Anyone else find a balcony not worth the price difference?

[VacationsRme]

No! Once you get a balcony you don't go back. I love sitting out there in the morning drinking my coffee and before I get ready for dinner having a coke or a glass of wine. I guess each to his or her own, but I am now an official balcony girl.

[debee1015]

My Mom took her first cruise on an Ocean View and told my father on the next cruise they needed a balcony. My Dad bought a Future Cruise Certificate just for that reason but he passed away before they could join.... the... balcony... club.... (I just mentioned my parents joining the balcony club.... I don't know if I should cry or vomit... Knowing my Dad they would have joined the balcony club.... :eek:)

 

I cruised with my Mom instead, she INSISTS that we have a balcony. We have breakfast out there, we drink coffee, we do sail a ways, I couldn't imagine not having a balcony. In fact this cruise coming up we're getting a normal balcony (compared to the bowling alley we had on the Legend) and I'll miss having a lounge chair on my balcony.

 

I'm not very social, so sitting on my balcony and not having to talk to people or do anything is really an awesome vacation, even on a rainy day.

[riclop]

We were on the Breeze in October and had our first balcony, we chose the "large" balcony toward the back of the ship next to the aft wrap. We found that we used it very little and spending the extra money to have a balcony was not worth it. On sea days we had breakfast delivered to our room and ate on the balcony, besides that we spend little time in our cabin, we would rather be up on deck with people and see what is going on. If we do return to our cabin its usually to take a nap before dinner and find the bed more comfortable than sleeping in a chair, our balcony did have a lounge chair on it but again not as comfortable. Many people said, once you have a balcony you will never want anything else. Wonder how many others feel the same way?

My thoughts exactly.

[LadyDAC]

We loved our balcony when we had it in July but I can't always afford the price difference. We loved sitting out there at night before bed and fell asleep out there more than once. We actually used it a great deal. If at all possible, I'll get a balcony but not having one won't stop me from cruising.

[cbreeeze]

Not worth the extra unless you're a smoker. If you're not a smoker, you will smell smoke from your neighbors.Chairs weren't clean the last time we had a balcony. We prefer ocean view.

[dadroy]

I am an inside person and the wife likes a balcony. Guess who wins:D

 

But my view is like getting a suite in Las Vegas. On a weekend we get in on Friday at about 8 pm an leave Sunday at noon. So 40 hours in Vegas. 12 hours sleeping, 6 hours eating leaves us 22 hours. Of that left over 22 hours, we spend at least 16 hours at the tables or slots.

 

A regular room is $150 a night so $300 total. Or a suite for $600 a night or $1200 for the weekend. $200 an hour for the suite? Don't think so. Same with the balcony in most cases. Of course the difference between a balcony, an aft balcony and an inside vary from sailing to sailing. If a balcony is an extra $100 for the week, heck why not. If it is $1,000 extra, I think I would pass.

[TheCalicoCat]

Not me, I'd rather spend less & sail longer or more often. (Or have a larger budget for the bar & excursions.)

[sjb.illinois]

We've had a balcony only 1 time. It was only $100/pp more than an inside, so we kind of had to jump on that deal. I would prefer a balcony, and I did enjoy reading my book out there...but every other cruise I've had an inside and we've been just fine and enjoyed it. For me it comes down to price. I'd rather cruise twice a year on insides than once a year in the balcony.

 

This is it for us. We carefully watch for the best bargains and go then - we are able to cruise more often in insides. Would I love a balcony? I'm sure!! But I love cruising no matter what.

Also, we are very sensitive to smoke (and I have asthma). I think I'd be frustrated and angry if I'd splashed out for a balcony then couldn't use it due to neighbors smoking.

So I happily squeeze into my inside, and the dark doesn't bother me (we leave the TV on with the shipcam). If I could book an OV for the same price (or just a bit more) I would.

[WindsorFred]

Have had one every cruise. We cruise with our best friends and so can cruise just once a year, coordinating schedules, time off, etc. can be difficult. We spend alot of time on our balconies (one of the reasons we have chosen Carnival so often is they open the balcony dividers so we can all hang out together, have had as many as 5 opened when we brought additional family members) I enjoy coffee and breakfast every morning on the balcony watching the sun rise. Also spend alot of time on Lido people watching. After a full day at sea or at port there is nothing better than hanging out on the balcony with friends and enjoying a few drinks and conversation. Well worth the price for us.

[3ricT]

Definitely balcony - really hard to find a place to smoke weed elsewhere

[1Honey12]

This is my third cruise, last year was my first with a balcony. I'll never cruise without it. We used it quite often, especially during the late night hours

[1Honey12]

Definitely balcony - really hard to find a place to smoke weed elsewhere

 

This is hilarious to me because had I not had a balcony last year, I would have thought this was a joke. I smelled it in the air from the guests next door.

[gay head]

I love having a balcony.When my husband and I wake up in the morning one of us goes out on the balcony while the other showers and dressses.I go out there every hight after we come in from the evening and just sit and watch the sea,

[Stockjock]

Depends on the circumstances and price. Balconies are terrific and it's super enjoyable hanging out on the balcony or cracking the door and hearing the sea at night.

 

If you have several sea days and the price is quasi-reasonable, go for a balcony.

 

If you have a port-intensive itinerary, skip it and maybe even consider an inside cabin. For example, I did an 8 day Southern Caribbean out of San Juan that hit an island every day but one. I went with an inside cabin because I was off the ship so much and it worked out fine.

 

Next week, I'm doing a 4 day on one of the older ships w/very few balconies. In this case, Ocean view made a lot more sense due to pricing.

 

So balconies are great, but it all depends...

[MistyRo76]

My first 11 cruises I had either an interior or oceanview cabin (except once when I got the mother of all free upgrades - Inside Guarantee to a Grand Suite on the Fantasy). Never minded not having a balcony. But those cruises I was always rooming with a friend, my sister or my mom. So we weren't really spending alot of time in the cabin anyway. I found that the Obstructed View Oceanview cabins (technically sold as Interiors) at the front of the ship were the best value. Got a window for the price of an interior and had the "secret deck" just right outside our door. The layout of these rooms can be a little awkward, but also feel pretty spacious.

 

But my last three cruises have been with my now husband including the last one with his kiddos. And on all of those we have gone with a balcony. We do use the balcony quite a bit. Usually have breakfast out there, spend time out there before dinner having a drink and usually end the night there. We loved having the balcony to just sit and watch the ocean or watch us pull in or out of the ports. It can be so relaxing. We're thinking of taking our new baby (due in August) on its first cruise when its old enough and the balcony will be a great place for us to relax during naptime!

 

For us...there's no going back to not having a balcony.