Another dreaded cabin question

[cruisefool143]

We are sailing the Emerald in April and are a family of four. We have two rooms forward on Baja (right across from one another - B236 and B234, one balcony, one inside). I am reading an awful lot of threads about how much better it is to be aft and am wondering if we should try to change. I read the thread about how most people prefer aft but when I read further, it appears they are talking about the very back, not the side. There is an "aft" room available on Caribe (C709) and I can get an inside for the second room not too far away (C621). I am considering changing but would hate to go through all of that only to find out the bigger balconies only apply to the ones in the very back. So, basically I am trying to decide whether or not we should move from being right across from each other (Baja - B236 and B234) to get a more aft assignment. And what is the real difference between a BE and BB? I am hoping some you more seasoned cruisers have some sage advice for me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

 

Laura

[bubbadog]

The caribe balconies are better,so take them:p

[TwinCruiserMom]

First of all, the big difference between a BE and a BB is price. If you can switch for the same amount of money, I would do it. Caribe side facing balconies are much larger than Baja and they contain 4 chairs instead of 2 so your kids would have somewhere to sit too.

 

We were on the Emerald in December with the kids being about 7 rooms down the hall on the inside to our balcony on the Caribe deck. Our "kids" are 14 - 18 years old though and very responsible. They have cruised numerous times, do not hang out in the teen club and are in their cabin for the night the same time we are. We still had DH's name on the inside cabin and mine on the balcony.

 

The aft area is just more convenient to some folks, like us. (I am not referring to aft facing balconies as we have never had one of those) It is easy to get up to the buffet to quickly fill up a plate and bring it back to the room. We were traditional dining which is 6th floor aft too. Some think that the motion in the aft is less than the front, but I can tell you that the Emerald rocks a good bit in the aft too.

 

The front elevators are more convenient to the theatre, not far from the International Cafe and at most ports there is a gangway open on the 4th floor front and midship elevators so in those cases it is more convenient.

 

Only you can decide which would be better for your family. Price would be my first consideration. Also, age of your children. I would not put 10 and 12 year olds that far down the hall from me. If you have older teens that can be trusted completely, than that is a different story.

 

Being right across the hall is much more convenient. I spent a good bit of time walking between cabins to collect laundry, ironing, etc. I could have gotten the cabin across the hall but it was only a double and I needed a triple for my 3.

 

Whichever you decide, have a fabulous cruise! The Emerald is a gorgeous ship :)

[cruisefool143]

Thanks so much for the replies. I guess I should have said in my original post that one of us (a parent) will stay in each cabin with a kid...the youngins will not be staying by themselves, one adult and one kid per cabin. We figure we will only be sleeping in the inside cabin anyway and all hanging out in the balcony cabin. Sorry, I should have mentioned that so you all don't think we are put little ones by themselves! Anyway, thanks so much for the responses.

[cjh]

Here is something else you would have to consider in an emergency there is a fire door between the inside cabin and balcony cabin and most likely will have different muster stations and would be assigned different life boats. This happened to us once when my dad had my youngest daughter in a cabin separated by a fire door

 

While I love the caribe deck and only book on it you will know for next time that the balconies are bigger and book on that deck. But for this time I would keep the cabins accross from each other.

 

Cindy

[LuvTheGoodLife]

Your Baja deck balcony is sized 9 ft wide x 5 ft deep with full ceiling cover. The Caribe deck balconies are sized 9 ft wide x 9 ft deep with ceiling cover over the first 5 ft.

 

If you prefer the larger balcony, move to any Caribe deck balcony.

[can786]

Personally, I find that the motion of heavy seas bothers me slightly less when I am aft than when I am fairly far forward. Of course midship is preferable, but given a choice I will take toward the stern over toward the bow.

[TwinCruiserMom]

Thanks so much for the replies. I guess I should have said in my original post that one of us (a parent) will stay in each cabin with a kid...the youngins will not be staying by themselves, one adult and one kid per cabin. We figure we will only be sleeping in the inside cabin anyway and all hanging out in the balcony cabin. Sorry, I should have mentioned that so you all don't think we are put little ones by themselves! Anyway, thanks so much for the responses.

 

 

If you are using the balcony cabin as your hanging out place than you really would appreciate the bigger balcony on caribe. The table is not really large but it is dining height and you can easily place all 4 chairs around it to eat your buffet or room service food. We have had Caribe balconies twice and they are definitely the best.