Magic/Wonder? Would you change from veranda to secret porthole room?

[happytime]

Hi All, For those who have traveled on the Magic/Wonder, would you trade a veranda room Cat 5B mid-ship for one of the secret porthole cabins Cat 10A?

I've heard great reviews on the 10A rooms, but is it worth moving from a balcony for a longer than 7 day cruise?

Please share your experiences if you have moved to a different stateroom and why.

TIA.

 

[Partyof4LA]

We haven't stayed in a 10A room, but I'm curious for the responses so am following. We've only cruised in verandah rooms. It was $1000 price difference from 10A to verandah (don't remember category we were quoted) for our next cruise so I opted to save that money and try the 10A. We plan to stay in Miami a few days post cruise with the savings.

 

[hanscarlet]

I haven't stayed in the porthole rooms in the Magic but I've heard they aren't as nice as on the Dream class ships, I would keep my verandah if the cost made sense, I really enjoy the verandah

 

[Dug720]

I haven't stayed in the porthole rooms in the Magic but I've heard they aren't as nice as on the Dream class ships, I would keep my verandah if the cost made sense, I really enjoy the verandah

The primary difference is you cannot sit in the window - sort of a moot point unless you are teeny. Otherwise the rooms are perfectly nice and Disney standards.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

My husband and I usually get a verandah room, but for the westbound Panama Canal cruise this spring on the Wonder we chose a secret porthole room.

We saved around $1000 that we spent on excursions, etc. The SPH was every buyback as roomy as the 5C we had on our previous cruise.

I'm actually shocked there's a SPH available for you to consider - they're a great bargain, and they sell very quickly.

FYI, 5024 and 5524 have a very heavily obstructed view. We were in 5022 and loved it - the view straight out of the porthole was great, but slightly obstructed to the sides. I'd book it again in a heartbeat and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[happytime]

My husband and I usually get a verandah room, but for the westbound Panama Canal cruise this spring on the Wonder we chose a secret porthole room.

We saved around $1000 that we spent on excursions, etc. The SPH was every buyback as roomy as the 5C we had on our previous cruise.

I'm actually shocked there's a SPH available for you to consider - they're a great bargain, and they sell very quickly.

FYI, 5024 and 5524 have a very heavily obstructed view. We were in 5022 and loved it - the view straight out of the porthole was great, but slightly obstructed to the sides. I'd book it again in a heartbeat and laugh all the way to the bank.

Thanks MickeyEarrings for your experience. I was surprised to see the opening as well yesterday as it wasn't there since the beginning of the new schedule came out.

 

[happytime]

The primary difference is you cannot sit in the window - sort of a moot point unless you are teeny. Otherwise the rooms are perfectly nice and Disney standards.

I definitely wouldn't fit in the window as I'm on the heavier side at this writing. LOL Thank you for responding as I was actually wondering about the size and whether the window were like the ones in the hallways.

 

[Geomom]

I definitely wouldn't fit in the window as I'm on the heavier side at this writing. LOL Thank you for responding as I was actually wondering about the size and whether the window were like the ones in the hallways.

Take a look at @MickeyEarrings trip report (listed in her signature). It has a bunch of pics from their secret porthole room so you can see what it looks like.

 

[Dug720]

I definitely wouldn't fit in the window as I'm on the heavier side at this writing. LOL Thank you for responding as I was actually wondering about the size and whether the window were like the ones in the hallways.

You're welcome! I had a cabin on the Dream with the big window and while I'm not totally Pooh-size, about one and a half cheeks fit onto the bench if I sat sideways. Lol.

 

[jrabbit]

FYI - on the Magic / Wonder, the portholes in the room really are not wide enough to sit in/on. Not like the deck 3 forward portholes.

I've never sprung for a veranda room, but have been upgraded a couple of times. For me and my family, we would not spend the money on that type of room. We are very happy with the Cat 9 porthole rooms (prefer the deck 2 rooms closer to the water).

I have been in 5522 (the less obstructed view - on the Starboard side) and that is what hooked us on the Cat 9 rooms. "never" going back to an inside room. and will not pay for a veranda.

The room sizes (on the Magic and Wonder) for the cat 9 & 8 portholes is the same size as the veranda room (well up through cat 5 I think). and that includes the veranda, so the actual stateroom is smaller (if my memory is correct)

 

[mareed]

Any cruise I've checked, the 10A secret porthole cabins are more than the 9c unobstructed porthole cabins on deck 2. I'll save even more and take the deck 2 porthole window! The price difference to go to a verandah on the Magic/Wonder is so much more than on the Fantasy/Dream that I can't justify it with all of the great public outdoor spaces.

 

[cruiser21]

The portholes in the classic rooms are not meant for sitting. Even a kid would not be comfortable sitting in one. If you want to sit in a porthole go to deck 3 forward. There are lots of portholes with padded seats, and they are great for sitting and reading a book or taking a nap.

 

[meldobbs]

I've been in a secret porthole on Wonder (5020) and a verandah on the Dream. We did enjoy the verandah, but just having a view to the outside world is enough for us. I didn't notice any difference in the sizes of the rooms. We are doing the secret porthole again on our next cruise.

 

[LullabeeDisney]

I was able to snag a SPH on the wonder over a month after release dates - I was floored.
That said, I'd do it. But I'm not the one to pay for a verandah because we'd never use it.
Don't forget that 6006/6506 got turned into SPH here recently. Not many sites have them listed but they are.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you're used to having the private balcony, don't do it. If all you really want is to have some light coming into the stateroom, then you will save possibly a lot of $ by switching.

Deck 2 portholes are wonderful!

 

[meldobbs]

Don't forget that 6006/6506 got turned into SPH here recently. Not many sites have them listed but they are.

We will be in 6506 on the Wonder this Thanksgiving.

 

[LullabeeDisney]

We will be in 6506 on the Wonder this Thanksgiving.

Oh if you remember will you grab pics? It seems not many exists of the rooms - I guess because they've only been SPHs for a shorter amount of time. I've heard the window washers (which is what causes the obstructed view) can be a bit loud but I think they only run them on port days, so. Just FYI.

 

[jrabbit]

I...
Deck 2 portholes are wonderful!

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuusssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[meldobbs]

Oh if you remember will you grab pics? It seems not many exists of the rooms - I guess because they've only been SPHs for a shorter amount of time. I've heard the window washers (which is what causes the obstructed view) can be a bit loud but I think they only run them on port days, so. Just FYI.

I'll try. I've had the same trouble finding pics, but I saw one that made me think it won't be too bad. I almost wondered if we should revisit 5020, because we know that one is great.
As I understand it, while the window washers are operating the view is not obstructed at all since it has moved down the rail to service the other areas.

 

[Dug720]

Deck 2 portholes are wonderful!

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuusssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!

I did enjoy 2582 on the Magic, but it was a tad far back for me. I'm a forward section girl, but I wanted to make sure my parents were comfy (I got us connecting cabins so they had 2584). I'm excited about trying 2504 on the Wonder in February!!