Thanks, cruise ship balcony!! A commentary..

[big al]

I wonder if people spend more on the ship that have a inside room . Like on the Spa gambling, drinking etc? In other words they do not save much if any? I had booked a Ocean view because I travel alone and knew I would feel safer with a window. I know that is all in my head but it is how I feel. While on the ship I was upgraded to a suite. Loved it. :)

 

That's a very good question! I feel most people who book inside cabins are, shall I say..tight with $$...my father used to say, "don't be cheap on your vacations, be cheap at home, pay your bills, and take a good vacation"...I know people who NEVER book anything other than cheap insides, NEVER eat at the $$ alternative restaurants, NEVER book excursions ( they just get off the ship and wander around for free..)...I don't like cheap...if you are poor, fine..BUT, many people I know have $$, they're just cheap...I am mostly retired now, but my wife works very hard & many hours ( 65+ a week)..I think she DESERVES a meal in Chops ( RCI), Le Bistro ( NCL ), or The Crown Grill ( Princess), etc...we do not gamble much ( I play a little Blackjack) , we don't go to the spas, and we drink a bit, ( I drink beers & martinis much more than her..) , but we budget for all our cruises..when we both worked, we spent what we wanted..now, we are a bit more careful, but if I want a $12 apple martini, I'll have it!...

 

Big Al

[Vette Gal]

My hubby and I went on our first cruise earlier this month. We did a 4 day cruise from LA to Catalina Island and then Ensenada. We had an ocean view cabin on the Sapphire Princess. We purposely booked an ocean view instead of a balcony in order to save a few $$ and because it was a short cruise. (An inside cabin would not have been an option. It would have felt claustrophobic.) The weather could not have been better and the view from our window was beautiful. We loved the entire time and did not regret our cabin choice.

 

Now we chose to save a few $$, so that we could go on another cruise this summer. On our first full day, we went directly to the Future Cruise Office right after breakfast and booked our second cruise.

 

We will be going to the Caribbean in June for a 7 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess. My husband debated the cabin choice decision (ocean view or balcony) but I did not. We have booked a balcony cabin and frankly I cannot wait for June to arrive.

 

What could be better than 7 days on a cruise in the Caribbean with a balcony cabin and the love of my life? :confused::confused:

 

I certainly can't think of anything better than that (except maybe a longer cruise). :):)

[SHAZA0208]

Hi Big Al,

 

Can I blame you for when I book a balcony this Saturday?

 

I can't remember anyone ever fully explaining what it is like to have a balcony on these boards before.

 

Have always cruised in inside cabins because I was just happy to be cruising!

Going to bite the bullet for my cruise to the Med this August.

 

Thank you!

[big al]

My hubby and I went on our first cruise earlier this month. We did a 4 day cruise from LA to Catalina Island and then Ensenada. We had an ocean view cabin on the Sapphire Princess. We purposely booked an ocean view instead of a balcony in order to save a few $$ and because it was a short cruise. (An inside cabin would not have been an option. It would have felt claustrophobic.) The weather could not have been better and the view from our window was beautiful. We loved the entire time and did not regret our cabin choice.

 

Now we chose to save a few $$, so that we could go on another cruise this summer. On our first full day, we went directly to the Future Cruise Office right after breakfast and booked our second cruise.

 

We will be going to the Caribbean in June for a 7 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess. My husband debated the cabin choice decision (ocean view or balcony) but I did not. We have booked a balcony cabin and frankly I cannot wait for June to arrive.

 

What could be better than 7 days on a cruise in the Caribbean with a balcony cabin and the love of my life? :confused::confused:

 

I certainly can't think of anything better than that (except maybe a longer cruise). :):)

 

Vette gal- Congratulations on your first balcony cruise!! It will completely change your view of cruising and your enjoyment of your cabin...it's the difference between a Best Western/ Holiday Inn, and a Ritz Carlton or Grand Hyatt...don't forget to do some of the things I mentioned in my original post: breakfast on YOUR private verandah is a MUST! Always do breakfast on the balcony on SEA days...always go out there a MINIMUM of 3 times ( or more) every day ( when you rise, late afternoon, and at night )..also very cool, when you get up on a port day, open the curtains, and there is another cruise ship right across from you with others enjoying their balcony cabins as well...will be looking forward to your thoughts when you get back!!

