Is it worth paying another £500-600 each for a balcony?

[haggy09]

Hi ya

 

Just wondering on peoples opinions, we are going on the sea princess in April for our honeymoon. At the moment we have grade J inside cabin and really like the idea of having a balcony. We do have the money to upgrade but I just wanted to know if it is actually worth it?

 

Thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi ya

 

Just wondering on peoples opinions, we are going on the sea princess in April for our honeymoon. At the moment we have grade J inside cabin and really like the idea of having a balcony. We do have the money to upgrade but I just wanted to know if it is actually worth it?

 

Thanks

 

 

Thats alot of Guiness!!

[snrlnd]

Yes

[Coracii]

For me and my wife, the answer is generally no. We almost always book a unobstructed outside view (not a fan of the inside rooms) and very rarely book a balcony. For our next cruise we do have a balcony, but it's only because I found a price less expensive then a normal outside room on that cruise. We hardly spend any time in the room, so it's not worth the money to us.

[Druke I]

We're usually very happy with an oceanview cabin, and don't subscribe to the theory that once you have had a balcony, you can't go back and do without one.

[Coracii]

We're usually very happy with an oceanview cabin, and don't subscribe to the theory that once you have had a balcony, you can't go back and do without one.

 

I'm not a subscriber to that one either. I've sailed in a mini-suite on one cruise and am still just as satisfied as ever in a outside room with no balcony. As long as I'm on a cruise, the room type isn't that important.

[Toto2Kansas]

If a regular balcony cabin, then my answer would be no. On the Sea Princess the balcony is so small (3 1/2 feet deep by about 9 feet wide) and they only hold a small round table and two straight back chairs. Unlike the larger ships, all the regular balcony cabins have the same size balcony.

 

That is quite a bit for a little ocean air. BUT if you have the funds, and think this would enhance your cruise, then go for it. It just sounds pretty steep to me for such a small balcony area. Good luck on whatever decision you make and have a great cruise.

[Morgsmom]

Same here - have been in lowest deck inside cabin to a mini-suite; generally we find a happy medium with an (unbobstructed) oceanview. DD actually prefers the inside so she can sleep!

[foureyedbuzzard]

I wouldn't cruise without a balcony unless it was a port intensive Med cruise where you're basically only in your cabin at night, but £500 per person is more than I paid total for a balcony cabin on my last 5 night cruise. That's an awful lot of money for a room on a floating hotel.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have to differ with those that say that cabin type does not matter. To me it does.

After sailing in many insides/outsides in the past, but all balconies for the last few years it would be difficult to impossible to do an inside. Maybe an outside but I won't test those waters yet and hope I won't have to.

[Liz54]

I wouldn't cruise without a balcony unless it was a port intensive Med cruise where you're basically only in your cabin at night, but £500 per person is more than I paid total for a balcony cabin on my last 5 night cruise. That's an awful lot of money for a room on a floating hotel.

 

I agree with this! On our last cruise we were on the balcony with a glass of wine for every sunrise & sunset. It was worth a lot to us. As well, it represents a general increase in space. With a basic cabin there is scant room to sit. I always chuckle when I hear "We are never in our cabin anyway" I think it is a chicken & egg thing. If you have a balcony you will enjoy the cabin more and therefore - be in it from time to time. I also agree that this cost of 500 pounds seems pretty steep!

[m steve]

just hate the idea of being in a closet. It's your honeymoon so spend some of that cash you will get as wedding gifts and really enjoy being onboard. Unless all this stuff is new to you and you will be spending all the cruise in your cabin making up for lost time.:rolleyes:

[Coracii]

I always chuckle when I hear "We are never in our cabin anyway" I think it is a chicken & egg thing. If you have a balcony you will enjoy the cabin more and therefore - be in it from time to time.

 

That may be true for you, it's definitely not true for my wife and me. The caribbean cruise I just finished about a month ago I had a balcony, I think I opened the door somewhere around a half dozen times total for the entire cruise. I spend the same amount of time (basically none unless I'm asleep) in my cabin whether I'm in a mini-suite, balcony, or outside room. The cabin type makes absolutely no difference. Everyone cruises differently, no one can answer diffinitively for anyone else's preference.

[bubbadog]

I Love a balcony,and it gives me the extra room and privacy that i need,so for me yes it is worth it,Plus i noticed you have a long cruise,and alot of great ports to see,You should go for it,Why not get the most out of your cruise,;):p

[pcc1342]

It is actually worth it, especially if it is your honeymoon. Had several cabins without a balcony, then got one, and I can never go back to being without. I know some people don't agree with this, but for me it is the only way to go. I enhances so much the cruise experience.

[billet]

As much as I like balconies I must admit I spend so little time in the cabin awake that I have yet to justify the extra cost - which is probably why I keep booking one! Since you are on honeymoon it may just make the cruise to be able to relax in your cabin and have the use of the balcony and I would go for it. If it was a 'normal' cruise I would go for a oceanview or minimally obstructed oceanview as a first choice.

Insides are fine but they really are for sleeping and the atmosphere is certainly not the same without daylight (I have spent years in inside cabins and besides being very pale they have had no detrimental effect on me although someone did ask me recently why the house I now live in has no windows)

[lexyplexy]

We love the balcony! Love having morning tea & coffee out there. Enjoy (as my husband says) just chill'n out there.:)

[haggy09]

Wow thank you so much for your quick replies. I have just got off phone to TA and they can do it for a total extra cost of £882. I think we are going to go ahead with it as it is our honeymoon and first cruise. I know it is a lot of money but I think we would put it to good use and it will prob be our only holiday like this for a long time if we start for a family :)

 

So all in all our cruise in the caribbean for 2 weeks in a balcony comes to £3076 is this expensive then? I'm curious, thats including return flights to the U.K.

[Yo Eleven]

Yes!!!!!! :D

[Toto2Kansas]

That price doesn't sound as bad as you originally expected. For a honeymoon, YES, I think it will be well worth the price for quiet alone time on your balcony. The memories will definitely be worth the extra cost now.

Congratulations, and have a wonderful cruise! :)

[haggy09]

Yes

 

 

I have just noticed we will be on the same cruise!

[dutchess43]

Go for it. Had an inside once & that did it for us once was enough it is now balcony all the way.

[Pink-belle]

Its a lot of money to pay to just upgrade your room, but I will share my experiences.

Our first cruise was on Sun Princess in the Caribbean back in 2003, we had a balcony cabin and loved it :) My first choice would always be a balcony, but its a lot of extra money that you could spend elsewhere.

 

We sailed the Sea Princess in an inside room, A724 not sure what grade it is but the location was perfect, the door at the end of the corridor leads straight out on to a deck, which was always deserted in the evenings like having our own private balcony to enjoy the wake of the ship.

 

One thing to consider is the inside rooms on Sea Princess are tiny. The ideal bed configuration in these staterooms is twins! If you opt for a queen you'll going to find space really really tight, and one of you will be climbing into bed from the bottom as you can't walk around the bed.

 

So, if the money isn't a problem i'd choose a balcony on a sun class ship.

[Pink-belle]

Haggy just saw you update.

 

You did the right thing :) you now have a whole new world to explore like UBD and champagne breakfast. Have a wonderful time.

 

Thats the price I would expect to pay.

[teripp]

If you can afford it go for it. I am thinking of going from a Balcony to a Mini on 09-05 cruise this year out of FT Lauderdale.... Its looking good : more room and a balcony?? Perfection