Are Balconies as Addicting as Cruising?

[Mekamax]

We are getting a balcony for the first time in 9 years. 9 years ago it was a Panama Canal full transit and the balcony was very useful but now we are getting one for the heck of it and I am looking forward to the cruise not for the cruise but the balcony! So will I be addicted to cruising with a balcony? 9 years ago they were very expensive so I knew it was a luxury but now it is affordable..... I keep thinking about that morning coffee on the balcony, night caps on the balcony, gazing out at the ocean on the balcony, watching the view as it is an aft balcony..... I'm not htinking about the cruise itself.... What is wrong with me????? LOL :confused: :D Debbie

[direfun2000]

Dunno. We have our first one this Saturday on Caribbean Princess. We will let ya know:D but from what others say, I would imagine that to be a YES!

[love2vacation]

Nothing is wrong with you- and you will LOVE your balcony. :D

 

(We have enjoyed all the things you have listed on our past cruises and are looking forward to the next cruise.)

 

To add to your list- quiet reading time on the balcony, catching the sunsets and sunrises on the balcony, catching the ocean breezes through the (open) balcony door, watching as we sail into or out of ports, napping on the balcony..... can anyone add more????

[johnql]

To answer the original question, no, balconies are NOT as addicting as cruising. Well, at least not for me. I am more than willing to book an inside or oceanview (w/ no balcony) if it gets me on the ship. Much more important to me are: price and itinerary.

[madelinerose]

We cruised for the first time last year on a new ship in a balcony cabin. We're cruising again next year on another new ship in an even larger cabin with a much larger balcony.

 

We would never cruise without a balcony. Cannot imagine having to head out with the masses on the public decks just to experience the outdoors. Having a balcony is like having an additional room. We had room service breakfast each and every morning on our balcony, opened the door in the afternoon if we napped and in the evening while dressing for dinner, sunrises in your robes and spent several evenings on the balcony just listening to the waves.

 

DH and I are among the few who would rather cruise less often in accommodations we love, than cruise more often in a non-balcony cabin, however, we do not cruise exclusively. We love our land vacations also.

 

I am pretty sure you will enjoy your cruises in a way you never have before, with your balcony adding a whole new dimension. Have an absolutely wonderful time! ;)

[beth4652]

We had a balcony on our Alaska cruise and when I booked the next one, I didn't even consider anything else.

[SANDY BEACH]

Absolutely YES!! We love the balcony as it is our own little private space. We never cruise without one. Don't ever try a suite or you will probably be in bigger trouble. Enjoy--you will love it as much as you did in the past.

[Spartangirl]

On our first cruise, we stayed in a cabin with a large window. We loved every moment of it! However, on our last cruise we got a room with a balcony. It was absolutely amazing! We're booked with a balcony on our next cruise!

[Happy ks]

We've cruised with and without and I have to say, I agree with johnql. I'd rather go on a cruise without a balcony than no cruise at all! Of course, we have our kids with us and have to pay for 2 cabins, so it is just way too expensive for us right now.

 

The standard balcony sizes are just too small to get excited about. We love to be outside and we spend a lot of time walking the upper decks, both morning and evening. We take a walk and get our coffee in the morning, we'll change and take a nice walk after dinner. When we have a balcony, we have actually felt as though we missed a big chunk of our cruise, since we felt compelled to use it so much.

 

So, unless we can find a really good deal on a balcony, an OV or even an inside works for us just fine. I'd rather spend the extra $300-600 on spa services.

[alexspepaw]

Let me quote my wife after about nine cruises without a balcony, and the last one with a balcony:

 

"I will never go on a cruise again unless I have a balcony"

 

sigh...my cruise budget just went way up.

[ryansmemom]

Absolutely YES!! We love the balcony as it is our own little private space. We never cruise without one. Don't ever try a suite or you will probably be in bigger trouble. Enjoy--you will love it as much as you did in the past.

 

 

This is absolutely true!! Several years ago, after sailing in Mini Suites we tried a full Suite on HAL. We are truly addicted. HAL really knows how to do the Suite life. We can never go back.

 

Linda:)

[ladysheri]

Reading these boards before we booked our cruise to Alaska, most everything I read said to get a balcony when cruising in Alaska. Although it was a little more $$, we headed that advice and were SO very glad we did. Even though we cruised there in September and it was a little chilly, the balcony really made the cruise extra special.

