Thanks, cruise ship balcony!! A commentary..

[boozrcruzr]

Thanks for the discription Big Al! Our fist cruise is in 7 days on NOS, and our room also has a balcony. You just confirmed what I was hoping!

[kelkel2]

Big Al, your description was perfect. Our first cruise was our honeymoon and we went for a guarantee balcony and we are so glad we did. It was amazing.

To me there is nothing better than a balcony and if I can't afford a balcony, then I can't afford to cruise. It's such a wonderful place. Sunrise, sunset. Watching the waves or watching the ship pull in or out of port. I just couldn't imagine not having one. It's my little slice of quiet and it's perfect.

We have our second aft view balcony booked for our next cruise and those are so magical!!!

[Champster]

First timer. Just booked a mid ship mini suite balcony for my wife and I on NCL Breakaway. I haven't seen many posts related to this ship , but I am e cited nonetheless. I am hoping that we made the right choice! Always looking for feedback!

 

Thanks.

[big al]

We are looking forward to a balcony on our first cruise in January. I know we are setting ourselves up for future failure if we ever decide to cruise again! $$$ :eek:

 

We are looking forward to many of the things that the OP mentioned!

 

We booked a balcony for both the fresh air (sea-sickness concerns...) and because we aren't huge 'people persons'. I am sure we will want to retreat to a somewhat quieter location than the pool deck. We will also be traveling with our kids and this gives us the option to sit out there and relax while they do something else in the room.

 

Congrats on your first cruise & balcony! Sorry it took a bit to respond, but I was on the Oasis Of The Seas from 10/27 to 11/1...your reasoning is very sound- your balcony is the PERFECT place for a private sanctuary, especially if you are not "people persons" and like to socialize a lot..if you give me the name of the ship I can give you some more tips on what to not miss, etc...

 

Big Al

[big al]

Thanks for the discription Big Al! Our fist cruise is in 7 days on NOS, and our room also has a balcony. You just confirmed what I was hoping!

 

Sorry I didn't respond quicker..guess where I was ? Yes, on a RCI Oasis Of The Seas cruise! The NOS is wonderful! Some tips for the NOS- Do NOT MISS:

 

* Breakfast on your balcony- read my post again & make sure you tip $3-5 CASH & do on a sea day..

* Try CHOPS or Portifinos/ Giovanni's specialty restaurant for a special night & treat..ask for a table by the window..ambiance & food/service ALONE make it worth the extra $$...

* Don't miss ice skating show in Studio B

* Have a pint in the British Pub ( deck 5) & sing along with the singer in there..

* At night take a stroll outside on deck 5 around the ship & go to the Viking Crown Lounge on deck 14 for a nightcap & easy music..

* Schooner Bar deck 4 for piano guy & trivia during the day...

 

Any other questions give a shout- if not, enjoy your first cruise & let me know how it was & how you enjoyed your balcony!

 

Big Al

[big al]

Big Al, your description was perfect. Our first cruise was our honeymoon and we went for a guarantee balcony and we are so glad we did. It was amazing.

To me there is nothing better than a balcony and if I can't afford a balcony, then I can't afford to cruise. It's such a wonderful place. Sunrise, sunset. Watching the waves or watching the ship pull in or out of port. I just couldn't imagine not having one. It's my little slice of quiet and it's perfect.

We have our second aft view balcony booked for our next cruise and those are so magical!!!

 

Correct, correct, correct on everything!! Just came off the Oasis and one night there was a 3/4 moon and clear skies- the moonlight shined over the water & it was just MESMORIZING!

Each time I walk down the halls of the cabin decks & see those insides across from the balcony cabins, I want to shout, " LOOK WHAT YOU ARE MISSING!"...my niece & hubby just came off the Oasis with us, along with 2 other family members...the hubby, named Mark, was his FIRST time on a ship..not only was he AMAZED at the Oasis, but he sat there one day with me on our huge JS balcony and looked out at the beautiful, blue sea & clear skies, and said, " I can't believe how gorgeous it is out here, and how some choose an inside cabin over this ( and put one hand out to show "this" meaning the view..)...this is worth the price of the cruise ITSELF"..wow- great words from a newbie! Enjoy your 2nd cruise aft cabin!

