Balcony lovers ever get an inside cabin?

[FM]

I REALLY need fresh air I turn OFF the AC and breathe sea air If I cannot afford a balcony I do not cruise ...I go for the Ocean I spend loads of time on my balcony during the day and at night. I stargaze at night when it is very quiet ,I watch sunrises and sunsets

I once booked a OV cabin ...AC broke down the day I was packing ...I was SHVITZING bullets ...HORRIBLE ...I had 4 big bags to pack for me and my kids Sure I called but they did not come but I had to pack ...no choice It was like a sweat shop So now I stick to balconies

 

A balcony now is a MUST for my DW - as I mentioned b4, the ability to enjoy being on a cruise without having to leave the stateroom (i.e. FRESH air, scenery, breakfast on a balcony) has become a number one factor now due to her health/fatigue etc. There's nothing like the sound of the ocean at night while watching a movie ;)

 

Sorry I had to chuckle when I read about your AC problem as on one cruise, we also had an AC problem - or is that two cruises - anyways at least we were able to get maintenance in to try to fix it. The stories we can tell about the "problems" we have experienced in our years of cruising including being boarded by CDC twice because of being sick (along with a LOT of other people) - I on our our honeymoon cruise ... and my DW on another that was so serious, she was one of THE five people hospitalized in the infirmary. One would figure the experiences we had, on our honeymoon cruise in particular, would turn most people off going on future cruises ... but here we are coming up on our 20th Anniv this fall ... still cruising ... and still loving it ;) ... DISNEY FANTASY here we come!!

 

 

A big thank you to all of you for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

 

I laughed when someone asked if we were married to the same man...cracked me up! :D DH does get claustrophobic so not sure an inside would work. He loves the freedom and ability to hide on the balcony to get away from the crowds. We have been lucky to date with balcony mate, all have been great except one cruise...I swear we were next to george costanza's parents (from seinfeld) they were loud and totally confused about where we were...we finally had to just let it go and enjoy the humor because it was unbelievable.

 

I might try a short inside cabin cruise with a friend. I'm sure you'll find a lot of 'friends' that would gladly come along if you can't find one :D Goomy mom uses a scooter so when I go with her a sky suite is the smallest cabin we will get. gives us plenty of room to park her scooter and for us to walk around etc.

 

Again, thank you to my fellow cruisers! Have fun!

 

Happy Sailing! :):)

[Minoushka]

Glad to have provided amusement to you !!! This was on GALAXY Trust me packing with no air was HORRID

Costa was the first company who gave me a balcony as an upgrade

WOW My kids and I got hooked ...WE slept with AC off balcony door open..We just heard the swoosh swoosh of the waves and felt the seaa ir We all commented on how well we slept Since then I really do try and book balconies

 

Mich

[FM]

Glad to have provided amusement to you !!! This was on GALAXY Trust me packing with no air was HORRID

Costa was the first company who gave me a balcony as an upgrade

WOW My kids and I got hooked ...WE slept with AC off balcony door open..We just heard the swoosh swoosh of the waves and felt the seaa ir We all commented on how well we slept Since then I really do try and book balconies

 

Mich

 

Yes, there is nothing more calming than listening to the waves as you lie in bed ... the peace and quiet as you sit on your balcony watching the vast openness of the ocean float on by ... contemplating on how small you really are while sipping on a cup of tea ... pinching yourself, realizing how lucky you are that ...YOU ... right now ... are living the fantasy of being on a wonderful cruise ... that is what a balcony does for me ;)

 

:( Now I can't wait for my Disney cruises this fall ...

[Ando]

I will not book an inside any longer as I can't imagine being quarantined to an inside room and it is always a small possibility.

 

We have taken 30+ cruises and been in all categories, including 2 insides. Just got back yesterday and due to a bug that I picked up I did end up spending 24 hours straight in my inside cabin - I really would have appreciated the balcony, or at least a window, in that circumstance.

 

Having said that, we paid $250pp on a last minute rate for this 7 night cruise, so certainly no complaints :D. Like many others here, we prefer a balcony but as we don't have unlimited funds the price difference is always factored in. Just booked a 16-night Solstice cruise yesterday and a balcony was only about 20% more than an inside, which to us is well worth the fare difference. But if the difference is much greater we would start considering a cheaper cabin option. If it were a choice of an inside cabin or no cruise as the others were out of our budget, we'd take the inside cabin every time.