 

You listed so many of the advantages. I especially liked ordering room service breakfast and having it with my brewed hot! coffee on the balcony with the stunning Alaskan scenery. (Yes, I admit it--I am a coffee snob and cruise with my own coffee maker and coffee.)

 

When getting ready to book our next cruise (which we are doing far sooner than we had any intention of doing--whole 'nother story!:) ), I checked out Interior cabins, because the deals were so good and I thought we would enjoy it just as much; however the DH said "I think it is worth the extra $ for a balcony and how much more is a mini-suite with balcony?" So, obviously we booked the mini! I suspect we are as addicted to a balcony as we are to cruising!

 

Enjoy!!!

[BallFour4]

Have cruised since the days of the Carnival Mardi Gras, and enjoyed our first balcony in 2003 aboard the Splendor of the Seas.

 

Let me do some math for you:

 

Teenagers in their own cabin across the hall + good rum in the cabin + March cool air at night + just my wife and I in the cabin = great cruise!

 

Life's Short, Play Hard!

[silentbob007]

I'm going to have my first balcony in December ... can't wait. It will be my girlfriend's first cruise ... hoping to spoil her and hook her on cruising.

[momofmeg]

We are getting a balcony for the first time in 9 years. 9 years ago it was a Panama Canal full transit and the balcony was very useful but now we are getting one for the heck of it and I am looking forward to the cruise not for the cruise but the balcony! So will I be addicted to cruising with a balcony? 9 years ago they were very expensive so I knew it was a luxury but now it is affordable..... I keep thinking about that morning coffee on the balcony, night caps on the balcony, gazing out at the ocean on the balcony, watching the view as it is an aft balcony..... I'm not htinking about the cruise itself.... What is wrong with me????? LOL :confused: :D Debbie

 

Well we have taken 10 cruises. We did not have a balcony until our 8th. Our last cruise was on a RCCL voyager class ship and we opted for an atruim cabin. I loved the cabin and the promanade. That was my favorite things about the voyager class ship and if I cruise a voyager class again I would want the atruim again.

 

We are basially middle class-going toward the upper end-so we are NOT wealthy by any means. We love to cruise about once a yr.-would love to more but we do what our pocketbook dictates.

 

My feeling is this-balconies are great but if I cannot afford a balcony every cruise it is fine with me to book an inside cabin-I would rather cruise every year then not to cruise as often just so I could be in a balcony.

 

I will also say this. After doing a balcony I would never book an oceanview. If all I can afford is an oceanview I would just as soon have an inside cabin-so it is either balconies or inside for me from now on.

 

A balcony is nice-but if you don't have a balcony you spend more time on the lido. Also when leaving port I would rather be up on the lido as you only see one side of the ship on the balcony.

[Jazzfman]

Teenagers in their own cabin across the hall + good rum in the cabin + March cool air at night + just my wife and I in the cabin = great cruise!

Blursy....

Did you give the teenaggers the rum so they would sleep and not bother you on the balcony??? HAHAH just kidding the sentence just read funny until I re-read it!!!

Yes we are also hooked on Balconys but would not turn down a really cheap promanade or outside!!!

[Mekamax]

Thanks guys - I feel better about my new addiction to balconies! By the way I just heard that the NCL Sun that we are going on in Dec has their own coffee pots in each room with Foldgers coffee. YAH!! I can't wait! I might have to bring my favorite Kona coffee to go with it! :) Maybe some Jamaican coffee tooo.... HUmmmmmm ;) Debbie

[sillylizzie]

My feeling is this-balconies are great but if I cannot afford a balcony every cruise it is fine with me to book an inside cabin-I would rather cruise every year then not to cruise as often just so I could be in a balcony.

 

I will also say this. After doing a balcony I would never book an oceanview. If all I can afford is an oceanview I would just as soon have an inside cabin-so it is either balconies or inside for me from now on.

 

I'm with you there. I loved the balcony I had on last years cruise, but when it came to picking out our room for the Southern Caribbean this year the prices were pretty high. We opted to go with and inside room on two cruises, as opposed to a balcony on one.

 

Then again, this might have something to do with the fact that I am petrified of heights!

 

However, for our ALaskan cruise next summer, it will be a balcony, regardless of cost.

[motherchic]

Hi Mekamax,

i havnt read all the posts, but i know if i could afford it, without a doubt-a balcony is wonderful.

