Balcony lovers ever get an inside cabin?

[H2OH!]

Dear fellow cruisers,

 

DH and I have never sailed in an oceanview or inside cabin. There are times i wonder if we would be happy in an oceanview or inside cabin. We typically do cc class, although we have upgraded to a suite now and again. even though our vacation time is limited annually, we could cruise more than two times a year if in a different cabin.

 

I am hoping to hear from balcony loving cruisers who have cruised in a cabin without a balcony. what did you like, not like, pro's/con's, if you did it once, would you or did you book without a balcony again...etc

 

yes, some pros/cons are obvious....if sailed in an inside cabin I am sure you missed the balcony...not helpful that is obvious;)

 

thanks! amy

[harry0]

Stayed in both many times.

 

If I could do 2 cruises in an inside or 1 in a balcony? 2 in an inside every time.

Balconies are fine but there are good views all around the ship.

Basically we find ourselves up and about the ship more in an inside.

We call it our cave/or closet.

Have had some of our best sleeps while in a inside-it is pitch black.

The only exemption would be Alaska-I had to have a balcony because you never know when a whale or glacier could be outside your door. Never been to Europe.

[H2OH!]

harryo,

thank you for your thoughts. this is exactly what I am looking for!!

 

we have talked about doing a short 4 day cruise in an inside/OV cabin just to see what is was like.

[NancyIL]

In 20 cruises, only 2 have been in a balcony. I don't dislike balcony cabins...just paying for them! :D

[H2OH!]

In 20 cruises, only 2 have been in a balcony. I don't dislike balcony cabins...just paying for them! :D

 

HA!! I hear you. I am usually a "go big or go home" kind of person but here I am just 2 months post cruise and have serious PCD... I so want to grab a cheap inside cabin in march just to get away but DH adamant it is balcony only.

[ljk76]

Once we found a last minute $499 inside room to Alaska with Princess. We were able to use FF miles, so off we went, two cruises in five months which for us was amazing at the time.we also spent all our time on the public decks soaking in the views from many vantage points. When you just want to quietly chill in your room it is less appealing than a nice light and bright balcony room. We generally carefully choose a balcony room, but for a giveaway price would do an inside and consider it a bonus cruise! Two years ago took an inside Guarantee on an eight night repositioning from SA...$349! However for the first and only time the upgrade fairy visited and we ended up in a great balcony. I'm prettynsurenwe will never be that lucky again, but we would have been content inside for that price.

[LunaSeaRetreat]

I am a balcony lover, but we sail in both inside and oceanview cabins. Our next Princess cruise is 28 days. No way we would spend the money on a balcony so we booked an obstructed oceanview. Also we are cruising with friends and we will be with them playing cards in our down time.

 

The only problem we had with an inside cabin was that the extra bunks came out of the wall and we kept bumping into them. Next time we'll make sure we book an inside cabin that only holds two.

 

That said if the cruise is 7 to 15 days and there are sea days we book a balcony. If the chair hogs are out, I just go to my balcony.

 

Cynthia

[H2OH!]

Guarantee on an eight night repositioning from SA...$349! However for the first and only time the upgrade fairy visited and we ended up in a great balcony. I'm prettynsurenwe will never be that lucky again, but we would have been content inside for that price.

 

wow, that is amazing!! thanks for the info.

[H2OH!]

 

That said if the cruise is 7 to 15 days and there are sea days we book a balcony. If the chair hogs are out, I just go to my balcony.

 

Cynthia

 

makes sense. thanks

[OceanCruise]

I also often "struggle" with this as a balcony lover because we could cruise more often in an inside. However, when it finally comes down to it, I love, love love (did I mention love) being able to wake up gazing at the ocean or sitting on the balcony having coffee or reading. While I do sit on the outdoor decks occasionally, it is not private and just not the same. To me, that is a big part of why I enjoy cruising. In the back of my mind I also think if we ever had the dreaded norovirus it would be a godsend to have fresh air and I also think of it as a second means of evacuation/someone locating you in an emergency.

[A Sixth?]

Done them all. Suite to inside beside the engine room access... (I'm not kidding) :p

 

While it's been awhile since we took an inside, our next cruise may very well be an Alaska inside cabin.

 

Why?

 

Because it's less than half the price of even an OV!!! :eek:

 

My basic formula is if the least expensive catagory of balcony is over 1/3 more than the most expensive catagory of inside, we''ll consider 'downsizing'

 

When the balcony is twice an inside... if we choose that cruise it'll be inside. These days balconys are more affordable than ever, but not on EVERY cruise... so we watch.

 

For those who have money coming out the wazzooo, it doesn't matter I guess. but I have a job that give me lots of time off but pays a bit less than I was used to so I have to watch my expenses. (I know.... a shocking statement; that I am not one of those who "always takes a suite" ) :p

[H2OH!]

I also often "struggle" with this as a balcony lover because we could cruise more often in an inside. However, when it finally comes down to it, I love, love love (did I mention love) being able to wake up gazing at the ocean or sitting on the balcony having coffee or reading. While I do sit on the outdoor decks occasionally, it is not private and just not the same. To me, that is a big part of why I enjoy cruising. In the back of my mind I also think if we ever had the dreaded norovirus it would be a godsend to have fresh air and I also think of it as a second means of evacuation/someone locating you in an emergency.

 

This is exactly how DH feels. I would like to try inside or Ov at least once but have been unsuccessful to date. thanks!

 

off to run errand. will check back later.

[FM]

We have cruised in an inside cabin and oceanview cabin - no problem whatsoever.

 

Find that the inside cabin provides you with a little oomph to go out and about ... kinda like staying in a basement room with no window - or imagine travelling in the back of a cube van with no windows. Some people need visual cues in order to equate the motion their body is experiencing ... of course, if you are prone to claustraphobia, then an inside cabin necessarily may not be right for you ...