 

We do enjoy getting a very good sleep in the inside cabins - no pesky daylight to wake you up; but we also really enjoy breakfast in our bathrobes on the balcony:D

[Waterlily777]

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

 

We almost always cruise in CC or Aquaclass and love our balconies. I, however, have cruised in both an inside and an Oceanview, while cruising by myself, and would be okay to do so if it meant I could go on another cruise that I otherwise would not be able to take. I find the inside/OV cabins very cosy; I think of them more like my "cocoon", and otherwise just find other places on the ship to enjoy my need to see and experience the ocean.

 

My DH, however, will not even entertain the idea. His position is very clear...why would you go on a cruise if you can't sit on your own balcony and enjoy the ocean...especially first thing in the morning....and before dinner, and before bed (you get my drift).

 

If we can't afford a balcony, he just isn't going. And I have to be okay with that, as I don't think I want to be in an inside cabin with a grumpy bear. In our family, "if PAPA ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy".

[felix9]

I have been watching this thread with interest. We are first time Equinox cruises over Xmas and have booked an inside cabin for 10 days. We have sailed O?V, balcony and inside(once). Due to costs i decided on an inside for 2 adults and 2 kids in order to afford Celebrity. I hope it will be fine. i would rather spend extra on excursions, drink packages etc. I think it will be a personal choice but i hope we enjoy our room or cave as some put it:)

[trk_koa]

My Dh and I needed a get away so we booked a last minute (1 week out) Alaska on the Infinity last fall. DH has never not had at least a balcony, while I have shared an inside with my sister on a Princess port-intensive cruise a couple years ago.

 

My opinion after this one was I'd go to great lengths to stick with a balcony. Two reasons: the inside was significantly smaller (tho bigger than the Princess one) and I had trouble finding quiet on that cruise. Everywhere except our cabin had musak. Even in the library. I am mildly claustrophobic but that part wasn't an issue for night time. I just didn't like hanging out to read in the enclosed space.

 

We had quite a few sea days and the weather was chilly and rainy the whole cruise. I would have wanted the balcony cabin for the extra space to relax in a quiet private space even without being able to sit outside.

 

I just thought of another reason I wasn't wild about interior. We went because we were tired but we slept too much. Sounds like that wouldn't be an issue but we missed breakfast most of the time and it can make you feel out of sorts and groggy sleeping so much. JMHO, YMMV

Nancy

[Jordster]

My wife (30) and I (30) have been on 3 cruises together. The first two we got balconies, as they fit nicely into our budget. The third cruise was last summer - we wanted to go on an Eastern Canada + New England cruise.

 

It came down to a choice between RCL 7-night Ocean View or Caribbean Princess 9-night inside cabin for about the same price. Due to the longer duration (and much better itinerary) we chose the Princess inside cabin.

 

At first I was fine with it - I even mounted a clock radio so I'd always know what time it was, and left the TV tuned to the outdoor view station to give a very bad imitation of a window - but after about a week, the lack of a window started to make me feel claustrophobic, tired, and I started to hate the room.

 

I think for a 3-5 night cruise, I'd be fine with it. But from now on for 7 or more nights, I will stick with balconies, and if balconies are way too pricey, I'll find another cruise. We only go about once a year so we can afford to splurge as long as its not ridiculous.

[Kellie Poodle]

For the majority of our cruises in recent years we have had balconies. Prior to that ocean view, but some of our cruises were taken in the days before cruise ships had balconies, so I don't know if they can be counted. I never do inside. I'm claustrophobic and would go insane without a window. i did see a promenade cabin on a Royal ship and I think I could deal with one of those as they do have a window.

 

Our last cruise was on Infinity around Cape Horn. We got an excellent price on an inside cabin mid-ship deck 3 and it was a super location. We figured it would be too cold and windy to enjoy much of a balcony on that itinerary and it was.

 

The cabin was the same size as a balcony cabin, had a huge port hole with a great view and a very lovely, wide shelf for extra storage under the port hole. Came in handy during a 13 day cruise.

 

Our next cruise will be in a sky suite which was a free upgrade from a veranda cabin on Century. The next two, as yet unbooked, cruises will, hopefully, be a B2B with a balcony, but if an opportunity with an itinerary that was port intensive came up I'd not hesitate to get another ocean view cabin.

 

I do appreciate my balcony when there are lots of sea days and good weather.

[B744]

I usually book an Inside or Oceanview only on short cruises. However, on our upcoming 8 night S. Caribbean cruise in July, the cost dictated an Oceanview cabin, otherwise, it would have been a Balcony stateroom.