inside vs balcony dilemma!

[gerry48]

hi, wife and I are going on our very first cruise in february on carnival splendor. we always said we would do balcony for first time but balcony was $600 more than the inside. we ended up with an inside 4g cabin.

has anyone else booked inside and then changed to a balcony? also what is ventilation like in an inside room?

[dna1990]

There are so many opinions on balconies, more than the people posting on them. We have had inside/outside/balcony. There have been moments when a balcony really was special...special enough for ~$100/day, well that becomes the question.

 

Like any building or hotel, any room has the potential for less than perfect ventilation...but inside rooms (or ocean views with fixed windows) are no better or worse.

 

I always suggest (but often get overuled) to first timers - is stick with an inside. Enjoy the MANY public balcony places all over the ship for free during this cruise. If the feeling of sitting and staring at the waves and soaking in the salt breeze really makes the experience - then get the balcony next time.

 

But use that money this first time on a some neat excursions, spa, or drinks.

[Arwenmark]

Do you plan to be out of the room all the time? I will not sail without a balcony because that is the primary place I am on the trip. I leave the balcony for meals or to make my way to the coffee shop or to go to the Promenade. I don't go to shows or other ship board activities, I don't use the pool EVER.

 

It depends on what you plan to do. As for the ventilation, sometimes inside cabins suffer IF people leave there balcony door open because it compromises the air conditioning system.

On the other side, Insides are totally black with the door closed.

[griffy]

We've had inside, outside and balcony. We discovered that we can't go back to an inside (tried it). Whlie we weren't miserable, we USE our balcony. It's the first place I go after I wake up and it's the last place I visit before going to bed. I love going out on the balcony and feeling the breeze and hearing the ship slice through the ocean. We try to avoid looking at what the rate is for an inside vs balcony and just pretend the balcony rate is the only rate...We're now Platinum and get a discount on the balcony rooms so we also pretend that paid for the difference in price...DON'T LOOK at the difference in the rates....OR, carefully compare cruises. On some of the cruises, there's not a big difference in balcony rates vs inside or outside...and there are price drops if you book early, early.

[printingchick]

Why not split the difference and do an Ocean View? They generally run only about $100/pp more than inside. No balcony, but you can wake up and look at the ocean!

 

I can't afford a balcony, but I nearly ALWAYS book a room with an ocean view!!

[houstoncruisers2001]

We CAN and have switched back & forth between an inside and a balcony on a few occasions. I think an inside cabin makes you want to get out on deck more. With a balcony we do spend more time in the cabin, but not a lot more. We will pay for a reasonable priced balcony, but we will not overpay just to have one. Some people love the darkness of an inside while other people freak out. There are pros and cons to both cabins and you won't really know what you like until you have tried them. I'm sure if I tried an owner's suite I'd want one of those every time too, but to us just being on the ship is the main thing whether we have a balcony or not.

 

That being said, we have a balcony on our cruise leaving this Sunday.

[sheerfun]

We had tried balcony on our first 2 cruises. Then wanted to try other rooms and started with an inside. As others have said, its not horrible but it was tough for us to get used to not having sunlight. It did leave us jet-lagged.

 

I agree with the other post here. An oceanview is a good compromise.

[Essiesmom]

Why not split the difference and do an Ocean View? They generally run only about $100/pp more than inside. No balcony, but you can wake up and look at the ocean!

 

I can't afford a balcony, but I nearly ALWAYS book a room with an ocean view!!

OP does not need an OV...Their 4G IS and ocean view, somewhat obstructed, very front of the ship. Enjoy it. If you want to walk outside, the almost private (if windy) deck is only steps away. EM

[geoherb]

I'm frugal. I could not justify paying $600 more for a balcony. Someone once posted it's better to upgrade your cruise line than to upgrade your cabin. We occasionally will splurge for a balcony cabin--when the difference in price is not more than $100 more than an outside cabin.

[Essiesmom]

OP does not need an OV...Their 4G IS and ocean view, somewhat obstructed, very front of the ship. Enjoy it. If you want to walk outside, the almost private (if windy) deck is only steps away. EM

Now, I have to apologize...The cabins forward which were 4G when I sailed last May are now 4J...So I guess the OP WILL be in a 4G inside...EM

[dappledumpling]

We have sailed from inside to suite. Which is right for the OP only they can decide.

When I was in my 20's an inside cabin was perfect as I wanted to play.. casinos.. disco bars etc....