 

Big Al

[big al]

Hi Big Al,

 

Can I blame you for when I book a balcony this Saturday?

 

I can't remember anyone ever fully explaining what it is like to have a balcony on these boards before.

 

Have always cruised in inside cabins because I was just happy to be cruising!

Going to bite the bullet for my cruise to the Med this August.

 

Thank you!

 

Thanks for the blame, I will GLADLY take it IF you enjoy your cruise & cabin more!!!...I'm glad you enjoyed my description of what it's like to have a balcony instead of a broom closet...again, I reiterate: Don't you want to feel a part of the cruise experience by FEELING the ocean?? Seeing it and smelling it???? Follow my tips & suggestions and you will love it, unless you are psychotic or hate the beautiful sea..for me, it's the combination of the blue skies, the waves & white caps, the salt air & wind ( a biggie, there!) , and very important- the SOUNDS OF THE SEA, that you NEVER get in an inside nor outside window cabin...try this: in the late afternoon, open your balcony door, and sit out there OR even inside your cabin, and LISTEN to the sounds & waves...what a difference from sitting inside a boring inside cabin and listening to people walking down the halls, or a toilet flush... cabin you actually get nothing in those cabins..your experience there is 4 walls in a dark broom closet-PERIOD!!... balconies are just like cruising and chocolate..they're addictive!!

 

Big Al

[Vette Gal]

Vette gal- Congratulations on your first balcony cruise!! It will completely change your view of cruising and your enjoyment of your cabin...it's the difference between a Best Western/ Holiday Inn, and a Ritz Carlton or Grand Hyatt...don't forget to do some of the things I mentioned in my original post: breakfast on YOUR private verandah is a MUST! Always do breakfast on the balcony on SEA days...always go out there a MINIMUM of 3 times ( or more) every day ( when you rise, late afternoon, and at night )..also very cool, when you get up on a port day, open the curtains, and there is another cruise ship right across from you with others enjoying their balcony cabins as well...will be looking forward to your thoughts when you get back!!

 

Big Al

 

Thank you for your kind words.

 

We can hardly wait for June to arrive. We plan to get our monies worth from our balcony.

[kimlovesfl]

I just got off my first cruise a few days ago, and we booked an outside cabin, because frankly, for 5 days, an extra $200 per person was just not in the budget. For my next cruise, though, I am going to book a balcony cabin. On our sea days is when I really wished we had had a balcony, because it was impossible to get a chair by the pool if you weren't there by 9 AM.

 

How anyone can stay in an inside cabin is beyond me-my DH and I are both claustrophobic, and when I saw the doors open on those rooms while they were being cleaned-I shudder to think of what that would be like. Meanwhile, I can look out my window at the sea, note how fast we are going, and on port days, wake up to find we are docked at Key West, or watch the ship pull in to Cozumel. Nothing like it, they just don't know what they are missing.

[turtle tavern]

We have always booked a balcony and love it for all the reasons in prior posts, we are going to have our first aft balcony on the Epic in March and I am so excited, I read it sounds like a waterfall.

[Jackytar]

My wife and I will be taking our first ocean crossing in June, and neither of us considered even for an instant not having at least a window. As it happens, the Queen Mary 2 cruise we're on is offering balcony cabins at the same price as standard, so why not? I've been in the Navy for 25 years, and in that environment, I slept in a mess deck and there were definitely no windows in it. Being in the Engineering Department, most of my work was well belowdecks, too, so I had to make a point of going up top a couple of times a day, just to be sure the sun and sea were still where I'd left 'em. So for a sea voyage for pleasure, I wouldn't even for a second consider an interior cabin, no matter how much more comfortable than my rack onboard my ship :) That said, I am going to see if I can hook up with one of their engineers and at least spend a forenoon swapping lies and drinking black-gang coffee, and if I can, try to finagle a visit to the QM2's machinery spaces.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Jackytar

[big al]

I just got off my first cruise a few days ago, and we booked an outside cabin, because frankly, for 5 days, an extra $200 per person was just not in the budget. For my next cruise, though, I am going to book a balcony cabin. On our sea days is when I really wished we had had a balcony, because it was impossible to get a chair by the pool if you weren't there by 9 AM.

