sitting on balcony

[cabinboy1945]

This is our first time getting a balcony and was wondering if we can sit on the balcony while the ship is traveling? Is it too windy or even too cold at night time to sit there? We know it can get windy just walking out on the decks at night and just wondered about this and also have warmer clothes for the evenings on the balcony's?

[Randyk47]

It really differs from day to day, night to night. We've typically have cruised on HAL in verandah cabins in the Caribbean and usually in the January to March time frame. We've had days and nights that were calm and extremely pleasant and others that were windy and cool. There are a lot of factors like the weather, direction of travel of the ship relative the prevailing wind, etc., etc., so it's hard to say.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Randyk47

[sail7seas]

We most assuredly sit on our verandah when the ship is sailing. Of course, if it's raining, it wouldn't be so pleasant but on pretty days it's delightful. Just about every night when we return to our cabin after our evening out and about, I always go onto the verandah to see the stars/moon and most of the time it is great out there. Certainly there are nights it is windy or cool but not that often..... in the Caribbean.

 

Naturally, it is cooler on the verandah evenings when sailing Canada/NE and Alaska etc. :)

Edited November 27, 2013 by sail7seas

[jtl513]

Even when it's a bit windy/cool, one person can "hide" in the corner against the forward partition usually.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Don't know when or where you are sailing to, but I can say that the Caribbean will probably be warm enough in the evening.......we sat out there on our cruise last week at night with no problem. Yes, rain may put a damper on it if it is windy, but you are under cover mostly and it should be okay. Now if it is Alaska, it might be cooler depending on when you go. Don't worry, just enjoy your balcony! You will never go back to an inside cabin again!:D

[cabinboy1945]

We live in Florida and a lot of people don't understand that when it gets in the 70's that we are starting to bundle up more so than the folks from up north(especially around the pools).Thanks for your thoughts and experiences though and we will go prepared....everything but a rain suit I will pack.lol.

[kakalina]

cabinboy1945: We are from Arizona and understand completely. We find it very cool in the evenings on the verandah. We usually cruise Hawaii and the South Pacific. If the ship is moving it is usually too windy for us to be out on the verandah for longer than 5-10 minutes. Daytime is usually fine unless the weather is bad.

[OlsSalt]

It all really does depend on the outside weather and where the sun is, but the balconies can be protected somewhat and there is also a lap rug in your room so you can bundle up to enjoy it if it is too blustery.

 

However, we never quite had those moments one sees in the cruise photos of leisurely having a full course dinner served on the balcony while it was underway.

 

I don't think the ships movement itself causes much wind movement on its own (??). Best times for balconies we thought are coming into port, particularly early morning arrivals when you don't want to get dressed up quite yet.

 

Mid-afternoon on sea days when the activities on the rest of the ship hit a lull was also a time to just sit back and snooze a bit before the evening got started.

 

Plus when in port it is fun to observe all the port activity and views depending upon which side you are on. And there are some really great harbors to have this window on the world, Istanbul being one of the best because everything is so close and so busy from morning to night. Sounds like Shanghai will be another one. Malta is one of the best and we loved our Dubrovnik view into the gardens and terraces of the houses opposite our balcony you could almost reach out and touch. Goteburg is another fantastic port to witness for its industrial activity. Yangoon port in Burma … and, and, and

[sue1898]

One of my fondest cruise memories is sipping coffee with Bailey's on the verandah while bundled up on an Alaskan cruise.

[lindaler]

You may have to ask the room steward where the blankets are kept. When we were on one cruise, we brought blankets back to the room from the public deck and the steward said, why, you have your own in the draws under the bed. Other times we have found them in a foot stool or on a shelf in the closet. A light blanket or lap robe makes a big difference in the evening.

[sail7seas]

One of my fondest cruise memories is sipping coffee with Bailey's on the verandah while bundled up on an Alaskan cruise.

 

 

That sounds Perfect!!! :)

 

[Fouremco]

I've never had a day when I haven't spent at least some time on my balcony, even in inclement weather. Most of the time, no additional clothing is required, but on our last cruise, DW and I bought Noordam sweatshirts because it was cool at night when departing or returning to Florida, 4 evenings on a 21 day collector.

[gwesq]

one of my fondest cruise memories is sipping coffee with bailey's on the verandah while bundled up on an alaskan cruise.

