Is there any difference in a "port hole" cabin and a regular "window" cabin?

[Hflors]

We have a "port hole" window on hold for an upcoming cruise. It is the only available cabin with a "shower only" Other than a "shower only" is there any difference in this cabin than a "window cabin" are the "port holes" (on Rotterdam) bright or is the light very dim?

We also may be traveling with a wheel chair to fold up. Is there a couch in the cabin so we can fold it up and put it there between the couch and wall?

 

Any info would be appreciated.

[DuffyMcfluffy]

Having had both a window and a porthole, I think there is a huge difference. If you booked a porthole you might as well have saved some money and booked an inside cabin. The porthole is basically useless as it gives you practically no viewing of the outside unless you stick your nose right up to the recessed glass. It also does not offer as much light in the cabin as the much larger window cabins.

Yes, there is a sofa in the room so you can store your wheelchair.

[joepeka]

We've never stayed in a porthole cabin (HAL or any line) but in looking at the deck plans for Rotterdam (and photos of some of the cabins), I think the answers to your questions may depend on which specific cabin you have. The further forward the cabin is, the smaller they seem to get due to curvature of the hull. However, there are also some accessible cabins all the way forward which are larger than the other porthole cabins. Sorry I couldn't be more help but I'm sure someone here has been an a Rotterdam-class porthole cabin and can advise you better. :(

[2bout2c]

We have a "port hole" window on hold for an upcoming cruise. It is the only available cabin with a "shower only" Other than a "shower only" is there any difference in this cabin than a "window cabin" are the "port holes" (on Rotterdam) bright or is the light very dim?

We also may be traveling with a wheel chair to fold up. Is there a couch in the cabin so we can fold it up and put it there between the couch and wall?

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

The only difference is the cabin will be smaller. Note the location on the deck plan. You may have a "love seat" or if your cabin is very far forward you could only have a chair. I thought the cabin was dark and due to size I would have been happier in a regular inside. At least you are on the ship. Yea.

Also you will only have 3 drawers in the desk instead of 6 in a window cabin. The desk is shorter.

Edited May 12, 2016 by 2bout2c

[dakrewser]

You can't pull out the sofa to put a wheelchair behind it. Also, there's a whole lot more natural light then in an inside room.

[jtl513]

We had a porthole cabin on the Prinsendam and the two windows admitted about as much light as a standard 2.5 ft by 3.5 ft window ... but we couldn't see much out of them. However, I think the P'dam portholes are a larger diameter than those on the Rotterdam.

 

[jtl513]

Google /1815-Volendam/ for pics and comments by RMLincoln.

.

Edited May 12, 2016 by jtl513

[SilvertoGold]

I am just wondering which specific cabin because there are a lot of differences.

 

Some of those cabins are SO small!

[Hflors]

I am just wondering which specific cabin because there are a lot of differences.

 

Some of those cabins are SO small!

 

we are holding cabin 2505 on Rotterdam. The problem is that it is the only "shower only" cabin available. With dh's knee we really need the "shower only".

[Hflors]

We had a porthole cabin on the Prinsendam and the two windows admitted about as much light as a standard 2.5 ft by 3.5 ft window ... but we couldn't see much out of them. However, I think the P'dam portholes are a larger diameter than those on the Rotterdam.

 

 

This cabin looks very bright and comfortable.

[SilvertoGold]

we are holding cabin 2505 on Rotterdam. The problem is that it is the only "shower only" cabin available. With dh's knee we really need the "shower only".

 

We had 2509 and it was SMALL (about 130 square feet). 2505 is smaller. Hardly enough room to swing the proverbial cat.

2509 was NOTHING AT ALL like the photo on this thread of the Prinsendam port hole cabin.

 

The wall does curve inward so there is not the same room as in the regular cabins. No couch, just a chair. Not much room to put the wheelchair.

 

Do you qualify for a H/C cabin? That would work hugely to your advantage.

