pros and cons of an open balcony

[hobein]

my husband and I got a good deal on the Golden's Dolphin Deck Cabin #724. I thought it would be great but now I am seeing alot of negative comments about these 'open balconies'. I am getting worried. Can anyone tell me more about them?

Thanks.

[catmand]

We have sailed Princess twice, both times have had a balcony. Star was on Aloha deck, Sapphire was on Caribe. The Grand Class Princess ships are built in what I have head on here in the "wedding cake" style. That is that each deck up is more narrow than the one below it. Some of the balcony decks have an overhang completly covering their top,as in the case of the Aloha deck, others like the Caribe deck are half exposed to the decks above and half covered, while others are completly exposed to the decks above. What some people complain about is this "while the balcony was said to be "private" everyone above us could look down upon us." So for starters "prviate" means it is private to you, for your use, not private in the "I can run around naked" private.

 

I really think it is just a matter of preference. I don't spend any time looking at the people below me and when we were out on the balcony I also didn't think of what the people above me were looking at. I would rather be on a balcony where I could look up and see the night sky or the beautiful sunsets than in one that was covered completly and oly afforded about a 30% view from water to horizon.

Don't worry about the "open" balcony, they give you the very best sight lines and after the first couple of hours when everyone is boarding, walking out on their balcony and looking at everything, the folks above are not going to be looking at you!

[hobein]

beautiful sunsets and night skies....sounds nice.

thanks for responding!

[spongerob]

Catmand has got it right. The Dolphin deck balconies are just fine, and in our experience almost everyone respects your privacy. Only once have we caught someone staring at us - no doubt he was wondering how we managed to get a hot breakfast delivered to our cabin instead of joining the herd at Horizon Court. We just waved at him.

[Coolmama_1]

We loved our balcony on the Dolphin deck and didn't give a flip to the people above. Most of them were just looking out at the view just like us.

 

We especially loved the sitting area and fuller bath with tub that the Dolphin minis provide.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[taxatty]

No problems at all on the Dolphin open balcony. In fact, it was fun talking to others "upstairs," when we felt like it. In bad weather, you probably wouldn't sit on the balcony anyway, even if it was covered.

 

Les

[Dreamer333]

Personally, I don't think there are ANY negatives to having a balcony!

 

My DH and I always get balconies... they truly enhance the entire cruise experience!

[can786]

Keep in mind, if those on the so called "private" balconies on the decks above can see you, you can also look up and see them. I have noticed when standing at the rail of the Dolphin deck balconies that you can easily see up into the balconies on Aloha and Baja decks, as well as partially onto the Caribe balconies. About the only time the open balcony is a problem is if you encounter rain, but then it usually blows enough that even a covered balcony will have some rain come in too.

[virginia600]

We had a open balcony on the Coral last year to Alaska- May /04. Yes, it was open but it was great! Especially when we " glacier cruising" and we got some great pictures. Now, if you are planning to celebrate a night of --- to remember, I would not suggest doing it on the open balcony! You may get the stargazers gazing at more than the stars.

 

Have a wonderful Cruise.

 

Susan

[Toto2Kansas]

The only times we try to book a covered balcony are, if we are on a very long cruise and we think the weather might bring quite a bit of rain. Or two, if we have gotten enough sun and would rather have the shade.

 

The uncovered balconies let a lot more sunshine into your cabins we have found where the covered balconies make them a bit darker. We enjoy the sun light more so than the darkness. In the mini suites, especially, with a covered balcony, the stateroom stays very dark all day long because they are so long and thin (on the Grand Class ships).

[Arisia]

What I really enjoy about the Dolphin deck balcony (we were on the Star) is being able to stand at the railing and look directly down into the ocean---I can do that for long periods of time!!! (Okay, so what if I'm very easily entertained!!) If one looks directly down from one of the upper balconies, he is looking into someone's balcony. I'd personally rather be looking down into the water instead of someone's balcony. JMO

[cherylandtk]

Here is a link to some great shots of what the balcony is like on the Grand, Caribe deck taken by Aggiastrosfan last month. Jump to slides 15,16 and 17. You can see the Dolphin balconies in one of the pics, and she was kind enough to show what the view is like UP to the Baja and Aloha decks. Should also give you a good idea as to what "covered" and "not covered" means.

 

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow?ID=319013212&key=oIFcrT

[Lynda90]

Have had both covered and uncovered. Really did not notice any difference. Enjoy!

[mii]

I am going to have a Dolphin Deck balcony on the Coral next year going through the Panama Canal and after what I read on the previous posts I am going to have the best of both worlds; sunshine in my cabin and open skies out on deck. What more could you want.:D

 

Marilyn

[jan15]

We were on the Caribbean Princess April 2nd sailing and were on the Dolphin deck cabin 604. We loved it. The cabin was a great size, bathroom with a tub was fabulous. We did not mind the open balcony at all. Hardly anyone was out when we stepped outside and if they were we just waved above to them. No big deal. After a while you forget there are people above you. Relax, enjoy and have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[DrD]

I did not like open. So next time I've booked a minisuite on the Emerald deck, these hard to get cabins are identical to the dolphin deck minisuites but the balcony is competely covered.

[Former Goalie]

I was skeptical about the open balcony concept. We were on Baja deck on Star (Alaska) and had an enclosed balcony. Thought the open balcony concept was not that great. Then we had a balcony (open) on Caribe deck for a Carib. sailing. We LOVED the open part for this warm weather sailing....it was like having our own private place to sun and relax, and no fighting for cahirs on the pool deck.

For an Alaska sailing, I would think the open balcony would be much less advantageous.

[hobein]

thank you all for the input. I feel much better about the open balcony. We will be cruising the British Isles so I think the sunshine in the cabin (if there is any) will be great.

happy cruising! :)

[hcs81m]

I was in Dolphin 704 on the Golden last September. I did not mind the open balcony. The sun will shine directly on you, and it can get hot, but I enjoyed it.

[tbag124]

What about smokers? I do not smoke but my boyfriend is a polite smoker and I know neither of us would want to think that we would be bothering someone above us w/ the smell?

[ericosmith]

We were on the Caribbean Princess April 2nd sailing and were on the Dolphin deck cabin 604. We loved it. The cabin was a great size, bathroom with a tub was fabulous. We did not mind the open balcony at all. Hardly anyone was out when we stepped outside and if they were we just waved above to them. No big deal. After a while you forget there are people above you. Relax, enjoy and have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

Hmmmm...I was in the cabin directly above you assuming the numbers line up. Hope I wasn't too noisy (or is that nosey :rolleyes: )

[catmand]

What about smokers? I do not smoke but my boyfriend is a polite smoker and I know neither of us would want to think that we would be bothering someone above us w/ the smell?

 

I think the only way you can totally avoid that possibility is light-up on the sky deck, just below the stacks.......but make sure you are on the "smoking side"...:D

[goldminer]

Half way down on this page I have a picture of the starboard side on the Sapphire Princess. http://homepage.mac.com/sweetvenom/PhotoAlbum58.html

 

Mark

[AmyinGA]

I prefer the open balconies. On ships/decks where the balcony is big enough I ask my cabin steward to bring me a pool lounge chair. It's great to sit in the sun and have it be nice and quiet. We did have one cruise where it rained the first two days and I missed getting out there a lot, but as soon as the sky cleared up I was thrilled.

[Host CJSKIDS]

We had D504 on the Golden on the dolphin deck and loved the open balcony. We loved it so much that we're booked in a mini-suite on the Golden again this summer for the NOrthern Europeon capitals!