 

An oceanview cabin allows you to glance out and see what the weather is like and also allows a bit of a visual connection to the fact that you are on a cruise

 

A balcony for us allows my DW to enjoy the fact that we are cruising without having to step out of the stateroom and going out on deck when she is too tired -

 

Give it a try on a shorter cruise ... you may like it. For me, I look at it this way ... when I was younger, I did the backpacking, hostels, walking miles and miles, basic meals ... now that I am older, I like the nice hotels, nice dinners, car rentals or service ... and balconies :D

[H2OH!]

Done them all. Suite to inside beside the engine room access... (I'm not kidding) :p

 

While it's been awhile since we took an inside, our next cruise may very well be an Alaska inside cabin.

 

Why?

 

Because it's less than half the price of even an OV!!! :eek:

 

My basic formula is if the least expensive catagory of balcony is over 1/3 more than the most expensive catagory of inside, we''ll consider 'downsizing'

 

When the balcony is twice an inside... if we choose that cruise it'll be inside.

 

interesting formula!

[H2OH!]

Give it a try on a shorter cruise ... you may like it. For me, I look at it this way ... when I was younger, I did the backpacking, hostels, walking miles and miles, basic meals ... now that I am older, I like the nice hotels, nice dinners, car rentals or service ... and balconies :D

 

 

DH and I are in our 40's and have very stressful careers...thus we love to be pampered and have the nice cabin with balconies, premium drink package, etc. we love the upgrade but given my pcd...a cruise next month in a less expensive cabin really has me curious.

[YOW]

We definitely prefer balconies... and we prefer filet mignon... who doesn't?! ;) But sometimes the situation dictates an inside cabin, just like dinner plans may call for burgers. Our enjoyment of either has never been diminished (unless the burgers aren't cooked properly... but enough about HAL :cool:). We started cruising in an inside cabin, and have gone back to inside cabins several times after having sailed with balconies. It's definitely a personal call as to how much extra the balcony is worth, or whether one would refuse to cruise with anything less, etc. For us, the balcony is a bonus, not a requirement.

[mkazmer]

Yes it happens - we always book an inside guarantee - haven't been disappointed yet - have been upgraded to oceanviews, better inside, and balconies - reason I book this way - don't want to pay for a better cabin when the cruiseline might upgrade us - and we can cruise 3-4 times a year - we tend to stick to Princess and Celebrity although when we board Eclipse this afternoon it will be the first time in 8 years that we have sailed with Celebrity and we are very excited to sail on the Solstice class ship -

 

We love to cruise and frankly, I sleep better and so does my husband in an inside cabin - but we gladly take the upgrades when they are given -

[PM Cruisers]

We're going on our 16th cruise in April and have done balcony, oceanview and inside. We don't mind the inside cabins. We've always been able to find great places to go on every ship where we can relax and enjoy the views. We went to Europe in Sept and choose and inside cabin and didn't miss the balcony. We paid less than 1/2 the cost of a balcony and were able to do some great excursions instead. The inside cabins are very dark and in most cases smaller. One nice thing about the inside cabins is that I don't think you feel the ship move as much. Oceanview is a nice "in-between" because you get the light and the prices are usually great.

[A Sixth?]

interesting formula!

 

It gives us a base on which to evaluate the category choice.

 

Price per day per person is another. Depends on where the cruise is... but it is a good measure for us.

[A Sixth?]

Yes it happens - we always book an inside guarantee - haven't been disappointed yet - have been upgraded to oceanviews, better inside, and balconies - reason I book this way - don't want to pay for a better cabin when the cruiseline might upgrade us - and we can cruise 3-4 times a year - we tend to stick to Princess and Celebrity although when we board Eclipse this afternoon it will be the first time in 8 years that we have sailed with Celebrity and we are very excited to sail on the Solstice class ship -

 

We love to cruise and frankly, I sleep better and so does my husband in an inside cabin - but we gladly take the upgrades when they are given -

 

Wow... you must horse shoes in your carry-on. :p

 

In over 40 cruises, we have had exactly ONE real upgrade. One the Grand Princess from an OV to a Caribe deck balcony. :D

[hapicruisin]

Happy with Celeb insides as the cabin is a reasonable size. But have had balconies when the insides/ov's are too small an area for us to be happy with, e.g. Azamara. Horses for courses.

[stipmom]

Have been in balconies, oceanviews and insides.I like a balcony for a warm weather port but in a cooler weather port I go for an inside. One thing I won't book anymore is an oceanview.

[H2OH!]

Have been in balconies, oceanviews and insides.I like a balcony for a warm weather port but in a cooler weather port I go for an inside. One thing I won't book anymore is an oceanview.

 

any reason you wont book an oceanview?

[dorisis]

My husband and I are veterans of over 80 cruises. we have been in inside cabins with bunk beds to owner's suites with whirlppol tubs. We have sailed on ships that have had under 100 passengers to ships that have over 5000. A cruise is what you make of it. Your expecations are what determine how much you enjoy the cruise. So far, I have never been on a cruise I didn't enjoy and right now I have 5 more booked.

 

It's a hard life always looking to the next cruise!!!

 

~Doris~

[vickykay]

May depend on where you are cruising. We usually get a CC balcony for the Caribbean. We did an OV when when we did a Baltic cruise (amazing cruise - highly recommended). Worked out well as that summer was very cool and rainy in northern Europe and would not have used the balcony at all (the price difference was significant) and putting the difference towards the ports was well worth it. Thinking of a OV for Alaska summer after next - the difference is around $1000 per person between OV and a balcony - would rather spend that money of a cruisetour!