Disney Fantasy 5E – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Huge Aft Verandah 9674 Review

Recently, we sailed on the Disney Fantasy for a 7-Night Eastern Caribbean cruise. We had been eagerly anticipating this stateroom for over a year after seeing photos from a similar room on the Disney Dream. 9674 is a Category 5E – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with a HUGE Aft Verandah. The Deluxe Oceanview staterooms are tailored for families of 3 or 4 with a queen sized bed, a pull-out couch and a drop-down bunk bed. The stateroom itself is almost identical to 9648, which we stayed in on the Disney Dream.

Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy - Stateroom Location 9674

9674 is located on the starboard side all the way aft.  The aft stairs and elevators are a short walk down the hallway providing quick access to Cabanas & the pool deck!

Just like the staterooms on the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy beds are elevated providing more than enough storage space to hide away our suitcases for the week after unpacking.  With this additional storage space, the spacious closets opposite the split bath and the 4 dresser draws, offer more than enough space to hold a week’s worth of clothes for the 3 of us. Over on the other side of the stateroom, the desk adds even more storage, with 3 more large dresser draws.  I only used one of them to store my laptop, iPad, and cables.  Our daughter commandeered the coffee table (which opens up like a treasure chest) to store her books, stuffed animals, and various other things during the day.

Stateroom 9674 - Sitting Area & Bed
Stateroom 9674 – Sitting Area & Bed
Stateroom 9674 - Bed & Sitting Area
Stateroom 9674 – Bed & Sitting Area

Split Bath

This staterooms features a convenient split bath, which allows for two people to simultaneously get ready for dinner and other activities.  I found that it was necessary to leave the door open when taking a shower to prevent a steam bath, as it lacks an exhaust fan.

The Verandah!!!

Usually, on a ship things are small and cramped.  This is not the case for 9674’s verandah!  Extremely spacious does not accurately describe this verandah; this private outdoor space is absolutely enormous!!!

Stateroom 9674 - HUGE Aft Verandah
Stateroom 9674 – HUGE Aft Verandah
Stateroom 9674 - Stateroom view of Aft Verandah
Stateroom 9674 – Stateroom view of Aft Verandah
Stateroom 9674 - Aft Veranda
Stateroom 9674 – Aft Veranda

A unique design feature of the verandah separating walls is a door that can be opened to create a connecting verandah ,even if the room does not have inside connecting door.

Stateroom 9674 - Verandah Connecting Door
Stateroom 9674 – Verandah Connecting Door

Views from the Verandah

The location of this stateroom provided breathtaking views at St. Thomas, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Castaway Cay and while at sea.

Stateroom 9674 - Aft Verandah View of St. Thomas
Stateroom 9674 – Aft Verandah View of St. Thomas
Stateroom 9674 - Verandah View of Castaway Cay
Stateroom 9674 – Verandah View of Castaway Cay
Stateroom 9674 - Aft Verandah View of Caribbean
Stateroom 9674 – Aft Verandah View of Caribbean
Stateroom 9674 - Veranda View of Port Canaveral Parking Lot
Stateroom 9674 – Veranda View of Port Canaveral Parking Lot
Stateroom 9674 - Looking up from the Verandah
Stateroom 9674 – Looking up from the Verandah
Stateroom 9674 - Aft Verandah Sunset
Stateroom 9674 – Aft Verandah Sunset

The one and only complaint we had regarding the verandah was that we were expecting 2 lounge chairs based on photos of the room on the Disney Dream.  I called Guest Services while still in port at Port Canaveral and requested 2 lounge chairs.  I was informed that it was not permitted do to so for safety reasons.  While we were waiting to depart St Thomas, we were talking with the our neighbors above and below and found out that the aft verandahs on decks 8 and 10 all had 2 lounge chairs, 2 deck chairs and a small table.  Our neighbor in 9676 simply asked our stateroom host and by the next day, 2 loungers were delivered to his verandah.  We were disappointed not having lounge chairs, but we made the best of it and look forward to them in 8188 in a few months. We did include this scenario on our comment card as well.

Noise & Vibrations

Engine noise and vibrations are a frequent complaint I’ve read about the Aft rooms on both the DreamFantasy.  The reports are true to some extent, but we did not find it to be a distraction.  Yes, there were vibrations, but we felt the same magnitude vibrations elsewhere on the ship.  This may have to do with the fact that I realize I am on a ship sailing in open water, which is susceptible to the uncontrollable force of nature (although I am sure Imagineers are working on a solution to control the weather).  We had no problems sleeping and no rude awakenings!  I felt the engine noise was mild and sounded more like something from one of those white noise generators people use to help them sleep.  Regardless, this like many other things is subjective.  I love the location of these rooms and will continue to book them in the future.

39 Replies to “Disney Fantasy 5E – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Huge Aft Verandah 9674 Review”

    1. Melissa

      Did the verandah connect on BOTH room sides even if the rooms do not connect inside? To both 9176 and 9672? Looking at the deck plan there is a gap on the decks like between 9176 & 9674. It that space actually there or do they connect too?

