Norwegian Dream, question about stateroom location

[josetann]

We're going on the Transatlantic repo cruise, October 9 - 24. It'll be my wife and I, our baby, and my sister. Originally I had a single Category F booked, then decided it was worth it to get two connecting rooms instead.

 

Currently I have rooms 5254 and 5255 booked. They're Category E, and they're the furthest AFT connecting rooms they have. Now, I could get 4036 and 4037 instead, they're a bit further FWD (the most FWD connecting rooms). Difference is about ten room lengths.

 

Now, I've looked and looked and can't find too much information about either room placement. I know that the further FWD and down you are, the less movement you feel, will there be that much of a difference being up one deck and back about ten room lengths? Also I know they have gangways on deck 4, but don't know the location. Would there be a lot of traffic and noise around 4036/4037? I also read that some people had water constantly splashing on their portholes, don't know if that'd be a problem in this location. I'm also not sure about engine noise, deck 5 is further up from the engines, but also closer AFT, there may not be a big difference.

 

My pricing from NCL seems a little higher than what I can find online, but checking several sites it looks like the price difference would be $280 ($140 per room). Other than location, we'd be gaining a picture window over a porthole window. If the location is worse, I'd just book the rooms on deck 4.

 

Thanks!

[electricron]

Usually the gangways are located amidships, which would be the center stairway on Deck 4. The Deck 4 cabins are located aft of it.

Personally, I like the cabins you have now on Deck 5. Being close to the aft elevator banks is closest to most of the restaurants (food). Being a deck higher might mean larger windows/portholes.

Both cabin locations will be fine as for the ride.

[cruzer225]

"I know that the further FWD and down you are, the less movement you feel,..."

 

I just returned from a 19-day repositioning cruise on the Dream. I was on Deck 5 forward. There was MUCH movement in the cabin..worst of any of almost 40 cruises I have taken. The captain did not use the stabilizers. Any other ship would not have rocked and rolled like this dream?boat.

 

Aft cabin passengers felt LOTS of vibration from the ship. Some complained but it did them no good...the ship was at capacity.

 

This was only the 2nd cruise of nearly 40 that I got seasick. The ship does not fare well in even moderate 3-6 foot sea swells. Imagine 30 foot swells!

 

The Dream is NOT the ship to do a transatlantic cruise on. I did the QM2 last year and the seas were choppier...yet that ship felt as though I were on land at a hotel. What a difference!

 

Think again if you have time. The cost may be enticing but you will not enjoy yourselves.

[Atomica]

The Dream is NOT the ship to do a transatlantic cruise on. I did the QM2 last year and the seas were choppier...yet that ship felt as though I were on land at a hotel. What a difference!

 

Think again if you have time. The cost may be enticing but you will not enjoy yourselves.

 

Comparing the Dream to the QM2 is a pretty unfair comparison, considering the QM2 is much newer, larger, and built specifically to handle rough seas. It's like comparing a commuter jet to a 747.

[Host CMLA]

I just returned from a 19-day repositioning cruise on the Dream. I was on Deck 5 forward. There was MUCH movement in the cabin..worst of any of almost 40 cruises I have taken. The captain did not use the stabilizers. Any other ship would not have rocked and rolled like this dream?boat.

How do you know the stabilizers werent used? Is that fact or your opinion?

The Dream is NOT the ship to do a transatlantic cruise on.

I disagree. I've done several cruises on the Dream including 4 transatlantic voyages and she's a great ship to do a TA on.

The cost may be enticing but you will not enjoy yourselves.

Again, I disagree. Apparently you didn't enjoy yourself but you have no idea how others will feel. Please don't use such broad sweeping statements based on what happened to you. :mad:

[josetann]

I appreciate the responses. As far as it being a smaller ship, I'm somewhat aware of the limitations. We sailed once on the Celebrity Zenith (which is no longer the Zenith), it was similar in size. I preferred the movement felt on that ship to the larger Carnival Elation. You could feel the stabilizers kicking in, and it just wasn't as smooth a feeling (the Zenith had no stabilzers).

 

I'll bring a big bottle of anti-seasick pills (forgot what they're called, it's the generic non-drowsy dramamine), not sure how my sister will handle the movement (it's her first cruise). As for baby, he should be just fine, if not I'll try to remember to bring something with ginger that he can snack on.

 

I'll go ahead and keep these rooms, and will try to get the reservations transferred to a TA before the prices go up. The price for the cabins in category F were the same from NCL as they were from any online site I tried, but they're higher in category E for some reason (all the online sites are the same price, NCL is a couple hundred more).

 

As far as TA, I don't have a preference, but would hate to miss out on an upsell opportunity. Are the bigger TAs bad about passing this info on? Or are they preferable? I'm talking about Expedia and the like. No, I'm not depending or expecting an upsell, I doubt they'd have something we could use (would need connecting rooms, or one huge room), but would like to hear what they have regardless.

[MrLee]

I appreciate the responses. As far as it being a smaller ship, I'm somewhat aware of the limitations. We sailed once on the Celebrity Zenith (which is no longer the Zenith), it was similar in size. I preferred the movement felt on that ship to the larger Carnival Elation. You could feel the stabilizers kicking in, and it just wasn't as smooth a feeling (the Zenith had no stabilzers).

 

I'll bring a big bottle of anti-seasick pills (forgot what they're called, it's the generic non-drowsy dramamine), not sure how my sister will handle the movement (it's her first cruise). As for baby, he should be just fine, if not I'll try to remember to bring something with ginger that he can snack on.

 

I'll go ahead and keep these rooms, and will try to get the reservations transferred to a TA before the prices go up. The price for the cabins in category F were the same from NCL as they were from any online site I tried, but they're higher in category E for some reason (all the online sites are the same price, NCL is a couple hundred more).

 

As far as TA, I don't have a preference, but would hate to miss out on an upsell opportunity. Are the bigger TAs bad about passing this info on? Or are they preferable? I'm talking about Expedia and the like. No, I'm not depending or expecting an upsell, I doubt they'd have something we could use (would need connecting rooms, or one huge room), but would like to hear what they have regardless.

 

I was on the Dream for last fall's TA in a Cat. E and had a great ride. I don'y remember the cabin number but it was about 6 doors from the aft end on the port side. I was also on the Zenith in March of this year and, since I sailed one right after the other, I can say if you had no problem with the Zenith, the Dream should be fine for you.

 

Enjoy your cruise! :)

[heelfan94]

 

Think again if you have time. The cost may be enticing but you will not enjoy yourselves.

I'm not sure this is a fair statement. I'm sorry if you didn't enjoy your Dream cruise, but there are lots of us on this board who had wonderful experiences.:)

[packman266]

The ZENITH has/had a larger topsail amd so rocked more in wind. I have been on both ships severfal times and they are both good for a smaller older ship.Promenade deck on DREAM is my choice.:)