Best Rotterdam Outside Cabins!

[BLam104417]

We have a group of 5 couples who want to sail on the Rotterdam in 2007! Where are the best outside cabins on the ship? We want to book early. Thanks for your help.

[peaches from georgia]

If you want the best 5 outside cabins certainly that would be 5 Category S Deluxe Verandah Suites. We prefer mid-ship near the Neptune Lounge, but location on the Navigation Deck where the S suites are located is personal preference.

[BLam104417]

We are not wanting veranda suites. Just outside cabins. Any suggestions?

[Cruising Illini]

After several trips on the Rotterdam I can recomend the following:

1.Outside on Lower Promenade Deck are smaller from left to right & some noise & activity from walkers outside on the promenade area. Would prefer inside if I wanted a cabin on this deck - they are full size but no tubs -- large shower.

2. Category D on Main deck are fine although there is a little noise from passengers walking above them on Lower Promenade -- not very loud though.

3. Had Cat. E many years ago and they were fine.

4. Cat. A & B have limited floor space but do have a nice verandah -- bed arrangement makes less space available. They are not worth the extra $$ in my opinion.

5. We take S "in our old age" and they are now very pricey -- we're taking Fjords in 2007 and it's over $7,000.

Basically the lower you are and more center will mean a smoother ride. We were on the Rotterdam for 20 days (a back to back) last October and it was super smooth in the Med. so that isn't much of a problem unless you are doing a crossing of the Atlantic. Good luck!!

[RevNeal]

The Rotterdam, like all R-class ships, has a nice assortment of outside cabins. Midship-cabins include Cs, Ds, and Es.

 

The Cs are on the Lower Promenade deck, so they are really close to the outside ... i.e., you're just a few steps away from the ship's biggest Verandah. :) The only problem is that, if someone cups their hands around their eyes, they can see in. Also, there is a bit of sound from the promenade. I didn't find it too distracting and, at night, I kept the drapes pulled to keep out the Promenade lights ... so ... that someone could see in didn't matter to me. What DID matter was the fact that these cabins are all a little smaller than the outside cabins on the two lower decks. It's not much, but it's enough to be noticeable. You can see it in the counter and in the length of the couch. If that doesn't matter to you, but being a short walk from the promenade outside is a real plus, then I'd go with a C.

 

Otherwise ... Ds and Es are GREAT cabins. The Ds, supposedly, have the chance of one having sound above your head from the promenade ... but, frankly, I never heard much (other than staff moving lounge chairs from time to time). NOTHING at night. The Es are also great, and in high seas you sometimes have to worry about Sharks and Dolphin and Whales looking in when the ships slams and the water goes over A deck. :) I actually enjoyed it in-transit to Hawaii ... it was fun to look out the window and watch the fish pacing the ship.

 

I'm booked into a D on the Statendam for the Hong-Kong to Osaka Cruise in April 2007. We MIGHT upgrade to an A or a B if the prices drop any (but I'm not holding my breath for that ... the ship will sell out). I had considered a C -- it would have cost only an extra hundred or so -- but I'd rather have the extra space on the counter and the larger couch. Besides, from where our D is located it's a VERY short walk to the Escalator and a short ride up to the lower promenade deck. And, of couse, the stairs are close too. :D

[SueSails]

My DH and I are booked on the Hong Kong to Osaka voyage, also. I can't believe that I may possibly meet you -- after having read and enjoyed your many posts. I am trying hard not to think too much about the Asia trip right now since we leave next week for back to back Med. cruises on the Rotterdam. Maybe we will meet on board....

 

Sue

[RevNeal]

My DH and I are booked on the Hong Kong to Osaka voyage, also. I can't believe that I may possibly meet you -- after having read and enjoyed your many posts. I am trying hard not to think too much about the Asia trip right now since we leave next week for back to back Med. cruises on the Rotterdam. Maybe we will meet on board....