 

How anyone can stay in an inside cabin is beyond me-my DH and I are both claustrophobic, and when I saw the doors open on those rooms while they were being cleaned-I shudder to think of what that would be like. Meanwhile, I can look out my window at the sea, note how fast we are going, and on port days, wake up to find we are docked at Key West, or watch the ship pull in to Cozumel. Nothing like it, they just don't know what they are missing.

 

kimlovesfl- Wait till you see watching a ship pull into Key West or Cozumel ON YOUR BALCONY..now, that will be quite an experience for you!! BTW, I say the same thing now when I go down the hall, and I see those small, broom closet-like cabins and wonder the same thing- who would want to stay in there when they could have a sunny, airy,romantic, see the waves & feel the salt air balcony??

 

Big Al

[big al]

We have always booked a balcony and love it for all the reasons in prior posts, we are going to have our first aft balcony on the Epic in March and I am so excited, I read it sounds like a waterfall.

 

turtle tavern- Congrats on your first balcony!! There are so many more senses you feel on your balcony..sight, sound, smell..NONE of these you can feel in an inside cabin...those of you who, like me, have done both inside and balcony, know what I mean...those who are trying their 1st balcony after having an inside, well wait till you get out there your first time at sea...you too, will be saying, "Thanks, cruise ship balcony!"

 

Big Al

[big al]

My wife and I will be taking our first ocean crossing in June, and neither of us considered even for an instant not having at least a window. As it happens, the Queen Mary 2 cruise we're on is offering balcony cabins at the same price as standard, so why not? I've been in the Navy for 25 years, and in that environment, I slept in a mess deck and there were definitely no windows in it. Being in the Engineering Department, most of my work was well belowdecks, too, so I had to make a point of going up top a couple of times a day, just to be sure the sun and sea were still where I'd left 'em. So for a sea voyage for pleasure, I wouldn't even for a second consider an interior cabin, no matter how much more comfortable than my rack onboard my ship :) That said, I am going to see if I can hook up with one of their engineers and at least spend a forenoon swapping lies and drinking black-gang coffee, and if I can, try to finagle a visit to the QM2's machinery spaces.

 

Jackytar- Great story about the Navy...let me tell you, crossing the Atlantic on the QM2 in a balcony will certainly be different than sleeping in a mess deck with no nothing!! Don't forget to see their planatarium show, I hear it's wonderful...

 

Big Al

[BoxersDoggies]

I've never been on a cruise, but going in a few weeks and just found this forum. Do the balcony rooms cause more sea sickness over an interior room?

[cruisebear84]

I've never been on a cruise, but going in a few weeks and just found this forum. Do the balcony rooms cause more sea sickness over an interior room?

 

On my first cruise, I felt a little dizzy and I definitely felt better standing out on the balcony. I read on these boards that midship cabins are best for seasickness, and I know that having a view often helps with disorientation. Another great reason to book a balcony :D

[Jackytar]

On my first cruise, I felt a little dizzy and I definitely felt better standing out on the balcony. I read on these boards that midship cabins are best for seasickness, and I know that having a view often helps with disorientation. Another great reason to book a balcony :D

 

If you're concerned about seasickness, as a general rule on any ship (war or otherwise), lower and close to midships is best. That's because if you're lower, roll from side to side is less noticeable; likewise pitching up or down is less the closer you are to center. All that said, an ocean liner will move a LOT less than a warship if for no other reason than they're easily 20 times heavier. QM2 runs about 100,000 tons; HMCS Calgary, a frigate, is only about 5000 tons. Quite a diff! Plus, ocean liners and cruise ships have fin stabilizers and such.

