WWYD? Give up an aft D1 for a side JS on Freedom?

[flagger]

I have an email into my TA about this as we are thinking we might want a bit more space. Checking the RCCL website for our sale date for 2007 shows a difference in price of only $400 between our AFT D1 on Deck 10 for a JS on Deck 9. Only it shows them be available on Deck 9 on either port or starboard side.

 

Having never sailed a Voyager Class ship before (I only mention this because it seems like the AFT on the Freedom is quite similar as far as the superstructure goes out over the aft balconies), I am wondering if it would be worth it inside the cabin wise for space to give up my D1 and take a side JS.

 

What would you do. I would be interested in hearing from someone who has been on the Voyager class in either the AFT or side balconies.

 

Thanks

[flagger]

Anyone?

[lul113]

Flagger, I have had a GS, 1324 on Voyager. Sorry, I can't compare the JS.

 

The side GS has a large balcony, but not as large as an aft D1 on Brilliance (can't compare with a Voyager aft).

 

Unless there is something really tempting (double C&A credit, etc) I would stay in the aft. However, The Voyager class has a superstructure that may interfere with the aft view. Others may be able to comment on this though.

 

Sorry, not much help, but the aft D1 beats the JS (unless it is an aft JS!!!!)

 

Hope others are able to help more than I was,

[flagger]

That is the thing, the JS does offer double C&A credit. Also Ms. Flagger is worried about sun exposure (worship ability) in the AFT with the superstructure in the way.

 

There are two AFT JS on Deck 10, but I think one is already taken on our cruise.

 

Thanks for your reply.

[SailBolt]

In 2003, we booked an aft cabin on Explorer, I think it was on deck 9.

When we got to the pier, we asked about upgrades and there was a JS available on deck 10 on the hump. The lady at the desk was kind enough to hold it for us while we boarded and compared the two.

Although the balcony on the aft cabin was huge, we decided immediatly to pay the $400 upgrade to move to the deck 10 cabin. It was much larger which allowed us to stretch out and we got the added bonus of the concierge lounge as well.

Last year we were in a balcony cabin on the Mariner and while it was very nice, we did miss the elbow room of the JS.

To make a long story short (I know, too late), we would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

[Tony O]

We sailed the Voyager this past July. Our cabin was 1690 deck 10 aft. We loved the cabin. The balcony was huge ,I say it was about 12x14. We had 2 regular chairs ,2 chaise lounge chairs, small side table and a large permanent table anout 3' round. The view was excellent and relaxing. The balcony had some covereage overhead with steel but no big deal. We had no raliing obstructions as such other than the typical see through raling. We were below the Island grill but heard no noise at all. Some people complained about the walk but we really enjoyed it .Also it was quiet back there since no one really walked back there. I do have some pics posted and if you go to page 1 and 5 of my album you will see some pics of the cabin and balcony. I would not trade this cabin and have booked another aft cabin cruise next year.

[debandbill]

Mrs. Flagger will love you if you choose a JS ANYWHERE! There is such a difference in the feel going from an D to the JS....and the walkin closet is the best! I would definitely choose the JS and if there is one aft....even better. Don't you guys usually cruise with a little one....wouldn't the bathtub be a huge help?? Hubby and I have not been tempted to upgrade from the JS as it is plenty large for two or three. I definitely would have a hard time going down though...really love those JSs.

 

Even better, take the aft JS...sun exposure is chancy anywhere due to time of day...direction of ship, etc. I find that I get so much exposure during regular activities on the cruise that its nice to have a little shade on the balcony.

 

Good luck with your decision! Deb

[flagger]

we got the added bonus of the concierge lounge as well.

I thought JS did not have access to the Concierge Lounge???

 

OK I was quoting figures from the Royal Website which did NOT include taxes. The price difference turns out to be $410 more as we have $150 in compensation credit for events on our Rhapsody cruise.

 

However, the two JS on Deck 10 are not available. What is JS in the aft are on Deck 7. Right above the Presidential Suite. From Bonnie's pictures:

 

http://community.webshots.com/photo/48328219/55592199iINeZE

 

It does not look like you can really look straight down to the wake in the aft on this class of ship because of the steel that comes out from Deck 6.

 

Any more advice would be appreciated. I would hate to give up my aft, but think with a wee one I would like the extra space afforded by a JS, plus the bathtub would be nice and the double sailing credits would be a bonus too.

 

Though we had a JS on the Rhapsody, the D1 on Freedom is bigger. Ms. Flagger is very afraid if we do a JS we will never want to go back!!!