Edited May 12, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[Hflors]

We had 2509 and it was SMALL (about 130 square feet). 2505 is smaller. Hardly enough room to swing the proverbial cat.

2509 was NOTHING AT ALL like the photo on this thread of the Prinsendam port hole cabin.

 

The wall does curve inward so there is not the same room as in the regular cabins. No couch, just a chair. Not much room to put the wheelchair.

 

Do you qualify for a H/C cabin? That would work hugely to your advantage.

 

Since we aren't sure how dh's knee will be in Oct when we leave we aren't sure we would qualify for a h/c cabin. I guess I could call HAL and ask. We booked this cabin because it is the only cabin available with a shower only. We are also not sure if we will need or not need a wheel chair. It all depends on how dh's knee is when we leave. (that is why I was asking about a couch so we would fold it up inside the cabin when not in use.

 

Thanks for all your info. I'll call HAL tomorrow and see what they say.

[Storylady]

I would definitely take an inside I or Inside J over the porthole G cabin on the Rotterdam. The forward G cabin with shower is too close to the bow. And if you have any tender ports on your cruise, the noise from the anchor will definitely disturb your sleep.

 

The forward staterooms are the same size as the Inside. The Forward G might even seem smaller than the Inside due to the space taken up by the closets. Insides have less closet space, but enough room to store your fold-up wheelchair.

 

Insides are 182 sq ft. And those forward G's are also 182 sq ft.

 

Too bad the Rotterdam hasn't had their Oceanview cabins converted to showers. The middle section of the Volendam at least on the main deck all were changed over to showers from being a tub. A really nice shower space with lots of room. But you have to look at the deck plans as our friends were on the main deck of the Volendam aft section and they still had tubs.

 

I believe the plan is to convert the tubs to showers during dry dock.

[SilvertoGold]

I would definitely take an inside I or Inside J over the porthole G cabin on the Rotterdam. The forward G cabin with shower is too close to the bow. And if you have any tender ports on your cruise, the noise from the anchor will definitely disturb your sleep.

 

The forward staterooms are the same size as the Inside. The Forward G might even seem smaller than the Inside due to the space taken up by the closets. Insides have less closet space, but enough room to store your fold-up wheelchair.

 

Insides are 182 sq ft. And those forward G's are also 182 sq ft.

 

Too bad the Rotterdam hasn't had their Oceanview cabins converted to showers. The middle section of the Volendam at least on the main deck all were changed over to showers from being a tub. A really nice shower space with lots of room. But you have to look at the deck plans as our friends were on the main deck of the Volendam aft section and they still had tubs.

 

I believe the plan is to convert the tubs to showers during dry dock.

 

Believe me, the G we had 2509 was not 182 square feet.

HAL's info may say that, but it is wrong.

Edited May 13, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[kevingastreich]

Since we aren't sure how dh's knee will be in Oct when we leave we aren't sure we would qualify for a h/c cabin. I guess I could call HAL and ask. We booked this cabin because it is the only cabin available with a shower only. We are also not sure if we will need or not need a wheel chair. It all depends on how dh's knee is when we leave. (that is why I was asking about a couch so we would fold it up inside the cabin when not in use.

 

Thanks for all your info. I'll call HAL tomorrow and see what they say.

 

I'm not sure you have to "qualify" to get a ADA cabin. We were assigned one at random one time and had to ask to get a different cabin.

[SilvertoGold]

I'm not sure you have to "qualify" to get a ADA cabin. We were assigned one at random one time and had to ask to get a different cabin.

 

I don't know exactly how it works getting a H/C cabins, but pax often get assigned one if there are any leftover close to sailing. I expect this is what happened to you.

[RMLincoln]

Google /1815-Volendam/ for pics and comments by RMLincoln.

.

 

Yes we had that cabin, myself with 2 granddaughters, my husband and grandson had the adjacent cabin, one room forward. Volendam is same class as Rotterdam.

