Is a balcony worth the money?

[FritzG]

We have had every type of cabin but would much rather have a balcony. After our second inside cabin, I realized I need to see daylight. As a photographer, I love being able to pop out and get great sunrise or sunset photos. We both enjoy our time sitting quietly and just watching the sea go by.

 

As you can see from the photo, I use the balcony no matter what the weather!

 

Cheers, Denise

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree! I use my balcony every single day even if I have to bundle up to go out there. There's nothing more peaceful reading on the balcony and dozing off. Even on a port intensive or cold climate itinerary we use our balcony a lot. I being able to open the door to get fresh air, and I'm lucky that DH won't sail without a balcony either.

[donh1]

I don't think too many people would turn down a free upgrade to a balcony. The word upgrade says it all. BUT if your financial situation dictates that you can cruise more often and take longer cruises by booking an inside cabin then it is a decision you will have to make. Have had both and prefer balconies but love to cruise so we make concessions.

[cruisemom42]

A balcony is not a must for me. It's a nice extra, but I find that I don't use it much.

 

For those who've said that once you book a balcony, you'll never go back -- well, I guess I'm the outlier. I've booked Caribe deck balconies and aft balconies and mini-suites, and have since happily gone back to OV or inside cabins on Princess or other lines.

 

For those who say balconies are not much more....not always true. When I priced a Med cruise on Ruby Princess in 2010, the balconies were $900 more per person than OV rooms. Since I cruise more for the itinerary than the relaxation, I could do a lot ashore with that $1800. :rolleyes:

 

And finally, I'm not an extrovert/people person, but I do like to be doing something. However, whenever I've wanted quiet "down" time, I have never had a problem on any ship finding a quiet nook or corner where I could read or look at the ocean or just chill. :)

[Cuizer2]

Hi folks,

 

We have cruised several times on Princess, but always in an inside cabin. We are considering splurging on our next cruise and getting a balcony cabin. Generally speaking, the balcony cabins are $200-500/per person higher for a 7 night Caribbean cruise.

I guess my question is, is it really worth the extra money? We usually get inside cabins because we are rarely in the cabin except to shower/sleep/change clothes. During the day we hang out by the pools if the weather is good.

 

I guess I'm looking for advice from those who have done both, pros and cons. We want to try it, but just aren't sure it's worth it cost wise.

 

Any advice/experiences would be nice. With the smoking policy, I don't think I have to fear being down wind from a smoker, so I'm more open to the idea.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

 

If you are not in the cabin that much, why pay the extra money? Basically a balcony cabin is just like the inside cabin except you have some private space right outside your window. If you will spend time on the balcony, then yes, it is worth it. If not, then no, it is not worth it.

 

I've been in insides (twice), ocean views (four times) balconies (ten times) and suites (four times). I prefer balconies. However, on some cruises I don't spend that much time on the balcony and thus it ends up being a waste of money for me. Other times I do spend a lot of time on the balcony and then it is worth it to me.

 

I like to eat breakfast on the balcony and on sea days I also like to eat lunch on the balcony. In the evenings I like to sit on the balcony and watch the world go by.

 

For my next three cruises I am in one balcony, one suite and one ocean view.

[kywildcatfanone]

If you are not in the cabin that much, why pay the extra money?

 

Actually that was the crux of my original question. We don't spend a lot of time in the cabin currently, but I "might" if I had a balcony. It was more of a "for those of you who have done both, what do you prefer" type of question, and the answers have been great. Thanks to all.

 

I'm inclined to try it at least once, and if we like it, we will consider it going forward, and if we determine it wasn't used enough to make it worth the extra money.

[rdemn]

I like the balcony rooms better they are bigger then inside cabins

[camofwilliamsburg]

We do balconies, ov and insides. WE really do not spend enough time on the balcony to pay the extra. It is nice to be able to step out and have a glass of wine out there, or sit there. SO we pour our wine and go out on a deck. If you are a person that like to be away from the 'action' then a balcony will suit you. I enjoy being around the pool and would not consider even reading on the balcony.

So it depends on your cruise style. Make your own mind up since only you know what is your style.

I would consider a balcony if the difference was not great.

[gpnfish]

We got our first balcony about 10 cruises ago and I don't think we ever looked back! I have never tried to justify the costs (I'm afraid I couldn't rationally do that!) but for my wife and I we wouldn't take a free cruise if it was a room without a balcony.