 

Sue ... you're on the April 19, 2007 sailing of the Statendam from Hong Kong to Osaka? If so, we'll be meeting. There may be as many as 8 or 10 of us from CC aboard ship ... perhaps more by the time all is said and done. We'll have to call a Cruise Critics get together for one of the sea days. :)

 

Be advised, however, that meeting me is nothing special. :) I don't glow or walk 2 inches off the floor or anything like that. ;)

[arzz]

In my mind there is one significant difference (besides the verandah) between the plain "outside cabins" and a "verandah cabin." It is true that the walking space is limited in a verandah cabin (though, as my memory serves walking space is not that much less cluttered in a regular outside) BUT.....in a regular outside the window is above the bed -- if the bed is configured as a queen, to really see out you have to get up on the bed and stand on your knees on the bed -- otherwise the view is from a distance through the window. (Who ever decided on that arrangement anyway?)

 

In a verandah cabin (categories VA, VB, and VC) the couch, desk and extra chair are near the window (and a full wall of window it is) so that you can get a great view not only from outside on the verandah, but from the seating inside your cabin, or by standing right at the window. This may be of more or less importance to you depending on where you are sailing.

[Copper10-8]

Be advised, however, that meeting me is nothing special. :) I don't glow or walk 2 inches off the floor or anything like that. ;)

 

Wow, and here I always thought that you knew how to levitate;)

[BLam104417]

We are planning on the Baltic cruise which leaves Copenhagen an July 5, 2007. The cruise is rather port intensive and I am not sure we will spend a lot of time in our cabin because so many couples are going. We are more interested in "quiet" for sleeping than anything else. My wife and I had a Sky Suite on the Mercury last year when we went to the Mexican Riviera on our own and it was great. We spent all of our time having the butler pamper us and relaxed for most of the cruise on our veranda but I am not sure it is worth the extra expense on this trip. Thanks for everyone's help.

[RuthC]

Main Deck near the mid-ship elevators. Starboard would place you near the self-service laundry without being on the same side of the ship.

It's the best location as far as I'm concerned.

[RevNeal]

Wow, and here I always thought that you knew how to levitate;)

 

Naw ... too much trouble. I prefer teleportation. :D ;)

[BLam104417]

Is there noise from the promenade above the main deck? It looks like the mid-ship cabins on the dolphin deck would be quieter. Why do you prefer the cabins on the main deck? Thanks!

[Estella]

My favorite on the Rotterdam would be D2549, 2551, 2553, 2557, 2565. The main advantage is that directly across the hall you have an extra rest room which comes in handy at times. The rooms are good size. You have a tub/shower combination. You have a full size sofa in the room. It is close to the elevators, but still quiet. I would recommend to set the room up with twin beds rather than the queen. You have a large window and this gives you access to the window and also gives you more walking room as you don't have to walk around the bed. If the extra rest room is to no advantage, D2546, 2548, 2550, 2552, 2560 would have the same as above.

Here is a hint especially if doing an Alaskan cruise. Tell your steward to make your bed with your head at the foot of the bed rather than at the top of the bed. At night when you retire, open your drapes. It is a thrill to wake up in the morning with a snow capped mountain or glacier gliding past your window.

[RevNeal]

Is there noise from the promenade above the main deck? It looks like the mid-ship cabins on the dolphin deck would be quieter. Why do you prefer the cabins on the main deck? Thanks!

 

I do not find the noise from the promenade above Main Deck to be problematic. Perhaps I just don't notice it during the day time? But, then, I'm not often in the cabin during the day ... at least, not for long. At night I don't notice much, if ever any, noise from above.

 

As for why I prefer Main Deck to the Dolphin Deck ... specifically, I prefer the closer proximity of the cabins amidship on this deck to the outside. From my favorite D category cabins on this deck it's just a short few dozen steps to the stairs or escelator or elevator, and then a short few dozen steps to the outside doors and the promenade deck. If I want to get outside I would rather hop up just one deck of stairs and out the door than have to climb TWO decks of stairs to get outside. :)

[RuthC]

Is there noise from the promenade above the main deck? It looks like the mid-ship cabins on the dolphin deck would be quieter. Why do you prefer the cabins on the main deck? Thanks!

I never had a problem with noise from above when I was on Main Deck---that's a few cruises.

Now, I could sleep through the Second Coming, so YMMV.