[canucks4]

We've been on AOS and Voyager JS hump and JS aft. I did nose about a D Aft and thought great balcony, small space. Totally up to you, but I do love the spaciousness of a JS and I tend to agree with other posters, JS Aft is the best choice of all! Life's tough when you have so many difficult choices! :D

[debandbill]

Mrs. Flagger is correct....you will be spoiled for life once in a JS.

 

OK, I've had an aft (deck 7), hump, and side cabin on the Voyager class, afts on the Radiance class (deck 8 and 10), and a portside JS on Rhapsody.

 

First of all, there is no comparison going from a JS on the Rhapsody to one on the newer ships....so much better on the Voyager and Radiance class...I thought the Rhapsody cabin was showing its age and the closet was less than great. No walkin :(

 

Second regarding your view aft on Voyager. You do have the superstructure to look through and no view straight down to the wake but your view is still really great and you just get used to the structual stuff and look beyond it. Obviously, the higher the better and I would avoid Deck 6. I just looked at my pics but don't really have one to show you the view...trust me, its really great!

 

With a little one in tow, maybe you need to think about a hump JS...very convenient to the elevator and stairs and still a great cabin.

 

OH, THERE IS DEFINITELY NO CONCIERGE WITH A JS...NOT UNTIL YOU REACH DIAMOND!

[flagger]

Deck 6 has the presidential suite, so there are AFT JS on Deck 7. I actually like the long walk with what will be a 3.5 year old in tow. Nothing like using that walk to run off some energy. Wouldn't bother me about the concierge lounge honestly as with her it would be impossible to enjoy together (Ms. Flagger and I).

 

Hmmm...there are some JS on Deck 9 on the hump near the centrum and the elevators, but I like the lack of foot traffic the aft affords. Of course we had HORRIBLE neighbors in the AFT on Rhapsody so you never know what you are going to get.

 

For a cabin on the hump is it better to be forward or aft? I have read that ones without connecting cabins are better for cutting down on some of the noise.

 

So then the question becomes take a HUMP JS cabin on a deck nine (if available) near the elevators or take a AFT JS on Deck seven.

[csbenedict]

Flagger--

 

Is the D1 aft that you currently have either #1388 or #1688. The 2 corner afts are approx. the same size as a JS and also have a larger balcony than a regular D1. Of course, you wouldn't get the bathtub or the double C&A credit! Tough choice!

[critterchick]

Sailbolt, I think you had a GS, not a JS. As somebody said, you don't get concierge service with the JS unless you're C&A Diamond level.

I would take the aft JS in the blink of an eye, even on a lower deck with a partly obstructed view of the wake. If the Freedom JS's are similar to the Radiance class, the balcony on the port or starboard sides won't hold loungers the way the D-1 will.

I think I would go for an aft D-1 over a midship JS, but I'm a confirmed aft addict and spend a ton of time on the balcony, even in chilly or rainy weather, and it's just DH & me, so we could "survive" in a D-1 quite nicely.

With three of you, though, I might go for the JS, especially since it appears that you'll make good use of the tub.

[debandbill]

Aft JS:

Great Balcony

Great View

Less foot traffic

Calorie burning and toddler tiring walk...we didn't mind it either.

 

Hump JS:

Smaller balcony(On Mariner and Navigator the wedges on the balcony you see on the deck plans are inside the rooms kind of like a dormer...assume the Freedom will be the same as the newer Voyager ships.)

 

Still a good view (tossup to me whether to be fore or aft of bump...if you like to see where you are going then fore)

 

Super convenient to stairs and elevators and very, very quiet. I would avoid a connecting cabin more because the doors create furniture placement changes than the worry of noise. I was amazed how quiet our cabin was....FYI, there is a wall that separates the cabins from the elevtor/stair area...forms a curved hallway that is sound deafening. Go in to the bump and away from the edges of the bump for the most sound barrier. That means that most of the people in your hall will have rooms there=less foot traffic.

Close to the Windjammer and pool areas although the Freedom has one more deck so you are (on deck nine) two decks up to those areas. We like the easy access up the stairs to food and pool.

 

Benedict is correct, those corner D's are as big as a JS so add another quandry. But, I still say, if you can swing it, go with the JS....its lovely!

[flagger]

Ok my TA got back to me and the hump JS are not an option because they will not book three people into them. Weird because you can book three people into the JS on deck 7. I remember having talking about this with the Loyalty ambassador on board Rhapsody and for some cabins they have to get approval from the maritime division but she did not think because our daughter is so young it would be an issue. Who knows.

 

So right now it is keep the D1 we have (which no is not one of the corner D1s on Deck 10) or go for a JS on deck 7 (which she did check would allow her to book three people). We did look at those pictures of the Voyager and though it looked like it was a bigger room and balcony, Ms. Flagger did not like how her view to either side was blocked by the steel wall.