 

ditto! :-)

[fsdj1097]

Some of our fondest memories on our HAL cruises have occurred on our Verandah. In Alaska, watching the whales slap their tales as if waving hello, off the coast of Nova Scotia watching the sun set and planning for the next port, sailaway parties with our families and friends, and in the Caribbean watching the flying fish skip from wave to wave.

[Typhoon1]

It can get breezy and cool in the evening in the Caribbean. Ir your planning to sit on you verandah, a light sweater or jacket might be a good idea.

[nlsoftly]

I, too, have spent many happy evening and nighttime hours on aft, port, and starboard balconies, stargazing, reminiscing about the day's excursions, and about how wonderful dinner was in MDR, while sipping a fine wine (red) as the ship slipped swiftly through darkened seas.

 

Forward balconies. Not so much. At least not while the ship is moving.

[Crew News]

Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the verandah is a great option, except for Alaska in May or September.

 

Forgot to add that nachos also are good for verandahs as well if you add some extra cheese on windy days to keep the chips from becoming airborne.

[RocketMan275]

We loved out balcony and will not cruise any other way. The one thing we enjoyed most was room service on the balcony. We had pastries, coffee, and juice delivered as early as possible which we enjoyed on the balcony. Then we would shower, etc., and go have a real breakfast around 9 AM.

[Alberta Quilter]

One of my fondest cruise memories is sipping coffee with Bailey's on the verandah while bundled up on an Alaskan cruise.

 

You reminded me of one of my Alaskan cruises. My TA had gotten us upgraded to an SY cabin. I had slipped and re-injured my back a week before the cruise. Besides some ibuprofen, the only thing that helped my back was icing it. The cabin stewards were great; I asked them on the first day to fill my ice bag and every day after that, they filled it automatically.

 

I sat on on that huge balcony, of that SY cabin, bundled up in my winter jacket, with an ice bag down my back, cruising Tracy Arm!!:eek: It certainly added a litte "je ne sais quoi" to my Alaska experience!!

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

We live in Florida and a lot of people don't understand that when it gets in the 70's that we are starting to bundle up more so than the folks from up north(especially around the pools).Thanks for your thoughts and experiences though and we will go prepared....everything but a rain suit I will pack.lol.

 

You might want to re-think some kind of rain gear. This last cruise was the first time I had not taken an umbrella. We did take two inexpensive rain ponchos from the camping gear section of Walmart (I think they were about $1 or so per poncho). We were glad we had them when we were on a tour the AM in StThomas/StJohn when it was raining pretty steadily off and on. Best $2 I ever spent. Also, I bought "DryPak" camera bag (on a lanyard) and small "DryPak" lanyards for keeping the camera and ship IDs/credit card/dr. license dry in wet conditions. Good investments. They sell them on Amazon.

[sambamama]

I was upgraded to a suite last cruise on the Maasdam in March. I lived on the balcony! I had breakfast there every morning, and most lunches I had room service bring me salads and shrimp cocktails on the balcony for lunch. Every night I went out on the balcony and many of those nights I read out there for 30 minutes or so. I did not find it too cold, even with the ship moving, and I get cold pretty easily.

[catl331]

... nachos also are good for verandahs as well if you add some extra cheese on windy days to keep the chips from becoming airborne.

Ii heard a trick: put some cheese on the plate first to "glue down" those on the bottom that ordinarily don't get much cheese. Edited November 27, 2013 by catl331

[kazu]

Love our balcony. Spend time on it every day and usually every night on every cruise....including transatlantics, Mediterranean, Baltics, Australia, South America and Caribbean.

 

I've never found it too cold to be out there :D

[Crew News]

Ii heard a trick: put some cheese on the plate first to "glue down" those on the bottom that ordinarily don't get much cheese.

I posted that tip some time ago to prevent sliding chips on the way back to your cabin.

My latest tip was intended for windy conditions.

[mamaofami]

When we have a veranda, we have breakfast out there every morning.

I never thought of ordering a salad and shrimp cocktail from room service for lunch, but that sounds like a good idea to me, especially the first few days when the ship is in code red.

 

Watching the ocean go by as I read is my favorite ship past time. While we've never gone outside at night, that too sounds like fun. Will try it next cruise.:):)