Now in my mid 40's and leading a more stressful lifestyle I couldn't imagine not having my balcony. My cruises are now me and DW relaxing getting away from the world..

 

So think about what you are trying to achieve and decide where the 600 bucks is better spent..

 

But the main thing is you are on a ship.. have fun

 

Rick

[jkirby4]

I just got an email offering to upgrade from inside room to ocean view for $10 a day with is only $80 total. seems like a good deal. this is my wife and my first cruise. Any thoughts?

[WhenD]

i just got an email offering to upgrade from inside room to ocean view for $10 a day with is only $80 total. Seems like a good deal. This is my wife and my first cruise. Any thoughts?

 

 

do it!

[graycottag]

That sounds like a great option, I'd take it. You'll have a window so you won't feel couped up, and can snoop around to see what you think about an inside cabin for a future cruise.....

[craigers]

I just got an email offering to upgrade from inside room to ocean view for $10 a day with is only $80 total. seems like a good deal. this is my wife and my first cruise. Any thoughts?

 

If it's a window good,but it might be a porthole.

[Taxguy77]

Have you ever been deep in a large cave when they turn the lights out to show what BLACK is? If so, that's an inside, no stars, no light from any source, very hard to imagine.

In warm waters a balcony is great! On the cold North Atlantic, not worth it. For our last Transatlantic we selected an oceaniew.

[colomom]

I booked a balcony because our cruise is to Alaska via the inside passage. Who knows, we might even see a whale or a glacier as we sit drinking coffee in the morning. The scenery was what drove my decision.

[printingchick]

I've never sailed in a balcony cabin. Like geoherb, I'm too frugal. If I'm ever in a better financial position, perhaps I might splurge In the meantime, the best I can do is hope for an upgrade.

 

I have sailed in both inside and ocean view cabins and would almost always pay the extra for an OV. While you don't spend much time in the cabin, there are issues you don't anticipate when you have no window. If you wake up during the night, it's PITCH black dark. You can't see your watch. You don't know if it's morning or night. You can't see the weather until you emerge on deck. I've dressed for warm and sunny to discover it's cold and rainy. And part of the draw of a cruise vacation is that you're on a ship, in the ocean. Waking up each morning and being able to immediately see the ocean is priceless. Well worth the $100/pp up charge between inside and OV.

[Lady of Leisure]

hi, wife and I are going on our very first cruise in february on carnival splendor. we always said we would do balcony for first time but balcony was $600 more than the inside. we ended up with an inside 4g cabin.

has anyone else booked inside and then changed to a balcony? also what is ventilation like in an inside room?

Hi Gerry A lot depends how you use your cabin if you are going to be out and about all day and just going back late afternoon to get ready for the evening ahead it seems a little pointless to pay extra , I'd rather put the money towards another cruise. We did have a balcony on our Alaska cruise and found we still spent all our time on deck hardly using it, so it's back to an inside cabin for us. The ventilation was fine once you've got the a/c how you like it, and I like to leave the bathroom light on at night with the door slightly ajar so it's not so dark! Our friends however always have a balcony because they like to go back to their cabin early afternoon, have a few sundowners, read etc. Have a great first cruise.

[cruisinreunion]

If you are in an inside cabin, you can always leave the ship's tv on to the web cam...it shows you when it is day/night...sunny/rainy etc. You can leave it on because it is dark when you go to bed and wake up to daylight via the camera

 

 

we always book inside because I figure I can cruise more often this way. Have done a balcony but prefer to be up on a main deck enjoying the music and people watching.

[colkeena]

Smokers usually get a balcony in order to smoke without having to go on deck.Makes sense.If smoke annoys you, do not get a balcony.Also you will hear every conversation going on with your neighbors.If you enjoy a quiet atmosphere, get an inside room.I have had both and have no problem with an inside.More enjoyable than paying for a balcony and not being able to use it because of loud neighbors.

Not complaining about smokers and loud cruisers.Just prefer an inside sometimes.Very quiet and relaxing.

[pg.]

I just got an email offering to upgrade from inside room to ocean view for $10 a day with is only $80 total. seems like a good deal. this is my wife and my first cruise. Any thoughts?

 

ANY thoughts,, Yes,, why even ask,, thats a great deal,, basicaly for what a dinner out would cost you,, you will enjoy SEVEN days of ocean view.

[jkirby4]

just upgraded to OV for only $80. eight days with a view. first cruise whoo hoo !!!

[bplazo]

I will not cruise without a balcony. I will sacrafice all year but on vacaton I get what I want.