Need big balcony for wife (scared of heights) & room 4 baby to crawl.

[NoCellNoWebMeHappy]

We're looking at 7 day cruises for Caribbean or Mexico.

 

We love cruising and I won't sail without a balcony. My dear wife likes it, but is scared of heights and the usual 4 foot balcony depth doesn't allow her to join me. This is a real problem now because we have a 7 month old daughter and I would enjoy it so much more if I could have all three of us on deck.

 

Suggestions for big balconies or those with something right below that might ease her vertigo.

 

Also, considering suites as our little one will be crawling soon and I don't think it'll be fair to limit her to 200 sq. feet for a week. Suggestions on suites? We won't use the lounge and poolside seat benefits, just want a larger room.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

This will be our 3rd cruise.

2006 - Carnival Pride - Mexico (wife sick in bed for half of it)

2008 - Carnival Valor - East Caribbean

[sharktums]

Are you looking to stay on Carnival or perhaps branch out to another line?

 

The Voyager class on Royal Caribbean has what I believe would be perfect for you in the 'Royal Family Suite'. Nice large aft cabin, with a great big balcony overlooking some other balcony's and crew areas (ie you can't see straight down to the water!)

 

We spent two weeks in one on a Navigator of the Seas transatlantic cruise with our then 25 month old and my parents and it was wonderful. Lots of room to explore for the kids and a really nice balcony as well.

 

You have to call to book it, and it's not always available for only three people but a lot of the time you can get it for three.

 

Here's the balcony

 

You can kind of see the structure and stuff below you here

[kitty9]

I think any larger suite on any line would provide what you want. The Grand Suites and higher on RCI, Royal Suites and PH Suites on Celebrity, Grand Suites and higher on Princess and the Owners or Penthouse suites on NCL will be large and have huge balconies.

[Kerry's Girls]

I know on the Princess ships (and probably the others), the balconies are stacked so that cabins on higher decks overlook the balconies on lower decks - which sounds like it may solve your wife's problem of not wanting to look straight down a long drop into the water.

 

As far as crawling space...I've had two toddlers in a regular cabin with no problem, since a minute amount of waking time is spent in the cabin. There are so many more interesting places to crawl and explore (the disco during the day, empty lounges, etc.). The wonderful thing about a cruise ship as far as crawling/just learning to walk, the tables are all attached to the ground and have no sharp edges.

 

Best,

Mia

[cb at sea]

Get an AFT cabin with balcony....they are usually MUCH deeper than a side balcony....your wife can stay near the cabin door, and won't even be able to see over the railing.

[NoCellNoWebMeHappy]

Thanks for the info so fast.

 

We're certainly not tied to Carnival (especially after our last cruise with two cabins of college kids across from us).

 

I, of course, like the family suite, but think it's a little pricier than we want, but we're considering it.

 

Like the AFT cabin idea, but worry about too much motion and possible sea-sickness for my wife and little one.

 

The Princess tiered idea may work best.

[xitappers2bx]

We're looking at 7 day cruises for Caribbean or Mexico.

 

We love cruising and I won't sail without a balcony. My dear wife likes it, but is scared of heights and the usual 4 foot balcony depth doesn't allow her to join me. This is a real problem now because we have a 7 month old daughter and I would enjoy it so much more if I could have all three of us on deck.

 

Suggestions for big balconies or those with something right below that might ease her vertigo.

 

Also, considering suites as our little one will be crawling soon and I don't think it'll be fair to limit her to 200 sq. feet for a week. Suggestions on suites? We won't use the lounge and poolside seat benefits, just want a larger room.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

This will be our 3rd cruise.

2006 - Carnival Pride - Mexico (wife sick in bed for half of it)

2008 - Carnival Valor - East Caribbean

 

 

 

i don't know if you have your heart set on carnival, but if you do the rear aft balconies are very long, so she may be able to go out a little bit... also i believe on the pride from when i was researching her for my next cruise next month, it seemed like the aft wrap around suites on the lower decks have what i totally have tried to describe here 10 times and can't get it right, so i foudn the picture: http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2987373360100260141DejVTh

 

also, if you're not stuck on carnival, the celebrity mercury (i belive her sisters the constellation and the millenium have these as well) has what they call sky suites... they're are two 'levels' one on the penthouse deck, and another on deck 12 (sky deck) and the ones on deck 12 have MONSTER balconies, like 90+ square feet, that look down onto the lower decks, out to the ocean, and up to the jogging track, but its rather quiet up there... the cabin is HUUUUUGE, it has a bathtub and clebrities suite ammenties are AWESOME. totallllllllly awesome. unlike carnival (which i LOVE) they get some real perks above and beyond VIP check in. but back to the balconies, they're half covered, half not, so you can do a lot of hanging out up there, and its somewhat reasonably priced (we were going to do the 9 night bahama's out of baltimore this december before we decided to go on the pride and for 2 adults and a 5 year old it was a touch over 3200... 1399 for the first two and something like 349 for the 3+ fare).

 

now to holland america... my best friend has what you could call a religious devotion to them... she sais that you can get a suite (she believed it was the deluxe veranada suite) that is at either end of the ship, that is partially protected, and the balconies are large... she said you can check out the various designs online and there are lots of pictures online.

 

hope this helps!! its great you're trying to make good for your wife :)

[hooked-on-travel]

As a warning, if it's only 3 of you you won't be able to book a RCL Family Suite unless you find one empty for a close dated sailing. They usually have a 5 person minimum (and hold up to 8). Naturally, you can always solve that with bringing some more people (which helps bring down the per person cost since 3rd-8th person is at a reduced rate.)

 

And I'll second the "my crawling/early walking child survived a regular (in our case inside) cabin" sentiment. We've never even had a balcony. We spend a lot of time out and about, but the time spent in our inside was well spent since DD slept so well in the dark. Just a thought.

[RENMama]

More space for baby to crawl just means more stuff they can get into. Chances are although you may spend more time in your cabin than travelers without kids, you will still spend most of your time exploring the ship.

Would the cove balcony on the Carnival Dream work for her?

Deck 1 balcony so no big drop. :)

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/CarnivalDream/coveDummies.htm

[CruiseHobbit]

As far as Carnival goes, I have three suggestions. First one, already mentioned was an AFT wrap. These are more expensive, but you would have a large balcony, and larger room. Next, would be a balcony on the Carnival dream, Upper deck midship. The promenade deck is directly below, so you are only looking down one story. My preference would be to book a Cove balcony on the Dream. These are very close to the waterline(compared to a normal balcony). A drawback is if there are rough seas, they close a watertight door which results in your room becoming an Oceanview. You should research it before you decide to book to decide if you like it.

[mary_228]

I would really freak out seeing my toddler near the balcony railing. And the thought that I might have to rush over to save the child would really ruin my time on board. That said, I have had balcony cabins many times now and are totally used to them. However, I won't let my kids go out there (they have an inside cabins).