindaM]

I do not like the OV's on HAL, because you have to stand on the bed to see out of the window. Worthless, IMHO.

 

We didn't have a verandah when we did the 14 day on Amsterdam. It was a huge mistake. Whether or not you can be on it for long periods of time, you would still have the view 24/7.

 

We have had many, many insides. We have had OV's on Prinsendam. I wouldn't go to Alaska without having the view---and not the one above your bed! Sure, you can and will go out on deck. But, you may also want to enjoy the view while you are laying on your bed resting!

 

You are going to spend a small fortune on shorex. I would pay for the view, as well.

[Typhoon1]

A verandah fop Alaska is useless for sitting around due to the weather. However, it greatly improves the sightseeing.

 

Personally, we would go for the verandah.

[donswife]

We just booked an aft Verandah for Alaska on the Westerdam, cuts out most of the wind and allows for a fabulous view. We had an aft balcony before, and loved it.

[startwin]

I think we're all agreed that a verandah is great to have for Alaska, but the OP was asking the question based on cost and smoking issues. As I said before, having done both ocean view and verandah, if both those issues are a factor (and there certainly is a big price differential for her cruise) then an ocean view is a good choice, given that HAL ships have the promenade deck and other areas perfect for viewing.

[runnergirl71]

Thanks all! Definitely lots to think about! :)

[LindaM]

I think we're all agreed that a verandah is great to have for Alaska, but the OP was asking the question based on cost and smoking issues. As I said before, having done both ocean view and verandah, if both those issues are a factor (and there certainly is a big price differential for her cruise) then an ocean view is a good choice, given that HAL ships have the promenade deck and other areas perfect for viewing.

 

Yes, I agree with what you are saying. Those are the reasons why we chose an inside for our Alaska trip. I guess it depends on what is important to the OP. In retrospect, I wish we would have had a verandah, even though it would have cost more. For us, the cost would have made an OK trip much more special. We didn't have the best experience, because we didn't have the view all the time. I like being able to enjoy the view while getting dressed or relaxing. I don't want to have to get all bundled up to enjoy the view. I know....I am spoiled. I feel like we have to go back to Alaska and spend more $$$ to have the best experience.

[matondo]

My last cruise was in an OV but not on HAL. I would sit on the edge of the bed and look out the window but it is not the same as sitting outside. I hate getting dressed in the mornings so a balcony is so nice in that I can still get a breath of fresh air and not have to wear my white robe out in public;). If you can afford it I would pay the extra!