[Sheffie]

We have only had an aft on Splendour, but one downside was the TIME it took to get to our cabin. It would be even longer on such a ship as Freedom. Just something to think about.

[debandbill]

Probably a lot of those JSs do not have a sofa bed..just a sofa. That is why they are considered only double occupancy. Another option is a JS "near" the hump. For instance, 9626 and 9326. Looks like there are quite a few triple/quad occupancy JSs on Deck 9. If you go to RCI website and into the deck plans for Freedom...you will see which JS's have the sofa beds because they have the "little triangle" noted. You have a lot of time....cabins come and go...I would waitlist for some and see what happens...in the meantime you have a nice D that suits you.

[flagger]

Yes those on Deck 7 have sofa beds in the aft. I was looking at our AFT CC on the Mille this coming January. The X website lists those cabins as being 191 SQ FT. We know the balcony is bigger which is why we chose it.

 

There are some advantages to being able to go up a flight or two of stairs to food and the pool instead of being on Deck 7 for 10X10 extra of room. We chose the cabin we did because it did suit us, but we started looking at other options and our budget.

[VikingRob]

Stay with the deck 10 aft. We had the JS aft deck 10 a few months ago an the Mariner. The deck is reason enough alone to keep the room, it will be larger than any other balcony that is not on the aft of the ship, in fact you balcony will be bigger than the JS on the sides. The view is incredible, especially being up so high, and it is fully covered so no one can look down onto you. Yes it is a bit of a walk, but it helps with walking off dinner, plus there is very little people trafic in the aft of the ship so your room will be quieter.

[SailBolt]

OK.....I had to wait for the brains of the orginization to get home from work.

My wife informed me we upgraded to #1324 (Grand Suite) from an aft deck (I think D2)# 7688.

It is difficult to tell the colors apart on the old brochure.

Sorry for the bad info, but that was a great upgrade for $400.

[flagger]

Yeah thanks everyone. I have some time. Our current D-1 is on Deck 10. The JS on that level are currently sold. There are four AFT JS on Deck 7 that are available and have sofa beds. The difference with some credit we have amounts to $410 additional to what we were planning on spending.

 

We might just wait and see if we like the AFT on the Mille this coming January and then decide if we want to change to the JS (if still available). We can always waitlist for it if it is not by then. Still not sure. Decisions.

 

PROS:

 

Bathtub (easier to wash child) and more comfortable for all of us. (WE thought the tub on Rhapsody was huge).

Bigger room by almost 100 SQ feet

Double sailing credit for C&A

 

CONS:

 

Lower deck, more obstructed views

Further from pool/food, etc. on higher decks

May never be willing to go back to a D category again.

 

My TA never travels in anything but insides because she is never in her room. OTOH, we loved sleeping with the balcony door open and listening to the sounds of the ship and the water. We also got lots of usage out of our balcony.

[Merion_Mom]

Flag, take the aft JS for $410. You will consider it money well spent, when your daughter's things can be spread out on the floor and you are NOT killing yourself tripping or going around. As far as Deck 7 being "farther" from Windjammer and pool...........you have to go forward to go up or down anyway. You can't just "run up" from an aft cabin on ANY deck. And, as you said, DD racing down the loooooooong hall should make for some quiet and peaceful nights for you and the Mrs.

 

Carol

[flagger]

We went round and round on this all night on Thursday and decided for the money we would prefer the JS that was available in the AFT even if on Deck 7. We are going to waitlist for one of the ones on Deck 10, but otherwise the bigger room, tub and double credits made it worth it for us.

 

I hope I won't be kicking myself when detailed pictures come out, but an AFT is an AFT and as Ms. Flagger said 'Why does it matter if you cannot look straight down into the water?' The long walk won't be an issue and you are right the ship is so big, walking will always be a par for the course.

[debandbill]

Flagger, I really don't think you will be disappointed at all. We had 7392 (JS) on the Explorer and one of my good memories is leaving Labadee and what a beautiful view we had of the coast and the mountains.

 

Here is a secret. Sometimes the conditions are such on the aft that a light rain will produce a rainbow. Here is a picture we took from the balcony...just a little memory we have that brings a smile:

 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/debandbill25/detail?.dir=3e6a&.dnm=acc5.jpg&.src=ph

 

So glad you took the plunge....you will love that bigger cabin and Mrs. Flagger will love that closet!

[FinelyCruising]

Would not take an aft cabin on Voyager class of ship due to complete lack of privacy we saw, and humming type white noise we heard while in Island Cafe/rear Windjammer. Have taken JS on this class, port/starboard and it was wonderful.