 

We had full size couches as the curve of the ship was slight at that point.

 

There is anchor noise when arriving and departing most tender ports but we didn't have tender ports on that cruise.

 

The portholes have some depth to them and it's a bit like looking through binoculars but we had views out of them because with the beds split we could stand "in-line" with the porthole "tube." m--

 

The porthole rooms may be less expensive than and I or a J.

Edited May 13, 2016 by RMLincoln

[jtl513]

The porthole rooms may be less expensive than and I or a J.

The Outside G or H are always more expensive than an Inside I or J ... unless maybe in an unusual case, like dumping them in the final week before sailing.

[SilvertoGold]

The Outside G or H are always more expensive than an Inside I or J ... unless maybe in an unusual case, like dumping them in the final week before sailing.

 

Very true and a bit of a puzzle because because some of those porthole cabins are really not great! You pay for a bit of light and not much else.

[lenquixote66]

On my first cruise the choices were inside or porthole and I opted for porthole . Never again did I book a porthole .My preference is a balcony ,lanai or large picture window.

[SilvertoGold]

On my first cruise the choices were inside or porthole and I opted for porthole . Never again did I book a porthole .My preference is a balcony ,lanai or large picture window.

 

Right.

 

You notice that the new ships (Vista, Signature, Pinnacle) do not have even one porthole cabin. You can see why!

[BumperII]

We were booking inside guarentees for our first 9 cruises on HAL, and received very favorable upgrades all nine times. Then on he tenth time, we were "upgraded" to a closet with two portholes. This stateroom was so small that you had to go out into the hallway just to change your mind. That was the last time we booked a Guarentee.

 

I don't know how important that outside daylight is to you. For most of our early cruises, we spent very little time in the stateroom, so the inside J, K, L class worked very well. Bye the way they are all shower only staterooms.

 

Holland America has the best inside staterooms in the business. The J cabins are only a few footsteps from the biggest balcony on the ship. I really liked them.

[kalliekae]

We had a porthole cabin on our very first cruise on the old Noordam in 1995. That cabin was so small! Dh and I didn't even try to get dressed at the same time. We fell in love with cruising, but never booked another porthole cabin again. Hope the op calls HAL and gets a H/C cabin instead of the porthole cabin.

[2ptu/000]

I'm addressing your wheel chair issue. I just recently cruised on the Veendam in a Veranda Suite. This is a pretty large cabin. We put the wheelchair next to the bed in the day time and at night put it over in front of the veranda curtain. That information probably won't help you but I just want you to know that having that wheelchair in the room was a bit of a mess. Not impossible but I can't imagine traveling in a smaller cabin with one. We had a small transport wheelchair, no large wheels. This was an advantage because it was smaller. This was a disadvantage because I had to push him everywhere. This became very tiring. I'm a nurse, pushed many a wheelchair but not on carpet. There are also ramps in the Lido and to get into the bars. I found it bit exhausting. Just letting you know my experience.

[Hflors]

I'm addressing your wheel chair issue. I just recently cruised on the Veendam in a Veranda Suite. This is a pretty large cabin. We put the wheelchair next to the bed in the day time and at night put it over in front of the veranda curtain. That information probably won't help you but I just want you to know that having that wheelchair in the room was a bit of a mess. Not impossible but I can't imagine traveling in a smaller cabin with one. We had a small transport wheelchair, no large wheels. This was an advantage because it was smaller. This was a disadvantage because I had to push him everywhere. This became very tiring. I'm a nurse, pushed many a wheelchair but not on carpet. There are also ramps in the Lido and to get into the bars. I found it bit exhausting. Just letting you know my experience.

 

Thank you for letting me know. I just cruised with my sis who needed a wheel chair on Maasdam. We slid the couch down a couple of inches and folded up the wheel chair and slid it in between the wall and couch. It all worked out well.