M-Class Aft Staterooms - 7208(C1) vs. 8172(C1) vs. 1140(A1)?

[dcinmb]

We're trying to decide between the following aft staterooms for an Alaskan cruise on the Millennium:

 

- 7208 Concierge Class

- 8172 Concierge Class

- 1140 Aqua Class

 

The Aqua Class stateroom is approx. $100 cheaper than the CCs. We might occasionally take advantage of the Persian Garden but we wouldn't be dining in Blu very often as we're traveling with friends who are in a standard veranda stateroom. Are there any other significant advantages to Aqua aside from the premium bathroom amenities, pillow menu, etc.?

 

Amenities and pricing aside, which of the three staterooms would you all recommend from a location/view/privacy perspective?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!:)

[M&M Hayden]

Personally I would do deck 7 or 8.....the aft decks on that class ship are great.

We had an AFT cabin on a Royal Caribbean ship sailing from Seward to Vancouver and LOVED it. The only 'down side' was when they were do narrative we weren't seeing what they were up on deck...but eventually it came around to us.

Enjoy, no matter what cabin you decide on.

[warmwinds]

7 and 8 have deeper balconies, but 11 is fine. 7 and 8 are quieter because 11 has the Sunset Bar right below and now the movie theater right above, how much those 2 things will impact 11 depends on the crowd and the weather.

 

My question would be "how often" will you be dining with your friends? One or two nights, or almost always? It might be nice for you to have a retreat (Blu) if you just feel like being alone.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

When I travel with friends, I like to travel in the same class staterooms as they do so that there's no problem about eating together. Since your friends can't eat in Blu, that's going to require some fancy footwork on your part to get into the MDR.

 

The only real advantages to AQ are Blu and the fancy shower (with leaky doors). The Persian Gardens on M class is dark and dingy, not at all like the pictures in the brochures (which are all from M class). The pillow menu is a figment of some marketer's imagination. Just ask your cabin attendant for the type of pillow you want. In any cabin. When I sailed in AQ on Infinity, we had the same bath products as all the other cabins. And we did not get the AQ amenities (had a very bad cabin attendant).

 

The fact that the AQ cabin is cheaper than the CC cabin is a clue.

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[villauk]

 

The fact that the AQ cabin is cheaper than the CC cabin is a clue.

 

 

Yes, AQ are cheaper than CC on our next cruise too ;).

[dcinmb]

Thanks, M&M Hayden, warmwinds, Happy Cruiser 6143 and villauk! I think we're going to forego the $100 savings and stick with one of the CCs. Now I just have to decide between 7208 and 8172. I've never booked a cruise this far in advance before so it's nice to have options!

 

Since your friends can't eat in Blu, that's going to require some fancy footwork on your part to get into the MDR.

 

Interesting. The Celebrity rep told me that we could dine in the MDR whenever we wanted. Then again, I should know better than to rely on something a Celebrity rep has told me.

[ghstudio]

No, it's not fancy footwork at all. If your friends are in select dining, it's actually very easy. Just ask the maitre d' at Blu to arrange for you to eat in the MDR (select dining) and he'll set it up. That's sounds formal, but usually he will just pick up the phone and call his counterpart and tell them you're coming over.

 

It's obviously more difficult if your friends are eating in early or late seating because there are others at the table and they can't just add two chairs. I can't help with the logistics in this case....but logically, it's going to be more difficult.

[villauk]

Thanks, M&M Hayden, warmwinds, Happy Cruiser 6143 and villauk! I think we're going to forego the $100 savings and stick with one of the CCs. Now I just have to decide between 7208 and 8172. I've never booked a cruise this far in advance before so it's nice to have options!

 

 

 

Interesting. The Celebrity rep told me that we could dine in the MDR whenever we wanted. Then again, I should know better than to rely on something a Celebrity rep has told me.

 

When are you planning on cruising? We have both of those cabins on Connie and would post some photos, but we don't sail until August.

[BigB0882]

We are going to be in 8172 on Infinity but not until June of 2017! AQ was also cheaper for our cruise. I think the aft location for Alaskan cruises is so desired that it makes those balconies more expensive.

[2theship]

I will add that 1140 has a spectacularly large balcony, certainly the best among Aqua Class cabins. But if you're not going to use any of the other AQ benefits, you're probably better off with one of the other choices.