 

Big Al

[big al]

First timer. Just booked a mid ship mini suite balcony for my wife and I on NCL Breakaway. I haven't seen many posts related to this ship , but I am e cited nonetheless. I am hoping that we made the right choice! Always looking for feedback!

 

Thanks.

 

Champster- Congrats on the Breakaway cruise...my friends were on her last year & LOVED IT! If you go to the CC Norwegian site, you will find plenty OR on the CC first page, click on the box that says "find a cruise" or search for a cruise,etc. then click on reviews, then Norwegian, then the Breakaway...they LOVED- Teppanyaki ( as do I) the Japanese Steakhouse where they cook the food hibachi style in front of you..also Le Bistro French restaurant is my fav- don't miss the escargots ( if you like that) and the fruit fondue for dessert ( fruit dipped in chocolate fondue- amazing!)..also Cagney's for a traditional steak..also O'Sheehan's 24/ 7 Irish Pub for FREE fish & chips..they LOVED all the shows including Burn The Floor & Rock Of Ages, and loved Fat Cats jazz club...lots to do...any questions, give a holler!

 

Big Al

[Champster]

Champster- Congrats on the Breakaway cruise...my friends were on her last year & LOVED IT! If you go to the CC Norwegian site, you will find plenty OR on the CC first page, click on the box that says "find a cruise" or search for a cruise,etc. then click on reviews, then Norwegian, then the Breakaway...they LOVED- Teppanyaki ( as do I) the Japanese Steakhouse where they cook the food hibachi style in front of you..also Le Bistro French restaurant is my fav- don't miss the escargots ( if you like that) and the fruit fondue for dessert ( fruit dipped in chocolate fondue- amazing!)..also Cagney's for a traditional steak..also O'Sheehan's 24/ 7 Irish Pub for FREE fish & chips..they LOVED all the shows including Burn The Floor & Rock Of Ages, and loved Fat Cats jazz club...lots to do...any questions, give a holler!

 

Big Al

 

Thanks Big Al!

[MarElz]

Love the balcony!

[chelsea brown]

Big Al, you were helpful to me before our cruise so I wanted to let you know what I found out about the exposed balconies on Coral Princess.

In a word: terrible! We were so disappointed. It was too hot and sunny in the afternoon and all the sun made our stateroom hot. DH and I decided we would do without one rather than have one again.

 

Thanks,

 

Kim

Hi Tim

Just read about your time on Coral with exposed balcony . We are going to book Coral and am wondering about the same thing . May I please ask what your cabin number was ?

Thank you so much

Josie

[Slugsta]

It's about 6 weeks since we got back from our med/adriatic cruise on P+O Azura. The sunbed that I had so carefully organised never materialised (complaint in to customer services but not response) so I was really not able to enjoy the balcony much*. We did have breakfast out there once and I was able to spend 10 minutes outside here and there - but certainly not enough to warrant the extra cost.

 

Mr S says he doesn't think he would ever bother again whereas I would like to have another go if/when I could be sure that I would be able to use it.

 

* I have problems sitting, which is why I organised the sunbed.

[chelsea brown]

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the exposed balconies on the Coral Princess...now you know why I don't go on those kind of ships with those kind of balconies..other than that, how was your cruise overall? Next time, come back on here & ask about balconies on other ships..stay away from Princess , since they have a lot of ships with exposed balconies...BTW, the 2 new Princess ships ( Royal & Regal) have smaller, but more covered balconies....

 

Big Al

Hi Kim

Is there any possibility you could tell us what balcony you chose ?

Please . We are booked on Panama Canal , on Coral .

Thanks

Josie

[dorisis]

Balconies CAN be very nice. The balcony furniture is usually VERY VERY uncomfortable. Not worth the price for us most of the time. We also have skin cancers. I prefer a window suite.

