"In hull" balcony cabins on QM2?

I have just read the post about B1-B5 cabins with "in-hull" balconies, and seen the photo here: http://www.ivoya.com/luxury_cruises/...cony_300px.jpg

Wow, I am in shock! I have booked a trip on QM2 in April in this so-called "deluxe in hull" balcony cabin.

The balcony is not a proper balcony at all! It's just a large unglazed picture window with a murky area in between it and the cabin. You would get more light from an ordinary outside cabin! No wonder they don't show a picture in the brochure.

Anyone been in one of these, and do you recommend it before I call the travel agent to change?

We looked at the options of hull balcony v outside window and chose the widow option. To be honest they are an apology for a balcony and the fact that the cabin proper is smaller, and that they are more expensive made it a no brainer for us. Again , as always it comes down to personal preference, but ask yourself how long you think you would wish to spend in your cabin anyway, in our case when awake it was not very long.

Am sure you will get just the opposite view from someone else but that is my pennoth.

Either way have a great trip.

David.

We had an hull balcony for a NY - Caribbean in Nov. 2004. The balcony was not murky at all. Yes, it will be darker at times during the day but it is no dungeon.

The pricing was different in 2004 so I can't say if it is worth it now. I suspect it is. I would book one again based on the 10 days we had it. I found the cabin size satisfactory. I don't spend alot of time in it anyway. I would rather be up on deck and walking around then sitting in the cabin.

Don't knock it until you have tried it.

Good luck with whatever stateroom you choose because it is the QM2 you are suppose to enjoy, not just the room.

Ed

Thanks.

We do not spend that much time in the cabin, but we thought we were booking a balcony with an overhang, like the Concierge Class cabins on 9 deck on Celebrity M-Class ships.

What we seem to be getting is a balcony with an overhang, sidehangs and an underhang, and an enlarged porthole! Surely sunbathing is impossible?

I am starting to have some serious doubts about this ship.

My Spouse was shocked by the dark and dingy appearance of halls and public rooms.

The hull balcony does not favorably compare with RCCL Mariner of the Seas balcony staterooms.

We have had a D1 on 5 cruises on her. I see that drawer space is nonexistant.

HAL's Rotterdam has a much more impressive appearance, and the art treasures aboard her are beyond compare.

The more I see and learn, the more concerned I am that 81 days is going be a long time.

We (my daughter and I) were in a hull balcony cabin in March 2004 to the Caribbean and enjoyed it so much, we requested the same for our upcoming trip around the Horn of South America this month.

we had an in-hull balcony for our crossing in October and it was just fine for us. No sunbathing at that time of year, but I guess it wouldn't be much good for sunbathing at all, plenty of deckspace upstairs for that! we enjoyed being able to pop out onto the balcony in the morning and evening and get some private fresh air. they are very private, really didn't know that we had neighbours, and our neighbours were our travelling companions!! our friends sat out on the balcony even at that time of year to read books. we were too busy doing other things!

hope this helps.

Roz

I saw this post about the hull balconies. We just booked 5156, a B2 category for the QM2 in August. I appreciated the comments on the hull balcony, but is it completely enclosed or are there openings on the sides of the balcony for fresh air? Does the outside "window" in the hull open? I might change the category of our cabin is this is just like a greenhouse balcony. I thought this "hull" would be sufficient for a transatlantic crossing since the weather is so changeable. I was interested also that the B2 category had a larger cabin, approximately 269 sq ft and the A1 category noted a smaller cabin, 249 sq ft.

Thanks in advance,

Christy

We were in 5200 in March 2004 and in 5122 (Atrium) in May 2004, coming back from Soton.

According to Cunard's web site, the hull balconies are 248 square feet (that does include the balcony). There is a glass door which opens out to go onto the balcony and there are 2 lounge chairs and a small table there.

Much fun if you are on the port side as you can see all the activities going on while docked.

We got really good prices, with a free upgrade from B5 to B1.

The next category up is quite a lot more. Maybe we'll suck it and see (as we say in England).

I have to agree with minxtabb that it is really nice to have some "private fresh air" in the morning and evening. My mom and I traveled on Deck 4 to the Caribbean last February. We were traveling with others who were up on Deck 11 with the glass balconies and had difficulty with the sway of the ship. It's a matter of choice -- the glass balcony staterooms definitely get more daylight but they are slightly smaller cabins and on the upper decks. We liked the lower decks because it is easier access to other areas of the ship -- we could use the stairs for almost everything instead of waiting for the elevators.