[meatball_nyc]

Hi Big Al!

I just found this post today and would like to thank you for your balcony commentary. Loved reading your thoughts and stories about your cruises as well.

 

Love your passion for cruising, the ocean and, of course, BALCONIES!!!!

I could not agree with you more.

 

Chances are, if a person is on a cruise, they love the sea!! If you love the sea, how else but to experience BEING on the sea, than by having a balcony!!

 

My son (18) and I will be taking our third cruise this summer aboard our new hometown ship the Breakaway. You cannot imagine (well, maybe you can) how excited we are. I booked this as a bday present for him. Our past two cruises were aboard the Carnival Legend (2006) and the Miracle (2010) and had balconies for both.

For this summer's trip I wanted to do a lot of research about the Breakaway, so I joined CC and started reading EVERYTHING I could find about her. She is a brand new ship so there was a lot to learn!!

 

I found out about the "angled or bump-out" balconies that are larger than the relatively small (35 sq. ft.) and are the same price. So that is what I picked. Deck 10, BD Cabin 10276, port side.

We plan on spending a lot of time on our balcony: breakfast (will probably be just me as I do not foresee my 18 year old son getting up early like me), room service, wine and cheese, FIREWORKS at SEA from our balcony!!!

 

I remember seeing a rainbow over the ocean on our Miracle cruise on our way to Port San Juan after a bit of rain from my balcony. Has anyone ever seen a rainbow at sea! Wow.

Al, you spoke about seeing a thunderstorm at sea, well seeing the rainbow was something very special as well.

 

Here's to Smooth Sailing and Great Views from our Balcony!!

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day!!

 

Happy Sailing :)

 

 

 

 

 

~robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 6, 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

[big al]

Hi Big Al!

I just found this post today and would like to thank you for your balcony commentary. Loved reading your thoughts and stories about your cruises as well.

 

Love your passion for cruising, the ocean and, of course, BALCONIES!!!!

I could not agree with you more.

 

Chances are, if a person is on a cruise, they love the sea!! If you love the sea, how else but to experience BEING on the sea, than by having a balcony!!

 

My son (18) and I will be taking our third cruise this summer aboard our new hometown ship the Breakaway. You cannot imagine (well, maybe you can) how excited we are. I booked this as a bday present for him. Our past two cruises were aboard the Carnival Legend (2006) and the Miracle (2010) and had balconies for both.

For this summer's trip I wanted to do a lot of research about the Breakaway, so I joined CC and started reading EVERYTHING I could find about her. She is a brand new ship so there was a lot to learn!!

 

I found out about the "angled or bump-out" balconies that are larger than the relatively small (35 sq. ft.) and are the same price. So that is what I picked. Deck 10, BD Cabin 10276, port side.

We plan on spending a lot of time on our balcony: breakfast (will probably be just me as I do not foresee my 18 year old son getting up early like me), room service, wine and cheese, FIREWORKS at SEA from our balcony!!!

 

I remember seeing a rainbow over the ocean on our Miracle cruise on our way to Port San Juan after a bit of rain from my balcony. Has anyone ever seen a rainbow at sea! Wow.

Al, you spoke about seeing a thunderstorm at sea, well seeing the rainbow was something very special as well.

 

Here's to Smooth Sailing and Great Views from our Balcony!!

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day!!

 

Happy Sailing :)

 

 

 

 

 

~robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 6, 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

 

Robin- Great story about your son & Breakaway...my good friend took his first NCL cruise on the Breakaway last June and LOVED IT!! He said all the meals were great & entertainment top notch...his favorite dining venue was Teppanyaki ( Japanese Steakhouse), followed by Le Bistro..try & go to a few of those, even they cost a few $$..Cagney's is good, too if you both like steaks...good choice for the bigger balcony..my friend said theirs was indeed quite small...you can always order a second breakfast when your son gets up if you like..also BIG difference between Carnival & Norwegian..next time, you must try Royal Caribbean's big ships, Oasis & Allure- your son will love it, and so will you...lots of things to do....