[Paulette3028]

Balconies CAN be very nice. The balcony furniture is usually VERY VERY uncomfortable. Not worth the price for us most of the time. We also have skin cancers. I prefer a window suite.

 

When I think back about how we use our balcony on ships, it is rarely to sit in the 'afternoon sun'. Sometimes we would order room service to have coffee in the morning before we would go to breakfast, and have it on the balcony; if it was early enough we could watch sunrise. Sometimes after a late afternoon nap and showering for dinner we would have a glass of wine on the balcony, to watch the sunset. Sometimes, just before going to bed a few minutes relaxing on the balcony with the soft movement of the ship.

 

Last summer on Allure when we had a balcony overlooking Central Park was probably the time that I actually sat on it during in the afternoon for a few minutes to people watch -- we saw a bridal party taking photos.

[big al]

Balconies CAN be very nice. The balcony furniture is usually VERY VERY uncomfortable. Not worth the price for us most of the time. We also have skin cancers. I prefer a window suite.

 

Understand..I too, have had skin cancer...BUT, if you research carefully, you can find balconies that are NOT in direct sunlight during the day- you must post here & ask cruisers what balconies ( port side or starboard ) are best for those who do not seek sunlight...and window cabins, of course, do NOT let you smell the salt air, or feel the breezes coming off the sea, or see & FEEL the waves, nor make you feel a part of the cruise experience, I find..we just got off the Oasis on a family cruise to celebrate my wife's b'day, and one member of the group was a 25 yr.old young man who had NEVER been on a ship..when he went out on his balcony the first time we were at sea, his newlywed wife ( my niece) said he just stared at the beautiful ocean and said, 'WOW"....nobody says "wow" in an inside cabin or window cabin, do they? BTW, very funny- when we walked down the halls, he got a chance to look into the inside cabins as the stewards were cleaning...he looked inside , then turned to me and said, "ugh..dark, cramped..horrible!"..."Now are you glad I told you to take the balcony cabins?" "Yes", he agreed- "we LOVE our balcony"...BTW, if you are cruising south from Florida into the Caribbean, MOST of the time , going down the STARBOARD (right) cabins will not be in the sunlight, but will be on the way back..you can avoid this problem by taking an AFT cabin, which most of the time ( but not always..) will not be in direct sunlight...note well taken, though...

 

 

Big Al

[big al]

When I think back about how we use our balcony on ships, it is rarely to sit in the 'afternoon sun'. Sometimes we would order room service to have coffee in the morning before we would go to breakfast, and have it on the balcony; if it was early enough we could watch sunrise. Sometimes after a late afternoon nap and showering for dinner we would have a glass of wine on the balcony, to watch the sunset. Sometimes, just before going to bed a few minutes relaxing on the balcony with the soft movement of the ship.

 

Last summer on Allure when we had a balcony overlooking Central Park was probably the time that I actually sat on it during in the afternoon for a few minutes to people watch -- we saw a bridal party taking photos.

 

Paulette- you do what I love to do as well- breakfast on the balcony,late afternoon, maybe at sunset before dinner, and late at night before bed..I just mentioned in the previous post that we just got off the Oasis for a family cruise..on night there was a 3/4 moon and the light was shining down on the sea and it was simply BREATHTAKING!..I called all 6 other cruisers and told them to walk out on their balcony and all were stunned at the beauty- something that would be missed without a balcony cabin...I'm glad you took advantage of your balcony cabin...

 

Big Al

[Gus2013]

I really enjoyed the OPs description of why to get a balcony. We took our first cruise in the fall of 2001 on Enchantment of the Seas. We had a friend who was a TA and advised us to get a balcony. We did and loved it!

 

Our next cruise was to Alaska and again got one on Star Princess. We saw so many sea lions and whales (yes, I swear) from our balcony, it was amazing! Again, we loved it! I would never go back.

 

Today I just booked us on Royal Princess for February 2015 in a mini-suite. I can't wait! Just knowing we can look out and see the ocean, the fish, the birds, the other ships, etc. excites me!