Last year for my birthday gift my DH asked if i would like to go away for a weekend to the napa valley. We didnt have allot of money to spend. I asked if i found a reasonable cruise if he would want to go. we like the M class ships of Celebrity. I found a 7 day cruise on the constellation for $480/person....and we took it. It was an inside room but it was still a fabulous cruise for just the right price. so for me, if it meant not cruising i would always go with the way to afford the cruise. Now, we just booked a 14 day Panama Canal cruise on the Summit.CC,balcony aft cabin for 07. And i know it will be extra fabulous with the balcony.

Enjoy your balcony

[FCOWHER]

I always liked the insides because you could just go in there and sleep like a hibernating bear. But my last two cruises DW and I had a balcony and we will never go back. The fresh ocean air first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day. I also love coming into port and sitting there with my morning coffee and departing in the afternoon with a glass of wine just watching the goings on of the ship and different points of the island. Nothing beats a balcony. Joe V.

 

Serenade of the Seas 01/07/06

[always on vacation]

Well , here is my two cents. All the cruises we had been on previously were inside up until this years Navigator of the Seas Oct 05. We had a balcony. It was different, but not neccessarily in a good way. We have already booked an inside stateroom for Freedom in 06. Our biggest complaint was that we spent so much more time in our stateroom than we would normally do that we feel like we missed out on alot of things. As a matter of fact the only time I felt having a balcony was a benefit was entering and exiting ports. (you know port and people watching). We'll I kind of like the way we did it before and just go out on the pool decks and watch this specticle. If the opportunity to sail in a balcony stateroom comes available in the future, I wouldn't mind it but I know now it definitely won't make or break my cruise.

[BallFour4]

No, we didn't get the teenagers rum, I purchased something for mine much more expensive and valuable. Car insurance!

 

Welcome to Texas driving in the Houston area, 2 grand for full coverage with a 1K deductible, straight A's on the report card and us with 20 plus years of citation free and accident free driving.

 

Now, when does the Elation leave again? In three and 1/2 weeks, no balcony, more rum and one more trip before 2006.

 

Never Squat With Your Spurs On...

 

Lee

[Richard Parker]

I got addicted to balconies without even having one for myself! Last cruise we went on was my girlfriend (now wife) and I along with the rest of my family. My parents had a balcony while we had an inside. We enjoyed going to their balcony every evening to enjoy pre-dinner drinks so much that we decided to spend the extra money for a balcony for our Christmas honeymoon cruise.

That said, I would have absolutely no problem with an inside cabin if that's what it took to get me on another cruise. The thing I wouldn't pay extra for is ocean view.

[hajekfam]

The balcony is a must for some cruises - a cruise with a lot of sea days such as a transatlantic or a spectacular view such as Alaska.

For a port intensive cruise, I can make do with just an oceanview. I am not in the cabin that much to be able to truly enjoy the balcony.

We do, however, need the minimum of an oceanview. I need to have the drapes open just a crack to let in the natural light so that we don't sleep away the entire cruise. I am one of those people who needs daylight in order to really wake up.

[Jane110]

We do, however, need the minimum of an oceanview. I need to have the drapes open just a crack to let in the natural light so that we don't sleep away the entire cruise. I am one of those people who needs daylight in order to really wake up.

 

 

Us too. Since we had our first balcony, we haven't "gone back" and know that we wouldn't enjoy the cruise as much without one. Perhaps it's because being a NYer, with no backyard or terrace at home, I just really enjoy the private outdoor space. There's just nothing like getting up pre-dawn, going out on the balcony for a look at sunrise before going back to bed for a few more winks. Watching the sunset without the crowding of a public deck is my idea of a vacation. And when I want to sit quietly and read, I don't want to have to search for a chair or think about if someone else is going to take it if I leave for a little while. Having a private balcony makes the cruise experience even more euphoric and stress-free.

 

However, if our budget prevented us from having a balcony, we need an oceanview. Never an inside. I cruised with a group of friends once and visited a friend in her spacious, inside cabin that she had for herself. I felt like I was in a closet - though a big walk-in one - and determined that for me, I couldn't cruise this way, never knowing if it was night or day. The decor of her cabin was as nice as ours, but I just couldn't stand to be in there for more than a few minutes before feeling claustrophobic. Perhaps that's why people with insides always say "Well we don't spend much time in the cabin". Well yeah, why would you? I wish it didn't make a difference to us......we'd be able to take more cruises! ;)