BA to Valparaiso - is starboard side cabin a must?

[ktcruiser]

Hi, I searched the threads, last time this was posted was back in 2010 and not many answers, hoping for more now!

 

We're trying to book Celebrity Infinity Jan 3 2013. Just about all the starboard side balcony cabins are taken, but many available on port side. Obviously, going in that direction it appears land will be most visible from starboard side. Is that really the case and would anyone who has been on that kind of itinerary agree that if you want a balcony so you can watch interesting things, that the starboard side is a must?

 

I found a single starboard balcony cabin available, but it's just underneath the pool area, so noisy and I don't think we're going to take it...

 

thanks in advance for any advice!

Karyn:confused:

[grayjay]

You could perhaps choose one of the best cabins available on PORT side - so you can be sure to have a good one for sure - and change sides whenever a desirable cabin on the starboard side becomes available.

Quite often people have to/ want to cancel shortly before final payment time, so you might be lucky then.

[Keith1010]

I have done these cruises multiple times.

 

I do not think the side of the ship is key.

 

What I do think is key is trying to get a cabin mid ship or towards the back but no far forward as it can get rough as you go around Cape Horn.

 

Again, I wouldn't worry about which side of the ship you are on.

 

Best views will be from the public decks.

 

Keith

[ktcruiser]

Thanks to both who have replied so far. I think I will be watching closely over the next couple weeks as the final payment date comes closer, see if some more starboard cabins become available. The one I found was AquaClass which was a bit higher in price than we really wanted anyway..

 

Keith - so you've had balcony cabins on these routes before? Did you find both sides of ship to be interesting or as you mentioned, did you just always find it better to go up on deck? Then ,the question is, why get a balcony at all? I do like the idea of sitting in my robe eating room service while enjoying the ocean breeze, but my husband is insistent that if we pay twice the price of an inside cabin, we should be able to see some nice views from our balcony, hence ,concern for side of the ship heading east to west... :rolleyes:

 

thanks!

Karyn

[paul929207]

You don't give dates, but at the begining and end of the season it can be quite cool. Also, at the end of the season the days are getting shorter. We did this itinerary from BA in 2008. We had about 2 inches of snow around the pool late one afternoon.

[ktcruiser]

Paul, we're at peak of summer, beginning of January. So, I think I'd be surprised to see snow ... although it would be pretty cool! I think my husband's hoping for some heat and some vitamin D since we'd be coming from Philadelphia! :D

[Bowie MeMe]

We traveled mid Jan. 2012. We had a midship obstructed view cabin on deck 8 that was the greatest. Cheap price and good view (small obstruction only) and just steps from the stairs down to promenade and out the door. We loved being out on the front deck. Our cruise had almost perfect weather and Cape Horn day blue sky/light wind/ thousands of birds and calm seas throughout. Trip before us had slanted snow at Cape Horn, couldn't land at Falklands (noro outbreak), political problems with Argentina and a pretty miserable trip. It is all pure luck. Start your prayers now:rolleyes:

 

Either side was OK on our trip. Whenever something good like a glacier or the Horn. The super great Captain would wheel that big baby "Star" around until every balcony got an excellent view. It was just excellent fun to be out on promenade forward deck and hanging out with the ship naturalist who actually knew one big bird from another!! NOW PAY attention! I wondered if I could make due with my lighter jacket -- It is summer in South America! The answer is NO!! I had my heaviest winter coat, my fleece, gloves, scarf, sweater, panty hose knee high socks. The resemblance to the Michilan Man was noted by hubby who looked the same. Wore it from day after BA to day before Santiago. The wind is the problem and it is cold, damp and the ship is moving at a good clip. I am from DC so that lets you know what I am used to in winter. I did not pack my coat I carried it. Sure felt strange in Miami for 4 days and Rio for 5 days but I was glad to have the gear. Take the best binoculars you can buy also. Much to see from the deck. If you go to Monte Video, we went to a ranch barbq that was our very favorite shore excursion. Have fun

[ktcruiser]

Bowie, did you have just an oceanview cabin? On what side? I guess with that kind of cabin, you always go out on deck, but sometimes I'd love to just walk outside in my ... um... nightwear... ;)

 

It seems like, if i understand celebrity's refund rules, I have until 70 days before the trip to cancel, so I could get any cabin in the desired category now, and if I can't get starboard side by Oct 23rd, could just cancel...

[Bowie MeMe]

We had obstructed oceanview. It works for us as we are doing 5-6 different trips a year by making choices. In the last 5 years we have done inside/outside/obstructed outside/balcony/and rear balcony. Oceania, Princess, Celebrity cruise lines. I don't think that port or starboard is very important. Any important sights will have you stop and turn and you can see from both sides if at all possible. Generally not close enough to shore to see much of the scenery but sometimes can see a little with binoculars.

 

Now I need to talk to you. Do you realize that your private balcony is often in full view of many other balconies -- those above you for instance? or above and to the side. Sometimes a nosy neighbor will stick their head around the dividers and say howdy when it might just be awkward moment. And there are security cameras and watched fire cameras in many locations. Make sure you "fully covered". Besides it was really really cold on the bottom part of the South America trip. Never out with less than coat, hat, gloves, scarf etc.