 

I'm not too concerned about the balcony area getting too hot. I enjoy the sun and the ability to get away from the crowds if I just want to chill out and relax-well that is the best part. If the furniture isn't too comfortable, throw a towel over it and perhaps a pillow from the bed? It's got to be better than sitting among the throngs by the pool.

 

Really enjoyed all the comments in the thread. Nice to read the other perspectives.

[big al]

I really enjoyed the OPs description of why to get a balcony. We took our first cruise in the fall of 2001 on Enchantment of the Seas. We had a friend who was a TA and advised us to get a balcony. We did and loved it!

 

Our next cruise was to Alaska and again got one on Star Princess. We saw so many sea lions and whales (yes, I swear) from our balcony, it was amazing! Again, we loved it! I would never go back.

 

Today I just booked us on Royal Princess for February 2015 in a mini-suite. I can't wait! Just knowing we can look out and see the ocean, the fish, the birds, the other ships, etc. excites me!

 

I'm not too concerned about the balcony area getting too hot. I enjoy the sun and the ability to get away from the crowds if I just want to chill out and relax-well that is the best part. If the furniture isn't too comfortable, throw a towel over it and perhaps a pillow from the bed? It's got to be better than sitting among the throngs by the pool.

 

Really enjoyed all the comments in the thread. Nice to read the other perspectives.

 

Gus- I'm glad you liked my thread...you hit it right on the head- in a balcony cabin cabin, you can see the ocean!!! I think most people are on a cruise partly to experience being ON THE WATER..why would you choose a cabin that takes away that wonderful experience of seeing the sea, smelling the salt air & wind, feeling the sun, watching sunsets & sunrises, moonlit skies,white caps on the waves, passing ships, islands, coming into ports, and my favorite- having that private little haven to step out onto and experience the wonders of the sea...don't forget having breakfast one morning on a SEA DAY on your balcony..Royal Princess balconies are a bit tight, but try it..have a great cruise!!

 

Big Al

[chelsea brown]

Gus- I'm glad you liked my thread...you hit it right on the head- in a balcony cabin cabin, you can see the ocean!!! I think most people are on a cruise partly to experience being ON THE WATER..why would you choose a cabin that takes away that wonderful experience of seeing the sea, smelling the salt air & wind, feeling the sun, watching sunsets & sunrises, moonlit skies,white caps on the waves, passing ships, islands, coming into ports, and my favorite- having that private little haven to step out onto and experience the wonders of the sea...don't forget having breakfast one morning on a SEA DAY on your balcony..Royal Princess balconies are a bit tight, but try it..have a great cruise!!

 

Big Al

Hi Big Al

As you're really well informed with different balconies , I wonder if you have seen the one we've cjosen for our partial Panama Canal transit in Feb . It's Coral Princess , Baja deck ,

B416 , cat.MA . Although smaller than the other mini suite balconies , we thought it would be good because of the shape . Your opinion on that particular one ?

Thanks

josie .

[big al]

Hi Big Al

As you're really well informed with different balconies , I wonder if you have seen the one we've cjosen for our partial Panama Canal transit in Feb . It's Coral Princess , Baja deck ,

B416 , cat.MA . Although smaller than the other mini suite balconies , we thought it would be good because of the shape . Your opinion on that particular one ?

Thanks

josie .

 

Josie- Great choice!! Those are called "corner humps" by some..great views and the balcony is angle shaped ..also MA 's have 2 TV's & are and are still roomier than standard balcony cabins ( though, yes, a tad smaller than other mini- suites..)....right across the elevators, too...have a great cruise & enjoy your balcony!!

 

Big Al

[aussielozzie18]

Hi Big Al,

 

Just returned from our first balcony experience.

 

Our first cruise last year was an inside but this cruise my father offered to pay the difference so we could upgrade to a balcony.

 

We did a 14 day cruise to Fiji and New Zealand and having a balcony was awesome.

