55 DAYS TO GO . . .

      SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2011

      SINCE I JUST WENT OVER THE MANY DIFFERENT ROOM TYPES AND THEIR MANY CLASSIFICATIONS BASED ON LOCATIONS AND LAYOUTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SHIP, I THOUGHT I SHOULD TOUCH ON CONNECTING STATEROOMS AS WELL.
      CONNECTING STATEROOMS ARE EXACTLY WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE.  THERE IS ARE TWO DOORS RIGHT BEHIND EACH OTHER CONNECTING THE TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE ROOMS ON THEIR SHARED WALL.  IF YOU'VE EVER STAYED IN A HOTEL, ODDS ARE YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN ALREADY.  THE REASON THERE ARE TWO DOORS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE CONNECTING DOOR IS SO THE PEOPLE ON EITHER SIDE CAN LOCK THEIR RESPECTIVE DOOR, PREVENTING THEIRS FROM BEING OPENED WITHOUT UNLOCKING IT FROM INSIDE THEIR STATEROOM.
      MANY CRUISERS LOOK FOR AND/OR REQUEST CONNECTING ROOMS, BECAUSE THEY ARE TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND AT LEAST WANT THE OPTION OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THEIR TRAVELING PARTY WITHOUT HAVING TO GO OUT INTO THE HALLWAY.  ANOTHER BIG REASON FOR CONNECTING ROOMS IS IF YOU HAVE 5, 6, 7, OR 8 TOTAL IN YOUR PARTY, INCLUDING SEVERAL CHILDREN.  ALTHOUGH DISNEY REQUIRES ADULTS TO BE STAYING IN A STATEROOM WITH MINORS, CONNECTING ROOMS ALLOWS YOU TO ARRANGE YOUR PARTY AS YOU WISH, "UNOFFICIALLY".  YOU CAN PUT THE KIDS ALL IN ONE ROOM FOR SLEEPING PURPOSES, OR JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER WHEN GETTING READY.
      HAVING CONNECTING ROOMS IS ALSO A WAY TO CREATE YOUR OWN SUITE.  BY OPENING THE TWO DOORS BETWEEN THE ROOMS AND KEEPING THEM PROPPED OPEN, YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY DOUBLED THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF YOUR ROOM, THROUGH ONE OPEN DOORWAY, AND CAN STILL BE CHEAPER THAN ACTUALLY LOOKING TO BOOK SUITES ON-BOARD.  PLUS ON THE DISNEY DREAM, MOST VERANDAHS HAVE DIVIDERS BETWEEN THEM THAT CAN BE OPENED UP AS WELL, DOUBLING THE SIZE OF YOUR BALCONY AS WELL.  KNOWING HOW MANY IN YOUR PARTY AND WHERE YOU'D LIKE EVERYONE TO BE SLEEPING MAKES THIS DECISION A LOT EASIER AS WELL.
      ONE OF THE DRAWBACKS, HOWEVER, IN HAVING A CONNECTING ROOM COULD BE IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR.  IT'S TOUGH TO TELL TOTAL STRANGERS WHAT TO DO.  SO WHAT IF YOU LIKE TO GO TO BED EARLY AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE NIGHT OWLS?  AND NOT ONLY THAT, WHAT IF YOU PLAN ON YOUR STATEROOM AS BEING YOUR ONE BASTIAN OF QUIET CALM AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE JUST PLAIN LOUD?  YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR PROBLEMS COULD EXIST. 
      I HAVE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THIS ARGUMENT.  SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD A THING COMING FROM THE ROOM CONNECTING TO THEIRS.  SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE NEVER IN THEIR ROOM LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO REALLY BE A CONCERN FOR THEM.  OTHERS HAVE SAID THEY COULD HEAR THEIR NEIGHBORS, BUT IT WASN'T THAT BAD, WHILE SOME HAVE SAID THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF NOISE COMING FROM NEXT DOOR. 
     MOST PEOPLE ARE ONLY CRUISING FOR 3, 4, OR 5 DAYS, SO MOST FEEL THEY CAN PUT UP WITH SOME NOISE OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.  HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT UP WITH?  REMEMBER IT'S THEIR VACATION TOO.  THAT'S WHY THIS IS SUCH A GREY AREA.  THE TRUTH IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE NOISE NEXT DOOR IS TO TRY AND HANDLE IT YOURSELF POLITELY, ALTHOUGH PEOPLE RARELY DO.  MOST CALL GUEST SERVICES TO COMPLAIN AND SECURITY IS SENT.  THERE MAY BE SOME QUESTION AS TO WHO CALLED WHEN SECURITY ARRIVES, BUT ODDS ARE, YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT CONNECTING DOOR, SO THEY KNOW.  DOES IT MATTER TO YOU IF YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HATES YOU FOR THE LENGTH OF YOUR CRUISE?  MAYBE NOT.  I MEAN, YOU DID SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE THE VACATION YOU WANT, SO YOU'RE HARDLY AT FAULT FOR COMPLAINING IF YOU DO.  JUST TRY TO USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT AND ALWAYS CONSIDER THE TIME OF DAY WHEN YOU'RE HEARING NOISE THAT MAY BOTHER YOU.  REMEMBER YOU'RE THERE TO HAVE FUN!
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº