Solstice to Alaska: which balcony?

[memory-minus]

Hello friends,

 

Seems to me this sort of cruise is best done with a balcony room. Which is best on Solstice to Alaska: standard balcony or sunset balcony?

 

Thank you!

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hello friends,

 

Seems to me this sort of cruise is best done with a balcony room. Which is best on Solstice to Alaska: standard balcony or sunset balcony?

 

Thank you!

 

I understand your dilemma... I think if I was sailing to Alaska, I would have the same one.

 

Knowing the Solstice tho, I offer up these tidbits:

 

She is too big to do the entire Inside Passage, so she spends some time out at sea (where the waters of the Pacific Coast can be rough)... A aft cabin will be more affected by this than say a midship location

 

The balconies on the S-Class Ships Sunset Cabins are standard size

 

The Best oversized balconies are found midship on the angles leading onto and off of "the hump" (midship is also very convenient For getting around this HUGE ship)

 

The oversized angled balconies are available in several categories... Price increasing as you go higher up the decks (and perks corresponding)

 

The largest balconies are first off the hump, then third off, second off, and fourth off (largest to smallest)

 

We had 1120 on The Solstice (C2 Cabin) for a Caribbean Cruise... 1st off the hump (aft / backside of the hump). Besides being one of the biggest balconies other than a Suite on the ship, it sits right "at the point" (widest point of the ship) and so at the rail offers fabulous views out, down, up, and fore & aft so you can see all of the swervey side of the ship... And being aft of the hump, means very little wind. The balcony also has a nice mix of sun & shade. Would definitely book again, or something similar.

 

Personally, would probably be my first choice in your situation...

 

Now if I was sailing on an M-Class Ship, and in calmer waters, I would definitely want a Sunset Aft (most likely one of the C1s on Decks 7, 8, or 9 )

 

Suggest that you also take a look at the S-Class Cabin Spreadsheet STICKY as you make cabin considerations (do work with Deck Plans tho, because although all the S-Class Ships have pretty much identical footprints cabin numbers can & do change on some ships. Just know that inspire of that, that Cabin's in the same physical locations are going to have the same attributes)

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

[uktog]

Hello friends,

 

Seems to me this sort of cruise is best done with a balcony room. Which is best on Solstice to Alaska: standard balcony or sunset balcony?

 

Thank you!

 

without a doubt if you can get one a sunset balcony you have much much better views there - take it from one who has enjoyed an aft view!

[dkjretired]

without a doubt if you can get one a sunset balcony you have much much better views there - take it from one who has enjoyed an aft view!

 

We just did Alaska two months ago in an Aqua cabin on the Starboard side and I absolutely agree with Uktog. If I had to do it again I would do the sunset balcony for a very practical reason. As you head up the inside passage and inside the Fjords, Celebrity had Brent Nixon the naturalist describing sites as you sailed. At first it was a little disconcerting to hear him say "look on the port side' when you're on the starboard side on your veranda. We just said the heck with it and went up outside on a higher deck where we could see both sides.

Edited November 13, 2014 by dkjretired

[jkgourmet]

We just did Alaska two months ago in an Aqua cabin on the Starboard side and I absolutely agree with Uktog. If I had to do it again I would do the sunset balcony for a very practical reason. As you head up the inside passage and inside the Fjords, Celebrity had Brent Nixon the naturalist describing sites as you sailed. At first it was a little disconcerting to hear him say "look on the port side' when you're on the starboard side on your veranda. We just said the heck with it and went up outside on a higher deck where we could see both sides.

 

Which helps explain why we would totally disagree that paying for a balcony is necessary on this itinerary. Save the money and get an inside or OV. The views on deck are spectacular, while the views from the balcony are limited.

[jelayne]

I would go for the Sunset veranda. Did this cruise in September views from those cabins are wonderful. Also you are sheltered from much of the wind, don't have to jockey for a spot on an open deck, can order room service & enjoy a meal with your view.

[K.T.B.]

For me, in order of preference for a balcony, even if the shop could sail the entire inside passage: Starboard, aft, port.

 

And believe me, you will spend a LOT of time on your balcony if you have either of the first two options. Loads to see.

[memory-minus]

Which helps explain why we would totally disagree that paying for a balcony is necessary on this itinerary. Save the money and get an inside or OV. The views on deck are spectacular, while the views from the balcony are limited.

 

Howdy neighbor. Good point. Depending on the exact sailing, Inside/OV prices are comparable to Concierge when taking into account the current "all in" 1-2-3Go promo + TA OBC so that weighs on the decision. However, if we settle on a date where there is a large difference, perhaps OV is the best choice.

[dkjretired]

Which helps explain why we would totally disagree that paying for a balcony is necessary on this itinerary. Save the money and get an inside or OV. The views on deck are spectacular, while the views from the balcony are limited.

 

Which is certainly another option that I would not disagree with however I don't think most First Time Cruisers there would think about that unless they got info from somewhere like Cruise Critic. We also got a good deal on Aqua so it was worth it to us.

[maggie.1008]

Aft balconies will not have a overhang. You will be exposed to weather. I have cruised to Alaska 3 times and all had a lot of rain. I hope you will be lucky and have sunny days. I would book lowest price balcony with overhang so you can go out even if it rains.

[phoenix_dream]

We have sailed on three Alaska cruises - inside cabin, ocean view no balcony, and mid-ship port balcony. IMHO, unless you book an aft-facing balcony, there is no real advantage to location. And it is also true that if you are far aft, if there is motion it can get pretty rocky back there (and sometimes you will experience a side to side shaking as well as riding the swells if there are some). This bothers some (I am one of them:() and not others (my DH).

 

When we had the balcony, it was generally too cold, rainy and/or foggy to stay out there for long periods of time anyway. We also felt our view was severely limited and in Alaska (especially for the first time), you want a wide view, particularly when you are close to land. Even with the balcony, when we wanted to sight-see we generally went up on deck anyway (or in the bar way in front of the ship - but those seats are grabbed early and people plant themselves there all day instead of taking turns - don't get me started on that :)).

 

Overall, once we chose balcony we would find it hard not to have one as a general statement, but overall there is no huge advantage to one over another except for facing aft IMHO.

[cruisecriticmember]

For me, in order of preference for a balcony, even if the shop could sail the entire inside passage: Starboard, aft, port.

 

And believe me, you will spend a LOT of time on your balcony if you have either of the first two options. Loads to see.

 

Why starboard over port?

[jkgourmet]

Howdy neighbor. Good point. Depending on the exact sailing, Inside/OV prices are comparable to Concierge when taking into account the current "all in" 1-2-3Go promo + TA OBC so that weighs on the decision. However, if we settle on a date where there is a large difference, perhaps OV is the best choice.

 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

We have sailed on three Alaska cruises - inside cabin, ocean view no balcony, and mid-ship port balcony. IMHO, unless you book an aft-facing balcony, there is no real advantage to location. And it is also true that if you are far aft, if there is motion it can get pretty rocky back there (and sometimes you will experience a side to side shaking as well as riding the swells if there are some). This bothers some (I am one of them:() and not others (my DH).

 

When we had the balcony, it was generally too cold, rainy and/or foggy to stay out there for long periods of time anyway. We also felt our view was severely limited and in Alaska (especially for the first time), you want a wide view, particularly when you are close to land. Even with the balcony, when we wanted to sight-see we generally went up on deck anyway (or in the bar way in front of the ship - but those seats are grabbed early and people plant themselves there all day instead of taking turns - don't get me started on that :)).

 

Overall, once we chose balcony we would find it hard not to have one as a general statement, but overall there is no huge advantage to one over another except for facing aft IMHO.

 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Edited November 13, 2014 by jkgourmet

[K.T.B.]

Why starboard over port?

 

For Solstice you won't be sailing the inside passage for part of the cruise, but rather out in the ocean. Starboard side allows you to see land from your balcony. Once you hit the inside passage further up north, it really won't matter then what side you're on because there's land on both sides. Heading south, it really doesn't matter where you're at on the ship, because once you're at the sea portion of the cruise it's night and you wouldn't see anything any way. The lone exception, heading south, is the cruise that leaves Seattle and ends in Vancouver.

 

However, best thing about an aft cabin, you'll see land, albeit from "an angle", and there's potential to see whales as well.

 

My 2¢.

[dkjretired]

Why starboard over port?

 

Even though Celebrity has tough anti smoking regulations there are a couple of spots on the port side where they smoke could go to a balcony, that is why many recommend starboard.

 

Kevin:

 

On our cruise we spent a whole day in the Pacific heading home, it wasn't just at night.

[cruisecriticmember]

Even though Celebrity has tough anti smoking regulations there are a couple of spots on the port side where they smoke could go to a balcony, that is why many recommend starboard.

 

Kevin:

 

On our cruise we spent a whole day in the Pacific heading home, it wasn't just at night.

 

Thanks, makes me feel even better that I changed my cabin from port to starboard 'tho I did it for other reasons.

[s0479]

We are doing the Solstice Cruise to Alaska in June 2016. Right now we have a forward slant (off hump) cabin on the port side. There is also an aft one available. Any pro or con for aft vs forward? One of the crew members on a cruise said port/Forward would be better for views. This past summer in Europe we had the first cabin on the slant forward and it was great. But I know the forward can be windy - which didn't matter in summer but may in Alaska! Seems like the port vs starboard doesn't really matter.

 

Thanks!

[mtn_couple]

We had a sunset aft on a cruise to New Zealand a couple of months ago. There was NO shelter above the verandah. We had rain daily so the balcony chairs were soaked wet and the floor slippery. We didn't use the verandah any where near as much as we normally would and as a result have booked a hump for our next Solstice cruise. If you were in a warm/sunny location I'd say definitely the aft, but not for a wet cruise.

[jelayne]

We are doing the Solstice Cruise to Alaska in June 2016. Right now we have a forward slant (off hump) cabin on the port side. There is also an aft one available. Any pro or con for aft vs forward? One of the crew members on a cruise said port/Forward would be better for views. This past summer in Europe we had the first cabin on the slant forward and it was great. But I know the forward can be windy - which didn't matter in summer but may in Alaska! Seems like the port vs starboard doesn't really matter.

 

Thanks!

 

We had an aft cabin last year & would do it again in a heartbeat. You are protected from the wind. On the day we sailed Tracey Arm it was sunny & a bit windy. Most folks were bundled up and looking for a spot out of the wind. Those of us in aft balconies were in long sleeve shirts- no wind.

[s0479]

We had an aft cabin last year & would do it again in a heartbeat. You are protected from the wind. On the day we sailed Tracey Arm it was sunny & a bit windy. Most folks were bundled up and looking for a spot out of the wind. Those of us in aft balconies were in long sleeve shirts- no wind.

 

Thanks for the info--would love a aft cabin but my mom is more prone to sea sickness so don't think it would be a best choice. I don't think I explained myself well :-) I was trying to find out if the angle off the hump (aft angle vs forward angle) matter much on the Alaskan cruise. Hope fully that explained it a bit better!