 

I think the main thing is fresh air, and I think that is really important when you are cruising during the flu season. It just feels healthier to know that you can open your balcony door just a few times going in and out and basically change out all that recycled air that goes through the ship's HVAC with good ole ocean breeze.

 

Of course, having a nightcap and looking at the stars, and having your :D "First" breakfast :D on the balcony in the morning is a treat as well!

[CRUZER2012]

What I meant was that often you can book the lowest price balcony on a guarantee and may possibly be upgraded to a different level balcony, thus saving money.

The OP original post stated he was concerned about the extra money for a balcony. He/she then stated in a different post that he/she was considering a balcony on the Lido deck, which is a BA category, which is the most expensive category for a balcony. I did state in my post that it is important when booking a guarantee to make sure that any cabin of that guarantee level or higher would be okay. I think its a good strategy for people who would be happy with any cabin in that category or higher, but want to try out something new and maybe save some money. In this case he/she is concerned as to whether a balcony is worth the money which I interpreted as saying he/she was trying to save some money on cabin costs. A way to try that at a slightly reduced cost would be to book a lower level balcony which are often on a guarantee and thus trying it out rather than booking the most expensive level balcony. It was a suggestion to him/her as an alternative to booking the most expensive balcony level. I didn't mean to be misleading in my post.

 

In the case which I used as an example, I had booked a BF guarantee and got a BB balcony. It has been my observation after being on these boards for a while, that many people do not like to book cabins under public areas and I have noticed that when there are threads reporting an "upgrade" that many of the "upgrades" have been to cabins under the Lido deck. Obviously there is no guarantee, which is why I stated that when booking a guarantee it is important to be satisfied with any cabin in that category or higher.

 

 

With the new categorization of cabins around April of next year, here are 2 points to consider:

 

1. Lido balcony cabin categories will no longer be BA. Check the deck of the ship you are interested in. You will find that some are BC and BF categories. Other cabin categories have also changed.

 

2. With the new categorization, standard upgrades are true upgrades within the same cabin category. Upgrade earmarks are changing somewhat: (a) "NUM" earmark means that you will only accept an upgrade to the next category of cabin. For example, "Inside" to "Oceanview" or "Oceanview" to "Balcony", etc. (b) "NUP" which means no upgrade. I would still choose not to upgrade since I need a wheelchair-accessible cabin.

Always, always check when you book.

[Jules59]

Always a balcony for us. Was a regular balcony, now a mini-suite. B2B with the mini-suites. Would much rather take fewer cruises so we can do a balcony.

[Ninja50]

We have cruised many times in both inside cabins and balconies. Our last cruise was a short 4 day jaunt so we opted for an inside. The beds were horrible!

I am interested in hearing from others who may have an opinion about better beds in more expensive cabins.

[pris993]

I don't think too many people would turn down a free upgrade to a balcony. The word upgrade says it all. BUT if your financial situation dictates that you can cruise more often and take longer cruises by booking an inside cabin then it is a decision you will have to make. Have had both and prefer balconies but love to cruise so we make concessions.

 

We never sign up for an upgade. Not all upgrades are created equal. We don't want any under the pool deck or above an entertainment venue. We also find being directly under the buffet can be problematic, with cooking smells especially if someone burns the garlic. So watch on ... free is not always a good deal.

[DaHuckster]

Lot of variables to consider - one of the most important, obviously, what is your financial state? Second - where is the cruise going? Are you active and get involved with things going on throughout the ship or do you just like to sit and relax. We have cruised in Minis, Balcs and insides. We have lately changed to insides. One, we stay busy most of the day and retiring to an inside cabin for a quick pick-me-up nap is easier (darker). Our Alaskan cruises we still opted for the Balcs primarily for cruising Glacier Bay. Our Tathitian cruise was another mini. Lots of time just sitting with a glass of wine and the small ships seem to have bigger minis. Now, I am on disability and the lower income makes insides more affordable. We can cruise 2-3 time a year for the same money. If I were independantly wealthy I would maybe cruise Minis all the time. Still, we don't really spend a lot of time in the cabins.

[jgreenwo17]

I like insides on the upper decks of Princess ships, especially in the middle of the ship. You are close to everything wether it is up or down. I love insides for sleeping. Unless you have things to do early, it is nice to sleep in a little bit. You don't have the dawns early light waking you up. That said, a balcony stateroom is nice for certain itineraries. (Alaska, Canada/NE, etc). I went out of my way to book a balcony aboard the Caribbean Princess in 2011 on a trip to New England. I got a starboard side cabin. DW and I were able to look fondly at all the lighthouses that dot the New england coast when we were sailing southbound. If you go to Alaska, it is nice to book a balcony so you can see all the wildlife and breathtaking scenery.