The hull balcony is basically a cutout in the hull at the height a normal window would be -- there was no glass in it in the room we were in. We did have a full wall sliding glass door to access the balcony. The balcony was large enough for 2 deck chairs.

We enjoyed stepping out in the mornings to watch the dockings and to look at the stars at night. Because it's mostly enclosed, you don't get the wind, which is pretty stiff at night when you are out on deck. So it's also nice for private, fresh air relaxation when the decks are too windy.

Personally I think the hull balcony upgrade is worth it over an ocean view room if you want the fresh air but don't want to pay for the glass balconies in the A1-A2 category.

As for the dingy, dark appearance of hallways and public rooms -- I don't recall that. Most of the public rooms are quite spacious. My mom's initial reaction was that the ship overall wasn't as "glamorous" in decor as the Crystal ships she's traveled on, but after a week, she acknowledged that it had an understated elegance that she really enjoyed.

We're traveling on the QM2 again next month to South America and really looking forward to it (hull balcony again...) :)

The Comments On Hull Balconies The Cabin Size Is Thev Same As My So Called Upgade To Lifeboat Obstructed Viw On B6 This Is Much Better Doing July Short Cruise On Deck 6.

Dave

Anyone been in one of these, and do you recommend it before I call the travel agent to change?

We were in an A2 glass-balcony room on the 11th deck for the 12/8/05 Caribbean cruise and really enjoyed it! I liked sitting up in bed or on the balcony lounge chair and looking out at the new island each day. We had room service for breakfast and could watch the action on land while we sipped our coffee. Sometimes there was a swaying in rough waters as we slept, but its hypnotic sameness helped me sleep as it did on the 4th deck on our QE2 crossing. We saw a CC member's hull balcony and wouldn't have traded ours for theirs, and they wouldn't have traded theirs for ours! Whenever I have misgivings such as yours, I've learned to listen to them, because the negative thoughts won't go away and will probably mar your vacation.

However, a CC member mentioned that on a crossing she liked the hull balcony, because it would have been too cold and windy to sit on a lounge chair with a glass balcony. You might want to choose this for April or cancel April and go on the ship in the warmer weather!

Our April trip is Rio to New York, via Barbados.

Am sure you will get just the opposite view from someone else but that is my pennoth.

Either way have a great trip.

David.

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David, I had to look that word up in the dictionary! Did you mean "pennorth"?

Silly me! I had entirely forgotten that QM2 is a liner, not a cruise ship.

The thought of being on an eleven deck open glass verandah on the North Atlantic in winter during a force ten gale whilst travelling at thirty knots fills me with trepidation.

I see why they have the "in hull" balconies now. We'll stay put and report back in April.

Am sure you will get just the opposite view from someone else but that is my pennoth.

 

Either way have a great trip.

 

David.

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David, I had to look that word up in the dictionary! Did you mean "pennorth"?

Well it is usually spoken not written, but is the same, and is short for "pennyworth" We could say "haporth (hapenny/halfpenny worth) of this and pennorth (penny worth) of that. All this relates to what we ancients in England call the "old money" before we went decimal.

David.

The thought of being on an eleven deck open glass verandah on the North Atlantic in winter during a force ten gale whilst travelling at thirty knots fills me with trepidation.

Barbados to NY is pretty much the same route that we followed on our cruise (check out the route for 12/8/05), and we had fierce winds one evening and the movement on the 11th deck was no big deal. You won't be crossing the pond from the UK. It'll be a shame to only experience 1/2 the fun of a "view of the land" in a hull cabin. As you said, it's a liner and not a cruise ship anad has efficient stabilizers. Also, you're only in the open sea for two days and a good part of that is before you even reach Florida! Cruising from Rio to Barbados sounds like you'll be in warm waters for the majority of your trip, and it's so nice viewing land and the beautiful waters while you relax on your lounge chairs! I think that quite a few of the members on this CC board will support me in this view with their experiences on rough seas. Another thing to consider is the shortage of deck chairs on any ship. We had our own with a view and didn't have the hassle for a deck chair! And note that a good portion of the 11th deck has an overhang which further protected our balcony from the winds!