 

Big Al

[meatball_nyc]

Thanks for the NCL tips. We sure will be trying Cagney's for the steak. Living right outside of Manhattan, we do have a few good steakhouses ;) but have heard a lot of good things about Cagney's. I think Brian would love Teppanyaki. He works in the food service industry so he does appreciate good food in a good restaurant.

 

You say there is big difference between Carnival and Norwegian. Since we have only done two Carnival cruises so far, I hope we will enjoy what I believe should be a step up? Hope that's what the difference is.

 

I even called my PCC at NCL to tell him not to automatically upgrade me without asking first. I do not want to lose my bigger, angled balcony. That is, of course it's for something like an aft balcony. I might make an exception there!!

 

Appreciate all the info and tips you have suggested and I shall return to post here when we get back to let you know what a blast we had on our cruise and our balcony!!

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited February 6, 2014 by meatball_nyc

[big al]

Thanks for the NCL tips. We sure will be trying Cagney's for the steak. Living right outside of Manhattan, we do have a few good steakhouses ;) but have heard a lot of good things about Cagney's. I think Brian would love Teppanyaki. He works in the food service industry so he does appreciate good food in a good restaurant.

 

You say there is big difference between Carnival and Norwegian. Since we have only done two Carnival cruises so far, I hope we will enjoy what I believe should be a step up? Hope that's what the difference is.

 

I even called my PCC at NCL to tell him not to automatically upgrade me without asking first. I do not want to lose my bigger, angled balcony. That is, of course it's for something like an aft balcony. I might make an exception there!!

 

Appreciate all the info and tips you have suggested and I shall return to post here when we get back to let you know what a blast we had on our cruise and our balcony!!

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I think NCL is a step up from Carnival...Carnival is Carnival..some call it the "WALMART" OF CRUISING...I've done 6 myself on CCL...the ships on NCL are not glitzy & neonie like CCL..more wood, soft colors, LOTS of dining options & better entertainment IMO...best balconies are the afts on decks 12 ,11, & 9...some have 125-150 sq ft balconies...take those if offered..also if any of you like escargot, they are KILLER in Le Bistro, along with the Fruit Fondue, a dessert that is fruit in a carved out pineapple bottom, filled with various fruits, then you dip it in chocolate fudge syrup...it's amazing! Le Bistro also has SURF & TURF meal a for a few $$ extra that was yummy ..nice filet mignon, too.....Don't forget to do the Illusion dinner show- I hear it's sensational...have a great cruise!

 

Big Al

[meatball_nyc]

Thanks Al!!

I think NCL ships look more like upscale hotels on the inside. At least that's what

they look like in the pix I've seen.

All the food you mentioned is making me hungry!

4 months to go until we sail on Breakaway.

New York has seen over 40 inches of snow so far this winter.

It's not been fun! Can't wait for Spring to get here!

Happy Sailing to all!

[big al]

Thanks Al!!

I think NCL ships look more like upscale hotels on the inside. At least that's what

they look like in the pix I've seen.

All the food you mentioned is making me hungry!

4 months to go until we sail on Breakaway.

New York has seen over 40 inches of snow so far this winter.

It's not been fun! Can't wait for Spring to get here!

Happy Sailing to all!

 

Spent 30 years on Long Island, so I know what it's like..now, we just worry about which beach or pool to go to on our free days, lol...

[Wish it were cruise time]

Big Al,

thank you for your wonderful and informative posts. We have cruised for times, the next in six weeks, and we have always had balconies. Our first cruise I was very nervous about being on the ship. afraid that I would be sea sick or freaked out by the thought that there was a lot of water beneath me, but that was not the case. The balcony was our haven. I cried when we left the ship after the first cruise, it was that good. We will always have a balcony.