 

DW and I book balconies in about one in three cruises.

[mreasier]

I think a lot depends on the itinerary and the weather. We normally cruise insides, but on a long cruise from Beijing to Vancouver, thru a series of fortunate occurances, we ended up with a balcony. We thoroughly enjoyed it for the 1st few days. However, once we left Japan and headed across the North Pacific and the Bering sea, we never used it - just too cold. We could not see anyone else out there either. We noticed the same thing on a cruise we took from Southampton to New York via Iceland and Greenland. We had an inside. Some good friends had a balcony and the one of the few times they were able to use it was the last port in Halifax. We hardly ever saw anyone out on their balconies either.

[kywildcatfanone]

Sorry to revive a month old thread, but I wanted to come back and post that we booked a balcony cabin for our upcoming cruise. We really went back and forth about whether or not it would be worth the extra money, but because of many of the comments we received here, we decided to give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for their replies! :D

[caribill]

Sorry to revive a month old thread, but I wanted to come back and post that we booked a balcony cabin for our upcoming cruise.

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Happy cruising.

[Cuizer2]

Sorry to revive a month old thread, but I wanted to come back and post that we booked a balcony cabin for our upcoming cruise. We really went back and forth about whether or not it would be worth the extra money, but because of many of the comments we received here, we decided to give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for their replies! :D

 

You are worried about a month old thread? I've seen two year old threads (and sometimes even older) retrieved.

 

Also, it is always appreciated when someone comes back to update something.

[kywildcatfanone]

Also, it is always appreciated when someone comes back to update something.

 

Well, since it was my thread to begin with, I felt I owed it. I am excited about the balcony for the first time. Should we plan to do the UBD, or is that not worth it? We go to the Crown Grill on formal nights, so I still plan to do that, unless it would recommended to do UBD one of those nights.

[Cuizer2]

Well, since it was my thread to begin with, I felt I owed it. I am excited about the balcony for the first time. Should we plan to do the UBD, or is that not worth it? We go to the Crown Grill on formal nights, so I still plan to do that, unless it would recommended to do UBD one of those nights.

 

I know what a USB is, what is a UBD?

[wannabealaskabound]

I'm actually also wondering about whether or not to do a balcony for an Alaska 2014 trip I want to plan. I'm worried it will be too cold or windy/rainy in general to want to spend any real time out there, and wouldn't we see much more going up on deck?

 

I'm kind of leaning towards an inside for the sleep factor, and save our money for ports.

[Chloe1500]

I know what a USB is, what is a UBD?

 

UBD = ultimate balcony dinner

[Chloe1500]

I'm actually also wondering about whether or not to do a balcony for an Alaska 2014 trip I want to plan. I'm worried it will be too cold or windy/rainy in general to want to spend any real time out there, and wouldn't we see much more going up on deck?

 

I'm kind of leaning towards an inside for the sleep factor, and save our money for ports.

 

Hi, one of the best parts of an Alaskan cruise is the spectacular scenery, and if you have a balcony, you can just open the door and appreciate it. There may be some rain, but it's usually not that cold. It's somewhat sheltered from the wind (more so than on the Lido deck). The Caribe balconies are partially covered and are great to have if it is raining. We had one on our Alaska trip last summer and we used the balcony every day.

[Cuizer2]

Well, since it was my thread to begin with, I felt I owed it. I am excited about the balcony for the first time. Should we plan to do the UBD, or is that not worth it? We go to the Crown Grill on formal nights, so I still plan to do that, unless it would recommended to do UBD one of those nights.

 

UBD = ultimate balcony dinner

 

Oh, that costs a fortune. If you've got the money, go for it. Personally I think it is over priced. What kind of balcony are you in. Some don't have any privacy ...

 

Caribbean Princess ...

 

 

Sapphire Princess ...

 

[deelastcre]

I booked a balcony for Alaska and felt that I wouldn't use it much. We dressed warmly and spent time looking at all of the beautiful scenery. When people were fighting to get pictures or see the sights on the decks, I went back to my cabin and took pictures from my balcony. The balcony gives you additional space where you can escape and enjoy a glass or wine or read. You won't regret spending the extra money for the balcony.