Room Choices About This Page:

[1st time cruiser]

Hi Everyone!

My family - me, my husband and two kids, 7 and 4, are booking our first ever cruise aboard the Disney Magic in October. I am trying to make the decision about what room to book. We are from Canada so the difference in price ranges means double the amount

We are debating between a family stateroom w/ veranda, a stateroom w/veranda or a class 8 outside view stateroom.

Any recommendations? With our Canadian conversions the difference between the stateroom w/veranda and the class 8 is about $1500.00.

How much did everyone use there veranda? What is the difference in the size of the rooms?

Thanks for everyone's input

[buzzspal2]

I just wanted to say welcome, you will have a lot of fun here.

[OffKilter_Lynn]

Hi & welcome to the boards!

If budget permits, I'd go for the veranda. It's amazing to sit there and watch the world go by. Category 5 & 6 are both the same cabin but the price difference depends on which deck you're on (category 6 is less expensive).

Since you're a family of 4, you don't need the extra space of the family stateroom which can accomodate 5.

Either way, you're planning right by selecting a base room with a view!

Have a wonderful time!

[Dave Marx]

While a verahdah is very nice, it's not essential. You'll find that the breeze will be very brisk when the ship is underway, but the wall-to-wall window that comes with it is pleasant under nearly all circumstances. I like the open, airy feeling from the wall-to-wall glass in the verandah staterooms, but the very large window in a Cat. 8 lets in nearly as much light (see the photos in PassPorter's DCL guidebook). There's no difference in interior space between the Cat. 8 and Cat. 5/6 staterooms, but the verandah certainly adds additional living space when conditions permit.

The real question may be a Cat. 4 vs. all the rest. Those rooms are about 36 square feet larger than the other staterooms you're considering, and your children can both have ground-level beds. Of course, your elder child may actually prefer having an upper berth, given the choice. However, with the exchange rates being what they are (not as looney as they once were, but still...), I'd hesitate to recommend this option.

In a sense, much of the difference between all these choices is lifestyle. A larger room and/or verandah encourages you to spend more time in the stateroom, and a smaller room encourages you to get out and enjoy the rest of the ship and shipboard activities, where you'll have a lot more breathing space under all circumstances.

[DC lover]

<font color="purple"> When in Oct. are you planning on sailing? I am sailing the Oct. 2nd cruise on the Magic. </font>

[1st time cruiser]

We are planning for the October 16th trip on Magic. How do you think the weather will be in October??

[JoanW]

We were on the Wonder last October 23 - 26, and the weather was awsome! Mid 80's everyday, perfect at night. We did have some choppy seas on the 3rd day/night, but slept like babies.

[DCLFANATiC]

I would definately go for the veranda, we were out there so much !

[disfam6]

We also just booked our first ever cruise and being from Canada also the US $ is a big deal when pricing rooms! We had to book 2 adjoining staterooms so opted for 2 Cat. 10's. I am hoping to not be in our rooms much but enjoying the Wonderful Disney moments on board and off.

[JoanW]

I forgot to mention we had a Category 5 last October, with the verandah. It was wonderful to sit out there early in the morning and even late at night. I was surprised at how much we used it. It was myself, husband and two daughters, ages 12 and 11, so it was nice to have the extra space. Category 6, which is a little bit cheaper, is the same size room with verandah, but not any higher than Deck 6. Category 5 is on Deck 7.