Is the balcony really worth it?

[aqc]

On our previous cruises, we only had interior cabins. I don't have claustrophobia to begin with but It felt claustrophobic. Now that we have a bigger budget to boot, we both got balcony on our upcoming cruises. The problem with interior is that when you want to see the outside, you can only do so by either switching on the TV and watch the camera upfront OR you go out. I know that most of the time, you are either on port tours or exploring the ship / doing activities.

 

I justified it to myself by thinking that whenever I want to rest, I can still see outside and feel/breathe the fresh air. Also, it's nice to start the day with a nice morning view. At night, you can still conveniently go out and be "outdoors" without the need to be presentable to the public (in your PJs or something).

[JimAOk1945]

Decided against it. Not worth the money.

 

I'm sure you will have a great cruise even without the balcony. Maybe someday you might like to give it a try. It will be a good excuse to book another cruise. :D

 

Happy sailing!

[huneemooners]

Aft extended balcony is our cabin of choice! We LOVE it! Wouldn't cruise any other way.

[Magnum60]

The main reason we choose a balcony or in some cases a 'French balcony' is the ability to feel, smell and hear the ocean. Short of a raging sea or crazy hot or cold outside temperatures the door to our balcony generally stays open when we're inside our cabin. Value for money is subjective but if the price is right or if you're sailing on a mega ship and want the option of hiding from the masses - go for a balcony.

As a kid I sailed to Europe with my parents on such liners as the Queen Elisabeth, Queen Mary and the United States. Even in first class you couldn't have a balcony. No one seemed to miss them because the only place you'd find a balcony back then was on a building or in a theater. Keep in mind that back when ships were liners and not cruise ships you could actually open your stateroom porthole(s) and stick your head out for a peak fore and aft :eek:. Great fun!

[GUT2407]

The main reason we choose a balcony or in some cases a 'French balcony' is the ability to feel, smell and hear the ocean. Short of a raging sea or crazy hot or cold outside temperatures the door to our balcony generally stays open when we're inside our cabin. Value for money is subjective but if the price is right or if you're sailing on a mega ship and want the option of hiding from the masses - go for a balcony.

As a kid I sailed to Europe with my parents on such liners as the Queen Elisabeth, Queen Mary and the United States. Even in first class you couldn't have a balcony. No one seemed to miss them because the only place you'd find a balcony back then was on a building or in a theater. Keep in mind that back when ships were liners and not cruise ships you could actually open your stateroom porthole(s) and stick your head out for a peak fore and aft :eek:. Great fun!

 

 

I so agree with that part.

 

If I can't see smell and hear the ocean I might as well stay on land.

[Kilo November]

Loved my aft balcony in Alaska wrapped in a blanket :)

[bobjill]

My partner and I went on a 14 day caribbean cruise in Jan 2013, visiting 9 different islands.We were advised by many people not to have a balcony as we wouldnt use it much and it would be too expensive. We looked at a lot of reviews and decided to have a balcony. WOW it was the best thing we did. Every morning we would sit on our balcony having breakfast (room service) while we were coming into a new island. Absolute magic. We would NEVER cruise without a balcony, worth every penny extra. :):):):)

[Xyla]

We just returned from our first cruise, where we had a balcony cabin. It was a splurge for us but since we were 4 in the cabin, I wanted to have that extra outside space in case we felt too crammed in there. And I absolutely loved it. I had breakfast room service every day and sat out on the balcony sipping my coffee watching the sun come up. And every evening I sat out there late while my family was sleeping, reading my book and listening to the sound of the ocean. Our last morning, I woke up just in time to see us cruise past the Statue of Liberty and I waved to the Staten Island Ferry standing out there in my pjs. :)

I feel like we are people who spend a fair amount of time in our cabin and so we definitely got a good use of the balcony. Other posters say they were only in their cabin to sleep so in that case, it probably wouldn't make sense to spend the money.

[brown_eyedgal]

We have had an OV and 2 balcony cabins. We won't go back to an OV. Ever. ;)

[ASchaff]

I'm sure you will have a great cruise even without the balcony. Maybe someday you might like to give it a try. It will be a good excuse to book another cruise. :D

 

Happy sailing!

 

We have had 2-3 balconies in the past...

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

Help talk me into/out of it. I am so torn right now. I don't know if I really want one or not. I cannot decide if it is worth it. UGH

 

I enjoy our balcony when cruising. It’s an oasis of peace and tranquility for me, sitting back and staring at the beautiful, blue sea.

 

Whether it’s enjoying your first cup of coffee in the morning, relaxing and reading a good book or keeping your door open at night to hear the waves crash against the ship, a balcony adds a special element to our vacation.

 

If you choose to go with a balcony or not, you’ll enjoy your cruise!

 

Happy sailing!