 

I am addicted, to cruising and balconies.

 

Thanks again for all of your comments, they are such fun to read.

[big al]

Big Al,

thank you for your wonderful and informative posts. We have cruised for times, the next in six weeks, and we have always had balconies. Our first cruise I was very nervous about being on the ship. afraid that I would be sea sick or freaked out by the thought that there was a lot of water beneath me, but that was not the case. The balcony was our haven. I cried when we left the ship after the first cruise, it was that good. We will always have a balcony.

 

I am addicted, to cruising and balconies.

 

Thanks again for all of your comments, they are such fun to read.

 

 

Very kind words, wish it were cruise time...I still have friends who also are freaked out about being at sea "surrounded by all that water with no land in sight" type belief..it is very similar to claustrophobia, but the opposite..I took a couple in 2008 on the Navigator Of The Seas to celebrate my friend Bill's 50th b'day..his wife, Melanie, had never stepped foot on a cruise ship and was deathly afraid of rogue waves, huge waves sinking the ship, etc.

Long story short, she called me about 9 months before the cruise and asked me to look for a 4-5 night cruise for 6 of us as surprise to Bill's 50th surprise present..when I asked her what changed her mind, she said, "you, my brother ( who came with us) , people at work, and many others"..I eventually found a 5 night NOS cruise in March 2008...we kept the secret from Bill until his birthday on 10/29 , 5 months earlier. About 20 of us met at an

Irish Pub for his surprise party, and Melanie handed him his present- a Royal Caribbean brochure with our cruise highlighted on that page...he said, :" what's this?" "You're finally going on a cruise ship!!" Melanie exclaimed.. He was almost in tears...what was REALLY funny, was a few weeks before, we had met in that same pub for dinner, and Bill moaned ( as he always did about Melanie NEVER wanting to try a cruise, LOL), that "it will NEVER happen..NEVER HAPPEN"..as I implored him to come with us on the March cruise on the Navigator..of course, he didn't know it was already a done deal!! BTW, I got 3 AFT Junior Suites on deck 10, all in a row. Our negative friend Melanie, after a day & night of slight motion sickness, LOVED the cruise, HER AFT BALCONY, and all there was to do on board ( she also thought she'd be bored, ha-ha!!)...Bill looked at us both at the party and said,"how long have you kept this secret from me?"..I said, "Mel contacted me on e-mail about 9 months ago about a possible surprise cruise"...he looked at me and said, "why you dog, you!"...Since then they also went on the Allure Of The Seas with us and we are planning a 3rd soon..is that great, or what?

 

Big Al

[Wish it were cruise time]

Four not for, I know the difference but autocorrect does not.

[Teekkanie]

Hi Big Al,

I came across you post today, as I always do when I plan for a cruise I start looking at post for info and more info, all the info I can get on the ship I am sailing on to the ports we will be stopping at.

Thanks to my daughter she planted the seed of going on another cruise. So I started doing my research and I booked my nest cruise for 3/22/15 on Carnival Magic. Sorry to say when my daughter finds out that she wont be going is something I guess I will have to deal with at that time. :eek: I can only hear it now (your not taking me?) hehe Nope!

As I read your post it brought back memories of my first cruise on Carnival Tropical. Yes I had an inside cabin, and it was small. Then moved to a window, to where I went on a cruise with my Mom and daughter with our first balcony. Since then, I only cruise with a balcony.

Now to my current cruise, I told my boyfriend (we have an agreement, I by the cruise, he picks up the ship tab) that I wanted a larger balcony, and uncle sam was good to me this year, I wanted to pick my room. I choose the Premium Vista Balcony on the empress deck. I don't think this year will pass by quick enough as the waiting for the new experience of a larger balcony has taken over with excitement. Let the waiting game begin!;)

I will pass on the info of the binoculars to my boyfriend. I think we will be at a great spot to look at things. If you have any other advice or info, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Tammie

Edited February 10, 2014 by Teekkanie