Question - Staterooms on the Observation Deck

[Silverback969]

We're looking at a family cruise during week after Easter.  On the Observation Deck, I see what appears to be 10 verandah staterooms--class VT.  According to the deck plan in the Cruise Atlas, there isn't a verandah, as such, but there is a "VIEWING BALCONY".  Have any of you been in one of these rooms?  Any idea of what a "viewing balcony" is???  Thanks in advance for any good intel.

[Cruise Suzy]

40 minutes ago, Silverback969 said:

We're looking at a family cruise during week after Easter.  On the Observation Deck, I see what appears to be 10 verandah staterooms--class VT.  According to the deck plan in the Cruise Atlas, there isn't a verandah, as such, but there is a "VIEWING BALCONY".  Have any of you been in one of these rooms?  Any idea of what a "viewing balcony" is???  Thanks in advance for any good intel.

 

What ship? On the Vista class there are very shallow balconies on the Observations Deck. If you go to halfacts.com, look at Noordam's Cabin 100019 for a photo.

[crystalspin]

If a Vista ship (Noordam, Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Westerdam), those are also called Juliet balconies -- just room enough to stand and call out "Romeo, Romeo" -- actually I think they have chairs. Very tight chairs.

 

We have stayed in an Ob.deck interior on Zuiderdam and have them booked on Oosterdam and Zuiderdam again. Love the location. I would take a Observation deck balcony in a minute, but that's just me -- I like the big window, not spending time on the veranda.

 

It appears that HAL sometimes takes them out of the market to hand-off to Verandah (and Inside) guarantees -- on a number of cruises I have looked into by running dummy bookings. The room selection will show a price for Observation Deck, but when clicked NEXT, the screen comes up blank white.

 

 

[Silverback969]

Good catch, Suzy.  Guess I was taking a snooze at the keyboard.  I was looking at the deck plan for Eurodam.  As I mentioned the rooms are "VT" class, stateroom numbers VT11001 - VT1010.

[Silverback969]

14 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

If a Vista ship (Noordam, Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Westerdam), those are also called Juliet balconies -- just room enough to stand and call out "Romeo, Romeo" -- actually I think they have chairs. Very tight chairs.

 

We have stayed in an Ob.deck interior on Zuiderdam and have them booked on Oosterdam and Zuiderdam again. Love the location. I would take a Observation deck balcony in a minute, but that's just me -- I like the big window, not spending time on the veranda.

 

It appears that HAL sometimes takes them out of the market to hand-off to Verandah (and Inside) guarantees -- on a number of cruises I have looked into by running dummy bookings. The room selection will show a price for Observation Deck, but when clicked NEXT, the screen comes up blank white.

 

 

Thank you, Crystalspin.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Silverback969 said:

Thank you, Crystalspin.

On the Eurodam, the VT's have been marketed as Spa Verandahs. If yours was, then it includes the USE OF a yoga mat... That you don't get to keep. If they have dropped the Spa terminology, then it probably won't. 

 

Anyway, the balcony is EVEN SMALLER than on the Vista ships. However, this video from 2018 shows FURNITURE on the balcony! 

 

Photos on cruisedeckplans.com from 2014 did NOT have any furniture; although the residents had moved the desk/side chair out there. Anyway, happy that there was a video to share with you, that should give you a good idea (and if there is balcony furniture, all the better!).

Edited January 18, 2020 by crystalspin

[catl331]

see https://halfacts.com/11001-eurodam/

 

[ski ww]

See what you mean about small, not enough room for two to have breakfast.

[Silverback969]

Thank you to all who responded.  Especially appreciate the links.  Gotta remember that those are available.... 😶

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would not want a cabin like that for 2 people -- too small a balcony for 2 people let alone a family.

[Silverback969]

I think you're absolutely correct--too small for two, except maybe for standing out at the rail and waving at folks on the dock, or another cruise ship.  It would be an interesting "something" out of our ordinary, but not something that we would choose to pay THAT MUCH money for THAT LITTLE value.

 

Again, everyone, thanks for your responses.

Silverback

4 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

I would not want a cabin like that for 2 people -- too small a balcony for 2 people let alone a family.

 

[catl331]

2 hours ago, Silverback969 said:

I think you're absolutely correct--too small for two, except maybe for standing out at the rail and waving at folks on the dock, or another cruise ship.

 

They're really only useful in port, or entering/leaving port, or slow-speed scenic cruising, because they're too windy at normal cruising speed. 

[cruzngal]

We were "upgraded" to one of these on the Koningsdam.  The verandah was indeed disappointing, although we did enjoy the location: High floor, off the upper deck of the Lido pool area and near the fitness room. There was a nice public sitting area around the upper deck of the pool that was essentially ours for the taking. That being said, If you value the verandah space, don't go for this class of room.  Also, watch out for the stateroom guarantees.  Ours was billed as a 7 category upgrade over what we paid for, and we did not have the opportunity to change once it was assigned.  Lesson learned...

[catl331]

4 hours ago, cruzngal said:

We were "upgraded" to one of these on the Koningsdam. 

No, the VT cabins that the OP is asking about are only on the Eurodam.  The K-dam deck 10 VQ or deck 11 VB at least are rectangular (not curved like the E-dam deck 11 VT as shown in the links in posts 6 &7) and have dividers to block the wind.

Edited January 21, 2020 by catl331