 

Translation keep what you have. Watch for something better or a better buy. Ask your agent or cruise line if there are move up offers that could be offered but these will not be free. When you decide you have what you want -- mark cabin "no upgrade" because some upgrades are not for the better. :rolleyes: Best of luck. This is one of the greatest cruises ever but it takes a bit of luck to get the weather right:)

[sddsddean]

We did the Infinity this March in a starboard balcony cabin. You sometimes get land in view (especially going up the coast of Chile and Peru), but its so far away you can't see much. In the Cilean fjords/Beagle channel etc there is scenery both sides, so it doesn't matter. The only place it really makes a difference is if its nice weather around Cape Horn. We had flat seas, blue skies and about 9C. I sat outside in shorts, with my camera and a towel over my legs! These are the sort of views you can get without jostling on the upper decks if the weather is nice.

 

 

Cape Horn (the peak on the left)

 

 

Cape Horn weather station

 

 

Cliffs on the west side

 

 

Simon

[TracieABD]

Thanks for the pictures!

[Fattony]

How much time to you intend to spend in your cabin vs. in common areas (e.g., lounges, restaurants, on top deck), which likely have better views, anyway? We took the Star Princess from B.A. to Valparaiso, and were near shore a lot less than on a subsequent Alaska cruise. Going north through the straits north of Punta Arenas, we had the main shore to the right and islands to the left.

[TracieABD]

How much time to you intend to spend in your cabin vs. in common areas (e.g., lounges, restaurants, on top deck), which likely have better views, anyway? We took the Star Princess from B.A. to Valparaiso, and were near shore a lot less than on a subsequent Alaska cruise. Going north through the straits north of Punta Arenas, we had the main shore to the right and islands to the left.

I don't have a cabin assignment yet, but most of the mini suites are port side only. I was feeling a little bad...

 

Thank you for making me feel better about this.:)

[ktcruiser]

How much time to you intend to spend in your cabin vs. in common areas (e.g., lounges, restaurants, on top deck), which likely have better views, anyway? We took the Star Princess from B.A. to Valparaiso, and were near shore a lot less than on a subsequent Alaska cruise. Going north through the straits north of Punta Arenas, we had the main shore to the right and islands to the left.

 

 

I dunno, we have at sea days, and I think I mainly prefer to sit on my balcony as opposed to lounge by the pool - not a big fan of crowds - venture out to eat and watch entertainment but otherwise couch potato on my verandah? :D Actually, I may need to sit there and do some work on one or two days, as I am a teacher that will be racing back to classes the day after I return! :eek:

 

We reserved a cabin on deck 7, starboard side - hope it has overhang from balconies above, I have to check - don't want to be sunned on a lot.

[sddsddean]

We reserved a cabin on deck 7, starboard side - hope it has overhang from balconies above, I have to check - don't want to be sunned on a lot.

 

 

You will get some shade from above. Deck 10 is the Oceanview buffet and pool level and sticks out over the cabins, as below.

 

 

 

We were in 8118, so this is the 'view' from our cabin, one deck above yours. (this is looking aft. The bits of deck that stick out are sections of the buffet seating area with 'glass' portholes in the floor)

 

 

 

 

Simon

[ktcruiser]

Thanks, Simon. those are some good photos and good description of the situation. I am somewhat tempted to upgrade to aquaclass for just $200 on the port side, since it doesn't look like much of a view difference on most Sea days.

[1aCruise4wks]

We did the trip around the Cape in 2010 in an aft cabin (right in the middle of the back). So, we saw both sides. When sailing the Chilean Fjords and visiting Glaciers, there were excellent sights on both sides of the ship. When visiting the glaciers, the captain rotated the ship so people on all sides could see. When rounding the cape, we sailed in a counter-clockwise fashion. So, people on the Port Side could see the cape, people on the Starboard couldn't. But, we were sailing from Valpraiso to Rio. I don't know if they sail the other direction when coming from BA. The weather was warm in Rio, BA, Montevideo and Valpraiso/Santiago. The weater was mild in Puerto Montt. Ushuaia was cool. Punta Arenas was extremely windy. The Falklands was cold and damp. Sailing the Fjords was chilly. We saw much of it from our veranda but we would go in and out of the cabin to warm up. The Glaciers were cold - we watched the sail-in and saw the glaciers from the front of the ship - we wore our winter coats with gloves and hat/ear muffs.

[Tansy Mews]

We did have a starboard balcony. Our ship took the Beagle Channel and did not go around the Horn. My tip - the best views of the glaciers were in the early evening after Ushuaia. They were coming off Mt. Darwin in the Beagle Channel. Many people didn't see them, not because of balcony location but because they weren't looking!

[Cosmic Rays]

We did have a starboard balcony. Our ship took the Beagle Channel and did not go around the Horn. My tip - the best views of the glaciers were in the early evening after Ushuaia. They were coming off Mt. Darwin in the Beagle Channel. Many people didn't see them, not because of balcony location but because they weren't looking!

 

Were you going from Valparaiso to BA or the other way round?

[Cosmic Rays]

We did have a starboard balcony. Our ship took the Beagle Channel and did not go around the Horn. My tip - the best views of the glaciers were in the early evening after Ushuaia. They were coming off Mt. Darwin in the Beagle Channel. Many people didn't see them, not because of balcony location but because they weren't looking!

 

Were you going from Valparaiso to BA or the other way round? Just so we know when to look for these particular glaciers.........................

[Tansy Mews]

We were going from Rio to Valparaiso. The glaciers were coming from Mount Darwin, a few hours after leaving Ushuaia - about 10 pm.