      Reply
        1. Jami Ann

          Just checking to be sure you stayed in 9674 and can verify the conncting balcony with 9176 (the other side of the gray area). I was going by this Disney Cruise blog to book our room with friends and we were able to get 9674 and 9176. However, upon a close look the room that is shown on the map above is actually 9672 not 9674!!! The whole review states 9674 but that’s not the room shown on the ship map! I based our whole booking upon the fact that our balconies would connect!

          Reply
  1. Kelly

    Thanks for the great review Scott. We had this cabin for this October but traded it for 8682. No loss though as we also have it reserved for next October as well 🙂

    Reply
  2. Scott

    Thanks for the great review and for the pictures…we are in this room in October, we sail in less then a month! We are excited and are very much looking forward to this stateroom.

    Thanks for taking the time to help other travelers out!

    Reply
  3. Amber

    I’ve read reports of the smell of diesel or fumes on the aft verandas. I really want to book one of these rooms but my husband would not be able to deal with the smell and not sitting on his verandah. Is there any truth to this?

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      We have not had an issue with the smell of diesel fuel on our last 3 Fantasy sailings with aft verandahs. However, we did have neighbors who were frequent smokers.

      Reply
      1. Jami Ann

        I realize this post is from 2012… have the ship room numbers changed? I see on the little map that the location of this room is actually 9672. The post highlights 9674. Is this post about Disney Fantasy 9674 or 9672 ? I want to know if the balconies of 9674 connect with 9176.

        Reply
  4. DCLCruiser

    Thank-You for such a great review. I absolutely loved all of your pictures. We will be in 8188 on the Dream for our first cruise in May, and if it was possible I’m even more excited now!

    Reply
  5. CJ YORK

    Just stayed in 9674 and yes, there was a smell of the fuel oil burning the first night out of Port Canaveral.

    Reply
  6. cruisecrasher

    I’m so excited to see this post! We’re in this exact cabin in October 2014 after swapping from an Alaska interior.
    Actually I think you’d responded to my disboards post about whether to swap the other day.

    Reply
  7. cruisecrasher

    I know it’s on the Fantasy.
    We swapped from an interior on the Alaska cruise on the Wonder to this exact room on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Fantasy after questioning which cruise would be a better fit at our kids ages.

    Reply
  8. Parlene

    I’m looking for some photos of stateroom 9512 on the Fantasy. I’m very curious about the “Navigator’s Verandah” and what the obstructed view looks like. Sailing in January 2014. Anybody have any info? Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Matthew

    Hi – Im in 9674 in Novemver on the Dream too!!

    I hope its a good room!

    Id love to see pictures of the actual cabin with balcony.

    Reply
  10. Jesica

    I stayed in 9674 on the Dream in 2012. It was absolutely amazing. We have 10664 for this August on the Fantasy. Can’t live without those oversized verandahs!

    Reply
  11. kathy4172@ yahoo.com

    We’re going on 1 st ever cruise Oct. 2014 on the Dream. I booked 8188 on the Dream. Can’t wait. Thanks for all the info.

    Reply
  12. Chris

    Just got back from a 4 day sailing on the Dream. Read this article a while back and had to book one of these aft rooms for our next sailing on the Fantasy next April while we were onboard. Got it booked just in time, they don’t last long once the word gets out. Thanks for the great info!

    Reply
  13. Chris D.

    My family is new to DCL. We are booking a room in 2015 on Fantasy and I have been looking at stateroom 10664. I have read several reviews (some good, some bad) regarding the aft of the ship.I have heard there is the smell of fuel and also soot collects on the verandah. I also heard the verandah gets very hot and there is lack of shade. We will be traveling with my 3 year old daughter who suffers from ashma and my wife is worried about the negative reviews she has read. If anyone could help me out with some reviews I would apperciate it. Thanks and Happy Sailing

    Reply
  14. 4DsNJ

    We sailed the Eastern April 19 – April 26 2014. Had a great cruise. This verandah did have a smell of fuel once that I can remember. Many other times on the verandah, we didnt smell anything like it. Wind is blowing as the ship is moving in the water. I did notice one morning a sprinkle of soot on the verandah, but later in the day it was all cleaned by the stateroom attendant. The verandah was always kept clean.

    With regards to the deck getting hot, yes it did, as with any surface out in the sun for a long time it will get hot. Wearing flip flops aleviated this and made it a non issue. Also your quesiton about the shade. Depending on the time of day and the direction you are sailing, you will have sun or shade. Once or twice the sun was shining on the verandah during the early day and we didnt sit out, yet later in the afternoon it was shady and beautiful.

    We loved the room and will definitely be booking an aft verandah next time we sail. Even the folks in the stateroom next to us felt they have a better verandah aft than they had on the side of the ship when they had sailed before.

    Hope your sailing is a enjoyable as ours was, wherever you choose a room!

    Reply
  15. Shannon

    Thanks so much for this review. We are booked in 9672 on Fantasy in September and your review helped me book the category 05e. So excited to know what we are getting into thanks to your great review. It’s the best review I’ve found of this category/location so far. Thanks again!

    Reply
  16. DJ

    Scott,
    I know this is an old thread. I hope you still monitor it. Can the people on the balcony above look down? The cabin above is also available, but the scratching of chairs from Cabana’s drives me crazy. Plus I would assume more people can look down on you from Cabanas if on Deck ten. Any insight would be great!

    Reply

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