Hi...I'm interested in your views on the 11th deck cabin. We are booked in 11059 and our best friends in 11038 for the 12/2/06 cruise to the Islands. Which cabin were you in? I was delighted to read your posting about it, especially about the lack of obvious movement. I too wanted the glass balcony so I could sit up in bed and see the water and where we were. And it's nice to know there's enough room to relax away from everything. Did you find that location inconvenient for getting places in the ship? This is our first trip on QM2 and we are super excited. I studied the deck plans hard and thought it just looked like a wonderful place to spend the week and enjoy the feeling of sailing when not doing other things. Thank you for any insight you can offer. Penny

We stayed on deck 5, loved the hull balcony, its huge. Deck 11 received more pronounced movement during high seas. It was a vomitorium vs deck 5

Hi, Penny. We were in 11088 which is further towards the back. The one advantage was being closer to the Britannia, but you'll be closer to the spa and the laundry! Look at the deck plans and see what areas you'll be in the most. Some older people complained of all the walking, and others were glad that they were close to the dining room and the Queen's Room! It'll be nice for you and your friends to be on opposite sides of the ship. Your friends will be portside on the same side as us, and you'll be starboard. Quite often we docked facing the island but there were times when we didn't and missed sitting on the deck facing the island. You'll be able to pop over to each other's balconies and not miss seeing the glorious rainbows that sometimes occur! (It was neat sitting up in bed to see the Statue of Liberty in the early dark morning on our return from the Caribbean!)

The majority of CC members said that it's best to be in the middle of the ship and lower in the ship, but we were on deck 11 and the movement didn't bother us. Besides, most of the suites are in the extreme front or back and some on the higher decks, so the movement can't be too bad, eh? I noticed that you'll be somewhat in the same spot towards the front. We were surprised that we felt the most movement on deck 2 in the Royal Court Theatre and in front of the elevators on deck 2 near the Britannia!

It was all "firsts" for us - first cruise, first time on these islands and first time on the QM2. You'll be going to our three favorite islands out of the seven on our trip! St. Kitts has a train ride owned by two men from Alaska which they started three years ago. It's such a cute little train with air-conditioned cars below and safari-style seating with a canvas cover on the top level of the train. The girls will serenade you, give you Pina Coladas and/or rum punch, and little candy confections all for free. It goes on steel-supported tracks over gullies and past pristine beaches. My husband took video of it from the safari top, and we can relive it including the creaking and scraping noises!

If you booked with a TA, ask if they belong to an association called "Ensemble", because "Ensemble" will invite you to a free cocktail party while at sea and a tour of Barbados with an included stop at the Colony Club for a lunch buffet which would be costly and is not part of the Cunard excursions!

St. Thomas was clean, attractive and great for shopping!

Feel free to ask me any other questions on here or at: cwshops-qm2@yahoo.com

Thank you so much for your helpful posting. I really appreciated it and will take you up on your offer to email. Thanks for offering your e-address. As we will be on board about the same time you were your insight will be so helpful to us. Appreciate especially the info about the ports...we haven't been to any of them so your experiences will help a lot. We have started a roll call on the roll call board and so far have 2 other couples plus the 4 of us. We're all excited and have to wait til Dec!! I'll email when I"m not as tired and can make some sense. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciated your response. Cheers...Penny

PS....I kind of thought "vomitorium" sounded a tad over the top....thanks!

During our June crossing, we were very pleased to have the in-hull balcony. Most of the crossing was windy and rainy (we even had 70 mph winds and 40 ft seas). We were protected from the elements and still had the opportunityto step out for a cocktail or to watch the passing expanse. Plenty of room, bright and certainly not gloomy. Go for a southern exposure. Perfect for lounging and reading a book in the brisk mid-Atlantic.

We just got back from the 12/20 sailing. We had a B-3 hull balcony room. It was actually fine. Room wasn't dark - we certainly got fresh air. And it certainly is private. You can step onto your balcony with only your PJs (or less!). The bigger issue for us was the fact that we had (unbeknownst to us) what could have been an adjoining cabin - you'll see a locked door in the wall. There is absolutely no - and I mean no - soundproofing - we heard the lady next door sneeze! (Thank goodness they weren't on their honeymoon!) Be sure to check that your cabin doesn't fall within this category. Otherwise you will be at the mercy of the particular schedule of your next door neighbors. And if their phone rings at 5AM, it will be your wake-up call, as well.

(Thank goodness they weren't on their honeymoon!)

Just checked, and sure enough, we've been allocated an adjoining cabin... NYC to LA, hope our next door neighbours are either deaf or have a sense of humour!