 

To be honest there wasn't anything specific we saw from our balcony in the way of wildlife and we didn't eat out there but for us the highlight was cruising into ports and the sailaways from ports.

 

In Suva, Fiji we watched the Royal Marching band, march onto the dock and perform for us.

 

In New Zealand, all the harbours we sailed into and from were beautiful. It was lovely sitting out on our private balcony and soaking up the stunning views.

 

The sunrises and sunsets were pretty awesome too.

 

We are now hooked on a balcony!

 

Thanks for this thread.

Edited January 17, 2015 by aussielozzie18

[big al]

Hi Big Al,

 

Just returned from our first balcony experience.

 

Our first cruise last year was an inside but this cruise my father offered to pay the difference so we could upgrade to a balcony.

 

We did a 14 day cruise to Fiji and New Zealand and having a balcony was awesome.

 

To be honest there wasn't anything specific we saw from our balcony in the way of wildlife and we didn't eat out there but for us the highlight was cruising into ports and the sailaways from ports.

 

In Suva, Fiji we watched the Royal Marching band, march onto the dock and perform for us.

 

In New Zealand, all the harbours we sailed into and from were beautiful. It was lovely sitting out on our private balcony and soaking up the stunning views.

 

The sunrises and sunsets were pretty awesome too.

 

We are now hooked on a balcony!

 

Thanks for this thread.

 

You are welcome...everybody has a different experience on their balcony...for some, ( like you..) , it's coming into the ports of calls & the sailaways...others, it's sunsets & sunrises...others, it's the serenity in the late afternoon on a sea day of just seeing the white caps, & feeling the salt air & sun on your face...BUT, isn't the whole experience of HAVING a balcony completely different from a dark & boring inside cabin? Think about ALL you saw & experienced on your balcony, then think of how much those "inside only" passengers miss..TIP: Now that you are "hooked" on balconies, start experimenting with different kinds of balconies, like AFT ( in the back facing the wake- awesome serenity!) balconies, or "hump /bump" balconies, which stick out a bit if the ship has humps & bumps instead of being straight/ no curves type..corner afts sometimes have wrap around balconies that give you several expansive views- TIP: corner afts are often the FIRST to sell out because of their multiple views...always look at the deck plans to choose your balcony cabin- always make sure you have cabins above & below you to minimize noise....Happy Cruising!!

 

Big Al

[pgold128]

I could not agree with you more i wouldnt have it no other way.

Balcony a must have.

I would like to add one thing that i noticed and now take into consideration when deciding what Balcony cabin i choose.

I like to have the evening shade especialy when there are a couple back to back sea days. Nothing worse than being up on deck all day in the sun enjoying the belly flop contest getting a nice burn and

going back down to the cabin for a shower then going out on the balcony and have a blistering caribbean sun beating on you.. (OUCH)..

on eastern caribbean i try to get on the starboard side so that on the way back i have evening shade.. beautiful sunsets on the way out ..and beautiful sunrise with cool evenings on the way in..

:cool:

Edited January 17, 2015 by pgold128

[big al]

I could not agree with you more i wouldnt have it no other way.

Balcony a must have.

I would like to add one thing that i noticed and now take into consideration when deciding what Balcony cabin i choose.

I like to have the evening shade especialy when there are a couple back to back sea days. Nothing worse than being up on deck all day in the sun enjoying the belly flop contest getting a nice burn and

going back down to the cabin for a shower then going out on the balcony and have a blistering caribbean sun beating on you.. (OUCH)..

on eastern caribbean i try to get on the starboard side so that on the way back i have evening shade.. beautiful sunsets on the way out ..and beautiful sunrise with cool evenings on the way in..

:cool:

 

Yes, sometimes I forget WHAT SIDE to book a balcony on...you are so right about having that scorching sun on your balcony at 3-5 PM when you come back from the pool on a sea day or back from a port & you want to see the Sailaway...good tips!!

 

Big Al

[Jamaicamecrazy13]

I have heard there are larger oceanview balcony's on oasis in some rooms. Does anybody know what room category or what location those are on the ship?