[warmwinds]

1140 is the largest aft on Deck 11, but it is still smaller than the afts on 7 and 8 (and 9).

 

Excellent point about whether your friends will have an assigned table in the MDR with other people. You need to find that out.

[Doctor G]

I was in cabin 8172 on the Infinity in February this year to South America and Antarctica. I loved the cabin and its location. It does have the very large balcony with two loungers as well as table and chairs.

 

Carolyn

[Doctor G]

I was in Cabin 8172 on the Infinity in February, 2015 (South American and Antarctica). It was a great cabin. Very large balcony with two loungers plus a table and chairs. Quiet and great views. I highly recommend.

 

Carolyn

[lobster129]

1140 and the other AQ1 cabins on Millie were added when she was "Solticized". They do resemble S-class cabin interiors more than M-class. Also there are no other cabin decks above you.

 

You should be able to google some images/photos.

 

For those reasons...we selected one of those AQ1 balcony cabins.

 

Nice deep balcony also with 180 degree views for photos and viewing from the ship. Certainly room to have a "viewing party" that would be less crowded the the public viewing spaces.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We scored 1138 on Connie for this summer, but reports from the "Princessization" of the M-Class ships (MUTS up the aft) are mixed about whether this impacts those lovely AQ aft balconies. Luckily we were able to score again with an upgrade to a Sky Suite for almost no additional cost. But I would be worried about noise on the deck 11 balconies.

[varoo]

We're trying to decide between the following aft staterooms for an Alaskan cruise on the Millennium:

 

- 7208 Concierge Class

- 8172 Concierge Class

- 1140 Aqua Class

 

The Aqua Class stateroom is approx. $100 cheaper than the CCs. We might occasionally take advantage of the Persian Garden but we wouldn't be dining in Blu very often as we're traveling with friends who are in a standard veranda stateroom. Are there any other significant advantages to Aqua aside from the premium bathroom amenities, pillow menu, etc.?

 

Amenities and pricing aside, which of the three staterooms would you all recommend from a location/view/privacy perspective?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!:)

It just comes down to personal preference.

Some people have said that they liked 1140, but we did not care for it.

It is located right above the deck 10 aft bar and inset a good distance away from the back of the ship.

 

To us its main advantage was dining in Blu.

It has very nice views looking out to the distance, but the downward view is obstructed.

 

There is no breeze back there, which can be a problem on warm weather cruises.

 

 

In the photo below recently provided by JRYMCBC, the chair seen up above the bar area is on the balcony of 1141, which is next door to 1140, right behind it.

 

1138 is a mirror image of 1141, on the other side of 1140.

 

The balcony of 1140 is directly over a white canopy that extends outward below it.

If it was a lifeboat sticking out there right below the balcony instead of a canopy, they probably would have listed it as partially obstructed.

 

 

 

The view from 1140 is also obstructed by a flagpole that sticks up right behind it, but it can be photoshopped out of photos.

 

While sailing, only the flagpole itself is in view, but when docked in port, they hang a large flag on it.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2016 by varoo

[dcinmb]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice! Our friends are in Select Dining so we would've been able to make Aqua Class work but we've decided it's worth the extra $100 to "upgrade" to Concierge Class from what is essentially a "partially obstructed view" stateroom, what with the flag pole and the Oceanview Cafe deck blocking so much of the downward view.

 

Sounds like Celebrity really needs to re-think their Aqua Class concept given how often the AQs are discounted to below-CC levels.

 

When are you planning on cruising? We have both of those cabins on Connie and would post some photos, but we don't sail until August.

 

We're not sailing till August of 2017! We clearly can't go wrong with either of these cabins but I've read that the aft verandas get slightly longer as you move down the ship from Deck 9 to 8 to 7, so I'd be curious to know if this is actually the case. Thanks in advance! Have a wonderful cruise!

Edited February 10, 2016 by dcinmb

[BigB0882]

Doctor G, do you remember if the bed was near the bathroom or near the balcony in 8172 on Infinity? I am just curious. :)

[K.T.B.]

The one issue I hate about the AQ cabins on deck 11 are that the balconies have zero shade.

[Wine-O]

Doctor G, do you remember if the bed was near the bathroom or near the balcony in 8172 on Infinity? I am just curious. :)

 

The beds are near the bath on the M-Class ships.